Chapter 1: Ordinary mechanic

In the northern district of Piltover, a bustling crowd flows towards the uppermost tier of the city, where affluent families and the wealthy reside. With less than a month left until Piltover's annual Evolution Day, the streets are already adorned with decorations.

Following tradition, most families allocate time during these days to interview artisans and engineers in the city who possess knowledge and skills. If a family is impressed by an inventor's creation, they become the sponsored beneficiary, escaping poverty to reach the pinnacle of life.

In the opulent waiting room of the luxurious mansion at the center of the North District, a young and somewhat lean-faced boy with Ionian features, named Li Lin, waits along with dozens of other artisans of varying ages, all eyeing their surroundings.

Today's interview is with the prestigious Hextech artisan family, the Gilmanes, one of Piltover's wealthy and influential clans, and Lady Gilmane is even a member of the city's highest council.

The waiting room is spacious, accommodating over a hundred people. Bright marbled tiles with intricate patterns cover the floor, almost reflecting one's appearance.

A Leveck clock, a creation of Piltover's renowned inventor Corwin Leveck, sits in one corner, its ticking echoing in the vast and silent waiting room.

Luxurious benches crafted from rare wood imported from Freljord emit a faint woody fragrance. Li Lin and the other artisans, of various ages, sit upright, awaiting the summons from the Gilmane craftsmen.

Soon, a middle-aged man, holding a black cane, wearing a brown double-breasted coat with a tie, and showing hints of gray at his temples, emerges from the solemn double doors not far from where they sit.

He is reserved, wearing pure white gloves, and carries an air of nobility in his every move, displaying a demeanor rarely seen in ordinary individuals.

Approaching the benches, he lightly taps the floor with his cane, capturing everyone's attention. "I am the steward of House Gilmane. I will now brief you on the procedures. Firstly, those whose names are called will enter through that door."

The steward points towards the grand doors he just walked through.

"In the interview room, five craftsmen from House Gilmane will evaluate your inventions. Simply state your name, present your device, and provide a brief explanation of its workings. If your invention is chosen, you will become the sponsored artisan of House Gilmane, escaping poverty and achieving greatness."

In the silence that follows, the steward continues, "If you disagree with the evaluation, I advise against confronting them. Following the traditions of House Gilmane, their judgments are fair and unbiased. If you succeed, return through the door you entered. If not, there's a small door to the right – exit through there. You can leave House Gilmane directly."

The steward scans the faces of those present. "If anyone has questions, now is the time."

No one speaks.

After a moment, the steward nods. "Very well, then let's proceed..."

He takes out a neatly folded paper from his coat pocket – the list of interview participants.

"The first one, Li Lin."

"That's me." Li Lin raises his hand as he hears his name.

"Ionian?" The steward's expression is somewhat surprised, but he quickly regains composure. "Enter through there, and good luck."

"Thank you for your blessing." Li Lin nods respectfully to the steward.

He then walks towards the grand doors, takes a deep breath, calms his slightly nervous heart, and gently pushes open one of the ancient wooden doors to enter.

Compared to the waiting room outside, this interview room is not particularly large. It forms a semi-circular shape, and four men and one woman are seated behind a long table right in front of the door.

They are all dressed in deep brown double-breasted coats with white undershirts. The central pair, appearing more luxurious, is a man and a woman in their thirties or forties.

Two older gentlemen, at least sixty years old with silver hair, exude an aura of profound knowledge on either side.

Seated at the edge is a young man with a back-combed hairstyle, youthful appearance, and a somewhat familiar face.

As the door creaks, the five shift their gaze to Li Lin simultaneously, making him feel a bit uneasy.

Li Lin walks to the center of the room, but before he can speak, the young man at the edge with a golden feather pen asks, "Your name?"

"Li Lin, sir." Li Lin replies confidently.

"Ionian?" The young man lowers his head to write something in his notebook, then continues, "What invention do you want to showcase?"

"I named it the Mechanical Wristwatch."

"A wristwatch?"

The middle-aged man with sideburns sitting in the center hears the peculiar name and raises an eyebrow, glancing at the woman beside him. He then clears his throat and asks, "Ahem... What is this wristwatch you speak of? Is it similar to Leveck's pocket watch?"

Li Lin nods, taking out a round item with two straps from his somewhat worn bag.

"As the name suggests, a wristwatch is a timepiece that can be worn on the wrist. Compared to the bulkier pocket watch, a wristwatch is more compact, convenient to carry, and more precise."

Li Lin lifts his left hand, securing the watch strap around his wrist, and then swiftly removes it to demonstrate its convenience.

Two older gentlemen clip a monocle to their left eye, showing curiosity as they lean forward to get a better look at Li Lin's wrist. They murmur quietly:

"What do you think?"

"Well... it's a novel thing. It looks more practical than a pocket watch."

"I think this is a revolutionary improvement! Why didn't I think of this?"

"Accuracy aside, just the fact that he managed to shrink such a large pocket watch into such a small piece is remarkable."

"But it's a bit ugly. If it could be more aesthetically pleasing..."

"What do you think, Mr. Gilmane?" The two gentlemen turn their heads to the middle-aged man.

"Indeed, it's a bit... if it could be refined, it might replace pocket watches in circulation among nobles..." The middle-aged man, stroking his sideburns, glances at the woman beside him and then clears his throat. "Madam, what do you think?"

When he addresses the middle-aged woman, the room instantly falls silent, and even the sound of breathing becomes audible.

Li Lin's throat twitches involuntarily.

Even the most obtuse person can see that the woman before them is the head of House Gilmane, also a senator with one of the highest powers in Piltover!

"You're Li Lin, right?" Lady Gilmane, with her hands clasped and placed on the table, leans slightly forward, her eyes devoid of any emotion. "You come from Ionia?"

"Yes, Senator Gilmane. My hometown is Presidium in Ionia. I arrived in Piltover four years ago."

When Li Lin mentions Presidium, he notices a slight change in the expressions of the four men.

"Four years ago... Well, it's a wise choice to leave that troubled place early." Senator Gilmane sighs softly.

Afterward, she stands up, and the four men immediately

follow suit, stepping back a pace.

With the crisp sound of high heels meeting the marble floor, Senator Gilmane approaches Li Lin, taking the wristwatch from his hand and observing it for a long time.

"It's a well-designed piece. I specially approve your passage. Go to Jessa, collect a 'Patent Application Contract,' and then leave. We'll discuss your treatment and labor contract after all the interviews are concluded."

Senator Gilmane gestures towards the young man who initially asked the questions, returning the pocket watch to Li Lin.

Jessa?

Li Lin looks curiously at the young man who seemed familiar earlier but doesn't dwell on him for too long.

Senator Gilmane is ready to leave, but Li Lin hurriedly stops her. "Please wait, Senator Gilmane. I have a few more designs!"

"More?" Senator Gilmane's face reveals surprise.

The male senator beside her, unable to contain himself, comes to her side, scrutinizing the young Ionian.

Li Lin acts swiftly, pulling out several sheets of design drawings from his bag and handing them to Senator and her husband.

They quickly scan the drawings, their expressions becoming serious and solemn.

Bicycles, hand-cranked generators, electric lamps, printing machines...

As time ticks away and they carefully examine all the drawings, Senator and her husband look at Li Lin with a mix of shock and amazement, simultaneously exclaiming:

"Did you design all of these? What exactly do you do?!"

Li Lin pauses for a moment, then slowly speaks, "I'm just an ordinary mechanic..."

(end)