NOVEL NEXT Chapter 158 - Childbirth.
TN: Thank James Baily for the chapter.
A corridor painted stark white, giving the impression that it wanted to announce how clean this place was.
The people sitting on chairs placed in that corridor sighed.
“…Could you please stay still for a bit?”
“…”
“He’s not even listening.”
“No matter how much he moves around, it’s not going to help at all.”
It’s so unsettling.
Everyone shook their heads at Siwoo’s behavior.
They didn’t think he would have the composure to hear such words anyway.
Sure enough, even after saying all this, he didn’t seem to hear and continued to move around restlessly.
He probably really didn’t hear.
It’s not that they didn’t understand why Siwoo was so flustered.
One could say that worrying is pointless since he has Intuition, but…
At least no one here was inconsiderate enough to say such things.
They understood well why he was acting this way.
“Please, please, please, please…”
“Haah…”
Inside the white door that Siwoo was anxiously staring at were Arte, the doctor, and nurses.
It was impossible to see or hear anything from inside.
Just how thoroughly were they maintaining security?
“This is really frustrating. What did they make it with that we can’t see anything? It’s irritating.”
“It seems they made it that way on purpose. So that even superhumans can’t see in.”
“…Why?”
“Well, it’s consideration.”
Consideration?
I smiled bitterly at the children much younger than him who expressed doubt.
I’ve already gotten this old, huh?
To think the day would come when I’d be explaining such things to others.
Ha-yul, now accustomed to his job as a teacher, explained to them.
“What do you think about childbirth?”
“…What do you mean? It’s the process of giving birth to a child.”
“Not the dictionary definition, I mean the feeling. The feeling. What comes to mind when you think of childbirth.”
“The feeling, huh?”
At my question, Lyla answered nonchalantly.
“Things like maternal love or paternal love? Like a father crying while holding his child.”
“That’s right. That would be the common thought… But what if it’s not like that?”
“What?”
“The process of childbirth isn’t as beautiful as you think.”
The circumstances under which I learned this fact were also coincidental.
Until I happened to witness someone else’s childbirth scene, I had been thinking no differently from these children.
“A newborn baby is wrinkly. The process of giving birth is also such that people with weak stomachs might be shocked enough to vomit at the sight.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. That’s why it’s consideration.”
The sight of blood coming out as the baby is born is quite different from what’s shown in the media.
A newborn baby isn’t as cute as one might think.
Of course, newlyweds have never experienced childbirth before, so they’re likely to be shocked by the sight.
There are occasional cases where the shock of seeing their wrinkly, ugly-looking baby coming from their wife’s belly rapidly cools their affection for the child.
Or cases where they’re traumatized by the sight being much more intense and painful than they had imagined.
Such cases happen from time to time.
“There’s no reason to let them have a bad experience on such a joyous day.”
“Heh… That’s interesting…”
“It is indeed.”
I stared at the blonde girl who was pretending not to listen.
It was truly amazing.
To think that such an ugly lump of flesh had become such a fine young woman.
…Though it seemed her personality wasn’t as pretty, taking after her father.
“Is that why we can’t hear anything either?”
“That’s right.”
Of course, I didn’t think Siwoo would be greatly shocked by seeing his own child.
From what I’d heard, he had even eaten Arte’s heart, so he wouldn’t be upset by this much.
It’s just that there were other issues like hygiene, so he couldn’t go in.
“…But shouldn’t we let him in? He looks like he’s about to pass out.”
“…”
Where did his Intuition go?
Just as they were starting to think he might really faint at this rate,
The light above the door came on, and the firmly closed delivery room door opened.
“Ah, Arte?! Is Arte alright?!”
“Hey, calm down for a moment…”
“She’s okay, right?! There wasn’t any problem or…”
“Geez… You’re being so noisy…”
“Arte!”
…Well, another person got in there quickly.
“They seem to be getting along well. That’s good.”
“Why? Were you worried your student’s lives might get messed up?”
“Of course. What teacher wouldn’t be worried when their student gets into trouble?”
Claire, who had rushed over upon hearing that her former student was giving birth, let out a big sigh.
She must feel like they’ve overcome a huge hurdle.
“Isn’t it the same for you?”
“… That’s true.”
I didn’t particularly refute Claire’s words.
At first, I had started my teaching career filled with a desire for revenge, but…
Seeing the boss and Siwoo smiling so happily like that, and the child who took after her father, whose wrinkly blood-clot days she still remembered clearly, patting Siwoo’s back and shouting something.
It seems the teaching life was much more enjoyable than I had thought.
To think I would feel this proud now.
“She’s beautiful…! This is our child…!”
“…You think this is beautiful? Really? Is something wrong with your head?”
He’s completely smitten.
I didn’t think it would be like this, but it seems the worry about Siwoo being shocked was unnecessary after all.
Seeing him staring intently at his crying daughter and constantly muttering how beautiful she is.
“…Are you alright, Arte?”
“Ah, teacher. I’m fine. Someone was having a harder time outside the door than me.”
Arte smiled as she looked at her boyfriend, lost in admiration, staring at their daughter.
“While I was gritting my teeth in pain, seeing Siwoo more nervous outside the door made me feel a bit better.”
“…I see. That’s right.”
“He should know better than anyone that I’d be fine. He worries too much.”
…It seems this side is just as smitten.
Seeing her chuckling and calling him cute for that dazed look, even though she must be completely drained, that’s what I thought.
“Arte.”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever thought about returning to the academy? With your abilities, you could easily skip grades. You could be with your boyfriend. I’ll do something about the rumors.”
Has she not given up her lingering attachment?
As if forgetting that she had just experienced the major event of pregnancy, Claire started to recommend Arte’s return to the academy.
Well, I guess Arte’s abilities could be useful in many places.
It must be regrettable to let her go like this.
However, Arte smiled bitterly at the suggestion and declined.
“Ah, I’m sorry. That would be difficult.”
“Why? If it’s about childcare, don’t worry. There’s a daycare for staff inside the academy…”
Claire’s mouth gaped open for a while, shocked at Arte’s rejection, but soon, she started to talk again.
Did she think the problem was about childcare?
However, Arte shook her head as if that wasn’t the issue.
“I appreciate your words, but it’s really impossible.”
“Haah, alright. It would be wrong to keep pushing after such a rejection… But could you at least tell me the reason?”
“It’s nothing special.”
Is she afraid the baby will get hurt or sick?
Arte smiled as she looked affectionately at Siwoo, watching his child without daring to approach as if dead silent.
“And I don’t think it will end with just one.”
“…”
“He’s so happy, I’m sure I’ll get pregnant with another child.”
That makes sense…!
Hearing Arte’s words, Claire and I nodded involuntarily.
No, beyond making sense, we became certain that it would really happen that way.
We couldn’t possibly say that a couple so madly in love wouldn’t do it again.
Now that they’ve even gone through childbirth, there’s nothing left to hold them back.
“So, Ha-Yul. I’ll be counting on you from now on.”
“…”
Is this essentially a retirement announcement?
Nominally, she’s still the leader of Arachne, but it’s probably safe to say that there will be almost no cases where she uses her power now.
I nodded with a slightly dampened mood.
“Then, what are your plans for the future?”
“Plans?”
“Yes. Even if you’re pregnant, you won’t just spend time doing childcare every day, right? Do you have any plans to do something…?”
“I don’t have any long-term plans, but… There is one thing scheduled for a few months.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Teacher, you must come too.”
“…Me too?”
“Yes. We’ll invite Dorothy, Teacher Claire, the frontline people, and all our classmates.”
What is she planning to do with so many people?
Didn’t she just say she would minimize Arachne’s activities?
Surely, she’s not planning to kill all those people.
As I tilted my head, unable to understand Arte’s thoughts at all, she smiled brightly.
“We have to have a wedding ceremony!”
Ah.
Come to think of it, they hadn’t had a wedding ceremony yet.