Marvel: Playing Iron Man, Falling In and Out of Love with Jinx

"This is the choice I'm giving you."

Camille fixed her gaze on Duke, speaking slowly and clearly. "So? What is your answer?"

"Do I even have a choice?"

Duke gave a bitter smile. Becoming a godson by accident... Maybe he shouldn't have come today. He'd poured all his fortune points into the lottery earlier, determined to draw the Spark Matrix. Even a shard would've sufficed!

And now? Not only did he end up with the Hextech Primal Crystal, but he was also about to experience the long-lost feeling of motherly love.

He glanced at Camille's bladed legs and swallowed hard. That maternal love... felt awfully sharp.

"Then come with me."

Camille led Duke to Alicia's gravestone. There, she instructed him to kneel on one knee, right fist over his chest.

"I'll say a line. Repeat after me."

"Alright."

"Let the ancestors bear witness."

Her tone was solemn. Duke waited patiently. That line, at least, he wouldn't be repeating, he wasn't a Ferros.

"Family above all. I pledge loyalty without deceit or reservation."

Camille bowed her head. Duke obediently did the same and repeated, "Family above all. I pledge loyalty without deceit or reservation."

"To this oath, I offer my spirit, my body, and my heart."

"To this oath, I offer my spirit, my body, and my heart."

"That will do."

After the brief ceremony, Camille rose gracefully, folding her hands before her. She glanced toward the approaching crowd. "Don't forget to return our ancestor."

"Got it," Duke mumbled, still sour.

Wally, observing his sulky father, asked tentatively, "Father, does this mean... you have a mother again?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Does that make me her grandson?"

"You're not much to look at, but your imagination's something else."

Duke took the Primal Crystal from Wally and stored it in his inventory. Then he locked Alicia's coffin and gestured. "Come on, get to work. I'm supervising, handle our ancestor with care."

"But didn't you just say I wasn't part of the family?"

"You are now."

Duke gave Wally a mischievous look. Wally fell silent, hoisting the coffin carefully and placing it back in the grave. Duke leaned against a nearby headstone and called out, "Don't forget to cover it with soil."

"Knock it off..."

Wally grumbled. Duke's temple twitched. "I never should've given you such a high autonomy setting. I should siphon back some mana, make you more obedient."

Wally flinched and doubled his effort.

"Sigh..."

Duke palmed his face with a groan. Giving Wally so much mana to evolve into a fully intelligent being, was that really a good idea?

"At this rate, he'll be repairing and upgrading himself with a wrench one day."

The thought amused Duke. He shook his head. "Wishful thinking. He's got great learning potential, sure, but no knowledge base. How would he even know what to do?"

Just then, Camille's grandniece Dakora arrived at the cemetery, slightly panicked. Camille had informed her in advance, but it didn't help.

Dakora had originally wanted to get closer to Duke, even planned a banquet invitation via Mel. Everything was set.

And now? In just a few days, the man she'd hoped to woo had become... her uncle.

An entire generation apart.

"Duke..." Dakora ran up, but the word "Uncle" just wouldn't come out. Her face turned crimson. Duke waved casually. "Relax. Let's just act like we're equals, same as before."

Dakora exhaled in relief, then looked at Wally with curiosity. "Is this your new creation?"

"A robot that can move on its own?"

"To be precise," Wally chimed in, "I am Father's armor, Father's weapon, Father's, "

"Back to work! Grownups are talking."

"Oh."

Wally obediently resumed filling in the grave. Dakora gawked at him, then looked back at Duke.

"Want one?" Duke grinned.

Dakora nodded rapidly like a pecking chick, eyes full of anticipation.

"You gather the materials, and I'll send you a simplified blueprint. Find someone to build it."

"Thank you, Uncle!"

"Hey!"

Duke chuckled. When Wally finished, Duke reequipped him and took to the air. Dakora tried to keep him longer: "I can arrange a room for you."

"No need. If my boss, Corin, finds out I slipped out at night and came back the next day, he'll go ballistic. I need to get back before he notices."

"Then I'll come get you tomorrow."

"Alright, see you then."

"Bye!"

As Dakora watched Duke vanish into the night sky, she looked down at the gravestone and shook her head.

"The world really is strange."

...

Blue Rose Manor – The Head's Chambers

"What did my sister do this time?"

Steven balanced a sugar cube on the edge of a delicate teacup strainer. As tea poured in, the sugar slowly collapsed and melted.

A Ferros family agent knelt before him. "There seems to be an incident at the cemetery."

"I saw the Hextech crystal's energy signature," Steven said, shifting his gaze from his teacup to his blanket-covered legs. "Did you find him?"

"He's already dead. But he has a nephew."

"Makes sense. It's been almost sixty years."

Steven stared at his crippled legs, eyes glimmering with an unreadable light. "My sister has served as my operative for nearly sixty years... she hasn't aged a day."

Longing filled his eyes, then jealousy.

"But that should've been mine. It's mine!"

Steven's frail body trembled with fury, sending him into a coughing fit. The agent said nothing, keeping his head bowed.

"Go. Follow the plan. No mistakes."

"Yes, Master."

Shortly after the agent left, Camille entered from the balcony. She lifted Steven's teacup, sniffed it, and frowned.

"Too much sugar, little brother. That's bad for your health."

"My taste buds are failing. I need sugar to feel anything. Unlike you... forever youthful, eternally perfect, sister."

Camille gave a small shake of her head. "Fine, but mind your health."

"I heard you stirred up trouble at the cemetery," Steven probed.

Camille smiled as she brewed tea. "I took in a rather interesting young man as my adopted son. You'll meet him tomorrow."

"Adopted son?" Steven snorted. "You've changed."

"Everyone changes, brother. And the Ferros family needs new strength."

"Do what you will."

Steven ignored the tea. He turned the wheel on his chair.

"I'm going to sleep."

Camille paused at the door. "Good night."

"Good night."

The lights went out. Darkness fell.

A long silence.

Then, a whisper:

"All of it should have been mine. Mine..."

...

The next day, a Ferros family carriage arrived at Corin's workshop. Duke, after saying goodbye to Corin, his daughter, and Jinx, boarded the carriage bound for Blue Rose Manor.

Inside, Dakora handed him a folder. "This is current intel on Piltover, and the rules for being a Ferros operative. Memorize it. In critical moments, mistakes aren't an option."

Duke skimmed it and handed it back. "Got it."

"You memorized it already?"

"Not photographic memory, but close enough."

"Enviable talent." Dakora tucked the file away. Duke watched the city scenery pass by.

"What's on the schedule today?"

"Meeting the head of house."

"Camille's brother?" Duke remembered Camille hadn't strangled her brother yet at this point in time, but it wouldn't be long.

"Alright. Hope I can make a good impression."

Then he perked up. "I can access all Ferros resources, right?"

"Yes. What do you need?"

"Anti-magic stone and Rune Steel. Any in stock?"

"There's some in the family vault. What's it for?"

"My own project." Duke grinned at the thought of upgrading his design with those materials.

The carriage rolled into Blue Rose Manor. Duke disembarked at one of the gates. Led by Dakora, they passed through grand hallways and stopped before a pair of ornate doors.

"Grand-aunt, Grandpa, I've brought him."

"Come in," Camille's voice called from inside.

Duke entered and saw Camille and Steven seated at a tea table, Camille in a chair, Steven in a wheelchair.

"So this is the one you adopted?" Steven gave Duke a once-over, unimpressed. "Doesn't look like much."

Duke kept smiling, though a trace of thought flashed in his eyes.

This cheap uncle of his... definitely not a fan. And judging by that attitude, was he planning something against Camille?