Zoey's eyes turned moist as she lowered her head, muttering softly under her breath, "Yes."
Seraphina sighed and her expression softened as she saw tears streaming down Zoey's cheeks.
Without hesitation, she enveloped her granddaughter in a warm hug. "It's fine," she whispered gently.
Even Lumindra, who had been hyper just seconds ago, fell silent. Watching Zoey cry hurt her, and she shifted uncomfortably on Zoey's shoulder, her small hands reaching out to offer a comforting touch.
Between soft sobs, "Am I a bad person, Grandma?"
Seraphina stroked her head gently, "You're not, honey. You're only human. It's normal to have these feelings. Everyone does," she reassured her, holding her tightly.
Zoey continued crying for a few minutes, before slowly regaining her composure. As she pulled away from the hug, she wiped her tear filled eyes.
Seeing as Zoey had calmed down, Seraphina continued in a calm tone.
"I understand how you feel, and it's okay to have those emotions, even when it's about something or someone you care about. But don't make this more complicated than it needs to be. This is simple, Zoey. You like him, so go for him."
Zoey sniffled and tried to speak. "B-but—"
Before she could finish, Seraphina cut her off. "I want you to imagine something. Imagine him with another lady. How does that make you feel?"
Zoey flinched, and she felt pang of pain spreading through her chest at the thought of Atticus being with another girl. She hated even thinking about it.
Seraphina smiled knowingly. "That right there? That's what will happen if you don't get your feelings in order. You're lucky he's still interested in you."
Hearing that Atticus was still thinking about her made Zoey's heart swell with happiness. But Seraphina's next words froze her in place.
"But believe me when I say this, if you reject him the next time, that boy will move on. If you think he'll wait for you forever, then you're living in a fairytale."
"He's meeting new ladies every day, Zoey. Beautiful, smart, and persistent ones. And let's not forget, he's a teenager. His hormones are off the charts. The more time you waste 'figuring out your feelings,' the higher the chance you lose him. Do you want to regret it?"
Zoey shook her head, the thought of Atticus with someone else was unbearable. But she still hesitated.
Seraphina noticed the hint of hesitation and decided not to push her further. The rest was up to Zoey.
"Okay then. Ultimately, the choice is yours. But here's the thing, you have one year. When you graduate from the academy, I'll use my authority to place you in the same position as him. You don't have a choice in that regard."
Zoey's head shot up in surprise. "The two of you will meet again, whether you like it or not. What happens after that is up to you. But don't say I didn't warn you."
…
That night, Atticus and Yesmin had a light conversation. It was casual, filled with jokes, and refreshingly enjoyable for Atticus.
After spending so much time dealing with older people, speaking with someone his own age felt like a breath of fresh air.
During their talk that night, he learned interesting things about the Aquilora bloodline, which intrigued him deeply. However, after some minutes, Atticus made an excuse that he had something important to attend to.
The truth was, he wanted to return to his training without admitting it, being called a "training maniac" was starting to wear on him.
He noticed a slight shift in Yesmin's tone when he mentioned leaving, but he chose to ignore it.
Atticus headed straight for the training room and instantly immersed himself into his routine once again. After a while, he decided to switch things up and focus on something different for a brief period.
He pulled out a large slate that Oberon had gifted him and channeled his mana into it. Instantly, an intense concentration of the space element gathered around him.
The slate was an amazing gift. essentially a portable rune that created an environment rich in space molecules. It was akin to having a personal space elemental training room wherever he needed it.
Atticus decided it was time to focus solely on his space element, and take a break from the superior races' art.
His progress was very fast, and as time passed, he achieved several breakthroughs, thereby awakening a variety of new abilities.
Just as he had initially expected, the space element had been overwhelmingly powerful. Atticus couldn't help but feel regret for not focusing on it earlier, it could have given him a significant advantage in the recent Apex competition.
One of the most notable ability was increasing his proficiency in gravity control. Before, he had relied on manipulating earth molecules to intensify the gravity in the area, but now, by utilizing the space element, he could achieve far greater results.
At his current level, Atticus could create a gravitational field so intense that even master ranks individuals would struggle to move comfortably. It was a game-changer in high-stakes combat.
Asides gravity manipulation, Atticus also developed several new techniques:
Miniature Singularity. He could now create a concentrated point in the air of gravitational pull that drew in objects, or more importantly, attacks. It served in both offensive and defensive.
Space Infusion. By infusing the space element into his weapons and attacks, he amplified their range, precision, and lethality, opening up countless possibilities.
Phase Shifting. This was his most exciting achievement, the ability to phase through physical objects. By covering every inch of his body with space molecules, Atticus could slip through doors and most walls, provided they weren't reinforced with runes.
He was certain that, if he focuses on this more, this technique could evolve into something far more advanced and powerful.
As his proficiency over the space element increased, Atticus also gained further insight into the Dimensari technique as it relied heavily on space molecules. He found himself becoming increasingly attuned to them.
He was thoroughly satisfied with his progress. Then, Atticus decided to shift his focus again.
Leaving the training room, he exited the Ravenstein estate and ascended into the sky, heading toward the elemental sanctums. This time, he wanted to refine his control over his other elements.
Before traveling to the Starhaven sector, Atticus had decided to form the domains of all his elements first.
He had already mastered each of them to a high degree and didn't expect the process to take long. At most, he estimated that he could complete this task within a week.