Every second was agony. He paced like an ant on a hot pan, as helpless as a headless fly.
When he had finally had enough of running into walls, he sat on the steps outside the door and stared blankly at the night sky.
He reflected that, ever since arriving in this world, his values had been decent enough.
He had conducted himself honorably, hadn't he?
He had never bullied the innocent or used his skills to do anything wicked.
He had slain demons for humanity and skirted death more times than he could count. He wouldn't claim to have done the world a great service, but at least his conscience was clear.
If heaven truly had any mercy, it would never let the mother and child inside come to harm.
He closed his eyes and waited in silence...
The minutes ticked by. Kanae had first felt movement just after nightfall, and now it was well past midnight.
Would this really go on until dawn?
How was Kanae holding up?
Did she need something to eat?
The thought jolted him. He rushed into the kitchen. He could make only a few things, but he found some cooked rice and shaped it into several rice balls.
He stood by the door with them in his arms, not daring to call out.
Suddenly, the door opened and Shinobu Kocho came out. "Get something to eat... Oh? You already have some."
She snatched the rice balls from Tetsu no Sosuke's hands. "You'll have to go without. My sister's using up a lot of energy."
With that, she took them inside.
Then came more waiting. Half an hour later, he heard Kiyo Terauchi cry out from inside, "The head's out!"
Tetsu no Sosuke perked up. A little while later, a baby's cry broke the