"Arthur? Arthur?"
"Hey, Arthur? Are you here?"
The two women spotted the familiar figure at the bar of that restaurant—Toi'capa'apon (Tempt Your Fingertips)—the spot where Arthur always waited. He stared blankly, like a soulless shell; neither of them could get his attention, even as they waved their hands in front of his eyes.
This state had lasted for dozens of cosmic minutes. Finally, she and her companion gave up, sitting down beside him and resting their chins in their hands helplessly.
Ever since Arthur returned to Aurelia, this had been happening more and more frequently. Every time, she had to wait for him to snap out of it. In all their years knowing him, Arthur had never acted like this—clearly, the recent incident had hit him hard.
When Arthur finally came to his senses, he was startled to find the young woman beside him. Her jet-black, glossy long hair cascaded in gentle waves, her facial features a blend of Indo-European elegance. Her clear eyes were deep and soft, carrying a Gypsy-like mystery and charm.
She was Arthur's wife—and his only living relative.
"Encia?" Arthur froze in surprise, then his expression softened into a calm neutrality.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Encia looked at him worriedly, fearing this state was a aftermath of his past amnesia.
Yes. Arthur had once lost his memory.
He only remembered waking up in a hospital, then coming to Aurelia. He knew nothing about his life before that. According to Ralph, he had worked for them once. Encia had confirmed this, so Arthur had rejoined Ralph's private team as a shadow mercenary.
Arthur shook his head, letting out a deep sigh. "I wish I could, but my mind feels stuck—like I'm wandering in a loop of memories."
For Arthur, this failed mission was a first. The unanswered questions and shocking scenes lingered in his mind—especially Zack's arrogant face. To make matters worse, his exclusive communication channel with Ralph was still disconnected. All signs pointed to betrayal, but why would Zack do that?
These doubts would circle back to the moment he accepted the mission, repeating endlessly. And with each loop, he drifted further into a daze.
"Let me guess—daydreaming again?" the middle-aged woman beside Encia asked, sipping her drink and shooting him a mocking look.
"Ha, just thinking about some things," Arthur scratched his head with a smile. "Tinin, did you two finish shopping so soon?"
"I've been here waiting for her—and you didn't even notice I was here," Tinin replied, her tone dripping with disdain.
Tinin appeared to be in her fifties, but her actual age was anyone's guess—after all, time flowed differently across the cosmos. The most striking features were the crinkles around her eyes and the elaborate jewelry around her neck; she always wore different pieces wherever she went, a clear sign of her wealth. She was Arthur's "temporary" neighbor, and she and Encia had hit it off immediately.
As they spoke, Encia noticed Arthur fidgeting with the metal ring in his hand again, his mind elsewhere. She sighed, gently prying it from his fingers and tucking it into the small pouch on his chest, then patted the pocket lightly.
"If you need me," she said, "I'm here—always. But don't let this consume you."
"I know. I just need some time to adjust."
"Hey, my dear stranger—" Encia brushed her hair aside, kissed his forehead, and tapped it softly. "Don't brush me off. If this gets any worse, I'm taking you back to the medical center. You could barely see or hear me earlier!"
Arthur grinned awkwardly at both of them. "Maybe I'm just tired. A little rest will fix it. My two lovely ladies—anywhere else you want to go?"
"Always running your mouth," Encia said, wiping a crumb from the corner of his mouth and pointing sharply at his nose. "Hey, I'm serious. One more time, and I'll drag you to the hospital without hesitation."
"Ha, can I choose a different method?" Arthur's grin persisted, even as Encia's gaze sharpened. "Like walking...?" He received another glare.
"Oh, right! Tinin said there's a Summer Festival Carnival at the Market Square today. I was thinking if we go home first, it'll take too long, so..."
"Go ahead!" Arthur cut her off, leaning forward. He brushed his lips against hers. "I'll take these wonderful shopping spoils back first. Remember to come home early!"
"It's still early—don't worry!" Tinin winked at Arthur, blowing him a kiss.
Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. "Lose yourself if you want, but make sure you bring her back safely!"
Tinin shot him an annoyed look. "Really? Am I just someone who gets lost in your eyes?" That man always had a sharp tongue.
"Ha, that's not fair. Now go on!"
Arthur smiled, pulling both women to their feet and gently pushing them toward the restaurant door. Before leaving, Encia glanced back—her eyes filled with worry and helplessness, her emotions plain to see.
Arthur smiled and nodded at her. She nodded back as he winked, her smile brightening noticeably before Tinin pulled her into the crowd.
He returned to the restaurant, grabbed the package from the floor, and left. As he stepped through the door, he accidentally bumped shoulders with a tourist.
It was a traveler dressed in strange, concealing clothing, their eyes sharp and piercing. They apologized to each other, and the stranger disappeared into the crowd immediately. As Arthur wondered about the encounter, another wave of tourists flooded the area. Their guide held a megaphone, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Hey, hey everyone! Members of the Tarkin Tour Group!" the guide yelled, gesturing wildly. "We'll be staying here for two cosmic hours—*two*, don't forget! Meet back here afterward, and we'll head to the next stop: the Shopping Carnival! I don't want to lose any of you—two cosmic hours! Don't forget!"
Tronha Century Center Plaza in Aurelia was always filled with tour groups like this. If you stood on the observation deck of the main building, you'd see a sea of people below—no, *seas* of people. Whether during daylight or nighttime hours, the plaza was always packed to the brim.
"This is the development history of Aurelia..."
Guides and tour leaders tried to draw their groups' attention to the circular explanatory holograms. Of course, their tourists were hard to control—after all, they were here to travel. They chatted excitedly among themselves, rarely paying attention to the universal translator's explanations.
Even though the century plaza covered hundreds of hectares, the daily flood of visitors always made it feel crowded and noisy. It was Aurelia's primary commercial hub.
"Aurelia"—it was a massive space station. Its surface area wasn't large compared to a satellite, roughly 30 million square kilometers. It was so unique that it couldn't be classified as any type of celestial body. It wasn't round; instead, it resembled a giant island floating in the cosmos.
In the entire history of space exploration, no other structure like it had ever been discovered.
Its natural gravitational field, atmosphere, water cycle system... all these mysteries puzzled scientists. Their origins were beyond current scientific understanding. Except for the artificial buildings and daylight system constructed by later developers, all other living conditions were based on its inherent ecosystem.
Another oddity was its location.
It was perfectly positioned at the balance point of nearby celestial bodies, maintaining a stable orbit without deviation. These countless mysteries made it an overnight sensation when it was discovered, drawing scientists from across the galaxy eager to explore it.
The first pioneers to discover Aurelia were the Loa people from a nearby planet, who had observed the strange celestial body for years.
Tracing Aurelia's earliest origins, in ancient times, an abnormal bright light appeared near Ohuk—the sacred home planet of the Loa's main deity—lasting for several minutes. This event still influenced their beliefs today. When space explorers finally discovered the structure, they named it "Aurelia," after the guardian spirit of Ohuk.
Thanks to its unique conditions, Aurelia soon became a flashpoint for conflict, sparking countless wars. It wasn't until over a thousand Loa planetary years later that the fighting finally ceased.
After lengthy negotiations, the various factions reached a compromise: Aurelia and the surrounding area would be designated a neutral zone, with no military forces or installations allowed. All factions would collaborate on its development.
This agreement eventually became a primary condition in all inter-organizational treaties. Its economic value was so immense that no sector dared to violate it—doing so would be equivalent to declaring war on numerous sectors.
The independent autonomous regions surrounding Aurelia benefited greatly from this status. Even fast-developing neighboring powers like Hazyakra and the Reno Sector never dared to encroach on it. As a neutral autonomous territory, it attracted a diverse mix of cultures and ethnicities, leading to faster development than any nearby planet.