Fated to Die to the Player, I'll Live Freely with My SSS-Class Ship!-Chapter 125: Emerald and Vistal

She walked ahead, not waiting for the doctor's guidance, and headed directly toward her mother's room. Naturally, it was still the same room as usual, so she reached it without trouble.

We stood behind a thick glass viewing window, where inside, several cryogenic capsules were arranged. One of those capsules had dozens of technicians, nurses, and doctors gathered around it—the one we were here for.

"Mother…" Eva whispered, placing her palm gently against the glass.

*CRACK!*

And… ended up cracking it. This is bulletproof glass, right? How on earth did it even crack?

I could see the doctor's face drain of color at the sight of what Eva had done unconsciously, but he quickly composed himself and pretended nothing had happened. After all, Eva had donated over 2 billion Credits to the hospital, making the minor damage she caused almost laughable in comparison.

Truly, money makes the world go round.

The process of moving Eva's mother had already begun. The defrosting procedure was halfway through, and a newly-designed, top-grade wheelchair was already standing by.

Eva kept her eyes wide open, watching every moment unfold, as if unwilling to miss a single second. Cassandra and I stood silently behind her, simply waiting, observing in quiet support.

The procedure continued for about another thirty minutes before the cryogenic capsule's cover slowly hissed open. From within, a familiar figure lay still.

A woman who appeared to be in her early thirties—though her real age was approaching fifty. Her once flaming red hair, dulled by the long freeze, still stood out vividly, clearly marking her relation to Eva.

The only visible abnormality was the dark green scales covering most of her body, like a second skin. They shimmered faintly beneath the glow of medical instruments.

"..."

Her condition looked far worse than when we last saw her.

The encroachment had spread from about 50% of her body to nearly 75%. This… wasn't normal. Was the cryogenic system not functioning properly? Why had her ESD—Emerald Skin Disease—progressed this badly?

*CRACKLE!* *CRACK!*

The glass where Eva's hand rested suddenly webbed with cracks, spreading rapidly like a spider's web. It was my first time witnessing bulletproof glass behave like this. Each layered panel was fracturing with its own unique pattern, forming a surreal mosaic across the viewing window.

"Doctor…" Eva's voice was low and steady—flat, yet carrying a weight that sent a chill crawling down my spine. "My mother's disease… Did it worsen during the short time I wasn't able to receive updates…?"

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The doctor in charge raised both hands into the air, clearly panicked.

"N-No, absolutely not!" he exclaimed, his voice shaking.

"W-We were puzzled too! The progression suddenly accelerated around three days ago... We believe your mother's ESD isn't an ordinary variant, which may explain the abnormal spread."

"Three days ago...?"

I frowned upon hearing this troubling detail.

Around that time, we should've been in Mithra. I was occupied with paperwork, while Eva had accompanied Cassandra on official duties, serving as her guard.

Coincidentally, that was also the exact moment when the Warp Nexus Module was "technically" completed. Could it be…?

No. It's too early to jump to conclusions.

Besides, there shouldn't be any link between the Warp Nexus and some random, deadly disease.

"We should hurry her to Mithra then. We'll be able to analyze your mother's condition much more thoroughly there."

I turned to Eva, who remained silent, glaring at the doctor with such murderous intensity it looked like she might snap his neck at any moment. Thankfully, she restrained herself.

Her attention shifted again—this time toward her mother, who had just opened her eyes, slowly waking from slumber.

"...Doctors?" Eva's mother murmured, her voice groggy. She tilted her head, scanning her body in confusion. "I… Is my disease worsening? Why was I awakened?"

"Mom!"

Upon hearing her speak, Eva immediately pushed the window open—by punching a hole through it—and entered the lab. Nobody dared stop her as she dashed to her mother's side and embraced her tightly.

"Oh!" Her mother gasped, startled by the sudden hug. "This... Eva, my dear? Why are you…"

Though visibly confused, she reached out gently and patted Eva's back, quietly comforting the sobs her daughter was struggling to hold in.

"Let's go in too." I nodded at Cassandra and led the way.

The doctor stood there like his soul had left his body, so we couldn't rely on him for anything right now.

We stepped out of the observation room and followed the corridor to the inner lab. As we approached, perhaps due to the proximity, Eva's mother noticed us through the doorway—her gaze locking with mine.

"Oh, now that's a familiar face too." She muttered, placing a hand over her lips in surprised recognition. "Mr. Arthur… was it? Sorry, my memory's a bit fuzzy."

"Yes, Mrs. Beastol." I nodded respectfully, stopping a few steps away.

Seeing that Eva was unable to speak through her emotions, I took it upon myself to explain. "Actually, we'd like to move you to a better facility. It appears your disease is accelerating, and the staff here are at a loss regarding treatment."

"...Move?"

I nodded again. Her confusion was natural. "We're taking you to the best medical facility on Mithra, a planet in the Meyers Star System, which I govern."

"Mom! I…!" Eva interjected, clinging tightly to her. "I'll definitely find a way to cure you! Just wait a little longer…!"

Her mother looked momentarily stunned by the sudden declaration, but her expression softened into a gentle, understanding smile. She lifted her less-scaled hand and stroked Eva's head affectionately.

"Don't worry, Eva dear. I know you will. I believe in you."

I quietly observed the pair and began thinking to myself.

ESD should have a proper cure within a few more years, but... will Eva's mother last that long? I wasn't confident in that. Thus, I resolved to take matters into my own hands.

I'm not an expert in medicine, but with the knowledge about the future of the game, and the resources at my disposal, I should at least be able to help accelerate the research process significantly.

I suppose my next mission, once we return, is already decided.

Together with Eva's mother, we left the hospital—and the planet itself.

After reaching orbit, we didn't waste a second and warped directly to my domain—Planet Mithra. The total travel time was under ten minutes. It was short and imposed the least possible stress on our passenger.

Upon arrival, we immediately rushed her to Mithra General Hospital—the most advanced and expansive facility on the entire planet. There, she underwent a series of rapid diagnostic tests to determine her actual condition.

Eva remained at her mother's side the entire time, refusing to leave even for a moment. Because of that, her mother should've felt safe and not at all isolated during the process.

"The results are out."

The head doctor in charge of terminal illness research—a man who looked like a humanoid octopus—addressed us. "The patient is indeed suffering from Emerald Skin Disease… but that's not the full picture."

He began spouting complex jargon, splicing together medical terms and theories in rapid succession. I couldn't make heads or tails of it. Thankfully, noticing my blank stare, the octopus doctor coughed and cleared his throat.

"…In short, she's suffering from another illness simultaneously—Vistal Nerve Disease."

"The… what?"

I cleaned my ears, thinking I had misheard.

But the doctor repeated himself clearly, confirming the diagnosis. "It's one of the few known incurable, terminal diseases—distinct from ESD. The Vistal Nerve Disease."

"…Shit."

I covered my face with a hand.

Of all the possibilities… to think Eva's mother ended up contracting that one.