Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground-Chapter 1439: Dane

"Oh, you’re leaving already, honey?"

"Yes mom, I have to get some work done."

"Aiyya, it’s night time!"

The middle aged man could only give his mother a wry smile, causing her to stare at him worriedly. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Oh honey. I know you’re doing all of this for me, but please don’t overwork yourself, okay?"

The man simply nodded.

"Promise?"

"I promise." He sighed, standing up, "now I have to leave. I’ll be back tomorrow with some more food."

"Alright honey."

Saying his goodbyes, the man left the hospital room and entered the hall.

The hall itself was large, and as he took in its pristine white and luxurious surroundings, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of anger.

’An hospital, huh.’

In all his thirty eight years of living, he’d have never expected that he’d ever find himself in such a place. A health care center in the high class part of the city.

His work as a mere assistant to a desk clerk made that impossible.

His salary was barely able to set him up in the middle class of the city. Yet, the unexpected sickness of his mother had forced him into this dreadful situation.

As he made his way out of the hospital, he stared at each figure he saw with envy.

’You have no idea how lucky you are.’

He stopped by to pick up some groceries before heading straight home.

"Hey neighbor!"

"Oh, h-hi."

’She’s greeting me again...’

He stared at the young Evolari woman in front of him. He’d only just moved here to be closer to his mother, and this particular cheerful neighbor had always tried to make conversation with him.

’What does she want?’

Even now, there was still the disdain between superior and lower races. He was a human, and she Evolari, which made this situation even more weird.

"You’re just coming back from work?"

"Yes." He awkwardly answered.

"Ah, I see. Keep up the good work,"

"Thank you..." an awkward silence settled between them, "alright I guess I’ll see-"

"Ah! I almost forgot." She cut in before he could excuse himself, "A beautiful woman came here looking for you a while ago. Said she was your long lost aunt or something."

"Aunt?" He arched an eyebrow. As far as he knew, all his relatives were dead.

"Did she happen to mention her name?"

"No,"

"Can you tell me what she looks like?"

"Em, let’s see... right! She was really cold, and I seem to remember finding her white hair really cool. She looked like our dreamy god-"

"W-white hair?" His heart pounded. ’No no no.’

"Yeah-"

’Shit.’

"Where is she now!?"

"Whoa, are you okay?" The woman backed up slightly, startled.

"I’m fine," he tried to keep his voice steady, "just tell me where she is now."

"She left when I told her you were at work. I-"

The man walked past her without uttering another word.

"How rude."

He ignored her mutter and quickly fished into his bag for his keypad.

’I have to move immediately.’

His arm trembled, and he had to use his other arm to steady it before inserting it into the door. He burst into his room the next moment, flinging his groceries and bag away.

He didn’t bother turning on the lights and ran into the room, quickly grabbing an empty suitcase and shoving his clothes and important items into it.

’I’ll have to leave the rest here. There’s no time.’

Leaving the room, he rushed towards the door.

"You should slow down."

The man froze midstep. The temperature dropped, and he felt a chill wash over him.

’She’s here.’

He slowly turned, and the sight of the beautiful woman seated calmly on the chair made his mouth dry.

"You move like someone who still believes they can escape. Tell me, do you?"

’The ice witch...’

The new Eldoralth had recently formed. The legends of the past were still ingrained in the heart of the masses.

As a human, to not know who the ice witch was... was to never have known fear.

"W-who a-are y-you?"

"No no, don’t do that, Dane. Don’t pretend. I was just starting to like you. Trust me, you don’t want to ruin it."

"Wh-what a-are y-you doing I-in my h-house? I-l’ll c-call the p-police!"

"Hmm," Lyanna frowned. "That’s too bad."

She brought out a file from the space ring and opened it.

"Dane Forester," Her eyes skimmed the page lazily, "thirty eight years old. Works as an assistant to Julian Huster, at the Dominion Pillar."

"Lives alone in a rented apartment on the city’s mid tier. A shut in by habit. No woman, no alcohol, no gambling. A clean and boring record. Spends most evenings eating..." she narrowed her eyes slightly, "fried mantis rolls and cheap soy stew from the vendor down the block."

Dane felt his pulse quicken. "Please, no."

"Minor eccentricities: mutters to himself when stressed, arranges his books alphabetically but his utensils by color, and keeps the lights off whenever he’s home. You call it saving power."

Her fingers turned another page.

"family, one. Mother. Bedridden for the past six months with mana sickness."

She closed the file halfway, letting her eyes rise to meet his.

"And here’s the curious part. A man who can barely afford rent... somehow manages to secure his mother a suite in the most expensive hospital in the upper district. Complete with a private healer and three rounds of pure grade elixir therapy."

She tapped the file with a single, gloved finger.

"An irregularity."

The room seemed to freeze with her words.

"Tell me, Dane," she said, "did I get anyone wrong?"

Dane felt the strength in his legs leave him. He crashed down on the ground with quivering lips.

"P-please... my mother is sick. I had no choice but—"

"No choice." Lyanna snapped the file shut. "We always have a choice. You could have simply let her die."

"I—I couldn’t! If it were you, would you let your mother die?" he blurted.