Chapter 217: Returning Home

Amon sat in his room, leaning back in his chair as he played with the Knife of Eden between his fingers.

The weapon was smaller, with a narrow blade that reflected the lamplight whenever he tilted it.

Now that he had some privacy, he decided to use Merchant’s Divine Insight to learn more about the weapon.

A faint shimmer passed through his eyes, and a system screen appeared before him.

[Knife of Eden]

[Grade: Unknown]

[Actual Value: Unknown]

[Description: An ancient weapon of God possessing the ability to damage the soul of its target. Its origins and true capabilities remain unknown.]

Amon’s fingers stopped moving.

His gaze lingered on the words describing its ability to damage the soul, and he slowly turned the knife over to examine its blade from another angle.

’...Maybe that’s why the queen used it to attack the prince.’

If the blade could damage someone’s soul, then even a failed assassination attempt might have consequences far worse than a physical wound.

Arthur might survive the attack, but that didn’t necessarily mean he would escape unharmed.

Amon leaned back and stared at the ceiling. ’...That woman is really ruthless.’

Even if Eleanor hadn’t personally ordered the attack, the fact that such a thing happened was already suspicious.

Considering how quickly she had executed the assassin, Amon couldn’t help wondering if she had intended to silence him before he could reveal anything.

He eventually placed the knife on his desk and reached into his spatial bracelet again, retrieving the other item he had received from the system.

Eden’s Broken Sword appeared in his hand.

The weapon was a long sword with a broken blade.

A mysterious sigil had been carved into the remaining metal.

The hilt bore the image of a massive tree with branches spreading toward the edges of the guard.

Amon examined the design carefully, running his thumb along the tree-shaped mark without touching the damaged edge.

’...Did this sword belong to some ancient king or something?’

Judging by its craftsmanship, the weapon had clearly been made by someone who understood both aesthetics and practicality.

Amon let out a sigh and placed the sword beside the Knife of Eden, comparing the two items while trying to find some connection between them.

The system had explicitly stated that the sword’s true potential couldn’t be unlocked without the knife, which meant the two weapons were related in some way.

"How the hell am I supposed to fix this thing?" he muttered.

[The system will assist the host in repairing Eden’s Broken Sword once the necessary conditions have been fulfilled.]

Amon stared at the notification before breaking into a chuckle.

"Of course you will. You give me a broken sword and then tell me you’ll help me fix it. How generous."

The system didn’t respond to his sarcasm, and the notification disappeared after a few seconds.

Amon shook his head, picked up both weapons, and returned them to his spatial bracelet.

After turning off the lamp, he dropped onto his bed and pulled the blanket over himself.

’...I’ll deal with all this tomorrow.’

Within a few minutes, his thoughts grew hazy, and he eventually fell asleep.

----

The following morning, Amon took a bath before heading downstairs, where he found Seraphina and Marielle sitting in the living room.

Seraphina noticed him first and immediately stood up, walking over with a smile before wrapping her arms around him.

"Are you doing alright? I was worried about you yesterday."

Amon returned the hug, resting his chin lightly against the top of her head as he held her close.

"I’m better than ever. You don’t need to worry about me."

Seraphina looked up at him, studying his face for a moment as though searching for signs of injury.

Apparently satisfied with what she saw, she smiled and hugged him again before finally letting go.

Marielle watched their interaction from the sofa, resting one arm along its back.

"Since you’re both awake, I should remind you that today is a holiday. There are no classes, so you can do whatever you want."

Amon nodded as he walked toward the sofa. "I know that."

He sat down, and Seraphina immediately took the seat beside him, moving close enough that their shoulders touched.

Amon glanced toward Marielle, who had returned to examining something on her phone, before asking her a question.

"Are you going to the king’s funeral?"

Marielle looked up and shook her head. "No. I’d rather spend the day doing something useful than listen to a bunch of snobby nobles pretending they cared about the king."

Amon nodded in agreement, leaning back against the cushions.

’...She’s not wrong. Those nobles really are snobby.’

After everything he had witnessed inside the palace, the thought of attending a funeral surrounded by people who were already plotting against one another held little appeal.

He had more important things to worry about than watching nobles exchange fake condolences.

He turned toward Seraphina instead. "What about you? Do you have any plans for today?"

"I was thinking about visiting Elira," she replied. "I wanted to check how she’s doing after everything that happened."

Amon nodded, seeing no reason to object. "That sounds good. You should go and enjoy yourself."

He leaned farther back on the sofa, allowing himself a few moments of peace before remembering something he had been putting off.

’...I should take Sidney to a dungeon soon.’

He had promised to help her awaken.

If he waited too long, she might start training on her own or become frustrated watching everyone else grow stronger.

Amon turned toward Marielle. "Can I use the teleportation portal today?"

Marielle nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. If you want to go home. You should be able to return tomorrow morning without any trouble."

Seraphina immediately looked at him. "Are you going back to visit your family?"

Amon nodded. "I want to make sure they’re safe."

Seraphina pouted slightly, clearly unhappy that he would be leaving so soon, but she didn’t try to stop him.

Amon gently patted her head, feeling a little guilty about leaving her behind.

"I’ll be back tomorrow. You can spend today with Elira, and I’ll make it up to you when I return."

Seraphina looked up at him with a small smile. "You’d better."

Marielle stood and adjusted her clothes before walking toward the hallway.

"Come on, then. I’ll take you to the portal before I change my mind and make you pay a transportation fee."

Amon laughed as he rose from the sofa, then turned toward Seraphina and pulled her into another brief hug.

He kissed her forehead before stepping away, giving her a reassuring smile.

"I’ll see you tomorrow. Take care of yourself, alright?"

"You too," she replied, holding his hand for a moment before reluctantly releasing it.

Amon followed Marielle toward the teleportation chamber, but just before they reached the door, she spoke without looking back at him.

"By the way, I’m not going to play an unfair game. I won’t count tonight as part of our bet."

Amon stopped for a moment before grinning at her back. ’...She’s really a pervert.’

"How considerate of you, Aunt Marielle. I didn’t know you cared so much about fairness."

Marielle turned her head just enough to give him a warning look. "Don’t push your luck, Amon."

He chuckled and followed her into the chamber, where the teleportation platform waited beneath its faintly glowing runes.

A short while later, the portal activated, and the familiar sensation of space twisting around him swallowed his surroundings.

Amon appeared in the Vale mansion in his city and walked out.

Felicia wasn’t at home so he returned back to his apartment.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his clothes, and reached for the handle, feeling a small sense of relief at finally being back home.

’I really hope, Ambrosia won’t stop my advances now.’

He opened the door and stepped inside. "I’m home!"