Morning came too soon.
Ethan barely got any sleep past night . His muscles screamed in pain , his thoughts raced all night, and the hard straw mattress in the servants quarters did little to help him get any rest. When the morning bell rang, signaling the start of another long day, he groaned, forcing himself upright.
Expect Him, other servants were already up, moving like Ant army. Some carried laundry, others gathered trays of food for the knights and nobles. No one wasted time they couldn't afford to waste any
Ethan rubbed his eyes and stumbled to his feet.
"Get up, lazybones!" A hand smacked the back of his head, making him wince.
It was Gregor, an older servant with a face as wrinkled as an old leather boot. He had a permanent scowl and the personality of a kicked dog.
"You think this is a vacation?" Gregor barked. "Move it! Fast tch"
Ethan held back a retort and hurried after the other servants. He can't afford to draw attention to himself not yet.
The morning shift started with hauling water from the well. The castle's upper levels had pipes, but the lower levels still relied on buckets and barrels. Ethan's arms screamed in protest as he carried one bucket after another.
He glanced at his status window in the corner of his vision.
[Strength: 2]
[Endurance: 2]
"Still too too weak."Ethan said frustratedly
He needed to get stronger. If he wanted to change his fate, he couldn't remain a lowly servant forever running here and there.
But that was easier said than done.
By noon, Ethan was drenched in sweat by all day hard labour. His tunic clung to his back, and his legs wobbled like jelly,he was dieing in pain.
The main hall was alive with knights feasting, nobles laughing, and servants rushing to serve them. Trays of roasted meat, fresh bread, and exotic fresh fruits were passed everywhere. The smell alone made Ethan's stomach growl.
But servants weren't allowed to eat until the nobles were finished.
Ethan gritted his teeth and carried on. He had just picked up a silver goblet filled with wine when someone shoved him from behind.
The goblet slipped from his hands.
Time slowed.
Tik,tik,tik.....
Ethan watched in horror as red wine splashed across the table right onto Baron Gorth's sleeve.
Ethan be like fuck my luck!
For a brief second, no one spoke.
Then
"You little shit!" Baron Gorth shot to his feet, knocking over his chair. His red, bloated face twisted in rage. The entire hall went super silent. Nobles and knights turned to watch the scene
Ethan felt the blood drain from his face.
"I It was an accident "
"Do I look like I care about your excuses?!"
Before Ethan could to anything, a heavy hand struck him across the face. The force sent him crashing to the rockfloor, stars exploding in his vision.
Gasps filled the hall. Some nobles chuckled and some laughed.The other servants quickly averted their eyes.
Ethan groaned, trying to push himself up to stand, but Gorth's boot slammed into his stomach.
Pain shot through his ribs.
"Pathetic," Gorth spat. "You think a rat like you can soil my clothes and walk away?"
Ethan coughed, tasting iron. His body screamed in pain. His stats were too low he couldn't even able fight back or block the attack
"You should know your place," Gorth sneered, raising his boot for another kick.
Ethan braced himself
"That's enough."
A new voice cut through the air.
The pressure in the hall shifted.
Ethan turned his head, blinking through the pain.
A figure stepped forward. A young man with silver hair, clad in dark armor.
Sir Reynard.
The captain of the royal knights.
In the game, Reynard was one of the strongest warriors in the kingdom. He was also a potential ally of the Hero but only if you won his favor.
Gorth scowled. "Stay out of this, Sir Reynard. This is a matter between a noble and a filthy servant."
Reynard's golden eyes flickered with disgust. "If the servant made a mistake, punish him according to the rules. But beating him like a dog? That's unbecoming of a noble."
Ethan held his breath.
Would Reynard actually help him?
Gorth's face twisted with anger and frustration, but he couldn't openly defy Reynard. Not without risking his reputation.
"Tcch. Fine," Gorth spat. He cast one last glare at Ethan before stomping away.
The tension in the room eased. Conversations resumed, though some nobles still whispered among themselves.
Reynard turned his gaze to Ethan.And Said
"Get up."
Ethan swallowed and forced himself onto his feet. His ribs throbbed, but he stood tall.
Reynard studied him for a moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
Later that night, Ethan sat outside in courtyard, his body still aching from Gorth's beating.
Anna found him again, this time carrying a small piece of baked bread with stuffing.
"Here," she said, tossing it to him.
Ethan caught it and blinked. "You sure? Giving it to me"
Anna sighed. "You won't last long if you keep getting into trouble."
Ethan took a bite, chewing slowly. His stomach growled in protest it wasn't enough, but it was something.
"You were lucky today," Anna muttered. "If Sir Reynard wasn't there, Gorth would've killed you."
Ethan exhaled. He knew that. If this was the game, his NPC role would've ended right there.
But he was not going to let that happen.
"Anna," he said suddenly.
She raised an eyebrow. "Whatt?"
"Do you know of any… ways to get stronger?"
Anna blinked. "Stronger? Haah ,You mean, like a knight?"
"Yeah. Training, secret lessons, anything."
Anna frowned, crossing her arms. "You're a servant, Ethan.Servents don't train. We don't fight. That's not our place."
That's not our place.
The words made Ethan's stomach twist.
But he wasn't going to accept that.
"I don't want to be anymore weak ," he admitted. "If I stay like this, I'll die eventually."
Anna was silent for a long moment. Then, to his surprise, she chuckled.
"You're really weird, you know that?"
Ethan didn't argue.
Anna sighed, then leaned in. "Alright. There might be one way."
His heart pounded. "Tell me."
She hesitated and scanned the area as though to intercept suspects. Then, she lowered her voice.
"The stables are where an elderly man works.'".
"He was once a soldier. " Anna Said.
Ethan's eyes widened.
"If you ask nicely, he might teach you something," Anna admitted, with a smirk.
Ethan clenched his fists.
This was it.
A chance. A small possibility, though.
He was not going to perish as an NPC.
He was going to survive.