Arcane: Twin Cities Mechanic

In the garden pavilion of the Buvelle family estate, the elegant and melodious tune of the guqin danced alongside the vibrant flowers that bloomed year-round.

But before long, a discordant noise interrupted the rhythm of the entire piece.

"Sona, this is the third time you've made a mistake today," came the voice of Kahina from inside the pavilion. She was sitting beside Sona, who had set her guqin on the stone table.

"Oh, and that doesn't even count the many mistakes from yesterday."

[Sis, I wasn't... ]

Sona's face flushed with embarrassment, her fingers poised mid-air, unsure of what to say next.

Making nearly 20 mistakes in two days was unprecedented, ever since she had first learned to play the guqin. It was the most mistakes she had ever accumulated.

"Wasn't what?" Kahina seized Sona's small hand, a teasing smile on her face. "Could it be that you're thinking of your crush, Li Lin, and that's what's throwing you off?"

[No, I'm not…]

A hint of crimson crept across Sona's face. She lowered her gaze, avoiding Kahina's eyes.

"Oh my~~ why is it that every time I mention Li Lin, you turn red?" Kahina found this amusing. She reached out and placed both hands on Sona's flushed cheeks, forcing her to face her, though Sona's eyes continued to avoid hers, flickering with an unusual light.

"Back then, when those young noblemen from other families tried to win your favor, you were always cold to them. Sometimes you even had me step in to send them away."

Kahina's tone shifted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "But the moment Li Lin shows up, your attitude does a complete 180?"

Sona pressed her lips together, her face reddening like a ripe apple as she tried to turn away, but she couldn't escape her sister's firm hands, roughened by the calluses of her training.

Then, suddenly, Kahina leaned forward, whispering into Sona's ear, which had turned bright red: "Could it be... that you're in love with him at first sight?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Sona froze like a startled rabbit, quickly breaking free from her sister's grip and pulling away with a speed that surprised even Kahina.

"Whoa!" Kahina's eyes widened in surprise, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "Little Sona, you've really shocked me!"

Sona shot a glare at Kahina, silently protesting her teasing.

She quickly straightened her slightly crumpled dress, then signed with her hands

[Sis, you should go practice your swordsmanship.]

Kahina adopted a dramatic, sorrowful expression and whimpered, "Wuwuwu... My little sister is now abandoning her own sister for a stranger..."

[Sis!]

Seeing Sona's rare look of irritation, Kahina realized she might have gone too far and quickly apologized, "Sorry, sorry, I won't tease you anymore."

Kahina scooted closer to her sister, took her hand again, and her tone became more serious.

"Sona, are you really sure that Li Lin... is the right one for you?"

Sona raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised. The irritation from before melted away.

[Why do you ask that?]

"You know, Li Lin isn't from Demacia, right?"

Sona nodded blankly, still not fully understanding her sister's point.

"As you know, he's from Piltover, an outstanding craftsman from a family of councilors. His future isn't in Demacia."

Kahina studied Sona's deep blue, confused eyes for a moment before sighing deeply and resting her hand on her shoulder.

"If, one day, he asks you to go with him to Piltover, to a completely foreign world, would you go with him?" Sona hesitated, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes.

Before Sona could respond, Kahina continued, "I'm the heir of the Buvelle family, but you might already know this: my goal is to succeed my father, become a knight of the Illuminators, remain unmarried, and serve the people of Demacia wholeheartedly, rather than inherit the family headship."

Sona bit her pale lip, her expression shifting with surprise. She quickly shook her head, and her blue twin tails swayed with the motion.

[I Can't...]

"Now is not the time to discuss the matter of inheriting the position of family head, Sona. That's not what we were originally discussing," Kahina said seriously, focusing intently on her sister and lowering his voice. "I won't comment on Li Lin's character too much. You know magic, and you understand him better than I do... What I want to ask is, will you go back to Piltover with him?"

Sona clenched the hem of her dress, unsure how to answer.

On one hand, there was the Buvelle couple, who had adopted her in her time of need and treated her like their own daughter, and there was Kahina, who had always treated her like a sister.

On the other hand, there was someone who could listen to her, someone who understood her like a kindred spirit, someone from her hometown...

Kahina fixed her gaze on Sona for a moment before sighing deeply. "I understand."

[Sister...]

Sona's expression turned sorrowful, with glistening tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Kahina stood up quickly from the bench, adjusting her mood and putting a bright smile back on her face.

"Alright now~~ Don't give me such a sad face, come on, give me a smile!" she said, placing both of her thumbs at the corners of Sona's lips and gently pushing them upward.

"Men don't like delicate little girls who cry all the time, you know? You've got to show the strength of the Buvelle women!" 

After a brief pause, she clenched her fist and held it up in front of her sister. "If Li Lin dares to bully you… well, you can just punch him! Use the fighting techniques I taught you!"

Sona blushed again, managing a quiet and polite smile that was awkward but more graceful than the somber expression she had earlier.

Seeing her sister's mood brighten, Kahina casually turned and waved over her shoulder. "I won't disturb your composing anymore. If you need anything, just have a servant let me know."

As she watched her sister leave, the sadness that had lifted from Sona's face returned, replaced by a look of deep worry.

Sona sat back down beside the Etwahl, her slender fingers gently brushing across the strings of the guqin again.

The faint, muffled sound of the strings seemed to mirror her troubled mind, as if the guqin itself shared her sense of desolation.

*What should I do if Li Lin really wants me to return to Piltover with him?*

Sona resumed playing, but unlike the lively and carefree melody from before, this time the music was filled with uncertainty, reflecting the confusion and turmoil in her heart. 

Even the flowers in the four seasons garden seemed to sense her mood, their petals closing and their heads drooping, mirroring her feelings. 

The discordant notes broke through the melody, and she once again lost her rhythm, her thoughts tangled in a web of confusion.

'How can I find a way to satisfy both sides...?'

Just then, Kahina suddenly ran back excitedly, her face alight with enthusiasm. "Sona, Sona, guess who I heard has arrived from the servants?"

[End of chapter]