80. Cesarean Section (2)

Asella anxiously awaited Ras while he was in surgery.

"Your Highness, please have a seat."

"No need."

Ignoring even the head maid's consideration, she stood guard in front of the room where Ras was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠operating. Why was she acting so unlike herself? To think she'd enter a commoner's home ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and abandon all her dignity—it was utterly unlike her usual poise.

Was it because she'd been away from the imperial palace for so long? No, Asella knew it wasn't that simple.

It's all because of Ras.

He was usually so frivolous and lighthearted. But the moment a patient was before him, his eyes changed completely, as if he were another person entirely. Come to think of it, Ras was always deadly serious when he worked. Even when examining her, he never cracked a single joke like he did otherwise.

Wait. Have I ever actually seen Ras working before?

Now that she thought about it, Asella had never witnessed Ras at the Imperial Medical Office or during his volunteer work.

...Is he always like that out in the world?

It felt like she'd glimpsed a side of Ras she never knew existed. Recalling how he'd firmly voiced his opinions even to her made her shoulders shrink a little. And yet, he remained composed and never lost his manners. He must have calculated that wasting time by irking her would be unwise. After all, saving the patient came first.

Wasn't that the perfect attitude for a chief physician and healer? Others might see Ras through a different lens than she did. Reaching that thought made her feel not resentment toward him for leaving her in this shabby hut, but pride.

Maybe that's why she'd ended up cheering him on without realizing it.

Me, cheering for someone?

The idea made Asella flush with embarrassment. She'd make him pay back this debt tenfold later, she resolved.

—Waaah!!

At that moment, the cry of a newborn echoed from inside the room. Asella instinctively moved to enter, but Tanya blocked her.

"Lady Tanya."

"Your Highness, you can't go in until the teacher comes out."

Asella stepped back. In truth, a cesarean section didn't take long to extract the baby—about ten minutes after the incision. The real work came afterward. Unaware of this, Asella grew even more anxious, nearly biting her nails without thinking.

A moment later, the door flew open with a thud. It wasn't Ras, but Chloe.

She shouted urgently.

"Th-the mother is low on blood! We need someone to donate...!"

Blood transfusions were an alien concept in this world. Mixing blood with another's was something out of a black magic ritual. The husband and neighbors waiting in the kitchen corner went pale.

But Asella, who had undergone blood tests under Ras multiple times, understood immediately. She spoke in a dignified voice.

"If you want to save the mother, you'd best cooperate willingly. I guarantee it."

She drew the imperial seal from her bosom—the mark of the imperial family.

"Th-that's..."

"An imperial! Forgive us for not recognizing you, these ignorant fools have been rude!"

The commoners knelt before Asella. Normally, she'd savor the display of class difference, but now her mind was on Ras's surgery.

"Nurse, use them."

"Y-yes. B-but blood types have to match. Testing first..."

The husband cautiously raised his hand.

"Me first, please. If it saves my wife, I'll give anything."

Chloe pricked his fingertip, tested it, and nodded.

"Type A—lucky match. C-come in! Ah, d-disinfect first!"

The husband followed Chloe into the room.

Thirty minutes later, Ras finally emerged, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Your Highness?"

He tilted his head, surprised to find Asella right at the door.

Asella scanned him from head to toe.

"You're covered in blood."

"Just finished surgery. Might make you queasy, so better stay outside."

"I want to see inside."

"Aigoo, can't recommend it..."

Ras gave an awkward smile. But under her glare, he stepped aside obediently.

Asella entered the room. The stench of blood hit her nostrils. The bed was soaked red, sealed bags filled with waste. It was the battlefield where Ras had just fought fiercely.

The difference from a real war? There, only the dead lay; here, only the living remained.

"Heh, aigoo, you little one."

The husband, who had entered first, sat by another bed cradling a tiny swaddled bundle. A small gauze patch was on his arm—the ones Ras applied after injections.

On the clean bed, the mother slept peacefully, her belly now deflated. Traces of divine power lingered; healing spells had been used too.

Asella approached the man and peeked into the bundle.

"Eek, Y-Your Highness..."

He bowed in panic. Asella, entranced, reached out and lifted the baby.

The newborn's face wasn't much to look at. It wailed loudly, smelled, and scrunched up in an ugly grimace. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yet, with hands barely two finger-widths long, it desperately stretched toward something.

"What a fool."

Asella unconsciously lifted the corner of her mouth in a soft smile.

The surgery was a success. After extracting the baby, he cleared the uterus, sutured it four times, meticulously prevented complications, and closed the abdominal wall.

There was one hiccup midway—the mother's blood loss was excessive. Most maternal deaths in childbirth were from hemorrhage like this. Fortunately, the husband matched her blood type and could transfuse immediately.

Once all surgical steps were done, Chloe and healing spells finished it off. Divine power restored stamina far faster than natural recovery.

Normally, cesarean recovery took a week, full normalcy a month. With healing assistance, two days sufficed.

He instructed the husband on precautions and stepped out of the hut.

"Phew."

Finally breathing fresh air felt like living again. His first major surgery.

To think I'd end up doing a laparotomy.

Well, it was experience he had to gain eventually—better now than later.

His status window was buzzing.

Checking them: two from the diagnosis path, one from emergency care.

"Oh."

Diagnosis unlocked CT Scan and MRI. Far more detailed than X-ray, scanning every corner of the patient's body.

"This'll help Hugo's research."

Emergency care unlocked the next step after Surgery.

"Essential stuff."

Laparoscopic surgery. Once tools were ready, no need to open the abdomen—just small incisions. A revolutionary method slashing patient risk.

Perfect for Asella. More medicine experience would unlock them.

"And..."

For some reason, one bad ending had vanished.

He'd only restored a rising counter before. Maybe Asella's experience today had sparked some affinity for commoners.

"Young master."

Speak of the devil—Asella approached.

"Sorry for today, Your Highness. I must've shown an unpleasant side."

"No, it was fun."

Asella replied, her golden hair fluttering in the breeze.

"The commoners were thrilled."

"Mother and baby both safe. Good ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠outcome."

"Yeah. They looked happy."

"Disappointed?"

"Why would I be?"

Asella shot him a puzzled glare.

"Just novel, seeing a newborn for the first time."

"You were like that at first too, Your Highness."

"Me? Never. I was born with dignity from the start."

"Of course."

Asella giggled at his response.

"Young master."

"Yes."

"Do you like babies?"

"Yeah, they're cute."

"I see."

She pondered something, gazing at passing clouds before turning.

"Let's head back. You're on vacation, right?"

"You remembered. Don't know where to put myself."

"Yes. You'll pay properly for stealing my time."

With that, they boarded the carriage to the marquessate. The commoners kept thanking them, offering crops, but he told them to spread his name instead. Saving them only for winter famine to kill them would sour his mood—especially now with extra mouths to feed.

"Up we go."

Unlike the trip there, Asella climbed into his carriage.

"Why not your earlier one?"

"Hm? Oh."

She plopped down beside him.

"That one had a bad wheel or something—too bumpy."

"Got it. I'll have it fixed."

Glancing across, Tanya smirked slyly from her seat. She did this sometimes—what was she thinking?

With five days of vacation left, Asella predictably started pestering him at dawn.

"Young master, let's stroll."

"You love walks."

"But snow's falling outside today."

"Snow, huh."

Piles eternally before the Demon King's castle. He half-wanted to say she could build Moonlight Palace with it. Well, the capital was inland—less snow, so maybe novel to her.

He followed her out of the annex.

"Cold."

"Snow makes it chilly. Northern winters are brutally long."

Asella shivered, bundled like an Eskimo snowman.

"Not a single rose blooming."

"Impossible this season. Blooming now would be a miracle."

They stood behind the annex, in the yellow rose garden—bald mounds now.

"Why here?"

"Where we first met."

"True."

"Wondered what it'd show now."

"Show?"

Asella flashed a devilish smile and drew her wand. Scheming face.

"Heh, you won't get it even if you watch."

Without giving him time to reply, Asella began drawing a magic circle.