Will You Explore The Galaxy With Me?
“Will this ore work?” I asked Reznik for the nth.
He looked back at me. I almost dropped the fist-sized black-colored stone in my hand when I was stared at by a pair of deep black eyes once more.
My God! I could not stand this young marshal’s face value! My heart which only faced paper works in the past life and my eyes that became used to the mountains of interstellar garbage could not stand it!
Retreat! Retreat!
“Try this.” Reznik, who was wearing a simple black shirt and loose pants paired with mismatched boots, handed a smaller ore to me. The luster of this ore was better than what I showed him.
“Then I’ll trade this for star coins.”
“No need. Follow me.” Reznik, who was yet to sort his chaotic memories, led me to a more remote place.
He led me to the place where Chino kept telling her to stay away from!
The humungous mountain of industrial garbage stopped the sun from entering, making the place gloomy and cold. There were no debris here. Instead, parts of mechas in various sizes piled up to the sky.
In different colors and sizes, the parts of these mechas—known from the old Earth as robots—were discarded in Garbage Stars after their use was done.
The reason why Chino forbade the original owner from exploring this area was because many people died.
It was worth mentioning that even if these mechas were missing with head gears or limbs, only an expert could dismantle the parts—especially the ores—with guaranteed safety. Others who did not believe the warning paid a high price such as… life or limbs. Some minimal injury directly disabled the person’s spiritual conscious, thus, losing the ability to have any profession in this world.
I did not know why Reznik brought me here. All I knew, when I woke up earlier, he already assembled the steward robot from the box. His movements were fluid. When I asked him if he remembered the past clearly, he merely said that he was getting there.
Not wanting to offend my future backer, I offered another nutrient solution to him wholeheartedly—of course, I expected a double return in the future.
“What are we doing here?” Instinct pushed me to close my gap between us. Now, I am one step away from him like a little tail.
I cherished this life!
“There are more ores here.” He stopped talking, cleaned a space, and turned to her. “Sit here and wait for me.”
Looking up to catch his gaze, I blinked. “What about me? I want to sold ores too!”
“Quiet.”
Reznik was too quick!
Although I’m short, I could still reach his chest! But in one swift series of movements, my vision turned as I found my feet away from the ground.
“What are you doing?!” I hugged his shoulders in instinct.
The next moment, I am already sitting on the space he cleaned up. So this was for me!
Reznik did not give me any chance to ask him. He strode away. His slim waist and wide shoulders grew smaller and smaller in her sight.
From time to time, I could see him jumping from one mountain of garbage to another. The once half-empty sack immediately became fuller by the minute. Worthy of being a young marshal!
While waiting, I hummed an old song from my previous life while scrolling the Star Net.
Unbeknownst to me, the moment I started humming, a certain young marshal stopped in his tracks. His heavy head started to lighten and the wounds started to scab! With eyes filled with scrutiny, Reznik stared at the little woman who was humming alone. His 3S level spiritual level allowed him to see the wisps of spiritual energy emitting from Layla as she hummed in enjoyment.
“Healer…” His pupils dilated as his mind buzzed from all the memories being pushed in all at once.
Thud!
x-x-x-x-x
“Are you alright?” I immediately handed him a nutrient solution when I saw him opened his eyes.
He took it without delay. After emptying the small tube, he propped himself up from his lying position.
“What happened? Why did you faint?” I could not help my curiosity. I did not expect to bring him back to the shack the same way I brought him when I first saw him.
“Layla…”
One word cut all of my questions. If I could not handle his heavy gaze, coupled with his deep voice calling my name, I am even more speechless!
“Ahem! W-What is it?”
“I remember everything.”
Sitting straight all of a sudden, my eyes widened from the sudden explosive news! Gone was the confused young man before me, replaced by the dignified Young Marshal Reznik who slayed the nest of zergs recently!
My rewards were waving at me! Hahaha!
“No need to be nervous, Layla.” His voice softened. “You are my benefactor and it will not change. For this fact, I, Reznik, am forever grateful to you.”
“T-Then… is your optical brain working fine?”
Reznik nodded. His face became solemn once more. “It was not an amnesia due to internal injury. I was attacked during a mental riot and let my enemies strike the chance to throw me off. My mech saved at the lost moment. It was destroyed and I was safely delivered in this Garbage Star. Then…”
He paused, reached for my left hand, and squeezed it. “You saved me, Layla.”
“Hehehe,” I awkwardly laughed, “I just saved you for rewards. Don’t beautify my selfishness, Marshal Reznik.”
Immediately taking back my hand while enduring my burning cheeks, I said: “Won’t you ask me what I want?”
For the first time, I saw the cold-faced young marshal’s lips curved upward for a split second—like a mirage.
“Do you want to leave with me? Explore the galaxy and live the life you want. Layla…” Reznik paused; his eyes held the determination of a soldier. “…you are not a simple person. This Garbage Star restricts you from soaring high.”
“Wait! Wait! Wait! You mean… you will take me away from here? Will you change my citizenship? I am born from people who were exiled from sins I did not even know! Can you make that big decision? I know you are a Marshal, but as far as I know, there is still the Empire that balances the power of the Federation.”
Despite the doubts, I am a ninety-nine point nine percent short from singing a happy song! A citizenship from any legal star was far better than being here! I could let myself explore the level of my spiritual consciousness, go to school, and find my own profession!
“Yes. I still have the power to do this, but you will be placed in the Federation’s care at the Capital Star.”
Capital Star?!
Holy sh-t! That was biggest high-class star were the center of power of the Federation was located! The Federal Military Academy—the best mecha academy—was also located there along the residences of the previous marshals and new ones! Reznik’s place was also there!
But wait….
“Not all are qualified to live there. Are you sure, Marshal Reznik? Only level B and above people can afford to live in the Capital Star.” I almost blurted out that he was only talking big.
“Hence, you are qualified. Layla, have you ever wondered why I easily recovered? You couldn’t think it was the nutrient solution or the measly gauze to heal my deep wounds in the span of two days, right? And… my mental riot that caused my chaotic memory cannot be healed. In fact, no one has able to heal my worsening mental riot… until today when I fainted.”
Pointing at myself, my eyes widened in disbelief. “You mean I did all that? How?!”
“Because your spiritual energy is at least SS level, but I think you are a 3S level person with the profession of Healer.”
Before I could ask once more, he continued: “Before I fainted, I saw wisps of spiritual energy surround you while you hummed. Any spiritual energy that could materialize for the naked eye to see is at least SS level. Because I am a 3S level person, I immediately noticed the energy fluctuation.
As I listened to your humming, my blocked spiritual consciousness was repaired and my mental riot calmed down until I fainted.
Layla, your existence as 3S level healer is the most precious one in the entire galaxy. At my state, your simple humming appeased the traces of the years when I overdrawn my spiritual energy.”
What?!!