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"Because, if it fails, their morale will break. How many people truly care if Zaun belongs to Piltover? Jayce, we have to ask ourselves—do we really want to solve the Zaun problem? Wouldn't compromise, peace and mutual aid be a better solution?" Mel smiled softly, her voice laced with both wisdom and weariness.
Having lived in Piltover for so many years, she understood all too well how the people here thought.
As one of the great nobles, whether it was Medarda or Ferros, they only cared about whether their families benefited.
The lesser nobles, though reliant on the higher houses, had their own interests and ambitions. If Zaun could be easily crushed, it would be the perfect catalyst to consolidate power.
On the other hand, if Zaun grew strong enough to pose a genuine threat, survival would take precedence over pride, and defection would become a very real possibility.
The middle class simply followed the tide. They would obey whatever orders came from above. But because Piltover's wealth was divided primarily among the noble families, who knew how many among the middle class had secret ties to Zaun? Many of them relied on the trade and profits from Zaun to survive and had no appetite for war.
Among those who did wish for war, it was often the disillusioned—those who had already been cast aside, hoping a conflict could reshuffle the deck in their favor.
For the ordinary citizens, the equation was even simpler. War meant either dying on the battlefield or endless labor in weapon factories.
They had grown accustomed to a life of relative comfort, their resolve dulled by decades of stability and progress. The notion of blood and sacrifice seemed alien to them now.
These were the same people who excelled at weighing the pros and cons. If defeat by Zaun seemed no worse than the costs of going to war, why would they risk everything to fight?
Jayce had thought of all this, but the weight of it left him silent.
If he were to be honest with himself, did he truly care about the divide between the two cities? Did he really care about Zaun at all?
He clenched his fists.
Why, then, had he proposed strengthening Piltover's defenses against Zaun in the first place?
Jayce raised his head and gazed toward Zaun, its towering structures veiled by the faint haze of chem-fog. The memories felt distant, yet vivid.
It was that night— The night Viktor left.
It was after that moment, after seeing him again, that Jayce felt the sting of inadequacy. Viktor's brilliance had crafted machines that outmatched anything he could muster.
Machines that Jayce couldn't even dream of competing with.
So, in the end, was he really any different from the other council members? His actions weren't about protecting Piltover from Zaun.
They were about proving to himself and Viktor that he wasn't weaker.
"Mel... what should I do?"
Jayce's voice trembled with hesitation. He didn't know the answer.
Zaun might one day surpass Piltover, but that was Zaun's future. In the present, did they truly want to risk alienating the people and exhausting all their resources to attack Zaun—to eliminate a potential threat?
When had it come to this? Piltover, the city of progress and innovation, now cowering at the thought of being overtaken.
"Jayce," Mel said softly, her voice steady but firm, "Medarda is always willing to fund your projects to provide resources for you to recruit workers. But I need to know what you really want. Only then can I help you."
She stood beside him, her hand gently covering his. Together, they stared at Zaun on the horizon.
There was concern in her gaze but also something deeper—encouragement.
Time was not on their side. With Ryan's intervention in play, Mel knew she couldn't afford to let Jayce cling to his idealistic whims. He had to grow quickly.
The city needed him to face reality and take decisive action, not just for himself but for Piltover's future.
Jayce was the choice she had made for Piltover's salvation. And now, more than ever, she believed this was the time for him to rise.
Jayce closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh as his swirling thoughts settled. Slowly, he shook his head and opened his eyes, now brimming with clarity and resolve.
"Piltover..." he murmured, his voice steady.
"I'm no saint, Mel, and I won't claim to be. Piltover has never feared war, but we've never been a city to provoke one. The best way to prove our strength isn't by aggression—it's by protecting the peace we've built. We can't turn our people into a war machine, forcing them to risk their lives for political pride. If we did that, we'd be no better than what Piltover once did to Zaun."
Mel studied his face, her sharp gaze catching the glint of determination in his eyes. This was no longer the stubborn, hesitant man she had been coaxing out of his doubt.
"Do you have a plan?" she asked, her voice calm yet expectant.
Jayce nodded firmly. "Piltover owes Zaun more than we can repay. Their independence is justified, but we can't allow ourselves to be endangered by them. Developing a military to deal with potential threats is essential, but we need a new strategy. Piltover is a city of progress—we need to lean into that strength."
His eyes suddenly lit up with excitement, and his voice quickened as ideas began to spill out.
"I've been walking Viktor's path for too long, trying to emulate his machine designs. But now, I see another way—something better. Something uniquely ours."
"Go on," Mel encouraged, a smile playing on her lips.
"It sounds promising already."
Jayce straightened, the confidence returning to his posture.
"We need to overhaul the law enforcement system entirely. Equip them with new weapons forged with hextech gems—not just for long-range attacks, but also for melee combat. With these upgrades, each enforcer will be far more effective, without the need to recruit additional manpower. The artisans and academy students can handle the production."
Mel nodded, her own excitement growing at the prospect.
"It's a solid idea. Medarda will fund your experiments. Piltover thrives on innovation, and this could become its backbone."
Jayce smiled. "I already have my hammer, but as Viktor once told me, it's only a prototype. A true masterpiece would enhance my melee capabilities and augment my physique. I've been thinking that Viktor's robot concepts had some merit. If I incorporate electrical currents into my hammer, it could repel attackers, making it harder for anyone to close in."
Mel raised an eyebrow, teasing, "The vision is yours to bring to life."
"That's all I need," Jayce replied confidently, rubbing his chin in thought.
"I remember reading about a material... what was it called?"
He paused, trying to recall.
Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he struck his fist into his palm, his face lighting up with excitement.
"Mercury's Stone! That's it! If I can combine Mercury's Stone with hextech and integrate it into my hammer, it could finally realize my vision!"
Mel smirked. "Mercury's Stone... a fine name. Who knows? Maybe your hammer will be known as the Mercury Hammer someday, a symbol of Piltover's might, like Heimerdinger's cutting-edge turrets. You might even become Piltover's greatest guardian, Jayce."
Jayce chuckled. "I'm not thinking that far ahead, but I need to act quickly. I don't want to fall too far behind Viktor. Speaking of which, we can't just focus on weapons. We need to prioritize Hextech armor, too. Imagine—every enforcer equipped with hex suits. How much safer would Piltover be?"
Mel laughed, her tone playful. "Then all our enforcers will look like giant, lumbering bears. Is that what you want?"
Jayce burst into laughter at the thought, scratching the back of his head.
"Well, I'll have to refine the designs then. Otherwise, I might end up as the oversized bear leading the charge!"
Mel shook her head, smiling warmly.
"You're more like a bear cub right now—still learning to walk before you run. But at least you're moving in the right direction."
"I know," Jayce said with a grin.
"That's why I can't waste any more time. We need to start now!"
With that, he grabbed Mel's hand and broke into a trot, pulling her along toward his lab.
His heart burned with excitement—not just to match Viktor's brilliance, but to protect Piltover. His resolve had crystallized.
This wasn't just about progress or rivalry anymore.
It was about guarding Piltover, the Defender of Tomorrow, with all his strength.