Viktor introduced himself before the students could ask.
After all, this was not the first time it had happened.
He knew he had little fame. Once he left the laboratory, no one recognized him.
Even though he, Viktor, was actually the most capable partner of the great Professor Jayce, the second inventor behind the Hextech core.
In fact, as Jayce had become increasingly famous over the past few years and more engrossed in upper-class social events, Viktor, working behind the scenes, had contributed even more during the later stages of Hextech application research.
Yet he remained unknown.
Partly because Viktor himself was introverted, disliked socializing, and had no desire to stand in the spotlight.
But the other reason was—
He was a Zaunite.
Yes, even though he had immigrated to Piltover over a decade ago and had even been hired as a professor at Piltover University, others still saw him as a Zaunite.
Whenever Piltover's propaganda machine loudly proclaimed the greatness and wonders of Hextech, it would deliberately or unconsciously remove Viktor's name from Jayce's side—
Piltover's hero should not come from Zaun.
Over time, Viktor had grown used to living in Jayce's shadow and quietly pursuing scientific research.
Usually, that was fine. He had never wanted fame anyway.
It was only in public situations like this, when he had to show himself, that things became a little awkward—no one knew who he was.
So Viktor introduced himself.
"I'm Jayce's friend."
"You can call me Professor Viktor."
"A professor?" The students wore all kinds of expressions.
One look told Viktor that these children had not expected him to be a professor—they had mistaken him for Jayce's assistant instructor again.
"Hahaha." Jayce did not sense the subtle atmosphere at all.
The sunny man flashed a radiant smile and teasingly patted his friend on the shoulder.
"Viktor, I told you that you needed to get out more."
"Look, even the students at our academy don't recognize you anymore."
"Mm." Viktor merely shrugged indifferently.
Jayce turned toward the students and introduced him on his own.
"Professor Viktor is my most important friend and one of the foremost experts in Hextech and mechanical engineering. It would not be an exaggeration to say that without his help, I could never have broken through in my research on the Hextech core."
"In fact, in the research group for Hextech engineering machinery development that you are about to join—if any of you are fortunate enough to be selected—I am the group leader, while Viktor is the deputy leader."
With Professor Jayce speaking up, the students finally realized that Viktor was no ordinary man.
"So he's Professor Jayce's right-hand man!"
Promoted from lackey to right-hand man, Viktor immediately received much more respect.
Still, he looked listless, as though none of it mattered to him.
At that moment, Jayce slowly walked onto the platform and wrote a title on the blackboard.
"'Power Flow Optimization Strategies for Enhanced Steam Golems.' That is the topic I'll be testing you on today."
Jayce tapped the blackboard and addressed the expectant students below.
"Treat it as a course paper. Using this topic, explain as thoroughly as possible the optimization strategies, design principles, and experimental procedures you can think of, then submit an outline on the spot."
"Professor Viktor and I will review your paper designs on the spot and assess and score you."
"The one with the most complete design and the best performance may join our research group and become a student of Professor Viktor, myself, or even Headmaster Heimerdinger."
Jayce's promise was enticing.
Yet the students present were not as excited as before.
Because the test question he had given was unexpectedly difficult.
The scope was simply too broad, and they had to write a paper outline on the spot. It demanded an exceptionally high level of research ability, far beyond the capabilities of ordinary university students.
Even though the students who had come here for the assessment were the most outstanding talents at Hextech Academy, many of them turned pale upon hearing the topic and lost heart before they had even begun.
The few who still had the confidence to take on the challenge cautiously asked Jayce.
"Professor Jayce, is there a time limit for this assessment?"
"What is the maximum amount of time you can give us?"
Jayce answered, "There is no time limit. Write for as long as you want, then hand it in when you're done."
"But you should understand that the final decision for that one position will depend on Viktor's and my subjective judgment."
"The speed at which you complete your outline will directly affect our evaluation of you."
"Huh?" The students were all startled.
So this assessment was also a race against time?
The topic was already difficult. They had to write well and quickly. By then, hardly anyone present had any confidence in passing.
And Kaya Ferros, the Young Lady of House Ferros, happened to be one of them.
"I understand. As long as I finish the outline first, I'll get 'extra points,' right?!"
Kaya was very confident. Unhurriedly, she took out a gold-engraved steel pen bearing the Ferros family crest. Before writing, she cast a provocative glance at Lina in the distance.
But Lina had no mind to pay attention to her old rival.
She had already picked up her crooked-nib pen and begun writing with tense concentration.
"First place. I have to get first place!"
Not to compete with some young lady.
But to win against her own fate.
She could not help thinking of Li Wei. Her brother had said he had a way to pay the rent and told her not to worry. He had said it lightly, as though he had already made plans.
But Lina knew that her brother was not so relaxed. He had never been relaxed.
So Kaya could lose, but she could not.
If Kaya lost, she would merely lose an honor that added icing to the cake.
But if Lina lost, she and her brother would have to keep struggling under the feet of the Piltovans every day, bleeding and sweating for a few miserable pieces of black bread.
And so, one minute passed, then ten, then half an hour. As the hour mark approached—
While most of the students had already given up or were still agonizing over the problem—
"I'm done!"
Lina was the first to stand.
"I'm done!"
Only seconds later, Kaya Ferros stood as well.
Their gazes collided in midair, and each saw sparks in the other's eyes.
"Someone finally finished."
"One hour. Not bad, I suppose."
Jayce yawned, then smiled at Viktor beside him.
"Viktor, I heard that when you passed Headmaster Heimerdinger's admission test, you only took half an hour. Looks like no one will break that record this year either."
"The paper topics were different, so there's nothing to compare." Viktor's tone was flat. "Besides, speed does not necessarily mean quality. We still need to compare them comprehensively."
"That's right." Jayce smiled down at Lina and Kaya, encouraging the two gifted girls. "Bring up your paper outlines."
"Viktor and I will evaluate them objectively and fairly."
"Yes." Lina and Kaya nodded together.
Holding their notebooks and draft papers, they walked over to Jayce and Viktor.
"Professor Jayce."
"Please take a look at mine!"
Kaya was the first to hand her paper outline to Jayce.
Jayce took it and saw the name. "Kaya Ferros?"
Then he looked up at Kaya's distinctive silver-gray hair.
"You're from House Ferros?"
"What is Lady Camille to you?"
"She is my grandaunt." Kaya smiled confidently.
House Ferros possessed the synthesis technology for Artificial Hextech Gems, while the Hextech core Jayce had researched had been developed from House Ferros's Artificial Hextech Gems.
Now that the Hextech industry was flourishing, there was naturally no shortage of business dealings between them.
Sure enough, once Kaya revealed her background, Jayce's attitude became even more enthusiastic.
He held up her paper and began reviewing it seriously, his expression so gentle that he looked like one of Kaya's elder relatives.
"This..." Lina could not help feeling nervous.
She had focused only on competing through ability, forgetting that her opponent's strength extended far beyond her pen.
"Don't be nervous."
At some point, Viktor had come to stand beside her.
He lowered his voice to reassure her. "Jayce is an upright man. You don't need to overthink it."
"Yes..." Lina nodded pitifully.
"Let me see your paper outline. As long as you're good enough, you have nothing to fear."
"Mm!" Lina looked at Viktor gratefully. She flipped her notebook to the page containing her outline, then carefully handed it to him.
"What is your name?"
"Lina."
"What is your surname?"
"I..." Lina suddenly grew nervous. "My ancestors were immigrants from Ionia, so I should be surnamed Li... But you can just call me Lina. No one calls me by my surname, and I didn't register one when I enrolled. You could say I have no surname."
Viktor paused as he flipped through the notebook.
Only one kind of person had no surname: Zaunites.
Nearly seventy percent of Zaunites were orphans. Either their parents had died early, or their parents could not afford to raise them and had abandoned them.
In Zaun, having both parents was something only children from well-off families could enjoy.
And so, without anyone noticing, the culture of surnames had disappeared from Zaun.
Zaunites could take whatever surname they wanted. It did not depend on who their parents were.
Or, like Lina, they could choose a name without any regard for a surname at all. As long as the name sounded good, that was enough. They simply discarded the surname entirely.
"Mr. Viktor..."
Lina lowered her head nervously and uneasily clutched the corner of her clothes.
To Zaunites, Piltovans came in almost only three kinds: open discriminators, discriminators who kept it in their hearts but did not say it aloud, and discriminators who kept it in their hearts without even realizing it themselves.
She was afraid that being a Zaunite would affect Professor Viktor's evaluation of her.
"You don't need to be afraid." Viktor sighed softly.
He gently patted Lina's shoulder and said in a quiet voice.
"My name is Viktor."
"Hm?" Lina abruptly raised her head.
"Just Viktor—"
"No surname."
Before you continue