My name is Mel Medarda

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Taking the airship to the border between Piltover and Noxus, Mel transferred to another vessel bearing the Medarda family crest.

"How about it?"

Ambessa Medarda, a tall and muscular woman with dark skin and short hair, stood from her seat.

Dressed in a suit of battle armor adorned with a red cape, she eagerly turned toward her daughter.

"He took the scroll and allowed us to send those supplies to his Fortress," Mel replied with a slight shrug.

Though she could feel the weight of her mother's presence, it was undeniably more comfortable than facing Ryan.

"That's good, that's good," Ambessa sighed in relief.

"Your brother got himself into trouble that never should have happened, but at least it's half-resolved now."

"You didn't involve yourself in this mess? Didn't you read my report? I don't understand why you acted the way you did," Mel said, frowning as she scrutinized her mother.

She had sent a clear warning to the family, detailing Ryan's recent actions, including Camille's alliance with him. All of it had been carefully collected and passed on.

The tension in Ambessa's expression faded. She didn't appear ashamed of the trouble caused but spoke with her usual matter-of-fact tone:

"This is Piltover and Zaun. Intelligence here is unreliable. We must focus on the Empire. Every Noxian general is bound to stir up some trouble in this region."

"Including the rogue scientist in Zaun? Or the mechanical dragon that day?" Mel's lips curled into a sneer.

From what Mel understood, her mother alone could not suppress all of Piltover.

Without the Empire's legions to back her, she likely wouldn't even be able to challenge Camille, let alone the entire Ferros family.

"This is different," Ambessa retorted.

"That man was once an adjutant of the Eastern Front Army, even holding a rank above mine. We were prepared. Besides, the Empire has officially confirmed his treachery. The Lesser Garrison is already en route. When a wall begins to fall, everyone pushes against it. We need to act quickly to secure our share of the spoils."

"The faster you rush, the harder you might fall," Mel replied, leaning back into her seat.

Resting her chin on her hand, she opted not to argue further and instead asked:

"Judging from the family's offer of reparations, are we completely aligning with him?"

A thousand of grimoires would drain nearly half of the Medarda family's archives.

And the scroll, rumored to contain Imperial secrets, was no small gesture either.

If the information was legitimate, the family was effectively declaring loyalty.

"You've never been to the Fae'lor in person," Ambessa sighed.

"Your brother marched in with 20,000 private soldiers from the family."

Mel raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I've heard bits and pieces. It sounded like there were heavy casualties."

"Heavy? It wasn't just heavy—it was absolute annihilation. Not a single soul survived."

Ambessa's hands trembled slightly as she covered her face. Her voice dropped, tinged with fear.

"I was aboard the family battleship. I saw it with my own eyes. In an instant, darkness swallowed them all. Every soldier, every bit of energy... gone. When the shadows cleared, not even fragments of their armor remained. Twenty thousand soldiers, gone in a heartbeat."

Mel stared at her mother, stunned.

"All dead..."

She murmured the words to herself, beginning to understand the terror etched into her mother's face.

Twenty thousand soldiers. Even if they had faced a rampaging mechanical dragon, such a feat should have taken significant effort.

But this? Instant annihilation? These weren't ordinary troops—they were the Medarda family's elite, veterans who had once crushed kingdoms underfoot.

The event may have been exaggerated, but it was proof enough of Ryan's power.

Power capable of obliterating Piltover if unleashed.

No wonder he dared to scheme against the Empire itself...

"Noxus... might be on the brink of major change," Mel murmured, her voice calm but contemplative.

She pieced everything together in her mind, stunned by the conclusion she reached. Ryan's presence in Piltover wasn't happenstance—it had been deliberate from the beginning.

He was waiting. Baiting the Empire's elites into his trap.

With the hidden strength he had displayed, defeating the Lesser Garrison and disrupting Noxian control was far from impossible.

"Of course I understand." Ambessa's expression turned serious.

"That's why I've suppressed the news of the legion's destruction and prepared an apology for him."

"Funny. When my brother caused trouble in the past, I didn't see you act this quickly," Mel retorted with a faint sneer.

"I was careless," Ambessa admitted.

"The Empire's changes are so rapid, it's hard to keep up. But now, I need you to come back and help me."

"I don't want to go back," Mel replied without hesitation.

"I like being a Councilor in Piltover."

Ambessa frowned. "Don't be so stubborn. What's the use of being a councilor? I could crush five of them with one hand."

"But Lord Ryan could crush five Medardas just as easily," Mel countered bluntly.

Ambessa's expression darkened, but she knew her daughter wasn't mocking her.

Taking a deep breath, she stared intently at Mel.

"Then tell me what you think."

"There's no shortage of Medardas in the Empire who rely on brute strength alone," Mel said, her tone confident.

"Lady Camille has already allied herself with Lord Ryan. But the Ferros family isn't the only power in Piltover—we can add ourselves to the equation."

"You're suggesting we align with him? Seduce him into our fold?" Ambessa stroked her rough chin thoughtfully.

"He's far better than that boy you chose."

"His Excellency would never look at me that way," Mel replied sharply.

"Besides, Jayce is my strongest ally."

"The mechanical dragon?" Ambessa's eyes widened.

She had heard of the weapon—a game-changer in warfare. The real reason she had come to Piltover was to see it for herself.

The Medarda family's influence in the city was significant, but even that hadn't been enough to gain entry.

Ryan's iron grip over the region had nearly gotten her killed when she arrived.

"Yes," Mel confirmed.

"It's a collaboration between Jayce and Professor Heimerdinger. While still a prototype with some risk of losing control, with enough resources, it could be mass-produced."

Mel paused to take a sip of wine, her throat dry from all the explaining.

Meanwhile, her mother sank deep into thought. When Ambessa finally spoke, her tone was firm.

"What do you need me to do?"

"I don't need your help," Mel replied, setting the glass down.

"What matters is that we place our bet on him. And more importantly, what you've already promised on the parchment."

"The Grimoires?" Ambessa asked, puzzled.

"I don't even know what those are for." She chuckled ruefully.

"I remember he started demanding them from the Empire a decade ago. He must have tens of thousands by now. They say he's stored them all in a specially constructed tower within his castle."

"What happened to you on Fae'lor might be connected to his obsession with collecting those notes," Mel explained.

"It's runescript—his secret, not ours. The notes are useless to us. The family's mages can't even decipher them. Better to let them go and gain his favor."

Mel didn't know much about mages herself, but she understood one thing—there were two kinds.

Some relied on knowledge, while others depended solely on innate talent.

The Medarda family had only ever been able to recruit the latter.

"And," Mel added with a sly smile, "this is a secret gamble. Even if he fails, we won't suffer any losses."

Ambessa looked at her daughter, her expression softening.

"You've become a true politician. I wish you'd come back to the family to help me. I'll prepare everything once I return."

Mel smiled faintly and shared a few more words before standing to leave. But as she was about to step away, Ambessa suddenly called out, her voice tinged with sadness:

"Mel... I'm sorry. I failed to protect your brother. The Guard and the Imperial Executioner are already on their way. Please... leave with me. You're my only child."

Mel froze, her expression momentarily unreadable. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

"Mother, I will stay here," she said firmly, her voice steady.

"The Medardas do not fear danger."

She turned, a determined smile crossing her face as she boarded her airship.

She had been exiled once, cast out for failing to meet the family's ideals. But she had never stopped being who she was.

Her name had always been, and would always be…

Mel Medarda.