Shooting Stars: Chapter 4
Regarding “that incident”, Xavier has never told me the story from beginning to end.
Only by occasionally picking up some scattered fragments of his subtle emotions during our daily conversations, have I been able to put together an outline of the incident.
If I haven’t guessed incorrectly, that incident should have happened during the time he underwent the “”
In Philos's history, there is a tradition among its rulers.
Only by passing the trials of the light blade, can someone who is truly able to wield its power become worthy of becoming the planet's heir.
This trial is the “Gladius Ceremony”
At that time, to the south in Starfall Forest, lived a Wanderer who had been a scourge for a long time.
The trial Xavier had to undergo was to enter the forest by himself, and use his own strength to get rid of it.
I was also there the day the Prince was sent into the forest.
That was a stretch of no man’s land, with a chaotic magnetic field. Fog shrouded the night, tall and large oak trees and yews made rustling sounds in the wind, and strange birds cried.
Once Xavier entered, all these sounds instantly stopped. The entire forest was like a huge Wanderer lying dormant, quietly hunkering down and waiting for its prey.
People waited by the edge of the forest, guessing when the Prince would return.
But day after day, the forest remained dead silent.
Everyone said, perhaps the Prince was already buried in the jaws of a wanderer, and left in twos or threes.
In the end there was just me, still standing at the spot from where he had departed.
For as long as I’ve known Xavier, he often leaves me like this.
Sometimes he followed the patrol team to go on patrol, while other times, the Royal Messenger brought him back to the palace.
Every time I would ask him when he would return.
And as long as he said so, he would always reappear by my side within that time frame.
Before entering the forest, everybody surrounded the edge of the forest and prayed for the Prince. At that time Xavier quietly whispered by my ear—
Seven days.
The night those seven days were up, there was no moon.
The last person besides myself had quietly left as well.
And then, before dawn, a small light finally appeared from amongst the trees.
That light gradually turned brighter and became a pale white figure.
Xavier had finally walked out from the depths of the pitch black jungle.
The light blade in his hand turned into thousands of light specks and scattered, becoming a part of his power. He approached me, holding the Wanderer's protocore in his hand.
There was no joy or relaxation like I had imagined. Xavier just kept his head bowed, didn’t say even a single word, and raised his arms and hugged me silently.
I still don't know what he encountered, or what he did those seven days in the forest.
Killing a Wanderer is clearly something worth celebrating.
I just feel like ever since then, Xavier has changed.
As if there was a part of him forever left behind in the depths of that forest.
Amidst the glowing light specks at the base of the sword monument, Xavier lowers his eyes.
Xavier: I can't become the person he wants me to become.
Xavier: I also don't want to sit on that ice cold throne he's leaving behind.
Xavier's fate and mine are completely different. If I were to say I empathize, it would be far too disingenuous, so I can only hold his hand.
MC: If in the future, you become the King of Philos, at least I will always be standing by your side.
Xavier: Having you by my side is certainly great, but…
Xavier smiles, looking at me.
Xavier: Standing by the King's side, is that really your heart’s desire?
MC: Yeah.
Xavier: Then what if I don't become the King of Philos?
MC: This…
Though I know there is a between Xavier and his father, I seem to have never imagined he really would not become the King of Philos.
MC: If you're not the King, then won't I just end up as someone else's knight…
MC: (Become someone else’s Grandis Knight, take an oath to always follow him, be loyal to him, forever gaze only upon his figure, forever swing my sword only for him.)
MC: (And that person actually won't be Xavier… I can't imagine it.)
Xavier: But I don't want you to become someone else's knight.
Xavier: …I don't want to let you stand by someone else's side.
MC: Xavier…
Xavier: I can not become Philos's King.
Xavier: You can also not join the Lightseekers, not become a knight by the King’s side.
This is something I have never thought of, and he brought it up blandly just like that.
Xavier: The universe of Philos is so broad, there are still lots of things we can do.
Xavier: Why do you have to follow someone else's arrangements, become some Grandis Knight?
MC: But, Master said this was what I was born for. What else can I do?
Xavier: Let’s go to the planet Uluru together.
MC: The planet Uluru?
Xavier: It’s the newborn planet I discovered during this last expedition, and it was also named by me.
Xavier: That planet has no Wanderers, nor people, only flowers all over the planet.
Xavier: Once you lift your head, you're able to directly see all the planets in the universe.
Xavier: Blue, red, pink planets…
MC: Wasn't it said that Philos’s universe is about to collapse? How can new planets still be born?
Xavier lowers his head. In the dirt by his hands, fireflies landed on a petal of a forget-me-not.
Xavier: When spring arrives, there will always be hope.
MC: Spring…
MC: The spring on other planets, I wonder what it'll be like.
Xavier: I noted down that planet's coordinates.
Xavier: Once I’ve settled my family's affairs, I’ll wait for the day you no longer want to become the Grandis Knight…
Xavier: We’ll escape to the planet Uluru together.
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