Arcane: Thicker Than Blood

After several rounds of drinks and dishes that spanned the full range of flavors, Silco patted his flushed face, trying to clear his head.

He planned to discuss business now.

Since Cipher had initiated it last time, the practice of discussing matters during family meals had become a tradition for the close-knit group at The Last Drop.

Both Vander and Silco found this approach effective, as it strengthened their cohesion. It became an unspoken rule among the small family of the bar.

"Cipher, this Lester from Noxus...," Silco said, his voice slightly rough from the drinks. "He's full of schemes, and it seems like he has ulterior motives." He recalled how Lester had bluntly exposed his ideals—a clear sign of thorough preparation—which made him uneasy.

Zaun hardly seemed worth such attention from a Noxian general unless there was a deeper agenda at play.

Vander noticed Silco leaning on one hand for support and silently handed him a cup of warm milk.

"Thanks, Vander," Silco said, grateful for the warm drink.

"His personal motives don't matter much. What's crucial is what Swain has in mind," Cipher replied, taking a piece of steak. He had been busy serving the Vander and Silco at the table, barely eating himself.

"Swain, huh… You seem very focused on him, almost like you know him well," Silco observed. He didn't know much about Noxus' future plans, but he maintained a cautious stance towards Swain, viewing him as a figure deserving of great vigilance.

"Swain is… a truly pure individual," Cipher said with a hint of admiration. "He has dedicated everything to Noxus. It's as if his sole reason for existence is the empire itself."

In his eyes, Swain's single-mindedness was so extreme that it almost seemed inhuman.

"It's as if he's a machine, built solely for Noxus, devoid of emotions."

"Sounds like he's somewhat like us," Silco said after sipping the warm milk Vander had handed him. He felt a little better.

"No, he's completely different from us," Cipher disagreed, shaking his head. "While we are devoted to the Undercity, we still hold onto some feelings and moral standards. We're willing to compromise or make concessions in certain situations."

"But Swain is nothing like that. He's unaffected by emotion."

"Good and evil, honor, power, wealth, humanity, morality—none of it matters to him. He doesn't even care about his own life."

"As long as it strengthens Noxus, he's willing to try anything."

"Anyone who hinders the empire's future—be it his parents or the emperor on the throne—he would personally send to the guillotine."

"He is far purer than us. So pure, he doesn't seem human," Cipher concluded, a touch of reverence in his voice.

A man without limits could reshape the world... or break it.

He deeply admired people like Swain. In his view, such individuals were destined to achieve great things—like igniting a sweeping revolution within Noxus.

But people like that were terrifying. The kind who could reshape nations without a second thought for the cost.

"That doesn't sound like a human at all. Sounds terrifying," Vi said, her words muffled as she chewed a piece of steak. Her eyes kept darting to Sevika's glass of liquor, earning her a warning look from Cipher.

"So, you're saying Lester's actions are entirely directed by Swain from the shadows?" Silco narrowed his eyes.

"Not entirely. Swain is extremely intelligent. He wouldn't strong-arm allies with significant potential like us. If he truly has intentions, he'd offer terms so irresistible that we'd have no choice but to join Noxus," Cipher speculated.

He paused, then roughly tousled Vi's spiky hair, trying to get her to sit still instead of wriggling like a needle on fire. "Don't even think about it," he muttered as she eyed Sevika's drink again.

In contrast, Powder was far better behaved—she quietly ate her food and only asked for seconds when she finished.

"Just one more scoop?" Powder pleaded, eyeing the ice cream with hopeful eyes.

Cipher pinched Powder's chubby cheeks as she begged for more ice cream. "Have this egg instead. Too much cold isn't good for you," he said gently, placing a perfectly fried egg on her plate.

Silco's cooking skill was exceptional, and the egg smelled heavenly.

"What do you think Swain's goal is, then? I can't shake the feeling that Lester harbors ill intentions, scheming in the shadows," Silco asked, his tone serious. Zaun's progress relied heavily on Cipher, and Silco trusted his judgment.

He nibbled on the sweets Vander had handed him, finding his dizziness fading a little.

"Noxus has armies marching north-west against the Freljord, westward against Demacia, and soon south towards Shurima. In the future, they might even turn east to Ionia."

"Their armies march in every direction, but their real battle is internal," Cipher explained, cutting his steak into smaller pieces.

"Between the old and new nobility?" Silco asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Exactly. Every new war creates new heroes, and every hero threatens the old guard," Cipher confirmed. "On the surface, they seem like the strongest nation, waging war wherever they please. But internally, they're riddled with conflict. Their national strength is in sharp decline—they've already begun their descent."

He took a bite of the steak Powder had cut for him and sipped the coffee Vi had pushed over before leisurely answering Silco.

Vi, however, hadn't touched her coffee at all. Her eyes, sharp and hooked like a hawk's, were locked onto the strong liquor Sevika was drinking. Dissatisfied, she had punched Cipher several times under the table.

Though Cipher hadn't reached the main point yet, his calm and unhurried demeanor eased Silco's anxious heart. His composed manner made it clear that he had a plan, which reassured Silco.

"Picture a pie that can't grow larger," Cipher explained, drawing an invisible circle on the table. "Every new person who deserves a slice means someone else gets less."

"Then why not make more pie?" Vi asked, momentarily distracted from her quest for alcohol.

Cipher smiled. "That's exactly what Swain is trying to figure out."

"Our conflict with Piltover can be resolved relatively peacefully if we address the root issue of Zaun's low industrial productivity. But Noxus is a different matter. Their national policy revolves around the strong rising and the weak falling. Due to their resource scarcity, they must constantly wage wars to plunder more."

"But war inevitably leads to the creation of new powerful players since military merit is the path to becoming part of the new military aristocracy."

"And here's the problem: Noxus' territory has nearly reached its limit. The land is only so vast, and resources are finite. For new aristocrats to rise, they'll need to carve out their share from the old aristocracy, who already control most of the resources and land."

"This means the main conflict in Noxus is between the old aristocracy and the emerging new aristocracy."

"The old noble houses must fiercely suppress the rising aristocrats—or any exceptional officers with potential—to protect their interests."

"I know of many brilliant officers who were deliberately set up and killed by the old noble factions."

"The new military aristocrats won't sit idly by, either. They will band together to fight the old aristocracy to the death."

"So, the reason Noxus is waging wars everywhere isn't just because of the emperor's incompetence. It's also because, without external wars, the new and old aristocrats of Noxus would immediately turn on each other."

"The future of Noxus will either see the new aristocracy launching a coup, purging the old aristocracy, and seizing control… or the old aristocracy completely blocking the upward mobility of the new."

"No matter what happens next, Noxus is going down either way—it's already falling apart."

After this lengthy political analysis, Cipher felt a bit parched. But if he didn't explain it, they wouldn't understand Swain's perspective.

Taking a sip of water to moisten his throat, he continued.

"Swain may not have fully grasped the fundamental contradictions within Noxus, but he's definitely aware that the nation is in decline."

"He wants to change Noxus' downward trajectory. And in us, he sees a potential solution—a way to make Noxus great again."

"The peculiarities of Lester's behavior stem not just from his personal schemes but more from Swain's intent."

"We don't necessarily need to guard against Lester specifically. What Swain is really interested in is the advancement of our governance system."

"The faster and stronger Zaun rises under our leadership, the more it will prove the superiority of our system. That will make Swain even more interested."

"In other words, Swain isn't our enemy. He's a witness to Zaun's rise—and perhaps even a future adopter of our system of governance. But for quite some time, our relationship with him will remain one of close cooperation."

"And you trust him to keep his word?" Silco asked, swirling the last of his milk.

"I trust him to do what's best for Noxus. For now, that means working with us."

He concluded his assessment, determining that the current strategy regarding Swain should be one of collaboration.

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