Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Changed Future (2)
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King Serpent.
A massive monster in the form of a giant cobra.
In the face of its overwhelming terror, Ethan stood firm on his two feet, somehow holding on.
He kept his eyes locked on the monster before him, sword still in hand, refusing to let his guard down.
His body was already exhausted beyond measure, his fellow soldiers long since collapsed, his stamina and mana completely drained.
In this situation, Ethan couldn't even guess how much longer he could hold out alone against this colossal beast.
He had crawled and rolled across the ground several times already while narrowly dodging attacks, so his body bore plenty of injuries to match.
A single moment of carelessness, and the next attack would surely bring him down—no surprise there.
He no longer aimed for victory. His only option was to buy as much time as possible, to endure just a little longer.
Even knowing there was zero chance of winning, Ethan refused to slump to the ground or flee. Instead, he gripped his sword and rose to his feet time and again.
The instant he fell, this massive monster would charge into the imperial palace.
No—with its size, it might just smash the palace itself to pieces.
The moment that happened, everyone inside would be in danger, especially Lilith, who had been dragged to the masquerade because of his own selfishness.
For her sake alone, Ethan couldn't afford to break here.
"Hahk... hahk... hahk..."
Caught between life and death, Ethan quietly pictured Lilith's face in his mind.
Her black bobbed hair, round face, and impressively large breasts...
'No, no...'
...Anyway, his personal maid, who was charming in every way.
Of course, Ethan's feelings for Lilith weren't just about her beauty.
Her upright personality that wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice herself to protect others, her warm heart that always thought deeply about him, her willingness to give harsh advice or shock therapy even if she hated it, all for his sake.
He felt no small amount of gratitude toward the woman who had served faithfully by his side for so long.
...He had long realized he harbored emotions toward her—a servant—that he shouldn't.
'I can't fall here.'
-Crunch.
Gripping the hilt tighter, Ethan steadied his stance once more.
If only to protect Lilith, who had become irreplaceable to him.
'Shaaaaaaa...!!'
'...It's coming!'
With a deafening screech, the King Serpent coiled and lunged at him again.
Suppressing his instinct to dodge immediately, Ethan watched its movements until the very end.
Just as it reared to strike, he twisted right and subtly raised his sword toward the King Serpent.
-Clang!
'Shaaaaak...!'
"Urk...!"
Ethan, the young heir of Blackwood, rolled across the ground once more as his sword grazed and deflected the monster's left fang.
Though he hadn't trained long, the Blackwood swordsmanship his father taught him proved effective in many ways.
Combined with the last dregs of mana poured into body enhancement magic.
Above all, compared to the genuine killing intent his father unleashed in real combat training, this monster's aura was manageable. Ethan could focus fully and swing at the precise moment.
Of course, that had nothing to do with physical strength, so getting bounced back was inevitable.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
The Blackwood heir spat out weary breaths after rolling a couple more times.
The King Serpent wasn't lenient enough to let him recover.
The boss monster bared its massive jaws again and charged at Ethan, whose stance had crumbled.
"...!"
No time even to stand. That would leave him swallowed whole before he could brace.
Several guards defending the west gate had already vanished into that maw.
Nor could he muster a proper defense from his broken posture. Ethan had only one option left.
Moments later, a sword flew from his hand, slicing through the air.
-Whoosh!
'Shaaaaaaaak...!'
He hurled the blade in his grip with all his might straight into the monster's open mouth, then rolled aside to dodge once more.
Some might call discarding his lifeblood sword and fleeing the shame of a swordsman, but Ethan's father, Harold, had always prioritized one lesson above all:
If your life is at risk, ditch the sword, roll on the ground—whatever it takes. Survive first.
Ethan thrashed desperately to buy those final moments, just as his father taught.
He succeeded in scraping out a dozen more seconds.
-Crunch!
'Shaaaaaaaak!!'
The monster screamed in agony, injuring the inside of its mouth while clumsily swallowing Ethan's sword.
Ethan hoped the pain would drive it off, but the King Serpent showed no sign of retreat.
It spat the sword onto the ground, then charged at Ethan, who was rolling away.
As if it knew exactly who had caused its pain.
'Kee-shaaaaak!'
'...Is this the end?'
He rolled his exhausted body to dodge one more attack, but hit a dead-end wall.
No strength left to writhe further.
Facing a level 10 boss alone for nearly 10 minutes, his stamina had naturally hit its limit.
Counting from earlier battles, he'd swung his sword nonstop for almost an hour.
'...I should have started sword training sooner.'
If only he'd been a bit stronger, he might have held this monster off on his own.
Maybe he wouldn't have watched his soldier comrades fall and get devoured.
If he hadn't wasted his reckless youth, things might be far better now.
Just as he hoped others had evacuated safely and let his weary body rest...
"...Ethan!!!"
A familiar voice reached his ears.
"...Lil... ith...?"
Opening his eyes on a faint hope, he saw the King Serpent's massive maw bearing down.
Hallucination, then. He started to close his eyes in resignation—
-Thwack!
"...?!"
The jaw that had loomed vanished, replaced by what looked like someone's calf.
Not Lilith's calf, Ethan thought quietly—then two massive orbs approached his face.
Unmistakable shapes left him dazed in an instant.
"Ethan, are you okay?!"
"......"
"What on earth are these wounds...! You were fighting this King Serpent alone this whole time?!"
"......"
Lilith's voice brimmed with genuine worry, but Ethan could only nod silently, unable to reply.
Partly because his body was too spent for words.
But mostly shame—despite everything, upon reunion, his instincts had fixated on her chest before her face.
Even teetering on death's edge, his eyes sought his maid's breasts.
The humiliation burned; he simply closed his eyes and apologized in his heart.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The moment Seraphin and I arrived at the west gate, we spotted the presumed boss monster: the King Serpent.
Its length alone had to be 30 or 40 meters—a size impossible to miss the second we stepped out the palace gates.
It charged with jaws wide, aiming at someone.
"Ethan!!!"
Seeing him collapsed in tatters where the maw headed, his name burst from my lips.
I hadn't expected him to truly be holding the west gate line.
I'd guessed as much since Agnes went east, but facing it stirred my emotions anyway.
Even as a noble and his personal maid, he'd been the one I'd seen closest, longest, for years.
I'd claimed indifference toward him, but time together breeds some affection inevitably.
I didn't want to watch someone I'd known so long die before my eyes.
Watching Ethan on the verge of being devoured twisted my gut with anxiety.
My mouth urgently called to Seraphin, who carried me.
"Your Highness!"
"I know!"
She set me down and charged the King Serpent.
The Moonshadow Princess's golden hair glittered like silk under moonlight as she leaped, smashing the monster's head from upper right.
Her flashy kick sent the jaw that nearly took Ethan flying leftward.
-Thwack!
'Shaaaaaaaak!!'
The beast couldn't close its gaping maw, tilting head and body sideways.
Thankfully, the princess's ambush landed true, saving Ethan just before doom.
I rushed to him belatedly, checking his state.
"Ethan, are you okay?!"
"......"
A blank expression, like his soul had fled—couldn't even meet my eyes.
His body bore countless gashes and bruises; the battle must have been brutal.
Judging by the visible damage alone, heaven knew what hid beneath that thick suit.
Imagining the unseen wounds, worry spilled from my mouth unbidden.
"What on earth are these wounds...! You were fighting this King Serpent alone this whole time?!"
"......"
Ethan nodded silently, eyes shut—no breath left for words.
How grueling had his fight been?
Holding this line this long was more than enough; he'd done all he could.
If Agnes were here instead...
'She never could have lasted this long.'
Not comparing strength outright—Agnes's spells needed long casts, poor matchup for the King Serpent.
One thing was certain:
Ethan had poured everything into delaying the King Serpent, buying time for Seraphin and me to reach the west gate.
Now it was my turn to repay that.
"Rest, Ethan."
"......"
"Her Highness and I will handle the rest."
"......What?"
To show his hard-won time wasn't wasted.
The King Serpent shook off its stunned head and charged us.
Seraphin met my eyes briefly, nodding.
No words needed; the future-seer would sync with me perfectly.
Time to make this bastard pay for roughing up my house pet this badly.