Well, for all those with questions, I just advise y'all to continue watching.
Having said that, yes, by all accounts, Kirito isn't supposed to be able to walk, but we chalk that up to drama + willpower.
Do not worry about next week's episode, for next week's episode will worry about itself. Look at the virtual squirrel in the forest on Level 22 outside Kirito & Asuna's house: it does not sow or reap, or store away in barns, and yet the Cardinal system ensures that it is fed (virtually).
Edit: Also, I'm facepalming - the name heathcliff sounded quite familliar to me, but it wasn't until I decided to do a search a few minutes ago that I remembered where I'd heard that name: the villain in Wuthering Heights, who seemed a good person but was actually bad. Foreshadowing if anyone here had actually read that book.
