Arcane: Mage from Noxus

Read up to 15 chapters ahead on Patreon - patreon.com/Light_lord

-----

"Yes, I didn't do that because I found that Vander was right."

Silco suddenly laughed, a bitter edge of madness creeping into his voice.

"The world is so ironic, isn't it? If Vander had been tougher back then, I wouldn't have needed to rise up. But when I did rise, it was already too late."

Hearing the depression in Silco's tone, Viktor frowned, unable to understand.

"The power you wield now is stronger than Vander ever had."

Silco's expression darkened, his eyes distant.

"But Piltover isn't what it used to be. Lately, the city's colleges have produced geniuses—Viktor, a few years ago, and Jayce. Brilliant minds, each making astounding strides in research."

Viktor's gaze narrowed as he replied casually, "I've heard of them, but I was under the impression they've only made... gadgets."

He wasn't being modest; he wanted to see how Silco viewed him—as a Zaunite, as an inventor. Most of Viktor's creations, despite their potential, had never benefited Zaun. Nor had they been turned into weapons.

"Yes, gadgets." Silco scoffed.

"But small as they are, they've widened the gap between Piltover and Zaun far more than you realize."

Silco shook his head as though the conversation had opened a floodgate. His voice lowered as if he had found a confidant.

"Take the Hexgates, for example. They've made the world smaller and more connected—except for Zaun. We're more isolated than ever brought Piltover unimaginable wealth. But where has that wealth gone? Weapons. Defenses. They've armed themselves against us."

Silco gestured out the cracked window, toward Piltover's direction.

"Piltover's coastal defenses now line the bridges, their artillery powerful enough to level buildings with a single shot. They're untouchable, while Zaun scrapes and suffers. And —Viktor—once a child of Zaun, our Viktor, gave them the tools they needed. He's brilliant, but in our eyes, he's nothing but a traitor."

Traitor.

The word hit Viktor like a blow. He froze, stunned at the accusation.

Was this really how Zaun saw him?

For the first time, the full weight of his choices fell on him. Silco's words held a truth he could no longer ignore: his technology hadn't lifted Zaun up. Instead, it had unknowingly strengthened Piltover's grip and widened the chasm between the two cities.

He hadn't seen it before. But after witnessing how Noxus operated, and understanding the respect Ryan commanded in Piltover, it all became clear.

Strength. Power. Those were the currencies of respect. Without them, kindness, peace, and equality were nothing but pretty words—illusions.

His intentions had been noble, but his actions? They had failed Zaun.

Viktor's voice, now rough and determined, broke the silence.

"Then what do you propose? I'm here willing to assist you—to weaken Piltover's hold."

He stared through the crumbling walls of Zaun, past the toxic fog, toward the gleaming skyline of Piltover. Even from here, its gilded towers looked immaculate, built on wealth and power—some of which were born from his efforts.

He was from Zaun. And what Piltover had taken from them, Zaun would reclaim—double.

Silco studied the man before him, his sharp gaze unwavering. Then he steepled his fingers beneath his chin, his tone shifting to one of quiet sincerity.

"Mr. Butler, I'm telling you all this to show my faith in you. I love this city—the sludge, the steel, the life beneath my feet. No one wants to see Zaun rise more than I do. Not even Vander wanted it as much as I do. But before I move forward, I need your promise. Without it, I won't risk everything—not even for you."

"I admire you very much, Silco. Perhaps I've been too narrow-minded. Maybe I need to get to know Zaun again. It's not as bad as I once imagined."

Viktor wore a faint smile as he looked at the confusion on Silco's face. Calmly, he added:

"Let me reintroduce myself— Viktor, Lord Meredith's butler, born and raised in Zaun."

------

"You were watching me like this while I was on a mission?"

After hearing Viktor's conversation with Silco, Katarina pointed at the watery reflection that had revealed the scene, an indescribable embarrassment on her face.

Ryan waved his hand, dismissing the water mirror, the corner of his mouth lifting into an amused smile.

"Viktor is far more composed than you were back then. If I recall correctly, when General Du Couteau saw your performance, he smashed the mirror in anger."

"Don't bring him up to me," Katarina snapped, her face sullen.

"Is this your plan, then? Sending Viktor to Zaun to gain experience and bind his loyalty to you? I can already see it—he'd be willing to serve as your butler forever."

"That's not my only intention." Ryan shook his head.

"Viktor's talents lie in technological innovation. If one day he invents machines capable of going to space , I wouldn't be surprised in the least."

"Then why send him to Zaun?" Katarina asked, clearly puzzled.

"Someone like him shouldn't waste time. He's no Jayce Talis. He belongs in a laboratory, immersed in his research."

Ryan turned to the window, his gaze sweeping over the golden skyline of Piltover, where the city basked in the warm glow of the setting sun.

"Katarina, everyone has their own ideals—just as we Noxians are willing to sacrifice anything for power, Viktor would give everything for the Zaun he believes in."

"The Zaun he believes in?"

"Zaun's living conditions are abysmal," Ryan began, his tone measured, "but unlike Noxus, where strength and conquest are the ultimate goals, the people of Zaun hold a different kind of hope. It sustains them."

He paused, his expression thoughtful.

"Take Silco, for example—he holds onto memories of Vander, the man who once led him across the bridge. Sevika, too—she remains loyal to Silco because, to her, he is the one worthy of allegiance. "

"And then there's Viktor. In Viktor's heart, there exists an ideal Zaun: a city where sunlight reaches every corner, where the air is crisp and clean, where rivers flow clear enough to see the fish beneath, and where people live with smiles on their faces, free from sickness and suffering."

Katarina was silent as she listened, then she softly uttered a single word:

"Piltover."

"Exactly." Ryan nodded.

"To him, everything Piltover has, Zaun should have as well. A city, in every sense of the word."

He gestured toward the streets outside, where finely dressed gentlemen and ladies walked across smooth, white stone pathways. The scent of flowers drifted on the breeze as Piltover's citizens basked in the beauty of the evening.

"Do you intend to help him achieve this dream?" Katarina asked, standing beside Ryan and looking out at the view—a sharp contrast to Zaun's grim depths.

Ryan's voice was calm but resolute.

"He only needs a stage. Mel Medarda wagered all of Piltover to help Jayce Talis rise. Zaun is the stage I've prepared for Viktor."

"The power between the two sides is vastly unequal," Katarina remarked, intrigued.

"And yet you're so confident in him? Medarda isn't weak."

Ryan's smile widened slightly. "Desperation breeds resourcefulness. It forces you to cherish even the smallest flickers of hope. Isn't that true?"

Katarina's eyes flickered, her heart stirring as memories resurfaced—the final night in the military camp.

At that time, Ryan had been her only hope…

Perhaps she wasn't as cunning as Mel Medarda, another abandoned daughter of a powerful house. But sometimes, luck mattered more than brilliance.

"Your Excellency," she said quietly, her voice steady, "it is my honor to follow you."