Chapter 214: Attempt

Amon instinctively wanted to rush forward and snatch the Knife of Eden from the man’s hand, but he stopped himself before making any sudden movements.

’...Let’s see what happens first.’

He drew a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm, keeping his attention divided between the knife and the heated argument unfolding before him.

The nobles continued debating the succession, with neither Arthur nor Eleanor showing any intention of backing down, while the three dukes struggled to prevent the confrontation from turning violent.

Meanwhile, the man holding the knife quietly moved behind the Crown Prince.

Nobody seemed to notice him approaching, as the surrounding nobles were too busy watching the argument to pay attention to what was happening behind them.

The man tightened his grip on the weapon, his expression remaining strangely calm as he waited for an opportunity to strike.

"PRINCE ARTHUR!"

Someone finally noticed the movement and shouted a warning, but the warning came too late.

The man raised the knife and drove it into Arthur’s back.

"Urghhh!!"

Arthur’s body jerked forward, and a strangled cry escaped his throat as the blade penetrated his flesh.

For a moment, the entire throne room fell silent, and then chaos erupted.

Amon moved before he could even think about it, activating Spatial Steps and appearing beside the attacker in an instant.

His fist struck the man’s face with enough force to send him flying across the room, and the assassin crashed against the stone wall before collapsing onto the floor.

The impact knocked him unconscious, and the Knife of Eden slipped from his fingers as his body slid down the wall.

Amon barely glanced at him before turning toward Arthur, who was struggling to remain standing.

He caught the prince before he could fall, carefully lowered him to the floor, and watched as the young man’s breathing became increasingly ragged.

"Someone get a medic!" one of the nobles screamed.

"Call the royal physicians immediately!"

"Move aside! Give him room to breathe!"

The throne room descended into complete disorder as nobles rushed toward the wounded prince.

Some people shouted instructions, others stood frozen in shock, and a few hurried toward the doors to summon assistance.

Amon slowly stepped away as the crowd gathered around Arthur, allowing the royal physicians to reach him when they arrived.

Nobody seemed to pay attention to the small weapon lying near the wall, which gave Amon the opportunity he needed.

While everyone was distracted, he extended a thin Mana Thread toward the knife.

The thread curled around its handle and quietly pulled it across the polished floor, lifting the weapon into the air before guiding it toward Amon.

He concealed the movement behind the people crowding around the prince and stored the knife inside his spatial bracelet before anyone could notice.

[Item Stored: Knife of Eden]

Amon glanced at the notification before dismissing it, feeling a small sense of satisfaction despite the chaos unfolding around him.

’At least I got what I came for.’

Meanwhile, Queen Eleanor had remained strangely composed throughout the commotion.

She watched the royal physicians gather around her son before turning toward the unconscious man who had attacked him.

Without saying a word, she approached the fallen assassin and drew the sword at her waist.

The nearest guards barely had time to react before the queen swung her weapon.

Her blade flashed through the air, and the assassin’s head rolled across the floor.

Several nobles recoiled in horror, while others stared at the queen with expressions that revealed how little they understood her intentions.

Eleanor calmly wiped her sword before returning it to its sheath, showing no visible regret over what she had just done.

"Whatever that man intended to do, his actions have nothing to do with me," she declared coldly. "I will not accept responsibility for the crimes of some lunatic who decided to attack the Crown Prince."

Her gaze briefly settled on Amon, studying him with an blank expression, before she turned away.

The four men who had accompanied her followed closely as she walked out of the throne room, leaving the wounded prince and the frantic nobles behind.

Amon rubbed the back of his neck and looked toward Arthur. ’...Things are going to get complicated for this kingdom.’

Several hours later, Amon and Ragnar were walking out of the royal palace.

The Duke’s clothes were stained with Arthur’s blood, and he looked utterly exhausted as he rubbed his face with both hands.

"The queen is ruthless," Ragnar muttered. "I can’t believe she would allow someone to attempt to kill her own son, especially when the entire kingdom is watching."

Amon glanced at him. "That’s what a thirst for power does to people."

Ragnar gave him a sideways look before narrowing his eyes. "Speaking of obstacles, why didn’t you help the prince earlier? From where I was standing, you had a clear view of the assassin approaching him."

Amon shrugged, keeping his expression neutral. "I didn’t want to end up on the wrong side of the queen. The next ruler hasn’t been decided yet."

Ragnar studied him for a few seconds before releasing a tired sigh. "I suppose you made the right decision. Getting involved in a succession struggle without knowing how things will turn out is a good way to get yourself killed."

He glanced back toward the palace, where guards were hurrying through the entrance with increasingly grim expressions.

"Still, I doubt the queen will get away with this. The people supporting Arthur won’t simply forget what happened today, and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone attempted to assassinate her in retaliation."

Amon blinked. "You’re certain about that?"

"Of course. The people supporting the prince have just watched him get stabbed in front of the entire nobility."

Ragnar shook his head, looking increasingly irritated. "This kingdom is heading toward disaster."

He fell silent for a moment before turning toward Amon, his expression becoming serious.

"Enough about the succession. Tell me how many vampires you detected inside the palace."

Amon hesitated briefly before answering. "All the staff I passed, along with most of the soldiers I noticed. I also found one among the queen’s harem."

Ragnar stopped walking.

"Just as I feared," he muttered. "If that many vampires have infiltrated the palace, then this situation is far worse than I imagined."

He looked toward the royal buildings again, his expression darkening.

"Perhaps the queen is already cooperating with them."

Amon nodded slowly. "That’s possible. I can’t prove she’s involved, but having a vampire among her personal companions is certainly suspicious."

Ragnar remained silent for a while before turning back toward him. "Listen carefully, Amon. Whatever happens next, stay out of the kingdom’s political struggles. You’ve already attracted enough attention, and I don’t want you getting involved in another mess."

Amon nodded obediently. "Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning to."

Ragnar stared at him for several seconds, apparently trying to decide whether he believed that answer.

He sighed and pointed a finger at Amon.

"And don’t get any wrong ideas just because I called you my son-in-law earlier. I’m never giving you my daughter."

Amon chuckled but said nothing, knowing that arguing with the Duke would only make the situation worse.

’...We’ll see about that.’

----

By the time Amon returned to the Vale mansion, night had already fallen over the city.

Amon entered the mansion and made his way toward the living room, where the lights were still on.

Marielle Vale was sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed, a pair of glasses resting on her nose and several documents spread across the table.

The moment she noticed him, she closed the folder, stood up, and approached with a strangely eager expression.

"Good, you’re back. Let’s get this over with."

Amon stopped in his path and stared at her. ’...She’s really a pervert, isn’t she?’