Royal Palace Encounter

The Royal Palace of Demacia was magnificent. Giant stone statues flanked the entrance, visible from afar, and tall city walls snaked away until they disappeared from sight.

The imposing soldiers, clad in gleaming silver armor, stood in neat formations. A thrill ran through me; being here in person was far more exhilarating than watching similar movies!

Just as I was basking in the moment, a familiar face approached – Garen.

Garen was just as he was in the game: tall, with a resolute face, exuding an aura of heroism. I also glanced at the nearby bushes, a smile tugging at my lips. Of course, he had no idea why I was smiling.

"Welcome, Lord Fili. And this must be Leivo behind you. I believe I met him once a few years ago."

"General Garen has a good memory. This is indeed my unruly son, Leivo. Quickly, greet General Garen!"

So Fiora's father was named Fili. It seemed he had a low opinion of his son. I seized the opportunity to greet Garen:

"Hello, General Garen!"

"No need to be so formal, Leivo. Let's go. His Majesty has asked me to welcome you; the banquet is about to begin."

There weren't as many people in the banquet hall as I had imagined. I had expected a sea of faces, but there were only a few dozen.

Fili bowed to King Jarvan III, one hand behind his back. I followed his example and bowed as well. The King, chuckling, patted my head.

"You've grown so tall, child. It's time you did something for Demacia."

As the grand ceremonial music swelled, the milling guests took their seats. I noticed the seating was roughly divided into five sections.

Each long table had a crest carved in front of it, likely representing their family crests. It seemed five families were attending the banquet.

The crest of House of Lightshield, where the King resided, was a shield. It was familiar; it resembled the Randuin's Omen.

The crest of House of Lightshield, where Garen belonged, was an inverted greatsword, looking like a Stormrazor.

The other two families had crests depicting a broken battle axe and a strange circular disk. From the hushed whispers nearby, I learned the former belonged to House of Dali, and the latter to House of Tabor.

The crest of the Laurent Family was two crossed dueling swords. Fili sat in the front row, center, while I and a few brothers of similar age sat behind. Everyone was quiet.

As the hall's music abruptly ceased, the King slowly stood up.

"You all know why you've been summoned. According to the intelligence gathered by General Garen, Noxus is amassing troops, and an invasion of Demacia is only a matter of time.

Our five great families united to found Demacia over two hundred years ago. We've had numerous skirmishes with Noxus during that time, mostly small-scale battles. This time, however, it may be a brutal war.

We do not fear them, but to minimize casualties, we need to discuss this thoroughly. Feel free to propose any ideas you may have."

Garen was the first to stand.

"Allow me to supplement the current situation. From the north, east, south, and west: the north is the territory of the Freljordians. They have always been at odds with Noxus, and General Dali's Axe Breaker Legion guards it, so there's no need to worry.

The southern jungle is peculiar, inhabited by various strange creatures and indigenous tribes. Despite our efforts over the years, we haven't managed to establish friendly relations with them, making it impossible for the Noxians to persuade or conquer them.

The west is the safest, separated by the boundless ocean and the entire continent of Ionia. It's an insurmountable barrier.

That leaves only the east. The eastern mountains contain a large amount of Nullstone, so we don't need to worry about their mage corps. My Dauntless Vanguard has already secured the front lines and will defend Demacia to the death.

If necessary, I will request support from His Majesty and General Dali to ensure absolute victory. Therefore, we will not lose this war. As for how to reduce casualties, please brainstorm more ideas."

Garen's reasoning was clear, nothing like the clumsy fool who only knew how to hide in bushes and spin around. Moreover, at his young age, he was representing House of Lightshield at a royal palace meeting; he was certainly not simple.

The cheers of the crowd also indicated this, though the cheers might have been out of flattery, as House of Lightshield was comparable to royalty.

Just then, an old man with white hair and beard stood up, raising his hand to silence the crowd.

He was the representative of House of Tabor, his face deeply wrinkled, appearing to be over a hundred years old.

"General Garen... spoke very well. Last night... I divined, and the gods said... the eastern... plains... are shining with a rosy glow..."

The old man spoke very slowly, pausing frequently, which made General Dali beside him impatient.

"Old man, what do you mean the eastern plains are shining with a rosy glow? Speak clearly."

"The rosy glow... is... red, blood... red, dyeing... the entire plain..."

"That will be the enemy's blood! What is there to fear!"

Dali was hot-tempered and arrogant. I couldn't fathom how such a person became a general, let alone guarding a region alone.

King Jarvan stopped him. "General Dali, please don't be anxious. Let Sage Tabor finish. May I ask, Sage, what else did the gods say?"

"The gods said... the eastern plains... are shining with... a rosy glow..."

His already slow speech dragged on, and now he repeated half a sentence. Everyone was anxious, but the old man's next words shocked them all:

"A child of the Laurent... Family... will be immortalized."

The eastern plains shining with a rosy glow, and a child of the Laurent Family immortalized?

Could it be that this war would be stopped by someone from the Laurent Family? The gazes of those around me confirmed it; all eyes were fixed on me and my brothers.

Some were solemn, some slightly contemptuous, but most were simply bewildered. The old man, however, had already slumped back into his seat, dozing and no longer responding to their questions.

"Then... shall we choose a child from the Laurent Family to be a general?"

King Jarvan calmed himself and looked towards our seats with a questioning tone, clearly seeking Fili's opinion.

"This is an honor for the Laurent Family, and we shall not shirk our duty. However, Sage Tabor did not specify which child. How shall we choose?"

"Since it is war, one should naturally be chosen based on martial skill!"

It wasn't long before the King spoke, but Dali had already made a suggestion. Garen seemed to agree with the idea, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Seeing that no one objected, the King agreed, deciding that the selection would be based on the swordsmanship of the Laurent Family. Hearing this, I felt a bit dejected. Since it was a swordsmanship duel, I definitely had no chance.

Since everyone was caught off guard, the match was set for tomorrow. The remaining time was spent enjoying the luncheon. Afterward, many people flooded into the hall – servants, women, and children. The serious atmosphere instantly became lively.

The brothers beside me remained silent, as tomorrow we would be opponents. Although such a competition wouldn't be dangerous, it was still about honor. People in Demacia valued honor above all else.

The banquet drink was a red wine. Drinking it brought an indescribable sweetness to my stomach. After a few rounds, my head started to spin.

In reality, my alcohol tolerance was decent, but now I was groggy. It seemed this body still belonged to Leivo. I excused myself, saying I needed to go to the restroom.

Near the banquet hall was a garden, where various flowers bloomed competitively. It was incredibly beautiful.

I strolled along the garden path, sobering up while admiring the scenery. As I walked, I suddenly noticed a little girl in a purple dress.

She was squatting on the ground, staring intently at a few small flowers. White light flickered at her fingertips, making the flowers sway left and right, as if sunflowers seeing the sun. It was truly magical!

Perhaps too focused, the little girl didn't notice me approaching. After a moment, the light on her fingertips suddenly vanished, and the flowers stopped moving.

"Sigh, still not proficient."

With that, she stood up and happened to see me not far away. She opened her mouth in surprise, as if startled, but made no sound.

It was then that I saw her appearance. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her skin, like fine jade, was delicate and translucent, as pleasant and comfortable as the May sunshine. Her long golden hair cascaded down her back, truly the most beautiful sight in this garden.

"I'm sorry for startling you. I didn't mean to. I just saw you concentrating on manipulating the flowers and was afraid to disturb you, so I didn't make a sound. That was truly amazing just now."

I explained in a panic, taking the opportunity to compliment her. Unexpectedly, instead of looking pleased by my praise, she appeared worried.

It was then that I suddenly remembered that magic was forbidden in Demacia, and what she had just used was indeed magic.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Are you from the palace?"

Hearing this, the girl breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I'm not from the palace. I came to attend the banquet. They were discussing important matters just now, so I wandered off on my own."

"The discussion ended long ago. The banquet is happening now. Shall we go back together?"

"Okay. My name is Luxanna. And you?"

This girl was Lux!

Blonde hair, fair skin, capable of using light magic. Thinking about it, it fit the description. She looked much prettier than in the game, and was a few years younger.

"My name is Zhao... Leivo. Leivo Laurent. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Luxanna!"

Speaking of names, I suddenly thought of Zhao Xin. I hadn't seen him since arriving at the palace. I wondered what kind of heroic figure my namesake hero was!

Lux was lively. In a blink of an eye, she forgot what had just happened and started telling me many interesting things.

Things like talking hamsters, flowers that bloomed year-round, and especially the Dauntless Vanguard Legion, about which she spoke incessantly. It seemed Garen had told her a lot about them.

Returning to the banquet hall, everyone was in high spirits. Lux ran over to Garen, and I returned to my seat. A brother next to me nudged my shoulder.

"Hooked up with the little lady from the Lightshield Family so quickly? You've really got it."

I smiled and said nothing. Lux was indeed beautiful, but she was still a child. As for being interested... Fiora wasn't bad.

After the banquet, back at home, Fili told Fiora about what happened at the palace. As a result, she vehemently opposed it.

"What 'immortal fame'? What's the use of immortal fame if you die early? You only have one son, Leivo. Don't let him go on an adventure!"

"Don't worry. With his abilities, he won't win. But if he loses, it will damage our reputation. Bordewin has coveted my position for a long time. He will definitely let Andy win this match, then he'll get a military post and seize the position of family head. You know, he lost to me back then and didn't become the clan leader."

"Then let him go. I can reclaim the honor!"

"But he can't lose too miserably, Fiora. From now on, you will teach Leivo properly. At least don't let him be the last."

After Fili finished speaking, he returned to his room. Fiora shrugged at me. "Father is like this. He values honor above all else. Let's go, we're going to the dueling hall. I'll teach you a few moves."

Walking through a long corridor, I arrived at the most magnificent place in the Laurent Family – the dueling hall.

This was the training ground for swordsmanship. Various lengths of rapiers and protective gear were displayed around the perimeter. The floor was a giant family crest pattern.

Fiora picked out two swords and handed me one. "You've never seriously studied swordsmanship, but you should know the basic moves, right? Time is tight, so I'll teach you some defensive moves."

Hearing her say that made me a little flustered. I didn't know any basic moves, I didn't even know how to hold a sword. I had no choice but to make an excuse.

"I learned them before, but I've forgotten them all now. Let's learn some basic moves instead, hehe."

Fiora frowned, making me uneasy. Fortunately, she didn't dwell on it and patiently taught me from the beginning, how to hold a sword, how to thrust, and footwork...

We didn't have dinner and practiced until late at night before stopping. I learned very diligently, but I always felt that such flashy moves were impractical. Perhaps I was learning too superficially.

Of course, being alone with Fiora was still enjoyable.

Lying in bed at night, I felt very tired. How long had it been since I was this exhausted?

My life of facing a computer every day had long since made my body rusty. However, there was no muscle soreness, so it seemed this kid Leivo wasn't very lazy usually.

So many things happened today. The real feeling told me this wasn't a dream. A serious car accident had caused me to transmigrate to Runeterra and gain the ability to speak its language.

Here, my name is Leivo Laurent, a noble son who doesn't do his proper job.