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"Where have you been all this time? Phone unreachable, messages unanswered!"
After holding Hermione and squeezing her for a while, Pepper finally asked.
"School, of course!"
"But I already checked. New York schools—"
"I don't go to school in New York. At Hogwarts." Hermione thought a second. Added: "Wizard school."
"Oh… so it's wizard school." Pepper nodded. Suddenly surprised: "What? Wizard school?!"
Hermione tilted her head. Said: "I'm a wizard. Of course I attend wizard school. Otherwise where would all this magic magic come from?"
Pepper: ???
At S.H.I.E.L.D., she called Hermione "Miss Witch" purely because she dressed like TV wizards. Didn't actually think she was one.
From the start, only thought Hermione was a kid with some superpowers.
Just children love fantasy. Like calling it magic.
But now it seems… could it be real?
"You're not joking? There really are wizards?!" Pepper couldn't believe it.
Hermione felt helpless.
After demonstrating several spells, Pepper finally accepted this fact.
"So normally you're at, um… Hogwarts. Only come back when not in class?"
Hermione nodded. Explained wizard world and mystical side basics. Content similar to what she told S.H.I.E.L.D., but more detailed.
"Phew…"
Pepper digested this worldview-shattering information.
After a long while, seemed to remember something. Expression somewhat apologetic: "Sorry, little Hermione. After Tony safely returned, I should've brought him to thank you personally. But couldn't reach you. Plus Tony doesn't believe in prophecy at all. Even thought S.H.I.E.L.D. deliberately used some trick to fool me. And these days he's been obsessed in the lab developing some armor. That's why we haven't thanked you."
Hermione nodded.
On brand. Very Tony Stark.
But she wasn't angry. Even understood. Because essentially, she really didn't do much.
From Tony's perspective—kidnapped so long, suffered torture, finally escaped through his own armor and Ethan's help. Even Ethan sacrificed himself.
Then returns to hear: You escaped because someone prophesied for you. Your future was guaranteed safe. Nothing to do with you. So be grateful!
She couldn't accept that either.
"Just so happens you're back. When Tony returns from testing armor in the Middle East, I'll have him personally—"
Here, Pepper's face showed obvious resentment.
During Tony's disappearance, she worried daily. Had to painstakingly maintain the company's operations. Thought he'd restrain himself after returning. Instead not only shut down weapons development, but became hands-off. Mind daily on those armors. Directly dumped the mess on her.
Made her even more overwhelmed than before.
She understood the armor saved his life. But treating her this way was truly excessive.
I'm just your secretary, not your nanny!
"Wait!"
Speaker unintentional, listener attentive.
"Stark went to the Middle East?" Hermione suddenly asked.
Pepper nodded: "Yeah. This morning, went crazy. Insisted on going to that place. Just escaped danger, now diving back in!"
Hermione understood.
So the plot's progressed this far.
When kidnapped, Tony witnessed terrorists using Stark Industries weapons. Reflected on his weapons being misused to kill too many. Decided to shut down weapons division.
But affected too many interests. Especially Uncle Obadiah Stane.
The latter secretly continued selling weapons behind Tony's back. After discovering terrorists still using Stark weapons, Tony directly became Iron Man. Used Mark III for dimensional suppression.
Hermione's eyes rolled. Suddenly said: "Pepper-sis, I have something to handle. Be right back."
Without waiting for Pepper's reaction, directly mounted the flying broomstick. Disappeared in a blink.
Pepper: "…"
After ascending, Hermione flew full speed. Circled the entire city. Then headed in a certain direction.
Soon, a gold-red figure streaked across the sky. Flying toward her.
Hermione's eyes brightened.
Up close—definitely Iron Man armor.
Due to the Disillusionment Charm, Tony Stark didn't see Hermione's figure.
Turned the broom. Flew parallel to the armor. Hermione couldn't help reaching out to touch it.
In her past life, she'd bought Iron Man figures. Fantasized about soaring in this suit. Now the real thing was before her eyes. How could she not be delighted?
Though she'd obtained a higher power system, her love for mechs never disappeared.
After all, mechs are… a kid's romance!
Inside the suit, Tony was considering improvements.
Just tested at the terrorist camp. Overall satisfied. Achieved expected results. But many shortcomings remained.
Just then, AI J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice suddenly came through.
"Sir, perhaps the sensors are malfunctioning, but… I feel I should tell you."
Tony froze. "What?"
"Just now, something seemed to be caressing the outside of your suit."
J.A.R.V.I.S. answered truthfully.
"Huh?"
Tony looked completely confused: "You sure it wasn't some bird collision?"
J.A.R.V.I.S. immediately said: "It wasn't. Based on temperature and shape distribution, it appears to be…"
"Be what?"
Tony was somewhat impatient. Why the hesitation? Never seen J.A.R.V.I.S. like this before.
"A human hand!"
"What?!" Tony first startled. Then relaxed. Decisively said: "Impossible. You definitely saw wrong. This is a thousand meters up. Where would a hand come from to touch my suit?"
"Besides, I'm not blind. If someone was really in the sky, I'd have seen them."
J.A.R.V.I.S. said: "But the transmitted data shows exactly that."
"Then the data's wrong." Tony said lightly: "Probably some parts malfunctioned during battle."
J.A.R.V.I.S. fell silent.
After a while, the voice came again.
"Sir, though what you say makes sense, but…"
"But what?"
Tony frowned.
What's with J.A.R.V.I.S. today?
Could the problem be not the suit, but it?
"But… that hand seems to have been touching continuously. From head to toe. Almost groped the entire suit."
Tony: ???
What nonsense?
"Confirmed. It's your problem, J.A.R.V.I.S. When I get back, I'll definitely check your code thoroughly." Tony sighed.
But what happened next made his heart suddenly contract. Breathing nearly stopped.
A crisp voice came from beside him.
"J.A.R.V.I.S. isn't wrong. I'm right next to you."
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