Late night.
At the Crownshield manor, in one of the guest rooms.
Even though night had fallen and darkness blanketed the land, the room still glowed with lamplight.
Bent over the desk, a young man in a long white coat was sketching out a blueprint. The parchment showed the design of a staff, adorned with diamond-shaped crystals at both ends, its shaft etched with intricate, ornate patterns.
"That should do. It's only a prototype, but with this Lux might finally be able to use her own magic openly in front of others."
Duke set down his pen, studying the drawing.
Six hours had passed since he had awakened Galio. Now the time was nearing one in the morning.
After witnessing Galio's warm interaction with Lux, Duke decided that at the upcoming apprenticeship ceremony, he should prepare a small gift for her.
That gift was the staff design now before him.
It would allow Lux to channel her magic freely, but it was more than a simple staff. Built with Hextech components, it could provide strength even when she wasn't actively using her own power.
Inlaid with Hex crystals, the staff could also help guide her magic outward.
And since it was crafted as a magical item, presenting it openly at the ceremony would also serve as a convenient cover for Lux's true identity as a mage.
"Haaah…"
Stifling a yawn, Duke rolled up the blueprint, slipped off his white coat, and muttered, "Alright, time for bed."
Mithril City, elsewhere.
Inside a brightly lit household, soldiers of Mithril patrolled every corner. By the time Pitte Crownshield arrived under the protection of his attendants, several corpses had already been carried out. Two frightened children were huddled nearby, shielded by the guards.
"How many times has this happened now?"
His expression darkened as he glanced at the shrouded bodies. One of the guards immediately saluted, crossing both arms over his chest.
"Enough of that," Pitte waved the gesture aside. "Answer me. How many times?"
"Report, my lord, it is the eighth time!"
"The eighth…" Pitte's brows furrowed. He turned to his attendant. "Have the Seekers reported anything? No word of the murderer?"
"Not yet, my lord. Captain Marques and his men have sent no message."
"Relying on Seekers and city guards alone won't cut it anymore." Pitte stroked his chin, recalling Duke's earlier advice. "If I remember correctly, there's a demon hunter who specializes in slaying shapeshifters, isn't there?"
"Yes, my lord. Shauna Vayne. She recently dealt with a shapeshifter hiding in a nearby village."
"Bring her here. Tell her the Crownshield family requires her aid."
"Yes, my lord."
The attendant nodded, then hesitated. "But why not ask Duke himself?"
"Duke is a guest. As hosts, how could we trouble him with our affairs?"
Pitte rejected the notion outright, but his gaze softened as he saw the two children sobbing despite the guards' attempts to comfort them.
"…We'll see. If Vayne can catch this murderer, all will be well. If not… then we may trouble Duke after all."
The next morning.
Sunlight already reached its zenith when Duke was woken by a commotion outside. His eyelids twitched, reluctant to open. The noisy clamor beyond the window was grating, but since this wasn't his own home, he simply yawned, reached for a pair of earplugs, and rolled back to sleep.
Some time later, a knock came at the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Duke-nii, are you awake?" Lux's voice carried from outside.
"…Duke-nii?"
No answer. Lux sighed. "Stayed up late again, didn't he?"
During their journey to Mithril City, Duke's all-nighters had become routine. She would go to bed with him still bent over his work, and wake to find him still there, scribbling away.
So, not surprised, Lux pushed the door open and went straight to the bedroom.
There he was, sprawled across the bed, earplugs on, sleeping soundly.
"Knew it!"
Puffing her cheeks in mock annoyance, Lux climbed onto the bed, plucked out his earplugs, and shook him gently.
"Duke-nii, wake up! It's time to eat. It's already noon, you skipped breakfast. If you sleep through lunch too, that'll be terribly rude!"
"…Fine, fine…"
Duke cracked his eyes open, the first thing he saw being Lux's delicate face. Seeing him awake, she quickly busied herself preparing his clothes and washbasin.
"Hurry and get ready. There are guests today, waiting to have lunch with you."
"More guests?"
"Yes. Someone you know."
"I don't really know anyone in Demacia besides your family…" He tilted his head. "Don't tell me… Ciceria?"
"Not her. But close enough."
"It's her father, Uncle Barrett, passing through with his caravan. And with him, one of the children he adopted in Ionia."
"The head of House Buvel?"
Now fully awake, Duke's mind sharpened. Lux set aside the prepared clothes for the servants to launder, while Duke reached into his inventory, pulling out what he needed as he rose from bed.
"Then yes, I know him."
"Uncle Barrett and Aunt Restara are wonderful people. This time, before Noxus closed the Ionian borders, Uncle Barrett brought back a group of war orphans."
"That's good of him."
Duke scratched his messy hair, thinking about Noxus's ceaseless aggression toward Ionia, land of first blossoms, never one to surrender quietly. The two nations' battles were endless.
And speaking of Noxus… since Katarina had returned there, she hadn't sent word. That girl seemed to forget her life was still in Duke's hands.
Soon dressed in his white coat, Duke followed Lux out of the room.
"Alright. Let's see what the head of House Buvel wants. Ciceria still owes me a great favor, after all."
He ruffled Lux's hair, and together they went to the Crownshield manor's guest hall. Even before stepping inside, they heard voices of conversation.
Creak.
Lux pushed the door open. "Father, Mother, Duke-nii is here."
"Ah, Duke, just in time. Come, meet our guest!" Pitte beckoned him toward a broad-shouldered man with a well-kept beard, short brown hair, and warm eyes that immediately gave a sense of trust.
He looked less like a merchant, more like a priest,
The kind of priest who could physically exorcise someone.
"Greetings, Master Duke!" Barrett Buvel's voice was deep and rich, his handshake firm as he smiled. "Ciceria has mentioned you often in her letters. Thanks to you, her dragon-bird survived. That little creature was my gift to her on her fifth birthday. She has poured her whole heart into raising Dawnbringer. If anything had happened to it, my daughter would have been crushed."
"It was nothing, just lending a hand." Duke smiled warmly, shaking back. His eyes drifted to the sofa, where a blue-haired girl sat quietly.
Noticing his gaze, Barrett quickly introduced her. "This is the child I adopted during my travels in Ionia, her name is Sona. She's a shy, introverted girl, and… unable to speak."
He gestured gently at his throat. Duke raised his brows. The Buvel family really was extraordinary.
They had sponsored Quinn's rise as a Ranger, which made sense, after all, Quinn's brother had given his life saving Barrett. His wife Restara's support of Quinn had been repayment of that debt, and Quinn herself had lived up to the chance, becoming Demacia's Wings.
On top of that, the family's trade stretched across Demacia, Piltover, Ionia, even Bilgewater. Now they had adopted this Ionian girl, Sona, and brought back not only her, but also the ancient guqin that had never left her side: Etwahl.
A legendary instrument.
One family influencing two heroes… remarkable.
"She cannot speak?" Duke murmured. Of course, Sona's muteness was as well-known as her… more generous attributes. The Buvel family had even created a special form of hand-signs so she could communicate.
"Duke is the youngest master craftsman alive," Pitte said from Barrett's side. "Perhaps he can help your daughter regain her voice."
Duke approached Sona with a kind smile.
"Hello, Sona."
End of chapter....
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