The Amber Sword

The streets were silent. Brendel, who was in the midst of the crowd, was still mulling over his memories of history and lore from the game.

The Sword Saint named Darius was both unfamiliar and familiar to him at the same time. Since the Second Revival, this name belonged to one of the three important ministers of Aouine. He was most active one century before the rise of Aouine. To a player of The Amber Sword, that era was just an insignificant part of the game.

According to history, the kingdom was no longer in its glorious state later on. It was said that Gory Keyes left and Tuman had also returned to his secret Silver Fortress and lived in seclusion ever since. There were rumors of him being both alive and dead, but Brendel clearly remembered the moment of his grandfather holding his hand.

That was just an old man who resembled a wilted plant. Although he had still been burning with determination, he was nonetheless walking towards the end of his life. In another part of Brendel and Sophie’s memory, there was an old soldier from the Eleven Months War standing next to the Golden Tree holding a long sword and smiling.

It was just a scene made up of Brendel’s memories which would not make any difference in reality. He could even feel that expectation. But it was only on this day that he realized the old man had expectations for him which were far removed from the usual expectations the elderly placed upon the young.

However, in the real history, Brendel would have died in an old house in Bucce at that time.

If such was the case, why did he not tell Brendel the secret about the Wind Ring? What was the Sword Saint trying to hide?

“Grandfather indeed taught me some swordsmanship, but it was all basics that were used in the military,” Brendel replied.

“Ah……” The half-elf princess was really surprised this time, she could not help herself but looked at Brendel curiously with her long eyelashes and asked, “Mr. Brendel, so your swordsmanship…”

“That’s another secret.” Brendel replied, “Including the knowledge I have now, it was from another experience when I once studied under a wizard.”

Brendel was sure that he was not lying. His swordsmanship did have a different origin. It was from a player who modified and improved the skills from the sword of Darius. He also studied under a wizard, but that was in a past game.

“That must have been a torturous experience.” Gryphine was amazed.

‘Yeah, there were many twists and turns……” Brendel sighed. Although Brendel expressed this in an obscure way, intentionally avoiding the complete truth, it was nonetheless vastly removed from the princess’ expectations. He had never heard of this, let alone experienced this story in person. Since the escape from Bucce, the two worlds have coincided in his life.

“So, what is actually going on?” Brendel sighed and continued to ask. He pretended to be anxious for the answer but the it was already looming in his mind. He just needed a confirmation. “I believe there is a bigger story behind this.”

“My Lord, I said, I will keep this a secret.” Ciel replied, “Actually, there is no meaning in the past, we just need to know that there are still some people who are touched by destiny. My Lord, your very presence here proves that this is right – “

No, perhaps only Brendel understood that all of this was not connected by destiny because history had changed long ago. Only he knew the real future and his presence here proved that this consistent and constant world had already plunged into uncertainty.

This was because Brendel was supposed to die in Bucce.

Destiny handed the ‘present’ over to Alice, but the ‘past’ and the ‘future’ were given over to Goddess Elaine. The ‘present’ was tied by a coil of string, and that was ‘Causality’. But ‘future’ and ‘past’ was an entire world of uncertain possibilities.

It was only because of this infinitely possible future-

Mortals could dominate their own destiny.

Brendel firmly believed in this. But even if destiny had changed, a timeline still existed. Except it was a timeline where Brendel had not died, a timeline which he had not crossed. In a different world, this line would produce a different result.

What a useless piece of shit. Brendel cursed in his heart. After becoming a Sword Saint, he died to a worthless opponent. This was probably the biggest insult in the history of Aouine. But it had been buried completely in the game, leaving no trace of it.

But it did not matter to him as he had already guessed a part of the answer. Brendel glanced at Ciel and asked, “If I am not mistaken, in November during the Star Festival, the allied forces of the Holy Cathedral of Fire must have ambushed Aouine’s army  in the Alkash Mountains, right?”

“Let me guess, the Holy Cathedral of Fire did not expect that Darius the Sword Saint would lead the whole of Aouine’s army to kill their way out.”

“Am I right?”

His voice was not loud but had a firm tone. Brendel looked calm while the princess bit her lip hard, while everyone else was shocked by what they just heard.

Brendel suddenly began chuckling, but the shine in his eyes made him look wise and confident.

“Ha……”

Brendel almost wanted to break into full-on lauhgter, “So that was what happened. That was how Madara’s undead army who attacked us from behind came about. Those poor bastards from the Fire of Thorny Flowers, hahaha, we have wrongly placed the blame on you……”

“Holy Cathedral of Fire, a glorious and holy place, is really interesting.”

“But it’s such a pity……”

“I turned out to be just a player, a player who came from another world.”

What a surprise. Brendel thought while gritting his teeth.