NOVGO.NET Chapter 1589 Dinner
Chapter 1589 Dinner
If he remembered correctly from his readings in the library back in the Will Hall, Duke came after Marquis and served as the prerequisite for ascending into the Span, with Archduke sitting just beyond it.
‘I skipped an entire rank.’
That alone explained why the Abyss god that had attacked their territory had felt so underwhelming. His slaughter during the Ascension Game had proven to be an invaluable advantage. Still, Atticus couldn’t help but focused on a lingering thought.
‘The Abyss god was still at the Duke rank… which means I’m still at the bottom of the Span.’
It suggested that ascending the Span had far less to do with will rank, and far more to do with the accumulation of territory.
Even so, the realization brought him a measure of relief. The gods ruling the surrounding territories were most likely Dukes as well, which made their strength predictable.
Atticus transformed his attention to his attunement levels next. Each had reached one hundred percent, meaning his mana and will had fully fused and he had reached his peak state. The same applied to his katana arts, and finally, his elements.
He had been curious how the system would now classify his elements given his new method of control, but what he found was… good. Simple, even.
Reaching a one hundred percent attunement rate with each element granted him absolute control over their respective molecules. What this implied for the future was equally clear, there were still more elements to master, more forces to command, and as his strength continued to grow, so too would his capacity to wield them.
And so, beneath the burning stare of his exo suit ego, Atticus stood at the center of his training room, his thoughts drifting through the endless possibilities this power could bring.
…
“Are you ready?”
“You tell me, Atti. How do I look?”
“Again, you look perfect. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Are you sure?”
Atticus let out a quiet sigh, watching with a weary expression as Anorah stared at her reflection in the full length mirror with a small frown on at her lips. She was draped in a simple golden gown, its length stopping just below her ankles and leaving her smooth, flawless legs on full display.
Her golden hair fell gracefully down her back, framing a face whose beauty alone was enough to start wars.
Atticus swallowed as she turned toward him, his gaze sinking into her enchanting golden eyes. She was beautiful.
“Maybe I should just change this gown,” she said after a moment. “To be honest, it’s a bit too short. I’ll just look for a longer one—”
He stepped in front of her before she could take another step, gently brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he met her worried gaze.
“There’s no need for you to change anything. You’re perfect.”
Anorah’s frown deepened, as if that answer had only made things worse.
“Of course you think so. You don’t have any choice,” she said, then hesitated. “But what if she doesn’t think so…”
Atticus’s smile twitched slightly, but he shook his head and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.
“There isn’t a single person in their right mind who would think otherwise.”
“But your mom…”
“She would love you, just like I do.”
The worry still stayed stubbornly to her expression, and Atticus lifted her chin just a little more before offering a soft smile.
“You’re an amazing person, Anorah. Just be yourself. There’s nothing to be worried about.”
He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, hoping it would finally calm her nerves, only for her to pull back suddenly, staring at him with wide eyes as she touched her mouth.
“Atti! You ruined my gloss!” she cried. “Ah… now I have to apply it all over again!”
Atticus could only watch helplessly as Anorah dashed back to the mirror, already reapplying her gloss. He sighed and settled into a nearby chair.
‘Was being in a relationship always this exhausting?’
Several days had passed since he woke up, and after things in Eldoralth had finally settled, Anastasia had approached him about his relationship with Anorah, a conversation that ultimately ended with him inviting her over for dinner to officially meet the family.
Anorah had handled the news well at first, but as the day drew closer, Atticus began to see how she truly felt… nervous.
At first, he’d found some amusement in seeing the great Anorah so unsettled, but it quickly stopped being funny once he found himself on the receiving end of her endless doubts and questions.
Eventually, after what Atticus considered an eternity, Anorah seemed satisfied with her gloss and clutched his arm tightly, breathing in and out as if steadying herself.
Atticus didn’t bother wasting any time, before she found another reason to stall. With a thought, they appeared before the mansion atop the hill, feeling her grip immediately tightening around his arm.
The familiar, delicious scent of food reached him before anything else, followed closely by the many presences already gathered around the dining table.
“Att! You’re finally here.”
Atticus smiled as Anastasia emerged from the kitchen and instantly pulled him into a tight hug.
“I can smell the food, Mom. You decided to overdo it, hm?”
She pulled back and brushed his cheek affectionately.
“It’s never overdoing when it comes to you.”
Atticus chuckled and shook his head before turning toward Anorah, who stood stiffly at his side.
“Mom… this is—”
“So this is Anorah I’ve been hearing all about, hm?”
Anastasia cut in before he could finish, studying Anorah closely, and Atticus immediately felt the resistance leader tighten her grip on his arm as if bracing for impact.
“Y-yes. It’s nice to meet you… Mrs. Ravenstein.”
Anastasia didn’t respond right away. She simply stared at Anorah in silence for several long seconds, long enough for the awkwardness to climb steadily and for Atticus to clear his throat, ready to step in… only for his mother to suddenly break into a wide smile and pull Anorah into a tight hug.
“Oh, it’s really a pleasure to officially meet you, dear. You’re so pretty!”
Anorah went stiff as a board, clearly caught off guard, before slowly and awkwardly returning the hug. Anastasia eventually drew back, still smiling warmly at her.
“Thank you…”
“And please, drop the honorifics,” Anastasia added cheerfully. “Call me Anastasia.”
“A-Anastasia…”
“Perfect! Now come along, let me introduce you to the others.”
Atticus could only watch silently as his mother led Anorah toward the dining room as though they’d known each other for years, unsure of how to react. He’d expected her to be welcoming, yes, but not this welcoming.
‘This is good… right?’
He shuddered a moment later. The thought of his mother and his woman becoming best friends didn’t sit well with him at all. It was only a matter of time before they inevitably ganged up on him.
Moments later, Atticus was seated beside Anorah at the dining table, sensing a faint but unmistakable tension in the air, all of it emanating from the purple-haired girl seated at one end of the table.
He had expected a family dinner.
What he hadn’t expected was his mother, in her infinite motherly wisdom, inviting his freaking ex to the very same dinner meant to introduce his new girlfriend to the family.