Opening the door, Lux herself didn't expect Jayce to actually come to Zaun, bringing along an assistant, intending to research Hextech here.
"They don't know a good thing when they see it!" Jayce complained through gritted teeth in front of Lux, "They don't believe in formulas, they don't care about logic... It's terrible..."
It was clear that Jayce was indeed quite dissatisfied with the Piltover Council's choice. Even with Viktor's approval, he made no secret of his attitude when he saw Lux—of course, there was certainly some performance involved; Jayce had always been very shrewd when facing investors.
Lux was naturally very pleased with his choice. Although she didn't understand Jayce's research at all, if Klein said it had "some level," then it must be quite good.
What's more, Klein had also said that Jayce's research could complement the Rune Tree project—perhaps this would be an opportunity to bridge the Void Rift between the two sides, who knew?
Therefore, Lux gave Jayce the highest possible treatment within her affordable limits.
This treatment was truly too generous; both his personal salary and experimental support far exceeded normal circumstances—and Lux only wanted the right to use the patents, not any other honorary rights.
Jayce was naturally quite satisfied with this treatment. Lux's generous attitude was no less than that of the Kiramman family, and perhaps even surpassed it; but Viktor, who was from Zaun, was a little hesitant.
At this moment, Viktor somewhat suspected that Lux might be a fraud.
After all, in Zaun, scams and deceptions were simply too common—it was said that even among the sex workers in Black Alley, there were a few transvestites mixed in.
Excusing himself to go to the restroom, Viktor temporarily left Jayce, who was still talking animatedly, and secretly found Vander, wanting to inquire about Lux's background—although Viktor and Vander had almost no interaction, as someone from Zaun, he knew the significance of The Last Drop very well.
However, to Viktor's great surprise, Vander gave a vague answer.
"Miss Lux... she is a very capable person." Vander, who seemed to have just argued with someone, looked a bit tired. He held his pipe in his mouth, letting the smoke completely obscure his face. "Quite remarkable, and very thoughtful."
"What is her financial strength?" Viktor gritted his teeth and ordered the most expensive drink. "As a patron, merely having ideas isn't enough."
"Financial strength should not be a problem." Vander accepted Viktor's gold hex and then poured him a cup of tea. "Ionian goods, obtained from Finn. It's said to help with sleep—at least she spends money lavishly, she's not that kind of fraud."
"That's good then..." Hearing Vander say this, Viktor let out a long sigh, then drained the tea in his cup. "Thank you, Mr. Vander."
"Zaunites always help each other!" Vander tapped his pipe. "You're also from Zaun, you should know how difficult it is to set up a proper laboratory in Zaun—not the kind for human experiments—I don't understand the intricacies of science, nor do I know if it's suitable for Zaun, but I believe having it is always better than not having it."
"Well said, Mr. Vander. On this point, you are far wiser than the members of the Piltover Council." Viktor relaxed his brows, leaned on his cane again, and said, "I need to go back now. So, farewell."
And watching Viktor limp out of the side door of the tavern, Vander put his pipe back in his mouth and took a deep puff.
Amidst the smoke, he squinted slightly.
Perhaps this is an opportunity... who knows?
.....
Back at Lux's residence, Viktor seemed much more relaxed.
As for Jayce, he was back to his old self, reciting the entire speech he had prepared for the council members to Lux.
Lux remained expressionless throughout. This part of the speech involved a lot of scientific terminology. Even though Jayce intentionally simplified it to make it understandable, Lux still didn't fully comprehend it.
However, Klein quite agreed with the content of his speech.
"Although he is still far from truly entering the door of magic, this application idea is quite good," Klein commented. "And his direction is correct; technology should be used to change lives... The only problem is, this guy seems to have a bit of an overinflated ego."
"What does 'overinflated ego' mean?" Lux asked, somewhat puzzled. "That description sounds strange."
"It means narcissism." Klein made a tsking sound. "Even for theories and inventions that are nowhere near completion, he's already prepared naming conventions. I personally don't dislike confident people, but I really dislike narcissistic people—Jayce's First Law, Jayce's Second Law, doesn't he blush when he says these things?"
"According to Piltover's style, he indeed has the right to name these theories, so it's not wrong after all." Lux also felt like complaining about this. "But honestly, I really doubt him when he acts like that."
"Doubt his ability? Not quite." Klein finally made a judgment. "But this kind of guy still needs to be watched closely. Many people whose eyes are blinded by pride show this phenomenon in the early stages..."
In the end, it was Viktor who secretly pulled Jayce aside, interrupting his incessant speech.
"We don't have much time, Jayce," Viktor said in a low voice. "Don't forget, those experimental materials are still locked in the academy's storage room."
"Ah, right, speaking of that, we'll bring back some more experimental materials tomorrow." Jayce again showed a big smile. "As our initial experimental equipment, it can also be converted into our shares—can you prepare a place for us?"
"How about here?" Lux gave an answer that Jayce never expected. "Compared to your lab, the space should be similar, right?"
"This... is perfectly fine." Jayce carefully surveyed the surroundings from a professional perspective. "However, I need to confirm that there won't be any strange vibrations or other unstable phenomena here. Hex Crystals are not docile; once stimulated, you understand the consequences."
"Don't worry, absolutely not." Lux smiled. "Even if the Noxians announce they're annexing Zaun tomorrow, this place will remain quiet."
"I like your sense of humor, Miss Lux." Jayce nodded in satisfaction. "Then, if all goes well, see you tomorrow!"
Klein's small class · Social Awkwardness and Social Terrify:
Though both are researchers, Jayce has amazing social talent—though his popularity is average, that's because in his eyes, many people are not worth mentioning; in contrast to Jayce, Viktor has a slight social Terrify. He always maintains politeness, but this is merely a disguise and cover to keep distance.