Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground novel Chapter 723

Chapter 723 Reunion

She kept her gaze on the floor, trying to avoid his piercing eyes. Shame and guilt weighed heavily on her heart.

Anastasia had almost died. Despite Arya's promise to always protect him, despite her best efforts, she had failed. Atticus had been the one to protect her instead, and the guilt gnawed at her.

But before she could say another word, she felt Atticus's arms wrap around her, pulling her into a gentle hug. Her eyes widened in shock.

"I missed you, Arya," Atticus said softly.

For a moment, Arya didn't know how to react. She hesitated, her voice shaky as she began to protest,

"B-but I wasn't able to—"

"Don't blame yourself," Atticus interrupted, his voice firm but gentle. "You did your best. It's not anyone's fault except the people responsible."

'Such anger,' Arya shivered slightly. The air had become noticeably colder as Atticus spoke, his anger palpable in the room.

It was so intense, it felt like the temperature had dropped. Arya could sense the overwhelming fury simmering beneath his calm exterior, and she wasn't sure if she should be relieved or concerned.

Tears welled up in her eyes and just as Arya was about to respond, a presence appeared outside the door, and she quickly disappeared back into the shadows.

The door burst open, and two figures walked in— a beautiful young girl with a doll like face, her expression cold and aloof, and a tall, vibrant boy with a large grin on his face.

"Ember… Caldor?" Atticus muttered, shock flickering in his eyes. It had been so long since he had seen them.

Ember's icy gaze softened as she looked at her cousin.

"Atticus," she said softly, her voice cool but laced with warmth. She gave him a faint smile, something she rarely showed.

Caldor, on the other hand, despite all the years, hadn't changed a bit. He rushed into the room with a bright laugh, his energy filling the space.

"You're awake!" he shouted, leaping toward Atticus before he could react, enveloping him in a bone crushing hug.

"Caldor…" Atticus's voice was muffled against his cousin's chest, but there was a faint smile on his lips as he returned the embrace.

"You look just as broody as ever, Atti!" Caldor teased, stepping back and giving Atticus a once over.

"Seriously, you're younger than me, but you're already stronger. How does that even work?"

Atticus chuckled lightly. "Maybe if you didn't spend all your time fooling around in the military, you'd catch up."

Caldor threw his head back with a laugh. "Fooling around? I'm practically the star of the show over there!" He gave Atticus a playful punch on the arm.

"But seriously, it's good to see you, little cuz. And by the way—" Caldor's expression softened, and his eyes took on a more serious look. "How are you holding up?… Grandma Freya."

The room grew quiet as the mention of their grandmother's name hung in the air. Atticus nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. "I know. It's all… been hard."