Malphegor
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Arcane: TTB: Ch. 57
🕑 Added 2025-02-27 21:56:27 +0000 UTC"Would you like some black tea?" A cold, clear female voice asked.
Behind him, the sound of water being poured from a kettle filled the silence.
Cipher couldn't mistake this voice, it was too distinct. In his previous life, he had played countless matches in the top lane as Darius, facing off against this very opponent over and over.
Camille.
Back then, in the lower ranks, he had wielded Darius' axe, relentlessly chasing her down. But now, in reality, if she were to unleash her Hextech Ultimatum, he had no Noxian Guillotine to counter it.
Cold sweat slid down his forehead. He didn't understand.
In the lore, Camille was Piltover's enforcer, maintaining stability between both cities. Even in Arcane, when Piltover and Zaun were at each other's throats, she never stepped in.
Even later, when Ambessa led the Noxian army against Piltover, Camille was nowhere to be seen.
Cipher had always assumed that she hadn't even been born in this world yet.
After all, in the game's lore, she had undergone Hextech augmentation, replacing her heart with a Hexcore. But Hextech had only just been developed here, there was no way she could have already undergone human enhancement surgery.
So what was happening?
He had always expected that one day, assassins from Noxus, maybe Talon or Katarina, would come for him. But Camille? He had never considered her.
His grip tightened around the two Wingman in his hands.
The revolvers were loaded with low-power explosive rounds, perfect for his fast and precise quick draw. Against weak champions like Miss Fortune or Graves, it was an easy kill.
But Camille? He wasn't so sure.
Her Hexcore provided an adaptive shield. His explosive rounds, even at their best, were no stronger than white phosphorus explosives. If they hit her shield, they might as well be tickling her.
These bullets were designed for self-defense in an enclosed space. A high-power explosive round would be too risky, if he fired it, whether she died or not was uncertain, but he'd definitely end up roasted alive.
No magic.
No money for cutting-edge tech.
No courage to dabble in shimmer mutations.
Against a real powerhouse, he was just a fledgling trying to survive.
Taking a deep breath, he turned around.
If she wanted me dead, I'd be dead already. This is something else.
Camille hadn't killed him on sight, which meant there was still room for negotiation.
In the dim glow of the night, she sat with her long, blade-like legs crossed, perched on a chair that he had no idea when she had brought in. She sat with mechanical precision, every movement calibrated and deliberate.
She held a steaming teapot, gracefully pouring tea into a cup, then raised it to her lips and took a sip.
"Right on time."
Meeting his tense gaze, she lifted her head.
Despite her age, which should have made her old enough to be a grandmother, her face was as flawless, cold and smooth, almost unreal in its perfection.
Her eyes, glowing with a deep blue light, swept over him before pausing on his features.
She smiled.
"I'm honored by your visit," Cipher said, maintaining his composure. "Though I must say, your reputation precedes you."
"As does yours, in certain circles," Camille replied coolly. "Though significantly less... public."
"I prefer to operate without fanfare."
"A wise approach. Pity you've abandoned it lately." She took another sip of tea, her eyes never leaving his. "Your heart rate is elevated. 142 beats per minute. Respiration shallow. Adrenaline levels quite high."
"Having a legend materialize in my bedroom tends to have that effect."
"Legend? Interesting choice of words."
"Not really. You must be an important figure in Piltover. So, what business do you have with me?"
Cipher forced himself to remain calm, but his eyes flicked toward the window on his right, not far away, enlarged specifically for an easy escape.
He slept on the second floor. Jumping out would be just five meters down, not enough to injure him.
Ever since he took charge of Zaun, he had known assassins would come for him sooner or later.
But just outside, next to The Last Drop, was the Police and Military Bureau.
If he could just make it out of this room, an entire squad of enforcers, armed with Flatlines loaded with explosive rounds, would be there to back him up.
"Interesting. I am a bit surprise you recognize me. Even Councilor Medarda, backed by the Clan Ferros, isn't aware of my existence."
Dammit. I was too nervous. Such a noob mistake, Cipher thought.
Camille smiled faintly, pouring herself another cup of tea. "But there's no need to be so tense. We have at least the time it takes to finish a cup of tea."
She took another sip before motioning for Cipher to sit beside her.
"I'm guessing this isn't a social call prompted by my reputation as a tea connoisseur," Cipher said, trying to gauge her intentions.
Her movements were elegant, exuding a composed and intellectual charm, her entire presence carrying a refined beauty.
But Cipher's throat tightened involuntarily, swallowing hard.
He still didn't know whether he had truly entered the Arcane version of this world or why Camille had appeared at all.
One thing, however, was certain, her purpose had not changed. She was here to maintain order in Piltover and Zaun.
Which, in other words, meant ensuring Zaun remained a wasteland, a place that provided nothing but cheap labor and scraps for Piltover.
Basically, preventing Zaun from rising and becoming a threat.
Cipher had already set the winds of change in motion, leading Zaun toward self-reliance and strength. He and Camille were fundamentally opposed.
A contradiction that could not be resolved.
And now, caught completely off guard, he had no plan to deal with her.
Her icy gaze bore into him, forcing him to steady himself as he cautiously moved toward the opposite bed and sat down.
"Wise choice."
Camille's voice carried a hint of admiration. If he had tried to run, she would have had no choice but to eliminate the threat.
She valued talented individuals, and Cipher had proven capable enough to warrant a conversation.
"You look exhausted. This is black tea from the Clan Ferros, grown in Dael'eh Ahira on the Fae'lor Isles. It has magical properties that help restore energy. Try it."
She slid a cup of tea toward him, her expression carrying a touch of arrogance.
Cipher hesitated for a brief moment before holstering one of his revolvers and accepting the tea.
It was scalding.
Years of working with explosive rounds had made him highly sensitive to temperature, this tea was over 100 degrees Celsius.
If not for the calluses on his hands from handling explosive munitions, he would have been burned just holding the cup.
Water typically boiled at 100 degrees, but this felt different, less scientific, more magical.
He averted his gaze from Camille, focusing on the tea instead.
Only now, as his heightened awareness settled, did he notice its fragrance alone was enough to soothe his mind.
Blowing gently to cool it down, he took a sip.
The exhaustion from being jolted awake without rest vanished instantly.
The fear that had kept his body rigid under the presence of Camille's scissor-like legs began to fade.
Good tea.
Just one sip, and he knew, this was something he could never afford.
"Cipher. Your name first appeared on the Clan Ferros' surveillance list when you were ten."
"You've been watching that closely?" Cipher asked, genuinely surprised.
"The Clan Ferros monitors all potential disruptors. You qualified quite early. But I never came to see you until today. How should I put this? I should probably commend you for being clever."
"It took you this long to pay me a visit..." he said cautiously.
"Resources are finite. Threats are prioritized."
"And my priority just went up?"
"Significantly. The Day of Ashes saw to that. Given your current threat level, I should have dealt with you sooner. But you hid yourself well."
"The Ferros spies, myself included, never saw you as anything more than a harmless scientist."
"So I've graduated from 'harmless scientist' to what, exactly?" Cipher asked, maintaining his composure.
"To someone capable of destabilizing the equilibrium between Piltover and Zaun. Someone who, perhaps, already has."
"That equilibrium was exploitation, not balance."
"A matter of perspective. One you've been quite effectively communicating through your Book of Revolution. If it weren't for Mel's sudden investigation, which caught my attention, we wouldn't be meeting now."
"She has been quite... thorough in her recent inquiries," Camille said, setting down her teacup with a precise clink against the saucer.
"She's naturally curious," Cipher replied, trying to gauge how much Camille knew.
"Her curiosity extended to classified Ferros archives. Archives that mention me."
"But her investigation was merely a catalyst," she added. "We've been watching you since you first appeared in Zaun."
"Appeared?"
"An orphan with no records, no history, yet possessing knowledge beyond his years." Camille's mechanical eyes narrowed slightly. "Even the best disguises leave traces, Cipher. Or whatever your real name might be."
What the fuck!?
Her words made his pupils contract sharply.
She leaned back against the chair, seemingly pleased with Cipher's reaction.
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