Otaku Translation: The Amber Sword V3C131

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Chapter 131: Veronica

"Faina, what is the meaning of this?"

Before Brandon could respond, a middle-aged nobleman clad in a black formal coat emerged from the crowd of centaurs gathered nearby. As his eyes darted to the young noblewoman trussed up like a hog, then to Rono and the other knights sprawled on the ground, his expression changed at once.

The nobleman raised his gaze, taking in Brandon standing at the center of the chaos, with Antietta and Cinnabar behind him. Without hesitation, he drew his longsword and lunged, its tip aimed straight for Brandon's heart.

A wave of scorching heat accompanied the blade’s descent.

Passive element, gold-rank.

Brandon and Cinnabar both tensed as their own elements reacted simultaneously. The air thickened, and an icy chill swept through the area. Electricity crackled along the shaft of Cinnabar’s Halberd of Thunder, arcs dancing erratically.

But before the sword could reach Brandon, it was deflected by a wall of roaring flames that erupted between them. The nobleman’s expression shifted from confidence to caution as he retreated, his grip tightening on the hilt of his weapon.

"Who are you?" Kalenz, Earl of Cruze, demanded, his voice low and wary. He had already recognized that neither Brandon nor Cinnabar were Tanians or tree elves. And Cinnabar’s striking crimson hair marked her unmistakably as one of the mountain folk.

Two youths wielding gold-rank power—how had he never heard of them?

"Lord Kalenz," Faina stammered, relief washing over her now that reinforcements had arrived. "They’re Eruinians. They injured Rono and the others... and—and that young man—he even said—" She faltered, swallowing hard. "He said our empire’s dignity isn't that inviolable after all."

"Our empire’s dignity isn't that inviolable after all?" Kalenz snorted, his lip curling in disdain. To any true son or daughter of the Empire, such words were blasphemy. In his mind, the Eruinians were little more than rebels—a rabble that would have been crushed decades ago if not for the treachery of the Wind Elves. Even now, though the Temple of Flames begrudgingly acknowledged their existence, the proud Cruzeans still refused to see them as equals.

In Kalenz’s eyes, these so-called nobles were no better than peasants scraping by in some forgotten corner of the world—even if Eck, the first king of Eruin, hailed from one of Cruze’s oldest families.

His cold gaze fixed on Brandon. "Boy, did you say that?"

Brandon studied the nobleman, sifting through fragmented memories of Cruze’s aristocracy. There were simply too many of them, and those who reached gold-rank were as numerous as stars in the night sky. This particular face meant nothing to him.

"It’s only the truth," Brandon replied casually.

"The truth, you say?" Kalenz sneered, grinding his teeth. His pale face twisted into a mocking smile. "I’ve heard your homeland isn’t faring too well these days. Obergu VII crying like a child after being humiliated by Madara, sending envoys crawling to our Emperor for aid. Oh, wait—that old fool should be dead by now, shouldn’t he?"

He paused dramatically, feigning thoughtfulness. "Such turmoil within your borders. Things must be dire indeed, boy. Perhaps your princess might take an interest in our Ninth Prince? Or perhaps our prince could lend a hand—after all, dealing with insignificant troubles like yours would be child’s play for the great Cruze Empire."

Every word dripped with condescension, cutting deep into the ears of any Eruinian present. Antietta clenched her fists, biting back a retort—she was a lady, after all—but her jaw tightened visibly. Even Cinnabar frowned. For all Eruin’s flaws, it was still her homeland. Hearing it mocked so openly left a bitter taste in her mouth.

As for Brandon, his expression darkened the moment the nobleman mentioned the princess. His hand instinctively moved to the hilt of The Sword of the Earth. He hesitated—not out of fear, but because killing wasn’t something he took lightly. Still, if someone wished to die, he wouldn’t hesitate to oblige.

An early gold-ranker posed no threat. With his skill alone, Brandon could easily best someone like Kulan, a mid-tier gold-ranker. But that wasn’t even considering his full potential. After all, Brandon was both a Planeswalker and an Elementalist.

Even without Cinnabar’s help, he was confident he could silence this arrogant earl within ten moves.

Funiya tugged gently at Antietta’s hand. Though she felt little attachment to Eruin, she knew it was Brandon’s homeland. Seeing the storm brewing in his eyes, she stepped forward, her voice ringing clear despite her youth.

"Whoever you are, you’re not welcome here."

Kalenz blinked, caught off guard by the audacity of a mere child. Recovering quickly, he scoffed, "What impudence! Just like the uncouth brats of the countryside."

But his taunt died on his lips. Not just him—the surrounding centaurs felt it too. The temperature plummeted sharply, and frost began creeping across the wooden floorboards beneath their feet. It spread rapidly, creaking and groaning as the wood warped under its weight, forming a serpent-like trail of ice that slithered toward Kalenz.

"Elemental affinity? And an advanced ice element—" Kalenz’s face paled.

He raised his sword to block, but another voice cut through the tension.

"Enough!"

Kalenz froze, but Brandon ignored the command entirely. The Sword of the Earth slid free of its scabbard, its elemental energy surging in response to his anger. The frost-serpent surged forward, poised to strike—but it halted abruptly as an invisible force intervened, severing Brandon’s connection to his element.

Startled, Brandon looked up to see the centaurs parting to make way for a figure draped in a crimson cloak, her armor gleaming like polished steel. Her emerald-green hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, framing a face of breathtaking beauty marred only by faint lines around her eyes.

She didn’t need to speak; a single glance rooted Brandon to the spot.

Veronica, Commander of the Azure Sky Legion, was not only one of the empire’s few female commanders but also served as the supreme commander of the allied forces on the Eastern Front during the November War and the Second Holy War. She was a woman who bore titles like Sword Saint, Dragon Knight, War Sage, and Sky General. She awakened her elemental affinity centuries ago, and few dared guess the extent of her current strength. If there was a list of living legends in Cruze, she would undoubtedly top it.

Even Brandon, who prided himself on his composure, felt a shiver run down his spine. History spoke of her close ties with Freya, whom she mentored during the latter’s formative years. To stand before her now was akin to facing a tempest incarnate.

And yet, here they were.

"Have you no respect for the Empire?" Her voice was as sharp as the edge of a blade, slicing through the air.

Her aura flared, pressing down on Brandon like the weight of a mountain. Despite the pressure, he met her gaze head-on, drawing a steadying breath before replying.

"The ancestors of the Cruzeans seem to believe conquest and oppression are solutions to every problem. Perhaps they’ve forgotten the virtues of tolerance—not just toward their own people, but toward outsiders as well?"

Though his heart raced, Brandon’s tone remained defiant. They stood on Druid territory, where even she wouldn’t dare harm him openly. His words struck a nerve, exposing the cruelty and callousness that had long drawn criticism from factions within the Temple of Flames. Yet, with more than half of the Temple’s High Priests owing allegiance to Cruze, the Empire maintained its grip on religious authority.

"Hmph. Sharp tongue won’t save you," Veronica said coolly. Turning to Kalenz, she ordered, "Teach this Eruinian a lesson."

Kalenz grinned wickedly, sensing Brandon’s movements restricted by the legendary general’s overwhelming presence. While killing him here was impossible, there were subtler ways to ruin a promising future. Maiming or crippling the boy would suffice.

He bowed deeply to Veronica before turning back to Brandon, his sword flashing toward the younger man’s wrist. But Cinnabar was faster. With a flick of her halberd, she blocked his path. However, before she could counterattack, Veronica’s icy glare struck her like a bolt of lightning. The halberd clattered to the ground.

"Insolent whelp," Kalenz sneered, his blade inching closer to Brandon's body.

TLN: The entire third volume has been completely translated. You can read all of it through the links below.

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