Gladios thought that he already lived with a dreadful memory of his wife dying in his arms. How could he experience it again with his own daughter?
Gladios' couldn't control his tears. It fell on Claudia's face as he was desperate to save her, not knowing what to do.
"Claudia, stay strong. You will live tonight," the old man said as his daughter shook her head, trying her best to hold on to her baby.
After a few minutes of silence, Claudia spoke to her father again, with her coarse, tired voice.
"Please raise my child well. I want to let her have a bright future. Surely, father, you can do something for her. I'm..."
Claudia coughed, making her loosen her hold on the baby. Instinctively, her father, Gladios, carried the baby as Claudia tried her best to open her eyes to look at her father one last time.
"I'm losing my strength. I love you, father. Forgive me for giving you a burden."