The Elder regarded her thoughtfully, brow furrowed. "Hmm."
Hades finally broke his silence, voice trembling with a mix of anger and urgency. "There's no need to consider such nonsense, Elder," he said, forcing an unconvincing laugh. "That video is clearly fabricated."
The Elder glanced back and forth between Hades and Atticus, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to gauge the truth.
But it was Atticus who stepped forward, his voice calm yet commanding, addressing the room directly.
"If Hades is so certain the video is false," he said, a hint of challenge in his tone, "then let him swear upon the Moon Goddess that he never had any romantic affair with Sophia, the witch's daughter."
Gasps rippled through the crowd, and a wave of murmurs filled the hall.
The intensity of the moment pulled everyone into it, binding them with the weight of Atticus's challenge.
After a moment, nods of agreement spread across the crowd.
