The final bell eventually rang, signaling the end of classes.
Amon packed his belongings and stood from his seat, only to be stopped by one of the students near the door.
"Hey, Amon."
Amon looked over his shoulder.
The student hesitated before asking the question that had clearly been bothering him.
"What’s your relationship with Senior Seraphina?"
Several students nearby immediately became interested.
Amon sighed inwardly. ’...I was expecting these types of questions sooner or later.’
"We’re just friends."
He didn’t give them any opportunity to ask another question.
Amon simply walked past them and left the classroom.
Behind him, the whispers immediately started again.
Amon walked through the academy’s entrance while thinking about his plans for the evening.
He needed to be back home, change his clothes, and get ready before meeting Seraphina at five.
’I’ll probably have to search through several stores.’
Finding something suitable for her mother wasn’t going to be easy.
He had only taken a few steps when a familiar blue screen suddenly appeared in front of him.
Amon stopped. "...Another quest?"
He opened the notification and read through it.
╔══════════════════════════════╗
[ SYSTEM QUEST ]
╚══════════════════════════════╝
[Quest: The Dungeon Anomaly]
[Objective:]
Investigate the recent increase in newly formed dungeons and discover the reason behind the phenomenon.
[Time Limit: 6 Months]
[Reward:]
Divine-Grade Item
Divine-Grade Cultivation
Achievement: Hero
[Failure Penalty:]
[None]
[Additional Information:]
The reason behind the increase in dungeon activity may have consequences for the future of the world.
Amon stared at the screen for several seconds.
His expression slowly became serious.
’What the hell?’
He had expected the System to give him quests related to becoming stronger, but this was completely different.
The increasing number of dungeons had already caught the attention of the Adventure Bureau and Walton Academy.
But why would the System specifically ask him to investigate it?
’And where am I supposed to even start?’
He didn’t know what caused dungeons to appear in the first place.
He didn’t even know whether the increase was natural or caused by someone.
Amon rubbed his forehead. ’This is way above my level.’
Still, the reward was Divine-Grade items.
That alone made the quest difficult to ignore.
Amon eventually closed the screen. ’I’ll look into it when I have the time.’
There was no point worrying about something he currently had no way of investigating.
He continued walking toward home after accepting the quest.
Amon eventually reached his apartment and opened the door.
"I’m back."
He expected the apartment to be empty, but a familiar voice came from the living room.
"Welcome back."
Amon stopped and slowly looked toward the sofa.
Ambrosia was sitting there with a gentle smile on her face.
"...You’re home?" he asked, partially believing that he was seeing things.
Ambrosia nodded. "I finally got some free time."
Amon placed his bag down and looked at her curiously. "How?"
She smiled slightly. "A few of my cases were settled."
Amon’s interest immediately increased. "That happened pretty suddenly."
Ambrosia nodded.
"It did." She leaned back against the sofa before continuing. "Apparently, someone managed to scam Daniel Edinburgh."
Amon froze for half a second, trying to remember who he was. "...Daniel Edinburgh?"
Ambrosia nodded. "The father of the Duke of Edinburgh."
Amon’s expression remained calm; however, his mind went completely blank.
’Fuck. No, wait, there is no way that old man was him. I’m just overthinking.’
Ambrosia continued without noticing his reaction. "Apparently, whoever did it made him extremely angry."
She sighed. "The Duke became so furious that he threatened several people involved in the cases against him."
Amon raised an eyebrow. "What did he do?"
"He gave them a choice."
Ambrosia’s expression became somewhat helpless.
"Either take a reasonable amount of money and drop the cases, or..." She paused. "Die."
Amon stared at her. ’That escalated quickly.’
The city they lived in was under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Because of that, many of the legal cases involving dungeon casualties and related incidents were directed toward the Duke’s administration.
If the Duke decided to interfere, very few people could realistically oppose him.
Amon frowned. "Can someone really do something like that?"
Ambrosia gave him a strange look. "Who is going to stop him?"
Amon became silent. Her point was pretty valid.
The Duke was one of the most powerful figures in the region.
Amon scratched his cheek before asking casually. "So who was the idiot that tried to scam the Duke’s father?"
Ambrosia shrugged.
"I have no idea." She smiled faintly. "But whoever it was made a very foolish mistake."
Amon’s expression became slightly stiff.
’Definitely a foolish mistake. But there is no way that’s me.’
He quickly changed the subject by looking toward the kitchen.
However, Ambrosia’s eyes remained on him.
After several seconds, she smiled. "You look different."
Amon looked back at her. "What do you mean?"
Ambrosia studied him carefully. "Every time I see you, you look a little better than before."
Her eyes moved across his face and body. "You’ve lost so much weight, and somehow you seem healthier."
Amon smiled faintly as he walked toward the sofa.
"I’ve been working on myself." He clenched his fist lightly. "Trying to become better."
Ambrosia’s expression softened.
"I’m glad."
She stood from the sofa and walked toward him.
For a moment, Amon thought she was simply going to say something.
Instead, Ambrosia opened her arms and tried to hug him.
Amon immediately took a step backward.
Ambrosia’s arms stopped in midair as the smile on her face slowly disappeared.
Amon noticed the change in her expression and felt a slight pang of guilt, but he didn’t move closer.
"I’m sorry." He looked away. "I think I will..."
Ambrosia remained silent for several seconds. "It’s okay."
Her voice was gentle, but there was a faint sadness hidden beneath it.
Amon nodded. "Thanks."
He picked up his bag and walked toward his room.
Once the door closed behind him, Amon leaned against it and released a long breath.
He didn’t hate Ambrosia. He simply didn’t want to become too close to her.
Every time he saw her, memories of that night and everything surrounding Gordon’s death became harder to ignore.
He was afraid that if he allowed himself to become emotionally attached, he might eventually do something he would regret.
’Distance is better.’
Amon closed his eyes for a moment before pushing himself away from the door.
He opened his wardrobe and began searching for something suitable to wear.
He had a date to prepare for, and this time...
’I have to find a birthday present for my mother-in-law.’