At the same time, in a different section of Crossroad.
Boom!
Medusa, having spread her wings and taken flight, grabbed Evangeline by the neck, smashed her into a building, and then flung her to the ground.
Evangeline crashed to the floor, tearing down one side of the tower's outer wall. Broken bricks, glass, and wood cascaded down with her.
"Ugh...!"
Evangeline, barely emerging from the rubble of the partially collapsed building, grumbled.
"This is no game of tag, it's just a brawl..."
Towards Evangeline, Medusa, floating in the air with her wings spread, unleashed her petrifying gaze.
Screech! Screeeeech!
"Or is it?! Is this actually tag?!"
Evangeline hurriedly rolled to the side to escape. The spot where she had just been instantly petrified.
"You run like a rat...!"
Medusa skillfully cornered Evangeline into a tight spot.
Before she knew it, Evangeline had reached a dead end in the alley.
As a flustered Evangeline hesitated about where to escape, Medusa, having drawn closer, glared fiercely.
"This is the end!"
Medusa, unleashing her petrifying gaze while simultaneously closing in, intended to finish off Evangeline.
Screeeeech!
"Ugh?!"
Evangeline, raising her shield to block the petrifying gaze, gritted her teeth. There was nowhere left to run...
And just as Medusa, charged with immense magical power, was about to strike, right in front of Evangeline's nose.
"Huh?"
She stopped.
As if applying emergency brakes in mid-air, Medusa abruptly halted and turned her gaze urgently towards the north of the city.
"Sister Stheno...?"
Swoosh!
Her blood-winged flight wrapped around the air, and Medusa shot towards the city's north.
"Ah, no, no, no, sister...!"
"..."
It seemed Stheno had fallen.
Evangeline, gazing blankly at Medusa's retreating figure, collapsed onto the ground.
"Ah... I'm exhausted."
Her body, beaten all day, throbbed painfully. Lying flat with her limbs spread out, drained of energy, Evangeline muttered to herself.
"...I miss the late-night snacks Senior used to make."
Ash would often cook for her after they returned from free exploration.
When was the last time she had that? It seemed so distant now. She must ask for it next time...
"When are you coming back, really..."
Muttering to herself, Evangeline closed her eyes for a moment.
She just wanted to rest, just for a bit, before the next battle.
***
Stheno's corpse had been moved to the inner city.
Keeping it outside would have been troublesome if a nest formed there.
Better to confront it inside the city than let it move northward and become an uncontrollable problem.
"Aaaaaaah! Sister, sisteer!"
Upon finding Stheno's corpse, Medusa started building her nest, wailing.
Her runaway gaze repeatedly petrified and collapsed the surroundings, soon forming a monster's lair.
Now, within that nest, Medusa would devour Stheno's corpse and reappear, stronger than ever.
"Facing a complete Gorgon is a dreadful task..."
Lucas, watching the nest formation from a distance and removing his tattered helmet, muttered.
"...but at least we've bought some time."
The time for sister cannibalism ranged from 12 to 24 hours.
They had gained at least half a day.
Lucas looked around. Troops and priests who had been waiting outside the city, along with people from the production guild, were rushing into the city.
And all the heroes who had participated in today's battle lay as if dead, resting.
The heroes were utterly exhausted. There was not one without injury, nor one whose energy hadn't been drained. Even Lucas himself was no exception.
'If my lord does not return in time...'
After mentally reviewing all available troop situations, Lucas reached a conclusion.
'...Crossroad is finished.'
It was far from a good situation, but there was still one hopeful outcome.
A carriage stopped in front of Lilly, who sat in a wheelchair, holding Cid in her arms. It was a carriage meant to take Lilly and Cid to safety in the north.
"Get in, Lilly."
Lucas smiled warmly as he opened the carriage door for her.
"We'll see each other again once the city is safe."
"...Thank you so much."
Lilly trailed off as she looked around at the other resting heroes.
"Everyone is like this... because they were protecting me and my child."
The fallen heroes smiled and waved their hands.
Lilly, surrounded by her comrades, seemed unable to leave easily.
As the senior magician of Crossroad, Lilly had never left the place since she first arrived.
Now, she had to leave her colleagues behind.
But soon, Lilly realized it was the best path for everyone.
Staying would only make it harder for the others to fight freely.
"...I'll raise him well."
Lilly held Cid tightly and bowed deeply.
"It seems the only way to repay the kindness I received today."
Everyone smiled silently.
Lilly went around to each person who had fought for her today, offering her thanks.
"Now, Cid. These are the uncles who got hurt protecting you today. Let's say thank you?"
Of course, Cid, too young to understand, was sound asleep. Everyone smiled warmly at the adorable sight.
"...Uncle?"
Everyone but Lucas.
"Well, compared to Cid, I'm over 20 years older, so uncle might be right... Hmm..."
Leaving a thoughtful Lucas behind, Lilly continued her round of thanks. Everyone blessed the newborn child.
"..."
Watching from a distance, Torkel was approached by Lilly. He started and stepped back.
"Oh, I, um..."
"Torkel. Thank you so much for today. Thanks to you, I was able to keep Cid safe."
"..."
"Would you mind blessing my child, if it's not too much trouble?"
Torkel hesitated before responding cautiously.
"...Would it be alright for someone like me to do that?"
"Of course. I would like you to."
Lilly smiled gently. Torkel approached cautiously and stood before Cid.
Only then did Torkel realize it was his first time seeing a newborn so closely.
No parent had ever allowed him, a leprosy sufferer, near their child.
"..."
Torkel gazed at Cid as if spellbound. The child, with a clear, innocent face, slept peacefully.
A half-elf, half-human.
This innocent child would face a lifetime of wrongful prejudice and blameless pointing fingers, just because of his mixed heritage. It pained Torkel's heart.
Just like he had suffered all his life, simply for having a skin disease...
"Ah..."
Just then, Cid stretched out his hand, as if yawning.
His tiny palm, barely as big as one of Torkel's gloved fingers, reached out, touched Torkel's finger, and then fell away.
Even with his numb skin from leprosy and the thick gloves he wore.
In that moment, Torkel felt it clearly.
A definite warmth... seeping into his hardened fingertips.
"Thank you, Cid."
After much thought, Torkel finally managed to say.
"It was my fortune to be able to protect you."
Cid fussed and wriggled in his sleep. Lilly adjusted her hold on her son.
Torkel, after a moment of hesitation, spoke.
"Lilly, if I survive this battle and everything ends well... would you allow me to continue protecting this child?"
Lilly, initially surprised, soon smiled broadly.
"Of course. That's exactly what I would ask of you."
"..."
"So, Torkel. I sincerely hope... you come out of this battle safely."
It was time for the carriage to leave.
Lilly took one last look at everyone and then settled into the carriage seat.
Clip-clop, clip-clop...
The carriage quickly disappeared from the city.
Torkel stood motionless, watching the receding carriage until it was completely out of sight.
With the safety of the newborn child and his mother assured, the heroes' hearts lightened somewhat. However, the upcoming battle was anything but light.
"...First."
As he hung a pot over the newly lit campfire, Lucas spoke.
"Let's eat first."
***
Snore~ Puff puff...
In a corner of the alley.
Evangeline, sprawled out, had fallen asleep, snoring loudly.
"Look at this."
Lucas looked down at Evangeline with an air of disbelief and nudged her with his foot.
"Hey, miss. Wake up."
"Umm... Dad. Just one more hour..."
"From uncle to dad now, huh? Enough of that, get up! Go to the barracks, wash up, and get some proper sleep!"
Lucas, clearly annoyed, prodded Evangeline's shin a few more times. Evangeline, half-awake, suddenly sat up.
"Gah! Recruit Evangeline! I wasn't sleeping!"
"Sure, sprawled out and sleeping soundly..."
Finally awake, Evangeline rubbed her eyes and stared blankly at Lucas.
"Oh, it's just Uncle Lucas. You scared me."
"That 'uncle' thing again..."
About to grumble more, Lucas instead held out what he had brought.
"Alright, here."
"What's this?"
"Everyone else has eaten. I figured you'd be hungry, so I whipped this up."
Evangeline saw it was a toast.
It seemed a rough attempt at imitating the toast Ash used to make for her, albeit much clumsier...
Lucas shrugged.
"It won't be as good as our lord's. But at least it'll fill you up."
"Oh...! The effort counts. I'll eat well."
Evangeline stuffed the toast into her mouth in one go, cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, chewing. Lucas cautiously asked.
"Is it edible?"
"Yeah! It's not bad?! I mean, it's not as good as Senior's, but... Uncle Lucas' toast has its own charm?"
Lucas nodded.
"Of course it's not as good as our lord's. His cooking could be served in a hotel."
"Not that good... Your exaggerated loyalty..."
Regardless, it tasted good. Patting her stomach, Evangeline jumped to her feet.
"Great! Now let's go back to the barracks for a real meal!"
"You want more?"
"I've been rolling around with monsters all day; I'm starving. You think that'll fill me up?"
Evangeline chuckled as she stood up, then yelped and clutched her leg. Surprised, Lucas examined her leg.
"Hey, are you hurt?"
"Ow... Maybe I got hit too hard when I was slammed from the building. Not sure if it's sprained or broken..."
"The priests are on standby. Let's get you treated. Come on, I'll help you up."
As Lucas moved to lift her, Evangeline shook her head and stretched out her arms.
"Carry me."
"What?"
"I fought that terrifying monster all by myself. I'm so tired and sleepy I could die. Please carry me to the quarters."
"This is..."
"Why let that broad back go to waste? I saw Senior Ash carrying someone easily before. Oh, just carry me already~"
In front of the whining Evangeline, Lucas let out a sigh of resignation.
But eventually, he obediently turned his back to her.
After all, Evangeline, who single-handedly faced Medusa, deserved this much for her efforts.
"Ah, this is comfortable. Ah. Should have asked to be carried sooner. No wonder Senior wanted to use this as his personal transport."
Evangeline, now comfortably nestled on Lucas's back, rested her relaxed face on his shoulder.
As he adjusted Evangeline on his back, Lucas offered some overdue praise.
"...You did a great job today. If you hadn't kept Medusa at bay, the city would have been gone by now."
"Hehe. You worked hard too, uncle."
"That 'uncle' thing again..."
As Lucas turned to retort,
"Zzz..."
Evangeline had already fallen asleep again.
Lucas, examining the young knight's face marked with scratches, sighed and moved forward.
"...Alright. Rest well."
"Mmm... more toast..."
Carrying Evangeline to the barracks, Lucas glanced up at the sky.
The sky was still clouded with dark clouds. Not even the moonlight was visible.
'My lord...'
The current front line was as precarious as those ominous clouds, ready to unleash hail at any moment.
'Please come soon.'
There was nothing left but to trust and wait.
Believing that Ash would arrive in time.
Just as he always had.
***
However, Lucas did not know.
He did not know that both he and Evangeline would fall, unable to hold out until Ash's arrival.
--TL Notes--
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