"I have made too many mistakes, not in the past, but in this parallel world..." - I started blaming myself, feeling like I owed Medusa something, even though it wasn't true.

I sat from eleven o'clock at night until nearly ten o'clock the next morning.

Finally, the sleeping beauty lying on the bed woke up.

I didn't unlock the chains on her because I was afraid she would instinctively attack me once she woke up.

But it seemed my worries were unnecessary. She wriggled a bit on the soft bed, seemingly enjoying the sensation of the mattress.

After a while, she suddenly sat up, clearly feeling something was wrong. The little snakes in her hair darted around, finally settling their gaze in my direction.

I leaned to the left, and she leaned to the left; I inclined to the right, and she inclined to the right.

Why is Medusa, a monster like her, so cute...

"Can you... see me?"

"No... but I... know that you're here."

Her eyes were gouged out, and her eyelids were sewn shut. She could only rely on the little snakes to sense her surroundings. I must have been a blurry figure in her eyes.

"Where am I?"

"You're on my bed."

Her hands, restrained by chains, tentatively touched the sheets. That confused and timid expression made it impossible for me not to unlock her shackles.

"Shall I help you untie them?"

"Ah, really...?"

"Yeah, just don't move."

First were the two iron rings on her tail. To limit Medusa's mobility, the scum of the kingdom had drilled two large holes into her tail. I didn't know if she could still move as swiftly as before. The chains on her hands were securely fastened, and her eyelids were sewn shut, never to be opened again. Medusa would never grow another pair of eyes...

After releasing all her restraints, even the bed creaked as if it were relieved, celebrating its liberation.

"Can you move your hands?"

It seemed she couldn't. She was like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Grey, is the water ready?"

"Yes, it's ready!"

"Bring it in quickly."

Grey brought a basin of hot water, and I gave him some money to buy more meat.

"Relax, I'll help you clean up, alright?"

"..."

Seeing her lower her head, I took it as her consent. Not cleaning up would've been too dirty.

"Is the water too hot?"

"Mm."

"Does it hurt here?"

"Mm."

Girl, don't just keep saying "Mm". I need to know where you're injured.

"If it hurts, tell me, okay?"

"Mm."

Well... forget it, I won't ask anymore. Let's start from the tail.

I wiped away the dust and dirt with a hot towel, revealing the color of her tail, a shade of rosewood. It was like polishing a dusty porcelain masterpiece, and with each movement of the towel, her radiance was restored.

After finishing with the tail, I moved to her upper body, and finally, she had some response.

As a Medusa, she was too thin, not on the same level as my wife.

Perhaps the hot towel was soothing, as she could slightly turn and raise her arms according to my instructions. After wiping her back, it was time for her chest. She covered it with one hand, not showing any intention of taking it down.

"Um... how about you do it yourself?"

"..."

The adorable Medusa pursed her lips and let go of her hand. The contours of her chest were very beautiful, just a bit small due to poor nutrition. I wiped for so long that my mouth became dry.

Finally, it was her face. I sat on the bed and helped her wipe it inch by inch.

"Does it feel better now?"

"Mm..."

"Are you cold?"

"Cold."

"Come here."

I couldn't light a fire inside the room, so I just took off my shirt and wrapped us both in a blanket.

"Hold onto me, you won't feel cold after a while."

"Ah..."

She was clearly a little afraid, touching me with her hand, withdrawing, and then touching again. I grabbed her hand and pressed it against my chest. I didn't know how to make her feel safe, so I chose the simplest way - Medusa likes warmth.

"Should I... hold you instead?"

"Hmm... hmm."

I sat cross-legged, holding her in my arms, with my chest pressed against her back. It seemed like a part of her tail was numb, but I tried my best to tuck her, both her body and tail, into the blanket. Looking at her bruised arms and sunken eye sockets, my heart melted for this poor Medusa.

Why did things end up like this...

I didn't ask her that question, I didn't want both of us to start crying together.

"Raul, I'm back... ouch!"

"Why did you follow her into the blanket?!"

Grave held a big bag of meat, while her other hand covered her eyes. Medusa in my arms seemed shy too, wanting to run away.

"She's cold, I'm just trying to warm her up. You don't understand Medusa."

"It's okay, baby. Grave, did you buy the meat?"

I held onto her waist and she, either enjoying the warmth or lacking strength, tightly griped my arm.

"Yes, I bought it, Raul. But let me tell you upfront, we only have seventy-six coins left."

"I have over a hundred, take them all. You don't need to refund the other inn, just find a cheaper room."

"But that won't last for a week."

"How long have we been in the kingdom?"

"Today is the forty-third day."

"If you can't make it, you should go back first. Find a way to bring back the money and supplies we planned. Business comes first."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine."

"Don't say that, I'll go back first and figure out a way..."

If it wasn't for saving this Medusa, Grave and I wouldn't have to worry about anything right now. We could have followed our original plan and slowly test the kingdom's attitude towards monsters. With Medusa being the key to figuring out their policies towards Night Fall Town, everything was now disrupted.

Why did I save this Medusa? The answer remains the same, no one messes with my family.

"Feeling better?"

"Hmm, hmm."

Seeing her nod on her own, I felt much relieved.

"Do you want to eat something?"

"Yes."

"Can you do it on your own?"

"Oh, I..."

I tried to pass her a piece of meat, but whether it was because her arm was bound for too long or because she couldn't see the piece of meat, she couldn't hold it. As soon as she picked it up, her hand trembled, only stopping when she held onto me.

"Here, let me feed you."

Medusa held onto my wrist with her hand, slowly bringing the meat to her mouth. Her dry lips moved, swallowing the minced meat. Phew~ It's great that she can eat, that she can eat!

I spent the whole afternoon feeding her, giving her water. Medusa's complexion didn't regain its rosy color, so I wasn't sure about her recovery. But being able to enjoy being fed in the warm embrace, this was treatment even my wife didn't receive.

Taking care of a disabled Medusa is everyone's responsibility.

No, at least it's my responsibility.

After finishing eating, she hugged my neck again, as if she were grateful, constantly rubbing her small snake against my face.

She was clearly one of the most powerful monsters on land, why did she cling to me like a small animal? What's happening? Why do I feel like my world is falling apart?

Well... It's normal, right? Without her eyes, she can neither use petrification magic nor aim with a bow and arrow...

"I'll go out for a while..."

"Hmm?"

"I'll be back soon, just lie down on the bed, okay?"

"..."

She didn't want to leave me, and I didn't want to leave her either. But I had to go discuss things with Grave about what to do next.

"Be good, baby."

"I will definitely come back, I promise, okay?"

Finally, she nodded, and only then did I crawl out of the bed. Seeing that she didn't have any clothes, I handed her my shirt and jacket. These two clothes were the ones I bought first in the Black Market, hoping they would bring her some comfort. After making her lie back down and securely wrapping her in the warm blanket that had been warmed by body heat, I asked, "Is there anything else?"

Just as I was about to turn around and leave, she grabbed onto my pants.

"What's wrong? Are you still cold?"

She shook her head, but her hand didn't loosen its grip. I squatted down, allowing her to place her hand on my face, gently stroking from my forehead to my chin. It was as if she wanted to remember my appearance.

I held her hands and gently exhaled into the palm of her hand.

If I were a magician, this would be the magic that could make you happy.

Leaving the basement, I locked the door and headed straight to the hotel where Gray was staying. I hadn't slept for a day and a night, and I was really exhausted now, but there were still many things to discuss with Gray. But the result of the discussion could only be "take one step at a time". We didn't have much money left, and the worst case scenario was to reveal some military technology to the kingdom in order to protect our current status.

Goods could be secretly transported out through some covert means, and Medusa could also be taken out, but Gray and I couldn't just disappear. If it weren't for that Medusa, we wouldn't have to worry about all this.

"For a Medusa, is she worth it to you?"

"For Medusa, I'd give everything!"

The conversation ended like this, and I picked up my gun and prepared to go back.

"Where are you going?"

"I promised her that I would go back and accompany her."

"Oh my god... Raul, why..."

"If you were me, you would understand."

In terms of public security, the second-level territory of the kingdom was the worst. There were many beggars, vagrants, and thugs. The peasants and workers in the third-level territory struggled every day to make a living, but they didn't have bad intentions. There was a large wealth gap in the second-level territory, and extortion and blackmail were common. I increased my pace, avoiding being bitten by the "wild dogs" that appeared in the dark streets.

Opening the door of the basement, I was worried that she might be afraid of the dark, so I had turned on the ceiling light beforehand.

"I'm back..."

She was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, and my jacket was thrown aside.

In those small hands, she held a paper crane.

"I found it in your clothes... I'm sorry..."

With a pair of blind eyes, Medusa used a small paper crane to reclaim the tears I owed her for three months.

There was a loose thread on my jacket, and I didn't know if my wife had put the paper crane in there before or how it ended up there. I didn't pay attention to it when I was busy before, but she discovered it today.

"Did... you cry?"

"No, no."

She touched tears on my face with her hand and carefully wiped them away.

"My eyesight is bad, I can't see things clearly, and my eyes keep tearing..."

"It's okay, I've always been like this, I'm used to it."

I made up a lie, not wanting her to know that I was crying.

"Come, let's rest."

I turned off the ceiling light and lit the candle on the table. Holding the frail Medusa tightly, my tears still couldn't stop.

"Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"You are so beautiful, why should I be afraid of you?"

"You're lying..."

"Only about this, I won't lie."

Suddenly, she wriggled out of my embrace, and the candle flickered twice as Medusa laboriously unbuttoned her shirt.

"Then... do you want me?"

"I..."

Medusa would never say such words. But having lost her eyes, she must have felt that she was less than even a human...

"As long as you are happy, I would do anything for you. But I love another person..."

"She is also a Medusa, just like you."

"I haven't seen her for a long time..."

As she propped herself up, her figure and my wife's overlapped in the blur.

When did I start wanting to pour the love I owed my wife onto her?

"Don't... leave me."

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

I let her curl up in my arms and spoke in unclear words.

It's okay, it's okay, I will take you to find your sisters.

No one will hurt you anymore, I won't let anyone hurt you again...

If giving you one of my eyes can restore your vision, then I'm willing.