Tetsu no Sosuke saw nothing wrong with that. After all, it was his child who was about to be born. Still, he was a little puzzled. "What are you here for? You're a doctor, sure, but do you have much experience delivering babies?"
"I!"
Shinobu Kocho's face flushed crimson with anger. "None of your business!"
She had certainly read plenty of theory. Back when Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae had been caught up in their passionate romance, Shinobu Kocho had worried herself sick.
She had been especially worried that they might secretly conceive a child. Not only had she made little clothes for a baby who had yet to be born—or even exist—but she had also searched through medical books to fill in the gaps in her knowledge, hoping to keep her older sister safe and sound.
As it turned out, though, Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae really had let their feelings blossom without overstepping the bounds of propriety.
None of the things Shinobu Kocho had worried about had happened. In the end, she had even felt a little like a hero with nowhere to put her talents to use. Fortunately, once knowledge was learned, it was hard to forget.
And now, at last, all that stored-up knowledge could come in handy.
Seeing her expression, Tetsu no Sosuke decided not to argue and hopped down from the rock. "Lead the way."
Shinobu Kocho rolled her eyes at him and walked ahead.
As she walked, however, she asked, "Why do you look so pale?"
"I got hurt," Tetsu no Sosuke said. "And I didn't get proper care in time, so I'm not in very good shape right now. I came here partly to be with your sister, and partly to take a few days to recuperate. The final day probably isn't