"This is the worst..."
Less than half a day later, Shiomi was already back in bed. As he woke up, a bitter sigh escaped his lips.
"We were lucky. Drawn in by Tiamat and synchronized with her Authority—anyone else would've collapsed from the strain."
Scáthach was half-lying beside him, her hand pressed to his chest, using Magecraft to ease the burden on his body.
"In any case, it's a relief the Master is unharmed." Artoria sat on the other side of the bed, watching Shiomi intently. "Neither your companions here nor Chaldea can afford to lose you."
"...Yeah." Shiomi nodded. "Thank you."
"At that moment, whether it was Scáthach or Morgan, either of them would've done the same," Artoria added.
She assumed Shiomi was thanking her for pulling him back from the pterosaur's back, preventing him from falling into the Chaos Tide.
"No, I meant how you looked after me on the way back." Shiomi gently took her hand.
"Then there's even less reason to thank me. I just did what I wanted to do—what I had to do." Artoria smiled and shook her head.
Shiomi slowly pushed himself up with his arms, and Scáthach reached out to help him sit.
"How's the situation in Uruk?"
He had been unconscious for a while after returning. Judging by the light streaming in from outside the bedchamber, it was already evening.
Too much had happened in a single day.
When he woke that morning and rushed to the battlefield at the Demonic Beast Front, he never expected things to spiral so quickly.
The deterioration was far beyond anyone's expectations.
"We were attacked by a cluster of Laḫmu. Some civilians were killed, but Morgan used the Water Mirror to transfer our frontline forces and launched a timely defense. Thanks to everyone's efforts, the invading Laḫmu were wiped out before things could get worse," Artoria reported plainly.
"Right now, Tomoe Gozen and Leonidas are following the Moon King's orders, escorting soldiers and civilians from Uruk—those unwilling or unable to fight—to the northern front to join the garrison there," Scáthach added.
Tiamat had appeared in the southern Persian Gulf. With the other cities essentially destroyed, she was now advancing with the Chaos Tide onto the land, heading straight for Uruk.
The city was about to become the new front line, while the northern walls—once the forward defense—had now become the rear.
"A sound decision," Shiomi acknowledged. "What about casualties?"
"Though we've gone through brutal fighting, so far we've only lost one Servant," Artoria said. "Merlin's sister."
Mari had been tasked with putting Tiamat into a deep sleep through dreams, keeping her from waking. But when Gorgon died, the shock roused Tiamat from her slumber. Mari, unable to escape in time, was killed by Tiamat within the dream.
"It's a heavy loss, but there was no helping it. She gave everything she had. Without her... No, maybe it's more accurate to say—we might never have made it to this Singularity in the first place," Artoria said gravely.
Now that a space-time rift had opened in Mesopotamia, even Rayshifting was no longer an option. Their only path forward was to defeat Tiamat and restore the Singularity.
"What about the other places?" Shiomi asked.
He was referring to Ur and Eridu in the southern jungles—cities outside of Uruk where survivors had still been holding on.
"When things took a turn for the worse, the Laḫmu appeared and moved too fast in their attacks on humans. Quetzalcoatl did her best to wipe them out, but more than half the population was killed," Scáthach replied, withdrawing her hand.
Shiomi's condition had stabilized. From here on, his recovery would depend on himself.
By tomorrow, he'd be able to return to the front lines.
"So right now, everyone is—" Shiomi started, trying to get a handle on their current course of action.
"Resting, while there's still a lull in the fighting," Morgan said as she slowly entered the bedchamber. "They're all waiting for you to wake up so we can officially hold a strategy meeting and plan our next moves."
Shiomi smiled and nodded, then teased, "...Though for a moment there, I was wondering. I woke up and only saw Master and Artoria—thought maybe you weren't worried about me."
"Of course I was. But the situation was a bit different this time, so I let them take care of you instead." Morgan walked to the bedside. "I've been preparing for the counterattack against Tiamat, and I only made time to come check on you."
"Sorry for distracting you," Shiomi said, rubbing his nose.
Morgan gave a calm smile, her voice laced with gentle warmth. "If you'd slept another ten days or more, then I really would've been distracted. Let's just call it exhaustion this time."
"How are the preparations going? How much more time do you need?" Shiomi quickly shifted back to a serious tone.
"This wasn't part of the original plan, and to unleash my full power, I temporarily took control of Uruk's throne. With support from the Moon King, I appropriated quite a few of Gilgamesh's treasures as materials."
Morgan's tone was stern but brimming with confidence.
"That Gilgamesh really knows how to let go," Scáthach quipped, even though she'd expected as much.
This was a crucial effort to save Uruk. Even the King of Heroes—usually so stingy with his treasures and trust—had stepped up generously.
"Personally, I think this preparation to confront a god is too rushed. It's little more than a patchwork effort. But with my husband and everyone else fighting beside me, I'd say the strengths outweigh the flaws."
Artoria glanced at her. "You're pretty experienced with this sort of thing."
"It's just the same thing I've always done," Morgan replied humbly, though the pride in her voice couldn't be hidden.
Seeing her expression, Shiomi paused—then it clicked.
"Hey... can I hold you?" he asked. "When I woke up this morning, I didn't even get a chance."
"As you wish."
Morgan climbed onto the bed and nestled into Shiomi's arms, accepting his silent praise and comfort.
This was what she wanted. No words were needed—Shiomi understood, and responded the way she hoped he would.
Though, the very next moment, he was hugged from behind by his Master.
Artoria didn't join in—not because there was no space, but because she and Shiomi had already embraced passionately during a half-hour break at the observation post. There wasn't any need to repeat it right now.
They'd barely shared a few minutes of peace before footsteps echoed from outside the chamber.
By the time Gray knocked and entered, they had already pulled apart and looked perfectly composed.
Then, Gray delivered unexpected news.
"Teacher! K-King Gilgamesh, who was missing... has been found!"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
[email protected]/PinkSnake