"Since there are no further questions, this meeting is adjourned. If anything urgent arises, contact Cipher directly."
Swain stood up from his chair, and the dimensional transport device once again opened a shimmering spatial gateway, this time leading directly to the heart of the Immortal Bastion.
"The storm of change may be swift and violent, but I will not claim this victory for myself alone, it belongs to every member of the Trifarix Council."
He stepped toward the portal.
"During this period, you need to focus on one objective."
"Create a storm of chaos throughout the Twin Cities, draw the attention of both the Black Rose and Darkwill, the more dramatic the disturbance, the better."
"The Immortal Bastion and its challenges are mine to handle personally."
The portal collapsed inward with a sound like breaking glass, and Swain's figure vanished completely, as if the meeting had been nothing more than a fleeting dream, an illision.
"So... what's our next move?"
Silco frowned and turned toward Cipher, smoke curling from his cigarette.
That there was a seat for Vi but not for him, he could understand.
He wasn't as clever as Powder, not as skilled in combat as Vi, nor as politically adept as Cipher.
Being outmaneuvered by the younger generation was simply a fact of life, not something worth excessive complaint.
What mattered now was determining their next course of action in this rapidly evolving political landscape.
The Noxian coup represented an opportunity of unprecedented scale, if handled properly, it could even secure Zaun an additional council seat.
"Commander Swain suffered a defeat at the Battle of Placidium, his fate uncertain. To ensure Zaun's security and independence, we must strike first before our enemies can consolidate their position."
Cipher narrowed his eyes. He had waited far too long for this moment to present itself.
Confined within Zaun's underground limitations, their development had been severely restricted, too many ambitious projects could never even begin due to space and resource constraints.
"We will declare war against Piltover. Force Camille to request aid from her Noxian allies. Ideally, we'll draw the direct attention of the Pale Lady."
"The greater the power we demonstrate, the more they'll need to respond."
Piltover represented a vital financial lifeline for the Noxian Empire's existence. One could argue that Piltover's economic contributions were the primary reason Noxus could sustain four simultaneous military campaigns, despite suffering defeat after defeat, the empire had not yet collapsed entirely.
Once their essential source of funding faced the threat of being conquered, Noxus would be forced to respond with everything they had available.
It was a classic strategic gambit: strike at the enemy's most vulnerable point, forcing them to come to its defense regardless of the cost.
Caitlyn, who had remained quiet and largely unnoticed throughout the discussions, suddenly changed expression dramatically.
"I refuse to support this plan. If war breaks out, countless innocent civilians will die in the flames of battle."
The room grew silent. Many of the council members exchanged glances, and turned strange looks toward Caitlyn.
"What's wrong with what she said? Did she make some kind of mistake?"
Vi looked puzzled by the sudden tension in the room.
In war, people inevitably die, that was simply the harsh reality of armed conflict. If you wanted to avoid casualties completely, then the obvious solution was to avoid starting wars. She thought Caitlyn's concerns made perfect sense.
"Councilor Kiramman, no wonder your daughter gets along so well with Mel. In some ways, the two of them really are quite alike."
Ambessa stroked her rough chin, teasing Caitlyn while also poking fun at her own daughter's naive tendencies, clearly in a good mood.
"You honor me with your jest, General Medarda." Cassandra pressed a hand to her forehead. "Caitlyn, Zaun declaring war against Piltover doesn't mean we're planning to launch a direct invasion with massive casualties."
"Haven't you noticed that even Professor Heimerdinger has remained silent throughout this discussion? This war isn't intended to actually be fought in any traditional sense."
Everyone present could more or less discern Cipher's intent: a formal declaration of war, backed by credible military threats, designed to force Piltover into desperately seeking Noxian military aid, only to ambush and destroy those reinforcements when they arrived.
Surround the enemy, then strike at their rescue forces. Easy to understand, right?
Only by attracting that level of high-stakes attention could they reduce the difficulties facing Swain's coup attempt.
But Caitlyn's understanding of strategy and military tactics was clearly insufficient, she had completely failed to grasp Cipher's intentions behind the dramatic declaration.
"Vi, you are now officially a councilor of the Trifarix, someone with status and responsibility, not the street fighter you used to be. Learn from Powder, read more books."
Vander rubbed his temples and admonished her.
Ever since Vi had begun intensive combat training under various mentors, pursuing the absolute peak of physical enhancement, her intellectual development had been completely overwhelmed by muscle mass.
As a concerned father, he worried, but he had no solution. His daughter was a grown adult; he couldn't exactly return to raising her with the firm discipline of her childhood years.
"Alright, I'll just go along with whatever you all decide is best."
Vi covered her ears, clearly wanting to escape this tedious discussion. Academic study was simply incompatible with her brain, asking her to read complex strategy texts was worse than throwing her into Stillwater Hold.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll broadcast across the entire continent a formal declaration of war against Piltover. General Medarda, Miss Mel, I need the House Medarda to continue maintaining your current positions and influence within Piltover."
"You may be residing in Piltover, but your loyalties belong to Noxus, and your ultimate allegiance serves the Trifarix Council."
Cipher temporarily ignored the muscle-obsessed Vi, focusing on more pressing business matters. He lifted his teacup in a subtle salute and offered Ambessa a smile.
He trusted that this veteran Noxian general understood exactly what he was requesting of her family.
"A triple-agent game, an interesting challenge. I'll keep an eye on Piltover and Noxus, and make sure the waters stay good and muddy."
Ambessa raised her wine glass in acknowledgment. She had indeed grasped the nature of her role.
"The House Kiramman will also maintain the current status quo, continuing to manage those tens of thousands of indentured workers."
"If my predictions are accurate, Piltover will soon enter a period of severe adjustment and decline. Those tens of thousands of laborers may very well face mass unemployment and potential starvation. Your family must prepare emergency food supplies and other essential necessities well in advance, or we could face a humanitarian crisis that undermines our entire strategy."
Cipher lifted his cup again, offering this reminder to Cassandra.
If he wanted to seize control of Piltover without firing a single shot, he still needed the cooperation of Noxian military forces, boots trampling Piltover's pride, grinding its citizens down until they begged for liberation.
Without enduring hardship and desperation, how could the privileged Piltovans ever find themselves yearning for Zaun's liberating army?
The inevitable consequence would be widespread chaos throughout Piltover. Without proper preparations made in advance, mass unemployment affecting tens of thousands of laborers could easily trigger a catastrophic food shortage crisis.
This strategy would cost the House Kiramman enormous resources, but if they wished to inherit and monopolize control of Piltover's economy and security systems for generations to come, this sacrifice was absolutely necessary.
"That won't be a problem. The House Kiramman will stockpile enough food supplies, medical supplies, and fuel reserves to guard against any possible civil unrest."
Cassandra's eyes sharpened. She possessed the necessary resolve, extending her planning beyond mere tens of thousands of laborers, preparing instead for nearly a million residents throughout Piltover.
To realize her family's dream of hereditary rule, she would commit everything they possessed, once again gambling their entire fortune on this single outcome.
After all, even if their gamble failed completely, the losses would primarily be financial assets on paper. Wealth could be rebuilt and regained soon enough with proper planning.
"Good, then it's settled. Everyone should return home and rest for now. Tomorrow you'll all have plenty of work to do."
Cipher rose from his chair, ending the meeting, and turned toward the stairs leading to his private office.
"Blitz, tomorrow morning, use this manuscript to broadcast across the continent through all available public communication channels. Make sure everyone understands, Zaun is about to move against Piltover."
He finished writing a draft and passed it along to Blitzcrank in the underground base.