Legends of Runeterra

"Hahaha~! Welcome, Li En, you're finally back!"

Jia Gu, with white hair and a warm smile on his old face, strode towards Li En.

Seeing that Li En was still smiling, a group of Piltover nobles followed Jagu's steps and greeted Li En with the same warm smile.

"Haha~! Mr. Jia Gu, it's been a long time since we last met. You are still in good health!"

“Ahem! It’s okay, just barely passable.

I am old now, and now is the time for young talents like you."

The two looked at each other and smiled at the same time. Then when Li En looked at the people behind Jia Gu.

"Good day, Lord Li En!"

"Welcome back to Piltover, Lord Li En!"

"Master Li En, I haven't seen you for a long time. You look even more charming now!"

...

Looking at the nobles who were trying to squeeze next to Li En in a reserved and anxious manner, Caitlin curled her lips in annoyance, moved her steps, and ultimately did not join in the fun.

"Master Li En, we have prepared a banquet for you, please see..."

"Okay, let's go there together."

"Okay, Master Li En."

Jagu nodded, and took the lead to walk along the road made clear by many nobles. Li En, Riven, Anbesa and Urgot followed closely behind.

As she passed by the crowd, Anbesa turned her head slightly and accurately found her daughter Mel standing in the crowd.

Facing Anbesa's gaze, Mel felt the power from Jace's palm, pursed his lips slightly and looked at her.

"Humph!"

With a cold smile, Anbesa glanced at the young man standing next to her daughter, who was trying to imitate someone's calm and confident posture, and then strode away.

As the nobles of Piltover took the initiative to greet Li En, Caitlyn, who was standing in the front of the crowd at the beginning, now stood behind the crowd.

As Li En and others walked towards the carriage under the personal leadership of Jagu, Caitlin inevitably met Li En and his party.

“Tsk~!”

The tall and straight figure stopped in front of Caitlin and stretched out his slender and powerful hand in front of her.

"My dear Miss Catelyn, may I have the honor of riding in the same carriage with you?"

"Mr. Li En, please call me Councillor and Chief of Police!"

"Okay, Councillor, and Chief of Police, would you be willing to take a moment out of your busy schedule to protect me?"

"Hmph~!"

Caitlyn curled her lips, but placed her fair and smooth hand on Li En's hand amid the envious eyes of many Piltover nobles.

"Let's go."

Caitlin, blushing a little at the gazes of everyone, pulled Li En away quickly.

Until Li En and others got on the carriage, a group of Piltover nobles also got on their own carriages with a thoughtful look.

We thought it was exaggerated enough that a Noxian general came to Piltover, but today everyone discovered that Li En, who had already arrived in Piltover, was even more powerful than a general.

For a time, many nobles were wondering what price they should pay to regain friendship with Li En.

...

A banquet that imitated the nobles of Noxus, Demacia and other countries ended. Without paying attention to those anxious nobles, Li En, Caitlyn, Riven, and Urgot left Midalda Manor together with the farewell of the nobles.

'There is a feast in front of you, but you don't eat it quickly. What a typical and useless aristocratic reserve!'

Watching Li En's carriage drive out of sight, Anbesa coldly commented on Li En's behavior in her heart.

"Lady Anbesa, please watch this banquet..."

Jagu stood half a step behind Anbesa and asked respectfully and politely, while the nobles around her stood by respectfully and stiffly.

"That's enough, Jagu, come with me."

"Yes, Lady Anbesa!"

"Oh, and you, my dear daughter."

Anbesa, who was about to leave, suddenly turned around and looked at Mel not far away.

"I understand, mother."

"Crack~!"

Mel took a deep breath and was about to take a step to catch up, but his wrist suddenly tightened.

"Jace!?"

"Mel, I..."

"Don't worry, she is my mother after all, I will be fine."

"But..."

"Don't worry, you have more important things to do now, don't you?"

Mel gently placed his left hand on Jace's hand that was holding his right wrist, and looked at him tenderly.

"I...I understand..."

"Well, I'll be back soon."

After shaking Jace's hand and letting it go, Mel turned around and quickly caught up with Anbesa and the other two who had already walked away.

"Da da da~!"

Hearing the light but lonely footsteps, Anbesa, who had her back to Mel, frowned slightly, then relaxed and continued walking forward.

...

"Jia Gu, you are..."

Looking at the books piled on the table, Anbesa glanced at the old man beside her with some confusion.

"Lord Anbesa, this is the account book of Medarda in Piltover over the years."

"Oh! Put it away, old Jia Gu. This is not why I came here this time."

Instead of going closer to the desk, Anbesa walked over to the sofa.

“Crack~!”

Under the pressure of the heavy armor, the large sofa let out a slight cry.

Just like the two people standing in front of Amberesa, they seemed to be the head of the Medarda family in Piltover and a member of the Piltover council, and they were in great glory. But in front of Amberesa, they were not much harder than the sofa under her.

"Old Jia Gu, please go out first."

"Yes, Lady Anbesa."

"Click~!"

The door was closed, leaving only the mother and daughter.

Since entering the room, Mel has been standing where he stopped, without moving an inch.

She lowered her head, her eyes fixed quietly on the carpet in front of her.

Looking at her daughter Mel's 'weak' body, a trace of disappointment flashed in Anbesa's eyes.

Anbesa will always remember the defense of Rocklund, the ancestral home of Midalda of her lineage. The place was filled with corpses of her people and enemies. When Anbesa was on the verge of death, she gave birth to this fragile little guy.

As expected, not only did Mel inherit her strong physique, but her premature daughter was more fragile than ordinary babies.

In Noxus, weakness is the original sin of existence.

So for Mel, and to get rid of her own few "weaknesses", Anbesa sent her here. Although it was in the balance of power between major regions, Piltover was safe enough.

Now, face to face with her daughter again, Anbesa discovered that her daughter seemed to have been inevitably infected with the weakness and compromise of this city because she grew up here.

Putting aside her thoughts, Anbesa sat upright on the sofa.

"You know, Mel, your brother Gino, my eldest son, almost died not long ago."