Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1478  Lift

[AN: I apologize for the missed days. To make up for it, I'd be releasing three chapters tomorrow and next. Cheers]

Atticus doubled their speed, covering even more distance. Minutes later, when satisfied with the distance, Atticus stopped at the edge of a lake and gently set down the princess.

'Let's check the surroundings first.'

He retracted his will and was about to move.

"Hrk!"

"My lady!"

Kiara stumbled forward, dropping to her knees beside the princess as the girl twisted in agony.

"What's wrong? What's happening?!" Kiara cried.

She cupped the princess' face and spread her will around her, only for the princess to scream even louder.

"It got worse! Atticus, what do I do?!" She yanked her will back, panic rising. She turned to Atticus and pleaded.

"Please… please do something. Anything!"

'Could it be…?'

Atticus enveloped the princess with his will. Almost instantly, she stopped thrashing, her expression becoming peaceful.

'She's reacting to my will.'

"My lady!" Kiara embraced the princess as she wept.

'Why?' he wondered. But he decided to think about it later. First, assess the situation.

Atticus flew around the area, ensuring there were no threats. Afterwards, he landed by the lake gently. "What happened?" Magnus asked with his arms folded across his chest.

'He's trying to be gentle.' Atticus noted.

Magnus' eyes were gentle, but his grip on his arms was tight.

"I was… consolidating my power."

Atticus could vividly remember the terrible feeling while he was unconscious. It was like hundreds of wills were clashing against his in an unending battle of dominance.

'Absorbing too much at once has its consequences.'

Atticus had only just realized this.

"But you're fine now?"

As Atticus nodded, Magnus released his grip and patted his shoulder.

"Good..."

'Not good. All of this happened because of me.'

His gaze drifted to the weeping Kiara and the sleeping princess. Though he'd been unconscious, he'd witnessed all that occurred.

Atticus clenched his fist.

'She got injured because she chose to protect me.'

Magnus' grip suddenly tightened on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault, Atticus."

"They came because of me."

"Who attacked and injured her will?"

Atticus' gaze hardened.

"They did."

"Then the fault's theirs." "Theirs…" Atticus muttered, then abruptly turned toward Magnus.

"If it's really theirs, why do you also feel guilty?"

Magnus blinked, taken aback.

"…I don't—"

"Don't lie. I'm your god, don't forget. I feel what you feel."

Magnus' quickly averted his eyes.

"…That's… different."

"Tell me how it's different."

"…"

There was a moment of silence, then Magnus shut his eyes and released a sigh.

"I… I failed you."

"How?"

"The burden of protecting this family… that shouldn't be yours alone." His voice was quiet. "You should be living your youth, not… carrying all of us on your back."

As Atticus observed his grandfather's sad countenance, he realized what was happening.

'I see.'

While others saw him as a weapon of mass destruction, a god, he was still a child in his grandfather's eyes. A child who had taken on the burden of protecting the family.

'He doesn't need encouragement right now.'

Magnus felt guilty that he was nothing but a burden. For someone whose family meant everything to him, it was the worst possible outcome.

The last thing they needed was babying.

"Then lift this burden from me."

Magnus blinked, staring at Atticus.

"I'm doing what I must," Atticus said calmly. "But feeling guilt won't change anything. Strength will. If you want to help, grow stronger. Take this weight off me."

Magnus' hands clenched until they trembled. His eyes wavered, but Atticus patted his shoulder. "Until then, protecting this family will be my responsibility. Not yours."

"…Atticus…"

Atticus nodded toward the frozen Magnus and walked away.

'I hope that'll help.'

The last thing he wanted was a troubled Magnus. People like him were prone to becoming sacrificial when they saw themselves as burdens.

'At least now I've given him a reason to keep fighting.'

Atticus walked back to Kiara and the princess. The latter still lay unconscious, breathing faintly.

"Can I?"

Kiara held the princess tightly, staring at Atticus cautiously.

'She's wary,' Atticus noted.

'Understandable.'

Not many were as selfless and intentional as the princess. In a world where power determined survival and status, it was rare to see a god who wouldn't take advantage of another's weakness.

"She helped me when I was down," Atticus said quietly. "I repay good with only good. Let me help her."

When she hesitated, his voice grew cold.

"If I wanted to kill her, Kiara… there's nothing you could do."

Kiara's expression hardened, but she knew the truth in his words and slowly advanced aside.

"P-please be careful."

Atticus gave her a reassuring nod and focused on the princess.

'Let's see the extent of the damage.'

His will surrounding her thickened as he scrutinized her. Moments later, he frowned.

'It's worse than I thought.'

The princess' will had been injured down to her core.

'It's a miracle she's still holding on. Anyone would've lost their mind by now.' It was the equivalent of having your mind cracked and split apart.

'Can this even be healed?'

Atticus clenched his fist. He wasn't sure.

'Whisker would know.'

Though he was in the game, Atticus couldn't locate him.

'I have to find him.'

The princess had incurred this injury protecting him. Though he barely knew her, he wasn't going to abandon her.

He stood and stepped back.

"H-how is she? Can you heal her?" Kiara swallowed, staring at Atticus with hope.

'What should I tell her…'

He had no intention of lying. Which meant… the truth.

"I'm not sure."

The hope shattered in her eyes, and she lowered her gaze and let out a trembling breath.

"I…I see."

She knelt beside the princess again, brushing her golden hair with a smile that clearly hurt to wear.

Atticus turned away, crossing the small clearing until he reached a large tree.

 He sat, watching Kiara's shoulders shake as she wiped her tears and whispered soft words to the unconscious girl. Magnus soon walked over to console her.

He gritted his teeth.

'Redflames.'

Magnus was right. They were responsible for this. They had attacked him. They had broken her will.

'I'll make them pay.'

His eyes scorched a deep scarlet as he closed them.

'Logoth.'