-54- Just colleagues

On November 9, year 978, the second day of Progress Day, Jayce woke up early in the morning, feeling the stiffness and discomfort in his back. 

He couldn't believe he had spent the night on such a cramped and shabby wooden bed. What was even more unbelievable was that he had shared the same bed with Viktor.

In reality, it didn't bother Jayce much. He wasn't particularly obsessed with cleanliness, and Viktor, unlike most Zaunites, was different. 

As an accomplished scholar, Viktor always cared about his appearance. 

So, in a way, Viktor was even cleaner than Jayce. His body was always fresh, clean, and free of sweat, which was quite different from Jayce, who was accustomed to the smell of his own sweat from working at the forge.

However, if the bed were a bit larger, softer, and the bedding was of higher quality, Jayce would have been more comfortable. Although there was no moldy smell, and it wasn't as damp as he had initially expected, the grey and stiff bedspread, the hard mattress that felt like cardboard, and the bed that was barely five feet wide were quite challenging.

The length wasn't even 5.8 feet! During the night, Jayce's feet often extended beyond the bed!

Zaun was much colder than Piltover. Jayce was beginning to doubt his decision to come to Zaun, questioning why he had ventured into this place of hardship and discomfort.

"Viktor, you and Linwin are really something. You turned down the opportunity in Piltover for this? Look at this bed. Is this fit for a human?" Jayce grumbled as he put on his shoes.

Viktor was amused as he replied, "Jayce, you just don't understand."

Covering himself with the feathered shawl he had on his shoulder, Viktor took a deep breath, feeling refreshed. He knew that Linwin was responsible for this. "This is my home."

"I never really understand you and Linwin," Jayce said as he buttoned his shirt and checked himself in the mirror.

Viktor shook his head and said, "I told you not to come down here, but you insisted."

Jayce smiled and replied, "I can't let you out of my sight. As your future best partner, I can't afford any mishaps. I need to watch over you constantly."

Viktor stood up, leaning on his cane as he headed out. "Breakfast in the Undercity might not suit your taste."

As they pushed open the door, Viktor gave Jayce a warning.

But, after they left the room and sat at the dining table, Jayce looked down at the food in front of him. Then, he glanced at Viktor, who was calmly sipping his fish soup. Jayce immediately turned his head to look at the scruffy, elderly man and asked:

"Um, Mr. Zoran, do you all eat this so early in the morning?"

Zoran looked at Viktor and chuckled, "Viktor, it seems your friend from the upper city isn't used to our food."

"Forgive him, Zoran," Viktor said as he took a sip of the salty, hot fish soup and bit into a piece of fish. "He's the future of Piltover. If he falls ill from our food early in the morning, we won't be able to bear that responsibility."

"Enough, Viktor," Jayce picked up the greasy bowl and said, "Aren't they saying that Zaun is poor? Eating fish early in the morning, is this considered poor?"

Jayce took a small sip, made a few chewing sounds, and his eyes lit up. "Hmm, Mr. Zoran, your cooking is really good. It's even better than I imagined."

Viktor interjected, "If you're going to ask why we don't eat bread, sausages, and eggs in the morning, it's better not to ask such foolish questions, Jayce."

After finishing the soup and breakfast, Zoran looked at Viktor in surprise and said, "I didn't expect that after all these years, Viktor, you've become quite cheerful."

Viktor nodded, "I have found my purpose."

"Congratulations, my child," Zoran said.

"I think you've found like-minded friends," Zoran glanced at Jayce and then said to Viktor.

Jayce turned to Viktor in surprise, "You see, they all think I'm your friend."

All along, Jayce had considered himself Viktor's closest friend. After all, they shared the same dream of using Hextech technology to benefit humanity. 

However, due to the divide between Piltover and Zaun, Viktor never referred to Jayce as a friend; he always called them colleagues, just colleagues.

As he drank the fish soup, Viktor said, "Zoran, you're overthinking it. Jayce and I are just colleagues."

"Damn it, Viktor, will you ever learn to speak?" Jayce exclaimed.

"Don't listen to Viktor, Mr. Zoran. We are friends," Jayce said, putting his arm around Viktor's neck and shaking him vigorously. 

"Jayce, I can't be your friend as a citizen of the Undercity."

"Don't keep teasing me about that. I'm already changing my perception of you and your people," Jayce said, squeezing Viktor's neck, which caused a few drops of soup to spill from Viktor's bowl onto Jayce's sleeve. He didn't mind and continued to shake Viktor vigorously. "I admit I had biases against you and Linwin before, but I'm changing now, aren't I?"

Jayce was genuinely considering making a change. Coming to Zaun with Linwin and Viktor was his first step towards that change. He wanted to try to abandon the preconceived notions he had learned in Piltover about Zaun. He was determined to see the city of Zaun and its people in a new light.

For Jayce, this was a challenging task. He inherently carried the arrogance of a Piltover resident and held biases against the Undercity. However, for the sake of his friends, Jayce was willing to change himself.

After all, the people of Zaun were undeniably remarkable. Seeing the city from the perspective of an observer, a visitor, and an outsider, rather than as a Piltover scientist, Jayce genuinely admired the creativity of the Zaunites. 

Despite living in dire circumstances, they had not given up; instead, they had created an environment suitable for their survival.

Look around, those simple metals and machines had constructed an underground world! Even craftsmen like Zoran used methods entirely different from those in Piltover when repairing machinery. It might be considered outdated, unable to keep up with the times, but it was an art of repair suited for the Zaunites.

In extreme conditions, without the luxury of proper equipment, they mastered the skill of repairing devices.

Old Zoran looked at Viktor with a sense of happiness. The young man in front of him had lost the sense of inferiority and gloom. Viktor had become more cheerful.

"Viktor, are you cracking jokes now?" Zoran asked.

"I'm not joking, Mr. Zoran. Mr. Talis is like a 'noble' from Piltover, while I'm just an Undercity resident," Viktor shrugged.

Jayce sat down with a sense of dejection and sipped the savory fish soup. He muttered, "I told you, I'm trying to change. I know I might still have biases against you Zaunites, but you have to give me some more time, right? From both you and Linwin, I've seen the positive side of Zaun, and moving forward, I'll try to discover more and better aspects of Zaun."

Viktor, making a show of it, let out a non-committal "Hmm," as he continued to sip his soup.

However, he was only putting on an act, and a big smile spread across Viktor's face.