Otaku Translation: The Amber Sword V2C128

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Chapter 128: The Reinforcements

The atmosphere in the forest had grown awkward, heavy with unspoken tension.

As the Chief Court Mage, Liwutz naturally understood what had just transpired. Yet, for a moment, he was at a loss for how to react. The resonance of the divine artifact had struck him dumb—By Marsha’s grace, this scholar-like elder had been utterly unprepared for such an event. He had never even considered the possibility that they might be dealing with a dragon. And even if it were so, in its youthful state, it would still be beyond their ability to subdue it.

But there was Macaro, still hacking away at the magical barrier with his sword—

It wasn’t just them. Brandon’s mind was also racing, trying to make sense of the chaos. After connecting with the divine artifact, he had lost all interest in these interlopers. He knew the real trouble wasn’t with the group before him. With Aloz here, they wouldn’t be able to detain him.

The greater issue loomed large in his mind: the massive surge of magic energy had surely been recorded by countless others. Any fool with half a brain would deduce that something significant had emerged in this region. Within a fortnight, Jandel would likely descend into pandemonium. Expeditions from every corner of the realm would flood the narrow mountain valleys, including those unwelcome wizards no one cared for.

By Marsha’s grace, he dared not imagine the chaos that would ensue.

Brandon had often pondered how his first impact on this world’s history would unfold, but he hadn’t expected it to come so swiftly and unexpectedly, leaving him no time to prepare. For now, the Lionheart Sword was the least of his concerns. What worried him more was whether his precious territory near Jandel would be affected—and further still, whether the Princess’s plans would suffer collateral damage.

Could the flutter of a butterfly’s wings truly alter the course of history? That was the worst-case scenario, and the thought alone made Brandon break out in a cold sweat.

As the old saying went: try as you might to avoid trouble, it will find you when you least expect it.

Just as Brandon was mulling over this, the forest erupted with the sound of slow, deliberate applause. He turned to see Liwutz and Macaro freeze, then exchange glances of surprise. “Trouble indeed,” Brandon thought grimly. Turning around, he spotted a middle-aged man emerging from the shadows of the forest. The man wore a thick purple coat lined with white silk, exuding an air of calculated charm.

The newcomer applauded as he spoke, his voice dripping with false admiration. “So this is the Brandon spoken of by the sly fox? Truly, heroes are born young. Such a clever stratagem—one that most could never have conceived.”

Brandon’s eye twitched. He recognized the man immediately. Clad in his signature purple greatcoat, with a white silk shirt underneath and a smile that masked a dagger, this was Earl Baeli Dandain of the Violet Autonomous Territory. A formidable second-in-command to Duke Rhun, Baeli was no mere captain like Buga—he was the true power behind Lantonilan. By the time forty years had passed, he’d reach a strength level nearing eighty.

In his past life, Brandon had crossed paths with this man many times in the game. Though he appeared insincere, Baeli was one of the few nobles who possessed genuine integrity. His death in battle against the Treeminders had been a great loss for Eruin.

Spotting him now, Brandon couldn’t help but smirk, though his tone softened slightly. “Stratagem?”

“Indeed,” Baeli replied smoothly. “To my knowledge, dragons are solitary creatures, yes? At most, they travel only with their mates. Correct?”

“That guy knows us pretty well,” Aloz’s voice chimed in Brandon’s mind.

Brandon snorted inwardly. This man was far more dangerous than she realized. She probably hadn’t dealt with someone like Baeli before. But even as he mentally bickered with Aloz, unease crept into his thoughts. Unlike Macaro, Buga, or even Liwutz, Baeli was a pragmatic man. He wouldn’t waste time with empty threats. If he stood here so confidently, it meant he had a trump card up his sleeve.

And adding another person who had the awakened elemental affinity to the mix? The situation was growing increasingly complicated.

After all, Aloz was clearly a young dragon—a loli, no less. Despite her racial advantages, facing two-and-a-half warriors who had awakened elemental affinity alongside a gold-rank warrior like Macaro was pushing her limits.

Brandon scanned the surrounding forest, his mind racing. Then it hit him: “Baeli Dandain is Duke Rhun’s most trusted second-in-command, a noble with real power. If he’s here, does that mean Duke Rhun has brought an army into Jandel’s territory?”

Peering closer, Brandon’s stomach sank. Shadows moved among the trees—too many shadows. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath. There were far too many of them. Mobilizing troops into another lord’s domain without provocation… was Duke Rhun planning to declare war on the Earl of Jandel?

But wait—no. Something didn’t add up. This wasn’t just about retrieving his son.

A flash of insight struck Brandon like lightning. He remembered a small royal fief on the border of Jandel—the Princess’s private lands where the Cavalry Academy was located. “Oh no,” he thought. “The Treeminders have fallen for it big time. Duke Lantonilan is pulling a classic diversion—building roads openly while sneaking through the back alleys.”

Having been a novice during Eruin’s civil wars, Brandon had only a vague understanding of the conflict’s details. Now, everything clicked into place. The Princess had been gathering forces from all sides since the beginning. No wonder she’d managed to hold her ground despite her initial weakness. It all made sense now.

He glanced at the cunning fox beside him, knowing full well whose plan this was. Disliking the man as he did, Brandon had to admit his strategic brilliance was unmatched.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Brandon’s temple. Good fortune had saved him this time; otherwise, he might have been played like a puppet by this crafty old fox.

Cursing silently, he leaned toward Aloz and whispered, “Why didn’t you warn me about the reinforcements?”

“I was distracted by the massive magic energy spike,” Aloz replied airily. “Besides, they’re just insects. Well, except for the one in front of you—he’s slightly stronger.”

“Insects?” Brandon thought incredulously. That was an entire army! From his vantage point, he estimated at least a thousand men, and this was likely only part of the force. Baeli was infamous for deploying overwhelming numbers, a tactic he proudly claimed as his favorite pastime, second only to playing cards. Add to that two-and-a-half warriors who had awakened elemental affinity, and Brandon couldn’t help but question Aloz’s confidence.

“Of course,” Aloz scoffed. “They’re nothing.”

Brandon didn’t believe her for a second. He had faced dragons before after all. Though he was mortal now, he’d once been powerful enough to slay hundreds of them. He knew exactly what capabilities a dragon should possess at her age.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Brandon braced himself for Baeli’s next move.

“So,” Earl of the Violet continued, his smile widening. “You’re not truly a dragon, are you?”

Brandon blinked. Was that even a question? While he wasn’t a dragon, the ancient Arcane Magic he’d used earlier had been authentic.

“But his draconic spells…” Macaro began, confused. Liwutz cut him off. “If I’m not mistaken, those were scroll effects, weren’t they? Given that Brandon possesses the Golden Apple and the divine artifact, acquiring a draconic scroll wouldn’t be beyond his means.”

Brandon suppressed a grimace. Liwutz, a supposed court mage of unparalleled skill, couldn’t tell the difference between actual draconic magic and a scroll effect? But then again, Liwutz wasn’t senile yet—in fact, he was far from his peak. Such a basic mistake shouldn’t have happened unless…

Unless there was another explanation.

Brandon clenched his teeth. “Aloz, did you use a scroll?”

Her affirmative response came instantly.

“Why?” he demanded.

She smiled mischievously. “This way, they’ll be bold enough to attack you, won’t they? Besides, I haven’t had a good fight in ages.”

Brandon sighed. She had a point, but the real issue was whether they could win. Trusting Aloz seemed increasingly foolish. Taking a deep breath, he addressed Baeli directly. “Perhaps your guess is correct, Lord Baeli. But why don’t you test how many such spells I have at my disposal?”

Baeli chuckled, shaking his head. “No matter how many scrolls you possess, do you truly believe you can stand against us and an entire army? It’s unwise, Brandon. Hand over the Golden Apple.”

At that moment, Brandon wanted nothing more than to punch the smug grin off Baeli’s face. But before he could formulate a retort, the forest erupted once more.

This time, the disturbance came from the east—a rustling in the bushes. Into view marched over twenty elven warriors clad in full armor, their bodies streaked with blood.

“And what about us?” Minnis removed his helmet, fixing Baeli with a cold, unyielding gaze.

Gold-rank. The Silver Elves.

Liwutz and Macaro felt their eyes twitch involuntarily.

Baeli himself was taken aback, struggling to find words. How long had it been since he’d last encountered the Silver Elves? Earl of the Violet stared hard at the newcomers. “The Silver Elves, former allies. Yours is the only race that refrained from joining the civil war. Are you really prepared to wage war against humanity for this man?”

Minnis nodded simply. “I owe him a debt.”

“Very well,” Baeli sighed. “But even so, do you intend to oppose Duke Rhun’s army with merely twenty warriors? I acknowledge your prowess, but my forces—”

His words trailed off as silence enveloped the clearing.

Everyone, including Brandon, stared in awe as the forest shimmered with silver light. Behind the elves stood rows of sacred unicorns, their riders clad in gleaming armor.

They were the Knights of Sacred Hymn.

Project Update: Volume 2 is now fully translated! However, as I'm currently focusing on stacking chapters for Volume 3, the release of the remaining chapters in Volume 2 will slow down a bit.

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