25 years ago~
GRETOLING Empire,
Planet G-1.4
(Around the Milky Way)
"Surya, you will marry me, right?"
asked ten-year-old Nini while running behind Surya.
"I said I'm not interested!"
said ten-year-old Surya angrily as he pushed her aside.
[Surya]: I want to become a soldier. I'm not interested in your childish games.
[Nini]: Soldiers can have families too, right?
Surya narrowed his eyes.
[Surya]: That would only drag me down. You would only become my weakness. Stay out of my life!
He said while walking away from her.
Nini got back on her feet.
[Nini]: That boy never learns. Maybe I should do something to make him fall for me.
Nini made a greedy face and ran toward the forest.
Nini(thinking): I'll make sure to cook healthy food for him so he stays strong and gets into the army without any problems.
She smiled to herself while walking deeper into the forest.
Meanwhile, Surya was wandering through the market.
Surya(thinking): Maybe I was a little too harsh on her. Proposing isn't a sin. But we're still kids... and besides, I already rejected her many times before. Is she really that stupid not to understand it?
Buzz~
Announcement!
'Royalty alert. Princess Raveena has been assassinated. High alert has been issued. Repeat, Princess Raveena has been assassinated.'
Surya froze.
Surya(thinking): This is bad. That idiot Nini went into the forest. If the assassin and royal guards clash there, she could get caught in the crossfire.
Without thinking further, Surya sprinted toward the nearby forest.
He entered it quickly.
[Surya]: Should I call out her name? It might attract the assassin if he's still here. That would make things even worse. Someone capable of assassinating royalty would obviously be far stronger than a kid like me.
Surya swallowed his fear and screamed anyway.
[Surya]: Idiot!! Nini!! Nini, you idiot! Let's go back! This place is dangerous!
No response.
Surya slowly turned around—
And immediately felt the presence of a predator.
His body froze completely.
"A kid? My, my. Gretolings certainly have courage."
said a middle-aged man who appeared from nowhere.
Surya couldn't move.
He was terrified.
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Fuji Dronoji. No need to remember it."
He said while approaching Surya.
[Fuji]: Well, taking children hostage isn't my style. Are you perhaps friends with a girl?
Surya nodded while trembling.
[Fuji]: That saves me the trouble. She tried attacking me, you see... so I accidentally knocked her away. She might still be alive, though I can't guarantee it. Go take her.
Saying that, he disappeared.
Surya's legs weakened instantly.
The thought of her dying sent chills through his entire body.
He began running desperately and suddenly crashed into a tree.
Blood.
He followed the blood trail—
And found Nini lying there, soaked in blood.
Her head was wounded badly.
Without wasting a second, Surya picked her up and started running toward town.
"This can't be happening!! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please come back to me. Leaving you alone was my mistake. I pushed you away because I was born unlucky. I wanted you to live happily with someone else. Why did you keep chasing me? Why did you befriend me?! Why?!!"
He muttered while running.
He stumbled and fell, making sure she stayed safe even as blood spilled from his own mouth.
"Please stay alive. We still have so many things left to talk about... please... I'm begging you..."
With tear-filled eyes, he stood back up and continued running.
"Someone help! Please! She—she's badly wounded!"
Soon, Surya reached the hospital.
It seemed closed.
He rushed inside anyway.
[Surya]: Please save her! She's badly injured!
The doctors approached him.
[Doctor 1]: Sorry, kid. Royalty was recently attacked. In this state of emergency, we can't perform operations right now.
[Doctor 2]: We offer our condolen—
[Surya]: Shut up! Aren't you doctors?! Then save lives! By refusing to help her, you're threatening the life of someone who can still be saved!
Surya shouted in a broken, desperate voice.
A guard suddenly grabbed Surya by the neck.
[Guard]: Stop making a scene, kid. Leave already.
Nini slipped from Surya's arms onto the floor.
[Surya]: Nini!! Please save her!
At that moment, a woman entered the hospital.
The instant she stepped in, everyone bowed respectfully.
It was Princess Chandrika.
The future Empress .
The guard bowed as well.
Taking the opportunity, Surya escaped the guard's grip and rushed toward Chandrika.
She felt like a goddess.
Beautiful—
Yet the kind of beauty that naturally commanded respect rather than admiration.
She walked toward the wounded Nini and gently lifted her into her arms.
Blood stained her clothes red.
[Doctor 1]: Princess, your clothes!
[Chandrika]: My clothes? They are lifeless. But this girl still possesses a precious life. It is true that my cousin Raveena was assassinated... however, by refusing to help this child, you are assassinating another life yourselves. Save her.
Her voice was soft.
Yet every word carried authority.
She paid for the entire operation and quietly left once everything was settled.
Surya wanted to thank her—
But he never left Nini's side, so he never got the chance.
Three days later, Nini finally opened her eyes.
Surya smiled brightly through his tears.
[Nini]: Who are you?
Those words would have shattered most people.
But Surya only looked relieved that she was alive.
[Surya]: A friend perhaps.
She had lost her memories.
Including all the moments she had spent with him.
But to Surya—
It became a chance to start over.
He abandoned his dream of becoming a soldier.
If she had remembered everything, she never would have accepted Surya throwing away his dreams for her sake.
Surya(thinking): You kept chasing after me all this time.
Now it's my turn.
Present~
Unknown Planet,
Surya woke up.
Bandages wrapped around his upper body.
[Surya]: Where's Nini?
He turned and saw her sleeping peacefully beside him, covered in bandages herself.
He gently brushed aside her hair.
Surya grabbed his shirt and walked through the spaceship.
As he walked, he noticed Pratik standing near the mountain base outside through the glass window.
He was shirtless.
Standing alone in the heavy rain.
He looked broken.
Lost.
In pain.
[Surya]: Don't worry. We'll bring Yash back.
Surya lowered his gaze slightly.
[Surya]: I have to help him... to repay Empress Chandrika's kindness.
To be continued...
---
EXTRAS:-
GATTSKALTT TEAM PICNIC
Krishna, Arun, Tego, Treta, Lai, Aaru, Gaku, Kajal, and Sunita had taken a two-day break.
They were having a picnic on a random planet.
Fresh air.
A lively atmosphere.
And a perfect picnic spot beneath a giant tree.
Krishna opened his food bag.
He had brought everyone's favourite foods and distributed them one by one.
After some time, he suddenly opened a can of dog food.
[Arun]: Isn't that dog food?
[Treta]: Seems like he brought it accidentally.
Krishna slowly glanced toward Arun.
[Arun]: Why are you looking at me?
[Krishna]: Want some dog food?
he asked calmly with his usual emotionless face.
[Arun]: You really wanna die that badly?
Arun replied with a terrifying smile.
Treta(thinking): I take that back. He definitely brought it on purpose.