If You Wish to Have Me - Chapter 148

“Huh?”

Kisa’s eyes widened in surprise, and she was about to say something when she glanced at the mother and daughter walking ahead of them.

“Oh, I’m hungry. Did you hear that, Mom? My stomach just growled again.”

“Oh my. I wonder who she takes after to be so food-obsessed. I’ll prepare something right away, so wait patiently.”

Fortunately, the two were busy talking to each other and paid no attention to Kisa and Gale.

“Matera?”

Kisa turned to look at Gale again and said.

“Why go all the way there? We could just go to another nearby village.”

“But there are far more doctors in the capital, Matera, and they’re much more specialized.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“It doesn’t take that long to get from here to Matera, and wouldn’t it be better to see a better doctor while we’re at it? I’ll bring you back to this house today.”

At those words, Kisa checked again for the presence of Mana and Daisy.

The two were nowhere to be seen, having apparently already gone to the dining room.

Kisa lowered her voice as much as possible and whispered.

“You know, Mr. Gale. It’s better for me to avoid crowded places as much as possible. What if there are people in Matera who serve as that person’s eyes and ears…”

For this reason, Kisa had arrived in this country through the Matera port a few months ago, but had to hurriedly leave without even having time to look around.

“Even if there aren’t such people, someone might recognize me.”

Since Octava and Sorbi were neighboring countries, there was no small number of people traveling between the two nations.

It wouldn’t be strange if someone among them knew the appearance of Kisa, who had been somewhat famous in Sorbi’s social circles.

However, instead of agreeing with Kisa’s concerns, Gale tried to persuade her.

“I understand. But you don’t need to worry too much. There’s a doctor in Matera who is an old friend of Lady Manoa and someone I’m acquainted with as well.”

Gale’s argument was that he could trust this person to examine Kisa.

“Although he doesn’t primarily see obstetric patients, he naturally has basic knowledge and could introduce you to a trustworthy colleague doctor if necessary.”

“…”

“If we park the carriage right in front of the hospital and you enter wearing your hood pulled down low, no one will know who you are.”

Having no particular objection to make, Kisa looked down at her shoes and muttered quietly.

“Is it really necessary to trouble so many people? I feel so sorry.”

“Miss, please think of the child in your womb as the top priority. As you know, infant mortality rates are higher in small villages like this where doctors are scarce.”

Kisa’s shoulders visibly flinched.

“Mana also regularly visited doctors in the city when Daisy was young. It’s more common here than you might think.”

When she still didn’t give a clear acceptance, Gale took a step back.

His expression showed surprise, wondering if he had pushed too hard.

“Oh, I’m absolutely not forcing you. I’m just worried about your health since you’ve been sailing for so long—”

“No. I fully understand what you mean.”

Kisa shook her head, interrupting his words, and relaxed her expression.

He too must have been startled, wondering if he had unknowingly made a pregnant woman endure too rigorous a schedule.

Being a person with a strong sense of responsibility, he would naturally be concerned.

And honestly speaking, Kisa had been quite worried about this fact as well.

Not only was her body exhausted from the arduous journey, but what about her mental state?

While on the ship, Kisa had been anxious about being discovered by those pursuing her, and she had countless nightmares about being caught and forced to return.

Though her mind had become somewhat more stable since staying at Mana’s house, her worries and concerns hadn’t been completely resolved.

The worst possibilities were always alive in Kisa’s heart, and those reddish-brown eyes tormented her as well, simultaneously evoking vague anxiety and piercing longing.

‘Yes, it wouldn’t hurt to check just once.’

Kisa’s heart gradually leaned toward following Gale’s suggestion.

‘No, checking would be the best thing to do.’

The book she had seen in the study also mentioned that a mother’s mood had a high probability of affecting the fetus.

Since she had decided to give birth to this child in her womb, she didn’t want to spare any effort for the child’s sake.

She wanted to meet a healthy child born without any problems in a few months.

“Then please think about it slowly while you eat. I’ll ask you again later, so then—”

“Mr. Gale.”

At Kisa’s call, Gale, who was about to head to the dining room first, turned to look at her.

“I’ve made up my mind. Let’s go to Matera together.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, I’m sorry for going back and forth like this. When I think about it, you seem to be right.”

“No. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. In any case, you’ve made a good decision.”

After that, Gale was about to say something more, but couldn’t due to Daisy’s shout from afar.

“Mister! Sister! Why aren’t you coming? Are you two having secret conversations again? I’m really dying of hunger!”

Following that, they could hear Mana’s scolding telling her not to shout so loudly as it would burst their eardrums.

Kisa and Gale had no time for further conversation and had to hurry to the dining room.

Of course, upon seeing Daisy sitting at the table, they didn’t forget to offer their apologies.

After lunch, Daisy expressed her curiosity as she watched the two people leaving the house together.

“Where are you two going? Are you going to do something fun? When will you be back?”

Kisa was able to leave peacefully only after promising the child that she would buy her a souvenir.

Mana didn’t know exactly what had transpired between the two, but from the atmosphere, she seemed to assume that their conflict had been resolved well.

“Have a good trip, Bella! You can come back as late as you want! Tell Mr. Gale to buy you something delicious!”

Toward her, Gale simply replied briefly that he would stop by again today.

Kisa and Gale walked side by side for a while to the village outskirts.

There, the carriage that Gale had taken to this village was already waiting for the two of them.

Incidentally, the coachman and horses had spent the previous night at the village’s only inn.

Not only was there only one spare room in Mana’s house, but Gale seemed to want to avoid burdening her as much as possible.

In any case, the carriage carrying Kisa and Gale traveled along the bumpy country road.

Since Gale had served as the coachman when they first met and when he came to this village, this was the first time they spent time facing each other like this.

Kisa had to think for quite a while about what to say to him.

After this somewhat awkward time passed, the carriage arrived at Octava’s capital, Matera.

The coachman parked the carriage near what appeared to be a hospital building, following Gale’s instructions.

Kisa covered her body and face with the hood she had received beforehand and carefully got out of the carriage.

“Here, this way.”

Gale escorted her and guided her to the hospital.

“Well, what brings you here without notice?”

The doctor who came out upon hearing that Gale had arrived seemed quite surprised, but after hearing the detailed story from him, he asked no further questions.

He immediately brought Kisa into the examination room.

Fortunately, it was almost closing time, so no other patients were visible either.

How much time had passed? Kisa came out of the hospital greatly relieved.

According to the doctor, there was nothing wrong at all.

“Let’s go back now.”

But just as they were about to get back in the carriage.

“Huh?”

Seeing Kisa suddenly looking around, Gale asked a question.

“No, I just feel like someone’s watching us.”