Otaku Translation: The Amber Sword V3C28

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Chapter 28: Expansion, Part 9

“They’ve retreated.”

, blood-soaked, sat opposite . Gasping for breath, she stared at the noblewoman—whose pale face bore only a few flecks of blood. The black eyes still held traces of fear from the battle, but she had forced herself to calm down.

The young woman nodded.

The silence spell hadn’t been as effective as they’d hoped. They thought it was a panacea, but its impact proved limited. By the time the spell was cast, the battle had reached its peak—strategy and tactics became secondary. Cave dwellers charged relentlessly, relying on sheer numbers to break through the human defenses.

Realizing this too late, the mercenaries nearly missed their chance. If hadn’t stepped in at the critical moment, leading his men to push the enemy off the walls despite their dwindling strength, the consequences would have been dire.

The fiercest wave of attacks was repelled.

Finally recognizing the unsustainable losses, the cave dwellers withdrew, leaving everyone shaken by how close they had come to disaster.

The battlefield grew quiet, save for the heavy breathing of mercenaries crouched behind the wooden walls. No one counted casualties—it was unnecessary for now. Everyone knew that without a miracle before the next assault, hope was slim.

“They’ll be back,” Frein said, sitting nearby, his body aching. He looked up at the moon, calm as ever. “The next attack will come before dawn, depending on when the second wave arrives.”

“What do we do?” asked.

Silence fell.

Even Antietta, who had seemed so resolute, no longer felt certain after the near-death experience. For the first time, she wondered if she might die here if didn’t return soon. But then she reminded herself that without Brandon, she could have died in Braggs’ cold, dark shack just as easily. With that thought, the noblewoman regained her composure.

“Mercenaries do what we can and leave the rest to fate,” Frein said with a grin. “We’ve seen enough life and death. When they attack again, we’ll open the gates and make a break for it. Whether we live or die depends on whether favors us.”

Clenxia blinked, then gave a self-deprecating smile. Shaking his head, he turned to Antietta. “If that’s the case, Miss Antietta, I suppose we’ve done our part for your lord.”

Antietta paused, then nodded. “Thank you all.”

“No need for thanks,” Yuta cut in. “We’re just willing to trust him once. But don’t worry—even if he doesn’t come, I won’t abandon you two.”

sat across from them, hugging her knees. Her big brown eyes sparkled as she earnestly said, “Thank you—you’re a good person.” Then, smiling, she added, “But Brandon will definitely come. He never makes empty promises. If he says he can do something, he does it.”

“You really believe in him, little girl,” Yuta remarked, noticing Roma for the first time.

“Well,” Antietta hesitated, “I’m inclined to trust Lord Brandon too…”

“It seems our young lord has quite the charm, captivating two lovely ladies,” Frein teased, a rare smile crossing his dark face. “If I had that skill, I could die content.”

Clenxia snorted disdainfully. The silver-haired man, known for his flirtatious reputation among mercenaries, thought bitterly that if even this clueless brute could achieve such admiration, every man alive might as well throw themselves into a wall.

Antietta lowered her head modestly, silently enduring the crude jest with the delicate reserve of a noblewoman. Roma, however, furrowed her brows and waved her hands frantically, blushing. “No, no, that’s not why I trust Brandon!”

“Then why?” Yuta couldn’t help but ask curiously.

This time, even Antietta subtly leaned in, listening intently. Though she had followed Brandon longer, she knew little about his past beyond ’s tale. She often wondered what had happened before Ridenburg, during the early days of Madara’s invasion.

Her intuition told her there were more stories hidden within, much like the enigma surrounding Roma and Brandon’s origins. She also knew there was another pivotal woman in their group—, who was far away now. What role she played, and where she was, remained mysteries Brandon never spoke of.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Roma said, a proud yet mysterious smile tugging at her lips. Her eyes gleamed. “When Brandon rescued me from , I saw his determination. That’s when I realized he’d become a true man.”

“Because Auntie always says a real man keeps his promises and takes responsibility. So I must find someone willing to protect me!” She fidgeted nervously as she spoke.

“That’s it?” Yuta found it hard to believe.

Frein listened silently, mentally connecting the dots between Brandon’s actions and Roma’s words. Clenxia scoffed. “In all my travels, I’ve never met a noble worthy of being called a man. If even one of those cowards showed backbone, I’d tip my hat.”

His words resonated with many mercenaries, but Antietta said nothing. Instead, she quietly noted Roma’s mention of “Buchi.”

She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a mercenary rushing over from another section of the wall. His news sent shockwaves through the group: “Commanders, there’s movement in the forest. Scouts report the cave dwellers are preparing another attack.”

Everyone froze. So soon? The earlier camaraderie vanished instantly, replaced by an oppressive cloud hanging over them.

Antietta had assured them to wait for their lord’s victory. But now, the moonlight dimmed under gathering clouds, and hope seemed utterly out of reach.

Even the noblewoman herself felt suffocated.

---

Meanwhile, in the valley, developments unfolded unexpectedly for the cave dwellers.

The metallic steed leapt lightly over the battlefield. As its silver hooves touched the ground, dismounted swiftly, landing gracefully beside . Turning, her amber eyes reflected the sight of cave dwellers turning back toward them, charging fiercely.

Brandon’s summoned angels intercepted the vanguard, cutting down any who dared approach.

Clenching her teeth, Cinnabar sensed the urgency. She quickly placed her halberd against the fallen cave dweller leader’s neck with a soft click.

“Order them to surrender.”

“I… am dead,” Tagib replied haltingly in . “And you… will follow.”

The cunning response caught Cinnabar off guard. After a brief pause, she sneered, feigning calm. “Don’t play smart. Don’t forget—we have flying horses.” She pressed the blade closer. “One more chance. Tell them to stop attacking.”

Tagib hesitated internally. He feared death, but something felt off. Deciding to gamble, he replied, “If that’s the case, arrange a meeting with Lady Sia—”

in cave dweller mythology, was rumored to be a colossal lizard residing in the . Players in had long since debunked this myth, revealing her to be a dragon-like creature of mythic rank, unrelated to divinity.

“You think I won’t kill you!” Cinnabar snapped, anger flaring. She kicked him hard, sending him rolling several times across the ground.

But the kick confirmed Tagib’s suspicions. Unafraid, he dusted himself off and rose calmly. “I imagine… you may escape, but your companions left in the forest… may not fare so well.”

“You—” Cinnabar faltered. She hadn’t expected this sharp-witted cave dweller to guess their thoughts so accurately. Unable to admit it, she was momentarily stumped.

“Whom do you serve?” Brandon interjected from atop his steed, looking down at Tagib. “Toland or Drakontis?”

His words hit home. Tagib clammed up, instinctively tilting his head toward the young lord despite his blindness. Fear flickered across his face—a snake’s prey cornered.

Though Toland and Drakontis were obscure in , they were bitter rivals of Tagib’s former dungeon lord. This revelation stripped away his sense of superiority, leaving him humbled. For the first time, he regarded these humans as equals.

But where did they hail from? Why mention Toland and Drakontis? And what ties did they have with his former lord’s enemies?

Still, having severed ties with his underground roots, Tagib reasoned they had no reason to pursue him further.

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