After the nobles left the throne room, only Rowan, Grim, the Empress, and Chancellor Levenhart remained. The Empress gestured to door behind the throne.
"Let's speak more privately," she said, her playful attitude from earlier was gone and she was more serious now
They followed her into a small chamber with a round table. Unlike the ornate throne room, this space was desinged for high rabking officers to meet wjth the empress.
The Empress settled into a chair and motioned for Rowan to sit across from her. "You may set your son down if you wish, Lord Ambrose. He seems quite capable of sitting on his own."
Rowan carefully placed Grim on a cushioned chair. Grim immediately took the opportunity to close his eyes halfway, appearing sleepy to the adults while actually remaining fully alert.
While they talked, he began to quietly draw mana from his surroundings, practicing what he'd done before. The slight tingling sensation was becoming more familiar each time.
[You're getting better at this,] the voice noted. [Forming a mana heart itself is not particularly difficult. Many children accomplish it by age five or six.]
"Then why all the fuss about me doing it at eight months?" Grim thought back.
[Because cultivating a mana heart to its maximum potential is where the true challenge lies. Most people never push beyond 70% capacity with their first heart. Creating additional hearts becomes exponentially more difficult.]
As Grim practiced pulling mana toward himself in subtle waves, the Empress was getting straight to business.
"I'll be blunt, Lord Ambrose. The timing of your return is not coincidence. l need you here," she said, pouring herself a glass of water from a crystal carafe. "The empire faces a threat that requires individuals with your family's affinity."
"What kind of threat, Your Majesty?" Rowan asked carefully.
"War," Chancellor Levenhart answered before the Empress could speak. "Or at least, the high probability of it."
The Empress nodded. "Our intelligence suggests the Great Nation of Colere and the Demon Lands are preparing for war with each other. Their shared borders have seen increased military activity for months."
"And this concerns the empire because...?" Rowan questioned.
"Because a small part of our land is positioned between them," the Empress said, pointing to the map. "If they go to war, their armies and battles will inevitably spill into our territory. We cannot allow that."
"Not to mention the refugee crisis it would create," the Chancellor added. "Thousands of our citizens fleeing would overwhelm other cities. "
"I see," Rowan said, his brow furrowed. "This would be a major problem."
"Your grandfather, Lord Caius Ambrose, was perhaps the strongest cultivator to ever live," the Empress said. "Ten mana hearts, all fully cultivated. No one has matched that feat since he did it."
[The Demon Lands lie beyond the western mountains,] the voice explained as Grim continued gathering mana. [Their inhabitants are not demons in the sense you might imagine, but a race with natural dark affinity. They've fought with Colere for centuries over territory and resources.]
"So where do we fit in?" Grim wondered, still pulling mana toward his core.
[Light affinity is the natural counter to darkness. If the Demon Lords push into imperial territory, warriors with light affinity would be essential to repelling them.]
"Colere has always been militarily formidable," the Chancellor said, spreading a map on the table. "They currently host both the third and fourth strongest cultivators in the known world."
"General Yongrun and Archmage Dongmei," Rowan nodded. "I've heard stories."
"Not just stories," the Empress said grimly. "Yongrun has nine mana hearts, all fully cultivated. Dongmei has seven, but her ice affinity is so rare and powerful that she's considered his equal."
The Empress leaned forward. "This is why we need the Ambrose family back, Lord Rowan. For generations, your line produced the greatest light-affinity warriors in the empire. Light is the natural counter to darkness."
"Until my father's generation," Rowan said quietly. "The light affinity faded from our line."
"But now it has returned," the Empress said, her gaze shifting to Grim, who was carefully maintaining his sleepy facade while still drawing in mana. "And if the reports I've received about your son forming a mana heart at eight months are true, he may become the most powerful light wielder in generations."
The Empress reached into a small pouch at her waist and pulled out a crystal that glowed with a soft white light. "You don't mind if I confirm for myself, do you?"
Before Rowan could respond, she held the crystal near Grim. Immediately, the stone's glow intensified, pulsing with a brightness that illuminated the entire room.
"Extraordinary," she whispered, withdrawing the crystal, which continued to shimmer even after she'd moved it away. "Not just present, but powerful. Truly your grandfather's heir."
Grim felt a small surge of pride at her words but kept his face neutral. No need to let them know just how much he understood.
"Your Majesty," Rowan said carefully, "my son is still a baby. Even if his talents are extraordinary, he won't be able to help with any conflict for years."
"Yes, but having your family restored to greatness sends a message. It reminds both our people and potential aggressors that the empire still commands the loyalty of legendary bloodlines."
"And my grandfather's techniques?" Rowan asked quietly.
The Empress smiled. "The four sword styles of House Ambrose are legendary. Most noble families develop only one weapon arts tradition, but your grandfather created three additional styles himself."
"Which your son now possesses," the Chancellor pointed out.
"Many nobles have been talking about your return. Which is precisely why you'll be staying in the palace under my direct protection. I cannot have you or your son targeted before you can be of use to the empire."
Grim almost lost his concentration at that last part. "Of use to the empire," she'd said, not even trying to hide the fact that they were tools to her. He found he didn't mind the honesty—better than pretending his value was based on something other than his potential power.
"So you just see me a weapon to be used. I won't let you have your way all the time. Even if you have a nice rack." Grim thought.
"I understand, Your Majesty," Rowan said, bowing his head slightly. "We are honored to serve."
"Good." The Empress smiled. "Now, as to your duties. You'll join my personal guard as a combat advisor. Your son will be enrolled in the palace nursery alongside my daughter, Princess Liora. When he's old enough, he'll train with the royal tutors."
As they discussed the details of Rowan's position, Grim continued his mana gathering. The energy swirled inside him, drawn toward his mana heart like water down a drain.
[You're cultivating your heart,] the voice observed with what sounded like approval. [Most children simply form their heart and stop, not understanding that continuous cultivation is necessary to expand its capacity.]
"How do I know if I'm doing it right?" Grim asked mentally.
[You'll feel pressure as the heart approaches its current limit. Like a balloon filling with water. The trick is to push just beyond that limit, stretching the capacity without rupturing it.]
Grim focused on the sensation in his chest. Indeed, there was a feeling of pressure building around his mana heart. Carefully, he pushed a bit more mana into it, feeling the resistance grow.
"—your son seems quite tired," the Empress was saying as Grim tuned back into the conversation. "Perhaps we should conclude for today."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Rowan agreed, looking at Grim with concern. "It's been an eventful day for him."
Grim realized he might have been too convincing with his act. He opened his eyes wider and made a small noise to show ge was awake.
The Empress smiled at him. "Such a good little boy, trying to stay awake for the adults boring talk." She reached over and brushed his hair. "You'll have plenty of time to learn about politics when you're older."
"If I may, Your Majesty," the Chancellor interjected, "there's the matter of House Luminaris to address. Young Lord Julius's behavior today—"
"Was childish and will be dealt with," the Empress cut him off. "But carefully. The Luminaris family controls too much of our eastern border defense to alienate them entirely."
"And their hatred of my family runs deep," Rowan added. "Viktor Luminaris blamed us for his sister's death during the mine collapse, though she was there against everyone's advice."
"Old grudges," the Empress sighed. "Always complicating current politics." She stood, signaling the end of the meeting. "For now, focus on settling in, Lord Ambrose. Chancellor Levenhart will show you to your quaters."
As Rowan picked Grim up, the Empress leaned in close. "And don't worry too much about Julius Luminaris. His bark is worse than his bite. Unlike his father, he has more ambition than talent—only three mana hearts at twenty years old, and barely cultivated at that."
Grim felt the mana he'd been gathering suddenly pulse within him. The pressure around his mana heart had been building, and at that moment, something seemed to give slightly—not breaking, but expanding.
[You've just increased your heart's capacity by about 4%,] the voice informed him. [A small improvement, but significant for someone your age.]
"This is not easy to do. This will take a while."
As they left the Empress's chamber, Chancellor Levenhart led them through a different set of corridors than they'd used earlier.
"The East Wing houses the most trusted nobles," he explained. "You'll be just two floors below the royal family's quaters."
"An honor," Rowan said neutrally, though Grim could tell his father was tense. Being placed so close to the royal family meant they were either highly valued or being closely watched.
"We'll introduce Grim to the princess tomorrow." The Chancellor said.
"Another brat to deal with," Grim thought tiredly. The mana cultivation had actually drained him more than he'd expected.
[The princess could be a valuable ally,] the voice pointed out. [Royal favor is a currency all its own in this world.]
Grim had to admit the voice was right. In his previous life, he'd learned the value of strategic relationships early.
"Fine, I'll play nice with the princess," Grim thought reluctantly. "If I have to kiss some royal ass to get ahead in this world, at least it's attached to the daughter of a woman with great tits. Hopefully the kid inherited those genes."