The Amber Sword

TL: I found out that I got a grade ‘B’ from one of the subjects that I really didn’t want to get a B on. It’s like, well, I spent weeks and weeks on just that subject alone and I kind of go meh on the other stuff, and the others got a B+. That really just drives me nuts -_-. I might have to go again with the 2 weeks 1 update in order to polish things until I think the new assignments shines, depending on the workload. Don’t worry, I’ll fill in the backlog once I graduate.

As for the artwork for TAS, there’s the freedom to do whatever I want for the next assignment, so I’m thinking of doing Brendel as a warrior. Right now I don’t have a particular inspiration because I’ve just started, but if you guys have any amazing artwork warrior images that you have seen, just comment away and send me the links.

Also at the end of my course, I’ll be doing a check on all the chapter’s text for content errors and grammar mistakes. For the mean time, I will be doing recaps for my series because of the 2 weeks update thingy.

Next schedule would be tentatively 2 weeks later. I kind of need to get a proper pose for Brendel and do up two good character designs, if I can get the design done earlier I can get a chapter out next week.

Recap: Princess Gryphine crosses blows with the Unifying Guild’s member who’s also a top ranking minister. Brendel meets up with Freya to talk with her before leaving.

Chapter 61 – Bruglas last night (3)

Freya became silent.

She looked like she was thinking of stray thoughts for a while, before she raised her head up to look at him. Her light brown eyes resembled like a pair of orange gems under the candlelight.

Aouine’s battle song was written by a relatively unknown gamer on the forums, but there were numerous people who sang—

“We the proud citizens of Aouine—

Shall never bow our noble heads and hold it high up even if we are defeated

Our courage shall be carved unto our weapons

Our faith shall guard our flags

Our blood will flow towards the same path

We pledge solemnly

To raise the flags of the Silver Lily once more.

We pledge solemnly

To believe in Aouine and never falter.

Upon our deaths, our voices will echo

and reverb throughout this land.

Our voices shall chronicle

The love for our hometown.”

Brendel lowered his head and rubbed his eyes. When he looked back up, he saw Freya looking down onto the ground, mumbling: “How can I do the same thing like a legendary figure? I’m just a foolish girl who tries her best, even the point of screwing everything up.”

[That’s right! Your efforts are the source of this legend—]

Brendel stared at her. He admired the past and current Freya for her earnest attitude. No matter what it was, she had always tried her best to do it.

[Perhaps you don’t know your own potential, but one day you will shine brightly like a diamond.]

He laughed softly: “Then just treat it like a dream that you can aim for.”

Freya looked at him and nodded. “Is that a legend from the Highland knight?”

Brendel paused momentarily, and nodded.

Freya stopped speaking. After a while, she asked quietly: “Is there anything else you want to instruct me?”

“Not really…… Wait.” Brendel paused for a moment, before calling her. He thought for a while before asking. “Freya, what do you think of Aouine?” Brendel lowered his voice when he spoke.

The truth was he had already checked his surroundings once to see if anyone were paying attention to them.

“Aouine? What about it?” She was confused.

“If I was to put it into an analogy, Aouine is currently akin to an old dying man who’s sick all the way to his core.” Brendel said.

Freya was completely stunned.

After all this time, she was no longer that naive militia leader. She had observed the filthy nobles with her own eyes, and she was worried about the upper echelons who ruled the kingdom, but she did not know where the problems exactly laid.

[Was it really like this? Maybe I misunderstood something—]

The uneasy girl could only comfort herself. In this world, there were both light and darkness. Perhaps everything would get better, but it was nothing more than a vicious cycle. Despite that, she kept hoping to get to the truth, to see if the world was in line with her naive thinking in the past.

But she did not expect for Brendel to strip away all her thoughts, and left the worst one behind with his words.

Freya was unable to say anything.

“Listen closely.” Brendel had hesitated many times before he was finally determined to speak to her what he thought.

He was constantly afraid that he would affect her future route, but she was not only the Goddess of War in his heart, she was also a reliable partner that he could trust in, and the latter occupied more of his heart.

He had no true relative in this world, and Freya lost both of her parents who took care of her, and he felt that he needed her support, and it was the same for her. Ever since that night in the village, he understood that his link with her could not be broken anymore.

The two of them were isolated and weak, blindly moving ahead and relying each other as they moved forward in the murky future.

[If I didn’t meet the people in Bucce, I would have found it to gain a relationship with this world, and would have constantly felt isolated here. Right now for Freya, she is heading to the path of that lonely Goddess of War.]

“Aouine can no longer go back to the past where it is peaceful. The only thing that can save this kingdom is having a drastic change. Certainly, an upheaval in the kingdom would fracture it into pieces, but everyone of us who were born in this era will try and restore it. I don’t know how many people can see this outcome, and I don’t know whether anyone understands what I’m saying, but do you understand?”

She looked at him in a bewitched manner, but she nodded subconsciously.

“Do you know now why I wanted you to go the Royal Cavalry Academy?”

“But I…….”

“Freya, do your best.”

Freya took a deep breath and said with uneasiness: “I don’t know if what you say is true, but I think I need to believe in you. But I’m a little confused and I’m really scared. How about everyone in our militia, can we try and change everything?”

“I am also going to try my best to change that future. I need your help.”

“…… What must I do?”

“If there is anything that happens, then throw all your support towards the princess. I heard that princess Gryphine in Aouine is famed for her intelligence, if there’s anyone in the Corvado family who could lead this kingdom out of her predicament, we can only trust her.” Brendel paused and thought for a moment: “I believe you might have the chance to meet her in the Royal Cavalry Academy.”

“Why do you know she would be there?” Freya blurted out: “Are you trying to mess around with me?”

“I wish I was joking, but when you are a chess player in Aouine’s politics, no matter if you are willing or not, you would be able to see all the situations clearly. You will understand in time.” Brendel laughed: “Don’t worry about it too much. We will still be able to meet with each other. Don’t forget my words, I’ll definitely stand behind you—“

She lowered her head and pondered for a while to take in his words. She then spoke in a tiny voice : “I got it. I’ll take my leave now.”

Freya’s lonely figure was like a isolated bird on its migrant journey. When she turned around, he had the urge to call her back and ask her if she wanted to come along with him, but at the end, he stopped himself. She had her own path, and he could not be so selfish.

But at that moment, she stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

“Brendel.”

“Yes?”

“I—- Please help me take care of Romaine. She’s my best friend.”

After throwing out her words, she walked out of the bar with large strides without turning back again, leaving behind Brendel who was trying to carefully figure out that sentence meant. In the end, the youth shook his head and drank from his wine cup.