Chapter 29: Incident
Hours passed, and Atticus and Ember enjoyed a variety of games. They soon decided that it was time to leave.
As they stepped outside the arcade, a distant commotion caught their attention. In an alley adjacent to the arcade, a group of men surrounded a weak-looking individual, threatening him.
Atticus glanced at the scene, his expression unreadable. He began to turn away, but a forceful voice shattered the moment.
"Stop this instant! How dare you harm an innocent man!" The words echoed from a young girl, about Atticus' age, who strode forward accompanied by a group of guards, each bearing the mark of a master rank.
The men tried to explain why they were threatening the man, but she didn't listen. She commanded her guards to chase the offenders from the premises.
Atticus watched everything and was about to turn away, but the girl suddenly called out. "You! Why didn't you help him?!" while walking towards him.
Atticus turned to face the girl. She was a striking 7-year-old with fiery red hair, possesses a captivating beauty that draws attention.
Her vibrant locks cascade like a cascade of flames, framing her delicate features. Despite her tender age, her presence commands notice. Standing at a height just shy of four feet, she exudes a youthful charm that is as enchanting as it is endearing.
'Hmmm, she's obviously from a prominent family, but pretty naive,' he mused while replying in a neutral tone,
"Who are you?" Although Atticus was always nice to his family and friends, he had always been indifferent towards others even in his past life.
With equal determination, she retorted, "My identity is irrelevant. What matters is why you didn't help him."
"They're other people here, why are you pointing only me out?" Atticus countered. He wasn't the only one who had noticed the commotion, yet her attention seemed to be focused solely on him.
The situation felt unusual, making him wonder if there was a specific reason she singled him out. 'Or was it because i had guards?' he realized.
"Because you have the ability to intervene! All you had to do was command your guards to help him, but i saw you watching emotionlessly!" the girl retorted.
"I guess you're right, i do have the power to help him. But why should I?" Atticus quipped.
"Because it was the right thing to do!" the girl stated, her tone conveying confidence and conviction.
Atticus's response remained icy, "'Because it's the right thing to do' is not a reason."
Atticus strongly disliked those who acted without logic, merely following popular beliefs blindly. He saw it as foolishness when people expected everyone to adopt their views just because they believed in something.
Ember was already getting annoyed with the situation, she stared at the girl with a face screams 'shut up and leave us alone.'
The girl's voice faltered as she began to explain,
"It is! Mom said that you should always help pe-"
Atticus's abrupt interruption cut her off,
"I don't care about your beliefs or upbringing. Your convictions are your own; do not impose them on me." he said while staring directly into her eyes.
She suddenly felt chills and started backing away.
"How dare you!" One of her guards who saw this, got angry and was about to strike Atticus, but a sudden gust of action punctuated the air. Arya, Atticus's steadfast guardian, materialized with uncanny swiftness, delivering a swift, lethal kick to the guard's neck.
The impact was decisive and unforgiving. The guard didn't even move, with his neck bent, he simply crumpled to the ground, lifeless and motionless, sending shockwaves through the scene.
The onlookers, who had gathered to witness the unfolding spectacle, scattered in all directions like startled chickens. Amidst the commotion, murmurs of "it's the Ravensteins" rippled through the air.
The girl's fear was palpable as she stumbled back, pointing at Arya in a mixture of disbelief and terror. Her guards suddenly stood in front of her, ready to shield her from harm.
"Leave them, Arya. We're leaving," Atticus quickly stopped Arya who was about to attack them
"Okay, young master" Arya's agreement came swiftly. She then melded back into his shadow.
Atticus and Ember calmly departed from the scene, leaving behind a frightened girl and her guards.
After they left one of the guards quickly rushed to her side and asked,
"Young miss, are you okay?" he asked worriedly. 'If the lord learns about what happened here, we won't live till the next day.'
She took a moment to steady her breath before speaking, her voice edged with anger, "Who was that boy!?"
The guard responded cautiously, "I'm not entirely certain, young miss. But judging by the lady's strength, he might be an important member of the Ravenstein family. It would be wise not to provoke them any further."
"He dared!" her frustration was evident, followed by a pathetic attempt at justification, "If it weren't for the need to keep my presence in sector 3 a secret, I would have taught him a lesson. Humph!"
With a resigned sigh, the guard suggested, "Young miss, it's time to return. We shouldn't delay any further." He was master-rank, but he was unable to follow Arya's movement. 'I can't win' he thought, gravely.
But her irritation lingered, fueled by her belief in doing right. Her mother had instilled in her the importance of helping those in need.
Atticus's words echoed in her mind, reigniting her anger. Accustomed to being treated like a princess, this was her first encounter with such disregard. She struggled to accept the situation, her resentment simmering.
In a soft, almost imperceptible voice, she made a solemn promise, "I'll pay you back the next time we meet." With that, they stored the dead body in a storage space and they departed.
'I'll just say a magic beast killed him. Life as a guard is never easy, sigh' the guard thought.
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