The door opened, and Sally Milleshan peeked outside. She alternated staring at Locke and Linus.
“Which one of you is Sera’s husband Linus?”
She asked with an angry voice.
“I’m Linus.”
Sally approached Linus and slapped his cheek hard.
“It hurts! What was that for?!”
Linus was about to complain but decided not to, since Sally was glaring at him.
“This idiot husband! Your wife was having a hard time delivering because of you!”
She further yelled at Linus, taking him by surprise.
“Listen, pregnant women shouldn’t get chilled. And what did you have her do? Going in the river to collect magic sandstones? No wonder she was having a breech delivery!”
A fetus in the mother’s uterus was said to be in the breech delivery position at first. After 7 months (about 30 weeks), the fetus would naturally shift into the correct position for normal delivery with the head at the bottom. However, if the mother’s abdomen got chilled, the fetus would feel uncomfortable and would shift back into the breech delivery position.
It appeared that Sera went into Elme River when she was more than 7 months pregnant to look for magic sandstones. That was why her baby’s position flipped in her womb.
“I-I’m sorry …”
Linus bowed deeply in apology. Sally retorted,
“You’re apologizing to the wrong person. Go apologize to your wife.”
Sally smacked Linus in the head.
“Ouch! … So Sera is …”
“Yeah, she’s fine. The baby is probably having the first bath right now. You can go inside. Go take care of your wife and meet your baby.”
“Y-yes!”
Linus excitedly hopped inside the house like a rabbit.
* * *
“Hmm, I was nervous.”
Sally was relaxing at the village mayor Giebeck’s house. Sally was staying at the village mayor’s house for the night.
She was offered to stay at the Nido Castle, but she wanted to stay closer to Linus’ house in case of an emergency.
“No, Ms. Sally, thank you for your help.”
The village mayor bowed showing his gratitude.
“No, I may be the one being saved here.”
“Huh?”
“Actually …”
Sally briefly explained what happened in Tellurus.
“I see … Well, this village has Jin, so we’re no longer surprised at most things.”
Giebeck was completely unaffected by the story of using purified blood to make medicine. Sally was relieved, but a little disappointed at the same time.
“Um … when you said Jin, he’s done that much for this village?”
“Yes, over there … well, you can’t really see it clearly since it’s already nightfall. But he built Nidou Castle overnight, and before I knew it, Kaina Village has become a leased territory.”
Giebeck was certainly exaggerated when he said the castle was made overnight, but that was how he imagined it.
“H-huh … eh? Leased territory?”
“That’s right. He would personally help us request anything to the king.”
“Um … what country was this again?”
“This is the Klein Kingdom.”
“Huh? … Oh, speaking of which …”
Sally was recalling that Jin said he would use an Artifact to guide her to the Klein Kingdom.
“I missed the details … anyway, I’ll ask Jin tomorrow.”
That night, Sally felt satisfied and slept soundly for the first time in a long time.
* * *
The next morning, Sally was recommended to visit the hot springs. She was accompanied by the village mayor’s niece, Barbara.
Sally was 48, while Barbara was 17 years old. Barbara had lost her mother long ago. Although Sally was older than her mother, Barbara was longing for the motherly love Sally showed, so they hit it off right away.
“Wow, this is nice. All the people in this village can get in here, right?”
“Yes, since Mr. Jin made it, everyone could soak in here.”
“Jin, eh … Who is he anyway?”
“He’s a Magi Craftsman who came from a country called Japan. That’s all I know.”
“Hmm, I see. By the way, on a different note, you said your name is Barbara, was it? Is something troubling you?”
“Eh? H-how do you know? … I mean, why do you think that?”
Sally smiled bitterly upon seeing the flustered Barbara.
“… You’re admitting it yourself. I know because I’m a Healer. I can see that something in your mind is bothering you. … Well, I’m kidding. But I heard from Mr. Giebeck.”
“From my uncle …?”
“Yeah. He said he thought you were uneasy, but then you looked so depressed.”
Barbara felt a little grateful to her uncle for caring, although she had been careful not to show her worries.
“… No, it’s nothing.”
“Fufu, trouble with boys?”
“H-how do you know?!”
“Haha, when young ladies your age are troubled about something, usually it’s about love.”
“…”
Barbara turned beet red while still soaking in the hot water.
“Well, I guess it’s hard to consult with me since we’ve only met yesterday, so I’m not going to force you. But just keep in mind that some people are worried about you.”
“… Okay.”
Just when the atmosphere was getting awkward, a cheerful voice was calling.
“Oh, big sis Barbara. And doctor!”
“Eh? This auntie is the doctor? … Doctor, thank you very much for your help yesterday!”
It was Hanna and Patty.
“Hmm, yesterday?”
“Doctor, Patty is Linus and Sera’s daughter. She was entrusted to another family yesterday. Maybe she heard about you this morning.”
Patty was in Locke’s house yesterday. Last night’s situation was explained to her this morning.
Patty did not know what Sally looked like. However, Hanna had met Sally the day before and told Patty to thank her for saving their mother’s life.
“I see. So you’re Sera’s daughter. … You’re welcome. Saving people’s lives is my job.”
There was no hint of depression at all on Sally’s face. It appeared that she had already put the case in Tellurus to rest.
Watching Hanna and Patty getting excited, Sally smiled at them with a loving motherly expression.
“I was saved, too …”
Her muttering was drowned by the excitement around.
* * *
“Hmm, so Barbara is contemplating something like that.”
In a room inside Nidou Castle, Jin received a report about Kaina Village from Laojun and the butler for the first time in a while.
“Actually, Lagran Company, where Eric is working, is planning to open a branch office in Kaina Village.”
“Ah, I see. Then it would be best if Eric becomes the branch manager.”
“That’s right. The chairman of the company has succeeded in instigated the Quinta.”
“Haha, it would be great if Eric moved to this village. That would be good for Barbara, too.”
Jin mentioned that if Eric opened a store here, he would instruct Laojun to prepare the building.
“When the time comes, even if I wasn’t around, please consult with the mayor on how to proceed. I’m counting on you, too, Butler.”
“Understood.”
“And then, about doctor Sally …”
Jin wanted her to open a clinic in this village.
At that time, he was informed that Sally had arrived at Nidou Castle.
He went down to the first floor with Reiko and Butler.
“Yo, Jin! Morning.”
“Good morning.”
“Do you mind if I ask you a lot of questions?”
Coincidentally, Jin also had something to say to her, so it was perfect timing.
“Sure. Doctor, have you had breakfast? If you haven’t, would you like to join me for breakfast?”
