Lux's confession brought Ino immense relief.
But it wasn't enough.
Lux had more to say.
"Being a mage is not shameful, Ino," Lux whispered, releasing her hand. "And nobility is not something to boast about—no one can be defined by one or two labels."
"If anything, I think what nobles receive doesn't match what they give; they receive too much and give too little."
…
A mage affirming mages, a noble criticizing nobles.
For Ino, these words were extremely impactful—compared to Sylas's half-truths and manipulative words that invited endless speculation, Lux's direct and candid words left Ino somewhat at a loss.
Meanwhile, Sylas, who had been expecting Ino to be crushed and join his side, was utterly stunned by Lux's reaction.
He never would have imagined that the esteemed Crownguard Family's young lady would be so… well, so shameless.
Indeed, unlike Ino's perception of "Lux being open and honest," in Sylas's view, since he couldn't hear Lux's thoughts, this Lux fellow was lying!
How could such words be the true thoughts of a noble lady?
She couldn't possibly think that!
Saying one thing and doing another—this was nobles' specialty. In Sylas's opinion, Lux was just deceiving Ino—perhaps even just pacifying Ino, then settling accounts later!
He clearly couldn't imagine a noble lady genuinely believing that nobles exploited commoners—he preferred to believe that Lux, as a beneficiary, should be someone accustomed to hypocrisy and lies.
"Actually, I've been thinking about this problem ever since you told me you could make ice," Lux patted Ino's shoulder and continued, "In the summer, everyone likes cold drinks. How wonderful it would be if you could open a cold drink shop."
"I—that's impossible." Ino shook her head instinctively upon hearing this. "I can't control my magic. If I really opened such a shop, the result would only be harming the surrounding customers."
"That's another issue," Lux seemed to have a plan ready. "For natural mages, the best way to deal with it shouldn't be imprisonment or exile, but rather teaching—teaching them to use this extraordinary power to do more positive things…"
Saying this, Lux blinked again, pointing to her sword hilt.
"...Can it really be like that?" Lux's words seemed to open a new world for Ino. "Magic isn't wrong?"
"Magic has never been wrong; the one who uses it is wrong!" At this moment, Lux finally made up her mind and spoke her true feelings. "Magic can be controlled!"
"But I've heard of the Rune Wars…" Ino clearly couldn't believe this statement. "Terrible magic almost destroyed this world!"
"Then have you heard of the Ascended?" Lux asked with a smile. "Ancient Shurima had even more astonishing magic, but they used that power to protect Runeterra!"
"But how can magic be learned…"
"Magic can be fully mastered…"
…
…
As Lux repeatedly presented facts and evidence, Ino was finally completely convinced.
From beginning to end, Lux was logical and showed no hesitation—this wasn't a lie she concocted on the spot, but her true thoughts.
The part about magic being controllable was even Lux's own personal experience!
Ino was willing to believe her light!
… … … … … … … …
As the two young girls confided in each other, all misunderstandings and estrangements seemed to vanish.
However, Sylas, who had been listening in from the next room, simply couldn't accept this outcome.
He had been suffering in the prison for ten long years!
After ten years, he finally had such a promising cellmate. Sylas was counting on her to give up on Lux and become his comrade, but in just a few words, she actually sided with Lux—what kind of crazy development was this?
At this moment, he really wanted to grab Ino and make her sober up.
What fairness, what justice, what magic is not wrong, what nobles are shameful…
These were all lies that guy used to pacify you; she just saw you as a harmless pet, a tool to be used!
She is a noble lady born into privilege!
She would not abandon her own advantages for the sake of fairness!
Unfortunately, Sylas couldn't speak at this time. He could only watch helplessly as Ino and Lux chatted more and more congenially, watching their thoughts become increasingly unified…
Sylas was filled with despair.
This wasn't part of his plan!
Ino, having learned the truth, should have been utterly disappointed in Lux!
Then he could persuade Ino to help him get as much information as possible about Petricite, so he could escape the prison—Sylas could naturally see magic, so from the beginning, he had discovered that Petricite stored a large amount of magic. As long as he could utilize this magic, no one in all of Demacia could stop him!
However… the first step of the plan had already died.
Ino did realize the injustice between Demacian nobles and commoners, and the inherent discrimination mages faced.
But because of Lux's guidance, she was clearly about to embark on a different path!
Why did this happen?
Why would this infinitely potential young girl be so superstitious about a noble's words?
Why would this young girl, trapped in the prison, believe a lady's enticement?
This made no sense at all!
She's a noble, and you're a commoner!
Sylas didn't know Ino's story.
So he also didn't know that Lux had once stood Unbreakable for Ino when she was at her most desperate.
He knew even less that before that Unbreakable act, Lux had also visited Ino's home, stayed in her room, talked to her father, and heard her brother's story.
He completely didn't know that Ino and Lux had countless very similar qualities, and the same kind and Perseverance soul.
Sylas believed that nobles and commoners, mages and non-mages, were natural identity divisions, natural factions.
But what he didn't know was that when it came down to each individual, what made people identify with each other was never the identity labels themselves, but similar experiences, similar thoughts, and similar desires.
Lux's noble status was real.
But her ideal of eliminating Demacia's discrimination against mages and exploitation of commoners was also real.
Her openness when facing Ino came from her inner steadfastness, not from artful deception.
Returning from Silvermere, Lux was no longer the ignorant little girl who only longed for her family's approval.
She was the first person in Demacia to truly open her eyes, to look down upon Runeterra from a perspective above the clouds!
Even if Ino was still unable to let go of the constraints of her identity, and even if there were many things she still couldn't understand at this moment, Lux was completely unburdened and happy to share.
And as Lux spoke eloquently, Klein, who had been on tenterhooks, finally let out a long sigh of relief.
His years of teaching had not been in vain after all. Although Lux was still a bit naive, she had at least found her own path.
Keep going, Lux.
Keep moving forward!
You will become the light of Demacia!
It's a new week!
Lux's ideal has also been established!
Next… Demacia will embark on a series of major events!
Finally, please keep reading and don't save the book!
If you complain about my infrequent updates, it's mainly because it hasn't been put on shelves yet, there's nothing I can do!
I asked the editor, and if nothing unexpected happens, this book will be put on shelves on the 18th of next month—there will be a burst of updates when it's on shelves, then a guaranteed five updates daily, with two updates counting as a rest!
After years of being a struggling writer, this book finally has some hope. Please, dear readers, support it more!
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