Fifty-two: Raising kids is the adults' job, right?

"Lord Azur, may I have a word?"

"Ryuuko? What is it?"

A green-haired maid, recently hired by Craft, appeared before Azur, who was bustling about the church.

Azur paused, tilting his head.

"Yes. I’ve got something for Ed-sama, Saika-sama, Kai-sama, and Wamika-sama."

"Huh? For Ed and the others?"

"Yes."

He thought about what could possibly be needed by the orphaned beastkin children, but dismissed any odd thoughts—Craft’s people wouldn’t pull something strange. He led them to the children.

"Everyone, Ryuuko here needs your help. Please lend a hand."

"Wha—?"

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Then I’ll be off."

Azur left, heading back to guide the incoming refugees.

The children looked up at Ryuuko, standing rigid and elegant as a maid.

“Um… Ryuuko-nee?”

“Uh… what can we do to help…?”

Ryuuko let out a soft, gentle smile, then crouched down to meet the kids’ eye level.

“I need a favor. Could you… please hand over that cocatrice egg over there?”

““““!?””””

The four froze solid, like ice.

“Um… that’s…?”

“We’ll take it… to Master… Craft-sama.”

“But… but!”

Ed and the others on the verge of tears.

“It’s alright. Master’s kind. And more than anything, we really need that egg.”

“Ah…”

“I’ll go with you.”

Ryuuko gently hugged the four children, smiling softly.

◆

The alchemy chamber was a battlefield.

No way. Compared to the adventurers fighting on the front lines, this is nothing. Not even a fart!

I stir the alchemy cauldron like my arms are breaking, pouring in massive amounts of magic force to force the potion into completion.

The rapid cycle of magic consumption and recovery makes my brain feel like it’s burning out.

But I can’t stop now!

"Got it! Done! Take it!"

"YES!!"

The completed antidote is quickly poured into barrels and carried away.

I feel weak—almost collapse for a second.

"Craft!?!"

"J-just fine. Just a little dizzy."

No side effects from a legendary-grade potion.

In fact, I’ve been drinking it like water, and not even a hint of poisoning.

But apparently, this nonstop use is really taking a toll on my body.

I need a decisive edge... something that’ll turn the tide all at once!

"Ryuuko, prepare the next step....Ryuuko?"

I call her name like always. No reply.

"Ah, right. I sent her to check the wall. Though, that's taking longer than expected."

She might not have been just a maid. If she’s smart, she’d prioritize her own safety. Still, I’m not too worried.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Master."

"Ah."

Speak of the devil. Ryuuko slips into the room, her usual artificial grace in motion.

"How’s the wall?"

"No issues. The cocatrice won’t be breaking through the completed wall."

"Good. That’s one piece of good news."

"No, Master. There’s another."

"Another?"

Closer look—behind Ryuuko, the four beastkin orphans—Ed and the others—stand nervously in the shadows.

Did we find them somewhere along the way?

"Come on, Ed-sama. Be brave."

"Uh-huh."

Something in the air felt off. I stopped mid-motion and turned to face them.

Ed held out something round wrapped in cloth. About the size of his head, maybe a little bigger.

"What's this?"

"Brother... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Ed—always loud, always cocky—was crying, shoving the round thing at me.

The tension was thick. I took it slowly, peeled back the cloth.

"Wait—! That's—!"

"No way!?"

The adventurers who’d been mixing potions reacted instantly.

They must’ve figured it out the second they saw it.

I forced my racing heart to calm down.

"I... I..."

I placed a hand on Kai’s trembling head, steadied him a bit, then examined the object I’d taken.

"Right... it really is a cockatrice egg."

"What?!"

"Damn it! You idiots really did this!"

The adventurers' faces went pale—no, worse, drained of all color, turning ashen with shock.

"Wait, no—wait, it's not—"

I tried to calm them down, my mind racing back.

The story I'd told them, with a smirk.

"Monsters come in all kinds. Some don't even know how they breed. But others? They lay eggs. Rumor has it, cockatrice and basilisk and hydra eggs? Supposed to be delicious."

I’d warned them about the danger of collecting monster eggs, too.

But what happens when you tell that kind of tale to a bunch of curious, strong-willed brats?

What would I have done, back when I was a street urchin?

I ground my teeth so hard I felt my molars crack.

Of course I’d been curious. I’d practically lit the fire under them myself.

I should’ve drilled the danger into them harder.

“Details later. Can you leave this all to me?”

“Craft…?”

“But…”

“Please.”

I bowed my head. The anger in the adventurers’ eyes faded.

“Brother… it’s my fault…”

“Leave it to me. I’ll handle it all.”

“…huh?”

“What we need to do now is make the medicine! Ed and the others can wait! Ryuuko! The alchemical potions numbered six and nine!”

“Yes!”

I flipped the alchemy cauldron over, dumping the half-made concoction onto the ground.

“First, we make the intermediate ingredient using a cockatris egg! With that, we’re set!”

“Prepared!”

Ryuuko had already filled the alchemy cauldron with the required ingredients.

I tossed in the egg, then applied alchemy—carefully, but as fast as I could.

The alchemy cauldron bubbled fiercely.

The egg dissolved in an instant, merging with magic. Transformed by alchemy into a special intermediate material.

"Good...! Next!"

I poured the finished elixir into barrels, saving just enough for later use.

I shoved water and other herbs into the alchemy cauldron and began the process again.

Immediately, I鉴定 the completed potion.

"Got it...! The anti-stone and cure elixir for cockatrices is complete!"

"What?!"

I grabbed the adventurer by the shoulder, startled.

"Listen. This potion works as a preventive if drunk, and as a cure if sprayed. It's specifically for cockatrices. This amount. We can make enough for everyone. Distribute it to the central unit—immediately!"

"Y-yeah! Got it!"

The adventurer’s face brightened. He shouldered the barrel of cockatrice-specific elixir and bolted out the door.

"Good! Next one. Two more batches and we’re done!"

"Yes."

With Ryuuko’s help, we got the cockatrice-specific elixir made in no time.

I repeated the same explanation to the next adventurer who showed up, and handed it off immediately.

That should hold back the cockatrices from swarming through the town.

But the threat of stampede hasn’t vanished yet.

“Damn. If only I could reach Raidock and the others…”

My mutter made Ed and the others look up.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh—uh. Maybe I know where Raidock and the others are…”

The words from Sika made me nearly jump.

“What? Where?! Tell me!”

“Um… I saw Raidock and the others setting up a makeshift base… downriver, near the woods…”

“Right. A monster-hunting outpost!”

That’s what adventurers always do. Setting up a base camp and running operations from there—standard stuff.

I flipped open the map right away and had the kids point out the location.

“This place….”

It was outside the invasion route from the cockatrices, but still too dangerous to move through.

“…We’re heading to the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“Yes.”

“Ed, you’re coming too.”

“Uh….”

“Yes….”

“It’s gonna be fine! Leave it all to me!”

What matters now is protecting the town. Nothing else matters.

“Let’s go!”

We charged straight into the Adventurer’s Guild.

“Craft? What’s wrong?!”

“Listen! Get the leaders here—now!”

“They’re all in the conference room!”

“Got it!”

I burst into the conference room without knocking. Kyle and the Guild Master were already there, surrounded by the town’s elders.

The map in the center made this place feel like a battlefield too.

“Craft elder!?!”

“Kyle! Status!?”

“Yeah! Just finished distributing the specialized medicine—reinforced the front lines!”

“Good!”

“Just… the strain’s catching up. Healing Potion stock is looking bad.”

“No more materials to make Healing Potions.”

The herbs needed for Healing Potions and those for the petrification cure overlapped heavily. We’ve turned everything into intermediate alchemy.

Still, Healing Potions were supposed to be in huge supply. This means the fighting’s been brutal beyond imagination.

The Guild Master nodded.

“Got it. We’ll make do with what we’ve got.”

“Please.”

“Now, about our next move…”

“One idea… to break the deadlock.”

“Huh!?”

I need everyone’s help figuring this out. Raidock’s group should be somewhere around here—on the map. Think of a way to reach them.

Raidock’s group?

Yeah. Ed’s crew stumbled onto their base camp by chance.

Ah. If it’s a base camp, they’ll be back by evening.

Given the distance from here, we’ve got a solid chance of meeting up. Just… figure out a way to contact them without drawing Cocatris’s attention.

If we can make contact, their location becomes the perfect spot. We can strike Cocatris’s flank straight on.

But how do you even contact them from here…?

No ships?

Not really. We’ve got a few skiffs… but those aren’t fit for travel.

Yeah.

A skiff’s basically just a floating platform, a makeshift boat—but too big to move any faster than a turtle.

The river route’s out.

“Wait—hold on! I know! This spot here!”

“What is it, Kyle? Anything! If you’ve got an idea, spit it out!”

“We can make it! Right to the side—fast, and safe!”

“What?!”

I nearly jumped at Kyle’s next words.

“The tunnels! The sewers!”

“That’s right! There’s a sewage plant nearby!”

“Yes! Leifan designed the escape route from the fortress! Just for us!”

Right!

That’s it!

The maze of tunnels beneath the fortress—secret passages built to get people like Kyle out when things went bad!

“That’s it! Someone go get Leifan!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Wait—what?”

I meant to send a mercenary, but somehow Ryuuko’s already off delivering the message.

Well, I’m fine… I guess?

“T-Then let me come too! I’ll go with you!”

Ed stepped forward, trembling, but still stepping.

A precious Ryuuko smile ＼(^o^)／

(2018/11/11, last time I mixed up Ed and Kai, so I fixed it to Ed)