Read up to 30 chapters ahead on Patreon - patreon.com/Light_lord
-----
"When they meet tomorrow, what kind of weather would be ideal?"
Ryan gazed up at the sky, his eyes shimmering with an otherworldly magical light.
"A cloudy day is the most suitable for covert communication," he said.
"But on a cloudy day, people's spirits aren't as high."
Seraphine frowned, her face conflicted.
"They might not be easily distracted, but cloudy days seem so dull."
As Ryan's voice fell silent, his eyes gleamed with a brilliant glow. Raising the luminous ring in his hand, the air around them seemed to hum with power.
Slowly, the clouds began to gather above Piltover. The once-bright moon, unimpeded by anything moments before, now appeared veiled behind a misty shroud.
Its light was diffused, ghostly, and unreal.
It was a breathtaking display of magic. Seraphine, along with her two companions, could only stare in stunned silence.
They had always known Ryan was powerful, but this act—bending the very skies to his will—was beyond their imagination.
Elsewhere, inside the Piltover Enforcement Bureau, Camille glanced up from her desk, her cold, steely eyes fixed on the dimming sky.
A faint smile tugged at her lips as she murmured to herself:
"Tomorrow will be a cloudy day. Perfect for handling… less virtuous tasks."
Without a second thought, she lowered her gaze back to her work, her expression indifferent.
Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of Piltover, Heimerdinger sighed.
Watching the unnatural clouds gather, he drew his laboratory curtains closed, his face heavy with concern.
At the same time, along the border river between Piltover and Zaun, the sea breeze near Warehouse 2 abruptly halted.
For a moment, there was complete stillness. Then, without warning, the wind returned, sweeping across the area.
As it blew again, the dark clouds thickened further, and a light drizzle began to fall. The rain quietly erased any evidence of the explosion that had shaken the warehouse earlier.
High above, on the rooftop of the embassy, Seraphine tilted her head curiously. Despite her awe, a trace of comfort flickered in her expression as she carefully asked:
"Teacher… your magic…"
Ryan, now calm and composed, looked at her with a slight smile.
"This is a pure place, untouched by corruption. Seraphine, you should've read about such phenomena in your studies."
Seraphine pouted, her brow furrowed in thought. After a moment, she hesitantly offered her answer:
"I think… I think it was in the handbook of a geomancer. It said that when a mage continually channels magic into a specific area, they can transform it into their domain."
Ryan nodded approvingly.
"Exactly. Many of the most dangerous places in Runeterra are created this way. Few are naturally formed. In such environments, magical energy is highly concentrated. A mage dwelling in these areas can even grow stronger over time. But those places often hide fatal dangers as well."
Seraphine nodded slowly, absorbing the lesson. Her thoughts wandered as she considered her teacher's immense abilities.
She guessed he must have started shaping the Twin Cities to his will long before this moment.
In the melodies of her songs, Seraphine could sense an impending storm—a confrontation between her teacher and a Noxian legion.
As an aspiring bard and a reluctant witness to the conflicts ahead, she wondered what kind of leader could inspire such loyalty and what kind of strength her teacher truly wielded to face such a force.
But now, she seemed to understand.
Mr. Ryan was such a remarkable being.
Seraphine didn't know how to put her feelings into words. Instead, she waved her small hand in the air as if to cheer herself up.
"Teacher, I'm going to read a book!"
With that announcement, she darted downstairs to her room, leaving Ryan to chuckle softly to himself.
"She really is just a child," Ryan said with a faint smile.
Then he turned to the quiet figure standing nearby.
"Take some time to rest here at the embassy today," he said kindly.
"Tomorrow, I will personally perform the ceremony for you. Let me know if there's anything you need."
Orianna, lowering her gaze slightly, hesitated before speaking.
"Mr. Ryan… I do have one request."
"Go on."
"In this world… is there any paper capable of engraving emotions? I want to record something special."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, pondering her question. "Paper that carries emotions?" he murmured.
After a moment, his lips curled into a reassuring smile, putting Orianna at ease.
"Miss Katarina," Ryan said, turning his gaze to the woman standing nearby, "there's a stack of yellowed paper on my desk. Would you bring it here?"
"Understood!" Katarina nodded sharply, disappearing in a blur of movement.
Though her curiosity was piqued, she was more eager to see what magical properties this 'emotional paper' might hold.
When she arrived at Ryan's desk, she picked up the stack of slightly yellowed sheets and frowned.
"This is just regular paper," she muttered to herself, recognizing it as the same batch she had purchased for Ryan from a Noxian vendor.
Still, suspecting it might be enchanted, she took the paper without hesitation and reappeared on the rooftop.
Ryan took the stack from her hands and handed it directly to Orianna.
"Bind these into a book," he instructed.
"It should last you for a while. When you need more, find me. This type of magic paper looks ordinary, but it's far from it."
Katarina watched this exchange, her mind spinning with questions.
However, when Orianna accepted the paper with a smile, her doubts were pushed aside.
After Orianna left, clutching the paper tightly, Ryan turned to Katarina with an amused expression.
"Still confused?" he asked.
"They don't have any magic," Katarina replied bluntly.
Ryan chuckled. "True, it's just regular paper from the West End Paper Mill in Noxus. Nothing remarkable about it—except to me. It carries the essence of the empire. Every stroke I write on it is infused with my emotions."
His gaze turned distant as if he were looking past the horizon, envisioning the heart of the empire—the Immortal Bastion, proud and unyielding.
"Orianna knows, deep down, that any paper can serve her purpose. She'll write her thoughts and feelings; when she looks back at her words, the emotions they hold will come rushing back. That's how memories work," Ryan said softly.
"But tomorrow, she'll ascend mechanically," Katarina countered, skepticism lacing her tone.
"She's going to abandon her body entirely. Once she becomes… something else, will she even remember what those feelings were?"
Orianna's brilliance was something Katarina deeply admired. She was the first to fully embrace mechanization, boldly choosing to forgo her humanity in one decisive leap.
Even Viktor had opted to preserve his soul before attempting such a transformation. Orianna, however, aimed to retain her emotions and ideals while shedding her body—a nearly impossible feat.
"It all depends on her belief in herself," Ryan replied, his voice calm.
"No one can help her with that. The path she's chosen is unprecedented. Every step she takes is uncharted territory."
Ryan's gaze returned to the horizon, his expression unreadable. He couldn't predict Orianna's success but could ensure her soul's safety.
If she failed, he would at least prevent her essence from being lost forever.
In her room, Seraphine sat quietly, her thoughts swirling as she listened to the faint hum of the soulful melody drifting from next door.
She turned the pages of her book in silence, sending her heartfelt wishes to Orianna.
Seraphine believed Orianna could succeed. She had no doubt the girl would become the "Lady of Clockwork" she dreamed of being.
Meanwhile, in her own quarters, Orianna carefully strung the papers together, her expression serene. With a pen in hand, she paused for a long moment before finally writing the first line:
"Time ticks away, but emotions endure."