Arcane: Twin Cities Mechanic

At the front gate of the Buvelle family estate, Barrett strode out from the main house after hearing that Li Lin had arrived.

"Hahaha... Li Lin, Li Lin! Why didn't you have your servants inform me of your visit beforehand?" Barrett's voice echoed before his figure appeared in Li Lin's view.

After a few seconds, Barrett appeared with a broad smile on his face, flanked by Lestara and some attendants, though neither Kahina nor Sona were in sight.

Dressed in military attire, Barrett walked up to Li Lin and patted him on the shoulder. "Come in, come in! I've already instructed the servants to prepare some refreshments."

The Buvelle estate was quite large, as expected for one of Demacia's most trusted families, loyal to the royal family, its estate much larger than the Ferros family's Blue Mist Manor.

Li Lin greeted Barrett and Lestara, and the three of them made their way up the white marble steps, passed through the grand double doors, and entered the main house's reception hall.

Unlike the lavish décor of the Kiramman family, the Buvelle residence had a simpler, more modest style. The walls were a combination of white marble and magic-suppressing stone, giving a subtle elegance rather than overwhelming brightness. The fine carpet was spread over the smooth marble floors, intricately designed with the Buvelle family crest.

There wasn't much in the way of decoration in the hall, save for a large painting facing the door, which looked old but valuable. The candles, tables, chairs, and sofas were all custom-made but made from materials not as lavish as those in Dawnkeep Castle.

Demacia did not have a rule that nobles couldn't surpass the royal family in living standards. The Buvelle family's choice to live simply was due to Barrett and Lestara donating most of their wealth to improve the lives of the common people.

Li Lin genuinely admired Barrett and Lestara for this. Despite being a high-ranking noble, they prioritized the well-being of the people over family legacy. Based on that alone, Li Lin was confident there was no noble in Runeterra that could rival them.

Under Barrett's hospitality, Li Lin sat across from the loving couple. Tea and snacks were quickly brought to the table.

After a few pleasantries, Li Lin got straight to the point. "Lord Barrett, the real reason I've come today is to ask for your help."

Barrett had already guessed what Li Lin wanted. He waved a hand and smiled warmly. "If it's something I can help with, I'll do it without hesitation."

Li Lin hesitated for a moment and glanced at the servants in the room.

Barrett immediately understood, waving his hand. "You all may leave."

Even Lestara gave Li Lin a nod before excusing herself and walking down a corridor, closing the door behind her.

"Now, no one else is around," Barrett said, sipping his tea. "What is this important matter?"

"I believe Demacia has already been infiltrated by Noxian forces," Li Lin stated.

Barrett nearly choked on his tea at these words, almost dropping his cup. "Cough, cough, cough... You can tell me that, but you can't go saying such things in front of others."

"I'm not speaking carelessly. I have evidence to support it."

Seeing Li Lin's serious demeanor, Barrett paused for a moment, then furrowed his brows. "Are you serious?"

He hesitated, realizing his tone had sounded a bit off. He adjusted and added, "What I mean is... which aspect do you believe has been infiltrated?"

Li Lin's face grew solemn as he spoke the name Barrett had been thinking in the back of his mind. "The Mageseeker Society."

As the words left Li Lin's mouth, the large hall fell into silence.

Barrett placed his tea cup down quietly, thinking for a moment before meeting Li Lin's eyes with a cautious expression.

"Captain Eldred may indeed have deep reservations about magic and could stand as an obstacle to reforms in the magic law, but you can't just pin the accusation of colluding with Noxus on him based on Prince Jarvan's bad opinion," Barrett said, his tone serious. "Moreover, he is still half a member of the Crownguard family. Without solid evidence, we cannot let these words reach anyone else but us."

Barrett's serious tone was a warning, but Li Lin could sense the concern behind it, which warmed his heart.

"I'm certainly not making things up, nor am I implying anything about Captain Eldred. I'm simply referring to certain members of the Mageseeker Society." Li Lin clarified, quickly adjusting his attire. A ball of nanomaterial formed into a floating projector, displaying footage of the scene with the piano from earlier.

"Look here, after we sealed the Fear Demon Fiddlesticks and returned to Hengfeng Village, the soul of Andel and Natalie's daughter, Qian, was lingering in the village."

Li Lin then recounted the encounter with Qin, and the projection shifted to show what happened in their courtyard.

When Barrett saw the figures of a sheep and a wolf manifesting on the roof, he couldn't help but gasp. "Could that be... the legendary... Eternal Huntress, Kindred?"

Li Lin nodded, confirming. "Yes, but you needn't worry. Kindred only collects the souls of those whose time has passed. Normal people seeing them won't be harmed."

Barrett's lips twitched, and he gave Li Lin a long, thoughtful look, unsure of how to respond.

Not only was the Twilight Star Spirit Zoe following him, even the Guardian of Demacia's wings had returned after Li Lin convinced them. Now, Li Lin was witnessing the legendary death spirits, Kindred...

Not to mention, he commanded a mechanical army capable of easily destroying Demacia.

Every time Barrett learned more about Li Lin, it left him in awe and fear.

"What kind of person is this...?"

On the screen, Qian's words were replayed. 

When she explained that her death wasn't just a simple encounter with Noxian scouts, but rather that she had stumbled upon the Mageseeker Society conspiring with Noxus, Barrett was stunned.

His face darkened, and his fingers tightened into fists with a series of ominous cracks, his mind consumed by a raging fire of anger.

But soon enough, he took a few deep breaths, calming his excitement before answering in a more measured tone.

"Are you sure that what this young girl said is true?" Barrett asked, a question suddenly popping into his mind.

"Zoe, Morgana, and Qian all confirmed that she wasn't lying. It's likely to be accurate," Li Lin replied.

He paused briefly, furrowing his brow. "However, the details she didn't explain could be important. A child, near death, might invent additional details in a protective psychological response, making their account less than reliable. Even so, what she says isn't a lie."

"Moreover, the incident happened three years ago. I can't fully trust her testimony alone, as it's not conclusive evidence."

"So, you want me to investigate this matter further, right?" Barrett picked up on Li Lin's implication, continuing with the conversation.

"Yes," Li Lin nodded earnestly. "Aside from you, I can think of no one else capable of assisting with this investigation."

Barrett fell into silence for a long while before sighing deeply. "Protecting Demacia is our unshakable duty. Even if you didn't ask me, based solely on the footage you've captured, I would still look into this matter."

He stood up, his gaze hardening as he met Li Lin's eyes. "You've done well keeping this between us and not involving the prince or the king. Otherwise, it could easily backfire."

He continued with a stern tone, "I will send trusted subordinates with a group of experienced soldiers to Hengfeng Village to investigate. But given that three years have passed, the Noxians have likely moved on, and there may not be any trace left. Be prepared for that."

Li Lin pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of the pale lady, LeBlanc, who had trained the Iron Maiden Rell specifically to oppose Mordekaiser. Rell, with her magnetism powers capable of controlling steel, was an example of how their magic was transferred to her, ultimately leading to death.

In Demacia, most of the mages captured by the Mageseekers were first stripped of their magic and then exiled to the impoverished slums abroad...

A light sparked in Li Lin's eyes as a bold thought crossed his mind.

What if the Mageseekers' alliance with Noxus was because they had secretly transported mages whose magic hadn't been completely removed to Noxus, where they were used even more cruelly by the Black Rose?

"If possible, I hope you can begin the investigation with the mages who were stripped of their magic and exiled," Li Lin suggested.

(End of Chapter)