Chapter 7: The Midwife

A few days after Ivern left, I was at home taking care of Meyleen.

Her morning sickness had started.

She couldn’t handle anything greasy, and she’d lost her appetite for meat altogether.

Vegetables and fruits were all she could manage, and every day she seemed utterly drained.

“…I’m sorry, Kenta. I’m just causing you so much trouble.” 

Meyleen murmured apologetically from the bed.

I held her hand, trying to encourage her. 

“What are you talking about? This isn’t any trouble at all. This is about our child.”

“Kenta…”

Still, I didn’t know what else to do.

I hadn’t even finished high school back in my old world, so I didn’t know much about pregnancy and childbirth.

At this rate, Meyleen and the baby might not be getting enough nutrients.

Facing this without any medical knowledge was risky.

We needed to see a doctor.

But going into town also carried its own risks.

After a lot of deliberation, I decided to bring a doctor here.

What convinced me was hearing that people in town weren’t afraid of me anymore.

If I hadn’t known that, I might have had to wait until Ivern visited again.

Honestly, he’d told me that at just the right time.

So, I decided to get a doctor, but first, I needed to contact Ivern.

I didn’t know where to find an obstetrician or midwife in town.

Wearing a stereotypical disguise—a hat and black-rimmed glasses—I headed into town.

Using teleportation magic, I got close to the town and then walked the rest of the way in.

The town wasn’t that big, so they didn’t have any strict checkpoints at the entrances.

There were guards to keep out wild beasts, but that was about it.

Once inside, I first headed to the Explorer’s Guild.

This was where explorers like Ivern brought in materials they’d gathered to sell at fair prices, and the guild then distributed them to various places.

Explorers could sell directly to merchants without going through the guild, but they’d often get swindled or scammed by shrewd traders, so most used the guild for transactions.

Since Ivern might be around here, this was a good place to start.

Inside, there was a reception counter and a waiting area.

Explorers took a number at the reception counter, submitted their materials at various windows when called, and then waited to get paid at the payment counter.

The waiting area had long benches and tables where people could eat while waiting.

He wasn’t on the benches, so I checked the tables… and there he was.

“Hey.”

“Ah! Y-You scared me!”

“Huh? This is unusual. What brings you here?”

When I gave Ivern a pat on the shoulder, he reacted as if he’d seen a ghost.

Yulia was also surprised, but it was more of a “Why are you here?” kind of surprise.

“What’s with that look? Why are you so shocked?”

“Well, I mean, I never expected to see you here.”

“Yulia doesn’t seem that surprised, though.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, I’m just wondering why you’re here, that’s all.”

Right, I needed to get to the point.

“Ivern… or actually, maybe I should be asking Yulia?”

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Hey, why her and not me?” 

Ivern looked wary, which was understandable.

“Alright then, do you know an gynecologist?”

“Gynecologist… uh, yeah, Yulia’s probably more qualified for this one.”

“Exactly. So, do you know any good gynecologist or experienced midwives?”

When I asked, Yulia’s expression grew serious, and she leaned in to ask softly.

“Did something happen with Meyleen?”

Yulia and Meyleen were close friends, so she was naturally concerned.

“…She’s dealing with severe morning sickness. She can hardly eat anything. I don’t know what kind of food would be nutritious yet gentle enough for a pregnant woman. Ideally, she’d be seeing a doctor or midwife regularly, but that hasn’t been possible.”

Yulia looked slightly relieved, then her face turned determined.

“Got it. My apartment manager is an experienced midwife. I’ll introduce you.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

“Alright, let’s go right away.” 

Yulia said, grabbing my hand and standing up, only for Ivern to stop us in a hurry.

“Wait! I’m still waiting for my payment, so hold on a sec!”

“Oh, come on! Hurry it up!”

“It’s not like I can speed it up…”

With that exchange out of the way, Ivern soon finished up, and we all headed to the apartment where he and Yulia lived.

The building looked spacious enough to be called a small condominium back in Japan.

“The landlady lives on the first floor. Hello? Bennett-san!” 

Yulia called, knocking on the door.

In response, we heard a “Yes, yes,” and a moment later, the door opened.

“Well, hello there, Yulia! What brings you here?”

The woman who appeared was a kind-looking, elderly lady.

Yulia quickly explained our purpose.

“Bennett-san, good afternoon! We could really use your expertise as a midwife today.”

At this, the woman, Bennett, widened her eyes, looked between Yulia and Ivern, then smiled warmly.

“Oh my, oh my. So you two have finally been blessed?”

“…Huh?” 

Ivern tilted his head, not understanding, but Yulia quickly caught on and laughed.

“No, Bennett-san, not us! It’s for a friend.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yep, and this is her husband.” 

Yulia said, introducing me.

Her husband.

Hearing her introduce me like that for the first time gave me an odd but pleasant feeling.

Noticing me for the first time, Bennett-san widened her eyes momentarily, then regained her composure and spoke to me calmly.

“So, you’re that young man, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Kenta Maya.”

“I see.”

Bennett-san stared intently at my face.

Her expression was so serious that I couldn’t interrupt, and I just stood there silently. After a moment, she seemed to come to some understanding and gave a single nod.

“So, what’s wrong with your wife?”

“She’s been suffering from severe morning sickness and can only eat fruit at the moment. I don’t know if she’s getting enough nutrients or what the current condition of the mother and child is. Please, could you help us?”

I bowed my head to Bennett-san.

The most surprised by this was Ivern.

“K-Kenta is bowing his head…”

She’s the one who’s going to examine Meyleen, after all. Bowing is the least I can do.

“Raise your head. I’m a midwife. If a pregnant woman is struggling and asking for help, of course I’m going to lend a hand.” 

Bennett-san replied, offering a gentle smile to put me at ease.

“Thank you.”

When I expressed my gratitude, she turned to Ivern.

“He’s polite and genuinely cares for his wife. Why is he wanted, exactly?”

“Well… it’s a bit complicated…” 

Ivern stammered, glancing in my direction, so I answered Bennett-san myself.

“I’ll explain everything at my home, where it’s safe to talk about anything.”

Bennett-san looked a bit dubious.

“Your home… isn’t it deep in the forest? That’s quite a trek.”

“Oh, don’t worry; we’ll get there instantly. Just bring anything you need with you.”

Still looking a bit skeptical, she went to gather her supplies for the examination.

“Alright, let’s go. Bennett-san, could you hold onto my arm?”

“Like this?”

“Mind if I come along too?” 

Yulia chimed in.

“I’m coming too.” 

Added Ivern.

With Bennett-san ready and both Yulia and Ivern holding onto me as well, I prepared for the teleportation.

“Here we go. Teleport.”

In an instant, the scenery changed, and we found ourselves in the garden in front of my home.

While Bennett-san stood there, astonished, Yulia quickly made her way inside.

“Meyleen!” 

She called, heading straight to the bedroom, as she already knew the layout of our house.

“Bennett-san, this way, please.”

“Ah, yes. …Is this teleportation magic?”

“Yes,” I replied, to which she gave a look of mild exasperation.

“To use such a legendary spell with such ease…”

“That’s exactly why every nation is after Kenta.” 

Ivern said, summing up the situation.

Bennett-san seemed to understand immediately.

“…You must have a lot on your plate. Anyway, let’s get to examining the mother-to-be.” 

She said, following me inside.

And just like that, I had gained yet another ally in this world.

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