After the talk with the pride queen, Atticus made his way back to his chambers, fully intending on getting some alone time.

After everything that had happened, everything he had found out, he felt it was important to clear his head. But that was merely a fool’s dream. The moment he entered his chamber, his eyes landed on the barely clothed Anorah laying seductively on the bed.

Atticus felt his pulse spike. A rush of heat surged through him, sending intense jolts across his body. Suddenly, every trace of lust he’d been holding at bay came surging out.

Anorah gave a slow, seductive smile and said;

"Hey Atticus."

Atticus was upon her the next moment.

Some time later, Atticus lay bare chested on the broken bed, Anorah curled against his chest. The room was an utter mess. Broken furniture scattered wildly about. Cracks stretched across the ground and walls.

It was unknown what the people of the castle had felt, but somehow, Atticus didn’t seem to care.

He stared blankly at the ceiling while Anorah traced soft fingers around the stump on his chest.

"Was it painful?"

Atticus’ mind was instantly dragged back to his time in the academy, when he first received the exosuit.

Back then, it had felt as though the entire world was collapsing around him, yet now it only felt like a distant memory.

But those memories about the exosuit also reminded him of the white haired Arbiter and... her sacrifice.

He suppressed the ache settling in his chest and simply said;

"Mm."

"How painful?"

Atticus paused for a moment before answering.

"...Like the world was ending."

"Mhm..."

Anorah continued tracing her fingers around the stump. Her touch felt... strangely soothing. Then after a moment, she broke the silence;

"...Anastasia is worried about you."

Atticus turned toward her, a silent question in his eyes.

"...She told you that?"

"She told me back in the First Crown."

"...What exactly did she say?"

"That you kill people too easily." Anorah’s fingers slowed slightly against his chest. "And that she’s scared you’ll eventually become someone who kills people mindlessly."

"...I see."

Atticus stared at her for a moment before turning back toward the ceiling. He had already determined as much from the looks Anastasia kept giving him. However...

’It’s better this way.’

This was Atticus’ firm belief. Holding himself back from killing people was limiting. A major waste of time. And eventually, it would come back to bite him.

Of course, there was the morality of it all. Most of the people he’d killed had done nothing to him. Innocent people who were simply trying to live their lives, trying to protect what was dear to them. Yet Atticus did not care.

Just like his manifestation.

He was a shield to his loved ones. A blade to the rest of the world. A blade was unfeeling. A blade did not care when it severed heads. When it became drenched in pools of blood.

He was a blade. That was all.

After several moments, Atticus finally asked;

"And how do you feel about that?"

Anorah visibly hesitated. After a moment, she exhaled softly before answering;

"I feel torn. I know you’re doing all this to protect us, and I can... understand that. But..."

"But?"

"I’m worried about you, Atticus. When the pride queen talked about the spirit king earlier, I got a really bad feeling." She looked up at him quietly. "I don’t want you turning into... whatever he became."

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Atticus pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her hair in a reassuring manner.

"...I won’t."

Anorah clutched him tightly. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Promise."

The word froze in Atticus’ throat. He had been about to answer, but something held him back.

’It’s... my will.’

The world slowed around him as he turned inward. The orb of light representing his will had begun to churn violently, as though it were on the verge of bursting apart.

Atticus observed it with faint shock.

’Because I was about to lie?’

Primal will demanded complete openness with oneself. No restrictions. No hesitation. No lies. Anything else risked destabilizing his will.

Atticus suddenly found himself in a difficult position. If he couldn’t lie, then he couldn’t exactly say he might one day become a homicidal maniac either, could he?

Yet he realized he couldn’t remain frozen in this state forever. He had to answer.

A moment later, time resumed. Atticus tightened his arms around Anorah, a cold light flickering deep within his eyes.

"...I do."

Anorah silently held onto him tighter.

As for what his words were truly directed toward, only Atticus knew.

...

The next few days became days of war.

The kingdom ruled by the pride queen’s subordinate was called Supreme, a name clearly chosen after the pride queen took control over it.

It was a massive territory situated amidst endless forests and towering mountain ranges, consisting of hundreds of billions of people.

Their sheer numbers had shocked Atticus at first, though he calmed down after hearing such populations were considered normal in this world.

Still, a brief glance across the territory had shown him they possessed more than enough land to sustain such numbers.

The neighboring kingdom was called Ether, likewise consisting of hundreds of billions of people and ruled by a level eight King. It was also the same kingdom the pride queen had declared war on immediately upon arrival.

Though the sudden declaration had come as a shock to many, the entirety of Supreme kingdom’s army had mobilized before noon.

The pride queen took complete control over the war effort and personally issued instructions to every battalion. Over the following days, Atticus witnessed the terrifying brilliance that was the Pride Queen.

Entire cities fell overnight. Supply lines vanished before the enemy even realized they’d been compromised. Strongholds collapsed from within as hidden spies surfaced at the perfect moments. Entire battalions were lured into traps and annihilated before reinforcements could even arrive.

The pride queen manipulated information, morale, terrain, and timing with terrifying precision.

And through it all... she remained smiling.

To her, the war almost seemed like a game.