Otaku Translation: The Amber Sword V2C164

Please support the translation by reading the translation and commenting on otakutl official site.

Thank you.

Everyone from Otaku Translation

Chapter 164: The Gambler's Roulette, Part 2

The grand hall of Cold Fir Keep bustled with activity as Brandon stood alongside Metissa, Chael, Cinnabar, and Tiger Finch. Mercenaries streamed in and out, hauling a massive, dust-covered map from the basement and laying it across the long table.

When the map was finally spread out, everyone around the table couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh. Only the younger of the wild elf sisters spoke up, her voice tinged with curiosity. “My lord, how did you know that… bad guy would leave the map in the basement?” She glanced nervously at her older sister afterward, but to her relief, Fleur merely shot her an annoyed glare this time. In truth, Fleur had been utterly stunned by Brandon’s earlier display of power when he advanced to Elementalist rank, and she still hadn’t fully recovered.

Brandon knew the “bad guy” the girl referred to was none other than Grudin. But the once-arrogant baron now lay lifeless in the courtyard outside. Brandon had no intention of burying the despicable man—perhaps his corpse might still serve some purpose later.

His gaze drifted toward the hall’s entrance, where mercenaries were assembling in the inner courtyard. Their mission included clearing out any remaining enemies and searching for White Tiamas Jyomir, who had fled. However, Brandon was certain the Black Knight wouldn’t linger within Cold Fir City. Though their previous encounter could be considered a crushing defeat for White, the man never engaged in meaningless actions.

For instance, staying behind to provoke or vent anger wasn’t something the Black Knight of the Four Knights of Revelation would do. That sort of behavior might suit the Red Knight, Ladios, but not White. He avoided placing himself in unnecessary danger, which was part of why he was among the most formidable of the Four Knights.

He wouldn’t leave loose ends—

“Nobles tend to share certain habits, Tia,” Brandon replied, half-truthfully. “And I doubt Grudin ever cared much about governing this land.” His words carried a kernel of truth; the map had little to do with noble customs and everything to do with what Brandon already knew about the basement. When players had overthrown Grudin years ago, he hadn’t been directly involved, but he was well aware of the details.

Brandon studied the map—it was clearly an old planning document from when Cold Fir City was first constructed. It certainly wasn’t Grudin’s work, likely passed down through several generations. Even Chael, the young wizard, frowned at the sight of it.

“This thing must be decades old,” Chael remarked after clearing his throat. “Did that man truly care so little for his own domain? In the territories ruled by Black Tower wizards, maps are redrawn annually.”

Brandon shook his head, thinking, Do you think everyone is a wizard? This was Tonygel, the most barbaric and remote region of Eruin. What else could one expect? He brushed away the dust from the map and replied, “In this era, it’s common for small towns like this to go decades without updating their maps. Good enough for our purposes. Besides, we don’t need such detailed information right now.”

“In this era?” Chael raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

“A slip of the tongue,” Brandon snapped, giving him a sharp look. “Got a problem with it?”

“No, my lord!” the young man quickly shook his head. “It’s just… hearing you speak like that gives your words such historical weight. It’s as if you’re standing at the pinnacle of history itself—wise and awe-inspiring, truly magnificent!”

Brandon couldn’t help but chuckle. “Enough flattery.”

But then he remembered something. “Ah, Red-Handed Softie—no, Fleur. What about the equipment I asked you to organize?”

“Huh?” The elder wild elf sister seemed to snap out of her daze, blinking in confusion. “What?”

“The spoils from the battlefield?”

“Oh,” Fleur hesitated. “You mean the remains of that skeleton knight? Actually, there’s something strange I wanted to ask you about…”

Something strange?

Brandon paused, intrigued. Equipment dropped by high-ranking Madaran commanders like Kabirus rarely disappointed. Yet if Fleur mentioned something unusual, it piqued his interest even more. Among Amber Sword relics, strange items weren’t uncommon, but anything above fantasy-grade was often hailed as a minor divine artifact among players. Curiosity got the better of him.

Before he could inquire further, Clenxia and the young man in gray robes entered the hall, both looking weary. At the sight of them, Brandon’s expression grew serious, cutting off Fleur mid-sentence. He turned to them urgently. “How goes it?”

“We’re ready, my lord. We can depart at any time,” Clenxia replied cautiously, glancing at him.

His words acted as a signal. With a rustle, everyone in the hall grabbed their weapons and rose from their seats. Even Cinnabar, who had been chatting with Funiya, patted the girl on the shoulder and stood. Brandon surveyed the group, nodding. “Then let us move out. Reinforcing Frein’s position falls to you, Clenxia. Lady Metissa will accompany your forces. As for the other front…”

Metissa nodded at Brandon’s instructions.

But the silver-haired middle-aged man furrowed his brow, shaking his head. “We’ve sent the signal, but there’s been no response. Scouts have been dispatched, but I doubt they’ll return anytime soon.”

“There’s no time,” Brandon replied firmly. “We must leave immediately.”

“But my lord, I know Yuta,” Clenxia interjected. “Even if she doesn’t arrive in time, she’ll do everything possible to hold back Madara’s undead. You needn’t worry too much…”

Before he could finish, Brandon cut him off. “It won’t matter. They can’t hold. I understand Madara’s tactics better than anyone here. Surrounded by endless waves of skeletons, two or three hundred mercenaries are like stones thrown into the sea—they’ll vanish in moments unless they hold a defensible position.”

He leaned on the table, looking at everyone. “And that’s not even considering the skeletal wizards and Black Warriors hidden among them.”

Straightening, Brandon picked up Cinnabar’s sword. “Our only option is to move out immediately. Beyond that, we can only pray Lady Yuta reaches the western gate in time. Otherwise, there’s only one outcome left…”

Silence fell over the hall.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, but when they saw Brandon rise silently, take his sword, and stride toward the exit, they hesitated only briefly before following suit. At that moment, Chael, who had been studying the ancient map, raised his head and calmly asked, “So, the worst-case scenario… is abandoning Cold Fir City, correct, my lord?”

Everyone froze, unsure why the young wizard had shifted the conversation to this topic.

But Brandon stopped at the doorway, turning back to face him. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m just saying, my lord, you’re as audacious as ever—”

Brandon smiled faintly.

“The stakes are too high,” he replied. “To avoid losses, we must choose the path with the greatest reward, even if it carries greater risk. As I’ve said before, does a dead man care whether one rope or two hangs around his neck?”

“That’s true,” Chael mused. “But now I realize—you and Lady Roma make quite the pair.”

Brandon chuckled softly.

“My lord?” Tiger Finch asked, confused.

“What Chael speaks of aligns with my intentions,” Brandon explained, nodding. “I aim not only to kill Grudin but also to claim ownership of Tonygel. Earl Jandel will undoubtedly retaliate, and I’ll use this land—originally his—to repay him in kind. Victory isn’t determined solely by strength; wisdom holds the key to overturning the tide.”

“No one can defy the future—”

With that, Brandon stepped toward the door, glancing back at the silver-haired outsider in the room—the only non-member of their group. “Besides, who says a newly risen noble is limited to a single territory? Wouldn’t you agree, Clenxia?”

Clenxia, sweating profusely, stared at Brandon in stunned silence. One thought dominated his mind: either he’d gone mad, or this young man had. What Brandon proposed was a direct challenge to every ancient tradition and unspoken rule among the nobility of this kingdom.

Seizing another noble’s lands by force—

By Marsha’s grace, if he succeeded, he would overturn every established norm in Eruin.

The silver-haired man bowed his head, suddenly considering another possibility—that perhaps they were all mad.

But Chael, unlike the mercenary commander, viewed the situation differently. The young wizard raised his head, unsurprised, and asked, “Still, the risks are considerable. If we abandon Cold Fir City, my lord, you lose your justification for holding ground in Tonygel, don’t you? So, what do you to do? Retreat into the forest and wage guerrilla warfare? Ah, remind me—what were those words you mentioned last time, my lord?”

Brandon smiled faintly, turning his gaze beyond the grand archway outside the corridor. Beyond lay impenetrable darkness, but Brandon knew dawn was close—perhaps the sun would rise over the horizon at any moment.

But would Cold Fir City survive until then?

“Man proposes, heaven disposes,” the young lord replied. “Having chosen the life of a gambler, one must embrace the thrill of the roulette—”

“As for guerrilla tactics,” he added, “rest assured. I come from a lineage of masters.”

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.

For more updates and to stay connected, feel free to join the Discord on the otaku translation blog.

1 chapters left

Please vote for this novel at

https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-amber-sword/

If you would like to support this translation, you may choose any one of the options below.