Arcane: Twin Cities Mechanic

Led by the servant, Li Lin, Zoe, Morgana, and Shyvana walked down a long hallway, arriving at the guest quarters of Dawn Castle.

Morgana and Shyvana entered their rooms first, and Li Lin informed the servant that neither he nor Zoe needed any personal assistance. He then entered his room and locked the door.

The room was spacious, with a living area, a bedroom, and a bathroom—easily twice the size of his room in Piltover. 

The ever-burning candles in the elegant chandelier and the windows, designed to concentrate light, kept the room brightly illuminated. Everything was spotless, the cleaning done to perfection.

The walls were made of white marble infused with petricite, and the interior was lavishly decorated. The primary colors—blue, white, and yellow—were all characteristic of Demacia's royal style, reflecting the immense wealth of the Demacian monarchy.

Li Lin took a brief tour of the large living room and bedroom before heading into the bathroom, which, aside from the decor, was no different from those in Piltover.

He turned on the faucet labeled "Hot Water" in Demacian script. After about a minute of cold water, steam began to rise, enveloping the bathroom in a soft, hazy mist.

Looks like there's a boiler room nearby that provides hot water, Li Lin thought to himself.

He returned to the bedroom, getting ready to undress. 

The clothing of Demacian commoners was simple—most wore short, coarse linen shirts and pants, easy to put on and take off. However, the attire of the nobility was far more elaborate, requiring assistance to don properly.

Demacia was a martial nation where only military merit could earn titles and nobility. Nobles often entertained themselves with sparring matches at social gatherings, showcasing their refined combat skills and speed. The Laurent family in the capital was especially renowned for their elegant, swift, and deadly combat techniques.

If nobles bore grudges, they could challenge each other to duels, with witnesses and judges ensuring fairness. When one combatant fell, the grudge would be considered settled.

For this reason, most nobles preferred to wear lightweight armor daily, with a form-fitting, resilient undergarment underneath. This made dressing much more difficult.

This is why the servant had asked if Li Lin needed assistance earlier.

But that wasn't a problem for Li Lin.

Casually, he transformed his clothing into Earth-style shorts and a t-shirt. Just as he was about to enjoy a nice hot bath to wash away the fatigue of the journey, a metallic taste spread in his mouth, causing him to abandon the idea.

Li Lin quickly turned his head and, sure enough, a young girl was crouching in an open portal, grinning creepily. She muttered words like "abs" and "nice body" under her breath.

"Zoe!"

"Oh no, I've been caught! Gotta run..."

Though she said this, her gaze lingered on Li Lin's body, and her movements were slow, showing no real intention to leave.

With a swift step, Li Lin grabbed Zoe by the hem of her clothes and yanked the mischievous girl into his room.

"What are you doing... ouch!" Zoe lost control of her magic and landed hard on the floor, letting out a pained yelp.

"We agreed not to use magic carelessly in the capital, didn't we?" Li Lin scolded.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Zoe averted her gaze and forced a sheepish smile. "But... this isn't really carelessly, right?"

She jumped up, rubbing her butt, which hadn't been hurt in the fall.

Li Lin's face twitched. "Using magic to spy on someone getting undressed doesn't count as carelessly?"

"You're not a girl. Why are you so worried about someone seeing you bathe?" With this retort, Zoe seemed to regain her confidence, pouting in defiance. "It's not like you lose anything by being seen!"

"Uh..."

Li Lin was momentarily at a loss. She had a point?

"Besides, it's not just anyone spying on you—it's me, a beautiful, vibrant girl. Most people would be thankful for such a privilege!"

Li Lin's face darkened, and he flicked Zoe's forehead with his thumb and middle finger.

"Ow! That hurts! Why do you always flick me..." 

Seeing Zoe's teary eyes, Li Lin crossed his arms and snorted, "Quit acting. I didn't even use much force."

"Ugh..." Zoe's expression changed in an instant, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "I want to bathe with you..."

"Not happening," Li Lin cut her off before she could finish. "Don't push your luck just because I go easy on you."

"Ugh, you bathed with Caitlyn, but now it's a problem with me?" Zoe whined loudly.

If the castle's soundproofing wasn't so good, the servants outside might have already knocked on the door to check on the commotion.

Li Lin's face stiffened. "Wait... did you spy on me and Cait?"

Zoe froze, realizing she'd let something slip, her face turning pale.

She and Li Lin had an agreement—no magic was to be used to invade anyone's privacy at the Kiramman estate, especially not when it involved him and Caitlyn.

Now, not only had she been using magic secretly, but she'd also accidentally exposed herself.

Zoe, you idiot!

If only I had the power to turn back time...

She sneaked a glance at Li Lin's cold expression, humming a nervous, off-key tune to pretend everything was fine.

"I suddenly remembered—I think my bathwater's ready. I shouldn't bother you anymore, so I'm off!"

She hastily opened a portal and jumped back to her room before Li Lin could react, slamming it shut behind her.

Li Lin didn't follow her. Zoe leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor in relief.

"Ugh... I really messed up this time. What if he's mad at me?" 

Zoe sighed, looking dejected. "Should I apologize? Would he forgive me?"

But then, she clenched her small fists and pouted. "No, I didn't do anything wrong... it was just..."

Whatever she thought of made her face flush bright red. She curled up, hiding her now burning face in her knees.

She had replaced the protagonist of her thoughts with herself.

"But something like that..."

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally snapped out of her daydream. She rubbed her slightly flushed cheeks with her cool, delicate hands.

"Is Li Lin rejecting me because of how I look now?"

Using magic to lift herself up, she floated towards the full-length mirror in her bedroom. Adjusting her posture, she examined herself from various angles.

"Could it be that he only likes... fuller figures, like Caitlyn?"

Zoe furrowed her brows and snapped her fingers.

With a soft "boom," a burst of pink, shimmering magical smoke erupted from her body, enveloping her completely. In just a brief second, the smoke dissipated, revealing a transformed Zoe in the mirror.

Gone was the childlike figure she once had. Instead, a tall and graceful young woman, seemingly burdened by "youthful troubles," stood in her place.

Reflecting in the mirror, Zoe had grown by 20 centimeters. Her orange-gold hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, reaching all the way to her heels, with the ends dragging along the floor.

It wasn't just her height that had changed; her once slender legs had elongated and filled out to near-perfect proportions, rivaling Caitlyn's.

Zoe stood on her petite feet, now clad in stirrup stockings. She slightly lifted her dainty toes, pressing them onto the red carpet below to get a better view of her newly transformed body.

But the novelty didn't last long. She grew frustrated and dismissed the magic, returning to her original form.

"No, no, no! I don't want to grow up!" she mumbled, annoyed. "Seriously, how can Li Lin like someone with Caitlyn's build? She's as heavy as one of those mammoth cows from the Freljord ice fields... doesn't he find that weight unbearable?"

Zoe glanced back at herself in the mirror and sighed again, "I guess he really doesn't like someone with my figure. But why?"

She lazily fell backward, arms cradling the back of her head. Just before she hit the ground, her magic caught her, making it feel like she was lounging on a soft bed.

Then, she floated towards the steam-filled bathroom.

"No, I still need to think this over..."

(End of Chapter)

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