-132- Seraphine
"You mean this person can change the relationship between our two cities?"
Jayce looked at the letter, then at Linwin, then back at the letter, furrowing his brow and loudly saying, "Why do I find it so hard to believe?"
"This girl, Jayce, don't underestimate her; she's quite special."
"Huh? A family running a sound system, Linwin. I don't see anything particularly unique about that. There are over a dozen such audio shops in Piltover. How do you think they can solve the issues between the two cities?"
"Idiot, we shouldn't focus on her family's shop but on her as an individual."
Linwin continued, "It's about her voice, her music."
Well, forget it; Jayce wouldn't understand.
After all, even Linwin himself found it somewhat unbelievable. In the original universe, the relationship between Zaun and Piltover was much worse. There was no background story of Linwin mediating for Zaunites, and Jayce and Mel helping Piltover. Nor was there Noxus invading Piltover, with Zaun aiding them.
Therefore, in the present universe, there is a distance between the two cities, not blood-soaked animosity or class issues, but a layer of membrane that needs time to dissolve.
So, in the original universe, with the conditions being much worse, Seraphine could still use her singing to soothe the conflicts between the two cities. Her singing made Zaun and Piltover residents forget their hatred, even standing side by side to watch Seraphine on stage.
But this was a bit too naive, too much like a fairy tale!
Using music to influence people? This is just a fairy tale, right?
Therefore, this naive background story, coupled with the bizarre "flying disc" under Sarephina's feet after her appearance, made the originally anticipated and loved little Sera suddenly be criticized.
Especially with Seraphine's background story being out of place in the original universe.
But, in the end, from this naive fairy tale, it could be seen that Seraphine is indeed a very kind girl.
She once doubted herself because of her abilities and even doubted the world due to those noisy voices.
Still, she eventually came out of it and devoted herself to reconciling the relationship between the two cities. So, she is also a strong girl.
Hmm. In the end, it's also the power of magic.
But is Seraphine's musical magic a form of soul magic or mental magic?
That's a question.
"So I'm asking you, how is she going to solve this problem?"
Jayce suddenly interrupted Linwin's speculation, questioning him.
"The Starry-Eyed Songstress."
"What's that?"
"Seraphine. She's a magic user, specializing in musical magic."
Jayce still didn't quite grasp the concept. Magic? Sure, he knew about magic, but musical magic?
"What is musical magic? Does such a thing exist in this world?"
Looking at Jace, Linwin pursed his lips and explained, "You know what a songstress is, right?"
Upon hearing Linwin's words, Jace suddenly stared, then subconsciously took a deep breath and grumbled, "No, Linwin, I was just asking you...."
Linwin: "?"
---
Inside a music store in Piltover, a shop that sold instruments and also repaired them.
The owner of the store was named Sain, a Zaunite.
A Zaunite who had left Zaun and come to Piltover.
Sain and his wife had worked hard to move from Zaun to Piltover. It wasn't for a better life for themselves but for their daughter, for her to live in a safer, more peaceful, and cleaner city.
And now, Sain was having some regrets.
"Sera, don't hide in the house; come out, we need to talk."
"Dad, I don't want to go out! It's too noisy out there. I can hear their complaints, and I don't want to hear those voices!"
"Sera, there's no other way. We... they have been invaded by Noxus, lost loved ones and homes. You can understand the grief of losing family and home. You're a good kid."
"No, Dad, they may have grief, but now they're more about resentment and complaints. They complain about the strength of Zaun, complain about Zaun's rise. Dad, you won't understand! You can't hear those voices!"
Seraphine raised her voice.
She didn't like her ability.
She had heard both good and bad voices over the years.
And during these years, the voices of Piltover residents were mostly negative.
Constantly hearing complaints, curses, and roars, they vented their dissatisfaction and grievances to Seraphine.
Listening to these negative emotions so frequently, Seraphine would break down!
She was slowly breaking down.
Upon hearing his daughter's words, Sain paused.
"Sera, you always say you want to go back to Zaun to see. You want to see where Dad and Mom used to live. But me and your mom have been stopping you because the old Zaun was... very chaotic. Sera, you wouldn't like the old Zaun."
Sain stood in front of the door and softly said, "I don't want you to hear the voices of Zaun—those violent, chaotic, and angry voices."
"Dad, it's not like you said." A girl's voice came from behind the door, timidly saying, "The sounds of Zaun are chaotic and painful, but in that pain, I hear their freedom, resilience, tolerance, and aspirations. It's a different sound from Piltover."
"Dad, maybe Zaun isn't as bad as you think."
Sain fell silent.
It had been half a month since his daughter had come out. Since that day at the end of last year, Seraphine had locked herself in the room, tightly closing the door and huddling in a corner, covering her ears.
But as her daughter said, he was too biased against Zaun. In these years, he hadn't been to Zaun, hadn't been to the place where he was born and raised.
Zaun had changed a lot.
"Sera, let's go see Zaun."
Sain lowered his head and said softly.
His wife nodded from behind and also whispered, "I agree with your father's decision, Sera, come out."
Sain and his wife's call succeeded.
After a moment, the door gently opened.
A tall girl stood by the door, looking somewhat aggrieved.
She had heard too many unpleasant sounds these days.
Biting her lip, Seraphine raised her head and looked at her father, saying softly, "Really? Can I go to Zaun now?"
Sain nodded seriously and said to Seraphine, "Yes, let's go to Zaun."
---
Half an hour later, under the puzzled gaze of Zaunites, Sain took Seraphine on the elevator.
When they boarded the elevator, Sain eyes changed.
This wasn't the clinking elevator from before.
This was a stable hextech elevator, capable of accommodating more people at once, and it was faster too.
Sain held his daughter tightly, and there were a few Zaunites talking beside him.
"Wanna go for a drink after work?"
"No, I've been self-studying lately. I'm planning to take the enforcer exam."
"Really? How difficult is that to pass?"
"Even if it's tough, I'm going. I've decided. I won't drift through life anymore. So from today, you guys have to cheer me on."
"Of course, we're brothers!"
"Buck, let me tell you, I've actually been hoping that one day you would try it. Since you're the strongest out of all of us." The words of a Zaunite youth with a head of yellow hair made Sain's pupils suddenly contract.
The reason he held Seraphine tightly on the elevator was because he was afraid these people were Zaun's thugs, gang members, who might harass and harm Seraphine because of her appearance.
But they didn't seem to be the people Sain had imagined?
And in her father's arms, Seraphine was excitedly watching the yellow-haired youth.
This person, who looked fierce and like a troublemaker, had a voice... a soul.
It delighted Seraphine.
"You know, I don't like riding my bike to your place every day, shouting for you in front of your house, and waiting for you to come out and fool around, wasting time with us. Buck, I've always hoped that one day, you could let go of us and pursue your own life. And then... one day, when I come to call you, your neighbor will tell me you're not at home."
Seraphine buried her head in her father's chest, twisted a bit, and repeatedly hammered her father's chest with her little fists.
When she raised her head, her face was full of joy.
Different from the complaints, unrest, anger, and dissatisfaction of Piltoverians.
These Zaunites, whom her father considered hopeless.
Their voices.
Relieved the tension in Seraphine's nerves that had lasted for a long time.
That color...
It was yellow, a warm color.
That was the feeling of friendship.
Leaning against her father, Seraphine whispered softly.
"Dad, the sounds of Zaun, they're really pleasant to listen to."