episode_0073

The massive sphere of magic burst with a deafening sound.

The head of King Serpent and his ownerless body disappeared without a trace.

And Ethan Richard Blackwood, who witnessed it all with his own eyes.

“….”

“….”

From the bewildered eyes staring at me, I could somewhat sense Ethan’s emotions.

I couldn’t grasp any way to justify myself.

“Lilith has reached level 7!”

“Lilith has reached level 8!”

“Lilith has reached level 9!”

…Even while leveling up by defeating the boss monster.

Despite using Mana Blast to defeat King Serpent, the level up was rather modest.

I thought I could level up to 12 since it was a monster worth 6,000 experience points.

But seeing only about 2,000 experience points gained, it seemed like the experience points were distributed among the members who participated in the King Serpent hunt.

Most likely, Seraphine and Ethan each received 2,000 points.

“…Could this affect the original story?”

Normally, the three of us would have shared these experience points, but it seemed like Seraphine and Agnes split them this time.

With 2,000 to 3,000 experience points, it was a significant amount that couldn’t be ignored. Perhaps there would be some changes in Agnes’s story.

…But why worry about others now?

The fact that I, a commoner who can use magic, was exposed to Ethan was the real issue.

And it was Ethan Richard Blackwood, of all people.

“L-Lilith…”

“….”

“Did Lilith just… do that?”

…It’s impossible to cover up with a shameless excuse anymore.

Seraphine recruited me under the condition of keeping my secret, so she probably wouldn’t go around telling everyone. But with Ethan, the fact that he found out was the problem itself.

In the original game, Lilith started to be exploited by Hymdan after it was revealed that she could use magic.

“So in the early stages of the story, she was basically a buffer for Hymdan.”

Of course, I wasn’t worried that Ethan would do the same.

At this point, Ethan wouldn’t use the fact that I can use magic to threaten me.

In fact, I used magic to save my own life, so he should be grateful.

“Lilith, come here quickly!”

As I pondered how to explain to Ethan, Seraphine urgently called me.

Taking this opportunity, I gave a brief reply to Ethan and turned to Seraphine.

“Please wait until we return to Blackwood to explain in detail.”

“Oh, okay…”

“Please keep the fact that I used magic a secret from others until then.”

“Oh, I won’t. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

After bowing once more, I ran to Seraphine, who was struggling to pull something out of King Serpent’s severed neck.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that it was the leg of a palace guard that had been swallowed.

“Lilith, please help! We can still save him! If we cut the body and widen the hole a bit more…”

“Oh, yes!”

In the end, with Seraphine’s relentless efforts to save even one more life, I slowly cut off pieces of King Serpent’s body with the dagger I received from Riji.

Thanks to her unwavering efforts, we were able to save two of the palace guards who were almost swallowed alive.

…Of course, it was an undeniable reality that victory came at the cost of more sacrifices.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Argentia Empire, South Gate Shelter.

-Screams-

“What, what is it?!”

As the South Gate Shelter continued to engage in a fierce battle with the never-ending swarm of Lake Serpents flying overhead, the sudden explosion sound ringing in their ears caused quite a bit of confusion among the people.

Although it was only the entrance to the South Gate, monsters had already breached into the palace grounds.

Amidst the chaos, a sudden massive explosion resounded.

The huge explosion caught everyone’s attention in an instant, with some starting to react noisily, thinking that there might be another attack besides the monsters.

“What, what is it?! Could it be another attack?!”

“We need to escape now…”

Even those who had prepared themselves for battle and started fighting were taken aback and began to look around in confusion.

The first to notice the change was a soldier from the palace guard.

“Wha-what?!”

The monsters, who had been clearly targeting people and charging towards them just moments ago, suddenly began to exhibit strange behavior.

The Lake Serpents, who had seemed disoriented and confused, started writhing in place as if in distress.

Except for those already dead or engaged in combat, the monsters began to act in two main ways.

Some hurriedly retreated towards the South Gate they had come from.

While others, following their instinct as monsters, started fighting alongside other monsters nearby.

The experienced palace guards quickly grasped the significance of this change and, with a silent sigh of relief, began to swiftly clean up the remaining monster remnants.

“The monster wave has ended! Finish them off quickly!”

“…It’s over?”

“Is it really over?! Then we need to quickly…”

“You damn monster bastards! Die! Die, you bastards!”

A monk who had been focused on defense during the battle now wore a helpless expression upon hearing that it was over.

A noblewoman, upon realizing the situation had ended, quickly prepared to return home.

And even a naive monk, witnessing monsters fleeing or hiding and running away, charged at them in anger.

While each person’s reaction was different, their underlying emotion was the same.

Now, they were safe.

The monster wave that had threatened the entire palace had ended.

No one knew who had defeated the leader of this monster wave, but at that moment, that fact was not important to anyone.

The feeling of securing safety in the face of danger made any minor issue insignificant.

“….”

And then, there was one person.

Among the nobles showing various reactions to the end of the situation, there was one young lady who harbored a different thought.

While others thought of resting or hurrying home, Auguste’s young lady quietly set a different goal in her mind.

…Thinking of the young lady named ‘Lilith’ who had just been fighting monsters in front of her.

“Lizzy, stay there and don’t move.”

“If Lizzy were to run off somewhere else, I might not be able to protect her then.”

-Thump.

As her heart started to race at the thought of her back, she had felt the desire to become friends with her during their social activities.

Her current emotions were undoubtedly different from mere feelings of affection.

The sight of her, seeking refuge in a safe place and fending off monsters with her whole body.

The figure of her, calmly dealing with the Serpents rushing towards her with just a single sword.

Even after the Monster Wave incident had ended, Lizzy’s mind was still quietly replaying that moment, over and over again.

Lost in thought, standing still, she was suddenly approached by another disciple of August, his worried voice echoing in her ears.

“Sister!!”

Her younger brother, who had come running to join the Huang Palace defense instead of heading home when the Monster Wave occurred.

Seeing his foolish appearance, Lizzy felt the excitement she had just experienced moments ago quickly dissipate.

With a slight kick to August’s shin, who had come to protect her a beat too late.

-Thud!

“Ouch!”

“Hey, August! It’s a Monster Wave, why didn’t you protect me? Where were you running around?”

“W-Well, what could I do! Monsters were already attacking the carriage parking lot, and if we didn’t defend the south gate, the carriages and everyone inside would’ve died…”

-Thud! Thud!

“I almost died too because of you! Are horse lives more precious to you than mine?!”

“N-No, Sister! Of course, your life is more important!”

…How many times did she suffer today because of this foolish brother?

Lizzy vented her frustration on the clueless August, feeling a contradictory sense of gratitude towards him for momentarily leaving her side.

If August had been by her side when the monsters entered through the south gate, she would have been safe from the beginning to the end anyway.

And perhaps the situation where Rilis protected her wouldn’t have even occurred.

“Hmm….”

“Sister? Why are you suddenly quiet…”

“Shut up, August. I need a moment to think.”

“Yes….”

The young lady named ‘Rilis’ she encountered today was someone she had never seen or heard of before.

For a moment, she casually speculated that she might be a noble lady from a Viscount or Marquis family.

Perhaps there was a possibility. She had attended the masquerade ball as the partner of a Blackwood family noble.

Or maybe she was a ‘fake fiancée’ created by Ethan to ward off annoying noble ladies approaching him as a Blackwood family noble.

In reality, Lizzy’s speculation was partly correct.

‘If I investigate all the branches of the Blackwood family…’

If she were to investigate the branches of the Blackwood family that corresponded to a Viscount or Marquis family, it might be possible to find out which family ‘Rilis’ belonged to.

The problem was that as a family close to becoming a Duke, the Blackwood family had countless branches below Viscount level.

If she were to recklessly investigate and arouse suspicion from the Blackwood family, she might end up being watched from behind, which made her wary.

In practical terms, using this method to find ‘Rilis’ was almost impossible.

‘If not, then perhaps…’

Ethan Richard Blackwood’s official age is 22 this year.

Next year, he will turn 23, marking the last year he can realistically enter the academy.

As a noble of the Blackwood family, he will most likely seize the opportunity and enter the Luminoir Academy next year.

Although he may have been asleep under a curse for a considerable time, making his physical age a bit younger, the academy’s admission standards require everyone to measure their actual age fairly.

And until then, if the young lady named ‘Release’ continues to play the role of Ethan’s ‘fiancée’.

Perhaps she, too, would have entered the Luminaire Academy next year.

“….”

Having already failed the exam once last year due to a lack of magical talent, Lizzie Lynn Auguste was aware that she did not possess magical abilities.

Instead of focusing on pouring her efforts into other areas, she had planned to concentrate on social activities.

But the mysterious young lady Lizzie met today was enough to change her mind.

“Should I try taking the Academy entrance exam one more time?”

“Oh? Didn’t you give up on entering the Academy, Miss?”

“I just thought it was more beneficial to give up on that side. …But now my mind has changed a bit.”

“Is that so! Then starting today, I will teach you swordsmanship….”

“Silly, who said anything about swordsmanship? There are other ways to get into the Academy, so you focus on preparing for your entrance exam.”

“Yes, yes….”

Originally, she was someone who would have given up on entering the Academy after one failure.

But for Lizzie, the moment she regained the will to challenge the Academy once again.