CHAPTER 251: DOMINION SANCTUM [ 3 ]

As the final holographic sweep faded into transparency, an electrifying silence enveloped the bus.

The glowing panels shimmered momentarily before retreating like mist into the ceiling, leaving a palpable tension in the air.

Arthur lowered his hand, and with that simple gesture, he infused the atmosphere with a quiet authority that resonated deeply.

A heartbeat of silence lingered as everyone processed what they had just witnessed,the awe-inspiring Dominion Sanctum. Slowly, their shock began to dissipate, replaced by wide-eyed wonder directed at Arthur.

"Uh... I have a question," Edward ventured, raising his hand tentatively like a schoolboy eager to participate. "Why are there so many villas and mansions? I mean,five thousand five hundred villas? Nine mansions? And all these zones? It’s just... well, there are only fifty-four of us. Maybe a hundred servants? Are we planning to take in a few thousand orphans or... are we forming our own small nation?"

Laughter erupted sporadically throughout the cabin, but all eyes quickly turned back to Arthur.

He paused for effect, allowing a small smile to dance on his lips while adjusting Eve more comfortably in his arms as she nuzzled against him.

Then he looked not just at Edward but at everyone present.

"You really have no idea what’s about to unfold," he said softly, yet his voice carried an undercurrent of something far more significant.

His smile was enigmatic; it lingered at the edges but didn’t quite reach his eyes,behind it lay thunderous implications.

"If you knew what was coming, Edward," he continued slowly, "you wouldn’t even be asking that question."

Suddenly alert and curious expressions spread across their faces like wildfire.

Kaia blinked slowly before whispering to Billy beside her, "What does he mean by that?"

Billy remained silent; even he seemed entranced by Arthur’s words.

Julian exchanged glances with Emily, Nathaniel, Margaret, and Richard,a ripple of unease stirred within them all.

No one dared voice their concerns aloud; they could feel it,the tone in Arthur’s voice was not merely casual chatter,it was a warning.

Then came another heavy silence.

"Arthur," Julian spoke up cautiously yet firmly. "What aren’t you telling us?"

Arthur leaned back slightly as Eve played with his shirt button and shrugged nonchalantly. "I’ll explain in a few days but I suggest you all prepare yourselves... especially mentally."

Just then Ashley raised her hand dramatically with an exaggerated scowl on her face.

"Wait! So you’re saying this whole mega-mansion"she gestured toward the projected layout still glowing behind him,"is just yours? The Main Palace? And we get shuffled off into outer zones like nobles or peasants?"

Arthur met her gaze unflinchingly and replied matter-of-factly: "Yes."

Ashley squinted her eyes and asked again, "Why?"

"Because," Arthur said, locking eyes with her, "I’m the Patriarch."

The silence that followed was so sharp you could almost hear Eve’s tiny yawn echoing through the air.

Ashley pouted dramatically, folding her arms and gazing out the window. "Tch. Hmph."

Kaia couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, and even Charlotte joined in with a giggle.

"Oh! You have a problem with that?" Arthur tilted his head toward Ashley, curiosity dancing in his eyes.

Her shoulders slumped as she replied softly, "No, Patriarch."

Arthur grinned, clearly pleased. "That’s what I thought."

"But I wanted a mansion," she mumbled under her breath.

"Then earn it yourself," he shot back playfully.

Liz leaned forward from her seat, yawning and pulling down her earbuds. "Fine! Some of us might live in different zones, but this place is massive! If we want to visit someone on the other side of the estate,do we walk? Or ride horses?"

A collective chuckle rippled through the bus.

Arthur rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "You’ve got games on your mind all day long! What do you think this is,a fantasy ranch? Of course there are cars! You can zip around anywhere on the estate in minutes."

"Ooh, are they Osborn-built models?" Edward chimed in eagerly.

"Every single one," Arthur confirmed proudly. "Custom electric hypercars,no fuel, no emissions, just pure AI navigation."

Margaret raised her voice slightly above the chatter. "What about personnel management? Transfers? Tracking movement and protocol?"

Arthur’s tone shifted to business mode as he nodded thoughtfully. "The AI EstateNet handles it all. Every villa and mansion is wired into a behavioral analytics loop,no task goes unsupervised. If something gets missed,it means it wasn’t needed."

Nathaniel stroked his chin in admiration. "And this stealth dome? That’s real?"

"Real as your bloodline," Arthur assured him confidently. "One flip of a quantum switch and poof,the estate vanishes from all detection: satellite, drone, sonar, radar,gone."

Even Julian looked impressed now. "How long have you been building this?"

"Technically," Arthur replied with a flicker of tired pride in his voice, "since the day I took control of Varenya."

"That’s quite fast for such a huge project!" Kaia squinted at him skeptically.

Billy smiled knowingly and explained, "When it comes to construction, Kaia Osborn Real Estate and Construction Group is number one in the world!"

Arthur surveyed them all before continuing seriously: "This isn’t just any home; this is sovereign territory. Dominion Sanctum operates outside any nation’s jurisdiction,we write our own rules here and enforce them."

Gasps filled the air.

"So... we’re a nation now?" Richard asked, his brow furrowed in curiosity.

"Not yet," Arthur replied, rising slowly as he gently placed Eve on the seat beside him. She curled up, her eyelids drooping with sleep. "But we will be."

Ashley leaned forward, her eyes wide with disbelief. "This place... it feels like a kingdom. And you’re..."

Arthur turned to meet her gaze, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "What does it look like to you, Ashley?"

She hesitated for a moment before whispering, "It looks like you’re building an empire."

Arthur’s smile deepened as his gaze drifted into the distance, as if he were already envisioning what lay five, ten, even fifty years ahead.

The bus glided along the silky black road, flanked by perfectly manicured trees and shimmering light-streams embedded beneath the pavement.

As they crested a rise, the full view of the estate emerged in the distance,still miles away but undeniably majestic.

The Main Palace loomed like a dark monolith against the horizon, guarded by the protective crescents of the Nine Mansions and surrounded by an array of architectural wonders that seemed to stretch endlessly.

"When we get there," Arthur murmured softly,more to himself than anyone else,"you’ll witness the dawn of something that will endure for generations. A sanctuary for our legacy. A fortress for our bloodline."

Silence enveloped them after that profound statement.

In that moment, they were no longer just members of the Osborn family; they had become the first citizens of Dominion Sanctum.

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