As the evening settled in, Delia prepared for bed in the guest house of Daisy's opulent home. Her routine was simple yet comforting - a cup of herbal tea, a few minutes of reading, and then a moment to reflect on the day.
Tonight, however, her thoughts were particularly introspective, drifting towards the recent turn of events.
Sitting by the open window, she savored the cool night breeze, which carried a sense of calm and tranquility. The moon cast a gentle glow, illuminating her face as she gazed out into the night. In this moment of solitude, Delia's mind wandered back to the past.
"My son, a Tier 10," she mused, a mixture of pride and disbelief in her heart. "It's as if Mew finally looked upon my suffering and fulfilled my wish: May my son live a happy life, unlike mine."
She looked at her reflection in the small mirror on the nightstand, her face illuminated by the moonlight. Her expression was one of deep contemplation, as memories of her own struggles and sacrifices for Ash's sake surfaced.
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[ 20 Years Before Present Day ]
[ Kingdom of Rota ]
In the quaint town of Azure Hill, nestled amid rolling hills and vibrant greenery, life moved at a serene pace. This small, picturesque town, steeped in tradition, revolved around the worship of the God of birth and love - Mew.
The streets were lined with cozy, pastel-colored houses and charming local shops, each adorned with symbols and images of Mew.
The central square boasted a beautiful fountain, often surrounded by townsfolk sharing stories and laughter.
Azure Hill was a place where everyone knew each other's names and stories.
Neighbors greeted each other with warm smiles and friendly nods, and children played freely in the safe, nurturing embrace of the town.
Flower gardens, well-tended and vibrant, adorned the front yards of homes, adding splashes of color to the landscape.
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At the doctor's office, the atmosphere was tense and filled with disbelief. A family of three sat in the examination room, their expressions a mixture of shock and confusion.
"What?" the sound of shock erupted from the family as the doctor repeated his diagnosis.
"Let me repeat that once more, Mrs. Ketchum," the doctor said with a calm but firm tone. "Your daughter, Delia, is pregnant."
"No," Mrs. Ketchum said, shaking her head in disbelief. "My daughter isn't like that. She has never even been on a date. How could she be pregnant?!"
Mr. Ketchum turned his glare towards Delia, who was looking down at her stomach, equally confused and shocked. "D-Dad?" she uttered, only to be met with a stern look.
The doctor interjected, "Mrs. Ketchum, we've checked multiple times over the past eight hours. Your daughter is indeed pregnant. It's possible she went to a party and... made a mistake."
The doctor's suggestion was met with immediate rejection. "My daughter never goes to any parties," Mrs. Ketchum asserted firmly, her voice laced with frustration.
The doctor sighed, clearly worn out by the back-and-forth. "Look, I understand this is hard to accept. I'll call in a gynecology specialist to examine Delia further."
The parents nodded, still in a state of shock, as the doctor left the room, clearly annoyed by the parents' insistence.
"These parents are in denial, but it's my job to provide care and support, no matter the circumstances," he thought to himself. "I've seen many cases like this. Denial is often the first response. They'll need time to process this."
Back in the room, Delia sat silently, her head bowed, as her parents' voices filled the space with anger and disappointment.
"How could you do this to us, Delia?" her father exclaimed, his voice tinged with frustration.
"Do you have any idea how this will affect our family's reputation in Azure Hill? Everyone knows everyone here!"
Her mother's voice was shrill with emotion. "Why, Delia? Why did you do this? You've always been such a responsible girl. How could you be so reckless?"
Delia remained silent, her eyes fixed on the floor.
She couldn't understand how she had ended up in this situation, let alone explain it to her parents.
"We've always been respected in this town," her mother continued, tears in her eyes. "Our family name means something here. And now, because of you, people will talk. They'll judge us!"
Delia's father paced the room, running his hands through his hair.
"I just don't understand. You've never given us any reason to worry before. How could this happen?"
Delia felt a lump in her throat, the weight of her parents' words pressing down on her. She wanted to speak, to defend herself, but no words came out. The truth was, she was as baffled as they were.
Her mother's voice cracked as she delivered a chilling ultimatum. "If the gynecologist's test doesn't prove this to be some kind of mistake, then you are not my child anymore. I cannot have a daughter who brings shame to our family."
The finality in her mother's voice cut through Delia like a knife.
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After a tense wait, Delia and her parents found themselves sitting before the gynecologist and the doctor. The gynecologist, after careful examination, began to explain her findings.
"Through my examination, I can confirm that Delia is indeed a virgin," the gynecologist stated. "We used a transvaginal ultrasound and conducted a pelvic exam, which are standard procedures in such cases. The results are clear."
Delia's parents, who had been bracing for the worst, let out sighs of relief. The atmosphere in the room lightened slightly, but the doctor interjected.
"However, despite these findings, our tests still confirm that Delia is pregnant. We've conducted numerous tests - blood tests for hCG levels, repeated ultrasounds, even a pelvic MRI. All of them indicate the presence of a child."
The father asked, "Is there really a child in my daughter's body?"
"Yes," the doctor confirmed, his own confusion evident. "It's medically inexplicable, but the tests don't lie."
Without another word, the parents stood up and left the room, their expressions a mix of shock and denial.
The doctor and the gynecologist made a move to follow them, but Delia stopped them.
"Stop it, let them go," she said quietly, her voice steady but filled with a deep sadness. "I am no longer their daughter."
The doctor, still reeling from the parents' abrupt departure, expressed his disbelief. "How could someone abandon their child like that?"
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Delia, with a sad smile, responded, "You must have recently moved to this town, right?"
"Yes, but how did you know?" the doctor asked, curious.
"Azure Hill is a small town, deeply traditionalist. Here, a family's honor is often considered more important than the individual. It's not uncommon for families to abandon their own due to perceived dishonor. A girl in my class went through something similar and had to leave town. I guess now it's my turn," Delia explained, a hint of resignation in her voice.
The gynecologist, thoughtful, interjected, "Not necessarily, Delia."
"What do you mean?" Delia asked, a flicker of hope in her eyes.
"Well, your case is unique," the gynecologist began. "There's no evidence to suggest you've had any sexual relations, correct?"
Delia nodded in agreement.
"Then we're left with a few possibilities. Either you've undergone some form of asexual reproduction, which is impossible in humans, or you're experiencing a case of parthenogenesis, which again, is unheard of in humans. Another possibility could be a rare genetic mutation or an unexplained medical anomaly," the gynecologist explained.
She continued, "I'd like to offer you an opportunity. Let my colleague and me observe your case until childbirth. We hope to understand this medical mystery and possibly contribute valuable knowledge to medical science."
The doctor, intrigued, asked, "And how would that benefit us?"
The gynecologist replied confidently, "Think about it. This could be a groundbreaking medical case. We could contribute to scientific research, maybe even discover something new about human biology."
The doctor nodded, seeing the potential in such a rare case.
Delia, considering the proposition, asked, "Will I get paid for this?"
"That can be arranged," the gynecologist assured her. "We'll make sure you're compensated for your time and cooperation."
Delia sat back, processing the information.
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[ 9 Months Later ]
Nine months had passed, and Delia found herself in the delivery room, the culmination of her unexpected journey. The room was filled with the beeping of monitors and the muffled voices of medical staff, all focused on the task at hand.
Delia lay on the delivery bed, her face etched with pain and agony. Each contraction brought an intense wave of discomfort, a physical challenge unlike anything she had ever experienced. She gripped the bedrails tightly, her knuckles turning white with each surge of pain.
"You're doing great, Delia," one of the nurses said gently. "Just breathe deeply and focus on pushing when the next contraction comes."
Another nurse offered a comforting hand. "We're right here with you. You're not alone in this."
The doctor, monitoring her progress closely, added, "You're doing wonderfully, Delia. Keep pushing. Your baby will be here soon."
Sweat beaded on her forehead as she followed the instructions to push. Her breathing was heavy and labored, a testament to the physical exertion of childbirth. Despite the overwhelming pain, Delia remained focused, drawing on an inner strength she hadn't known she possessed.
As the hours dragged on, her energy waned. The constant strain and effort began to take their toll, and she felt her consciousness slipping. The voices around her seemed distant, echoing as if underwater.
Finally, with one last push fueled by sheer willpower, Delia brought a new life into the world. As the baby's cries filled the room, a sense of relief and accomplishment washed over her. But the exhaustion from the ordeal was too much. Her vision blurred, and she felt herself drifting into darkness, succumbing to a deep, overwhelming fatigue.
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Hours later, the medical staff analyzed the newborn boy. The fact that Delia had given birth to a male child raised a multitude of questions, debunking the theory of asexual reproduction.
"Could this be a case of parthenogenesis?" one doctor pondered aloud, referring to a form of reproduction without fertilization, rarely seen in vertebrates and never documented in humans.
"But parthenogenesis typically results in female offspring due to the lack of Y chromosomes," another doctor countered. "This child is male. It defies our understanding of biology."
A third doctor interjected, "Could the child be intersex? Perhaps there's an atypical chromosomal pattern we're not considering."
One doctor, holding up the ultrasound images, suggested, "Could we be overlooking some unknown mechanism of human reproduction? Perhaps there's a latent genetic mutation at play here."
Another doctor quickly countered, "But every test we've run shows normal human genetics. We haven't found any mutations that could explain this."
A nurse chimed in, her tone skeptical, "What if the tests confirming Delia's virginity were somehow flawed or manipulated? Could the proof have been faked?"
The doctor who conducted the initial tests replied defensively, "The integrity of our testing is solid. We followed every protocol to ensure accuracy. Suggesting they were faked undermines our professional standards."
Another voice from the back of the room speculated, "What if we're dealing with a rare case of parthenogenesis? It's unprecedented in humans, but so is this entire situation."
A senior gynecologist interjected, "Even if we consider parthenogenesis, it doesn't explain the birth of a male child. The chromosomal implications don't align with our current understanding of human biology."
One doctor suggested, "We need to conduct thorough examinations and experiments on both the mother and child. This could be a breakthrough in reproductive science."
However, this proposal was met with immediate resistance from others. "Absolutely not," a nurse objected. "We can't treat them like lab subjects. They deserve the same respect and care as any patient."
The debate continued, with arguments about ethics, science, and the unknown intersecting.
Amidst this heated discussion, the doctor and gynecologist who had been monitoring Delia's pregnancy exchanged horrified looks. The realization dawned on them that their decision to observe Delia's pregnancy for scientific curiosity might have put both her and her child at risk.
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As night fell, the doctor and the gynecologist convinced the rest of the medical staff to postpone any further action until the next day. They argued that everyone needed time to process the day's events and approach the situation with clear heads.
After the others had left, the doctor and gynecologist sat down with Delia, who was quietly breastfeeding her child. The two professionals looked guilty as they relayed the day's heated discussions to her.
"So, what now?" Delia asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"You should move to another country," the doctor suggested firmly.
"Can't you just say I wasn't a virgin and this was all... fake?" Delia asked, her voice filled with fear as she clutched her baby closer to her chest.
"We can't," the doctor replied regretfully. "We've collected months of data supporting your situation. Denying it now would backfire because the evidence says otherwise."
Delia pursed her lips, contemplating her next steps. "If I go to another country, then what?"
"We will fake your death here," the doctor explained. "We'll say a fire started and both you and your child perished."
Delia nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. She looked down at her baby boy, feeling a surge of fear for his safety. "I'll do it," she resolved.
"Good," the doctor said. "Mrs. Rose here will take you back to her home where you'll stay hidden until we can arrange your safe passage out of the country."
Delia agreed, her maternal instinct to protect her child overriding her fears and uncertainties. Initially, the prospect of having a child, especially one born under such mysterious circumstances and without a father, had been daunting. But the moment she laid eyes on her son, she knew she would do whatever it took to keep him safe. Her love for him transcended the fear and confusion, giving her the strength to face the uncertain future.
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[ A Month Later ]
In the cold, snowy night, Delia stepped out of the airport in Kanto, cradling her baby in her arms. She gazed up at the snowy sky, her thoughts swirling as intensely as the flakes falling around her. She had left everything behind in Rota - her family, her home, her very identity. In Rota, she was officially dead, and here she was, in a foreign country, alone with a child whose origin was a mystery.
"Wah!" The baby's cry broke her train of thought.
"Don't worry, Ash," Delia cooed softly, trying to soothe him.
"Everything is fine. Just wait a bit before you get to eat."
Surprisingly, the baby, Ash, seemed to understand and quieted down.
Delia smiled down at him, a mix of affection and wistfulness in her eyes. "Ash, I gave you that name because you turned my life to ashes, both metaphorically with everything that's happened and literally with my staged death. But from the ashes of my old life, you'll rise above, okay?" She mused aloud, wondering why she was sharing these thoughts with an infant.
Ash responded with a smile, his tiny hand reaching out to touch Delia's face gently. It was a small, innocent gesture, but it filled Delia with a sense of resolve.
"New life, new me, right?" she whispered to herself, more as an affirmation than a question.
"Wah," Ash vocalized again, as if in agreement.
Delia flagged down a taxi, ready to start this new chapter of her life with her son.
Over the next few years, life was a relentless struggle for Delia. She constantly moved from one place to another, each city and town bringing its own set of challenges. Her jobs were varied and often grueling; she worked in fast food restaurants, cleaned houses, served as a retail clerk, babysat, worked in a laundromat, was a grocery store cashier, did dishwashing at a diner, took part-time gardening work, became a street vendor for a while, and even did temp office jobs. Without a college degree and no qualification for the trainer exam, her options were limited.
Despite the hardships, Delia never lost sight of what mattered most – her baby's happiness. Every smile from her son made all the stress and hard work feel worthwhile. She would go through any difficulty, endure any hardship, as long as it meant her baby was safe and happy.
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Delia's eyes, reflecting the soft lunar light, shimmered with a few tears. They were not of sorrow, but of a profound mix of relief and contentment. As she gazed into the mirror, a gentle smile touched her lips, one that spoke of endurance and love.
"You did it, Delia," she whispered to herself. "All that hell... it was worth it, wasn't it?" Her voice was soft, filled with a sense of achievement and hope. She closed her eyes for a moment, sending a silent prayer into the night. "Oh, Mew, please keep my baby safe in his journey."