74. Special Chapter : The Chronos Crystal Mission

74. Special Chapter : The Chronos Crystal Mission
After traveling across millions of light-years, the hum of the ship's engines finally began to fade. They had reached their destination. Beyond the cockpit window, a breathtaking view of Planet Kaelum stretched out before them—a world with violet-hued skies and a civilization far more bustling and sophisticated than Rose had ever imagined. Towering structures made of silver minerals reached toward the heavens, reflecting the soft, dim glow of the suns.
"I’m not going out! I’m staying right here on the ship with Earth!" Rose declared firmly. She crossed her arms tightly, refusing to budge from her seat.
"Calm down, sweetheart. You'll be safe with me," Liuz coaxed, reaching out to gently take his wife's hand.
"The last time I went into deep space with you, you disappeared and left me all alone!" Rose shot back with a sharp, skeptical glare. "Do you honestly think I can just trust you this time?"
Liuz let out a sigh, attempting to offer an explanation that, in his mind, was perfectly logical. "This place is different from the desolate planets we’ve visited before. This is Kaelum. Its civilization is highly advanced; even the Orvantis people frequently come here for business. It’s a brilliant planet, and one more thing... The oxygen quality is extraordinary."
Liuz leaned in closer, whispering what he considered a "major plus." "If you breathe the air here, your fertility will skyrocket. You’ll get pregnant in no time! It will be much easier for us to have a baby girl."
Rose froze for a moment, her face turning a deep shade of crimson. Her irritation had reached its boiling point, clashing violently with her husband's logic, which often bypassed the boundaries of Earthly sanity.
"Fine. My decision is final," Rose said in a deadly cold tone, her gaze as sharp as a dagger. "I am staying inside this ship forever! Period!"
"Unfortunately, that’s not an option, darling. We’re going to have some fun on Kaelum!" Liuz replied nonchalantly.
Without a word of warning, Liuz swept his wife off her feet, pulling her into a powerful embrace. Rose let out a startled shriek, but Liuz only chuckled.
"Boys! Let’s move!" Liuz shouted enthusiastically.
With a single powerful stride, Liuz leapt out of the ship’s hatch. Because Kaelum’s gravity was significantly lower than Earth's, the leap sent them soaring through the air as if they were flying. Not wanting to be left behind, the three triplets immediately followed, showcasing the extraordinary physical balance they had inherited from their father’s alien genes.
"Hey! The gravity here is tiny! I can jump way higher than on Earth!" Bastian shouted, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He shot through the air like a bouncing rubber ball.
"Be careful, Bastian! Don't hit your head on the buildings!" Alaric warned in a mature tone, though he himself seemed to be enjoying the sensation of drifting.
"How tacky," Cygnus remarked flatly. He hovered with his arms folded across his chest, looking perfectly calm and elegant, as if flying through the sky was the most tedious activity in the galaxy.
Safe in Liuz’s arms, Rose finally summoned the courage to open her eyes and look around. Their bodies drifted low in long, graceful leaps. Below them, the sprawling landscape was so magnificent that it stole Rose’s breath away.
"The nature and technology here... they are in such stark contrast," Rose murmured, her irritation gradually dissolving, replaced by the sheer awe of a scientist. "How is it possible to build a civilization this advanced without damaging the ecosystem in the slightest?"
Below them, aerodynamic towers crafted from transparent polymers grew amidst the canopies of giant trees, as if the city’s architecture had been designed to follow the natural growth of the forest.
"It is because they utilize Chronos Crystals as a source of pure energy," Liuz explained as they drifted slowly downward. "This energy leaves behind no carbon residue or pollution of any kind. I have come here to lobby for technical cooperation regarding the integration of this energy into the Orvantis systems."
Rose turned, glancing at her husband with furrowed brows. "Since when did you take on the role of an ambassador?"
"For matters of this magnitude, a member of the galactic science council such as myself is the most competent party to handle the negotiations," Liuz replied calmly.
They landed smoothly on a vast observation platform in the heart of the city. What took Rose’s breath away was not merely the grandeur of the buildings, but the crowd of biological subjects gathered there. Kaelum was, in every sense, a true multi-species hub.
Rose’s eyes took in the extraordinary diversity of extraterrestrials. There were towering beings with silica-based skin that reflected the sunlight, making them appear shimmering yet distinctly organic. In another corner, an alien with four arms hurried past, busy operating a holographic device; their skin bore patterns of bioluminescent spots that pulsed in rhythm with their heartbeat. None of them looked human besides herself, yet all these creatures seemed to coexist in perfect order.
"Liuz... what species are they?" Rose whispered, her gaze fixed on a figure with a long neck structure and compound eyes conversing quietly nearby.
"They are the native species of this planet; we call them Kaelerians," Liuz explained. "Their body structure is based on carbon and silica, which is why their skin reflects sunlight in such a unique way."
"Liuz! How have you been?" called the being Rose had just pointed out.
The creature glided closer with an incredibly light gait. He was tall, possessing four slender arms and a pair of golden compound eyes that shimmered with friendliness. His bluish-gray skin appeared to have a pattern of bioluminescent stripes that glowed softly whenever he spoke.
"Hi, Zarek! I’m doing well. How about you?" Liuz replied, touching one of his palms to Zarek’s shoulder—a distinctive inter-species greeting that suggested a deep familiarity.
"Very well, my friend. The galaxy has been quiet lately," Zarek answered in a low, resonant voice, as if the sound were produced by vibrations deep within his chest. His golden eyes then shifted to Rose before looking down at the three silver-haired boys who were busily inspecting his sophisticated communication device.
"And who are they? Is this... your family from Orvantis?" Zarek asked, his voice tinged with genuine admiration.
Rose felt a flutter of nerves, but she managed to offer her best smile. Meanwhile, Bastian had already stepped forward, utterly fascinated by Zarek’s extra pair of arms.
"Mister, you have four hands? Wow! You must be amazing at video games!" Bastian exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Zarek chuckled, the vibration of his voice making the surrounding air feel warm. "You could say that, little one. But I use these arms more often for assembling planetary core engines than for playing games."
Liuz draped an arm around Rose’s shoulders in a possessive gesture brimming with pride. "Zarek, let me introduce you. This is Rose. My wife... she hails from the planet Earth," Liuz stated calmly.
Instantly, the pair of thin antennae atop Zarek’s head vibrated violently, emitting high-frequency clicking sounds as if his biological sensors had just intercepted an impossible signal. Zarek’s compound eyes flickered, scanning Rose from head to toe with incredible speed.
"A creature of Earth? Her?!" Zarek shrieked, his voice trembling with absolute shock. "Good heavens, Liuz! How did I not realize it sooner? Her molecular structure... she is of the same species as you! She is a woman!"
Zarek took a sharp step back, all four of his arms thrusting into the air in a reflexive jolt of surprise. In this galaxy, it was common knowledge that the Orvantis were a race on the brink of extinction, having lost their entire female population thousands of years ago. To see a woman standing alongside an Orvantis was not merely a rare sight—it was a cosmic miracle.
"Congratulations, Liuz! By all the stars in the galaxy, you actually succeeded in finding a species mate!" Zarek cried out, his four arms moving enthusiastically and creating high-frequency vibrations that sounded like a cheer. "I am so happy for you, my friend! And these children... Does this mean they were born pure? Through a natural biological process?!"
Zarek leaned down slightly to gaze at Alaric, Bastian, and Cygnus with awe, as if they were the rarest gems in the universe. "This is magnificent! Truly extraordinary! Liuz, you mustn't stop here. You must create even more offspring with this remarkable woman! This is a medical and evolutionary miracle that must be carried on!"
Rose blinked in bewilderment, feeling as though she had just been declared a conservation subject for an endangered species.