"Any damage caused by my daughter will be fully borne by House Kiramman. We will never burden Piltover, nor cause trouble for anyone sitting at this table."
Cassandra continued to raise the stakes with her characteristic smile.
"You really..."
One councilor, slowly lowering the ornate teacup they had just lifted, looked at Cassandra in genuine shock, wondering if maternal affection had finally driven her to complete madness.
With hundreds of thousands of indentured workers under management, if something catastrophic were to go wrong, it wouldn't be a minor incident, it would shake the very foundations of Piltover's economy.
If a crisis erupted, even a councilor's ancient and powerful family could suffer irreparable damage.
This was already indulging Caitlyn to the point of completely disregarding rational family interests and long-term survival.
Your daughter is acting recklessly, and now you're joining her in this madness? Is the House Kiramman even planning to survive the next decade?
From any reasonable family's perspective, Cassandra's actions were enough to call an internal meeting to determine whether she was still mentally fit to serve as the family head.
But the House Kiramman was uniquely structured compared to other great families. Cassandra held all decision-making power absolutely, there was no council of elders or similar internal authority capable of overruling her choices.
"Caitlyn is truly fortunate... to have a mother who supports her unconditionally like this," a councilor said sourly.
Though everyone present could clearly see that both mother and daughter were making what appeared to be foolish decisions, they couldn't help but feel a deep, painful envy of such familial support.
Who wouldn't want a family member who backed them so completely, regardless of the consequences?
Unlike their own brutal family experiences, where before becoming councilors they hadn't even been allowed to express personal opinions, let alone make significant mistakes.
One careless misstep and they would have been ruthlessly squeezed out by ambitious rivals, never even getting a chance at becoming head of their family, much less achieving a councilor's position.
All they had been allowed to do was burn like sacrificial candles for their family's benefit, contributing their mediocre talents while living dull, joyless lives under constant scrutiny, never even glimpsing the heights of true power or freedom.
Family affection? A luxury that didn't exist in their world. Even blood brothers became mortal rivals, if you could crush a sibling's ambitions completely, you showed no mercy whatsoever.
The councilors all criticized her privately, convinced that Cassandra had been blinded by maternal love, allowing her daughter to act with such dangerous willfulness.
But considering that Caitlyn was the sole heir of the House Kiramman, and observing the helpless, weary expression on Cassandra's face, they could reluctantly understand her impossible position.
If your only daughter is immature, what options do you have? When you've invested everything in a single heir, how else can you handle the situation except allow her to make her mistakes?
Cassandra was far too old to raise another child from scratch and start the inheritance process over again.
This situation served as a wake-up call for the other councilors: always ensure you have multiple legitimate heirs competing for succession. That way, if one turns out to be a complete failure, you still have viable alternatives to choose from.
Otherwise, you'd end up exactly like Cassandra, gritting your teeth and risking your family's entire future to accommodate your daughter's idealism.
"I, however, think Caitlyn is very genuine. She possesses a fearless drive for justice, and the plan is actually quite viable."
Mel spoke up at the right moment, expressing a different perspective from her colleagues and offering praise for Caitlyn's character. And she wasn't merely putting on a performance. In truth, she recognized many similarities between herself and Caitlyn.
She shared her compassion for the weak, felt anger at witnessing others' suffering, and worked hard to give the underprivileged a chance to survive.
But they also had fundamental differences. Mel followed the path of a politician and negotiator. Her methods were more subtle and diplomatic, involving exchanges of interests and long-term relationship building to achieve her goals.
Caitlyn, on the other hand, embodied a more direct and uncompromising approach, representing a purer, more visceral form of justice that refused to be diluted by convenience.
Though still somewhat inexperienced in the complexities of governance, her stubborn refusal to bow before corrupt authority and her willingness to personally stand up and fight made her deeply charismatic, a natural fit for leadership roles.
In the original timeline, she had indeed become a formidable leader, commanding the desperate war against Noxian invasion in the name of Piltover and Zaun.
Her own father had died right before her eyes during that brutal conflict, and she hadn't even allowed herself time to properly grieve, she had immediately thrown herself back into the fight. That alone demonstrated her extraordinary resilience under pressure.
That was precisely why Mel truly admired and respected her character, despite her naivety.
"Don't you all think her approach is actually quite brilliant?"
Mel gave a faint smile and raised an eyebrow.
"After realizing she couldn't change Piltover's system from the outside, she chose instead to become an integral part of the system itself, then correct it from within, operating on her own terms."
"Piltover desperately needs innovative thinkers like her. Only by constantly recruiting fresh talent with new perspectives can our city continue to evolve and improve. Honestly, I find her approach genuinely admirable."
Even though this entire plan had been originally devised by her and Cassandra, she felt no hesitation about allowing Caitlyn to receive all the public credit and recognition.
Support always needed justifiable reasoning, after all.
"She's also lucky to have such a supportive mother backing her. Compared to Caitlyn's situation, I consider myself quite unlucky in family matters."
She turned toward Cassandra, then shrugged helplessly.
"My own cold-blooded mother never provided me with that kind of support or encouragement."
But the other councilors pretended not to hear her final comment about family dynamics. None of them had any interest whatsoever in gossiping about the notoriously complex and dangerous internal affairs of Noxian military aristocracy like the House Medarda.
Some topics were far too hazardous for polite conversation.
"Well then, let's proceed with the formal vote on the proposal initiated by Councilor Kiramman. Those in favor of Caitlyn replacing the current labor system, please raise your hands."
One councilor quickly and smoothly shifted the discussion away from personal matters, clearly concerned that the increasingly emotional Mel might accidentally reveal information that no one in the room wanted to hear.
After all, inadvertently eavesdropping on the intimate secrets of a powerful military family could prove extremely dangerous, Noxian warlords weren't known for settling disputes gently.
Click click click!
With the whirring of mechanical gears, the circular skylight at the top of the Council chamber's domed ceiling slowly closed, dimming the lighting. The councilors' faces were suddenly cloaked in mysterious shadows, creating an appropriately solemn atmosphere for formal voting.
"I vote in favor of the proposal. The House Kiramman will fully support Caitlyn. If any negative consequences arise, we will accept full responsibility and guarantee it won't create problems for anyone."
Cassandra was the first to raise her hand. A beam of brilliant light immediately illuminated her from above, signaling her official vote in favor.
The other councilors hesitated momentarily, exchanging glances, then turned their attention toward Mel to gauge her position. Most of them remained indifferent about the proposal's outcome.
"I vote in favor as well. Passion in young people should be encouraged, not suppressed. Since Caitlyn wants to make something of herself, why not give her the chance?"
"Piltover's future belongs entirely to the next generation. They represent our city's greatest hope for progress."
Mel cast her vote in favor as well.
None of the other councilors found her confident tone unusual or presumptuous. Though relatively young, she had already earned the complete respect and trust of every councilor present through her capabilities.
"The vigor of youth really is something we can no longer match. I vote in favor as well."
A councilor with strong trade relationships and financial ties to the House Medarda's business interests promptly followed Mel's lead and voted to support the proposal.
"Councilor Kiramman, the depth of your bond with Caitlyn is admirable. Since you're willing to stake your family's name behind her, I have no reason to oppose."
Another councilor added his vote to the growing consensus.
"I also vote to approve having Caitlyn replace the current labor system. After the recent violent riots, many professors at Piltover Academy have been persistently questioning me about the treatment of indentured laborers."
"The contractors' horrifying cruelty has generated intense dissatisfaction and moral outrage throughout the Academy's faculty. With Caitlyn stepping in to reform and humanize the system, I'll finally have an answer to provide them."
Jayce, who had remained silent throughout the lengthy meeting, finally got his chance to speak.
Five votes in favor.
"The contractors' reputation is too tarnished, it's already affecting Piltover's image. I have confidence that the House Kiramman will bring us a surprise."
Six votes in favor.
"Then let us together usher in a new chapter for Piltover's labor system."
Seven unanimous votes in favor.
Piltover's supreme governing Council had passed the proposal unanimously. Caitlyn had officially entered the stage of high-stakes power.