"You ntioned having sothing for ," Grim said finally, his back still to Liona, his grip on Echo’s hilt white-knuckled.
The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Grim could hear Liona rise from her seat, her footsteps soft as she approached him. He tensed further, unsure of what to expect.
"Yes," she said, her voice closer now. "Sothing that was given to by my mother."
Grim didn’t turn, afraid of what emotions might betray him if he faced her now. The revelation of her engagent to Max Luminaris had shaken him in ways he hadn’t anticipated, stirring feelings he didn’t think he had.
"You have no idea how painful it was," Liona continued, her voice softer. "When word ca that your body was burned to a crisp..." She paused, and Grim could hear the emotion in her voice. "I didn’t believe it at first. I couldn’t. I waited for news.... any news.... that you had escaped."
[She’s closer now,] the voice observed unnecessarily. Grim could feel her presence just behind him.
"I cried for years, Grim," she admitted. "At the thought of you gone forever. I lit morial lanterns every year on the anniversary."
To his shock, he felt her forehead co to rest against his back, between his shoulder blades. The simple contact sent a jolt through his body.
"I know you must think foolish," she whispered against his shirt. "But I can’t help being happy that you’re safe now. Even with everything that’s happened, even with... what’s to co. I just want you to be careful so you don’t actually die this ti."
Grim remained frozen, torn between pulling away and turning to face her. The voice was uncharacteristically silent, as if observing his internal struggle with unusual interest.
"Your life is only just beginning again," Liona said. "Please don’t throw it away in pursuit of vengeance."
He felt her shift, moving around to face him. She stood close, too close, her eyes searching his face. Before he could react, she reached for sothing around her neck, pulling out a chain that had been hidden in her dress.
"This belongs to you," she said, lifting the chain over her head. "Your birthright."
Dangling from the chain was a key. Grim knew what this was instantly.
"How did you...?" he began, shock montarily overriding all other emotions.
"I convinced my mother to give it to ," Liona explained, placing the chain and key in his palm and closing his fingers around it. "
The key felt warm in his hand, resonating slightly with his mana as if recognizing its rightful owner.
"With this," Liona continued, "you can reclaim what’s rightfully yours. I saw the vault."
Grim stared at the key, its weight in his hand both familiar and strange. It represented a significant step toward his ultimate goal.
"Thank you," he said, his voice rough with suppressed emotion. He cleared his throat. "You should leave now."
Liona blinked, caught off guard by his abrupt shift. "Grim, I..."
"It’s late," he cut her off, stepping back to create distance between them. "We wouldn’t want your fiancé thinking you desire another man’s company by staying so late."
The words ca out sharper than he’d intended, edged with a bitterness he hadn’t ant to reveal. Liona’s expression shifted, a flash of hurt quickly masked by royal composure.
"Of course," she said, her voice cooler now. "I wish you luck in the tournant, Lord Van Ambrose."
The formality stung, but Grim rely nodded, watching as she gathered herself and moved toward the door. Sera appeared as if summoned by so silent signal, ready to escort the princess out.
At the threshold, Liona paused, looking back at him. For a mont, her mask slipped, revealing a glimpse of the girl he’d once known. "Be careful, Grim. Please."
Then she was gone.
[That was... intense,] the voice finally comnted after the sound of hoofbeats announced Liona’s departure from the estate grounds.
"It was," Grim agreed, turning the key over in his fingers, watching how the strange tal caught the light.
[The princess’s presence affected you strongly. This could be problematic for your focus.]
"It doesn’t matter," Grim said firmly. "None of it matters. Her engagent, our past..... It’s irrelevant." He lifted the key, watching how it seed to pulse with inner light when he channeled a trace of mana into it. "What matters is that I now have what I need."
[Indeed. Though I wonder...]
"Wonder what?" Grim asked, slipping the chain around his neck, feeling the key co to rest against his chest.
[Why the Empress would allow her daughter to marry into House Luminaris, knowing what they did to your family.]
"Yes I wonder why that’s the case. But I wonder who else is responsible."
He moved to the window, watching the distant lanterns of Liona’s carriage disappear into the night. The Ambrose vault key hung heavy against his chest.
"I never thought I’d recover this so easily," he murmured. "I expected it would take winning the tournant to gain enough leverage."
[This is a significant developnt,] the voice noted. [Gaining Sunfire and Luna back would help significantly in your revenge.]
Sera returned to the room, her eyes still fixed on the key around Grim’s neck. "Will there be anything else tonight, Master Grim?"
He turned from the window. "Yes. I want you to find workers to begin repairs on the estate imdiately."
Sera’s expression faltered. "Master Grim, I’m afraid that would require significant funds that we... well, that we simply don’t have. What little was released upon your return barely covers our current expenses."
Grim smiled. "We have more than enough money, Sera."
He went behind a desk, lifting a heavy chest that had been hidden. He placed it on the desk and opened the lid.
Sera gasped. The chest was filled with imperial coins, coins that glead in the lamplight.
"There’s over 30,000 imperial coins here," Grim said, running his fingers along one of the stacks.
"Master Grim," Sera’s voice was barely above a whisper, "how did you possibly...?"
"Lord Terras owed 10,000 from a bet we made twelve years ago," Grim explained, amusent touching his voice. "He was quite surprised when I collected, but an Ambrose always collects what’s his."
"And the rest?" Sera asked, still staring at the fortune before her.
"I placed a bet on myself in the tournant. 10,000 imperial coins that I would win despite the poison." His smile took on a harder edge. "The odds were quite favorable. Espcially when a large amount of money was bet against ."
Sera’s expression shifted from shock to sothing approaching disapproval. "You knew you were poisoned before the match? You deliberately fought while...."
"I suspected," Grim corrected her. "And it proved a profitable suspicion. The house took my bet just before I entered the arena. They were quite confident in their... investnt."
"Start with the garden renovations," Grim instructed, closing the chest. "Then the exterior. I want House Ambrose to be restored."
Sera nodded, though concern still lingered in her eyes. "As you wish, Master Grim. I’ll begin arrangents tomorrow."
As she turned to leave, Grim added, "And Sera? Have the gate reinforced as well. I suspect we may have more uninvited visitors in the coming days."
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