The Amber Sword

Chapter 136 – Dispute.

“Father!” A sudden childish outcry of anxiety and unease suddenly cut through the cavalry’s sneering laughter.

A haggard-looking woman covered her child’s mouth and looked at the riders with fearful eyes. Silence covered the entire street as the leader of the riders dismounted and walked slowly over to her. His gait had a certain threatening weight to it as he carried his large spear over his shoulders.

While his eyes were dyed with surprise from the cry earlier, it could not hide the disdain in them.

“This boy knows that wretched thing?” The stout man licked his lips as he pointed with his spear to the blood-stained corpse on the ground. His comrades came up as well and surrounded her like a pack of hyenas.

The woman hugged her son and shook her head with tears rolling across her cheeks.

“Let that boy go. I want to hear the answer directly from him.” The man used his spear to draw back the woman’s fringe as he said.

The woman hugged her child even tighter as she was afraid of losing him; the people around her looked on with sympathetic eyes but quickly drew back from her.

Suddenly, there was an odd feeling in his mind. When he fired that arrow at the cavalry’s leader, he was suddenly reminded of the time when he lost his temper at Makarov over Scarlett. He shook off that feeling in a hurry.

[…… Regardless, I need to raise my level as soon as possible to unseal my Element. Once my perception is raised I should be able to make sense of the type of Element I have. The situation might go out of hand anytime and I need every bit of power available to me.]

Brendel was easily able to kill every one of the bastards in front of him, and would gladly do so if Baron Graudin was not in the picture.

“Messere, we will be in trouble if we do as you say,” The attitude of the riders’ leader changed to a polite tone as Brendel’s haughty reaction confirmed his suspicions: “These people who fought back might be conspiring with the bandits. We can’t answer to our lord if we let them go—“

But he chose to resist. He did kill a noble, and if he let the survivors escape then there would still be trouble for him if rumors came about.

Brendel’s laughter echoed in the street when he heard the leader’s answer.

“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” The youth’s hand went to his sword: “Killing you is as easy as killing a rat, and I just need to apologize to Graudin after the deed is done— But I’m going to give him my respect by not cutting your head off on the spot despite your insolence. However, my patience has its limits—“

He pulled out his sword and caused the riders in front of him to shiver slightly.

The world was simply that practical. If the nobility’s status did not work in negotiations, then violence and power were the answers. The price of being naive was too high, and all too easily understood with Fenna’s still-warm body.

The riders’ leader considered for a while before he finally agreed and stepped away from the swordsman.

The swordsman still wanted to grab his greatsword and cut down the bastard in front of him, but another adventurer dashed out from the crowd to restrain him. Brendel watched him whisper into the swordsman’s ears before the latter finally calmed down.

– Don’t cause trouble for others.

Brendel sighed inwardly. The group of adventurers were truly naive. To the point where it was as rare as precious gems.

Tears streaked down the swordsman’s eyes as he gently carried Fenna’s body. The crowd parted as the two men walked towards Brendel.

“Thank you, kind sir.”

The person who thanked him was a skinny-looking youth around Brendel’s age. He had a pale face and long light-grey hair, and wore a monocle which was chained back behind his ear. He wore a grey set of long robes which had runic patterns on his sleeves, and Brendel realized that he was an apprenticing wizard.

Unlike the swordsman who displayed his anger and sorrow openly, the youth appeared composed and polite, although his slightly red eyes betrayed the fury in him.

“Do you want to take revenge?” Brendel asked after studying the wizard for a moment.

The young wizard looked up at Brendel in suspicion before he quietly shook his head and pulled the surprised swordsman away.

Brendel’s eyes followed his back. That young wizard was just as angry as the swordsman and would never forget about this incident, but contrary to his partner, he was cautious and showed restraint.

[I thought that everyone in that group is naive but that youth is quite intriguing…..]

“Messere, I have done what you asked of me. Would you kindly follow us and explain to our superiors?” The riders’ leader carefully asked.

Brendel gave a derisive scoff, but he nodded after a moment.

“My lord?” Amandina whispered.

Since he interfered with this matter it would be necessary for him to meet Baron Graudin. It was folly to use force here, and he thought it would be better for him to make the first move and fool the latter.