The Ambrose Manor bustled with activity as servants made final preparations for the most significant event in the family's recent history.
A week had passed since Grim's meeting with Empress Alexia, and today marked both the grand opening of his sect and his eighteenth birthday celebration.
Grim stood in his chambers, adjusting the formal robes that Chen Xing had commissioned for the occasion. The deep blue fabric was embroidered with silver thread in patterns that subtly evoked his imperial authority.
A sharp knock interrupted his preparations. "Enter," he called, knowing who it would be.
Chen Xing stepped into the room, his expression carrying the focused intensity that preceded major public events. "The carriages are beginning to arrive. Delegates from the Great Nation of Colere, ambassadors from the smaller nations, and virtually every noble family of significance within the Empire."
