Otaku Translation: The Amber Sword V3C115

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Chapter 115: The Edge of the Black Forest, Part 2

"That’s because you were just a little madman until you met this bigger lunatic," Kulan thought sourly, shooting Brandon a sidelong glance.

But for all his grumbling, the old swordsman turned to Brandon with a raised eyebrow. "Alright, where are these youngsters you claim need looking after?"

Brandon smiled faintly. His reasons for bringing Kulan along were simple enough. He’d always intended to use this expedition into the Black Forest as an opportunity to train the young recruits. After all, there was no better crucible than the treacherous depths of the forest itself—a place teeming with danger that could forge their character and skill. Having them close would also allow him to impart his philosophy firsthand.

The problem, however, lay in the unpredictable perils of the Black Forest. Protecting these carefully nurtured youths wouldn’t be easy—not alone, anyway. Brandon knew he couldn’t do it by himself; he needed help. Chael, Metissa, and Cinnabar were gold-rank warriors, while the twelve Rubis mercenaries had reached the peak of silver-rank strength. Still, aside from Cinnabar, Brandon doubted he could afford to bring anyone else. Cold Fir simply couldn’t spare so much manpower right now. If it weren’t for the fact that Cinnabar still struggled to stay far from him for extended periods, he might not have brought her either.

And thus, under the guise of travel, he’d lured Kulan here—to enlist the old swordsman’s aid. Brandon trusted that despite Kulan’s gruff protests, when push came to shove, the man wouldn’t hesitate to step in. True to form, after only a brief moment of hesitation, Kulan agreed—on one condition: he wouldn’t fight directly against Earl Jandel or officially serve as Brandon’s subordinate. A bit of fresh air and adventure suited him well enough, though he made it clear he wouldn’t make things easy for Brandon.

"We’re almost there," Brandon said.

He gazed into the distance, where a dark speck soon appeared on the horizon beyond the forest's edge. It grew larger, resolving into a caravan. Four large wagons rolled slowly into the forest before coming to a stop. The mercenaries aboard clearly recognized their lord; they disembarked immediately and bowed deeply. “My lord.”

“Is everyone here?” Brandon asked.

“Yes, My lord.”

“And Cinnabar?”

“She’s present too, My lord. She’s with Lady Antietta—” The mercenary answering kept his head respectfully lowered.

Brandon’s gaze shifted to the last wagon in the line—a sleek black carriage. Its door opened, and out stepped Antietta, followed by Cinnabar. To his surprise, two wild elf sisters emerged next, the younger of whom waved enthusiastically upon spotting him.

“My lord!” Tia, who hadn’t seen Brandon in some time due to her demanding duties, looked thrilled to see him again.

“What are they doing here?” Brandon nodded politely toward the younger elf, then turned his questioning eyes to Antietta.

Antietta seemed to anticipate the question. She glanced briefly at the wagons, perhaps ensuring nothing was amiss, before meeting Brandon’s gaze. “Fleur is here to attend to your needs, My lord.”

So she really was playing the role of personal maid now.

Brandon nearly choked. “I don’t need a maid,” he protested.

The elder wild elf sister stood behind Antietta, glaring daggers at Brandon with piercing green eyes. Her expression screamed: Behave yourself, My lord.

“I—I didn’t mean it like that,” Brandon stammered. He hadn’t been thinking about maids at all—it was just that Fleur’s recent actions overlapped so closely with such responsibilities. Collecting his thoughts, he amended, “What I meant was, I don’t require special care. I’m not some spoiled noble who can’t lift a finger for himself.”

“But you are the Lord of Tonygel,” Antietta replied earnestly.

“That’s just a title, Antietta. Things haven’t changed that much.”

“The past is the past,” Antietta chided gently. “Now you represent Tonygel. Every action sets an example. How can a lord go without even a personal attendant?”

She tilted her head slyly. “Unless… you’d prefer Chael to tend to your needs instead, My lord?”

That did it. Brandon recoiled at the mere thought. He shot a glance at Fleur, who had indeed been handling those tasks recently under Antietta’s direction. Though reluctant at first, he’d grown accustomed to it—or so he told himself. Finally, raising his hands in surrender, he conceded defeat.

“She’s quite something,” Kulan remarked, eyeing Antietta appraisingly. Turning to Brandon, he added, “A noble-born lady, graceful and lovely. Rare qualities. Your grandfather would approve.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Brandon snapped, shooting the troublemaker a glare.

Kulan caught on quickly, smirking. “You disapprove? Then perhaps I should introduce her to Karglis. He’ll be your second-in-command soon enough—and shares your peculiar tastes.”

Brandon coughed awkwardly, glancing at Antietta. “Enough nonsense.”

“Ah, all desire and no courage,” Kulan teased, clapping Brandon on the shoulder. “You’re nothing like your grandfather, boy.” With a satisfied grin, the old man sauntered off, clearly pleased to have struck a nerve.

Brandon turned back to Antietta, whose cheeks flushed ever so slightly. Lowering her voice, she murmured, “We should prepare, My lord. Time is short.”

“Will you return alone afterward?” Perhaps it was Kulan’s earlier comment, but for the first time, Brandon found himself softening toward the usually obstinate noblewoman. There was something unexpectedly endearing about her.

Antietta nodded.

“It’s too dangerous,” Brandon objected.

“But Cinnabar is accompanying you…” Antietta reasoned. She’d considered keeping knowledge of Brandon’s journey into the Black Forest limited, and the route back to Cold Fir City wasn’t particularly long. Besides, the territory was firmly under the mercenaries’ control. She saw no reason for concern.

“My point is, you should join us,” Brandon countered.

“W-what?” Antietta exclaimed softly. Due to her own limitations, Brandon rarely included her in field operations. While she harbored a small pang of regret, she understood her role and hadn’t dwelled on it. But this sudden invitation threw her off guard. She knew what the Black Forest entailed—she’d only slow them down.

“I-I don’t think that’s wise…”

Logic urged her to decline, but a tiny voice within whispered otherwise. The prospect of traveling and adventuring alongside the young lord stirred memories of days gone by, leaving the usually composed girl conflicted.

Yet Brandon hadn’t acted impulsively. Sending Cinnabar to escort Antietta here served a purpose. In the future, he’d have many responsibilities that couldn’t keep him tethered to the territory. As his chief advisor, Antietta would need to take charge swiftly if anything happened. To do that, she had to familiarize herself with the dormant land—the awakening Valhalla.

Unlike ordinary territories, Valhalla’s resurgence would shock any mortal witness. The fastest way to acclimate someone was to immerse them in its awakening process firsthand.

“It’s part of the plan,” Brandon explained. “Though it’s not irreplaceable. The Black Forest is perilous, so the choice is yours.”

“And what about Lady Roma?” Antietta frowned. “If I’m not around, no one will keep an eye on her.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Brandon said, shaking his head. “She won’t cause trouble.”

Antietta blinked in disbelief. During her months in Cold Fir, Roma had managed to stumble into minor mishaps daily. Her scatterbrained nature baffled Antietta, who often wondered how the girl had survived her teenage years. She even developed a begrudging admiration for Roma’s aunt, marveling at the woman’s ability to rein in such chaos.

But Brandon understood. Without him around, Roma would behave better than anyone. Her antics were merely attempts to grab his attention—like a bird fluffing its feathers to attract a mate. Despite her clumsiness, Roma possessed a natural cunning that Brandon found charming.

“So, what will it be?” he asked.

After a pause, Antietta seemed to grasp his meaning. “Of course I’ll come,” she blurted out instinctively. Catching herself, she coughed lightly. “I mean, I’m honored to serve you, My lord. Danger doesn’t deter me.”

Brandon smiled. “Thank you.” Gesturing toward Tia, who was curiously inspecting every plant and tree in the forest, he asked, “And what about her?”

Having one sister sent as a caretaker made sense. Bringing Red-Handed Softie might yield unexpected benefits. But why the younger sibling? Was Antietta practicing some mythical “buy one, get one free” deal? A maid and a tagalong? Now that would be quite the bargain.

“She’s here on Master Tama’s behalf,” Antietta replied.

Brandon recalled Tia assisting the alchemist Tama recently. “Wait,” he interjected. “Is she here to collect materials?”

Antietta nodded.

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