Reborn as the Last van Ambrose-Chapter 87: Try Harder Next Time

As night fell over the Ambrose estate, Grim found himself back in the study, staring up at the portrait of his great-grandfather.

Huangyan sat across from him, her hands now clean of blood but her expression still carrying that unnerving detachment. Chen Xing had excused himself to patrol the grounds, ensuring no more unwelcome visitors would surprise them.

"You claim to have known my great-grandfather," Grim said finally, breaking the silence. "Yet you’ve offered no proof beyond knowledge that could have been acquired elsewhere."

"What proof would satisfy you?" Huangyan asked, her amber eyes reflecting the firelight. "Would you have me recite the seven forms of the Silver Crescent style?"

"That’s a start," he conceded. "But it doesn’t explain how a half-elf became the student of a man known for his ruthlessness toward your kind."

A shadow passed over Huangyan’s face. "Not all stories begin as tales of honor, Lord Ambrose. Mine began in chains."

She rolled up her sleeve, revealing a thin band of scarred tissue around her wrist. "I was born to an elven father and a human mother on the borders of the Demon Lands. My mother died when I was young. My father’s people never accepted me. Half-breeds are viewed with less than trash. It was Elves who tooke me away from my father."

Grim’s expression remained cold, but he didn’t interrupt.

"I was purchased by a noble. For five years, I served in his household, until the estate was raided. Your great-grandfather led that raid." Her eyes drifted to the portrait. "The noble and his guards were slaughtered. The slaves were to be executed as well."

"Caius wasn’t known for his mercy," Grim remarked.

"No, he wasn’t," Huangyan agreed. "But when the soldiers came for me, I fought back. With a kitchen knive i killed three imperial soldiers before they subdued me."

A hint of pride crept into her voice, and for a moment, Grim could almost see the desperate young woman she must have been.

"Instead of executing me, Caius offered a choice: die there or come with him and learn to direct that ferocity with purpose. I chose to live."

"Eventually, I studied under Yongrun, which is how I know of Chen Xing."

Grim’s brow furrowed. "Yongrun never mentioned you."

"Yongrun was discreet. He took students from many backgrounds. I was lucky enough that he taught me the Fire Heart Sword Dao."

Grim’s ingrained distrust of Elves made him uncomfortable while looking at Huangyan.

"If what you say is true, why reveal yourself now? Why not when I first returned to the capital?"

"Luna," Huangyan said simply. "When you drew her against Talyra, I knew it was time. Luna is not merely a sword, Lord Ambrose. She has chosen you, as she once chose Caius."

"You speak as if the blade has a will of its own."

"All great weapons do, in their way." Huangyan’s gaze was steady. "I can help you understand her. But only if you’re willing to accept help from someone with elven blood."

Grim stood, pacing before the fireplace. Everything in him rebelled at the idea of trusting someone connected tinthe Elves.

"I need allies," he said. The admission bitter on his tongue. "But understand this, if I find your lying, I’ll make sure you share the same fate as Talyra. "

Huangyan nodded, unperturbed by the threat. "I expect nothing less from Caius’s heir." She rose smoothly. "Now, you should rest."

As she moved to leave, Grim called after her: "What did he see in you? Caius, I mean. Why spare a half-elf?"

Huangyan paused at the door. "He told me once that talent doesn’t recognize bloodlines. That hatred is a useful tool, but a terrible master." A small, sad smile touched her lips. "Perhaps in time, you’ll understand what he meant."

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Morning light streamed through the tall windows of the Luminaris training hall. Sweat glistened on Max’s brow as he completed his sixty-seventh repetition.

Mira watched from the doorway, her expression a mixture of pride and concern. "You’ve been at it since dawn," she observed, stepping into the hall. "The match isn’t until this afternoon."

Max stopped his training. "Grim Van Ambrose won’t be defeated by anything less than perfection," he replied, accepting the towel she offered.

"What he did to Talyra..." Mira began, her voice dropping. "Max, I’m worried. He showed no restraint, no honor."

"He showed his true nature," Max corrected her. "A savage dressed in noble clothing. Father was right about him all along."

Mira frowned. "Perhaps. But don’t underestimate him."

"I’m not Talyra," Max said confidently. "And unlike her, I know exactly what I’m facing."

The door to the training hall opened, admitting their father. Julius Luminaris looked immaculate as always, but there was a tightness around his eyes that suggested a sleepless night.

"The council is in disarray," he announced without preamble. "Half of them want to censure Ambrose for his display in the arena, while the others are calling him a hero for exposing an infiltrator."

"And the Empress?" Mira asked.

"Inscrutable as ever." Julius said as he watched Max resume his training. "Have we received any word from our... associates?"

Mira shook her head. "Nothing since they departed last night."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Julius’s face. "Unreliable. I expected a report by dawn." freewёbnoνel.com

A servant entered, bowing low. "My lord, a package has arrived for you. The messenger said it was urgent."

He presented an ornate wooden box, intricately carved with the imperial seal and tied with a simple string. Julius took it, assuming it to be from the council.

"Finally, some information," he muttered, pulling the string loose and lifting the lid.

His expression froze. The blood drained from his face as he stared at the contents, then recoiled, dropping the box to the floor. It landed with a sickening thud, its grisly contents partially spilling out.

Four severed ears, still crusted with dried blood, lay amid scented wood shavings. Atop them, a small note: "Try Harder Next Time."

Mira gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Max stopped mid-strike, his sword lowering as he stared at the grotesque delivery.

"Father?" he asked, his confident demeanor faltering.

Julius said nothing for a long moment, staring at the severed ears with a mixture of shock and dawning fury. Then, deliberately, he closed the box and handed it back to the bewildered servant.

"Have this disposed of," he ordered, his voice unnaturally calm. "Discreetly."

When the servant had gone, Julius turned to his children, his face now composed but his eyes burning with cold rage.

"It seems we’ve underestimated Lord Ambrose," he said quietly. "He’s not merely a sword-wielding brute."

"The assassins," Mira whispered. "He killed them all?"

"Looks that way."

Max gripped his sword tighter. "I’ll make him pay in the arena today."

"House Luminaris has protected this Empire for generations. I will not allow an upstart from a disgraced house to threaten everything we’ve built."

"Grim Van Ambrose is more than an upstart," Mira warned. "The way he killed Talyra, he’s a savage."

"Caius Van Ambrose was a terror in his day," Julius acknowledged. "But even terrors can be put down when they become too much of a threat."

Max resumed his training, his movements now sharper, more aggressive.

Julius watched his son with a calculating expression. "Yes, you will face him. But I will no longer leave anything to chance when it comes to House Ambrose."

As her father and brother focused on the upcoming match, Mira stared at the closed door through which the servant had taken the box. Something in Grim’s message had shaken her more than she cared to admit. Not just its brutality, but its clarity of purpose.