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If she had no scruples, Gwen could easily use her extraordinary powers to make money. But the Spider-Man persona held a special significance for her; she didn't want to bring shame to that identity. It would feel like a betrayal to a departed friend and a failure to live up to her father's trust.
In her universe, Spider-Man was a symbol of courage and justice. And in this universe, it should be the same.
"Of course, Gwen," Russell agreed easily and made a suggestion. "But if you haven't found a place to stay yet, why not move in with me for the time being? There are still a few empty rooms on the seventh floor of the bookstore—feel free to pick any one you like."
"Thank you so much, Russell." Gwen's face lit up with a bright smile.
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door, accompanied by a polite voice. "Hello, may I come in?"
Before Russell could respond, the door to the lounge clicked open.
A man with a small mustache, dressed in a sharp suit and wearing sunglasses, stepped in uninvited.
Following behind him was a tall, blonde woman with a ponytail and a stout man in a suit.
"Tony. Tony Stark."
The moment Tony entered, he introduced himself while making himself comfortable on the sofa without offering a handshake, clearly not one for formalities.
"Not the best fabric... the breathability and texture could be better, and the color—"
"Tony!" The woman stopped him from finishing his critique.
"Hello, I'm Pepper Potts, Tony's personal assistant," she introduced herself with a graceful smile and extended a hand in greeting.
Meanwhile, the man in the suit moved to stand behind Tony, adopting a silent, imposing stance.
"Russell."
"Gwen. Gwen Stacy."
Russell immediately recognized that Tony's visit was about Gwen.
The moment Tony appeared, Russell had a rough idea of what was happening. Gwen must have inadvertently been caught on a camera when she left the scene last night. But why hadn't S.H.I.E.L.D. shown up instead? Did Tony have J.A.R.V.I.S. intercept the footage? Despite his uncertainty, Russell didn't worry too much and focused on welcoming the guests.
"Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts, and... Mr. Bodyguard, would you like a drink? Coffee or tea?" Russell offered.
"Do you have any alcohol?" Tony asked.
Russell smiled faintly and shook his head. "I'm afraid not."
"Then I'll pass."
"Coffee, please," Pepper cut in politely.
Russell chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry, we don't have any coffee either."
"..."
"Tea then," Pepper conceded with a small smile.
"Alright, Ms. Potts. Please hold on a moment. I'll just go out and buy some tea leaves," Russell said, making his way out of the lounge, closing the door behind him.
Buy tea? What tea?
Russell had no intention of actually buying any tea. He merely wanted to give Gwen and the others some privacy. It was clear Tony and his group were there to see Gwen. He didn't want to linger and be asked to leave.
Besides, with 100 points in perception, no door could muffle the conversation within.
"Is he always this 'humorous'?" Tony asked the moment Russell left, emphasizing the word humorously.
"I don't know him well; we only just met," Gwen replied, laughing as she distanced herself from Russell, clearly entertained by his antics.
The atmosphere lightened as the air filled with gentle laughter.
Pepper was the first to steer the conversation back on track. "Ms. Stacy, we're here because of last night. Thank you for saving Tony and me."
Gwen waved a hand dismissively. "It's what Ghost-Spider does."
"Ghost-Spider? Is that your alias? I thought it was 'Onesie Girl'," Tony quipped.
"Tony!" Pepper interrupted again, giving him a reproachful look.
"Ghost-Spider, as nimble as a ghost. It suits you, Gwen," Pepper said with a smile.
Gwen returned the smile without further explanation. The name held deeper significance, but she wasn't about to explain it now.
"Even if you hadn't stepped in, I had a plan to deal with that big guy," Tony said, his tone a blend of arrogance and genuine gratitude. "Altitude would have dropped air pressure and temperature. My Mark 3 was calibrated for cold, while his suit wasn't. I just needed to take him high enough to freeze his armor."
"Tony!" Pepper scolded, rubbing her temples. Clearly, this stubborn side of her boss wasn't going to change. They had come to express gratitude, but the moment they arrived—
Gwen thought for a moment and nodded. "That's... probably true."
Tony shot Pepper a triumphant look before turning back to Gwen with a cocky yet sincere expression. "Regardless, you were a huge help last night. So, name your price—anything at all."
Gwen looked Tony in the eye. "I didn't help you expecting a reward."
Pepper interjected gently. "Economists say that good deeds promote public welfare, and those who perform them should be encouraged. Without rewarding those who do good, society's welfare would never improve."
"I understand you acted out of kindness, justice, and bravery—qualities we greatly admire—but not everyone has the same moral compass as you," Pepper continued.
"If helping others doesn't bring any benefits, most people won't be inclined to do so."
"But I really don't have any wishes at the moment," Gwen said, thinking of her only real wish: to return to her own universe. She didn't believe Tony could help her with that, so she saw no reason to ask.
"Then reach out to me or Pepper when you do," Tony decided, waving away the matter.
"Oh, and we have a small gift for you, Gwen," Pepper added.
With the important business settled, the conversation shifted to more casual topics, with Pepper and Gwen exchanging lighthearted stories.
A soft knock interrupted them. "Ms. Potts, your tea is here," came Russell's voice from the other side of the door.
"Come in, Mr. Russell," Pepper called out.
"Green tea, less ice, three-quarters sweet. Enjoy," Russell announced as he entered, imitating the tone of a waiter and handing Pepper a green tea from the bubble tea shop next door.
"Thank you." Pepper's smile wavered slightly, clearly amused and exasperated by the whole charade.
After a little more small talk, Pepper suggested they take their leave.
"Russell, we'll get going now. Don't want to overstay our welcome."
"Alright, goodbye, Pepper." x2
"Goodbye, Russell."
"Goodbye, Gwen."
After watching Tony and Pepper drive away, Russell turned to Gwen. "Let's go. It's almost time to eat."
Gwen looked at him, surprised. She had half-expected him to ask what she and Tony had discussed.
"Aren't you curious about what we talked about just now?"
"Why would I need to ask when I can already guess?" Russell smirked. Besides, with his enhanced senses, he'd heard everything.
"Has anyone ever told you that men shouldn't be this clever?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"You."
"Sir, there's also something off with Russell's file."
(End of Chapter)