A full week had finally passed since Rachel beca pregnant, and now it was ti for the baby to co.
The signs had been building all day.
Her stomach had grown so large it felt tight and heavy, stretching the fabric of her clothes.
Every small movent made her pause and breathe.
Rachel sat on the edge of the bed, one hand supporting her lower back while the other rested on her swollen stomach.
"This is really ridiculous," she muttered under her breath.
She rubbed her stomach slowly, still not used to how big it had beco.
"To think it got this big in just a week..." She let out a short, uneasy laugh, then stopped as another wave of discomfort passed through her.
Garion stood beside her, watching closely. His arms were tense at his sides, like he didn’t know where to place them.
"Are you okay?" he asked quickly. "Do you need anything? Water? A pillow?"
Rachel exhaled, her shoulders rising and falling. "I’m... not feeling so good," she said, her voice unsteady. "It feels like I need to..."
She suddenly froze.
Her fingers tightened around the bedsheet. Her body went still, and then she turned her head sharply toward Garion, eyes wide.
"Garion..." she said, her voice dropping. "My water broke. I think it’s ti."
For a split second, Garion blinked in shock. Then he moved.
"Don’t worry, Rachel. I’ve been preparing for this mont," he said quickly, trying to sound calm.
He turned his head toward the door and called out, "rsha! Co here. It’s starting."
Rachel frowned, confused. "What? Who did you call?"
Before she could say anything else, the door opened.
rsha walked in with an easy smile, as if she had been waiting right outside.
"Miss Rachel," she said warmly, stepping into the room, "I’m here to help you."
Rachel stared at her, then slowly turned to Garion, disbelief written all over her face.
"Why is she here?" Rachel demanded. "Isn’t she that crazy alchemist?"
Garion opened his mouth, but before he could answer, rsha stepped closer and rolled up her sleeves in one smooth motion.
She looked at Rachel and smiled, calm and confident.
"Don’t worry, Miss Rachel. I may be known as a ’crazy alchemist,’" she said, making a small air quote with her fingers, "but that also ans I know a great deal about the body and herbs."
She flexed her fingers once, as if preparing for work. "Delivering a baby is sothing I can handle. It’s quite simple for ."
Rachel narrowed her eyes, clearly not convinced.
Another contraction hit, and she grabbed the edge of the bed again, breathing harder.
"That doesn’t make feel better," she said through clenched teeth. "You’re the one doing this."
rsha giggled, waving her hand lightly. "Don’t be like that, Miss Rachel. The baby is about to co out, so... you don’t exactly have ti to find soone else to deliver it."
Another wave of pain hit. Rachel sucked in a sharp breath and gritted her teeth, her fingers tightening around the bedsheet.
"Tch... you better do this right," she warned. "Or I’ll make you regret it."
rsha only smiled, leaning in slightly, completely unfazed. "Alright... let’s begin, Miss Rachel."
Rachel glanced at her, uneasy.
"Fine, I’ll leave it to you," she said, then narrowed her eyes. "But why are you smiling like that?"
rsha blinked, her expression turning innocent. "Like what?"
Rachel frowned, studying her face. "It feels like you have another hidden agenda."
rsha’s smile widened just a little.
"Maybe a little," she admitted softly.
Then she straightened up and clapped her hands once. "But for now... let’s focus."
She stepped into position and gestured calmly. "Alright, Miss Rachel. Start by breathing slowly. In and out."
Rachel forced herself to follow, exhaling through her mouth and trying to steady her body.
"Fine..." she muttered, though her voice shook.
For a brief mont, things felt manageable.
Then another surge of pain hit.
"Ah!" Rachel cried out, her body tensing as her grip tightened again on the sheets.
Garion imdiately moved closer, placing a steady hand behind her back to support her.
"I’m here," he said quietly.
Rachel nodded, her breathing uneven. She reached out and grabbed his arm. "Don’t leave."
Garion shook his head without hesitation. "I won’t."
rsha adjusted her stance, her focus sharpening as she looked between them.
"Good," she said. "Let’s bring this baby out."
Rachel shot her a doubtful look, still breathing hard. "I still don’t trust you."
rsha giggled under her breath, clearly amused. "Too late now."
---
rsha crouched in front of her, focused as she worked to deliver Rachel’s baby.
Her hands paused, and she frowned slightly. "This is a problem."
Garion’s eyes narrowed at once. He stepped closer, tension clear in his posture. "What’s the problem?"
rsha glanced up briefly, her expression tight, then looked back down. "Her body is too strong."
Rachel let out a strained breath, gripping the edge of the bed. "What does that even an?!"
rsha spoke faster now, her tone turning serious.
"It ans your muscles are resisting the process. Instead of helping, they’re tightening. The opening is getting smaller, not wider."
Rachel clenched her jaw, pain flashing across her face. She didn’t know how to respond.
Her fingers curled into the sheets as another wave hit her.
Garion leaned forward, his voice sharper now. "Can you handle it?"
rsha didn’t answer right away.
Instead, she reached into her ring and pulled out several small bottles filled with liquid.
She held them up. "Drink all of this. It will weaken your body just enough so it can relax."
Rachel narrowed her eyes at the bottles, suspicion clear. rsha had a reputation for being a brilliant but reckless alchemist.
rsha smirked, as if reading her thoughts. "Don’t worry, Miss Rachel. It’s not poisonous. And I even made it taste good just for your sake, and for this delivery."
Rachel hesitated for a mont, then exhaled slowly. "...Fine."
She took the bottles and drank them one by one. The taste was surprisingly mild, almost sweet.
But within seconds, her vision blurred. Her grip loosened, her body going slack as the tension drained away.
Then everything went dark.
rsha watched closely, a small, satisfied smile forming. "Good. Now that she’s relaxed, we can do this properly."
Garion stiffened, his gaze fixed on Rachel, but he said nothing.
rsha adjusted her position and got back to work.
To Garion’s shock, the baby ca out far more smoothly than before far easier than he had expected."The hell is this?!"
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