Chapter 2
A gentle breeze swept across the open plaza.
Saeroyx slowly looked beyond the people standing before him.
The city was unlike anything he had ever seen.
Ancient towers of pale stone and shimmering metal rose into the sky, their walls engraved with glowing patterns that flowed like living starlight. Elegant bridges connected structures suspended impossibly high above the streets, while silent streams of light drifted through the air between them.
It was ancient.
Yet impossibly advanced.
For a moment, even Saeroyx forgot to move.
“…That’s impressive.”
His quiet remark drew a few curious glances.
The nine people standing before him exchanged brief looks before one of them stepped forward.
He appeared to be around Saeroyx’s age, his expression composed yet cautious.
“You don’t seem surprised,” he observed.
Saeroyx shrugged.
“I’ve never seen a place like this.”
He glanced around once more.
“But I like it.”
A faint murmur spread through the group.
No one knew how to react to the stranger who had appeared from thin air, yet admired the city as though he had simply arrived in a new town.
Only one among them remained silent.
The young man who had been watching Saeroyx from the moment he appeared.
His gaze never wavered.
Calm.
Patient.
As though he were trying to understand a puzzle that refused to fit together.
Then, at last, he spoke.
“Who are you?”
The plaza fell silent once again.
The question lingered in the silent plaza.
“Who are you?”
Saeroyx met the young man’s unwavering gaze.
A slow smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Saeroyx.”
Nothing more.
No family name.
No title.
No explanation.
The silence stretched for another heartbeat before he tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes studying the calm stranger with open curiosity.
“And you?”
His voice carried a teasing warmth.
“If you’re going to stare at me like that, I should at least know your name.”
A few members of the group exchanged bewildered looks.
One of them let out a quiet cough.
Another stared at Saeroyx as though he had completely ignored the seriousness of the situation.
The young man, however, remained unchanged.
His expression didn’t soften.
Nor did it harden.
He regarded Saeroyx with the same measured composure.
“…Names are earned through trust.”
His tone was calm, almost emotionless.
“And at the moment, you’re a stranger who appeared from nowhere.”
Saeroyx chuckled.
“So serious.”
He folded his arms with an amused grin.
“I only asked for your name.”
For the first time, a faint flicker crossed the young man’s eyes.
Whether it was annoyance…
Or curiosity…
Not even those standing beside him could tell.
The young man’s expression did not change.
He simply held Saeroyx’s gaze.
Silent.
Steady.
Unyielding.
The smile on Saeroyx’s face lingered for a moment before he gave a small shrug.
“…Tough crowd.”
Without another word, the nine turned away.
Not a single explanation.
Not a single answer.
They began walking toward the heart of the ancient city as though the stranger’s arrival had become a matter that needed to be discussed elsewhere.
Saeroyx watched them leave.
“…Well, I don’t exactly have anywhere else to go.”
He slipped his hands into his pockets and followed at an unhurried pace.
Several steps ahead, quiet voices drifted through the air.
“What do we do with him?” one of them asked.
“He came through… that place.”
“Then he’s involved, whether he understands it or not.”
Another sighed.
“His fate has already brought him here.”
“…To this cruel place.”
The words were spoken so softly that they were almost lost to the wind.
Saeroyx heard them anyway.
He looked around at the magnificent city once more.
Cruel?
It certainly didn’t look like it.
If anything, it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen.
His curiosity only deepened as he continued after the nine, unaware that the city before him held far more than its breathtaking beauty.
The group continued through the silent streets.
Saeroyx glanced around.
“So this is… Tyrus.”
No one answered.
The city was magnificent beyond imagination, yet an eerie stillness lingered over every street.
Towering structures of white stone and shimmering alloy rose into the sky. Ancient pathways crossed between them, while streams of crystal-clear water flowed beneath elegant bridges.
Everything was beautiful.
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
“…It almost feels abandoned,” Saeroyx murmured.
Before anyone replied—
A man appeared before them.
There was no sound.
No light.
No warning.
One moment the street was empty.
The next, he stood there.
The nine came to an immediate halt.
Without surprise.
Without alarm.
As though his appearance was perfectly ordinary.
His gaze swept across the group before settling on Saeroyx.
“So, another Starcrosser.”
His voice was calm, carrying neither curiosity nor emotion.
He turned without waiting for a response.
“Follow me.”
The group obeyed.
Saeroyx shrugged and walked after them.
“…Starcrosser, huh?”
No one answered.
They passed through several broad avenues before arriving before an enormous structure at the center of Tyrus.
Unlike the silent streets outside, this place showed signs of life.
People entered and left with quiet purpose.
Some wore unfamiliar clothing from civilizations Saeroyx had never seen.
Others spoke in languages completely foreign to him.
Yet all of them shared one thing in common.
Each had once crossed a Star Door.
“This,” the man said as the towering doors slowly opened, “is the Hall of Arrival.”
“Every Starcrosser who reaches Tyrus begins their journey here.”
Without another word, he stepped inside.
The towering doors of the hall closed behind them.
The chamber fell silent.
Dozens of people stood throughout the vast hall. Some spoke quietly among themselves, while others remained alone, their eyes filled with uncertainty.
The man at the front looked across the gathering.
“There are currently one hundred and eight Starcrossers residing in Tyrus.”
His voice echoed through the hall.
“Every one of you has crossed a Star Door and arrived here by fate.”
He paused.
“The reason you were chosen is yours to uncover.”
No one spoke.
“From this moment onward, no Starcrosser may journey alone.”
“You will each form a team consisting of exactly two members.”
“You are free to choose your partner.”
“Once both names are registered, your partnership cannot be changed except under extraordinary circumstances.”
The hall immediately erupted into conversation.
People began introducing themselves, searching for partners before someone else was chosen.
Within moments, nearly everyone was speaking with someone.
Only two figures remained exactly where they were.
Saeroyx.
And the calm young man who had watched him since his arrival.
Saeroyx glanced around the busy hall before scratching the back of his head.
“…Looks like everyone suddenly became sociable.”
The young man remained silent.
He hadn’t moved.
Not even once.
Saeroyx smiled.
“Looks like I’m not the only one without a partner.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, he walked straight toward him.
The young man noticed his approach but remained perfectly still.
Saeroyx stopped in front of him, wearing the same carefree smile.
“Looks like we’re the only ones left.”
The young man glanced at him once.
“So?”
“So…” Saeroyx spread his hands. “Let’s be teammates.”
A brief silence followed.
“No.”
The answer came so quickly that Saeroyx blinked.
“…You didn’t even think about it.”
“I did.”
“And?”
“I decided no.”
Saeroyx laughed.
“You’re difficult.”
The young man looked away.
“You’re a newcomer.”
“So?”
“You know nothing about Tyrus.”
“True.”
“You know nothing about Starcrossers.”
“Also true.”
“You don’t even know why you’re here.”
Saeroyx nodded thoughtfully.
“…Still true.”
The young man’s expression remained unchanged.
“You would die early.”
Several people nearby turned to look.
Saeroyx stared at him for a moment before grinning.
“You say that like it’s my biggest flaw.”
“It is.”
“Hm…”
Saeroyx leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.
“Then you’ll just have to keep me alive.”
The young man’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
“I have no intention of babysitting you.”
“That’s fine.”
Saeroyx straightened with an easy smile.
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“I need a teammate.”
“You mistake the two.”
“And you,” Saeroyx replied without missing a beat, “look like someone who hasn’t smiled in years.”
A faint murmur spread through the hall.
One of the nearby Starcrossers quietly covered his mouth to hide a laugh.
The young man met Saeroyx’s eyes.
“This is not a sightseeing trip.”
“I noticed.”
“This place is unforgiving.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“It isn’t meant to be fun.”
Saeroyx’s smile only widened.
“Then I’ll make it fun.”
For the first time since they had met…
The calm young man was at a loss for words.
He had encountered countless Starcrossers.
None of them had ever responded like this.
A soft chime echoed through the hall.
Every conversation came to an abrupt halt.
Above them, countless streams of light intertwined, forming a vast floating screen suspended beneath the ceiling.
Elegant silver letters slowly appeared.
WELCOME, STARCROSSERS.
A calm, emotionless voice filled the hall.
“Welcome to Tyrus.”
“There are currently one hundred and eight registered Starcrossers residing within the city.”
“Most of you have already completed your orientation and are familiar with the regulations governing Tyrus.”
The words faded for a moment.
Then another line appeared.
“However…”
“An irregularity has been detected.”
Whispers spread throughout the hall.
“An irregularity?”
“That’s never happened before.”
The voice continued.
“One newly arrived Starcrosser possesses no recorded orientation.”
“Initiating verification…”
A beam of pale light swept across the chamber.
It moved past dozens of people…
Then stopped on Saeroyx.
The hall fell silent.
“…Me?” Saeroyx asked, pointing at himself.
A few Starcrossers frowned.
“That can’t be right.”
“Everyone receives orientation upon arrival.”
“The system has to be glitching.”
“The Tyrus Network doesn’t make mistakes.”
“But if it isn’t a mistake…”
Their eyes slowly turned toward Saeroyx.
For the first time…
The hall wasn’t looking at him with curiosity.
It was looking at him with disbelief.
The silence stretched across the hall.
Even the floating screen remained motionless.
Then—
The silver letters dissolved.
A new line slowly formed.
Verification complete.
The calm voice returned.
“Identity confirmed.”
Several Starcrossers let out quiet sighs of relief.
“So it really was a glitch.”
“I knew the system wouldn’t make a mistake.”
But the voice continued.
“Cause of irregularity…”
For the first time since the announcement began—
The system paused.
Not for a second.
For several.
The hall grew noticeably quieter.
Finally—
“Unknown.”
Every face froze.
“…Unknown?”
“Did it just say unknown?”
“That’s impossible.”
“The Tyrus Network has never returned an unknown result.”
Another line appeared.
“No orientation record found.”
“No arrival record found.”
“No previous Starcrossing record found.”
A ripple of disbelief swept through the chamber.
“How could someone enter Tyrus without an arrival record?”
“Unless…”
“No.”
“That’s impossible.”
Saeroyx scratched the back of his head.
“…Should I be worried?”
No one answered.
Even the man conducting the orientation was staring at the screen.
The voice spoke once more.
“Exception acknowledged.”
“A provisional orientation will now begin.”
The atmosphere eased ever so slightly.
People exchanged relieved glances.
“So it really was just a system error.”
“I’ve never seen one before.”
“It must be because he’s new.”
Only one person remained unconvinced.
The calm young man.
His eyes never left Saeroyx.
Not because the system had failed…
But because it had admitted it did not know.
That had never happened before.
Saeroyx noticed the stare and smiled.
“What?”
“…Do I still look like I’ll die early?”
For the first time…
The young man’s expression changed ever so slightly.
“…Perhaps.”
A grin spread across Saeroyx’s face.
“Good.”
“I’d hate to disappoint your expectations.”
The floating screen shimmered once more.
New silver letters slowly formed.
Orientation Override Accepted.
Commencing provisional guidance.
The calm voice echoed throughout the hall.
“All newly registered Starcrossers are authorized to enter the inner districts of Tyrus.”
A breathtaking image of the city appeared across the floating screen.
Then another announcement followed.
“Before entering the inner districts, all Starcrossers must complete team registration.”
“Within Tyrus, every registered team is recognized as a bonded pair.”
“Entry into the city is permitted only to registered pairs.”
Saeroyx slowly turned toward the quiet young man.
A grin spread across his face.
“So…”
“I guess fate has already made us partners.”
The young man let out a quiet sigh.
“…You’re assuming far too much.”
“You’ve got a better idea?”
“I do.”
“What is it?”
“Find someone else.”
Saeroyx laughed.
“No.”
“…Persistent.”
“I prefer determined.”
A few nearby Starcrossers smiled at the exchange.
Before the young man could reply—
The floating screen chimed again.
Its light narrowed until it rested solely on Saeroyx.
The hall fell silent.
Irregular orientation required.
Beginning first-contact guidance.
Confused murmurs swept through the room.
“…First contact?”
“What does that mean?”
“I’ve never heard those words before.”
The calm voice continued.
“Welcome, Saeroyx.”
“You are currently within the city of Tyrus.”
“This orientation has been initiated because Tyrus is your first destination after crossing a Star Door.”
Complete silence.
One Starcrosser’s eyes widened.
“…First destination?”
“That’s impossible.”
“No Starcrosser has ever reached Tyrus first.”
“They all arrive here only after completing their initial journey.”
“Then… how did he get here?”
Even the orientation guide stared at the screen.
The system ignored everyone’s disbelief.
It continued its explanation as though nothing unusual had happened.
And for the first time in the history of Tyrus…
The city itself was introducing its existence to a single individual.
