Chapter 67

Chapter 67
Observing the shape that had materialized out of the ring, I wore a perplexed look.

“A cat…?”

It wasn’t just any regular cat, either, but a very small kitten covered in immaculate white fur.

Instead of an NPC, a cat had appeared?

I could only blink, completely unsure how to process the scenario, while the tiny feline coming from the moonstone stretched its body in a lazy yawn and began grooming its front paw.

After staring blankly for a moment, I gathered my wits and forced my voice past my lips.

“Assist me… a little…”

The animal must have caught my words because its head turned in my direction.

Its brilliant blue eyes sparkled like precious gems.

“My pocket… hey!”

I intended to ask the little creature to bring the combat rations from my pocket up to my lips, but it bolted away with a rapid patter-patter before I could even finish speaking.

I was already suffering intensely, and raising my voice made my spine feel as though it might actually fracture.

What on earth is that creature?

With no other choice, I observed its actions. The cat began climbing the carcass of the Eye Giant, which remained pinned and motionless on the icicle.

What could it possibly be attempting to do?

I kept watching until the small beast finally scaled its way to the forehead of the Eye Giant.

Was it going after the crystal?

Did it plan on trying to bite the crystal off with its own teeth?

Those minuscule teeth didn’t appear capable of making even a scratch.

That was my assumption—until I watched the creature press its own forehead directly against the crystal.

For a fleeting second, I thought it was paying respects to the fallen Eye Giant.

Then the crystal lodged in the forehead detached itself from the giant’s corpse and drifted up into the open air.

“……!”

Had it just… extracted a monster’s crystal?

It possessed an ability like that?

What on earth is that thing?

Even I, having conquered every single zone, had never encountered or heard of anything comparable.

Could it be a legendary-class monster possessing a special power, just like the Eye Giant?

Yet for a monster, that tiny kitten form displayed no sign of any crystal.

All that remained behind was the moonstone ring, sitting mournfully on my finger, now dull and lifeless like an ordinary stone after the creature departed it…

Meanwhile, the cat took the Eye Giant’s crystal in its mouth and dropped down lightly.

The moment the feline landed softly on the ground, the body of the Eye Giant toppled sideways alongside the icicle, crashing down with a deafening roar.

I flinched, wincing against the cloud of dust and powerful wind whipped up by the heavy fall. When I opened my eyes again, the cat holding the crystal stood directly in front of me.

It hadn’t fed me the combat rations as I desired, but judging by its assistance in defeating the Eye Giant, it had clearly shown up to help me.

“Thanks… mph?!”

Something was shoved straight into my mouth just as I attempted to express my gratitude.

Without a shred of formality, the creature crammed the Eye Giant’s crystal—still clutched in its jaws—right into my mouth.

“What are you doing—!”

The crystal inside my mouth melted into blue fragments and disappeared.

Simultaneously, an agony far more severe than a broken spine surged through me, and I lost consciousness immediately.

—

Upon waking up, the ceiling above was a familiar sight.

It was the identical hospital room where I had previously rested after being shot by a Unicorn Area player.

“Haydam, sir!”

The first person I noticed was Bones springing up from his chair, bizarrely holding a comb in his hand.

Lucas, Platon, and ShutInHubby appeared in my field of vision next, in that exact order.

Lucas spoke to me, asking,

“Are you conscious, sir?”

My throat felt like it was tearing apart when I attempted a reply; I had no clue how long I had been lying there.

“Water…”

The instant that word left my lips, two individuals dashed out of the room.

Lucas sprinted away to find a doctor, while Platon hurried after him to fetch water.

ShutInHubby poured water from a kettle into a glass, extended it toward me, and remarked with a tone of sheer disbelief,

“What in the world does that idiot think he’s been drinking this entire time?”

I was astounded that ShutInHubby would openly insult an officer right in front of Bones.

Bones, however, maintained the completely unfazed expression of someone who had grown entirely accustomed to it.

What had transpired while I was knocked out?

The water offered by ShutInHubby turned into blue fragments the second it brushed against my lips and vanished; a moment later, the dryness was entirely gone.

“Haydam, sir, are you experiencing any pain?”

“Uh…”

Right up until I passed out, my entire body had hurt terribly, but now that my eyes were open—

I felt zero pain whatsoever.

If anything, a force far greater than before pulsed deep inside me.

“How long have I been in here?”

“Today marks precisely one week, sir.”

A full week?

Even if I had been unconscious for an entire week, the injuries I suffered were never the type to heal within that timeframe…

Did ShutInHubby play a role in my medical care?

If ShutInHubby had treated me, that would at least account for why Bones was ignoring his disrespectful attitude.

“The Command—no, Father?”

“He is completely unharmed, sir. Lucas has gone to summon a physician, so His Excellency will soon know you have awakened.”

I let out a sigh of relief upon hearing that everyone was safe.

Naturally, that made sense.

With the Eye Giant dead, the blizzard would have ceased, making rescue operations straightforward.

I wonder what became of the leader of Team 2…

I was about to inquire about the events that unfolded during my blackout when I suddenly sat straight up and checked my hand.

Luna Moon’s ring remained on my finger, emitting its customary muted glow.

The difference was that it was no longer loose as it always had been; it had contracted to fit my finger perfectly.

After staring at the band for a moment, I questioned Bones,

“When you rescued me… did you happen to notice anything resembling a cat?”

“A cat, sir?”

Bones looked entirely bewildered, unable to comprehend why I would bring up such a topic.

“I was hospitalized myself at the time of the rescue operation, so I am unaware of the specifics. However, I never heard any reports regarding anyone spotting a feline-type monster.”

Since I asked if he had seen something like a cat, he naturally assumed I meant a monster.

Well, it was true that no ordinary cat would inhabit the base of a cliff like that in this era.

The feline I witnessed resembled an absolute kitten, but given its bizarre capabilities, it was likely closer to a monster.

“Talking about cats the moment you regain consciousness makes me think you’re still not entirely in your right mind.”

At ShutInHubby’s muttered comment, Bones finally let his expression harden into a proper scowl.

“Haydam, sir, is that fellow always this disrespectful?”

“More importantly, why is he even here? And why are all of you present?”

“We were hospitalized here as well, sir.”

Now that he pointed it out, Bones was dressed in a patient gown.

Platon and Lucas, who had rushed out earlier, had also appeared to be wearing patient gowns…

ShutInHubby wore a military uniform, meaning he must have safely returned to the zone alongside Meursault.

At that moment, ShutInHubby stepped closer and declared with smug triumph,

“You really ought to thank me, Haydam.”

He looked prepared to boast about healing me, and since I had indeed received assistance, I was on the verge of expressing my gratitude when he added,

“I’m the one who discovered you.”

“You’re the one who found me?”

“Yeah! How else would anyone have known to search for some random cave located on a cliff like that?”

I had presumed they scanned the region using drones because they possessed a rough estimate of where I tumbled and subsequently pulled me out.

Had ShutInHubby provided them with the precise coordinates?

Yet even I had never laid eyes on that cave prior to then.

“How did you know about that cave?”

“Because I happen to know that cliff.”

A cliff he recognizes?

I gazed at him in absolute disbelief, but ShutInHubby’s expression implied that was all the explanation I would get.

When I looked over at Bones, he simply shrugged as if he were equally clueless.

“He’s a strange one, right? We asked him how he knew as well, and all he would say was that it was a cliff familiar to him.”

That ShutInHubby character… perhaps he had tumbled off that exact cliff himself while playing the game in the past.

“Then… who administered my treatment?”

“Treated you?”

ShutInHubby and Bones exchanged a quick glance before speaking one after another.

“No one treated you.”

“When they recovered you, I heard your garments were slightly torn, but otherwise you were completely fine.”

“That is why the entire zone is currently losing its mind.”

“They are referring to you as the Miracle of the Crevasse, sir.”

The… Miracle of what?

The Miracle of the Crevasse?

That wasn’t even amusing…

“So what about the cat? Does it matter?”

“That’s—”

“Haydam, sir!”

I was about to offer a half-hearted reply to ShutInHubby when the doctor brought in by Lucas appeared and ordered all non-medical personnel to leave, cutting our conversation short.

The Commander arrived precisely ten minutes later.

“Haydam!”

He rushed toward me with every emotion transparent on his face in a manner I had never witnessed before, pulling me straight into his arms.

It was a gentle embrace, holding back all strength in case I was still nursing injuries.

The arm holding me trembled slightly.

For some reason, I felt a sense of guilt…

It contrasted so sharply with his usual detached reaction of “You’ll recover anyway, won’t you?” that I finally understood how deeply he had quietly concealed his worry for me all this time.

The Commander let go of me and spoke without pausing for breath.

“Never pull a reckless stunt like that again.”

When I remained silent instead of answering, the Commander stared at me with an expression of genuine terror.

“Please… I’m begging you. If anything had happened to you out there, how could I ever face Luna Moon when my time comes…?”

His voice shook audibly.

“Please, Haydam. Promise me you will never repeat this. You are a regressor, not an immortal!”

Nothing the Commander stated was incorrect.

I was a player, not an immortal entity.

There would have been no issue in simply replying that I would exercise caution moving forward.

I had learned the hard way that letting arrogance take over and depending too heavily on my powers could result in my death, so perhaps the prudent choice would be staying somewhere secure, diligently absorbing the heir’s lessons, and clearing the path that way.

Without the ring’s magic, I likely would have triggered a game over right then and there.

Yet that precise reality forced me to respond the way I did.

“I cannot make that promise.”

“Haydam!”

“I already swore an oath to Mother.”

The Commander, who had been on the verge of saying more, fell completely silent the moment the word “Mother” crossed my lips.

“An oath… you claim?”

“When I regressed, I swore upon Mother’s grave. I vowed that in this lifetime, I would safeguard Father at all costs. Therefore, if I fail to protect you, this entire regression loses its purpose.”

My declaration left the Commander’s face completely blank and speechless.

Who wouldn’t be struck dumb upon learning that his ten-year-old son had regressed in time purely to save him?

“Haydam…”

The Commander managed to part his lips to speak, but right on cue, the doctor opened the door to the hospital room to announce that visiting hours had concluded.

“Only a short duration has passed since he regained consciousness, meaning physical and mental rest remains our utmost priority. Naturally, I understand your profound concern, but he requires recuperation.”

Following the physician’s explanation, the Commander reluctantly offered a farewell and stepped out of the room.

Once the doctor and nurses had departed as well, reminding me to utilize the call button if any issues arose—

I muttered under my breath.

“…That is the answer you desired to hear, isn’t it?”

A flash of light swept across the moonstone on the ring as though struck squarely in the center, then vanished.

“I provided the exact answer you wanted, so manifest yourself and offer an explanation.”

I raised my hand, pressed against the ring, and whispered.

“What precisely did you do to my body?”