The Doctor Cured The Villainess And Ran Away-Chapter 79: Cesarean Section (1)

The departure preparations were completed in an instant.

"Doctor, the carriage has arrived!"

In less than ten minutes, Boris brought the carriage around, pulled by two lively stallions.

As I slung on the coat Tanya had brought and was about to board, Chloe came staggering along, dragging a heavy box behind her—our surgical kit.

The knights, seeing her struggle, carried the box for her, and only then did she manage to catch her breath.

"You should’ve just asked them from the start."

"Uuh, w-well, I’d have to talk to the knights for that..."

"Then talk to them."

"It’s not that easy..."

Chloe hung her head low, and behind the curtain of her broom-like hair stood Asella, arms crossed.

I leaned down to whisper to Chloe.

"Why’d you bring the princess?"

"Uuh, b-because I’m in charge of her right now. And since we’re on an outside mission, I can’t be separated from her..."

"So you brought the princess here with you? You could’ve just told her to wait back at the marquess's estate."

"It’s... not that easy..."

Chloe’s shoulders sagged in defeat. Asella approached with sharp clicks of her heels.

"I said I’d come. Can’t believe both the doctor and his nurse were planning to abandon their charge."

"This is an emergency. Please try to understand."

"I do understand. That’s exactly why I’m coming. If I end up in an emergency while you’re gone, aren’t you responsible for me?"

She wasn’t wrong. By protocol, Chloe should have stayed behind.

But considering what the commoner had said, there was a good chance we’d need to perform an emergency procedure.

And for that, I needed Chloe.

"My apologies for not requesting your understanding in advance, Your Highness. Thank you for your grace."

"Fine. But you better have something prepared to make it up to me."

Make it up to her, huh.

Still, with a few useful bargaining chips up my sleeve, it didn’t feel quite as suffocating as before.

She liked bubble tea, so maybe next time I’d offer her tanghulu.

Asella waved dismissively and climbed into a separate carriage with her chief maid and knight escort.

I boarded the main carriage with Chloe, Tanya, and Bruno. The commoner man joined us as well.

"D-doctor! I can’t thank you enough. I’ve got no education... Please forgive my rudeness!"

The man bowed his head deeply, looking frantic and overwhelmed.

"First, calm down and explain the situation. What’s your name?"

"Ah, yes! It’s Pal. I’m a farmer."

"You said your wife’s in critical condition. Is she in labor?"

"Yes, sir. Even with the village women helping her, the child just won’t come out... She’s completely exhausted."

"How long has it been since her first contraction?"

"A full day and half a day more."

"She’s not in a healthy state. Chloe, prepare a fluid injection."

"Yes!"

Chloe, taking notes diligently at my side, answered promptly.

"I’ve heard so much about you, sir. There are rumors all over the marquessate that you've done amazing things as the Imperial Court Physician. When I heard you were staying at the estate, I knew I might be imposing, but I had to come."

"As he says, the doctor before you is none other than the Imperial Court Physician."

Thud. Tanya emphasized her words with a weighty step toward the man.

"His hands treat the most precious body in the Empire. He was on a well-earned break, yet he's giving you his time. Be grateful."

"O-of course! I was stunned by how quickly you agreed to come. With my wife dying, I couldn’t think straight..."

I could understand the man’s desperation.

If it were Neria or my father injured before my eyes, I’d lose my mind, too.

"Don’t scold him too harshly. A healer’s duty is to never disregard any patient."

"Truly?"

"Yes. I might see you as just another patient, but for you, this is a once-in-a-lifetime emergency."

"A once-in-a-lifetime... You're right."

Chloe nodded quietly.

We arrived at our destination not long after.

It was a wheat field east of the marquessate. We disembarked in front of a small hut and headed straight inside.

"Oh my goodness!"

"The young master has arrived!"

The village women tending the patient gave respectful greetings upon seeing me.

Tanya waved them away, and I immediately moved to examine the patient.

"Diagnosis."

―――――――――――

Injury Status: Dystocia (Abnormal Fetal Position)

Injury Status: Minor Hemorrhage (Vaginal Bleeding)

Injury Status: Exhaustion

Injury Status: Anemia

Injury Status: Fracture (Left Pelvis)

―――――――――――

Not good. The labor had dragged on far too long—the mother was nearly unconscious, not even aware we had entered.

"Chloe."

"Yes!"

Chloe quickly inserted a needle into the mother’s arm and connected a nutritional IV. It was a special solution I had prepared for emergencies.

"So this is how commoners live..."

Asella’s voice.

I turned to her briefly and asked,

"Your Highness, the patient is in critical condition."

"She certainly looks it."

"I’ll need to concentrate. Would you mind giving us some space?"

She didn’t seem pleased with my attempt to send her away and pouted.

"I’ll stay quiet and just watch."

"Even just a comment or two can throw me off."

"...I’ll really be quiet."

She spoke with such assurance I couldn’t push further.

Surely she wouldn’t break her word after saying that much.

Leaving her to wait, I resumed examining the patient.

Her distended belly rose and fell weakly with shallow breaths.

"Chloe, do you see? That’s the fetus’s arm."

"It’s not the head."

"The position is twisted unnaturally. I can’t determine the exact presentation, but she can’t deliver like this."

"What happens if we force the delivery?"

"Depending on the position, the umbilical cord might wrap around the baby’s neck and cause disabilities—or worse, death. And that puts the mother at risk as well."

"D-doctor, will my wife be okay?"

The man’s hands trembled as he looked at me. I stood and asked,

"What’s the cleanest room here?"

"The cleanest? Uh... oh! The next room’s best. We cleaned it out to make a nursery someday, so there’s nothing in it."

"Tanya, sterilize that room. Just basic disinfection—we’re short on time."

"Understood."

Tanya took two knights and went into the adjacent room. I turned to the man.

"We’re about to proceed with a delivery aimed at saving both mother and child. Wait outside."

"I’ll trust you, Doctor. Please... I’m begging you!"

I patted him on the shoulder.

The man and the women were sent to wait in the kitchen.

I removed my coat.

"Chloe, prepare for surgery. We’re performing an emergency cesarean."

"A cesarean... That’s the one where you cut the mother’s abdomen and extract the baby, then suture, right?"

"You remember well. It’s a major procedure. We wouldn’t normally do this in such conditions, but we have no choice."

"Should we begin with general anesthesia?"

"First, shaving to prevent infection. I’ll grab supplies from the carriage."

I stepped outside briefly.

In a rush, I checked the contents of my house-call bag: surgical scalpel, suction syringe, forceps, needle, absorbable sutures.

I also verified my surgical skill in the system window.

That’s when Asella approached.

"Hey, young master."

"What did I say before?"

"I know, but... can I just ask one thing?"

"Later."

My firm answer made her fall silent.

She drooped her shoulders, looking strangely defeated.

Geez.

Now I can’t stop thinking about it.

"What is it?"

"Eh? Oh... It’s just that I’m a little surprised."

"Surprised by what?"

"You said you’re going to cut the mother’s stomach open."

"Yes."

"But won’t she die? She’s already so weak—can you really save her?"

"I have to."

Despite my resolute answer, Asella still looked uneasy.

"It’s just... I didn’t know you could wield a blade. What if something goes wrong and people spread rumors that you killed her?"

"That’s why I have to save her. Both the mother and the child."

I held up the syringe with confidence.

"It’s nothing, really. Your Highness used to be scared of injections, but now you love them more than anyone, don’t you?"

"I do not! And I was never scared, okay? Who told you that?!"

"Haha."

Seeing her turn her head with arms crossed, refusing to look at the syringe, made me feel a little better.

"Young master."

"Yes?"

"...I’m rooting for you."

...Well, that’s unexpected. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Words you rarely hear from Asella.

Thinking the world really is full of surprises, I put on my surgical mask.

***

The room wasn’t sterile enough to be ideal, but the basic disinfection was complete—good enough for surgery.

The mother lay on the bed, an IV already in her arm.

A powerful anesthetic flowed slowly through the drip.

[Status: Under General Anesthesia (88%)]

Maintaining over 80% ensures the patient won’t regain consciousness mid-procedure.

We’d completed sterilization and administered antibiotics to prevent infection.

I raised my hands, and Chloe slipped green surgical gloves onto them.

"Surgery begins."

[Activating Surgery C.]

"Scalpel, size 10."

Chloe handed me a blade fitted with the proper scalpel for large incisions.

The artifact light mounted on my surgical magnifier illuminated the site.

—Ssshhk

My hand moved with surgical precision, as if guided by magic.

Three centimeters above the pubic °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° bone, I made a 9.5 cm horizontal incision, adjusted to the patient’s body.

I tied off each vessel to prevent further bleeding with suction.

The uterus emerged—pulsing, alive, brimming with new life.

The amniotic sac had already ruptured.

I checked for signs of placental abruption. Cesarean sections come with many risks.

...So far, so good.

I switched to a different scalpel and made the second incision.

I moved with the utmost care, avoiding any contact with the fetus.

Like peeling an apple’s skin, the cut was clean and exact.

The head came into view.

As expected, the umbilical cord was tangled tightly.

I supported the baby’s head and carefully unwrapped the cord, lifting the child out little by little.

The moment I cleared the obstruction in its mouth:

―WAAAH!!

A newborn’s first cry echoed—its first breath of air, loud and clear.

"Made us work for it, didn’t you, little guy."