As the evening drew to a close, the inn grew quieter with each passing minute. Some patrons drifted out into the night, while others climbed the stairs to retire to their rooms. Xain was among those preparing to head up when he let out a sleepy yawn.
"Want some company?" Mae asked, fluttering her eyelids at him in a teasing manner.
Before Xain could respond, Zee's hand shot out and clamped tightly onto her twin's shoulder. "Let's share a bed tonight, sister. I really want to do that again—it's been a long time." Her tone carried a dangerous edge, though Mae only chuckled before being dragged off by her younger sister.
"Seriously, how d'you manage stuff like that? You puttin' out some weird pheromones or somethin'?" Larkin asked, watching the two elves disappear upstairs.
"What? No, obviously not!" Xain protested, his voice defensive.
"It was just a joke, don't get heated 'bout it," Larkin said with a shrug and a chuckle before turning back to his drink.
Xain sighed, rising from his seat, only to feel a sudden hand grip his shoulder. He flinched, half-expecting Zee to be behind him with the same iron grip she'd used on Mae. But when he turned, the sight that met him wasn't Zee at all.
"Uh, hey, Lia. Can I help you?" he asked, surprised to see the mercenary staring directly at him. Their blue eyes locked, her expression unreadable.
"Maybe you really are…" she muttered under her breath, her brow furrowing as though she were deep in thought. Then, with sudden resolve, she spoke more clearly. "Can we talk outside?"
At the next table, Larkin muttered something under his breath about "another one," but Xain shook his confusion away and gave a small nod. "Okay. If you want to, I guess."
"Thank you! Now come on!" Lia said quickly, tugging on his arm and leading him toward the door. Larkin, and even Dirk from across the room, glanced after them as they went. Even wasn't around to see—he and Quincy had still not left their room after several hours.
The night air hit them as soon as they stepped outside. Lia released her grip, turning to face Xain with a serious expression.
"So, you don't have a last name, right? That means you didn't know your parents, correct?" she asked.
Xain blinked at her sudden questioning. "Um… yes? From what they told me, I was just left on the orphanage doorstep," he answered, crossing his arms. "Why are you asking me this?"
Lia's eyes lit up with realization as she snapped her fingers. "I knew it! That means it can genuinely mean the two of us are related!"
After her declaration, silence stretched out between them. Xain just stared at her, his expression blank, before finally managing a bewildered, "What?" The sheer confusion in his voice was so heavy that words couldn't fully capture it.
"Mmm, mmm, we might actually be related in some way, Xain! Isn't that fun?" Lia replied with a bright smile, as if she'd just announced something delightful.
Xain slowly lifted a hand, trying to halt the momentum of her words. "Wa–wait, hold on. I feel like there are…several steps we skipped here. We went straight from me not knowing my parents to that," he said, motioning vaguely between them with a stiff, uncertain gesture.
"Well, I mean," Lia started, leaning into her point with enthusiasm, "we both have blue eyes. And I felt like we had a similar hereditary ability. Your Annie—it's pretty close to what can happen with me. And my ability is hereditary, passed down through my family. The Ambrose family!"
Xain froze in place at that name. His body went rigid, lips parting slightly as the word slipped out in a low mutter. "Ambrose…" He had already heard her name once before, but hearing the last name again brought a distinct unease that he couldn't mask. It was written all over his face.
"Sorry," he said quickly, stumbling to explain, "it's just…that last name, it's tied to someone I really don't like. Someone awful."
Lia tilted her head, humming curiously. "Who are you talking about?" she asked, leaning forward a little.
"You've probably heard his name," Xain answered, rubbing at the back of his neck, discomfort evident in his posture. "He's a well-known criminal. Joshua Ambrose."
"Ohhh, yeah," Lia said casually, as if she had just remembered something minor. "He's my uncle."
Xain's entire body locked up again. His eyes widened and his breath caught. "He's your what?"
She shrugged with nonchalance. "My uncle. From my father's side."
Xain instinctively took a step back, the weight of that revelation hitting him harder than expected. Lia quickly raised her hands in front of her, her tone shifting as she spoke quickly. "Don't worry, I hate him as much as you do—probably more!" The honesty in her voice steadied him a little, his shoulders easing just slightly.
"A-and you're telling me thi–this why?" he asked, still stumbling over his words, his confusion layered with caution.
Lia paused this time, thinking carefully before answering. "I guess…just so you'd know? If we are related, even in some way, then we'd be two of the only good ones from a family that's mostly full of monsters. Kindred spirits, you know?" She held up a finger with a small, hopeful smile.
*Don't worry. You're not related. Not by blood, anyway,* Ercale's voice echoed inside Xain's head.
*What do you mean, 'not by blood'?* Xain thought back sharply, his unease twisting further. *Are you saying I might be connected to that…that monster in some other way?* His mind latched onto the name Joshua like a poison.
*Yeah. That's what I mean. But how exactly…that I can't really explain. I'm not even sure myself. But what I can tell you for certain is that you're not connected to the Ambrose family by blood,* Ercale replied with a certainty that should have been comforting—but only half was.
Xain swallowed hard. *I-is the Ambrose family connected to Winter?*
The response came instantly, sharp and absolute. *Gods, no! Absolutely not! It's insane for you to even suggest that!*
The sudden weight of the words made Xain flinch inwardly, startled by such intensity from the Demon Lord.
"Uh, hey, Xain? You still with me?" Lia asked, waving a hand in front of his face.
He blinked rapidly, pulling himself back into the moment. "Sorry, I was just…trying to process it," he muttered.
"It's fine, don't apologize," Lia said with a light giggle. She planted her hands on her hips, her smile turning brisk. "Alright, time for you to get to bed. You've got Even to fight tomorrow, and if you want to stand a chance, you need to be in peak condition!" Her voice carried a proud certainty.
Xain gave a small nod. "Yeah, you're right. I've got a tournament to win. This…whatever this is, can wait." He still couldn't pin down how he felt about any of it, but he pushed the thoughts aside as the two of them headed back inside—Xain's mind weighed down by more questions than he wanted to carry.