Feeling the tension in the air, the host cleared his throat to alleviate the tension in the hall. He swiftly gestured for one of the guards to come and pick up William, who remained unmoving on the floor.
After the fight between Atticus and William, the event continued as if nothing had happened, with Atticus being rewarded another opportunity to select any Art from the Ravenstein treasure realm.
The event quickly came to an end after that, with each person leaving the estate with different thoughts in their heads.
...
"Oh my God, that was so freaking awesome!" Caldor exclaimed, his voice a crescendo as he jumped onto the couch.
Atticus couldn't help but cover his ears, playfully pretending to shield himself from the ear-piercing volume of Caldor's enthusiasm.
Atticus, Ember, Aurora, and Caldor had left the Raven hall together, leaving the adults behind as they still had something to do.
They were currently seated in the mansion's living room, which exuded opulence. Every piece of furniture and decor in the room was of the highest quality, adding to the grandeur of the space.
Not a second passed before Caldor sprung back to his feet, his eyes shining as he addressed Atticus.
"You were like," he said, changing his tone and demeanor to imitate Atticus's commanding presence when he spoke to Edward in the Raven hall, "Why aren't you on your knees," with a humorous attempt to mimic Atticus's voice.
Caldor's antics didn't just bring smiles but full-fledged laughter and giggles from Atticus, Aurora, and even Ember.
"Wow! I got goosebumps, man. How the heck did you do that?" Caldor turned to Atticus and asked.
Atticus leaned back in his seat, a playful grin on his face. "Keep your back straight, gaze cold, and make your voice as deep as possible, and you'll be okay," he responded with a hint of humor in his tone.
But to his surprise, Caldor didn't take his words lightly. Caldor was already attempting to mimic Atticus, clearing his throat and practicing speaking with a deeper voice.
Atticus chuckled upon seeing Caldor's enthusiasm. Turning his gaze towards Ember, Atticus found her still as quiet as ever.
Throughout the entire event, unlike Caldor and Aurora, who got enraged when Atticus was called out, Ember's expression didn't change one bit.
It wasn't that she didn't care; it just went to show how highly she held Atticus and trusted his abilities.
"So, Ember, where should we go to have fun?" Atticus asked.
Since they were all here, he thought it would be best to bring it up and decide now before Ember left to train and started her reclusive behavior again.
Ember blinked twice, her voice barely above a whisper. "Me?" She asked, her gaze shifting slightly as she considered Atticus's question.
She knew herself best; no one in the family was as reclusive as her. Where did she even know they could hang out? The last time she left the estate was with Atticus, and that was because he had carried her along.
Despite knowing this, Atticus's gaze was still on her, seemingly waiting for an answer. Ember turned her gaze toward Caldor, who had already stopped practicing, subtly seeking help.
Caldor chuckled at seeing his sister like this. "Don't worry, I have it all planned out already!" Caldor confidently said, beating his chest.
"I'll make this one count. It might be our last time together before I head to the academy," Caldor said, his voice getting a little down at the end.
Caldor had already turned 15 this year. He only had a month or two before he had to go to the academy, and once he entered, he wouldn't be allowed to step out unless in certain situations for the next 3 years.
The room grew a little somber as they all got reminded of this. Atticus was a little sad to see Caldor leave, especially when he had just returned from camp.
Even Ember who had a stoic gaze, looked at him with slight sadness. The only one who remained neutral was Aurora, as she hadn't had the chance to get to know him well enough.
Sensing the shift in the mood, Caldor deftly tried to change the topic. "Oh, cheer up, guys. It's not the end of the world. I know you all are going to miss this handsome young master," he quipped dramatically, flipping his hair backward with a playful grin.
The mood instantly turned lively again as the trio began laughing.
After speaking for a few minutes, they each left the living room and headed to their rooms to rest. It had been a long day.
A few hours later, Atticus woke up to the sound of his alarm, feeling refreshed. He got out of bed, took a short shower in the bathroom, and then put on some comfortable clothes: a baggy round neck shirt and baggy black cargo pants.
As he passed the mirror and saw his reflection, he mourned the loss of his spiky white hair for a few seconds, then he left the room, heading to the dining room for dinner.
Walking through the hallway of the mansion, the maids all bowed as he passed, and Atticus couldn't help but notice that all of their gazes lingered on him as he walked away.
Due to his keen senses, he was able to pick up snippets of their conversations. "Our young master is such a genius."
Some of the maids had been present when Atticus had displayed those spectacles. It was to be expected that news would have spread throughout the estate already.
But regardless, they were all under strict mana contracts, and the confines of the estate were as far as the news could go.
Atticus felt a pang of embarrassment from the constant praises and stares, but he ignored them and kept moving.
After a few seconds, he reached the door of the dining room. Opening the door, Atticus couldn't react as he was lifted high up in the air and spun around in circles.