The lead doctor frowned, brows knitting with doubt.
Master Imoogi's condition wasn't terrible… but it wasn't good either. A sudden morphing episode without warning was unusual for him, but understandable.
But the young master…
The doctor turned toward the silver slim beast inside the glass case, the little imoogi. It was biting onto the tail of the rat, swallowing it whole with surprising energy.
That alone was shocking.
The young master was a fragile imoogi, rare like his father Gaffer, but weak like a sickler. It never ate rats or any lower-ranked beast food beyond a sniff or single nibble. Even a small injury took it a whole year to heal.
But now it was covered in serious wounds yet moving actively and eating greedily.
The doctor's eyes narrowed in disbelief.
He glanced at Gaffer again.
Master Imoogi's body wasn't in good shape at all. He was still unconscious from the morphing backlash.
The doctor hesitated as he would not act without the permission of the master, then picked up another rat. This one was a high-ranked affinity beast rat with fifty affinities inside it.
He tossed it into the glass case.
Everyone froze.
The young master imoogi never went near anything with affinities. He feared them and avoided them. Sometimes he even fainted from them.
But now—Snap!
The silver slim beast bit and swallowed the high-ranked rat instantly.
Was it… starving? Or completely healed?
The room buzzed with stunned whispers.
Even more shocking was that before gulping it down, the young master spat venom on it. That was a proper snake or imoogi venom strike.
Had the young master suddenly grown sense, strength and Instinct?
There was only one explanation in their minds. Perhaps Master Imoogi must've cured his son.
Everyone was praising the master in their hearts when Gaffer suddenly opened his eyes.
He had actually been conscious for a while and aware of the noise, aware of the movement, but he only now sat up fully. His sharp gaze swept the room.
He frowned deeply when he did not find a certain small white figure.
"Master Imoogi!" Everyone bowed instantly.
The head doctor hurried forward with documents. "Master Imoogi, congratulations on the young master's recovery. It is thanks to your determination and excellent parenting."
Gaffer accepted the papers, skimmed them once, and his pupils tightened.
No. This wasn't his doing.
His chaotic memories before collapsing began to replay in his head. There were glimpses he caught when half-conscious.
It wasn't him who made his son like this, it was that little rabbit.
He remembered the small white rabbit leading his son somewhere to bury his son. Maybe, that was how she cured him.
Gaffer handed the thesis back. "Where is it?" he asked.
"…"
Everyone looked at one another. It?
The doctor coughed awkwardly. "The young master is right in front of you, Master Imoogi."
"No." Gaffer's voice darkened. "Where is it?"
Everyone was now officially confused. Were they missing a person? A beast? A… what?
Thinking hard, Scliff whispered, "Perhaps the master refers to the madam?"
"Yes, Master," the doctor added carefully. "We were told by Mr. Scliff that you went out to meet the madam, but when we all arrived on the scene to bring you home, we only found you and the young master."
Gaffer pressed his forehead, frustrated.
"I mean the little rabbit."
"!?"
Gaffer took a deep breath. Then these people left the little rabbit on the land of dangerous foxes all alone?
He shot them a cold glance and pushed himself to stand, heading straight for the control room. But the moment his foot touched the floor, his leg gave out and he dropped heavily.
He was still not well as his body hadn't recovered from the fight with May Scalden, his son's mother and his painful first love.
"Master!" Several people and the doctors rushed to steady him.
One of the doctors hurriedly took out the thesis about Gaffer's body condition. Was the master attacked again? Why was his state even worse than before? With these indicators… he may die soon.
How could the lead doctor ignore this?!
He opened his mouth to report, but someone else spoke first.
"Master, where are you going?"
Gaffer gave the beastman a sharp look. "To take the place of the pilot and fly the skyship myself."
"!?" Everyone was stunned.
Since when did the master personally fly the skyship for them?
The head doctor grabbed Gaffer's arm and guided him back toward the bed. "Master, you should rest. Your health—"
"Then turn the skyship," Gaffer interrupted. "I will rest when you turn the skyship and return me to where you picked me."
"…"
Meanwhile, Linda was busy chewing the leaves she had preserved for the dragon man when suddenly a fiery fox burst out of the bushes and pounced at her.
But just as it leapt, the skyship returned and was about to land.
The force of its landing created a harsh wind that nearly blew the fox straight across the forest. The poor rabbit was also blown but directly into the burrow she dug earlier.
She hadn't even realized she was seconds away from being smacked by a fox until she heard the fox's startled cry echo above her.
Gaffer stepped off the skyship and immediately spotted the small, pitiful, dirt-smudged rabbit with shiny purple eyes staring right at him from inside the hole.
Even her eyes were unusual. As special as she was.
A faint smile appeared on Gaffer's lips. This little rabbit was the one who helped his son. Who stayed with him. Who took care of them both when they were helpless.
Whether her healing lasted or not, he needed this little rabbit by his son's side.
He crouched, extending a hand. "I am Gaffer Imoogi. You will call me Master Imoogi. What is your name?"
Linda knew how to answer this question. Her name was Linda Ein. But how could she say it with a rabbit's mouth?
She could understand him clearly because he was speaking English but she had never been able to speak since she was reborn as a rabbit. Not a squeak, not a word.
Maybe… if she became a beastman like him, capable of a human form, she could speak again?
Gaffer watched the silent little rabbit. It was a small beast, alone, stranded in a land far from its own tribe. Whether it was a minor or a defective beast, this pointed to only one conclusion; that it was abandoned.
In most cases, an expert or high-ranked beastman could sense another beastman's affinity simply by being close or making physical contact. Otherwise, an identification stone revealed tribe and affinity count. Every beastman wore one.
But this rabbit had no stone.
The only explanation was that she was likely defective with no affinity and no rank, and was abandoned without knowing her own origins.
Gaffer didn't care if she couldn't speak or if she had no affinity. Besides, there was only one way to confirm her affinity level and that is by physical touch.
He stretched his hand toward Linda again, voice gentler this time. "Will you come with me?"
Linda looked up at him.
Honestly, she was disappointed he didn't ask this question much earlier.