Arcane: Twin Cities Mechanic

To avoid another sudden intrusion by Zoe, Li Lin made sure to wear a pair of nano-transforming swim trunks while bathing, remaining on high alert throughout. 

Luckily, Zoe next door was deeply "immersed" in her own worries, leaving her no time to bother him, which gave Li Lin a rare moment of relaxation for the first time in days.

Not long after finishing his bath, a servant brought tea and snacks. Surprisingly, among the treats were not only Demacian flavors but also some Ionia-inspired delicacies that stirred memories for him. He was pleasantly surprised.

But then again, considering Grand General Zhao Xin was still present in the palace, and Demacia was somewhat tolerant of foreign non-mages, plus the fact that many Ionians had fled there during the war, it all made sense to Li Lin.

By around four in the afternoon, the time for tea had passed.

Li Lin instructed the AI to scan and record the new clothes brought by the servant. He quickly manipulated the nano-material clothing on his body to transform.

Thanks to his enhanced body, his mental strength was far beyond that of ordinary people. The fatigue from days of travel only left him slightly mentally drained, but after a hot bath, he was nearly fully refreshed.

Instead of resting, Li Lin left his room and, after some thought, decided to knock on Zoe's door.

Just as his hand left the cold, heavy door, it silently opened, followed by Zoe's voice, "I knew you wouldn't stay mad at me!"

Li Lin jumped, startled. Zoe had just changed out of her bedroom clothes and was stepping out, wringing her long, damp hair — a good twenty steps away from the door.

She had opened the door using magic!

Quickly, Li Lin glanced to either side with his peripheral vision. The nearest servant was still more than ten meters away, and no one seemed to notice anything unusual. With a swift movement, he slipped into the room and locked the door behind him.

By the time he turned around, Zoe's hair had already dried, thanks to her magic, and she summoned a mirror to fix her "troublesome" clothing.

"Damn it! These clothes are so uncomfortable! Worse than those in Piltover — how do people from this kingdom tolerate them?"

"And these shoes, too! Stifling, so awkward!"

With a flick of her hand, the magical mirror dissipated. Zoe caught Li Lin's cold gaze and toned down her earlier look of disdain, though she still pretended as if nothing was wrong.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

She skipped over to Li Lin and grabbed the cuff of his sleeve with her small hand, a playful grin on her face.

"Hehe~~ If you like these clothes, I guess I could try to get used to them~~!"

Li Lin lowered his gaze to Zoe, who was making a cute pose, blinking her big, bright eyes at him. The anger he'd felt over her breaking their agreement dissipated with a helpless sigh.

No wonder Atreus said that among all the gods he had faced, the most mischievous ones always wore the faces of innocent children.

Of course, what he meant by "mischievous" wasn't true evil, but that Zoe, with her innocent personality, often did things that unintentionally harmed mortals due to the unmatched power she wielded. Even though she had her own restraints, she couldn't completely stop herself from using the magic she was so accustomed to.

Li Lin sighed inwardly.

He really was wrapped around the finger of this playful, eternally childish girl.

"Zoe," he said.

He crouched down, bringing his eyes level with hers, resting his hand on her shoulder.

Zoe, for once, restrained her bubbly energy and met his gaze with a calm, puzzled expression.

Then, in a heartfelt tone, Li Lin said, "I know you love using magic, but we're in Demacia, a nation where magic is forbidden. While the king and prince may not oppose it, others here might. 

"Though I've told Morgana that powerful individuals are treated as honored guests, it depends on the situation, doesn't it? We're guests here, and as guests, we must respect the customs and rules of the land. That's true no matter where we are.

"I came to Demacia mainly because I know this country might soon face unrest due to its anti-magic laws. I want to help them through this crisis.

"You're aware of the threat from the Void, right? The Star Spirits are deeply concerned about it. 

"Even though the Shuriman Empire sealed the largest Void rift in Icathia thousands of years ago, the Void will eventually return. We must gather every possible ally and be prepared.

"When that time comes, Demacia will be a crucial ally, so we need to treat this seriously."

After hearing Li Lin's long explanation, Zoe nodded, half-understanding. "Well, since you put it that way... fine. We're already here anyway, so I was ready to be bored."

She shrugged and threw her hands up, wearing a resigned expression. She reluctantly accepted Li Lin's reasoning and promised to refrain from using magic.

Li Lin let out a small sigh of relief. At least for now, Zoe would behave for a little while.

As he stood up, he playfully pinched Zoe's soft, round cheek. "It's about time. Do you want to come with me to tonight's celebration banquet?"

In Demacia, much like in Piltover, when invited to a banquet, families or individuals are expected to arrive at the host's residence two to four hours before the event begins. 

This period is when the upper class takes the opportunity to strengthen ties, win allies, or discuss matters of mutual interest.

Tonight's banquet was scheduled for 7:00 PM. As the savior of Jarvan IV, the sole heir of the Lightshield royal family, Li Lin was, of course, a guest of honor.

At about five o'clock, the warm hues of the setting sun painted the skyline red.

Li Lin asked a servant about the others and learned that Morgana and Shyvana had already headed to the Shining Hall in Dawn Castle, the venue for the noble ball and banquet.

Afterward, led by the servants, Li Lin and Zoe wandered around the vast and empty Dawn Castle for what felt like countless minutes before they finally sensed some life.

"There are so many people ahead, and I can smell food!" Zoe exclaimed, her delicate nose twitching in delight.

In truth, she didn't need to say anything. Even without counting those walking ahead or behind them, there were already more than twenty people moving together.

Hearing Zoe's excited outburst, some of the unfamiliar nobles shot them curious glances. However, they were soon captivated by Zoe's stunning beauty and her mismatched eyes.

Had it not been for her youthful appearance, some of the younger nobles might have even approached her.

After all, one of the purposes of noble banquets was to provide an opportunity for the younger generations of smaller families to mingle with the heirs of more prominent ones.

This unspoken rule was a subtle method of encouraging political marriages among noble circles.

Once they'd seen Zoe, their gazes shifted to Li Lin, each wondering who this unfamiliar person—who clearly didn't seem to be from Demacia—could be, and what kind of status he held to attend the prince's victory banquet.

Of course, none of these nobles were foolish. Just because they didn't recognize Li Lin didn't mean they underestimated him.

When Li Lin's eyes swept over them, they all responded with polite smiles and nods, acknowledging his presence.

When the servant finally led them to the doors of the radiant hall, Li Lin thanked their guide and, alongside Zoe, stepped into the grand, opulent room. Though it wasn't smaller than the Hall of Valor, this room boasted even more extravagant and luxurious decorations.

It seemed the king had been informed of their arrival. No sooner had Li Lin stepped inside than the hearty laughter of Jarvan III rang out from a distance, quickly drawing nearer.

Alongside him were not only Jarvan IV, Barrett, Morgana, and Shyvana, but also Xin Zhao and Tiyana, whom Li Lin had seen earlier in the Hall of Valor. Additionally, there was a group of nobles clad in luxurious attire, each carrying themselves with different manners and expressions.

Among them, the one who most caught Li Lin's eye was a young girl dressed in a silk, strapless, blue gown. Her long, azure hair was tied into twin tails that hung gracefully down her back.

She looked like a celestial being, with an elegance that outshone every other noble lady present.

At first glance, she didn't exude any of the airs typical of the nobility. Instead, she seemed like an ethereal fairy who had descended to the mortal world.

The blue-haired girl appeared a bit shy as she walked alongside Barrett and an elderly noblewoman, clutching a simple wooden box nearly as tall as she was.

With Li Lin's extraordinary magical powers and his heightened senses, he could faintly detect anti-magic seals engraved on the box.

This girl was none other than Sona, the Maven of the Strings, and the ancient instrument she carried—the Etwahl—had been with her ever since she was discovered by Ionian monks.

Li Lin quickly composed himself and greeted Jarvan III, who had already swapped his golden armor for formal banquet attire.

The king smiled warmly as he walked directly over to Li Lin and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Our other hero has arrived!"

This warmth and familiarity momentarily caught Li Lin off guard, still being somewhat new to the scene.

"Though the afternoon was all too brief, it's a welcome relief compared to the intensity of the battlefield," Jarvan III said, smiling at Li Lin like a kind elder rather than the King of Demacia.

"How have you rested?" he asked.

"Thanks to Your Majesty, I've rested quite well, and so has Zoe," Li Lin replied.

"That's good to hear! Hahaha... We can't afford to poorly treat such honored guests—it would be a disgrace to our royal family!"

Jarvan III chuckled as he turned and stood shoulder to shoulder with Li Lin, facing the nobles who had followed him. Spreading his fingers into a gesture of introduction, he said, "These are the pillars of Demacia. Let me introduce them to you…"

[End of Chapter] 

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