Free Web NovelChapter 213: _Thanks For Listening
Ambrose sat quietly once Valentine was done with his story.
He came here hoping for a simple dinner where he could increase the Necromancer’s attraction points and be out the next second.
Never did he imagine he’d be staring at him, his eyes almost teary after he revealed something absolutely vulnerable.
"H–He," Ambrose swallowed. "He took away your powers?"
"He locked them away." Valentine corrected, his posture straightening with a sigh. "Clearly a difference, I guess. Except it reinforced the idea that while others were awakening as heroes... I was the cursed one damned to a life of being misunderstood."
"You were only a child, Valentine."
"They didn’t see that." His crimson eyes dimmed. "They saw a monster. A devil. And it stayed that way for years—even till now." He sniggered. "The only reason I got control of my powers again was because of my rank. And my soul grew strong enough to resist Sovereign Tongue’s hold. But you want to know something funny?"
He paused so long that at first, Ambrose thought he wanted him to connect the dots himself. Then he spoke:
"At one point while my powers were locked away... I felt normal. Josiah took me to this foster home and they treated me like a normal teenage boy." A wry smile played on his lips. "I guess you can say the controlling bastard was helpful. But he didn’t have to strip me of my autonomy. Or make me feel like all those people who called me evil were right."
"You are NOT evil." Ambrose didn’t know when he stretched a hand and grabbed his wrist.
Valentine flinched, his forehead wrinkling as the Guide continued.
"You’ve... you’ve helped me. Saved my life when I thought I was for sure going to die. Heck, you still aid the federation despite not wanting anything to do with them."
He was beginning to understand Valentine better.
Beneath all the conniving and soul-shuddering power that would make fellow SS-Ranks shake in their boots... there was a broken child.
One who didn’t want him to face the same thing he did twenty-nine years ago.
"You give me too much credit." Valentine tried looking away and failed spectacularly. "Most of the things you mentioned are calculated decisions."
"So why did you save my ass back in Norfolk?" Ambrose wasn’t about to buy that. "Remember? You could’ve ignored the fact that I was dying—"
"You were too interesting for me not to do something. And honestly, you still are."
"Or," Ambrose squeezed his hand, almost fondly, "maybe a part of you sees yourself in me. And maybe it really just was a good deed."
The SS-Rank’s eyes twitched for a beat.
Something in his chest tightened. Something he thought had died decades ago.
He flung his head to the side. "If this is another one of your games, Ambrose—"
"It’s not." And that was him being honest.
He genuinely felt bad for coming here for his own selfish reasons to begin with.
"I want you to know I see you. Beyond all the creepiness and temu grade American horror story vibes."
That earned Ambrose a hearty laugh.
The laughter lingered longer than he expected.
Not the sarcastic sort Valentine usually weaponised. This one was lighter.
For a moment the Necromancer simply sat there, shaking his head.
"You know," he muttered, swirling the wine in his glass. "I haven’t had anyone listen to one of my sob stories in a very long time."
Ambrose arched a brow. "No?"
Valentine hummed. "The last person was Gabriel."
That caught him off guard.
Hunter Gabriel and Valentine constantly looked like they were two insults away from murdering each other.
"You tell Gabriel personal stuff?"
"Please." Valentine scoffed. "That man is physically incapable of minding his own business."
Despite the complaint, there was an odd fondness beneath it.
The Necromancer’s gaze drifted toward the restaurant windows.
"Still..." His voice lowered. "Thank you."
Ambrose froze.
Valentine Lockwood... Thanking someone. The sight felt rarer than spotting a unicorn in downtown New York.
"What?" Valentine snorted. "Don’t look at me like that."
"I’m just shocked."
"You should be."
Another silence settled between them.
Not awkward.
Comfortable.
The kind Ambrose rarely experienced.
His eyes instinctively flickered toward the system.
[Valentine Lockwood Attraction Points: 93.]
His heart skipped.
Ninety-three.
Only seven left.
Seven!
It was like the numbers were mocking him.
Yet strangely enough, he no longer felt desperate. The points almost seemed secondary now.
Valentine’s fingers tapped lazily against the table.
"You know..." he murmured. "Most people spend their entire lives trying to convince me I’m a monster."
His crimson eyes lifted.
"You spent one evening trying to convince me otherwise."
Something tightened painfully inside Ambrose’s chest.
Then he smiled slowly. "That’s because they’re wrong."
Valentine stopped breathing for a moment.
The world seemed to narrow between them. Just for a second.
Just long enough for Ambrose to see something vulnerable crack through all those layers of confidence and sarcasm.
The system chimed.
[Valentine Lockwood Attraction Points: 100.]
[Requirement fulfilled!]
[Ability Copy Available.]
Ambrose nearly choked on absolutely nothing.
Holy shit!
It actually worked.
Fortunately, Valentine mistook his expression for something else as his lips curved faintly. "Careful, Guide."
"Hm?"
"You keep saying things like that." A pause. "And I might start believing you."
★★★★★
Much later that night, Valentine’s car rolled to a stop outside the house.
The lights inside were still on.
Probably Devon.
Possibly Viktor too.
Ambrose unbuckled his seatbelt.
For a moment neither of them moved.
Then Valentine leaned back against his seat.
"Thank you for tonight."
The words were simple, yet somehow
heavier than they should’ve been.
Ambrose smiled. "No problem."
Valentine studied him for a few seconds. Those crimson eyes lingered.
Then finally he nodded. "Goodnight, Ambrose."
"Goodnight, Valentine."
The Guide stepped out of the car and shut the door behind him.
As he headed toward the house, he glanced back once.
Valentine was still there.
Watching.
Only after Ambrose reached the front door did the black car finally pull away into the night.
