Reborn as the Last van Ambrose
Chapter 214: Another Kiss
CHAPTER 214: ANOTHER KISS
The great hall buzzed with subdued conversation as guests processed what they had just witnessed.
Jin Wei had been carried away by Colere medical attendants, his broken arm already beginning to swell despite their immediate care.
The improvised arena had been hastily cleared, but the atmosphere of celebration had been irreparably damaged.
"That was... excessive," Lord Commander Harrison muttered to his aide, his military training allowing him to appreciate the skill while being disturbed by the brutality. "The boy had yielded clearly."
"Indeed," his aide replied quietly. "Lord Ambrose seemed aggressive. More aggressive than his reputation would suggest."
Similar conversations were taking place throughout the hall as various factions tried to process the implications of what they had observed.
Some guests appeared genuinely disturbed by the unnecessary violence, while others seemed to view it as a demonstration of strength that commanded respect.
"A most impressive display," Duke Ravencrest was saying to his companions, though his tone carried uncertainty. "House Ambrose has clearly regained its martial prowess."
"Regained?" Lord Orvannis replied with concern. "There was something almost predatory about his behavior."
Near the refreshment tables, Ambassador Lín was engaged in urgent conversation with his remaining delegation members. The injury had clearly shaken the normally composed diplomat.
"Jin Wei’s arm will heal," he was saying, though his voice carried barely controlled anger, "but the political implications of this incident are significant. Such brutality toward a yielding opponent suggests either poor training or deliberate cruelty."
"Perhaps we should reconsider our assessment of potential alliance with the Empire," one of his advisors suggested quietly.
"Perhaps we should," Lín agreed grimly.
Meanwhile, the marriage candidates had gathered in their own informal group, each processing what Grim’s display meant for their respective strategies.
"Well," Mira said with forced lightness, "that certainly demonstrated his abilities for anyone who wasn’t at the tournament."
"That wasn’t ability," Lianna replied with obvious concern. "That was something else entirely. Grim has never been unnecessarily cruel. Something’s wrong."
"Wrong how?" Liona asked, though her own expression suggested she shared Lianna’s concerns.
"He didn’t respond when the opponent yielded," Lianna explained. "In all the years I’ve known him, he’s never gone that far to someone who hasn’t wronged him."
"People change," Mira observed, though she seemed less certain than her words suggested. "Perhaps his experiences have hardened him."
"Perhaps," Ruxi interjected with apparent satisfaction, "he’s finally embracing his true nature. Power without the willingness to use it decisively is meaningless."
The other three women turned to stare at her, their expressions reflecting varying degrees of shock and disapproval.
"You approve of what just happened?" Liona asked with imperial coldness.
"I approve of strength," Ruxi replied unapologetically. "Your friend demonstrated that he won’t be constrained. That’s valuable in a partner."
"That’s concerning in a partner," Lianna countered hotly. "What happens when that lack of restraint is directed at family? At allies?"
"It won’t be," Ruxi said with confidence that suggested knowledge the others lacked. "He understands the difference between enemies and those under his protection."
Before the conversation could continue, Chen Xing approached their group with the diplomatic urgency that marked crisis management.
"Ladies," he said with a respectful bow, "I wonder if I might suggest that Lord Ambrose could benefit from perspective on this evening’s events. Perhaps familiar voices could help him process what has occurred."
"You want us to talk to him?" Lianna asked.
"I think someone should," Chen Xing replied carefully. "The political ramifications of tonight’s demonstration will require careful handling. Lord Ambrose may need guidance from those who understand both his nature and the broader implications."
"Where is he now?" Liona inquired.
"In his private study," Chen Xing replied. "Though I should warn you—he seems... different since the fight. More volatile than usual."
As the women considered this request, Grim himself was indeed in his study, staring out the window at the garden. The dark mana continued to pulse through his body, and he found himself replaying the moment when Jin Wei’s arm had snapped with satisfaction that disturbed him.
[That was not you,] Caius said with growing urgency. [The corruption is changing more than your abilities—it’s changing your nature.]
"Is that necessarily bad?" Grim asked, though he was unsure whether the question came from his own thoughts or from the dark influence.
[Yes,] Caius replied without hesitation. [A man who takes pleasure in unnecessary cruelty is not a man worthy of the power you carry.]
"And what if cruelty is sometimes necessary?" Grim countered. "What if showing mercy to enemies is what destroyed our family in the first place?"
[There is a difference between decisive action and sadistic violence. What you did tonight crossed that line.]
Before Grim could respond to his great-grandfather’s spirit, a soft knock at the study door interrupted his internal debate.
"Enter," he called.
To his surprise, it was Ruxi who entered, her golden eyes immediately assessing his condition with the perceptiveness that marked her supernatural nature.
"You look... unsettled," she observed, closing the door behind her to ensure privacy.
"The evening has been eventful," Grim replied carefully.
"Indeed it has," Ruxi agreed, moving closer with that predatory grace that characterized all her movements. "Though I thought your demonstration was quite effective."
"Effective?"
"In establishing your position," she clarified. "Everyone present now understands that House Ambrose is not to be trifled with. That kind of clarity is valuable in political relationships."
Grim studied her face, noting that she showed no disapproval or concern about Jin Wei’s injury. "You don’t think I went too far?"
"I think you did exactly what was necessary," Ruxi replied with conviction. "Power that isn’t demonstrated is power that will be challenged. Better to establish your abilities clearly than to face constant testing from ambitious opponents."
Her words resonated with something in Grim’s altered nature, a perspective that felt both logical and satisfying. "The others seemed... disturbed."
"The others don’t understand the realities of power," Ruxi said dismissively. "They’ve lived comfortable lives where violence is theoretical rather than practical. You know better."
She moved closer still, close enough that he could perceive the supernatural energies that surrounded her. "The dark mana is settling more completely into your system," she observed with what sounded like approval.
"You can sense that?"
"I can see it," Ruxi replied, reaching out to touch his face where the scar continued to pulse with purple light. "And I can see how it’s changing you. Making you stronger, more decisive, less constrained by artificial limitations."
Her touch sent waves of soothing energy through his system, just as it had done in their last encounter. But this time, the relief came with something else—a sense of understanding and acceptance that he hadn’t realized he was craving.
"The others will try to convince you that what happened tonight was wrong," she continued, her voice taking on an almost hypnotic quality. "They’ll appeal to your conscience, try to make you feel guilty for defending your honor decisively."
"And if they do?"
"Jin Wei wasn’t yielding - he was stalling for time to plan another attack. You sensed that instinctively. You could apologize and seem weak, or you could double down and seem unstable... or you could show them controlled strength by explaining why it was necessary."
Meanwhile, in another part of the manor, Húwáng was engaged in his own conversation about the evening’s events. He stood in the guest quarters that had been provided for the fox spirit delegation, his expression thoughtful as he processed what he had observed.
"The boy is changing," he said to his aide, a younger fox spirit who served as both assistant and bodyguard. "The energies around him are... complex."
"Dangerous complex or interesting complex?" the aide inquired.
"Both," Húwáng replied with a slight smile. "Which makes him potentially very valuable as an ally."
"And if he proves unstable?"
"Then we distance ourselves appropriately," Húwáng said pragmatically. "But I suspect his instability may be exactly what this stagnant empire needs."
The aide looked confused. "My lord?"
"This realm has been too comfortable for too long," Húwáng explained. "Too settled in its assumptions about power and politics. A disruptive force like young Ambrose could create opportunities for those wise enough to position themselves advantageously."
"And your daughter’s interest in him?"
"Ruxi has always been drawn to power," Húwáng said with paternal pride. "If she can bind herself to his rising strength, it benefits our entire people. The fact that she genuinely seems to understand his nature is... fortunate."
"Even if that nature proves problematic?"
"Especially if it proves problematic," Húwáng replied with the calculating smile of someone who had survived centuries of political maneuvering. "Problematic individuals reshape the world around them. Those who attach themselves to such forces early often reap significant benefits."
Back in Grim’s study, Ruxi had moved even closer, her presence now overwhelming his senses in ways that had nothing to do with her influence.
"The question," she said softly, "is whether you’re ready to stop apologizing for your strength and start embracing it fully."
"And if I do?"
"You’re angry about what they did to your family, aren’t you? That anger is justified - it’s what will make you strong enough to prevent it from happening again."
The promise in her words, combined with the continued influence of the dark mana, made resistance feel both impossible and unnecessary.
Before Grim could say anything else, Ruxi had leaned in even closer and had kissed Grim on the lips.