Elyse was a horrible mother, that, Cassian knew outright. Even before Briar had died, he had little to go off from her. If he had to recall, Cassian could only believe he had about 2 to 3 real conversations with her through his youth. She was a true Ballad, through and through - was the leading sergeant during her times in the ranks, and founder of Piltover's most prestigious Cadet Academy to date. "Mother," wasn't her biggest priority.

Throughout Cassian and even Briar's youth, she was never there. She always up at the school, sleeping in her office and spent any time in the manor in her own quarters. She was rarely there, truly.

When Briar died, she isolated herself more, if she wasn't already hard to be seen. Once Cassian got enrolled in the Cadet Academy, he kept him on campus against his better judgement, and had every officer forbid him from leaving. Even as an adult, the Ballad name plagued him regardless. After the most 4 grueling and numbing years of his life, Cassian graduated top of his class, valedictorian, with nothing but disdain for his mother, who watched him give his grand, soulless speech to the other rowdy and excited cadets. They barely talked following his joining of HexTech.