Chapter Fourteen: Sona

Jiang Chuan looked at Lux and said, "The correct phrase is 'Light shines in all directions; shadows are formless.'"

Lux smiled at Jiang Chuan. "Mr. Roland, I don't quite understand what you mean. I'll think it over carefully when I get back. For now, let's explore White Cliff City. It has so many beautiful sights—it would be a shame to miss them."

Roland smiled. "I'll leave it entirely up to Miss Lux. I have no objections."

After Lux had taken Roland around the city all afternoon, they returned to the jewelry store. It had to be said: women in any world were equally formidable when it came to shopping. By the time they got back, Roland's feet were aching so badly they felt ready to give out. He sat down, gulped several mouthfuls of water, and slumped on the sofa, unwilling to move another inch.

Koster smiled. "Mr. Roland, my sister has put you through a lot."

Roland waved a hand. "It's no trouble. I'm sure plenty of people would love to go shopping with Miss Lux but never get the chance."

Koster smiled. "You're joking, Mr. Roland."

Roland's expression turned serious. "I came to Demacia for two reasons. One was to bring the children home, and the other was to do business with Demacia."

Koster gestured for Roland to continue.

Roland launched into his pitch. "As everyone knows, Demacia is rich in mineral resources. But most of the mining is still done by hand. It takes a lot of time, and the results aren't ideal. I have a machine designed specifically for use in mines. It can carry as much as ten people at a time, sparing workers the trouble of hauling ore and leaving them with more energy to work."

Koster considered this. "Are you talking about Hextech? If so, the cost would be too high. Wouldn't it be wasteful to use it in a mine?"

Roland smiled. "Hextech and my machine are two different things. Mine is made from ordinary steel, and its only power source is a kettle of boiling water. It costs far less to build than Hextech."

Koster smiled. "Mr. Roland, if it works as you say, we can arrange a place to test it. I'll bring along some people from my family who specialize in this field. I can't make the decision on my own."

Roland smiled. "No problem. How about we set it for a week from now?"

Koster thought for a moment. "That works. It's almost time for dinner, so let's go eat."

Koster led Roland to the banquet hall. "You've come at just the right time, Mr. Roland. White Cliff City is holding an event today, and you've arrived just in time for it."

Roland smiled. "Then it seems better to arrive at just the right time than to arrive early."

The banquet held a surprise for Roland. In the hall, he saw a woman playing the piano. Someone nearby explained that the woman had been born unable to speak. Roland immediately realized who she was—especially after noticing her ample bosom. She was Sona, the Maven of the Strings.

I should be able to talk to her, right? I'm technically a Summoner, after all.

Noticing Roland staring intently at Sona, Koster said, "Her name is Sona. She's the finest musician in Demacia, but it's so unfair that she can't speak. What a pity."

Roland smiled. "You never know. Maybe there's someone in this world who can communicate with her."

Koster took Roland's words as a joke and paid them no mind, continuing to raise his glass with him.

The banquet gradually grew livelier. After sharing a few drinks with the nobles, Roland stepped outside for some air. He happened to run into Sona after her performance. Eager to find out if he really could speak with her, he went over to greet her.

"Hi, how are you? My name is Roland. Would you tell me yours, beautiful miss?"

Sona looked at the man who had greeted her. His clothes were very strange. Is he a foreigner? His clothes are so unusual.

Roland's guess had been right: he really could hear Sona's voice!

Excitedly, Roland said, "I'm from Bilgewater. These clothes are more or less the local style there."

Sona was startled. How had he known what she was thinking? Was the man in front of her a Mage? She was about to bow when Roland helped her up and smiled. "I'm not exactly a Mage. If you had to give me a profession, you could call me a Summoner."

Sona was utterly astonished. She had been unable to speak since childhood, able to express her thoughts only in her mind. Even with her adoptive father, Lestara Buvelle, she could communicate only through sign language. Although Sona could hear other people, she could only respond with her hands. She had grown used to living that way. But today, a strange man had appeared before her and was speaking with her clearly. He could hear her thoughts!

Overwhelmed with excitement, Sona asked in her mind, A Summoner? Can you really hear my voice?

Roland finally understood why some people loved showing off so much. It felt so, so good!

Roland smiled. "Your voice is perfectly clear in my mind. As long as you speak to me, I can hear you."

Just as Sona was about to continue talking with Roland, someone from the troupe hurried over. "Miss Sona, we have to go."

Sona could only say goodbye to Roland. He said, "We'll meet again, and it won't be long."

After Sona left with the circus troupe, Roland strolled down a path until he reached a park. Sitting on a bench and gazing at the bright moon, he said, "Miss Lux, now it's just the two of us. You can come out into the open."

Lux emerged from the shadows and looked at Roland. "Tell me, how much do you know about me?"

Roland smiled. "A lot. Which part would you like to know about?"

Light gradually began to glow in Lux's hand. "Everything."

Roland smiled. "Miss Lux, the light glowing in your hand means I have to take precautions. Please forgive me for being rude."

Roland snapped his fingers, and Lux appeared right in front of him.

That was right—Roland had summoned Lux, so she could no longer hurt him.

Roland smiled. "Now we can talk. Sit down and listen."

Lux asked in alarm, "What did you do to me? I was behind you just a moment ago. How did I get here?"

Roland replied calmly, "It's one of my abilities. Even if you used every last bit of your magic, you couldn't hurt me now. But that won't be a problem for you. I'm a good person, and if you used your magic in the dark..."

Lux looked at Roland and said calmly, "Can you tell me now?"

Roland smiled. "After you awakened your magic, you started hating yourself and tried your hardest to hide it. Your mother even went to great lengths to find you a Mage to suppress it. But the night before the Mage arrived, you ran out of the city and met Gario—the 'big friend' you mentioned. He was the one who changed your mind. Later, you joined the Illuminators Guild. That's all I know."

Light began to gather in Lux's hand. She asked calmly, "How did you find all that out? And how do you know about the Illuminators Guild?"

Roland stood up and looked at the moon. "Don't worry. I swear I'm the only one who knows. No one else knew before, and no one else will ever know. As for how I found out, that's a secret."

Lux asked, "How can I trust you?"

Roland smiled. "Demacia is a land rich in resources, and those resources would be very useful to me. We'll have plenty of opportunities to work together. I have no reason to shoot myself in the foot. Don't you think?"