Atticus’s Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Zoey made her way through the grand halls of the Starhaven mansion, accompanied by her maids.

As a lady and direct descendant of the Starhaven lineage, it was mandatory to have a maid ready to attend to her needs at any given instant.

Eventually, they reached a large open training area where her aunt Jeneva stood in silence.

Zoey smiled at the sight of her, momentarily forgetting the wrongness she had felt earlier.

Her aunt Jeneva had always had that effect on her, her light at the end of the pitch-dark tunnel. Just one look, one smile, and Zoey would forget all her worries.

As Zoey approached with a smile, she took in her aunt’s appearance. Jeneva was clad in a tight-fitting suit, easy for movement.

Her purple hair was tied back in a single ponytail, and her eyes were fierce, every bit the warrior she was, far from the fairy image most in the human domain associated with the Starhaven.

“Now you look like a human being, my cute little niece.”

Zoey smiled at the jab. Her aunt Jeneva always knew the right words to stir her up. If she let it get to her, she’d already lost the battle.

She picked a weapon from the rack at the far end of the training field and stood across from her aunt.

Jeneva smiled, locking eyes with her. “You’ve improved.”

She could see the determination in them, a far cry from the confused Zoey of the past.

Zoey’s heart bubbled with joy. Praise from her aunt was like candy. Sweet. A rush of energy. She loved every bit of it.

“I had the best teacher.”

Zoey entered into a stance, flashing her a smile.

“Ready when you are,” Jeneva replied with a grin. And before the second was over, Zoey lunged.

The sound of wooden weapons clashing echoed across the field. The maids standing nearby watched with shock in their eyes.

Their Lady Zoey was… strong. Stronger than anyone remembered.

Moments later, the loud thud of a body hitting the ground rang out, followed by ragged breaths as Zoey struggled to catch hers. She had lost.

“Wow, you’ve really improved, my little niece. Did you take something overnight?”

Jeneva’s shock was clear. Zoey’s movements had been too refined, too deliberate, a far cry from how she used to fight.

Zoey hid a smug smile. “It’s simply talent. You wouldn’t understand, my favorite aunt.”

Jeneva’s mouth twitched. “Oh, I see. Your mouth’s gotten sharper too. And I’m your only aunt.”

Zoey sat up straight, winked at her, and said, “But you’re my favorite!”

They stared at each other for a beat before bursting into laughter, the sound filling the large field.

“Young Lady Zoey.”

Zoey paused mid-laugh and turned to see Lucy, her maid, bowing in front of her.

“The Matriarch asked me to inform you that you have a guest, my lady.”

Zoey frowned. “Who?”

“The Ravensteins.”

‘The Ravensteins?’ Zoey’s gaze narrowed. Why would they come all the way from Sector 3 to see her? And… why did hearing that name make her chest ache?

“Looks like your mother still hasn’t given up on her mission,” Jeneva muttered.

Zoey sighed. Now she understood exactly what this was, and it only deepened her frown.

She stood to her feet. “Let’s get this over with. I’ll see you later, Aunt Jeneva.” She smiled and started walking away.

“You don’t plan on changing for the meeting, do you?”

“Nope,” Zoey replied without missing a step.

The worse the meeting went, the better it was for her. At the very least, showing up drenched in sweat and covered in dirt should be enough to make her unappealing, right?

‘Why can’t she just give up?’ Zoey wondered.

For as long as she could remember, her mother had been obsessed with marrying her off. She still didn’t understand why, only that it meant having to meet all kinds of men, much to her chagrin.

‘She probably just wanted what’s best for her little girl,’ a voice rang softly in her mind.

Zoey froze. ‘Who?’

For a moment, she was confused. The voice sounded like an old woman, wise, gentle… and strangely familiar.

Memories rushed into her head. ‘Yoma?’ she asked.

‘Hmm?’ Yoma sounded puzzled. ‘Are you sure you’re okay, Zoey? You’ve been off since morning. Didn’t even try to talk to me when you woke up.’

Yoma was her spirit, the tier 6 spirit she’d bonded with when she awakened at age seven. It had been a celebrated day, the moment she was officially declared the next in line for matriarch.

“I’m fine, Yoma. I guess something about today just feels… different.”

“I don’t think so,” Yoma replied. “Every day has been the same, peaceful, fun, and loving.”

Zoey didn’t respond. She simply nodded. But deep inside, something felt off. Like a part of her was missing.

Was Yoma really her spirit?

She shook her head. She was probably just overthinking.

If she wasn’t, then what about all the years of memories they shared?

‘It could be the weather,’ Zoey finally concluded, just as she reached the doors to the meeting room.

She stood in front of the door, taking in a deep breath. ‘Let’s get this over with.’

She nodded at the maids, who pushed the doors open. As she entered, her eyes instantly locked onto a figure seated at the far end of the circular table, flanked by a large guard.

“Lady Zoey!” The seated figure stood with a wide smile and began walking toward her. “We finally meet!”

He stretched out his hand, expecting hers, but Zoey stood frozen, rooted to the spot. Her gaze was fixed on one thing, his snow white hair.

Why did it make her feel nostalgic? Why did it send another ache through her chest?

Zoey shook her head and quickly regained her composure. She stepped forward, extended her hand, and allowed the boy to place a gentle kiss on the back of her dirt stained fingers.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you…”

“Atticus.”

The youth stood upright, flashing a wide grin. “Atticus Ravenstein.”

The name sent another jolt through Zoey’s chest. But as she stared at him, she felt… nothing. No emotion. No familiarity.

His face was cherubic despite his age, his body slightly chubby, and the yellowish discoloration beneath his neck hinted at poor hygiene. That image shattered the feeling that had begun to stir.

Zoey forced a smile, resisting the urge to slice off the arm he had kissed and grow a new one.

“Zoey Starhaven,” she replied, her voice calm.

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