"What…"
"Why didn't you tell about her father?" Anastasia asked suddenly.
"I didn't think it was necessary," Atticus said. "Who would've thought you'd ask about her father?"
"Att— I'm a parent," she replied, giving him a look. "Of course I was going to ask."
She let out a small sigh, then reached up and straightened his collar like she'd done a thousand tis before.
"So," Atticus said after a mont, watching her closely, "what do you think?"
"I like her."
He blinked. "Really?"
"She's a nice, beautiful lady," Anastasia said simply. "What's there not to like?"
An unexpected wave of relief washed over him, easing a tension he hadn't even realized he'd been carrying. Had he actually been waiting for their approval?
He turned toward the others.
"What about you guys?"
"Dude," Caldor said imdiately, grinning, "she basically led the war against the abyss guys. That's insane. She's aweso. But just be ready, once I stop playing around, mine's going to be even better."
"I like her," Ember added quietly.
Aurora folded her arms across her chest and looked away.
"She's alright, I guess…"
Avalon nodded with a smile, and Magnus followed shortly after.
"You chose well, son."
And while it was true that no matter what they thought he wouldn't stop being with Anorah, it still felt good knowing they approved of her. Atticus smiled faintly at all of them, only for that feeling to falter when he noticed Zoey quietly slipping out of the room.
…
The days that followed passed quickly and without interruption. Life on Eldoralth advanced at an incredible pace, and with Atticus' new orders, it beca increasingly clear that war was coming.
Many tried to oppose it at first, especially the resistance leaders, but they soon learned the futility of pushing back, and discovered the hard way that Atticus was not soone who could be swayed. In the end, they began preparing for the inevitable.
Both the Eldorians and resistance leaders placed greater emphasis on strengthening the army, and even the general populace wasn't spared. Incentives were introduced, resources redistributed, and before long, even children were being encouraged to grow stronger.
And just like that, the one month free period ca to an end.
The large hall buzzed with activity. Whispers echoed through the space as Eldorians, resistance leaders, and paragons gathered in clusters, conversing among themselves.
Atticus stood at the far end of the hall, silently observing the scene.
'Banquets really aren't my thing.'
Today marked the final day of their free period, and at Oberon's suggestion, along with the insistence of several others, a banquet had been arranged to celebrate their accomplishnts before the coming battle.
Atticus hadn't seen any reason to refuse and had agreed without much thought, only to regret the decision the mont he realized he'd be expected to make an appearance himself.
He could feel the constant glances directed his way, hear the hushed conversations, sense the fear and awe mixed together in equal asure. And yet, despite it all, all he wanted to do was sothing else.
'I could enter the katana to train… no one would even know.'
He dismissed the thought almost as soon as it ford. Even if it were possible, he would still have to endure the banquet afterward.
'I only need to show my face, right? I should be able to leave now.'
'This is just embarrassing. I'm embarrassed to call you my student!'
The Arbiter's voice abruptly cut into his thoughts.
'Really? That's not what you said this morning.'
'That nonsense? I told you not to think anything of it.'
'How can I not? It's the first ti you've ever called a divine talent.'
Just that morning, Atticus had reached yet another level in his elental control. His effective range had expanded by nearly half a kiloter, and the commands he issued carried noticeably greater force. Her reaction to that growth had slipped out before she could stop herself, those exact words, divine talent. Since then, she'd been stubbornly trying to insist it had been a mistake.
'Tch. I wasn't talking to you…'
'If you say so…'
"Damn," Whisker said as he ca to a stop beside him, leaning casually against the wall with that familiar grin on his face. "You sohow look even more out of place than I do. Banquets really aren't your thing, huh?"
Atticus ca out from his thoughts as he looked at him.
"They're boring."
"Ah… I get it," Whisker said. "These past months have been way too quiet. It's like, why don't we just get on with it already? Go to war. See so blood, so chaos. You feel ?"
Atticus gave him a sideways glance.
"I really don't."
"Ah! I knew my star actor would understand," Whisker said with a laugh, giving him a glow nudge. "I seriously can't wait for tomorrow."
"If only the others felt the sa."
Though the rest of the hall was filled with conversation, laughter, and forced cheer, Atticus could sense the tension lurking beneath it all. Tomorrow, this place would feel completely different.
"Nah," Whisker continued, waving it off. "Those pussies wouldn't recognize a good thing even if it smacked them in the face. War's good. War's interesting."
Atticus didn't bother arguing. Arguing with Whisker was like arguing with a wall, pointless and exhausting.
"Didn't you have other things to keep you entertained?" he asked instead.
"The golden boy…" Whisker's grin faded slightly. "Nah. He stopped being interesting after you went unconscious. Wonder what happened to him."
Atticus silently frowned.
He had barely seen Ozeroth over the past month, their interactions limited to brief exchanges through their link. Though Atticus had gone through the man's mories and understood, to so extent, what he was struggling with, it still felt insufficient. There were things that couldn't be settled through mories alone, and a gathering like this felt like the right mont to address them.
'Where is he?'
His gaze swept across the hall until it finally settled on the golden figure standing alone on a balcony across the room.
"I'll be back."
Leaving Whisker behind, Atticus crossed the hall and ca to a stop beside him. Ozeroth's attention were fixed on Ozerra below, who was in the midst of displaying her usual grandeur to a small gathering of paragons.
"When will you tell her?" Atticus asked.
Ozeroth didn't answer right away.
"Do I have to?"
Atticus frowned slightly.
"She reacted the first ti I ntioned your na," he said. "Chances are, she already knows. There's no point pretending otherwise."
Ozeroth released a small sigh.
"You should say it," Atticus pressed. "Hesitation doesn't suit you."
Ozeroth frowned, before finally turning toward him.
"How… how do you think she'll see ?"
Atticus shrugged.
"Like everyone else," he said. "Proud, and insufferable."
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