Shooting Stars: Chapter 8
Whether it is the truth, or perhaps, merely Xavier’s conjecture—
At the center of the unstable protofield in Starfall Forest, is where the planet’s heart is located.
But this planet’s heart is an enormous cavity.
Philos is a man-made planet that should never have existed. The planetary core’s energy was exhausted a long time ago.
The way to keep it going is by endlessly supplying new energy to the ‘heart’, filling the empty void.
In Philos, where practically everyone achieves eternity, human lives are the most abundant source of energy. Just about every person who comes here is turned into nourishment for the planet.
And Wanderers are the abnormal energies born from this conversion.
Way back during the year Xavier underwent his Gladius Ceremony, he had already discovered this truth…
The Gladius Ceremony, 200 Years Ago
The young Prince returned from the dense Forest, bringing with him the light blade that had already pledged its allegiance to him, as well as the Protocore from a Wanderer he had personally slain.
King: …You succeeded. You’ve done well.
The Prince carried the Protocore in the palm of his hand, gripped it tightly, and raised it before his father.
Xavier: You’re not personally taking a look at this Protocore?
King: There’s no need, you’ve already received the acknowledgment of the light blade.
Xavier: Is there no need, or ?
Xavier: Is it because inside this protocore there was once a beating heart??
King: …I knew you’d have complaints.
King: But this is something that the King of Philos and the future crown prince must do.
The Prince stepped forward and placed the Protocore in his father's hand, holding the back of his father’s hands and guiding both of them, until his father was cupping both hands around that red Protocore.
Xavier: This heart once beat for you alone.
Xavier: I’ve brought it back to return it to you.
Xavier: Regardless of what she has become, from start to finish, this has always been a heart that belonged to you alone.
Once he finished speaking, the Prince stood, and left.
King: Xavier!
King: Listen well. A King has no right to do whatever he wishes to do, or protect whomever he wishes to protect.
King: The only thing you can protect is the planet of Philos.
King: You can only do what must be done.
MC: Don't tell me the Wanderer you killed… wasn't just a Wanderer?
I seem to finally understand the sore point between Xavier and his father.
Xavier: Energy that was swallowed by this cavity wasn't just regular people who mistakenly wandered into the forest and knights on patrol.
Xavier: Sometimes, in exchange for the planet’s increased lifespan, the royal family would take the initiative to send in even greater power.
Xavier: But this way, even more Wanderers would be formed.
Xavier: So, there has never been any honor or glory for knights.
Xavier: What the Order of Lightseekers is doing… Is merely helping the royal family to hide the truth, that human lives are fed to the planet to sustain it.
MC: …!
Xavier: But later, when I returned right before the Titulus Ceremony, I discovered that they had already stopped their practice of sending energy to the planet.
MC: No one has to be sacrificed for the planet any more, isn't this great?
Xavier: …It’s because they finally found a perfect candidate for its nourishment.
Xavier: That person, she can die and be reborn endlessly over millennia.
Xavier: Perhaps, she is this planet’s energy itself.
Xavier: She is a person who truly possesses …
Xavier: So the royal family believed when the time was ripe, as long as they sent her into the cavity, they could deal with it .
Xavier: Nobody cared about her feelings, or asked whether she was willing.
Xavier: So what if they put her in an empty cave to die and be reborn all alone?
Xavier: Since her life exists in this manner, that means saving the planet Philos is her responsibility.
MC: …
Xavier: This is the reason the Titulus Ceremony wasn't held.
Xavier: Tell me, how could I possibly be this sort of King?
After that, Xavier and I both never brought it up again.
The patrol spaceship’s modification is nearing the end, and the “” Xavier previously mentioned is also about to officially set off.
Jeremiah in this bold plan, and has long joined Xavier's side.
As for the specific contents of the plan, none of them would reveal even the smallest fraction to me.
The Town of Silvercord
Xavier: Silvercord is the nearest town to where we're stationed. Every half year, they hold a town fair.
Xavier: All the supplies required during the Backtrack can be purchased here.
Perhaps it’s due to the forest’s Protofield’s influence; every family in this town grows plenty of beautiful and unusual plants.
At the fair, all sorts of beautiful and precious goods were displayed from inside the shops, all the way to the road outside.
MC: Before this, I thought you were only abandoning your father and the royal family. I never imagined right now… you're even abandoning the entire planet of Philos.
Xavier: It's just an experimental voyage through time and space, it’s not quite abandonment.
Xavier: If we wish to save Philos, it already cannot be done from this point in time.
MC: But time travel is really dangerous… Where will you be going?
Xavier: We’ve drafted a coordinate in time and space. It’s still not certain where exactly it is located on Philos’s developmental timeline.
Xavier: We’ve already undergone several short-term test voyages; the success rate is very high.
I know I can't stop Xavier.
I follow the sounds of flutes and harps and look over to see a group of children surrounding a bard, having fun by the courtyard’s fountain.
Child A: It’s !
Child B: Xavie, brought any candy today?
They run over and surround Xavier in the middle. Xavier squats down.
Xavier: Sorry, I forgot today.
Child A: But you promised us last time, and Xavie doesn’t lie to people!
Xavier searches his body and takes off his brooch.
Xavier: Then I’ll use this as a replacement, is that okay?
The children take the sparkly brooch and happily run away.
MC: That is a brooch that symbolizes royalty…?
Xavier: But in their eyes it's just a toy, perhaps not even as important as a piece of candy.
We sit by the edge of the fountain. Amidst graceful flute notes, the bard melodiously recites an ancient legend about Philos’s royal family.
MC: Wanderers are still appearing everywhere… The 200th year is almost here. Without a King, without the knights, what will happen to Philos?
Xavier: Besides me, there are still other people who can become King.
MC: Do you still remember when we discussed this topic while at the Academy?
MC: At the time, you said you didn’t want me to become someone else’s Grandis Knight, or stand by someone else’s side.
Xavier: People always have their childish moments, don’t they?
MC: Then… What about her? Can you bear to give her up?
Today Xavier isn’t wearing his sword, but he knows I am talking about the person who gave him the star tassel.
Xavier reveals a of nostalgia.
Xavier: It's precisely because I cannot give her up, that I've made such a decision.
MC: …!
Just from a simple sentence, I suddenly understood everything.
MC: The person you previously mentioned, the one who will be considered endless nourishment and therefore be sent into the planet’s core, that’s her, isn’t it?
Xavier: …Mm. It's her.
MC: I understand now… So this is the reason.
He searches for her, always thinks about her and , even though she has already forgotten him…
Yet she still continues to influence his life, and his every decision.
At that moment, it was difficult for me to determine between giving up the person most important to you for a planet, and choosing to save an entire planet for the sake of the person most important to you. Just which of the two outcomes was more noble, more painful.
But I finally, deeply understood… Just how important that tassel was to Xavier.
And the moment I understood all this, I also finally understood what I wanted to do.
MC: If you're leaving Philos because you want to protect someone important to you… then I will also make the same choice as you.
MC: On Philos, there are also people very important to me.
MC: My knight companions, former classmates, friends, Master, and also…
Under Xavier’s gaze, I swallow down the word “you”, and avert my gaze.
MC: Those children, they also have people who are very important to them on Philos.
MC: So, I will not leave Philos.
MC: I will stay here, and protect everything here.
The bard’s ode regarding Philos is already about to come to an end.
At the end where the universe is about to collapse, in unprecedented darkness, the greatest King in history will be born.
This King is Philos's true salvation, and will lead Philos towards a new light and true eternity.
I look at Xavier with conviction. I know from this moment onwards, we are about to embark on two completely different paths.
I am unable to guess Xavier’s thoughts at this moment. He just turns towards that bard beside the fountain.
Xavier: Perhaps in that legend’s ending, the King who can lead Philos towards a new light and true eternity…
Xavier: Is a Queen.
MC: …
Xavier: She experiences all sorts of trials, and even in Philos's most turbulent, most difficult times, she has never given up.
Xavier: Regardless of whether or not a King exists, she has always been Philos's bravest holy knight.
Xavier: Knights scattered everywhere will band together again under this Queen’s leadership and gain true glory.
The bard understands his meaning, and leaves singing new lyrics.
I know, with the bard’s spreading of the tale, very soon, the Queen's legend will sweep across the wilderness like a spring breeze, and take root everywhere across all of Philos's mountains and rivers, sprouting into newly born buds.
Just like spring after the accumulated snow melts.
Very soon, all the people will celebrate and rejoice for it—
After enduring 200 years of silence, this ancient planet will finally welcome new hope.
Xavier: Tomorrow, the spaceship will depart.
I think for a moment, take my star-shaped knight badge off, and hand it to Xavier.
MC: Even though I can't go with you, my heart will be together with all of you.
Xavier: Is this the little star you said you wanted to gift me that year?
MC: …Of course not! You already have such an important tassel, I take back what I said that year!
Xavier: No need to take it back. I'll tell you a secret.
Xavier accepts the star-shaped badge.
Xavier: Actually, I've never accepted “” little star.
Not understanding Xavier’s meaning, I touch my now-warm ears.
MC: I should be going too, back to the royal city.
Xavier: Mm, the Academy’s knight selection this year should have started by now? Go back and take a look at the current juniors.
MC: What about you?
MC: Once you leave this time… when will you be back?
The evening sun is about to set behind the mountain, dyeing Xavier's side profile in a layer of light gold.
Xavier: When everything in that ode comes true…
Xavier: The next time we meet, it'll be my turn to be your knight.
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