Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Return to Daily Life (1)
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And so, the next day.
Even though it had only been two days since the monster wave hit the imperial palace, Ethan and I had already slipped back into our usual routine.
Back to being Ethan, the noble young master of the Blackwood Family who trained in swordsmanship under Harold every single day, and his personal maid, Lilith.
Thankfully, my impersonation of some nameless noble bastard to Ethan hadn't raised any suspicions. The next day came and went without him pressing me on it.
On top of that, I'd gotten his firm promise to keep my secret, which made this the best possible outcome for me.
If anything, my mind felt far more at ease than before. After confiding in Ethan—on top of Katarina already—one corner of my heart felt a little lighter.
Of course, the fact that I was the Saint was still a forbidden secret I couldn't reveal.
This was one secret I'd have to take to my grave if possible. Thinking about the story of Luminor Academy, it was too late to throw myself on the church's mercy now.
Just like that, the daily life of Maid Lilith—which had nearly turned into a chaotic mess overnight—returned to its normal track without any issues.
'I never imagined it would really blow over without a hitch.'
Just two days ago, when I'd unleashed that mana blast at the palace's west gate, I hadn't thought I'd ever get back to days like this.
Luckily, the only ones who'd seen me cast magic head-on were Princess Seraphin and Ethan. Their cooperation had been a godsend.
Ethan, having spent so much time with me, wasn't a surprise. But a princess covering for a commoner maid like me? That would strike plenty of people as odd.
'Considering Seraphin's personality, though, it was the obvious choice.'
In Luminor Academy, Seraphin was always the type to act with the future in mind, prioritizing the greatest number of lives saved.
Coming for me instead of Agnes two days ago was proof enough.
Why drag an unknown commoner maid like Lilith Rosewood over a verified mage and heir to the Elizabeth family?
Obviously, her farsight had shown I'd be a bit more cooperative than Agnes.
In the original story, Agnes had guarded the west gate from the start. But in this world, it was Ethan Richard Blackwood holding it down.
Telling Agnes to abandon her post at the east gate and head west would have required a long persuasion.
Not to mention how the soldiers at the east gate—left without Agnes—would've been in peril.
'In contrast, her farsight probably showed me following along without much resistance, even if dragged there by force. So, true to her nature, Seraphin picked Lilith.'
I already knew all about Seraphin's ability, plus what was going down at the west gate, so no long explanations were needed from me.
Of course, overnight, Seraphin had likely pieced together plenty about me too.
Like how I knew about her farsight ability... or various other secrets.
Anyway, for all those reasons, Seraphin had chosen me over Agnes in that moment.
One key aspect of Seraphin's farsight:
No matter how implausible the future seemed, if it appeared in her vision, it had a chance of happening.
Her choices could derail it, sure. But if she pursued the future she'd seen, it was highly likely to come true.
Once she'd glimpsed me blasting the King Serpent with mana blast, the status gap between a noble mage and a commoner maid meant nothing to her.
She'd simply picked whoever would cooperate fastest.
And thanks to my no-questions-asked compliance, we raced to the King Serpent and took it down quicker than possible otherwise.
Especially those two soldiers—one on the brink of death after being swallowed whole. My cooperation had undoubtedly saved them.
If it'd been Agnes dragged from east to west? Who knows how many more would've died.
Maybe even...
…
The image of Ethan collapsing after holding out against the King Serpent to the very last second flashed before my eyes.
The thought that he might've died in that battle two days ago stirred a strange sense of dread.
Back then, I might not have cared if he dropped dead anywhere—or even welcomed it.
But now? The near-miss twisted something faintly painful in my chest.
'I really don't want to see that guy hurt or dead somewhere I don't know about.'
We'd spent time together, so maybe it was natural.
Anyone facing the same person four or five times a day would bond within a year. And I'd been his personal maid for nearly three.
The bad feelings from my early days possessing Lilith had long washed away.
From yesterday's attitude, it seemed Ethan had shed his ill will toward me too.
It's not weird to not want someone you know to get hurt or die somewhere, right?
Beyond that... if Ethan suddenly vanished one day, that nagging unease would eat at me.
Per the official story, Ethan's death came mid-Part 2: winter break between first and second year at the academy.
Still over two years away, so his life should've held on at least that long.
For him to die before the academy's first winter break?
If that happened, I'd probably carry an odd guilt I couldn't shake.
It'd mean my actions as "Foolish Maid Lilith" had led to his early demise.
Even as a mid-boss in Part 2, Ethan didn't have a mandatory death route.
After fighting him, you could choose not to rescue Lilith—and skip claiming his life.
Most picked kill-Ethan-save-Lilith for the late-game story, sure.
But plenty skipped killing him out of laziness, and it wasn't rare.
Some balked at killing a human who wasn't even fully demon-corrupted. Plus, sparing him let you skip the real boss fight with Harold later.
Ethan was a hated villain in Luminor Academy, so no hesitation there. But the Harold showdown afterward? A murky, uncomfortable mess.
It started as rescuing an abused maid, Lilith. Yet it ended with slaying the empire's swordmaster, Harold. That was part of her "salvation" arc.
The epilogue showing the Blackwood Family's fall? Bitter as hell.
And whether you killed him or not, Ethan exits before Part 3 anyway. No Lilith aside, gameplay's unaffected.
In the original game, post-near-death crisis, he drops out of the academy before Part 3.
To claim Lilith, though, you had to kill him in the showdown. In my past life, dumping 500 hours into her route meant I'd offed him almost every time...
'...No point dwelling on it. That was just the game.'
The game's hated Ethan was a different person from this one.
Not just game character vs. real person—fundamentally unrelated from start to finish.
Especially since the game's Ethan died as punishment for turning his personal maid into a sex slave and abusing her.
This Ethan? Not only no such crimes—he'd saved countless lives.
Holding the west gate till his life nearly flickered out? Heroic beyond praise.
Unless you're a sociopath, how could you treat him the same?
Anyway, thanks to Seraphin picking me over Agnes in that dire spot, Ethan's life was snatched from the jaws of death.
In a way, her call had saved me too.
'Eh, in the end, things worked out everywhere. Focus on the good now.'
No need to sour my mood with bad thoughts.
The palace monster wave raid wasn't bloodless, but compared to the original story's carnage, this world's toll was way lighter.
For starters, Lady Ridge Lynn Augst of the Augst Margrave Family—whose life I'd directly saved.
Just one? Sure, but she was the precious eldest daughter, the family's forbidden jewel.
Thwarting the Augst downfall prevented far more deaths down the line. Worth more than one life.
Casualties shrank at the other three gates too, excluding the north.
The east gate—originally defended by palace guards alone, primed for massacre—was held with minimal losses once Agnes joined.
The south gate nearly claimed palace soldiers and noble heirs alike, but Seraphin culled the monsters on arrival, keeping deaths low.
The west gate with the King Serpent? Heavy losses, but still fewer than the original.
Canon had Agnes solo-holding after all defenders died, then Seraphin arrives to slay the boss.
That meant near-total wipeout for the original west gate force.
Here, Ethan and I saved a handful. Small mercy amid disaster.
...And it wasn't just utilitarian wins. I'd scored personal gains too.
2,000 EXP from slaying the King Serpent.
That rocketed Lilith up three whole levels.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Lilith Rosewood Title: Brave Personal Maid Gender: Female Age: 22 Job: Personal Maid Affiliation: Blackwood Family Servant ⚔ Attack Power: 13 → 23 🛡️ Defense: 19 → 34 🧠 Intelligence: 14 → 25 💖 Charm: 44 → 79 🍀 Luck: 1 → 2 Current Level: 6 → 9
Remaining EXP: 657 Current Skills:
• Clean
• Shockwave
• Mana Arrow
• Mana Blast
HP: 52 / 52 → 94 / 94
MP: 941 / 941 → 1694 / 1694 Missing out on official rewards for slaying the King Serpent at the palace? Whatever.
I'm already thrilled enough to lose my mind over this.