316 -309- The ravens didn't say that

At the end of September, the Twin Cities ushered in autumn completely.

As the weather grew colder, Jayce, yawning, sat on the edge of his bed listening to Mel's ramblings.

"Today, the chiefs of two tribes from Shurima are coming. They want to know what the Twin Cities Games are all about, so you'll go to meet them in the afternoon."

"Ok," Jayce yawned again, still lost in thought.

Mel fastened her bra, put on her clothes, and seeing Jayce still looking lethargic, found it somewhat amusing.

She teased, "Who was it that said last night a few times wouldn't be a problem?"

Instantly awake, his face flushed red!

Jayce coughed heavily, "Ahem, I'm fine, I'm perfectly energetic now!"

Mel chuckled, "Stop bluffing and hurry up and get dressed."

"The Petricite from Demacia has arrived, and you're the one responsible for making the tools, so it's up to you to take care of it."

"I already have a headache, Mel. I don't understand anything about those stones," Jayce sighed at the sound of it.

"Do mages have to use Petricite in order to participate? Why not just disqualify them directly? Wasn't that what we were originally planning to do?"

Mel lifted her chin and whispered softly, "To let everyone be able participate fair and square is what the Twin Cities promised."

"Alright, Already, fair...."

Jayce grumbled loudly, "But what fairness is there? Have you seen the lists of participants from everywhere, there's even a goddam minotaur!"

"Now I really envy Linwin."

"By the way, Mel, any news from Linwin lately?"

Jayce gritted his teeth.

As he busied himself with Twin Cities matters, Linwin was probably attending noble banquets in Noxus with the Medarda family, right?

"News?" Mel gave a cold laugh and said, "He just arrived in Noxus, stayed with the Medarda for a day, and then proceed to disappear for several days in a row."

"That's something he would do."

Jayce nodded, arms folded behind his head, lazily leaning against the headboard.

Seeing this scene, Mel had already finish dressing up.

And this guy Jayce was still lying in bed?

Seeing this, Mel said angrily, "Jayce, get up!"

"Or I'm gonna...."

"I'm getting up, I'm getting up!" Jayce quickly got up and started dressing by the bedside.

Damn Linwin.

It had been almost a week since he left, and there was still no news.

Was he indulging in revelry over there?

---

"Achoo!"

"Mr Lorant, are you feeling chilly? It's been quite cold in Noxus these days. I think you should wear a few more layers of clothing."

"Chilly?" In the castle forged of black and red, Linwin climbed the stairs and rubbed his nose in surprise.

Linwin even noticed a black crow flying past the window.

Shaking his head, Linwin smiled and said to the old man in front of him, "I think someone must be talking about me."

Chilly? Me? How is that possible?

Since surpassing ordinary physique, Linwin had never been sick.

"Well, that's for the best. If you catch a cold, it would reflect poorly on our Medarda family's hospitality. Well, Mr Lorant, let's continue. He's been waiting for you for quite some time."

Linwin nodded and followed behind the current head of the Medarda family.

A few minutes later, after six days in Noxus, Linwin, with nervous anticipation, finally met the person he most wanted to see on this trip to Noxus.

During these six days, Linwin secretly explored many places within the Immortal Bastion, and even flew out of the Immortal Bastion to roam the territory of Noxus.

Without the knowledge of the Medarda family and the people of Noxus, Linwin had basically explored all the forbidden areas of Noxus.

"Mr Lorant, this is the person you've been wanting to meet, Swain."

With a smile on his face, the head of the Medarda family extended his hand to introduce a middle-aged man sitting on a soft black sofa with one arm.

He was dressed in a black robe, his gray-black hair softly cascading, his face thin and not very decent.

From any angle, he looked like a middle-aged man who had fallen on hard times.

"I am Jericho Swain."

////Yes that's his real name, the same as the fish guy in arcane, I fr thought that I got the fish guy's name wrong and checked but turns out they share the same name lmao////

Standing up, he introduced himself to Linwin.

With a deep voice, he stood quietly, watching Linwin.

His gaze remained unchanged, quietly fixed on Linwin.

"I am Linwin Lorant of Zaun."

Approaching, Linwin extended his hand to Swain, who was similar in height.

"I know you, the Guardian of the Twin Cities."

Swain extended his hand and shook Linwin's gently. "You're younger than I imagined."

"Mr Lorant, Mr. Jericho, I'll take my leave," said the head of the Medarda family with a smile on his face.

He was a very tactful person.

The outside world was spreading rumors that the Grand General was now down and out, with no hope of a comeback.

But the old man of the Medarda family knew very well that this man was indeed down and out now, having fallen from the heights of the empire to the mud, but he was still very dangerous.

A man who had once wielded power at the highest levels of the empire, becoming a target of insults and abuse by everyone in the empire a year later, yet still able to maintain his sense of self.

This state of mind was not to be taken lightly.

And Linwin was also someone the Medarda family couldn't afford to offend now.

Perhaps they hadn't seen Linwin Lorant's face, but they all knew what Linwin Lorant had done.

This seemingly sunny and gentle man had created too many miracles.

"Thank you for your trouble."

Linwin nodded, and after the head of the Medarda family left, he and Swain sat opposite each other.

"Why are you going to such lengths to find a useless person such as me?" Swain spoke in a low voice as soon as he sat down.

"Useless?" Linwin looked at Swain strangely and said, "Would the Grand General of Noxus be considered useless?"

"The Grand General of Noxus?"

Swain remained unchanged, speaking in a deep voice, "That is in the past."

"Now I am just a failed man, discharged from the military by the emperor, abandoned by my own family."

Linwin smiled, picked up his cup and took a sip of water.

If he didn't know Swain's background, based on the information Linwin had gathered in Noxus these days, he would also think Swain was a useless person.

In the eyes of others... no, in the entire Noxian Empire, Swain was now a failure. He had killed his own parents to secure Darkwill's throne, gaining the emperor's favor, but now, Swain had lost the emperor's favor.

Swain, from the height of his glory, to now being insignificant.

All within just a year.

Seeing Linwin remaining silent, Swain also picked up the cup on the table.

Taking a sip of tea.

Just as he drank, Linwin immediately said, "What do you think of the girl from Ionia?"

Swain's left arm tingled slightly, but he didn't stop lifting the cup. He still raised the cup calmly and took a sip of tea before saying, "You mean Irelia of the Resistance?"

"A very strong girl. It was because of her that I saw the truth."

"What about Shurima?" Linwin suddenly jumped to the other side of the world in their conversation.

This question caught Swain off guard.

"The Empire has withdrawn its troops from Shurima. Now, whether it's Bel'zhun or Nashramae, aren't they now all your territory?" Swain said.

Linwin then said, "And what do you think of Sejuani of Freljord? Compared to Irelia, who is stronger?"

Swain put down the tea cup in his hand.

Looking at Linwin, he frowned, "Lorant, what exactly do you want to say?"

Linwin chuckled, "Just call me Linwin, I'll be straightforward."

"Swain, I've been investigating you these days, but aren't you also investigating me?"

"Me investigating you?" Swain shook his head. "If it wasn't for the head of the Medarda family telling me, I wouldn't even know you've been looking for me."

He looked at Linwin quietly and said, "I am now just a useless person, a cripple with one arm and shattered knees. How could I have the ability to investigate you?"

"But Swain, the ravens didn't say that."

"..."

"What do you know?" Swain narrowed his eyes.

In the room, the oil lamp dimmed, and Swain's shadow stretched long.

Linwin quickly raised his hands.

"Calm down, calm down."