Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground - Chapter 1709 Answers

The first meeting with the Pride Queen had ended up becoming a surprisingly heartwarming scene.

Unlike what Ozeroth had feared, the Pride Queen seemed genuinely happy to see him. Even after the first hug, she refused to let go of him while taking in the others of the group.

Atticus could feel the tension that had always lingered around Ozeroth vanish like smoke, replaced by a warmth he had never truly seen from the man before. Unlike usual, Ozeroth had actually smiled.

Eventually, mainly because Atticus wanted to be as far away from the possible death trap known as the castle as possible, they relocated and formed another large structure some distance away.

Within moments, the ground gathered itself around a massive bonfire. Though the structure kept the cold out entirely, there was something about the flames that brought a strange sense of peace to the atmosphere.

Awkward glances were thrown toward the Pride Queen. Particularly at Ozeroth, who currently sat on her lap. The man’s broad frame and thick mustache made the entire scene look utterly absurd. The awkwardness had clearly gotten to Ozeroth as well, as he stubbornly refused to meet anyone’s gaze. Especially Atticus’ and Whisker’s. Whisker, in particular, kept staring intently at Ozeroth as though silently begging him to look his way.

In contrast, the Pride Queen sat like a ruler amongst her subjects. There was not the slightest flicker of embarrassment on her face. If anything, as she held Ozeroth against her side like a child, her confidence only seemed to grow stronger. Behind her, her Queen Guard stood in a perfect line, each one straight-backed and radiating restrained pressure. The entire sight filled the air with a quiet tension.

None of that, however, phased Atticus in the slightest.

“Why did you ask your people to find me?”

Atticus’ words were blunt, carrying not the slightest hint of familiarity. Until proven otherwise, the Pride Queen could not be considered an ally yet. Ozeroth’s mother or not.

“Straight to the point already? Mm… I like that.” The Pride Queen smiled faintly. “The way you carry yourself too. You stand in front of me and don’t flinch even a little. That pride…”

Her eyes shimmered softly.

“…it’s utterly delicious.”

A moment later, she gestured lazily toward Ozerra, who sat smugly by her side.

“You’re a perfect fit for my beautiful daughter.”

“Mother!” Ozerra’s entire face flushed red instantly. “Can you not say things like that so casually!?”

“What?” the Pride Queen asked innocently. “Mommy is simply trying to secure the best possible husband for her baby. You came from greatness, so naturally you deserve greatness in return.”

Her gaze shifted back toward Atticus.

“She came from me, after all. You won’t find a finer woman anywhere. So?” She smiled confidently. “Interested?”

More eyes than expected narrowed at those words.

“Hey, lady.”

Anorah suddenly moved and sat directly in front of Atticus, meeting the Pride Queen’s gaze head-on without the slightest hesitation.

“He’s taken.”

“Hm.” The Pride Queen smiled again, though this time the smile failed to reach her eyes.

“And?”

Anorah was just about to respond when Atticus cut in coldly.

“Stop wasting my time.”

“You don’t—”

The Pride Queen casually raised a hand, immediately halting one of her guards mid-step.

“Hm. Fair enough.” She leaned back slightly. “Go on then. I’ll graciously allow you to question me.”

“Damn…” Whisker muttered beside Atticus. “Her ego might actually be worse than golden boy’s. That’s impressive.”

Atticus simply regarded her silently.

The Pride Queen carried the air of someone born to rule and accustomed to command. Though he had already asked his question, she had effortlessly twisted the flow of the conversation, framing it as though she were granting him permission to speak instead.

As long as he got answers, Atticus did not particularly care.

“Why did you ask your people to find me?”

“So you can free me from this prison, obviously.”

“You knew you were going to get trapped here,” Atticus said. “By the Spirit King.”

“Hm. Sharp too.” The Pride Queen smiled faintly before giving a small nod. “My stupid, unbearable husband… yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I went after him.” A coldness flickered briefly through her eyes. “You can think of this as his own twisted little punishment. The bastard always did have issues.”

Atticus remained silent for several moments, then said; Atticus remained silent for a few moments before speaking again.

“You told your people we need you to defeat the Spirit King. Explain.”

“Yes…” The Pride Queen nodded slowly. “I figured you’d ask that.”

A faint shadow entered her gaze.

“I’ll explain everything from the beginning, so pay attention. I dislike repeating myself.”

The atmosphere gradually quieted. Even the crackling of the bonfire seemed softer now.

“My husband always had an absurd obsession with protecting his people. Honestly, it was one of the reasons I fell for him in the first place. The idiot would throw himself into danger without hesitation if it meant keeping them safe. But everything changed after he awakened his aspect. Devourer.”

The mood immediately grew heavier.

“…After he began devouring the wills of others, he slowly started changing. At first, it was small things. Tiny shifts. Then it became worse. He went from wanting to protect his people… to slaughtering entire civilizations for their sake.”

“When I confronted him, I realized the transformation had gone far deeper than I expected. His mind had already started breaking apart. That was when I learned his new goal.”

A trace of madness flickered through her eyes at the mere recollection of it.

“To protect his people… he intends to destroy the entire world and force absolute peace upon it.”

No one spoke.

Ozeroth’s expression had darkened considerably. Even Atticus’ eyes narrowed faintly. It was the first time either of them had heard the Spirit King’s true goal, and it was far worse than either had expected.

“…Naturally, I opposed him,” the Pride Queen continued. “Which was why I left. I intended to grow strong enough to stop him. Unfortunately…”

Her hand gently brushed through Ozeroth’s hair.

“…I could only escape with Ozerra… leaving behind my poor, adorable little Ozzy.”

Ozeroth immediately clicked his tongue and cleared his throat awkwardly, though he still made no attempt to stop her hand.

After a brief silence, Atticus finally spoke.

“But you lost.”

The Pride Queen’s gaze darkened slightly, the memory clearly leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

“Yes.” She nodded slowly. “But only because that cheating bastard caught me completely off guard with his new power.”

Atticus frowned slightly.

“…new power?”

Devourer was already an absurdly dangerous aspect. There should not have been any additional abilities beyond that.

But the Pride Queen’s expression gradually turned grim.

“…he can now wield Solvalth’s power.”