"To ensure safety and prevent another severe incident like the assassination in the both cities, General Quiletta will lead 300 elite Noxian soldiers to garrison the Zaun and Piltover."
After the power-sharing arrangement was finalized, Swain took the opportunity to introduce the blonde female general beside him. Her connection to the Hand of Noxus made her appointment even more significant.
"Anyone who disrupts the peace of the both cities and hinder Noxus' conquest of Shurima will be considered an enemy of Noxus and shall die without burial."
Silco leaned slightly toward Cipher. "Your thoughts?"
"Insurance policy," Cipher replied quietly. "He doesn't trust any of us completely, including us."
"Should we be concerned?"
"Only if we give them reason to be. The soldiers can maintain order, but they can't conquer Piltover and Zaun if both our factions unite."
Silco's cold smirk appeared. "And if Piltover turns against us?"
"Then we'll discover whether our Noxian friends remember who their allies are."
With a gesture of his hand, one of his personal guards immediately brought forward a diplomatic decree.
"To prevent certain fools from misjudging the situation, I specially requested His Majesty Darkwill, the great ruler of Noxus, to issue a diplomatic decree."
Swain stood up, pressing both hands on the conference table. His deep gaze swept over everyone present, lingering meaningfully on each faction leader before finally resting on Camille.
The warning could not have been clearer.
With a gesture of his hand, one of his personal guards immediately brought forward a diplomatic decree.
"To prevent certain fools from misjudging the situation, I specially requested His Majesty Darkwill to issue a diplomatic decree."
The Emperor himself? This isn't just about Shurima, Swain has elevated the Zaun and Piltover to imperial importance. That's either a great honor or a terrible burden.
Possibly both...
At this time, Emperor Darkwill was still a capable and diligent ruler, tough in his methods and truly leading Noxus toward strength and glory. He had not yet grown fearful of death due to age, nor had he become a puppet of the Pale Lady and her Black Rose.
Therefore, when Swain made a reasonable request, Darkwill gladly agreed, a gesture befitting a wise monarch.
Swain's guards handed the handwritten diplomatic decree from the Noxian Emperor to each faction's representative. The guards approached Camille last. Every eye in the room watched as she accepted the decree, her expression betraying nothing.
[Imperial Edict from the Emperor of Noxus: Piltover and Zaun must fully cooperate with Grand General Swain in all matters. Any disobedience will result in the total annihilation of the offending faction!]
The decree was signed by Darkwill himself and bore his exclusive imperial seal. Though the decree was informal in tone and wording, the very fact that the Noxian Emperor personally wrote it was already a great show of respect to Piltover and Zaun.
Camille's eyes scanned the document.
With this decree revealed, even she did not want to stir up further trouble. If she made a move, Swain would not hesitate to completely eradicate the Clan Ferros.
The Pale Lady had no intention of stepping into the spotlight; if Camille committed a grave political error, she would not be protected. However, the Clan Ferros and Zaun, led by Cipher, were already mortal enemies, it was a battle to the death between them.
Camille processed the situation: Clan Ferros isolated, technological advantage lost to Zaun, assassination options neutralized, time working against them. The variables aligned into an inescapable conclusion, retreat or destruction.
Realizing this, she suddenly looked up at Cipher. Only to find him gazing back at her with a meaningful look.
Silco tilted his head slightly, his glowing red mechanical eye fixed on her, the message was crystal clear: This isn't over, but the rules have changed.
She'll try something, has to, with her family's survival at stake. But desperation also makes enemies dangerous. We need to be ready for whatever she attempts.
Camille averted her gaze.
Their previous attempt had failed. Heimerdinger had been completely forced into the Undercity, and Viktor had also joined the Undercity. The Upper City now only had Jayce left.
In terms of technological strength, the Upper City was now inferior to the Undercity. As time went on, the gap between both cities would shrink, and eventually, the Undercity might fully surpass the Upper City.
Their only remaining underhanded option, assassination, had just been rendered invalid by Swain's diplomatic decree from Darkwill.
As long as Swain remained the Supreme Commander of the Southern Front, Camille could not launch another surprise attack on the Undercity like before.
But the Southern Front Noxus had opened was targeting an entire continent. It would take at least a decade to conquer, meaning his retirement was nowhere in sight.
And expecting someone like Swain to be dismissed due to a mistake? Ridiculous.
A retreat route must be secured.
I won't abandon Piltover while there's hope, but I won't let pride destroy the Clan Ferros.
In that moment, Camille made up her mind. She did not care about her own life, but she had to secure a safe path for the Clan Ferros in advance.
If the situation turned grim, she would immediately have her family flee, staying behind in Piltover to rally forces and fight the Undercity to the end, buying time for her family's escape.
She began mental calculations: assets to liquidate, safe havens to establish, loyal agents to activate.
Swain glanced at her with indifference. Her reaction was exactly as expected.
When the strategist behind her refused to take the field personally, the outcome of this chess match was already decided.
Zaun would inevitably defeat Piltover.
"The meeting is over."
Having said everything that needed to be said, he tightened the black cloak draped over his shoulders and directly declared the meeting concluded. He was ready to leave the council hall immediately.
"Grand General Swain, Piltover is holding a grand banquet to welcome your arrival, it will be hosted in the banquet hall of the House Medarda estate. Join us, won't you? You know not all the wine there is as strong as Noxian vintage."
Ambessa stood up and invited Swain to attend the banquet. She knew very well that Swain disliked such gatherings, considering them a waste of time. But people from Piltover were accustomed to negotiating detailed collaborative plans during banquets.
The Noxian army alone numbered 100,000 regulars, and when including auxiliaries, logistics personnel, and slaves, it likely totaled several hundred thousand, perhaps close to a million. Supplying such a massive force couldn't be managed by just a few people. It required the combined efforts of commercial forces from all major and minor families across Piltover and Zaun.
So, in her view, holding a banquet was necessary.
First, to soothe the frightened "fat cow" that was Piltover, avoiding disruption of their "milk production."
Second, to provide a business-oriented platform for cooperation, allowing the both cities to work together to ensure military logistics ran smoothly.
That was why she had deliberately mentioned Noxian wine, which was a subtle way of expressing her point.
After all, Piltover was fundamentally different from Noxus.
"My soldiers have been on ships for a long time, they need rest and recovery."
Swain's eyes flickered slightly.
"I will make sure delicious food and fine wine are delivered to the Noxian warriors." Ambessa had already prepared. Soldiers couldn't be thrown into battle immediately after a long, exhausting journey. They needed time to recuperate.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's attend the banquet."
Swain agreed to Ambessa's invitation after a moment's consideration.
At that moment, the council hall, which had been dead silent under the oppressive pressure of Swain's presence, seemed to come alive again. Piltover's aristocrats began chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere quickly became relaxed.
It was as if Swain's agreement to attend the banquet had removed the sword hanging over their heads, restoring their sense of safety.
"This is Piltover."
Noticing the odd look in Swain's eyes, Ambessa shrugged.
The Piltovans were just like the wine they produced, soft and lacking strength.
"Interesting." Swain responded flatly and indifferently, then took the lead in leaving the council hall. And as Swain's ally, Zaun naturally had to attend any banquet he did.
Cipher and Silco quickly followed.
"Remember the last time the four of us attended a banquet here? What did those topsiders call us... oh, sewer rats!"
Guided by the attendants, they once again entered the House Medarda's grand banquet hall.
Silco watched as the so-called upper-city elites kept coming over to greet him and Cipher, his mechanical eye glowing brighter as they bowed and offered greetings, a cold smirk appearing at the corner of his lips.
"And now they're practically kissing our hands."
"They remember. They're just hoping we'll forget."