Chapter 223: CHAPTER 223 - The Blessing of Illumination
More than ten minutes ago, on a commercial street in the southern district of Piltover, on the second floor of a Hextech audio store.
Seraphine sat by the window in her room, her arms resting on the windowsill, hands supporting her cheeks. A faint smile graced her delicate face, and her azure eyes occasionally scanned the people passing by the door of her shop. Softly, she hummed the beautiful melody of her own creation.
As a Zaunite born in Piltover, she had a special ability from a young age — to hear the thoughts of others.
Sea shanties from the sailors of the Sun Gates, apprentices' whistles, and the melodies of people's conversations on the streets accompanied her daily singing.
Seraphine's parents knew of her ability. Initially, they wanted her to study at the magical academy of Piltover University.
However, due to their limited financial circumstances, they had struggled all their lives, moving from Zaun to the Upper City just before Seraphine was born and opening a Hextech audio repair shop. Now, they had very little money left.
The tuition fees of Piltover University were beyond the means of their ordinary family.
Unless Seraphine reached the age of sixteen and then applied for the academy's exams. If she passed, most of the tuition fees would be waived. Otherwise, she would need a family to sponsor her studies from a young age.
However, they did not want their naive and innocent daughter to become a "weapon" in the hands of those dirty nobles, only to lose herself in the process.
So, they never sent a letter or wrote a sponsorship application to any family.
But as Seraphine grew older, her ability became more pronounced. She could hear not only the songs in people's hearts but also their souls —
Whether it was kindness or cruelty, the various discordant noises and secrets had an increasingly significant impact on her.
A few ragged, dirty children ran past on the street below, led by the strongest boy, who waved a delicate little pouch with a broken strap and made faces at the sheriffs chasing them from behind.
The smile on Seraphine's face disappeared instantly, replaced by the discordant cacophony swirling around her ears once again.
She sighed softly, got up, closed the window, then glanced at the small clock on her bedside table, her expression changing slightly.
"Oh no! It's almost four o'clock, I almost forgot to chat with Granny Eai..."
Seraphine hurriedly grabbed the light blue coat hanging on the coat rack by the door, said goodbye to her parents who were busy repairing the audio downstairs, and rushed out of the shop.
As Progress Day approached, the festive atmosphere dispersed most of the negative emotions in the city.
Plus, in the past year, a young craftsman from the Kiramman family had emerged, not only improving Hextech crystals but also bringing affordable basic electricity and many convenient everyday items.
With the improvement in quality of life, people's hostility diminished significantly. Seraphine, who had been confined indoors due to her ability, had recently started going out again to listen to the harmonious melodies in people's hearts, just like when she was a child.
Although occasionally, discordant noises like the one just now would still appear...
Seraphine admired Li Lin very much. She had read various reports and magazines about him and had always wanted to meet this genius among her peers, a young man who ranked among the top few on Piltover's personal wealth list at such a young age.
However, these past few months, she had heard that Li Lin had been sent by his family to build the Hextech Hex Gates in Shurima and had only recently returned.
Hmm...
She would have to find an opportunity to visit the northern district and see if she could run into him.
Otherwise, she would have to wait until Progress Day. Perhaps she could catch a glimpse of him in the crowd outside.
Seraphine made up her mind.
With the voices of people accompanying her, she hummed lightly all the way until she reached Sixth Street, where Granny Eai's stall was located, just as the clock in the yellow underground lane chimed.
But before she took a few steps, a more chaotic and disorderly murmur than she had ever heard before pierced her ears, stabbing at her spirit.
"What's this sound...? What's happening?" Seraphine's expression showed a hint of pain as she subconsciously halted her steps and looked in the direction of the sound, which happened to be Granny Eai's stall.
Standing there were two figures, one tall and one short, both wearing powered armor.
She recognized the person in the sleek black combat suit as Li Lin, but as for the young girl who seemed a few years older than herself...
The sudden disharmony, even spiritual pollution, came from within her...
No, it came from the "powered armor" on her.
Seraphine furrowed her brows deeply, feeling as though the inexplicable murmurings were about to engulf her.
She covered her ears, but the voices, penetrating her flesh, reached the depths of her soul, unstoppable.
Suddenly, Seraphine's sapphire-blue pupils contracted slightly as she realized the problem: "No, this isn't powered armor, it's... alive!"
She wanted to flee from this place, but her feeble body trembled uncontrollably, unable to move her feet.
"How could this...?" Tears of panic welled up in Seraphine's eyes.
She was afraid that if she didn't leave soon, she would be influenced by this sinister sound and lose herself completely.
However, this feeling was somewhat restrained when a stranger's voice sounded: "Are you okay?"
With teary eyes, Seraphine looked up to see a familiar face she had often seen in newspapers and magazines, and also a face she had long wanted to see in person.
"Mr. Li Lin?"
"It's me, this lovely young lady. Happy Progress Day."
Li Lin noticed Seraphine's unusual condition from afar and immediately checked her situation with "Data Mind," discovering that her mind was being affected by "Void Whispers."
He knew about Seraphine's ability and immediately realized that this might be the influence of Kai'Sa's living armor.
So he asked Kai'Sa to stay put and enjoy some sweet cakes for the time being, while he spent 875 blue essences from the Essence Emporium to purchase a pendant named "Blessing of Illumination" from the Precious Shop.
The Illuminators were a secret cult in Demacia that existed with the official approval of both the government and the Mageseeker's organization. They only accepted members who could use magic, and most of them were aristocratic children, effectively protecting them.
This pendant was made of runic iron using forbidden magic stone materials. It could significantly reduce the effects of magic by absorbing the wearer's magic power, thus mitigating the influence of magical talents on them.
"Happy Progress Day... I'm sorry, Mr. Li Lin, but I'm feeling unwell now and want to go home..." Seraphine almost gritted her teeth to finish this sentence.
She was happy to see Li Lin and talk to him.
But now was not the time to converse with someone she admired.
"I can tell that you're being affected by your magical talent negatively."
Ignoring Seraphine's bewildered expression, Li Lin handed the pendant to her. "It's called 'Blessing of Illumination.' It can suppress your magical talent and make you feel better."
(End of this chapter)
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