Chapter 3: Chapter 4: Life is a Stage, and Acting is Everything!
"I'm done," Leruro said, leaning close to the door.
Moments later, the heavy prison door opened again, and Caitlyn and Vi entered to see the mini tank, glowing faintly with a soft blue light.
"What... is this?" Caitlyn asked, momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar mechanical device.
"Allow me to introduce it," Leruro straightened up, "This is my invention, the Hex-Drive Tank!"
*Swish!*
The moment he finished speaking, a fierce punch landed, and Vi grabbed Leruro by the collar.
"You still say you're not a criminal? Where did you get a Hex crystal?"
Leruro flinched but had anticipated this question.
"This is science!" he said firmly, with an air of righteousness. "Your technology typically relies on magic to power machines. I developed a new technology that allows machines to produce magic!"
Caitlyn and Vi were both momentarily stunned.
Using machines to generate magic—how was that even possible?
"Hmph, you're probably thinking, 'How could that be possible, right?' But don't underestimate my understanding of science! You both know full well that I don't have a Hex crystal on me!" Leruro maintained his solemn expression as though he was defending something sacred.
Of course, there was no real science here that would allow machines to create magic; it defied the laws of conservation of energy. Leruro had simply infused his own magical power into the machine. In a way, the Hex-Tank wasn't a traditional Piltover device that relied on Hex crystals. Instead, the tank itself acted as an energy source, like an unconventional Hex crystal.
Caitlyn and Vi looked at each other.
As Leruro had pointed out, he wasn't carrying a Hex crystal when he was detained. Piltover's detention procedures were thorough, and the prison here was virtually impenetrable, ruling out other possibilities.
Could it really be that machines could generate magic?
Vi slowly loosened her grip on his collar, suddenly caught in a dilemma.
Leruro moved around the Hex-Tank, activating its controls for a demonstration. Forward, reverse, grabbing objects with a mechanical arm—it all functioned smoothly, surprising Caitlyn and Vi with its unique design and impressive operation.
This demonstration confirmed the device was no illusion; it was a practical invention with the potential to benefit Piltover.
Leruro felt a sense of relief as his test succeeded. In case things went south, he had held back a hidden feature—the tank's cannon.
"Then, I'm not a criminal!" Leruro pressed urgently as the time remaining on his task counted down to less than five minutes. "I can create magic through machines. Why would I even need to steal a Hex crystal?"
This remark seemed to wake Caitlyn and Vi from their doubts.
"Then how do you explain being at the crime scene?" Vi asked, still skeptical.
"I was framed!" Leruro looked genuinely outraged. "The criminal must have knocked me out and dragged me there! I didn't wake up until today!"
Caitlyn's face softened a bit, and Vi's suspicion wavered, a new scenario beginning to make sense.
"Wait here a moment," Caitlyn said, tugging Vi's arm as they stepped out, leaving Leruro alone in the cell.
He sensed that things were looking up, though he was anxious. Less than three minutes remained.
Hurry up, ladies!
As he waited, Leruro's gaze was fixed on his system timer, counting each second.
Three minutes, two minutes, one minute!
Finally, with just thirty seconds to spare, the door swung open, and a soft chime sounded in his mind.
*[Task complete. Reward: 10 gold coins]*
Leruro sighed with relief.
It worked!
Outwardly, he maintained his calm but anxious demeanor, waiting silently.
Caitlyn broke the silence. "We'll give you an opportunity to present your case at tomorrow's trial. You'll have a chance to explain everything to the council members."
Leruro nodded. Less talk was better.
Seeing Leruro's indifferent attitude, Caitlyn felt a tinge of embarrassment.
"If it turns out we were wrong, as a Piltover Enforcer, I apologize on behalf of the city," she added.
Vi, however, seemed unfazed. Misunderstandings were a regular occurrence in her life, and apologizing didn't come easily.
"Caitlyn," Vi called, and the two left the cell, leaving Leruro alone.
Leruro let out a long breath as he lay down on the cold metal bed.
He had passed this stage.
In a modern world, Leruro doubted such a story would fly; modern justice demands evidence and logic. But Piltover's process was different. Council members would decide the case, so convincing them was key.
Now, he needed to find out what he could do with his reward of 10 gold coins.
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