The World Is Mine For The Taking

"…Mammon?"

Amon's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard.

Mammon?

The name struck me and confusion started to spark in my mind. Why would Elise call her that?

But Elise quickly shook her head, her voice shifting.

"No… you're younger. Much younger than the Mammon I know. You're not her. You're… her missing daughter, aren't you?"

My eyes flicked immediately toward Amon.

For a moment, she looked stunned with her expression betraying her surprise. But just as quickly, she calmed herself, composure returning to her features.

"I believe Mammon is my mother's name, yes," Amon said slowly. "And yes… I am Mammon's daughter."

"I see…" Elise whispered, her tone more measured now. "Then would you accompany me back to the demon continent?"

"No."

Amon's answer came instantly, sharp and without hesitation.

Elise frowned. "Why?"

"I am in service to Master," Amon said, her voice unwavering. "Naturally, that means I must always remain by his side. I'm sorry, Mistress, but I cannot follow you."

There was no malice in her words—just firm loyalty and a quiet note of regret.

I looked between the two of them, feeling the tension that hung in the air like a heavy curtain. "Something like this shouldn't be discussed in the hallway. Let's head into the garden and talk properly."

"Affirmative," Amon replied, bowing her head.

Elise gave a small nod as well.

The three of us walked into the garden together, the air cooler outside, the soft sound of leaves rustling above us.

I sat down at the round table, Elise settling across from me. Amon, however, remained standing behind me, her posture straight and composed.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked softly.

"You can sit instead, Amon. You're the one we need to talk about," I told her.

"I see…" she replied, her eyes lowering. Then she bowed slightly. "Well then, if you'll excuse me." She moved to take a seat, her movements elegant yet careful.

At that moment, Maya—who had been waiting quietly near the garden door—stepped forward. Without needing to be asked, she began preparing teas and coffees for us, the faint aroma already drifting into the morning air.

With that, the conversation slowly carried on.

"First of all…" I leaned in a little, looking straight at Elise. "How do you even know about this Mammon person, Elise? And more importantly, how did you find out that Amon is her daughter?"

Elise let out a small breath, her expression softening, almost as if she was reminiscing about something far in the past. "Mammon is a long-time friend of mine," she said quietly, her tone steady but carrying a trace of warmth. "She once took care of me when I needed it the most. She told me she had a missing daughter that she desperately wanted me to find. Honestly, at the time, I thought the girl would have ended up in an auction block somewhere… or rotting away in some slave market." Elise's eyes narrowed slightly. "Mammon said her daughter had been kidnapped by a group of slavers, and ever since then, she hadn't been able to find her. I was completely at a loss on where to even begin. So I decided to go looking for her in auctions, visiting slave markets, hoping to catch even the smallest bit of information… but every time, I ended up with nothing."

Her voice grew softer, but there was a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips. "But thankfully, fate wasn't completely cruel. I did find her. And she seemed… to have been in good hands. The very moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew it that she was the daughter of Mammon. I mean, her resemblance was far too strong for it to be anything else."

"I see…" I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

And really, that story lined up with the fragments of history I already knew. The memory of when I first encountered Amon came rushing back with her small frame locked up in chains, shoved together with countless other slaves. The sight of it had made my blood boil, and without hesitation, I cut those slavers down. One by one, their lives ended beneath my blade, and in the aftermath, the captives were freed.

But Amon was different. While the others left to seek their freedom, she refused. She stood her ground, insisting she wanted to stay with me instead. At first, it caught me off guard, but in the end, I didn't reject her. And from that moment forward, she remained by my side and she was loyal beyond measure.

More than that, she was the one who managed to build up the corporation that would later become Leonamon. Because of her brilliance and relentless effort, we reached the level of success we now stood upon. Without her, things might have turned out very differently.

And… she was also the very first woman I had ever been with.

In my past life, I was a virgin. That much was true. There was almost something with a woman back on Earth, a relationship that teetered on the edge of being physical, but it never crossed that line before I died. Amon… she was the first to cross that threshold with me.

"So…" I turned toward her, watching her expression closely. "Amon… have you ever thought about going back to her? Even just once? Because from the way it sounds, your mother was truly worried about you."

Amon's eyes flickered, but her voice was calm, firm and unwavering. "I think Mother would understand my position as I am now. The entire point of being a demon servant is to serve their master. That is my purpose. And I believe she would understand that." She shook her head, not even a trace of hesitation in her tone. "Which is why… I'm not going back home."

There was no doubt in her voice. She wasn't saying it to convince herself... she truly meant it.

"Well, I get what you're saying," I admitted, though a part of me still felt uneasy about it. "But even so, I think you should visit her at least once. Just once, to tell her you're doing fine. It's been three long years since the two of you last saw each other, right? For all you know, she might be thinking it's impossible to ever see you again. Don't you think you should give her that much? Some kind of closure, at least." I paused, then added with a small nod, "If you want, I'll come with you."

Her eyes softened, the steel in them briefly melting into something warmer. And then she spoke, her words simple but carrying a weight of resolve. "If you put it that way… then I would."