Brand doesn’t believe he has any core conflicts of interest with the Princess. She wants to revive the kingdom, and Brand wants to try to change Erune’s ultimate destiny. But Brand worries that the genius from the Colcorva family might ultimately prioritize the interests of the nobles due to her royal lineage.
However, Brand is different. He still holds onto the dream left from the game, unable to forget the past comrades who fought alongside him and those historical scenes.
Could he watch Erune ultimately fall into a sea of war? He remembers the day when Mensotros Royal Capital was breached, the palace and city burning fiercely in the flames, with dark clouds thick in the sky. That day, he and many players retreated on command from the north, looking back at their former homeland in the south — many cried.
Time was too short, making them powerless to change anything.
Could he watch Frey die fighting with all her might in Dalal’s Red Canyon? On that day, they all fought desperately, and he alone dropped more than seven levels. Other players like him were countless.
But what was the result?
Brand glanced at Frey, who had turned her head away, still resembling the girl next door. Yet at that time, she wore the silver Sunflower Battle Armor, holding the square flag embroidered with the black pine leaf emblem—symbolizing Erune’s courage.
But in the end, they couldn’t protect that main flag. The Valkyrie in silver armor ultimately fell standing in that war, perhaps at least fulfilling her vow:
To shed the last drop of blood for this land.
Unfortunately, Erune was too weak, too outdated. The three legions stood still, and Kruz’s reinforcements watched indifferently—on the decisive battle day, besides Frey’s legion, only players were there.
Thirty-six thousand players fighting to the death were but a hindrance before Madara’s army.
Despite Princess Griffine, hailed as the Bright Pearl of Colcorva and Erune’s Radiant Star, who married the Duke Anlek she didn’t love for the kingdom, lived her life in melancholy and was ultimately murdered in an All Things Return to One conspiracy.
In that world, Erune was left with only the players.
His former squad leader, his senior sister and mentors. After leaving the Amber Sword for many years, every time they discussed past battles at gatherings, everyone would inevitably fall silent, eyes turning red.
Erune’s spirit no longer exists.
Brand looked at Frey, then Roman and the elderly Madden. Could he tolerate all this happening again? He shook his head. Perhaps if he didn’t know everything that was going to happen, he could choose to escape alone, relying on his knowledge of this world to create a legend, maybe.
But fate brought him to Erune at the moment of the first Black Rose War outbreak, making him meet Roman, Frey, and every individual immersed in this history. Brand perhaps understood the mission he now bore.
To change history, he couldn’t consider some people’s interests. He would clear anyone standing in his way. He also knew that a voice inside him was telling him: Brand, if you walk this path, you’ll face entrenched noble powers across Erune, including the five historically influential dukes, and even the proud Regent Princess fell to compromise before them.
You’ll even face the rising Madara, entering its brightest historical period, with geniuses like ’Black Lord’ Instarlon, ’One-eyed General’ Tagus, ’Immortal’ Villand, ’Black Rose Pride’ August, ’Empire’s Sword’ Greta, and the Emperor with the Mercury Wand—each one a once-in-a-lifetime genius—how could a civilian-born Valkyrie block the march of history, even with you, what difference does it make?
In the north, the cold-eyed Cruz people observed everything. Brand, the current Eagle Empire is no longer the ancient, kind cradle of human civilization. The Highlanders’ pride, Emperor Grandto’s eleventh son, is hosting a brutal reform of iron and blood, the war machine is forcefully playing, catalyzed by the Earth Tablet’s appearance, setting the stage for the Third Holy War.
When that time comes, Madara, Cruz, and even Northern Bujia Countries will be mere pawns in a vast chessboard, fighting for survival.
Are you confident to face all this? Brand, if you choose this path, Erune will face almost the entire world—because you’ve chosen to stand against history.
But Brand shook his head to discard that cold thought entrenched in his mind. He had thought about all this when he led the refugees out from Ridenburg with a bloody path. Even facing a world, Brand’s pride stemmed from once being a player in this world—a status symbolizing a collective challenge to the world’s inherent rules.
It may seem arrogant.
But Brand believes, not striving for achievement, but for having tried, at least to mend regrets.
Thus, it’s not just Frey’s choice, but his as well.
So he feels the urgency—at least to grasp some power and voice during the brief period of peace between the end of the Black Rose War and the start of the December civil strife. Any promotion within this rotten system is unreliable, there’s no time for that. In these chaotic times, quickly acquiring the rights of a player can only be through gaining territory and armies.
He indeed had a plan.
To the west, that forgotten kingdom.
(PS. This is the second Chapter, there’s one before this. Due to internet issues, both are posted simultaneously. Internet cafes aren’t great places, they’re full of smoke smell.) (To be continued, for more Chapters, please visit www.qidian.com, support authors, support legitimate reading!)