The Gate Traveler

I decided to stay for two days to regenerate my mana fully. The first night we spent near the former jurber nest, but the next day, I relocated us to the nearby rest stop. The stump chairs and log tables were much more comfortable than camping in the bushes. It resembled the first rest stop we visited with the caravan, but it was further off the road and hidden by some trees. I spent the first day breathing in mana with total concentration to regenerate faster, and noticed that there was much more mana in the air. I wasn't sure if it was the mana released from the Jurbers or if this location was better. Either way, my mana was at 2,680/4,200 by the evening of the first day.

After I made dinner for us, I took out my guitar and began playing. In a short while, I heard hooves clopping and a carriage. I got up and saw a big fancy carriage pulled by four horses and an escort of six riders in fancy uniforms.

Oh no, more nobles!

I began to break camp quickly to leave, but then I heard a pained cry and frantic shouts, so I went to investigate. Two men were carrying a crying pregnant woman on a stretcher, and a young man beside her was shouting frantically at everybody and looked like he was about to faint. I approached the man, extended my hand for a handshake, and said, "Hello, my name is John, and I'm a healer. Do you need help?"

"Blessed Spirits. YES! My wife is having the baby too early and is bleeding." His grip crushed my fingers as he clung to me, eyes wild and bloodshot.

"I will help her. Don't worry, breathe." I steadied my voice and placed a firm hand on his shoulder to ground him as his chest heaved with panicked breaths.

I diagnosed the mother, and things looked grim. The baby was premature and in distress, with the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck. The mother was losing a lot of blood. Turning to the man, I explained the situation in a calm, professional tone so he wouldn't lose it completely.

The husband paled, his hand tightening around his wife's. I was afraid he would crush her fingers like he almost crushed mine. "What can we do?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"I need to cut her open to save the baby," I said, glancing between them to gauge their reactions. "She won't feel it. I will put her to sleep with a spell."

The mother nodded weakly.

The husband looked torn, but finally nodded. "Do it," he said, his voice steadying. "Save them both."

I quickly summoned my biggest picnic table, covered it with a plastic sheet and a regular sheet on top.

"Help me undress her and move her onto the table," I said, already reaching for the stretcher.

The husband stiffened, his eyes darting toward the cluster of guards lingering nearby. His jaw clenched, and he shook his head. "Not here. Not with them watching."

I nodded, took out two bookcases, and positioned them to block the view. The sudden wall of shelves startled the guards, but they didn't move closer.

The husband let out a shaky breath and gave me a quick nod. "Thank you."

He bent down, fumbling with the ties of his wife's dress, his fingers trembling so badly he could barely manage. I steadied his hands and helped peel the fabric away; then, together, we lifted her from the stretcher. The table creaked under her weight as we laid her down. She moaned faintly, eyes fluttering, and I put a pillow under her head, trying to make the makeshift operating table feel less brutal.

I moved quickly, casting Clean and Purify on everything before channeling Anesthesia into the mother so she wouldn't feel pain. Splitting my mind, I stopped the uterine bleeding and began the C-section. I made the incision, layer by layer, until the baby was revealed, the cord wound tight around her neck. My fingers slipped beneath it, loosening the knot before lifting her out. She wasn't breathing. Diagnose showed her lungs were underdeveloped. Splitting my mind into three, I cast Healing Touch to help her lungs develop, but it still wasn't enough. Rubbing her back, I cast again and again until she let a thin cry, and exhaled in relief as her chest rose and fell

Once the umbilical cord stopped pulsating, I tied and cut it. Cast Clean & Purify on her before wrapping her in a soft towel and handing her to the father, who was busy swaying on his feet and looking green.

"If you feel you're going to faint, tell me," I instructed him, and cast Fortify Life Force on him just in case. He looked a little perkier, or at least less green.

I went back to the mother, diagnosed her again, stopped the bleeding, removed the placenta, and, holding the cut closed with my hands, healed her. Just in case, I also cast Fortify Life Force on her with two additional Healing Touches, and stopped the Anesthesia. She continued to sleep, and I let her be.

I returned to the baby and checked her. She was better, her breathing steady now, but weak. After all the healing, she needed nourishment. Of course, I didn't bring any baby food. Why would I?

I looked at the mother, still pale and exhausted, but I didn't have a choice. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, then shifting toward the faint cry in my arms.

"She needs you," I said, lowering the baby into her arms. "Feed her."

The mother tried to speak, but her lips were cracked and dry. She was in no state herself. Dehydrated, starved, her body spent.

I turned to the husband. "She'll feed the baby. You'll feed her."

He froze, staring at me. His mouth opened, then closed again, no words coming out. Finally, he gave a quick nod. "Yes," he said, voice rough. "I will."

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The baby gave another thin wail, and the mother shifted, pulling her closer.

I handed her a bottle of water. "Drink all of this," I instructed gently. She took it and drank eagerly.

Once she finished, I asked, "Do you need another?" She nodded, so I gave her a second bottle. She drank it down and then looked up. "I'm fine," she said, her voice stronger.

I took out a takeaway box with grilled salmon and vegetables. "You need the B12," I explained, turning to her husband. "Feed her, please."

Judging by their expressions, they had never heard of B12.

"I can feed myself," she tried to protest.

I shook my head. "No. Healing takes a lot of nutrients from the body. You and your baby need the food now to complete the healing process."

She paused, then nodded, accepting the situation. Her husband, looking more enthusiastic, fed her.

I stood there, looking at the domestic picture. She was nursing the baby, and her husband was feeding her while telling her how amazing she was and how beautiful their daughter was. A strong pinch hit my heart. Sophie and I had decided not to have kids early so we could focus on our careers, and then she got sick, and it was no longer an option. This could have been us. Happy new parents, enjoying our first moment with our child. I missed her so much, but it was getting easier. Maybe because enough time had passed since her death, maybe because I was coming to terms with it. I didn't know. But I didn't feel choked up with grief or longing. Just melancholic.

Once the mother and baby had eaten, I pulled up a chair beside the "bed." The little one had finally quieted and fallen asleep on her mother's chest.

"What's your name?" I asked.

The woman gave me a tired smile. "Domenica." Her hand shifted to stroke the baby's back. "And this is my husband, Aurustine."

Aurustine straightened a little, though he still held a cup to his wife's lips. "We owe you more than we can ever repay," he said.

As we spoke, the pieces fell into place. They weren't just any nobles passing through. Domenica was a princess, the daughter of the King of Mara. Aurustine, the Heir Apparent of Somer. Their journey had been meant to end in her parents' kingdom, where she planned to give birth and spend her first months of motherhood under her mother's care.

Instead, fate had shoved me into their path.

Domenica's eyes glistened as she whispered, "We didn't know what to do when the bleeding started. We thought… we thought we might lose her."

Aurustine tightened his grip on her hand. His jaw worked as if he wanted to say more, then he exhaled sharply. "And then you appeared. Spirits truly blessed us."

They wouldn't stop thanking me. Their words tumbled over each other, promises and gratitude spilling out in a rush.

When the flood of gratitude finally stopped, Aurustine looked at me closely. "Where are you from? You sound different when you speak. And what are you doing on this road? Are you traveling to Mara or Somer?"

"I'm from the islands in the south. I didn't plan to visit one of those kingdoms specifically, but I might. I'm simply traveling the continent."

Aurustine leaned forward and grabbed my hand. "You must visit both kingdoms. You will be treated as the most treasured guest. I swear it."

Domenica reached for my other hand and squeezed it weakly. "Our home will be open to you, always."

After they left my makeshift 'operating room,' I cleaned, purified, and stored everything. I had planned to stay at the rest stop tonight, but now I felt like I was encroaching on their family time. So I went to tell them goodbye and check on the mother and baby one last time. Domenica was fine, only tired. I cast one last healing and fortifying spell on her and checked the baby. She was much better, and her respiratory system was in better shape. It didn't just heal. It developed and was almost fully normal, like a regular baby and not a premature one. I was pleased, especially about the fantastic Fortify Life Force spell responsible for this miracle.

Aurustine thanked me repeatedly and gave me a hefty pouch of gold. I tried to refuse, saying it was my pleasure, but he insisted. Finally, I agreed and took the gold. I didn't have a problem with being paid for my services as a doctor, but the magical healing felt different for some reason. I needed to examine this thought and see why. There was no reason not to get paid for a valuable service provided.

I said goodbye to them, called Stretch, who slept through most of the event, took out my bicycle and trailer, and headed out. I wasn't tired, and the two moons, especially the larger one, gave me enough light to ride at night.

I remembered my Luck saying something about fortunate encounters and checked.

So, I guess raising my luck was lucky—especially for them. I felt embarrassed about the poor joke, but still snickered. I also checked my persistent red blinking light.

As a tribute to the fortunate encounter, I added the free stat points to Luck. When I added the free points, the red light started blinking again.

Why do I keep getting surprised?

In some books I read, there was a leap when reaching some number with stats, but I had some high numbers, like 44 Wisdom or 37 Intelligence and Vitality, and there was no special effect or anything. Why was Luck different?

I don't understand this system!

It was similar enough to some things I read in some book or other, so it felt familiar, but the minor points of difference kept tripping me up. I should stop expecting things to be one way or another based on what I read and find the intricacies of my personal system.

This system should come with a user manual. This is no way to run a system.

I felt a rebuke directed at me.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a twist. Just thinking. I'm allowed, right?" I asked out loud.

I felt amusement.

You know what, I'm too tired of the whole thing even to feel surprised.

I just kept pedaling, trying not to think about anything at all. Mainly so the damn system wouldn't trip me up again.