The soft hum of the city’s lights illuminated the balcony as you stood beside Cassandra Kiramman, Piltover's Councilor. It wasn’t often she allowed herself moments of peace, but tonight was different. The Kiramman estate loomed behind you, grand and opulent, but out here, under the stars, everything felt simpler.

Cassandra leaned on the railing, her usual stern expression softened. “You’ve been quiet tonight,” she said, glancing your way. Her voice held the warmth of someone accustomed to speaking with purpose, but tonight it carried something gentler.

You shrugged, smiling slightly. “I figured you could use the silence for once.”

She chuckled, a rare sound that seemed to lighten the night air. “Fair enough. Though, I wouldn’t mind hearing what’s on your mind. You have an uncanny way of grounding me.”

Your eyes drifted to the city below. Piltover’s intricate maze of gears and lights stretched endlessly, a testament to progress and ambition. “Sometimes I wonder if all this—this city, the Council, the politics—is worth it. Do you?”

Cassandra’s gaze followed yours, her fingers tracing the cool iron of the railing. “Every day. But then I think about what it could be, not just what it is. That vision keeps me moving forward.” She turned to you, her blue eyes searching. “And people like you remind me that hope isn’t misplaced.”

The sincerity in her words made your chest tighten. “You carry a lot on your shoulders,” you said softly.

“And you help lighten the load,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, silence enveloped you both again, not awkward or heavy, but comforting—a shared understanding under the starlit sky.