Despite feeling wronged earlier, after listening to Levi's speech on unity, Caitlyn still found herself falling in love with the atmosphere here.
Even her mother, who accommodated her every request, would scoff at her ideals. Yet these Windguides, who would argue fiercely with her over differences in status and opinion, could stand firmly by her side when it came to those very ideals.
A person will always have family and friends in this life, but finding true kindred spirits is never guaranteed.
But the people here were all comrades to one another.
Thus, Caitlyn quickly forgot about the recent unpleasantness.
She casually straightened her torn and messy clothes, retied the ponytail that Vi had pulled loose, and found a seat in the venue as if nothing had happened.
Caitlyn waited with full anticipation for the assembly to begin.
Not long after, the Zaunite delinquent who had previously gotten into a physical altercation with her, Vi, took the initiative to sit down right next to her.
"I'm really sorry about earlier," Vi apologized. After Levi's ideological education, she had genuinely set aside that rebellious, bandit-like aura unique to Zaunites in front of the Piltovan girl she once despised.
As she spoke, Vi handed over a tube of ointment she had taken from the factory infirmary. "Here, take this medicine."
"You can use it to disinfect your wounds or whatever," she added.
Caitlyn cast a surprised glance at Vi.
Then, with a calm expression, she accepted the ointment, opened the cap, and turned her wrist over to inspect the deep bite marks. "I didn't expect that besides biting people, you also knew how to care for them."
"Haha." Vi could tell the girl's words carried a hidden barb.
But she still replied with open candor, "We Zaunites fight to survive. We can't afford to be gentle and refined. So as long as it wins the fight, teeth, nails, anything goes."
"Besides—" Vi pointed at her own arm, indicating the bruised handprint branded deeply into her flesh. "For a Piltovan girl, you certainly don't hit any lighter than a Zaunite."
"You asked for it," Caitlyn said with a shrug.
Although her words were direct, her tone held no hostility. It even seemed slightly friendly.
Strange as it was, perhaps Levi's speech on unity had taken effect, or perhaps it was the wondrous fate of becoming friends after a fight, but she unexpectedly found this Zaunite delinquent quite agreeable.
Vi seemed to view Caitlyn the same way.
After apologizing and delivering the medicine, she didn't leave. Instead, she dropped her weight, leaned back, crossed her legs, and sat down brazenly beside Caitlyn.
"Hey, Caitlyn," Vi initiated the conversation.
She looked at the faintly visible white thread extending from Caitlyn's body.
For some reason, after Levi had Janna manifest everyone's Power of Faith, he never canceled the divine spell.
As a result, a glowing white thread now lingered around everyone, acting almost like an identification badge for their status as Windguides.
Everyone could see each other's threads, which sparked countless conversations and discussions.
"I really didn't expect this," Vi remarked, studying Caitlyn's thread with genuine interest. "Your thread is actually quite bright."
The thickness of the thread represented the strength of one's spiritual power.
The brightness of the thread represented the level of devotion in one's faith.
Vi and Caitlyn's threads were roughly the same thickness, both belonging to the realm of powerhouses who far surpassed ordinary people.
And their brightness levels—meaning their devotion to the faith—were surprisingly similar as well.
Both belonged to the category of steadfast believers at the Devout level, glowing so white and bright that it was almost blinding.
"Caitlyn," Vi couldn't help but ask. "Don't tell me a Piltovan like you is also part of the Radical Faction?"
"Hmm?" Caitlyn furrowed her brows slightly.
She knew that the Windguides had already evolved internally into the Moderate Faction and the Radical Faction.
Caitlyn was, of course, a moderate. No matter what, it was impossible for her to make an enemy of her own mother.
As for this girl named Vi, one look was enough to tell she was a radical whose head was full of violent struggle. The Piltovan elites she clamored to physically eliminate likely included Caitlyn's parents and relatives.
Thus, Caitlyn asked in displeasure, "What makes you think I'm a radical?"
A hint of distance crept back into her tone.
Vi seemed completely oblivious to this, simply explaining on her own, "Because your thread is very bright. Your faith is incredibly firm."
"I figure people with firm faith are mostly radicals."
"Those cowards who fantasize about the Piltovan elites showing mercy, those beggars lying around waiting for handouts from the rich—they couldn't possibly have such pure conviction!"
Vi felt her theory made perfect sense.
Currently, the enemy was strong while they were weak, and the power of the Piltover Council was still incredibly formidable.
Under these circumstances, those who dared to insist on armed struggle and dared to draw their swords against the enemy definitely had more courage and more faith than the moderates who feared and dreaded conflict.
"That's not necessarily true."
Caitlyn's face grew cold again—unfortunately, politics was just the kind of topic that easily ended friendships.
She countered Vi point for point, saying:
"When I was an Enforcer, I once heard my seniors say:"
"Those unruly criminals who scream about staining the Piltover docks with blood when arrested are rarely the ones who can hold out to the end."
"On the contrary, some of the cowards whose legs turn to jelly during their arrest can endure days and nights in the interrogation room, refusing to yield even if they are beaten to death or crippled."
"Conviction isn't something that truly shows itself until it faces a real test."
"So being radical doesn't necessarily mean you're brave, and being moderate doesn't necessarily mean you're cowardly."
"The courage of your Radical Faction might not come from faith; it could just as easily come from recklessness and ignorance."
"You?!" Vi was left speechless by the retort.
She could only curse, "You moderates are—are the fucking ignorant ones!"
Vi held her breath for a long moment before finally organizing her words. "You're not just ignorant, you're naive! Talking about non-violent non-cooperation... How could the Pilties possibly be so kind-hearted as to just hand over the benefits without shedding blood?"
"They might not hand them over willingly," Caitlyn replied, refusing to show weakness. "But we can fight for them."
"Fight for them? How?" Vi mocked. "By using your sharp tongue to talk the Councilors dizzy?"
"Yes," Caitlyn nodded.
"Are you a dumbass?" Vi's eyes widened. She thought this Piltovan girl was insane.
Did this lunatic really fantasize about persuading the Councilors with just her lips?
Caitlyn simply answered, "I am not a... whatever you just said."
"I am the legitimate daughter of House Kiramman, the daughter of a Piltover Councilor."
Vi fell silent.
"You're a fucking Councilor's daughter?!"
An Enforcer, a Councilor's daughter—this practically maxed out every trait she despised.
But Caitlyn ignored Vi's shock and repulsion, stating with utmost seriousness:
"Yes, I am a Councilor's daughter."
"And in the future, I will definitely become a Councilor as well."
Caitlyn had previously been unwilling to enter politics, but now she firmly wanted to become a Councilor:
"I will find like-minded companions from within those great houses and gradually seize the highest power in Piltover—then we will work together to change Piltover, bit by bit, from the inside."
"Vi, do you still think reform is impossible?"
A Piltover Councilor was defecting. It seemed the path of moderate reform might actually be viable.
"No... impossible!" Vi still felt it wouldn't work.
She looked Caitlyn up and down before finally concluding, "If what you're saying is true... then you're the biggest fucking freak in the Twin Cities!"
"How could there possibly be a second weirdo like you, who comes from a noble family yet chooses to believe in Janna?"
"There will be!" Caitlyn said with absolute certainty.
Were there no good people among the nobles? There were.
Jayce Talis, her childhood friend, was undoubtedly a good person who could be brought into the fold.
Councilor Heimerdinger might also sympathize with their struggle.
Even her Councilor mother had once experienced a naive and passionate youth.
So, among the great houses that ruled Piltover, could it really be impossible to find other young people like her, or like her mother used to be?
"I believe I will find them."
"As long as there are enough believers of Janna within the great houses, then through our united efforts, we can definitely achieve a transformation of Piltover from the inside out, securing a non-violent, bloodless victory for everyone!"
As she spoke, Caitlyn's tone became incredibly fervent.
Seeing the flames surging in her eyes, Vi blankly realized:
Why this Piltovan girl could be both a moderate and a devout believer.
Caitlyn's faith was indeed incredibly firm. It was just that her direction and route were different.
Then these words she spoke, this path she pointed out...
"Is it really right?" Vi couldn't help but fall deep into thought.