The Amber Sword

v4c5

Hello, I’m Your Debt Collector

Brendel had not actually been to Ampere Seale’s workshop district that often. The one place he recalled the most was the rusted sign that wobbled in the sea breeze at the edge of Grey Harbor, the messy room along with the stove inside it that looked like it had not been lit for a long time, and the boozy old dwarf.

It’s not like O’Dork, The Red Nose’s handiworks were that impressive. But for just a small barrel of strong liquor, the old dwarf would take good care of your equipment; that is, as long as he did not drink himself unconscious.

Ampere Seale was now different.

After the carriage passed a fortress, the road became narrow and claustrophobic, as houses lined up on both sides of the road, squished tightly together. The salty sea smell that Brendel remembered was replaced by the heavier scent of smoke. The glistening red signs were made of brass, and the text on it was unabashedly flamboyant, showing off the culture and style unique to harbor cities.

The carriage passed by old dwarves smoking at the doorway with hammers in their hands, their beards strung together by shiny iron rings. Wind elves in long and ornate robes, either from Deerzik or from the woods north of the Misty Forest, with board, intricately designed cage rings on their middle fingers to signify that they were mages.

Most of these people were the creams of the crop in their respective fields. A hint of arrogance was in their eyes, and their personal worths was quite high. The workshop district in Ampere Seale represented extravagance and wealth, and the high quality of services befitting that reputation.

But soon, she got serious.

“Oh?” The Faerie lady turned around and looked at him curiously, “You are Brendel?”

Brendel felt chills on his back but he nodded anyway. Tania asked again, “I heard you saved Ampere Seale, that makes you the hero of this harbour, huh?”

“Not…. exactly.”

“I’m sure you’re not aware of the fact that your grandfather owes me a Holy Sword.”

“Does he?” Brendel was stunned, “Wait, what!?” He shouted, Why did I suddenly have a creditor now. If things kept going down this road, the plot would demand the son to pay back his father’s debt, right?.

“You know it too, the weapon of the Earth Sword Saint.”

“My grandfather’s weapon….” Brendel was startled, and suddenly remembered the Earth Sword Saint’s walking rapier. It was called the “Falling Star”, a legendary weapon, said to be a replica of Sisyphus’s Tooth, which had the ability to split apart the very earth itself.

Sisyphus’s Tooth sword of Kula, the hero of the highlanders. The mythology of the highlanders strayed from the one of the Kirrlutz, but Kula did indeed exist in history, and he once even adventured with the Azure Knights. Although the history was not widely known, the Sisyphus’s Tooth was quite famous. It was said that the Alkash Mountains were carved into existence by a slash of this sword.

Sisyphus’s Tooth was called Siri, Andrida, as well as “the sword that separates the earth”, in the language of the highlanders. This sword was technically more famous than Kula himself, and it was part of the reason why the Earth Sword Saint Darius was given his title.

Brendel could not help but stared at the Royal Highness Princess. Unexpectedly, Princess Gryphine nodded to him with an embarrassed face, “Mr Brendel, I’m sorry I forgot to mention it to you…… Your grandfather’s sword was given by Aunt Tania when he was young.”

“The guy even promised me that he’d one day bring me an actually Holy Sword in exchange for it, but he failed to keep his promise.” Tania complained, like a little child. “But that’s okay, his grandson has now grown up—”

Damn, the plot really is going in that son-pays-off-father’s-debt direction!

“Wait, what do you want!” Brendel shouted. He suddenly felt that one of the worst decisions he made today was to come here. He’d come to get his equipment fixed, he hadn’t expected to meet a creditor! There was definitely something wrong with his script!

“Relax, I won’t really ask you to go look for a Holy Sword. That is just a wish I had when I was young; my desire for adventure has faded already.” The Faerie lady replied generously.

“I wouldn’t do it even if you want me to look for it.” Brendel replied crossly. He did have a genuine Halran Gaia, which was technically considered as a Holy Sword too, but it was a sword that he had spent a lot of time and effort finding, and not one he would ever give to someone else to pay off debt. He could not help but complain,
When other people find out they have powerful relatives they have all sorts of good things happen to them, but why is it that when it comes to me, it’s either an enemy or a creditor? Just what awful things did Sword Saint Darius while he had been alive?

The Faerie lady was not affected by Brendel’s bad attitude. Instead, she said to Carol, who was nearby, “Carol, can you go inside and help me to get that box out?”

“Huh?”

“The one with the ring of jewels embedded on the lock.”

“Oh.” The still teary-eyed girl replied, before running to the back. But Brendel felt like the evil merchant of a Faerie lady was just trying to send away the outsider. Sure enough, in the next moment, she turned around and said, “Gryphine, Mr Brendel. Can you do me a favor?”

“Aunt Tania, what do you need?” Before Brendel could answer, Princess Gryphine next to him spoke up.

“I’d like to ask you to help me find something.”

“Aunt Tania…. Those Holy Swords from the legends have long since disappeared. This is no longer the age of the War of The Holy Saints.” Princess Gryphine smiled helplessly at her request, obviously aware of this ‘aunt’ of hers’ weird personality.

“That’s not necessarily true.” The Faerie lady looked unconcerned, and she put down her teacup, “The true era of glory is only just beginning, but let’s not get into that. I’m not asking you to go find me a Holy Sword or anything.”

“Huh?” Princess Gryphine paused in surprise, “What do you want to find then, Aunt Tania?”

“This is actually the reason I came to Ampere Seale, and it’s not like I have to own the thing. I just want to take a look at it, and my lifelong wish will be fulfilled.”

Brendel saw the Royal Highness Princess’s unconcerned face, he knew that the elder Faerie lady had a lot of lifelong wishes. Maybe that’s what she said when she gave the sword to my grandfather.

“Aunt Tania, what are you looking for actually.”

“The Azure Lance, I heard it’s hidden somewhere in Ampere Seale.”

“What—”