Chapter 226: Past Life [1]

Amon parked his bike beside a restaurant a few streets away from his old academy.

Warm light spilled through its large windows, and a wooden sign hung above the entrance.

He removed his helmet and turned toward Ambrosia, who had been sitting behind him.

She stepped away from the bike and smoothed the wrinkles in her dress.

"Is this place alright?" Amon asked.

Ambrosia glanced at the restaurant and smiled. "Of course. It looks lovely."

"I thought you would like it."

She giggled, and they entered together.

A waiter greeted them and led them to a table in a quieter corner, where they could talk without raising their voices over the conversations around them.

Amon pulled out a chair for Ambrosia before sitting opposite her.

They looked through the menu, exchanging comments about the dishes, until the waiter left them alone.

"Are you going back to the capital tomorrow?" Ambrosia asked.

Amon nodded. "Yes. Classes start tomorrow, so I need to return before they begin."

Her expression barely changed, but the disappointment in her eyes was difficult to miss.

She lowered her gaze to the menu, running her fingers along its edge.

"When are you planning to return?" she asked after a pause.

He chuckled. "As soon as possible. I have a few things to take care of in the capital, but I’ll try not to stay away too long."

Ambrosia looked up, and a small smile returned to her face.

She tried to hide how much his answer pleased her, but the change in her eyes gave her away.

"Then we should enjoy our time together before you leave."

"That’s the plan," Amon replied. "You should also relax and enjoy yourself."

She laughed. "You make it sound as though I spend every waking moment working."

"Don’t you?"

Amon grinned when she couldn’t think of a convincing answer. "You’re getting too comfortable teasing me."

"Perhaps, but you haven’t complained enough to make me stop."

She shook her head with an amused smile. Soon, the waiter returned to take their order.

Amon chose a hearty meal, while Ambrosia ordered something lighter and a drink.

The waiter promised their food would arrive shortly.

While they waited, Amon rested his arms on the table. "By the way, have you given up on working as a public attorney?"

Ambrosia’s smile faded slightly. She glanced toward the window, searching for the right words.

"Not exactly. I still want to continue in that field, but I barely have enough time for everything."

Amon listened without interrupting.

He knew she wouldn’t abandon something important to her without a good reason, and her disappointment made it clear that stepping away from her former work hadn’t been easy.

He reached across the table and gently placed his hand over hers. "You did the right thing."

Ambrosia looked at him in surprise.

"There’s nothing wrong with wanting to help people," he continued, "but you can’t keep pushing yourself until you have nothing left to give. You’ve already done a lot for others."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

The simple reassurance seemed to ease some of the disappointment she’d been carrying, and she looked at him with genuine gratitude.

"If you want to return to that work someday, you can do it when you have more time. There’s no need to force yourself into it now."

Ambrosia turned her hand beneath his and held it, brushing her thumb across his fingers.

"Thank you, Amon. I think I needed to hear that."

He smiled. "Remember it the next time you work until midnight."

"I don’t do that every night."

"Of course not. Sometimes you work until one in the morning."

She playfully squeezed his hand, making him chuckle.

The waiter returned with their food, and they began eating, occasionally commenting on the dishes.

Halfway through, Ambrosia looked up. "Amon, have you thought about buying a house?"

He paused with his fork raised. "A house? Are you planning to move somewhere?"

She hesitated, looking down at her plate before shaking her head. "Not yet. I thought it might be good for you to have a place of your own, especially if you’re going to spend more time in the capital."

"I’ll secure a house soon," he said. "I was planning to look into it anyway, so don’t worry."

Ambrosia nodded, though she still looked concerned. "Just don’t stress yourself too much over it. You’re young, and you have plenty of time to build the life you want. You don’t need to rush everything."

"I’m living my life just fine."

"Really? What have you been doing to enjoy it?"

He smiled. "I’m sitting here having a meal with you. What more could I ask for?"

Ambrosia blinked, then lowered her head with a bashful smile. "You’re becoming quite the smooth talker."

"Must be a natural talent."

"Your confidence certainly is."

Amon laughed, and they continued eating. When they were nearly finished, Ambrosia asked, "Have you ever thought about leaving the kingdom?"

He looked at her. "Leaving the kingdom? What makes you think I’d do that?"

"Nothing in particular. It’s just my intuition. You seem like the type who can’t stay in one place for long. You’re always running around, getting involved in things, and finding something new to occupy your attention."

Amon chuckled. "Is that how I seem to you?"

"Am I wrong?"

"Honestly, I have no idea what I’ll do in the future," he admitted. "For now, I’ll focus on my studies and getting stronger. I’ll figure out the rest when the time comes."

Ambrosia nodded and returned to her meal, but Amon’s thoughts began to wander.

He could already imagine the strange places he might see and the trouble he would inevitably find along the way.

Traveling to other kingdoms wouldn’t be a bad idea.

There were countless places he hadn’t explored, powerful people he hadn’t met, and opportunities he couldn’t discover by staying in one city.

Traveling across the continent with his wives, exploring unfamiliar lands and dungeons together, sounded appealing.

However, that would have to wait until he was strong enough to handle whatever trouble they encountered.

He had no intention of taking his wives on a journey only to discover that some powerhouse could kill them with a careless wave of his hand.

Before leaving the kingdom, he wanted to be able to protect himself and everyone accompanying him.

I’ll travel when I’m ready. There’s no point rushing into something that could put everyone in danger.

He looked at Ambrosia, who noticed his gaze.

"What happened?" she asked. "You look as though you’ve remembered something unpleasant."

He smiled. "Nothing. I was just thinking."

Ambrosia narrowed her eyes playfully. "That doesn’t sound reassuring."

"Then it’s a good thing you don’t have to worry about it."

They let the conversation drift toward lighter topics until they finished their meal.

They left the restaurant a little later, greeted by an night breeze and the steady flow of people along the street.

Amon stretched his arms. "That was a good meal. I might have to come here again."

"Only because you ordered enough food for two people," Ambrosia replied with a laugh.

"That’s an exaggeration. I ordered a perfectly reasonable amount."

She gave him a doubtful look before glancing toward the nearby shops.

"I want some ice cream."

"Now?"

She nodded. "There’s a shop nearby. We can go there before heading home."

Amon glanced toward his bike and reached for his keys, but Ambrosia pointed down the street.

"It’s close enough to walk. We don’t need the bike."

Amon put his keys away.

They walked side by side through the busier streets, passing shopkeepers arranging their displays.

The ice cream shop was small but inviting, with a glass display full of flavors and a few tables along the wall.

Amon noticed a couple sharing a cone near the doorway and stepped aside to let them pass.

"What would you like?" Amon asked.

Ambrosia studied the display before choosing a flavor. Amon picked one for himself, paid, and collected both cups.

"Here you go."

She accepted hers with a smile. "Thank you."

Ambrosia took a spoonful, and her expression brightened with satisfaction.

Amon watched her for a moment.

She seemed more relaxed than she had been at the construction site, with the tension in her shoulders easing as she enjoyed the simple treat.

As she took another bite, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"Your husband..." he began softly.

Ambrosia paused with the spoon near her mouth and turned toward him.

Amon held her gaze for a moment before asking, "Do you still love Gordon?"