Reborn as the Last van Ambrose
Chapter 194: Return Home

Chapter 194: Return Home

The journey from Port Velmira to the capital took five days of hard riding. Grim had purchased a sturdy horse from the port’s stables, choosing speed over comfort for his return trip.

The road was busy with merchants and travelers making their way to and from the empire’s heart. Grim kept his hood up and avoided unnecessary conversation, though he couldn’t help overhearing snippets of news from passing groups. Talk of the upcoming social season, trade disputes between noble houses, and speculation about a grand party to take place soon in the capital.

As he rode, Grim found himself thinking about the changes he’d undergone in the dragon realm. More than once, he caught himself unconsciously reaching for Lin’s crystal, the cold surface somehow comforting despite the complex emotions it represented.

The capital’s massive walls came into view. The white stone gleamed in the sunlight. The city sprawled before him like a living organism, smoke rising from countless chimneys, and the sounds of urban life carried on the wind.

It felt strange to return to, this purely human environment after experiencing the otherworldly beauty of the dragon realms.

As Grim approached the main gates, he noticed an unusually high level of activity. Guards were stopping every person entering the city, checking papers, and conducting searches that seemed more thorough than normal. A long line of merchants, farmers, and other travelers waited impatiently as the inspections proceeded.

Rather than join the queue, Grim guided his horse toward the Noble’s Gate—a smaller entrance reserved for members of the aristocracy and high-ranking officials.

A single guard stood at the Noble’s Gate, a young man with the bearing of someone new to his position. As Grim approached, the guard stepped forward with an officious expression.

"Hold there," the guard called out. "State your name and business."

"Lord Ambrose, Imperial Defender of the Southern Shores," Grim replied, dismounting from his horse. "I’m returning from my duties in Port Velmira."

The guard’s eyes narrowed as he looked Grim up and down, taking in his travel-stained clothes and the sword at his side. "Lord Ambrose? You look much too young to be Lord Ambrose. And you don’t look much like nobility to me."

Grim felt his patience begin to fray. The dragon essence in his blood stirred, responding to his irritation. "Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the empire’s current appointments before questioning your betters."

"My betters?" The guard laughed harshly. "Listen, whoever you are, this gate is for real nobles, not every vagrant who claims a title. Turn around and join the line with the rest of the common folk."

The dismissive tone was the final straw. Grim stepped closer to the guard, his presence suddenly radiating an authority that hadn’t been there moments before.

"I am Lord Grim van Ambrose, last heir of House Ambrose, appointed by the Empress herself as Imperial Defender of the Southern Shores," Grim said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "If you continue to show such disrespect to an Imperial Commander, I’ll have your ears removed for failing in your duty to serve the crown."

The guard’s face paled as the weight of Grim’s presence pressed down on him. Something in Grim’s bearing, the casual way he spoke of removing body parts, and the subtle but unmistakable aura of power surrounding him made it clear this was not someone to trifle with.

He remembered hearing stories about how Lord Ambrose had removed Lord Terras’ ear, and removed and brutally killed an elf during the tournament. His face began to sweat from looking at Grim.

"I... forgive me, my lord," the guard stammered, stepping back quickly. "I didn’t realize... please, enter freely. Should I announce your arrival?"

"That won’t be necessary," Grim replied, his tone returning to normal as he remounted his horse. "But I suggest you learn the names and faces of imperial appointees before your next shift."

"Yes, my lord. Of course, my lord."

Grim rode through the Noble’s Gate without further incident, leaving the shaken guard behind. As he entered the capital properly, he couldn’t help but feel a grim satisfaction at the encounter. The dragon essence had enhanced more than what the contracts had offered. His natural authority and presence had been magnified as well.

The streets of the capital were as busy as ever, filled with the endless activity of the empire’s largest city. Nobles in carriages shared the roads with merchants hauling goods, while common citizens went about their daily business.

The familiar sights and sounds should have been comforting, but instead, they felt somehow diminished after experiencing the grandeur of the dragon realms.

Grim made his way through the north noble district toward the Ambrose family estate. The manor used to have overgrown gardens and a lack of activity around the main entrance.

But since gaining his funding from Lord Terras, receiving money from winning bets during the tournament, and receiving money for his new position from the Empress. The manor had been restored and looked better than ever before.

As he approached the front entrance, the main door opened. Two guards had opened the gate for Grim.

As he approached the main door, an elderly woman with graying hair and kind eyes emerged, her face lighting up with joy and relief when she saw him.

"Master Grim!" Sera exclaimed, using the title she had called him since childhood. "You’re home safely!"

Sera had been with the Ambrose family for over forty years, serving first as a nursemaid and later as head of household staff. When the family’s fortunes declined, she had been one of the few servants who remained loyal despite reduced wages and uncertain prospects.

"Sera," Grim said warmly, dismounting and embracing the woman who had helped raise him. "It’s good to see you."

"When word came that you’d been appointed as Imperial Defender, I could hardly believe it," Sera said, tears of happiness in her eyes. "Your father would be so proud."

The mention of his father brought a complex mix of emotions. If only Sera knew the full truth about what his father had become in his final days.

"The capital has been buzzing with talk about House Ambrose’s return to prominence. Everything you’ve accomplished so far is slowly bringing this house back to glory," Sera continued as she led him toward the house. "Some are pleased, others... less so."

"I imagine the reactions are mixed," Grim replied. "Has there been any trouble here?"

"Nothing direct, but there have been... visitors. People are asking questions about your whereabouts, your plans, and your associates. I told them nothing, of course."

Grim nodded, unsurprised. His appointment would have created ripples throughout the capital’s political circles, and not all of them would be favorable. Houses that had benefited from Ambrose’s fall would view his return with suspicion and concern.

Inside the manor, Sera had clearly been working to restore some of the estate’s former grandeur. The main rooms had been cleaned and aired, furniture polished, and flowers placed around the house giving a nice scent to the manor.

"I’ve prepared your room," Sera said as they walked through the main hall.

"Thank you, Sera," Grim replied.

"Shall I prepare dinner, my lord?" Sera asked, falling back into the formal tongue one used when addressing nobility. "And perhaps draw a bath? You look like you’ve been traveling hard."

"Both would be wonderful," Grim said gratefully. "And Sera? Fresh clothes would be appreciated. Something appropriate for receiving visitors—I have a feeling word of my return will spread quickly."

"Of course, my lord. I’ve maintained your wardrobe, though you may find you’ve grown since your last fitting."

As Sera bustled away to make preparations, Grim stood alone in the main hall of his ancestral home. The portraits of previous Ambrose lords looked down at him from the walls, their painted eyes seeming to judge his worthiness to carry on the family name.

The dragon essence hummed in his veins, a reminder that he was no longer just the last heir of a fallen house.

He was something new, something unprecedented—a bridge between the human and dragon realms, carrying power that all but one of his ancestors could never have imagined.

But power meant responsibility, and responsibility meant enemies. His encounter with the guard at the gate would spread through the city like wildfire, announcing his return in the most dramatic way possible.

By evening, every major house in the capital would know that Lord Ambrose was back, and many would be making plans to test his resolve.

Let them come, Grim thought as he examined his family’s portraits. He had faced dragons and emerged with their blessing. Whatever political games awaited him in the capital would be child’s play compared to the trials he had already survived.

The real question was whether his enemies would be wise enough to recognize the change in him before it was too late. The young man who had left the capital over a month ago had been driven by desperation and wounded pride.

As the sun set over the capital, casting long shadows into his manor. Grim smirked and said, "It’s time to turn the nobility of this Empire upside down."