Return of the Frozen Player

Silence returned to the hospital room after his friends’ departure. What they left behind were precious memories. Gilberto also left, but before leaving, he sliced some apples and put them in a bowl.

"It is sweet, sweet."

The Frost Queen happily ate the apple slices after having been asleep for a long time. However, her gaze suddenly sharpened, and she started to nag. It seemed that she was very sad that Seo Jun-Ho had broken his promise to her and had arbitrarily used Moon Eye. After nagging for quite a while, she lightly sighed.

"Well, I hadn’t been able to care for you as well, so let us leave it at this."

‘What care...’

If someone heard, they might actually think that she was his guardian. However, he didn’t say anything as he didn’t want any more nagging.

Seo Jun-Ho dryly responded, "I’m so thankful I could cry. Seriously."

"Well... No need for tears... You are too sensitive."

The Frost Queen had no idea what sarcasm was, so she continued to enjoy the apples.

Seo Jun-Ho then asked, "So why did you sleep for so long this time?"

"Hmm... I think it is the aftereffect of using too much power."

She patted her shoulder with a small fist as if to relieve her tiredness.

"You used too much power... When?"

Seo Jun-Ho searched through his memories. He recalled that the Frost Queen had fallen asleep while he was in the middle of the Thunder God’s test.

“...”

The Frost Queen suddenly looked upset. She turned her eyes away and hesitatingly spoke, "Why did you not fall down after seeing such a huge attack...?”

"When you fell asleep... Oh, do you mean Sir’s Thunder Dragon Shakes the Heavens? That really was a huge attack." He had truly been overwhelmed by a technique. Seo Jun-Ho felt like he had faced a natural disaster, not a person. "But why are you asking?"

"It’s just that I am still upset by it. Imagine using such a technique against a child who cannot even walk property just yet, would that child be able to receive that technique?”

"A child who can\'t even walk properly...” Seo Jun-Ho muttered with a sullen look. He thought he had already become much stronger.

"If you had my power, you would have easily received that trick."

"Khmm. So, when did you use your power?"

“...”

Crackle.

The Frost Queen made a small piece of ice and held it tightly in her hand. She fiddled with it before saying, "I... I was a little emotional then... I used the power to block...”

"The power to block?"

Obviously, it was her own power to block the interference of all elements. Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes widened as he organized his thoughts.

‘She was scared that the thunder dragon might overwhelm me, so she protected me just in case?’

He couldn’t believe that it was the hidden reason why this cute little kid had been asleep for over a month. A smile appeared on his lips unknowingly. The Frost Queen blushed to the extent that even her ears turned red. She then complained for no reason.

"Hey, why are you smiling?"

"No, I\'m just proud of you. How did you come up with that?"

He wanted to pat her head, but it was impossible with his condition.

"I\'ll pat you when I get better."

"...Hmph. Who would allow you to do that, impertinent Contractor."

She refused stubbornly, but her body was honest. In fact, at first, she would turn her head and refuse, saying that he was being impertinent. Recently, however, she would become so relaxed and close her eyes whenever her head was being patted like a cat.

"Hmm."

The Frost Queen put the toothpick down on the plate. Next to it were apples that had been beautifully cut in the shape of a rabbit.

"What? You can eat more..."

"Mmhm, apples are sweet and delicious, but...” The Frost Queen shook her head lightly. "How should I say this? Savory? A subtle longing that lingers in your mouth after eating it? It lacks that."

"...Have we ever eaten anything like that?"

ραпdα nᴏνê|(сòm) "I ate it every day. Your tea and cake."

Oh, she meant the Spirit Crystal. Seo Jun-Ho looked very sorry.

"I can\'t make it for you now because my body is like this.”

"What do you take me for? There is no way I would order a patient to make food." She shook her head and looked at the apple before asking, "More than that, Contractor, if you put what you always put in in this apple, will it taste savory like that?"

"...What I always put in?” Seo Jun-Ho was genuinely surprised because she said it as if she knew the existence of the Spirit Crystal shavings he had been adding to her meals.

"Hmm?" The Frost Queen tilted her head with her brand-new mask covering her eyes once more. "Geez. Do you take me for a fool? Did you really think I would not know?"

"...I thought you wouldn\'t know. When did you find out?"

"In the Thunder God’s house. I woke up a little early in the morning, and you were making tea with your back turned away."

Oh, he got caught back then? Seo Jun-Ho directly admitted with a despondent look. "...You’re right. In reality, it’s not that my skills are good but it’s all thanks to the seasoning."

However, it was fascinating. Didn’t she make a fuss saying she would never eat Spirit Crystals?

"Don\'t you find it repulsing?"

"At first, a little bit... But it is delicious, so it should not matter. That is what I thought."

"I see..."

As expected, her body was honest. Still, he was relieved.

‘It doesn’t matter how good they are for Frost; I was still tricking her into eating them...’

Seo Jun-Ho had always been worried that she would cry, raise a fuss, and treat it as if he had betrayed her if he ever got caught. As such, he was glad that she hadn’t raised a fuss.

The Frost Queen grinned. "The more I know about humans, the greater they seem. To think they would discover something called MSG.”

“...MSG?” Seo Jun-Ho asked back. How come MSG had popped up all of a sudden?

"Monosodium glutamate, synonymous with seasoning. Is that not the powder you always put in the tea?”

“...”

Of course... Seo Jun-Ho stroked his chest and calmed his surprised heart. Now that he thought about it, he had always turned the Spirit Crystals into powder away from the Frost Queen’s eyes.

‘I put in that powder when I make tea, too...’

It would have looked like MSG in her eyes. Seo Jun-Ho asked just in case, "Frost, do you want to try eating a Spirit Crystal? I heard that it’s really good for you..."

"Ah, I do not want to. You can eat lots of that rock by yourself.”

Since the Frost Queen had made it clear once again that she wouldn’t consume a Spirit Crystal, Seo Jun-Ho could do nothing else but to say, "I\'ll definitely make your meals for you again when I get better. And since we’re down here on Earth, let\'s try going to a restaurant.”

"That\'s good to hear. Get well soon. Get well quick." The Frost Queen revealed a wide smile.

It was a childlike, innocent smile that expressed her ignorance over the matter concerning the Spirit Crystals.

***

Two days later, Shim Deok-Gu came to the hospital room with a bag early in the morning.

"Jun-Ho, this is what you ordered."

"You\'re here."

Seo Jun-Ho turned his gaze away from the window and looked at Shim Deok-Gu. The latter used the remote control to raise the bed.

"But why do you need this? We even spent 80 billion on it...”

"Do you remember when I caught the Frost Queen and got her nucleus?”

"Of course. I frantically searched the Nest for 25 years without knowing that you actually ate it."

"K-khmm."

Seo Jun-Ho still felt sorry whenever he thought about it.

Shim Deok-Gu had used his own money to search around the area several times, saying that they had to find the legacy Specter had left behind for mankind.

"As always when it comes to the nucleus of a monster, appraising the nucleus itself is difficult."

The nucleus of a monster was just that—a nucleus filled with magic. It was difficult to figure out its effects even if the appraisal system given to the Players was used.

"But an appraisal spell changes the story..."

An appraisal spell was used whenever you wanted to find the exact or the hidden options of an item. There were some items that the Player\'s appraisal system couldn’t properly appraise.

"And what you\'re holding right now...”

It was a top-notch appraisal spell sold at 100,000 points at the Administrator\'s Store on the 2nd floor. It was a difficult-to-find item, as it had neither the demand nor the supply.

"It was easy to get one because there happened to be one in the auction.”

If he couldn\'t buy it at the auction, he would have been forced to ask a Ranker to search the Frontier area for it. If he had to do that, then he wouldn\'t have gotten it this early; it would have taken a month or two at the least.

"We got lucky...”

"What?"

"No, nothing." Seo Jun-Ho looked at him and said, “Janabi dropped a nucleus when I killed him.”

"What? Really?"

Hearing this news for the first time, Shim Deok-Gu looked around the empty hospital room just in case.

"You\'re the only one here..."

"Yes, I was just making sure since someone could have heard...”

Shim Deok-Gu gulped and took out the appraisal spell from his bag.

"Then you\'re going to use this appraisal spell to appraise the nucleus."

"Right. If I touch it without knowing its effects and accidentally fall asleep for decades again...”

Seo Jun-Ho\'s eyes trembled as he swallowed his words. He had already slept once for twenty-five years. Once, yes, he could endure once. After all, many of his friends, as well as his acquaintances, were still alive in this day and age.

‘But if the same thing happens again...’

And if his sleep was going to last for decades again...

By the end of it, only a few of those familiar with him would still be alive. Kwon Noya, Shim Deok-Gu, the Thunder God, et cetera... There was a high possibility that he may never see the faces of so many people close to him again.

‘I might go crazy.’

Perhaps, he might become a madman and run wild.

\'...Rather, that would be better.’

However, Hero\'s Mind (S) wouldn’t tolerate that. It would keep his mind from collapsing so that he could live as a human and remain a Hero till the end. Seo Jun-Ho was very much afraid of that.

"There\'s nothing dumber than repeating the same mistake. This time, I\'ll definitely appraise it before even touching it."

"Good thinking. Really, good thinking." Shim Deok-Gu nodded in joy.

"Then... Open Inventory."

A ball from the Inventory rolled on the blanket.

"Do I just need to appraise this?"

"Right..."

"Wait a minute."

Shim Deok-Gu tore up the appraisal spell. The target was, of course, Janabi’s nucleus.

"Ohh, ohhhh!"

Shim Deok-Gu exclaimed in amazement as he wrote down the result on the paper he had prepared. Afterward, he put the paper in front of Seo Jun-Ho.

[Janabi’s Nucleus]

Grade: Legendary

Description: The nucleus that came from killing Janabi, the leader of the Atonic Bees.

Effect: Forced sleep for three days when taken. Acquisition of Cell Regeneration (A).

"Ohh, ohhhhh!"

The same exclamation as Shim Deok-Gu came out of Seo Jun-Ho’s mouth.

Clap, clap, clap.

Shim Deok-Gu clapped his hands together with a wide smile before congratulating him.

"I\'m glad. You’ll be all right in three days.”

"Thank you." Seo Jun-Ho was truly grateful. "You\'re probably the only one who doesn\'t feel greed after seeing this nucleus."

"I... Well, I\'m not a Player. What\'s the point of eating it?"

"Your hair will grow again..."

Shim Deok-Gu\'s eyes shook. But after a moment, he gave Seo Jun-Ho\'s forehead a whack.

"Don’t tease me too much, tease me in moderation!"

"Hahaha, sorry. I’ll promise you something instead." Seo Jun-Ho looked up at his friend and promised. "If I find a way to treat hair loss upstairs, even if the Emperor asks for it, I will give it to you first."

"I’m grateful to hear that." Smiling, Shim Deok-Gu wrapped Janabi’s nucleus with a thick cloth. Then, he asked Seo Jun-Ho. "Then, Mr. Patient, what\'s the last thing you want to say before you go to sleep?"

"Don’t say nonsense. Hurry up and give it to me."

"See you in three days..."

The moment Seo Jun-Ho grabbed it with his palm—

Thump, thump!

\'Ah...\'

His body began to excessively produce hormones. He was lying down like a corpse, but the sense of being ‘alive’ began to dominate his entire body. Aside from that, his eyelids soon became heavy and his vision was starting to swim as well.

\'Three days later...\'

He would get a new skill.