The old who refuse to die are called thieves!
—Forgot where that comes from
Rosha didn't have time to chat with a wandering mage. As soon as he returned home, a group of children came running, urging him to see the results of their work from the past few days. So, under Shava's playful scolding, Rosha went back out again. Of course, Shava had stuffed a flatbread in his hand, and Lulu clutched one too, perched on his shoulder as the two munched happily.
In truth, when it came to their own livelihood, the villagers were diligent and careful. Not a single biogas cellar had a problem, and the valves were flawless. The blacksmith's skill was finer than machine processing. Still, Rosha had to inspect every household personally—leaks could be dangerous after all.
He had written a manual on using biogas and the necessary precautions, and Asa had arranged for multiple copies to be transcribed and distributed to every home. He had also emphasized to the children that their role was crucial. So, these inspections were really about checking how well the children had done their job.
After praising their work, he urged them to strengthen supervision and management, aiming to have the entire village using biogas within a month. The children, thrilled by the praise, cheered and swore to complete the task.
The key point was that everyone had seen the transformation of the Conde household: no more firewood gathering, plenty of eggs from hens and ducks, fish in the pond, and Shava had already gone to the market several times to sell salted fish and poultry eggs, trading them for spices and cloth. So, the villagers were dedicated to learning.
Watching the busy, lively village nearly brought Rosha to tears. How familiar it was… His old home had been the same: poverty ruled everything, and restrictive ideas kept people hungry yet clinging to meek virtues. Meanwhile, across the border, another nation had already entered its industrial revolution…
"Teacher?" Marco, Bellota, and Amirdeen—the older children—looked up at him, puzzled by his sadness.
"I have tasks for the three of you," Rosha composed himself. "When you go to the market, gather every seed you can find. Trade with what we have. I also need maps."
"Yes, teacher!" the three nodded. They didn't know his full purpose, but they trusted that whatever he asked for would make their village's life better.
When Rosha returned home, the bald man was gone—and so was his father.
"Where's Dad?" he asked Riven, who was washing clothes.
"Accompanying the Archmage to see your projects," she replied without lifting her head.
"What? That bald guy's an Archmage?" Rosha was stunned—there were only a handful of Archmages in all the continent.
"You child," Shava smacked him lightly. "Even an old woman like me knows Lord Ryze's name. Show some respect!"
"What, what?!" Rosha thought he misheard. That bald man was the legendary Rune Mage Ryze.
His name was known across all Runeterra, not only because of his great age but because of his unmatched magical achievements. Born in the ancient days, weathered by countless storms, burdened with an impossible duty. His weapon was his unyielding will and immense knowledge of the arcane. He wandered endlessly, scouring the world for the World Runes—the primal fragments of magic that had shaped existence itself. He walked alone, keeping all at arm's length. Those he protected often mistook him for harsh, volatile, and quick-tempered.
"Oh, and if you can receive his guidance, it will benefit you greatly," Riven said, glancing at the dazed Rosha.
Rosha stood stunned for a long while, then tossed Lulu into Shava's arms to get bathed, while he himself washed up. He had to prepare to speak with this ancestor of legends.
At dinner, Asa returned with Ryze. The old man ate simply, then sat gazing at the biogas lamp, lost in thought.
After a long silence, he sighed and turned to Rosha. "I've walked many lands, met countless people, lived far too long. But I've never seen anything like what you've created. Tell me, old man forgotten by time—who are you, where are you from?"
His question made Asa and Shava tense with worry.
"Sir, I think you forgot a third question," Rosha answered calmly with a smile. "Where am I going?"
"A deep set of three questions," Ryze laughed. "Sharp child!"
"I am Asa Conde and Shava Conde's son," Rosha declared firmly. "I come from Noxus! But what you really want to know is why I can do these things, and why I do them."
His words brought tears to the eyes of the two humble elders.
Ryze's gaze softened with approval. "Indeed."
This old fox who had lived thousands of years wouldn't be easy to fool. Rosha rose and paced the room before settling down across from him. "Then let me tell you a story. In this story, there are no gods—only people. Once, there were no humans. A mother monkey, hungry, climbed down from the tree. In the tall grass of the savanna, she could not see the dangers. So she tried to stand upright…"
Rosha had no choice. To keep this ancient mage here, he needed to challenge his worldview. So he blended *Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind* with *A Brief History of Tools* and launched into a tale designed to reframe the world for the greatest mage alive.
The story was long. By the time the moon was high, Rosha's throat was parched. Of the four listeners, two were half-asleep; only Riven and Ryze sat stunned by the strange, almost absurd story.
"So, every new thing arises both from chance and from the inevitability of accumulated knowledge," Rosha pressed on. "Why do dead logs float? From that, the boat was born. Why do round logs roll down a hill? Thus the wheel was born. Why do serrated grass blades cut skin? Thus the saw was born. Knowledge builds and builds—until the smallest spark births the next great idea."
"My head holds countless books and experiences," he tapped his temple. "Since the day I was knocked out by a chemical bomb, when I awoke, they all appeared here, clear and complete. That's why I have so many ideas. This is nothing. There will be more."
"Labor created mankind?" Ryze chuckled, not giving a clear answer. "Fine, I'll grant you that one. What of the next question?"
"At first, I only wanted to repay Asa and Shava for taking us in, for their kindness and love." Rosha lowered his head, smiling bitterly. "But happiness is everyone's right. All men are born equal. Here, I've seen kindness, hard work, purity, sincerity. I want to protect that."
He rose, straightened his clothes, and declared solemnly: "Once, a great man said: 'Establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, a life for the people, continue the lost teachings of the sages, and bring peace to all generations.' I never understood before. But now I do. That is my purpose!"
Riven whispered the words, her heart shaken. The figure before her seemed immense, his spirit and composure stirring something deep inside her.
"Hahaha!" Ryze laughed thunderously, only stopping after a long while. "Boy, I'll stay for a time. I want to see how you plan to change this world."
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