In short, a mature and efficient organizational hierarchy was thus established by Levi.
The standing committee meetings of the various branch associations and sub-branches would serve as the decision-making bodies at each level.
The association members were required to obey their resolutions. Only if more than half of the members disagreed with a resolution could they submit an appeal to their superiors.
This avoided the endless meetings, bickering, and chaos caused by the previous system of universal voting on every single issue.
"However..." Levi paused. "Because we currently only operate in one or two districts of Piltover, establishing district branch associations doesn't make much sense yet."
"So, we will first establish sub-branches based on individual factories and schools—just like the factory we are in right now."
Levi spoke at length, ultimately bringing the focus back to the specific personnel management issues of this Hextech audio workshop.
Everyone understood his point.
Previously, the factory only had a "Windguide Working Group." Without a designated leader, the group was naturally leaderless and plunged into chaos.
Now, they needed to transform the factory's working group into a "sub-branch" and elect a sub-branch president and standing committee members.
To put it bluntly: they needed to elect a boss.
"Exactly. Once this president and the standing committee members are elected, they will be the leaders and decision-makers responsible for managing the Windguides' internal affairs, discipline, and cadre appointments in this factory," Levi explained. "From now on, you will follow their lead and obey the specific work resolutions made through democratic discussions within the standing committee."
Put like that, everyone understood.
After the chaos of the past week, many of them had already realized the truth of the old saying: an army cannot march without a general, and a ship cannot sail without a captain.
Arguing, holding meetings, and bickering every day—even coming to blows over disagreements—had left most of them feeling exhausted.
Anyone could see that if things continued like this, the Windguides' cause would inevitably collapse.
Now, relying on his prestige as Janna's Chosen, Levi stepped forward to offer criticism and reason with them. He finally managed to unite the students and workers who had been at each other's throats for an entire week, aligning their thoughts.
"Alright, then let's elect this sub-branch president and the standing committee members right now!"
With their opinions unified, everyone quickly and smoothly sprang into action.
Electing a "boss" required holding a meeting and casting votes.
And they were all too familiar with meetings and voting.
Thus, without needing any guidance from Levi, the workers and students naturally convened the meeting.
Not long after...
The Windguides' first grassroots sub-branch, the "Ivern Hextech Audio Workshop Sub-branch," was officially established.
The first sub-branch president in the history of the Windguides was also elected by popular vote.
And this president was...
"Seraphine?!"
Levi watched from offstage, his mouth twitching.
Seeing the over 160 workers and students present collectively nominate Seraphine after their discussion—with almost no dissent or suspense—and then elect the silly girl as the sub-branch president by a landslide...
He was completely dumbfounded.
"Mr. Levi?" Seraphine herself looked a bit bewildered. "Should I... should I not go up there?"
"I..." Levi wanted to say something, but he held back.
No matter how absurd the result was, it was a resolution formed through a democratic vote within the Windguides. It wasn't his place to interfere.
"Seraphine, you can decide for yourself."
Levi forced himself to remain neutral.
Seraphine stared blankly at the cheering crowd around her and the enthusiastic, expectant gazes they directed her way. Finally, mustering her courage, she slowly walked up to the stage.
As Seraphine stood on the stage amidst the cheers—nervous, hesitant, and clearly a bit dazed—she absentmindedly accepted the presidential authority bestowed upon her by the votes of all the sub-branch members.
The crowd was incredibly supportive, giving the young, pink-haired girl even more passionate and encouraging applause.
Even if a small minority questioned this choice, their voices were completely drowned out by the overwhelming wave of enthusiasm.
'Hey, hey... what is going on here?' Levi finally couldn't help but complain inwardly. 'How did they end up electing Seraphine? Is she even leadership material?'
Although Levi and Seraphine were close friends and had a great relationship, it was precisely because of this that he knew she was suited to be a star, a musician, or a propagandist... but definitely not a leader.
With her soft, eager-to-please personality that couldn't bear to offend anyone, how could she possibly manage people?
Yet, everyone still elected her.
Had they never met Seraphine? Did they not know what her personality was like?
"Levi, why are you so shocked?" Mr. Ivern sighed, his tone subtle as he spoke to Levi from the side. "Don't forget, aside from being official Windguide members with voting rights, these people all share another identity—they are all Seraphine's fans."
It was true. Aside from a small number of resident students personally recruited by Levi, almost all of these Zaunite apprentices were newcomers attracted and recruited through the grievance sessions hosted by Seraphine.
Seraphine's singing had told their stories, touched their souls, and comforted their wounded hearts.
Moved to tears by the emotions she conveyed, they naturally became fans of this Soul Singer.
"If you let these people vote for a president, of course they're going to choose the person who is most popular among them," Ivern said leisurely, as if he had anticipated this situation all along. "And when it comes to popularity... Levi, right now, even you, the General President, might not be able to beat my daughter."
"Because almost all the new official members joining the Windguides were drawn in by Seraphine's singing."
Ivern chuckled. "If we held a universal election across the entire Windguide Association right now, you might even have to give up your seat as General President to my daughter."
Levi was speechless.
Good grief. He asked everyone to vote for a president, and they had forcibly turned the election into a talent show.
If this continued, wouldn't they end up having actors serve as presidents and singers as committee members?
A sixteen or seventeen-year-old pink-haired girl serving as a sub-branch president? Could she do it? No, she couldn't! She simply didn't have the ability!
"Should we hold a re-election?" Ivern asked. He also felt that his daughter wasn't cut out to be a leader.
"No." Levi shook his head. The rules had been set, and the president had already been elected. Naturally, he couldn't go back on his word now. Otherwise, his credibility as the General President would be ruined.
"Fortunately, the sub-branch also established a standing committee alongside the president... We'll just let Seraphine be the president in name, and have the committee members help her manage the factory's Windguide organization."
"We'll keep electing sub-branches this way in the future. Grassroots units have fewer people, making them suitable for direct elections by all members. Even if the person elected this time is unreliable, because it's only a grassroots sub-branch, the potential damage they can cause is relatively limited."
Levi thought about it seriously. There were some systemic designs he hadn't understood in the past, but now he realized they all existed for a reason.
"However, the candidates for the General Association's council can no longer be chosen this way. Letting ordinary people without political training conduct a universal vote is a recipe for disaster."
Most ordinary people didn't care about or study politics in their daily lives. Their political views were nothing more than hearsay and whatever they absorbed from the news media.
Therefore, whoever controlled the news media could manipulate public opinion, export ideologies, and influence the political views of the masses.
Even pop stars, actors, or real estate moguls—regardless of whether they actually had any ability—could be elected as long as they had higher exposure in the media and gathered enough popularity.
And controlling the news media to increase exposure required nothing more than money and power.
In the end, it would still be a game of capital and power, and the ones calling the shots wouldn't be the people at all.
"In the future, the district branch associations should elect representative committee members based on population proportions. Then, those representatives will hold a meeting to indirectly elect the General President and the General Council..."
Levi silently added another patch to the system he had designed.