"Mm… Irelia, huh."
Duke rubbed his chin. The cigarette between his fingers had nearly burned down to the end. Camille noticed the subtle shift in his expression and lifted an eyebrow.
"You know her?"
"I know some things. If I remember correctly, that girl started out as a silk-dance performer. But now… her dance is fully devoted to death, isn't it?"
"You know all this because of your strange little 'gift' again?"
Camille lifted her teacup, took a light sip, and waited for his answer.
"Something like that. Her weapon is forged from the shattered pieces of her family crest."
Duke crushed the cigarette in his fingers and looked straight at Camille. "In the future, she becomes the leader of Ionia's resistance against Noxus."
"But that's the future. You get what I mean."
Camille blinked. Duke's message was very clear:
Irelia's value was enormous. Their previous plan for her was no longer optimal.
Raising her in Piltover, then sending her back to Ionia later to support her—
it would not maximize Ferros' interests.
To maximize gain…
they needed to gamble.
To bet big.
"I understand what you're implying. I'll contact her personally through video."
A smile rose on Camille's lips. The look she gave Duke was filled with satisfaction.
"I knew it. You always manage to come up with a perfect solution."
"Heh. I've got a mountain of problems already burning me alive," Duke rolled his eyes. Then he grabbed the jug and took a hard drink. "Prepare some aid supplies. I'll have Tahm pick them up."
"All right, I'll arrange it immediately."
"Oh—right!"
Duke suddenly remembered something. Kassadin seemed to have a friend in Zaun. After settling down with his family, he no longer worked in his old job. Instead, he traveled constantly, delivering precious ancient relics to distant patrons.
"Anything else, 460?" Camille asked calmly.
"Send out your spies. I need you to find someone—information will do."
"From Piltover?"
"From both cities." Duke answered bluntly. "His original name is Kass—Se—A—Deen. But most people call him Kassadin."
"If you find any information on him, notify me immediately."
Duke slowly screwed the lid back onto the jug and instructed Camille,
"And if you can locate him—tell him one thing."
"What is it?"
"Kai'Sa is still alive."
――――――――――
On the deck.
"That guy still isn't out yet?"
Sivir leaned against the railing of the airship. Protected by the ship's energy field, she could easily see the distant horizon.
"He's probably busy. Or resting."
Kai'Sa's voice was still cold as always, though much gentler than when she first met Duke.
"Hey, sis," Sivir eyed the void-carapace armor covering Kai'Sa's body, "have you ever considered taking that thing off?"
"And going back to a normal life—laughing like a normal person, worrying like a normal person, just… being ordinary again?"
"I was an ordinary girl, in the beginning."
Kai'Sa's thoughts drifted to her childhood. Her eyes softened with memory.
"By day, I played with my friends. At night, I dreamed about the place I wanted in this world. But because of a prank… I attracted the Void."
She looked down at her palm, pain flickering in her eyes.
"The earth shook. Blinding heat split the sky. My friends and I panicked and scattered. But the ground cracked open—a great chasm swallowed me, my village, and everyone inside."
"When I woke up, I found myself trapped underground. Fear kept me from moving, but I didn't lose hope entirely—I could still hear other survivors crying."
Kai'Sa's voice grew distant as she recounted:
"I heard them whisper each other's names… over and over… like prayers."
"And then?" Sivir asked instinctively.
"And then I was the only one left."
"Even now."
Hearing Kai'Sa speak so calmly about such horror stirred something in Sivir. She placed a hand on Kai'Sa's shoulder and whispered:
"Everything will pass, sis."
"What about you, Sivir?" Kai'Sa asked. "Duke said you're a princess of Shurima. Why did you run?"
"Ugh… my situation is complicated." Sivir frowned and rubbed her abdomen. "A fancy-looking Noxian bitch stabbed me once. I literally died."
"The old me lived for money. But she's dead now. The current me wants to live for myself—take back my own fate."
"No one gets to dictate my will or my destiny. Not gods, not demons, not emperors, not mages—no one."
Sivir lifted her head, eyes blazing.
"Your own destiny must be seized by your own hands."
"But your troubles look pretty big," Kai'Sa murmured.
"That's exactly why I'm sticking with Duke," Sivir grouched, ruffling her black hair. "He said he can create a clone to stay in Shurima for me… or use his weird science stuff to make me a child."
She rolled her eyes.
"But I haven't decided yet. I'll think about it step by step."
"And if nothing goes as planned?" Kai'Sa asked.
Sivir pulled out her crossblade and looked at her reflection on its surface.
"Duke said this was the weapon of the very first Ascended Empress. They say she cut down gods like weeds."
"If it comes to that… I'll personally send my dear ancestor back into her coffin."
"At any cost."
She pressed the mechanism and retracted the blade.
"I swear!"
Duke's voice suddenly came from behind.
"If your ancestor heard you, he'd smack you."
"I don't care."
Sivir sheathed her blade and rolled her eyes again. "I'll find a way."
"We're heading to a small oasis near Nerimazeth."
After finishing all his calls, Duke had changed clothes and come to the deck—only to immediately overhear Sivir talking about chopping Azir.
This woman really dares to think anything.
If she really tried, Azir would tie her up like a roast bird and drag her back to the Sun Disc to show her what "ancestral discipline" meant.
In the game, Azir can only summon three sand soldiers—because of balance.
In reality?
He could raise a sand army of ten thousand in minutes.
The game was not reality.
Duke had already suffered from that mistake once.
Never again.
"What are we going there for?" Sivir leaned against the railing, openly flaunting her curves as if Duke weren't right there.
"My constructs have formed a tribe. I'm going to meet them."
"And once I get there, I need to run a few studies to prepare for what's coming."
"Fine, fine. You're just going to tinker with your weird science toys again."
"Speaking of which—" Duke turned to Kai'Sa. "Give us some privacy?"
"No problem."
Kai'Sa mimicked Duke's shrug and left the deck.
Sivir narrowed her eyes. "What are you planning?"
"The thing I told you before." Duke held up two fingers. "Clone body, or clone baby—your pick."
"Oh, that." Sivir rolled her eyes. "I thought it was something big."
"You'd better decide quickly. We don't have time."
Duke stared at her, his tone pushing her forward.
"Once we deal with Xerath, we're heading to the Sun Disc. To meet your ancestor, Azir."
"You have less than ten days."
"And creating either a clone body or a clone infant requires prep time. If you keep delaying, you'll be locked in the royal palace like a gilded songbird."
"Fine, fine!" Sivir scratched her head, thinking hard. "A clone body means… another me?"
"That's right. Completely identical."
"Ugh—disgusting." Sivir visibly shuddered. "I can't imagine another me standing in front of me. Gives me goosebumps."
"So your choice is?"
"Clone baby," Sivir said directly, glancing at her weapon. "I want a child."
"You're sure?" Duke tilted his head. "Don't regret it later."
"Giving birth to my own copy is weird, yeah—but it's still better than a full-grown duplicate enjoying life in the palace. That idea makes my bones itch."
"So yeah. Make me a kid."
"All right. I'll start genetic sampling later." Duke nodded.
"Just cooperate when the time comes."
…Kai'Sa's original name was Kaysa. She later changed it herself…
End of chapter....
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