Kal’tsit looked along the young girl’s line of sight, her gaze landing on the interstellar calendar hanging on the door.
She turned around and said to Mon3tr, “Let’s go, let her have a good rest.”
Just as Kal’tsit was about to leave, a trembling hand suddenly grabbed the sleeve of her lab coat.
She turned back to look, only to see March 7th stretching out her hand with all her might, her pink-and-blue eyes brimming with unease, “Mo… Mother… Don’t, don’t leave… I’m… scared…”
Although her voice was intermittent, every single word was pronounced with exceptional clarity.
“I am not your mother.” Kal’tsit’s voice was calm and resolute, and this sentence hit March 7th like a heavy blow, causing her eyes to dim instantly.
“I…
I…
know…” March 7th’s fingertips trembled slightly, yet she still stubbornly clutched Kal’tsit’s hem, “But…
Mother…
don’t leave…
I’m scared…”
Her voice carried a crying tone, like an abandoned young beast.
Kal’tsit looked at those tear-filled eyes and finally let out a soft sigh, “Mon3tr, come over and massage my shoulders.”
She pulled a chair over and sat by the bed, letting March 7th’s icy fingers tightly clasp her own hand.
Although Mon3tr was somewhat dissatisfied with the suddenly appearing “competitor,” it still obediently walked behind Kal’tsit.
Its slender fingers gently pressed against Kal’tsit’s shoulders and neck, kneading the tense muscles with just the right amount of force.
March 7th contentedly held “Mother’s” hand, the faint scent of disinfectant on Kal’tsit acting like the best sleeping pill.
Before falling into dreamland, she used her last bit of strength to press Kal’tsit’s hand against her cheek, gently rubbing against it like a spoiled kitten, and then fell into a deep sleep with a reassuring smile.
Kal’tsit quietly watched March 7th’s sleeping face as the young girl’s breathing gradually became steady and long.
She wanted to pull her hand back, only to find that March 7th was still unconsciously gripping her fingers tightly even in her sleep.
“Really… a troublesome child.” Kal’tsit said in a low voice, yet her tone carried a hint of tenderness she hadn’t even noticed herself.
Mon3tr curled its lip, but still obediently walked toward the locker.
Its movements in searching for clothes were very light, for fear of waking up the sleeping young girl.
“Dr. Kal’tsit, do we really have to indulge her like this?” It muttered softly, holding a set of light pink hospital clothes in its hand.
“Her mental state is very fragile right now.” Kal’tsit gently brushed away the stray hairs from March 7th’s forehead with her other hand, “Just like a newborn fledgling.”
Right at this moment, the door of the infirmary was gently pushed open.
Himeko poked her head in, and upon seeing this scene, she revealed a knowing smile.
“It seems our ‘little fledgling’ relies on you a lot.” She tiptoed inside and placed a cup of hot milk on the bedside table.
Kal’tsit shook her head helplessly: “This is just a temporary fledgling complex. Once her memory recovers…”
“Before that, just be a competent ‘mother’ properly.” Himeko blinked playfully, quickly retreating from the room before Kal’tsit could flare up.
Mon3tr walked back to the bedside holding the clothes, and seeing how March 7th affectionately rubbed against Kal’tsit’s palm, it suddenly felt that this pink-haired fellow didn’t seem so annoying after all.
“The power of the path of remembrance… was bounced away?”
Kal’tsit’s fingers trembled slightly, silver Path energy dissipating at her fingertips.
She gazed at the sleeping March 7th, her brows knitted tightly into a deep ravine.
Mon3tr looked at Kal’tsit with worry: “Even Kal’tsit cannot break through the seal…”
“A restriction set up jointly by three Emanators of Memory, or…” Kal’tsit’s voice deepened, “Fuli took action personally.”
Her cat ears twitched uneasily, a rare display of frustration for her.
The light of the medical pod cast a soft halo over March 7th’s pink-and-blue hair, the young girl’s sleeping face innocent and naive, completely unaware of what astonishing secret was hidden within her.
“So… she will never remember?” Mon3tr asked softly, involuntarily reaching out to tuck in the corner of the blanket for March 7th.
Kal’tsit was silent for a moment, her fingertips gently tracing the space between March 7th’s eyebrows: “A nearly zero probability.”
Her voice carried the calmness unique to a healer, “Just like trying to piece together the original image from a shattered mirror.”
Right at this moment, March 7th unconsciously grabbed Kal’tsit’s hem in her sleep, murmuring incoherently: “Mother…”
Kal’tsit’s body stiffened slightly.
Mon3tr saw her fingers suspended in mid-air, finally falling gently onto the top of March 7th’s head: “But perhaps… forgetting the past is actually a blessing for her.”
Countless fragments of memories were drifting in the universe, and the part belonging to March 7th was firmly locked away in an unknown depth.
Early the next morning, when the first ray of starlight spilled through the porthole into the infirmary, March 7th slowly opened her eyes.
She felt the warm touch on her cheek and unconsciously revealed a sweet smile.
But soon, yesterday’s memories surged into her mind—Kal’tsit’s sentence “I am not your mother” caused her smile to freeze.
She turned her head, only to see an unexpected scene: Kal’tsit was fast asleep leaning against the bedside, her silver-white long hair scattered across the pristine white sheets, and her cat ears, which were usually always erect, drooped limply at this moment.
March 7th was stunned, her pink-and-blue eyes staring fixedly at Kal’tsit’s sleeping face without blinking.
“Mn…” Kal’tsit suddenly moved, slowly raising her head, meeting March 7th’s focused gaze right on.
She blinked slightly sleepily: “Awake?” Her voice still carried the hoarseness of just waking up.
Only then did March 7th discover that she had been holding Kal’tsit’s hand tightly the entire night.
When Kal’tsit gently withdrew her hand, she noticed that the hand appeared somewhat pale from being pressed down for a long time.
“I’m sorry…” she said softly, her fingers anxiously twisting the corner of the blanket.
“It’s fine.” Kal’tsit stood up, moving her somewhat stiff shoulders, “I’ll go get you some breakfast.”
She turned and walked toward the door.
“Wait!” March 7th suddenly shouted, her voice exceptionally loud in the empty infirmary.
Kal’tsit stopped her footsteps, but did not turn back.
March 7th took a deep breath, mustered up her courage, and said: “Although… you said you are not my mother… bu—but! I want to treat you as my mother! C… can I?”
The infirmary was quiet enough to hear the humming sound of the ventilation system operating.
March 7th nervously stared at Kal’tsit’s back, her heartbeat so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.
Finally, Kal’tsit replied indifferently: “Suit yourself.” Then she walked out of the infirmary without even looking back.
March 7th sat blankly on the bed, taking a few seconds to react.
She abruptly covered her mouth, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes, not even noticing that Kal’tsit had already left.
Outside the window, a shooting star streaked across the vast universe, just like her bounding mood at this moment.