"This is after he attacked your factory," Viktor says, the one bit of information he has and, frankly, pretending he knows more than he does. That's really it, he knows Vi was allowed to take the gauntlets, that Jayce made some ridiculous weapon, that Vi said things went poorly. That the council didn't listen, as though they ever would have.

But really in all of that, in all of this, it's that independent sovereignty that catches him. It's obvious in the widening of his eyes, then the disbelief that follows, the careful, flinching thing that knows Piltover well, knows it better than anyone here in the Trench now, really, and simply cannot see it being so... easy.

(Can't really see Jayce wielding his power so effectively, when the man couldn't even stand up to Heimendinger forcing them to hold back their project. Even Jayce's steely resolve the very last time he saw the man, hand on Viktor's shoulder and claiming he'd make sure Heimendinger wouldn't destroy the Hexcore, couldn't be enough for something of this magnitude.

Could it? Is he trying to brace himself for the disappointment of a lie or trying to comfort himself it is lie? The idea of the undercity as Zaun gives him such a whirl of feelings it surprises him. Ones he thought buried with the vague, formless hopes of so many others with the massacre of the bridge.)

Another fact, the man died. Gods, this was a lot to take in. "To be entirely honest I have a hard time believing the council would ever consider such a matter. Jayce is new, he doesn't have that much power, even if Heimendinger supported him." And there's a faint hint of bitterness there. So, it is bracing himself for disappointment.