In the circles of young nobility in Noxus, a legend has long persisted—within the province of Tiris, adjacent to Ionia, resides the commander of the elite Third Legion, a woman of fearsome reputation, known for her brutality, cruelty, and malevolence.
During her reign over the province of Tiris, dozens of noble young men from Noxus unwittingly offended the inexplicable whims of this malevolent sorceress, resulting in their castration—a tale that occasionally reached the ears of young Annie among the Noxian elite.
In these whispered accounts, the commander of Tiris emerged as a living embodiment of an evil witch, and the fragmented snippets of conversation that drifted into the young girl's awareness gradually coalesced into a terrifying visage.
Over the years, this dreadful image became deeply entrenched in the girl's mind, to the extent that when she unexpectedly encountered the very "old witch" before her, she was so frightened that she forgot to wipe away her tears.
"…" With a cold gaze sweeping over the group, Xiao Mu Yu turned to the embarrassed silver-haired woman and asked, "How did my earlier words sound to you? Could you… repeat them?"
Seeing Xiao Mu Yu seemingly intent on feigning ignorance to evade the matter, Captain Teemo immediately grew indignant.
After all, during their time in Noxus, had it not been for Riven rescuing him from the clutches of those fearsome women, he would likely still be enduring their torment.
Captain Teemo firmly believed that gratitude is a virtue, and thus, he could no longer tolerate the situation. "You! You scoundrel!"
Pointing his chubby finger at Xiao Mu Yu as if accusing a faithless husband, Teemo exclaimed, "You just proposed to Riven! You said, 'Riven, marry me!' so melodramatically! You even repeated it twice! How is it that now you wish to back out? I tell you, you must marry her! You will marry her, whether you like it or not! Don't even think about retracting your words! Uh… Riven, why are you tugging at my clothes?"
In the background, Riven discreetly pulled Teemo aside, away from Xiao Mu Yu.
A few meters away, the two figures, one large and one small, conspired quietly.
"Hey! Teemo, how can you say such a thing? … It sounds as if I'll never find a husband."
"Isn't it true? You're already thirty; you're not exactly young anymore, are you? Other girls your age have had several boyfriends, some even have children! But what about you? Tell me… over all these years, has any man ever shown you even the slightest interest? How many have confessed their feelings to you? None, right? Not a single one?"
"Uh… what you say is indeed true, but… but I'm a girl; I must maintain some modesty."
Captain Teemo dismissed Riven's reasoning with disdain. "Modesty? If you insist on being modest about something as significant as marriage, you are destined for a life of solitude! You must understand, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Once this chance passes, it may never return! A man is finally willing to propose to you, and you hesitate? Do you truly wish to become a lifelong spinster?"
"Uh… that's not the case," Riven replied, glancing back at Xiao Mu Yu a few meters away. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment before Riven quickly turned away, "Mr. Mu Yu may seem cold, but he is actually quite decent, not to mention he is not unattractive and possesses considerable strength. However… to marry him just like that, I still cannot accept it. After all, we lack any emotional foundation, and I don't know him well enough; marriage… it simply isn't feasible."
With a pained expression, Captain Teemo gazed at the hesitant Riven, seemingly foreseeing her dismal and lonely future, unable to bear the thought.
With a sorrowful sigh, he said, "Oh, woman, your name is indecisiveness. Trust me, Riven, if you don't heed my advice now, one day you will surely regret it! Can't you see? That girl named Annie is clearly infatuated with that man; her affection for him is evident even to the blind—compared to such a innocent, charming, and most importantly, youthful girl, what chance do you think you have?"
"Uh…" Riven cautiously glanced at the little girl clinging tightly to Xiao Mu Yu's arm, uncertainly countering, "Well… Mr. Mu Yu… uh, he shouldn't be into younger girls, right?"
"You! Oh… how foolish you are," Teemo exclaimed, exasperated at Riven's refusal to heed his counsel. "You will regret this one day! Ignoring the wisdom of the elderly… ah! You are destined for a life of solitude!"
"Uh… it's not that serious, is it?" Riven said with a sheepish smile, speaking softly. "I still believe that agreeing to this right away is rather inappropriate. Let's do this instead… Since Mr. Mu Yu seems to have had a change of heart, we can simply let this matter slide. During our time together, we can quietly assess him, give me a bit more time to understand him better, and if… if he truly is a good man, then perhaps I will agree to him."
"Agree? Agree to what?!" Captain Teemo rolled his eyes, looking at Riven with disdain. "He's already starting to have second thoughts; if you don't hold onto him tightly now, even if you later express your interest, he won't admit to proposing today. Then you'll be stuck enduring the title of an unmarried witch for another year."
"No… that can't be true, right? I believe… I believe Mr. Mu Yu isn't the type to go back on his word," Riven said, her conviction wavering as she stole a glance at Xiao Mu Yu.
After saying this, realizing her lack of confidence, Riven tilted her head in contemplation before stating, "Moreover, I am quite formidable… yes, I am quite capable. If… if I truly do come to like him, I could… I could knock him out and bring him back to Noxus."
Upon reaching this conclusion, Riven seemed to find it a rather splendid idea, confidently raising her fist and declaring, "Yes! That's the plan! I am quite powerful, and if he tries to back out, I can simply knock him out and take him back to Noxus."
"…" Gazing at the self-assured Riven with a look of utter despair, Captain Teemo murmured weakly, "It's no wonder that despite your beauty, no one is willing to marry you; it turns out it's not that the men are blind, but rather… ah… if you're not single, who will be? You… ah… are destined for a life of solitude…"