Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1670  Preggy

With a small smile, Atticus studied the armor before him. It was sleek and refined, without the slightest hint of imperfection.

'Let's see.'

He placed his palm on it and directed his will. The armor lit up with a faint crimson glow, thin streaks of glow coursing smoothly across its surface.

'It works.'

Holding back his thrill, he turned toward Garvin, who was quietly watching him with an expectant gaze.

He gave a small nod.

"It's good. My will flows through it without any problems. You did a good job."

Garvin smiled faintly.

"…it's nothing."

"Has anyone tested it yet?"

"No, I wanted you to see it first."

"Alright. Have someone test it and check if anything needs adjustment."

"Okay."

As Atticus turned away, he paused when he noticed Whisker standing before a full-length mirror, studying his reflection. The man was dressed in a pure white, tight-fitting suit, his hair neatly trimmed and carefully combed.

He was in the middle of striking his tenth cool pose when Atticus approached.

"What are you doing?"

Whisker flexed his arms, answering without turning.

"Hm? Hah, my star actor, what does it look like? I'm getting ready."

"For what?"

"What else? Ozeroth's banquet."

Atticus raised an eyebrow.

"You were invited?"

Ozeroth and Whisker were like oil and water, never mixing. It was hard to imagine Ozeroth extending him an invitation.

"Haha… of course not. But who needs an invitation these days?"

"You do."

As grand as the banquet was, Ozeroth had made it clear, no invitation, no entry. He had even gone as far as uninviting the god of the domain. There was no doubt he would throw out anyone who showed up uninvited.

"Ah, where's the fun in that? The best parties are the ones you weren't invited to."

"…you're going to crash his party?"

Whisker finally turned to him, a small wink slipping through.

Atticus frowned.

"Ozeroth isn't going to like that."

Even more, given the man's personality, it would most likely end in a fight that destroyed everything.

Still, a slow grin spread across Whisker's face.

"Sounds perfect."

Recalling Ozeroth's current power level, Atticus gave a small shrug.

"It's your funeral."

"Ours…"

"What?"

Whisker met his gaze calmly.

"You're coming with me."

"…were you living under a rock? It was clearly stated in the invitations that I'm not invited."

More than that, Atticus hated parties. He wouldn't have gone even if he had been invited, much less now.

"So?"

"…I don't even know what to say to you."

"Just say you'll come. Think about it, my star actor. He went out of his way to keep you out. To punish you."

Whisker draped an arm over his shoulder, gesturing loosely as though presenting a grand reveal. "And then you show up anyway. Just… imagine his face."

"Hmm."

The image of a fuming Ozeroth on the verge of exploding surfaced in his mind, and a faint smile formed on his lips. It was something he would actually enjoy seeing…

"See? Priceless, right? It'd be a crime not to do it."

Atticus dropped silent for a moment, turning it over in his mind. He was certain a battle of cataclysmic proportions would follow if he went, but that reaction…

'There's no choice.'

He had to see it. A faint smile touched his face as he gave a small nod.

"…fine."

"Great!" Whisker clapped once. "Now wear this…"

…

The banquet was as grand as anything could be.

Ozeroth had chosen a vast, empty stretch of land and raised a massive circular structure spanning kilometers. The decorations were bright, emblazoned, and overwhelmingly golden, with large statues of himself placed throughout the space.

By early afternoon, the scheduled start time, the area was filled to the brim with people. Eldorians, resistance leaders, paragons, anyone with even a shred of power in Eldoralth was present.

Soft music drifted through the space as leaders conversed among themselves.

"Oberon! This is incredible. I can't believe we've never had anything like this before. It's nice finally being able to mingle like this… and meet new faces. I have to give it to Lord Ozeroth for putting this together."

"…it is a great initiative. But… it would have been better if the supreme ruler had been invited."

"Yeah, I was wondering about that. Aren't they supposed to be close? What do you think, some kind of power struggle? It's fine that we're here, right?"

"…the supreme ruler already assured me it isn't a power struggle. There's nothing to worry about."

"Ah… good. For a moment there, I was actually concerned. If those two clashed, the entire domain wouldn't survive it."

"…yeah."

The murmurs were suddenly cut short as a flash of light drew their stares upward.

There, a chariot of shimmering gold descended from the sky and landed at the center of the space.

As the door swung open, Ozeroth stepped out. He wore a pure, radiant golden suit that blended seamlessly with his already golden body. A moment later, Ozerra followed, taking her place beside him in the same golden attire.

Both siblings stood with their arms set firmly on their waists, their chins lifted high as though daring the sky itself.

Despite the absurdity of the entrance, the shock quickly faded. A crowd gathered soon after as the leaders swarmed them, each trying to pay their respects.

A wide grin stretched across Ozeroth and Ozerra's faces, clearly reveling in the attention and worship.

It was at that moment a sharp screech tore through the air. Many turned away from the golden siblings and looked up at the sky.

There, a large, imposing beast descended and landed at the edge of the space. Its massive frame sent a gust sweeping across the area, ruffling the leaders' clothes. As the beast lowered its head, two figures stepped down.

The eyes of the leaders slowly widened.

The first was the grinning Whisker. Clad in a tight-fitting white suit, he was effortlessly handsome, his charm on full display.

And then the second… the second was none other than their supreme ruler, Atticus.

Atticus had attended many banquets before. Yet in all of them, he had never truly cared for his appearance. If he wasn't in a simple robe, then he was in his training suit. Even so, his mere presence had always drawn attention wherever he went.

But now…

It was unmistakable that the supreme ruler had actually… tried.

He wore the same white suit as Whisker, his white hair neatly trimmed to perfection. With his tall, broad frame, Atticus carried a quiet, almost overwhelming presence that made him seem divine.

A deep silence settled over the entire space as every gaze fixed on him. Mouths parted slightly. Many women pressed their legs together. Not a single word was spoken.

"Heyya." Whisker gave a casual wink to the crowd.

"You…"

A deep, rumbling voice echoed out, drawing every eye toward Ozeroth. He stared at the duo with a glare sharp enough to cut through worlds, heat rising from his body as faint wisps of scalding steam curled into the air.

"See?" Whisker grinned. "I told you, priceless."

Atticus remained silent, but there was no doubt he found the situation amusing.

As a heavy pressure settled over the space, the leaders swallowed and quickly stepped aside, clearing a path between them.

Ozeroth took a step forward, and the world seemed to tremble.

"What the hell are you—"

"Atticus!"

Before Ozeroth could make a move, Anastasia hurried over. She stopped in front of Atticus, staring at him as though seeing a stranger.

"What… what is this? You actually dressed up."

"…yeah."

Atticus cleared his throat, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Anastasia continued to stare at him with wide eyes.

"…Are you really my son?"

Behind her, Aurora, Caldor, and Ember approached, with Magnus and Avalon not far behind.

"…I just put something on."

"The hell do you mean 'something'?" Aurora shook her head. "Showing up in your training clothes is 'something.' This isn't."

"Atticus… handsome." Ember's eyes glittered as she looked at him.

"Damn… I'm actually jealous." Caldor stared at him, slightly dazed.

Every eye was on him. Atticus exhaled.

'I shouldn't have come.'

…

Atticus' presence completely shifted the dynamics of the banquet.

He was someone rarely seen in public, and as the absolute ruler of the domain, there was no one more worth gaining favor from.

The leaders who had been fawning over Ozeroth quickly turned and gathered around Atticus instead.

In the end, Ozeroth was left standing at the edge, his shoulders lowered, the light around him dimming as though he had been wronged.

Atticus could feel his glare on him the entire time. And though the constant chatter of the leaders grated on him, he found a measure of amusement in it nonetheless.

As his hand brushed against Anastasia's, a strange sensation ran through him. He frowned.

'Again.'

He had felt it earlier when they touched, but had brushed it aside. Squinting slightly, he decided to look into it.

As he took her hand, Anastasia raised a brow.

"…is something wrong?"

"Just a second, mom."

Aware of her curious gaze, Atticus closed his eyes and focused. Anastasia's entire body unfolded within his perception.

Badum. Badum.

A moment later, Atticus' brows drew together.

'Why can I feel… two…?'

His eyes snapped open.

"…mom… you're pregnant.