Prologue

The sound of cheers and applause echoed through the lively crowd, accompanied by festive music as the parade continued, humming softly to warmly welcome the arrival of the second Prince of The Central of Stars. People waved with bright faces, greeting the prince who sat gracefully atop the parade float, smiling warmly as he waved back.

"Your Highness, would Your Highness honor us with a visit to the beautiful garden? It's not far, just at the foot of the mountain near the village," one of his attendants offered politely, with a charming smile.

"I would be delighted to accompany you all," the prince replied calmly, still waving to his people along the bustling parade route.

Children laughed and ran around, chasing each other with flowers in their hands, playing joyfully near the prince, who sat leaning against a tree in the garden. The atmosphere was serene and refreshing, accompanied by deities who also enjoyed the day, picking berries near where the prince rested.

"Your Highness, do you like berries?" A god approached, carrying a basket with a few berries inside, then sat beside the prince and placed it next to him.

"Ah—thank you. I love berries."

The prince picked one from the basket, examined it briefly, then slowly ate it.

Unbeknownst to him, the god discreetly observed the prince's crown, which had begun to glow faintly but noticeably. The edges of the crown shimmered with deep blue speckles.

"Eh Your Highness, your crown—" The god's question was cut off when the prince suddenly turned to him.

"Oh, my crown? It's always been like this. Those speckles… hehe, I never told you, did I?"

"What about them, Your Highness?"

"It's… This crown is made of a special gold called Gheo. It's not ordinary gold, you know! This gold comes from Planet G-430. The blue speckles appear because of the acid in the metal. That's why it changes color like this."

The god stared at the prince intently. Deep down, he wanted to ask—where exactly is Planet G-430?

"Oh, about the planet, I'm not entirely sure. This crown was prepared directly by The Central of Stars when I was coronated."

The prince continued eating the berries one by one, unhurried. His gaze drifted forward as he savored the sweet taste, while a cool breeze swept around them.

The god lowered his head, fingers idly playing with blades of grass. His face was deep in thought, still fixated on what the prince had just said.

"If only I could find out where it is..."

"Hm?" The prince turned, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"But you already know now, don't you?"

"Ah… I meant about Planet G-430, Your Highness."

The prince smiled softly, a smile full of meaning.

"You'll know… if you truly wish to explore it yourself, Jaden."

Time passed.

Noruva began her journey through space after conducting initial research at The Central of Stars. She traveled from planet to planet, venturing far beyond the galaxy—all for one purpose: to find Planet G-430.

Outer space was vast and empty, illuminated only by distant starlight. The silence of the cosmos accompanied her as she passed through clusters of stars, dead planets, and even a snailship inhabited by a lone creature—yet none of these held the answers she sought.

Finally, all that remained before her was a nebula. A thick, shimmering light stood in the void, radiant on the outside but impossibly dark within. It was impossible to see what lurked behind the swirling radiance.

"Will I die inside it?"

But Noruva pushed the doubt aside. She had come too far, and too many answers awaited her at the end.

Without hesitation, she plunged into the nebula at full speed. She knew one thing—she couldn't hesitate, couldn't slow down. A single moment of doubt, and her body would be torn apart.

The stars within the nebula's passage were like sharp blades, slicing her skin, leaving red wounds all over. But Noruva only accelerated. The deeper she went, the sharper the pain, yet she didn't stop. She pressed forward, surging farther in.

The passage finally opened, welcoming her to the other side of emptiness.

And there, in the middle of a sea of glowing stars, stood a planet unlike any she had ever seen.

G-430.

It shone like a giant hidden gem, unshielded, unprotected—yet radiating power even from a distance. Like a moon coated in gold, every angle reflected light, as if welcoming the traveler's arrival.

Noruva flew closer, hovering between starlight and cosmic dust as she carefully circled the planet's silent surface, examining every inch.

Her hand touched the rough stone, and golden flecks clung to her palm, glittering like fragments of starlight.

"So… this is Gheo gold."

Her steps led her to the heart of the planet's landscape, standing firm on its surface. Around her, only starry corridors and swirling nebulae remained, as if this world were a silent island in the endless cosmic sea.

With rising curiosity, Noruva bent down and scooped a handful of gold. Her eyes narrowed—something felt unsettling.

She ran her fingers over the surface, trying to examine it further, but suddenly—

SZZRRRTTT!!!

"A-AHHH!!!"

A scream echoed through the void as the gold transformed into a thick, corrosive acid. It seared her skin, instantly causing severe burns on her hand. She collapsed, trembling from the sudden, overwhelming pain.

"M-my hand… It burns!"

Noruva clutched her arm, eyes wide with shock. Her breath came in ragged gasps between pain and disbelief. Her gaze darted around—and she froze.

Planet G-430 was melting.

The golden stones liquefied into toxic sludge, the ground undulating like wax under flame.

"Wait… What is happening?"

Horror surged through her. If this was true…

if the prince was still wearing his crown—

"No. Oh no—I have to go back. NOW."

Without another thought, Noruva forced herself through the collapsing planet's atmosphere, back into the nebula, ignoring her pain with one goal in mind—to save the prince before it was too late.

She shot through the nebula faster than ever before. Fear for the prince tightened around her chest, suffocating her until tears streamed down her face. She no longer cared about her weakening body—only one thing mattered.

She had to return.

Her speed increased drastically, surpassing her previous limits. The dense starlight in the nebula blurred around her like streaks until—

CRRAAASSHH!!!

Her body collided with a white dwarf—a small, high-mass star burning intensely. The impact created a massive explosion, hurling her far, far away, through cosmic gas and starlight.

Darkness.

She was pulled into the gravity of an unknown planet. Her body crashed hard onto its surface, unmoving. Her skin was blistered, scorched in most places. Her entire body was covered in wounds, and her consciousness faded, letting the universe swallow her in silence.