The Amber Sword

TL: I hope you guys enjoy the end of that auction mini-arc, kind of want to close the file on that auction site. What’s going to happen next is me finishing my assignments first before going back to TL. That means I’m not going to TL TAS for a few days until maybe Thursday or Friday.

11 more ch to go

TL: Scroll down a lot if you want to skip to the story, otherwise read on for some analysis on the in-text power rankings.

I recall a comment on Mahouka Rettousei’s protagonist Tatsuya, describing him as a shark swimming in a very small pool, because he owned everyone in school. I find that it kind of applies to Brendel too. Most of the commoners/mercs react in a very WTF manner whenever Brendel does his stuff, but when it comes to the really strong people like Tirste, Brendel gets his ass handed to him.

Just for some level info rehash

Iron-ranked Tier is 16-30 (Brendel recently increased his level to 20.)

Silver-ranked is 31-40

Gold-ranked is 41-60 (Tirste is assumed to be level 40+ since his description is one who has just entered Gold Rank)

But what Brendel was surprise was how this ‘item’ system could grow. It was not limited to just gathering more cards, but was also based on the individual level. When he was level ten as a mercenary, he had four cards, when he rose to level thirteen, he had five cards, and the Elements related to the Knight card combination, Red, Gold and Gray, had risen by one cell in his Elemental Pool.

That was when he heard Batum’s words.

Batum’s words somehow reflect his own heart, but he knew that it was not possible for him to think this way right now. He was no longer a pure gamer.

[Aligning with the Unifying Guild might be an advantage. It’s quite obvious that I’m not going to work with them, but I need to consider how to stab them in the back from this position…]

So he shook his head.

“What?” Batum was stunned and asked hesitatingly: “My lord, are you going to work with them? These people are terrible, they have never had any goodwill to their name.”

Amandina wanted to say something but she stopped herself. Brendel’s decision had made her sigh with relief. She had originally wanted to warn Brendel that the Unifying Guild’s influence was not small, and if Tirste allowed him to leave, he must have a backup plan.

She did not wish for ‘The Amber Sword’ mercenaries to have a strong enemy behind their backs even before they left Grinoires. As her advisor, she was already placing them as his private property.

“I understand what they are, Batum. But you have to consider the aftermath for everything. If I suggested this idea to that bastard, I wouldn’t say a lie that can be broken anytime.” Brendel said.

“Doesn’t it mean we have to encourage the refugees to cause a riot?” Batum scratched his head, and appeared unwilling to do it.

“Of course not, Brendel will definitely have a solution. Back in Bucce, we all called him almighty Brendel!” Little Romaine was picking rocks up and throwing them into the river, but she turned her head around and argued with indignance.

[When did you give me a new nickname in Bucce again?] Brendel eyed the lass with chargin.

The original dresses that Romaine and Amandina wore were damaged during the chaos in the auction site, and they had gone back to change before regrouping.

Brendel had bought a few dresses for during the escape from Bucce and she had kept them like they were treasure, but now she wore one of Amandina’s formal black dress, which was exceptionally compatible for her. It was a splendid dress that flowed behind her, and underneath her skirt a white lace petticoat.

She walked with assured confidence and a unique air, and her full chest was matched by the tight fitting dress, and her slim waist ended with a beautiful curve, even making Amandina jealous of her.

But Amandina still specially tied her light brown hair with a flower ornament into a stylish hairstyle, and when Brendel saw Romaine, she proudly spun one round with a sweet smile, even throwing him a foxy wink. Even till now, Brendel would still lose himself when he looked at her.

[She looks like a great merchant from Ampere Seale who deals with huge transactions….. Except no one would roll up her sleeves and pick up rocks to throw in the river with a serious expression to see if the rocks went further than the last.]

Brendel did not really understand why she had to wear such a troublesome outfit into this wilderness, but he guessed that it would be something like ‘Because I’m a merchant!’, which was an answer that really did not go through thinking.

Batum looked doubtfully at Brendel after listening to Romaine’s answer.

Brendel nodded: “Even before half a month, these refugees that gathered to the south of Bruglas will cause problems. The festival right now might soothe them for a while, but it ultimately does not solve the root of the problems. This is not something that the nobles living a lavish life will understand.”

“Really?” This time Amandina was curious.

Brendel nodded. “The August’s Riot”, was not a big deal in history, but it was enough to give an answer to Tirste and they did not have to lift a finger.

Brendel did not have any thoughts about stopping the riot, especially when he did not have the means to do so. Finding a suitable place for the refugees to live in was a difficult problem, and none of the nobles wanted to receive this burden, and no one could handle it either.

[How is one going to find food for these tens of thousands of people? That’s finding three hundred tons of food per month.]

Batum opened and closed his mouth. He did not expect for this complicated problem to be solved easily by Brendel’s lips. He looked back at Amandina who did not seemed to worry as much as him. She was unlike Batum who thought of only the simplest profit and loss, but even she found that Brendel seemed to know something more than any of them.

Brendel spotted Roen walking out from the dark forest, and he became alert. He had let the cripple check something out in the city, and it seemed that he had answers ready.

Indeed, Roen came along with two short thieves from the bushes and came to Brendel.

“We discovered the cause. It’s really because of the fuckwits who were negligent and allowed the undead to come in as disguised merchants.” Roen said.

“Who exactly was the culprit?” Brendel asked.

“It’s one of the cavalry leaders, called Calancadr.” Roen wanted to say something more, but he saw Brendel shaking his head.

[That person is the future commander of the Silver-winged commander—]

“That person swears allegiance to the Royal Crown…” Brendel muttered to himself.

[Negligence… I see. This matter isn’t as simple as it looks. Just thinking about the Fire Seed, it seems like this event has something to do with the political strife with the Royal Crown and the other factions. Because of the riot in Bruglas, some of these historic events are not noted down, otherwise I would have known about it.]

Brendel thought about it carefully and he suddenly broke into cold perspiration.

[What does this mean? Did the Royal family lure the top nobles by selling the Fire Seed, and allow the undead to come into the auction so they would kill them? What the fuck? Isn’t this playing with fire? I can’t believe Oberg the seventh can think of this fucking plot. It’s fortunate that Incirsta isn’t here in Grinoires, otherwise the entire southern region would be overrun if he attacked. Damn it, perhaps this bastard is even the cause of the erosion in Southern Aouine.]

TL: So that king meeting up with that undead ambassador is… because of this? I mean the story is insinuating a lot of things, so I can’t be sure of whatever, but it’s really quite crazy if that’s true lol.