Shooting Stars

Short Summary: Xavier, Prince of the dying planet Philos, discovers its dark secret: the royal family sacrifices people (including his loved ones) to sustain the planet. He rebels, abandons the throne, and spends centuries searching for a way to save both Philos and a mysterious girl tied to its survival. Despite their bond, he leaves her behind to alter history—only to return when she becomes Queen, fulfilling a prophecy he secretly rewrote to protect her.

Timeline notes:

Event	Timeframe
Xavier trains as a knight at Astria Knyght Academy with MC	200+ years before coronation
Receives star-shaped tassel from a girl (implied to be MC)	During academy days
Girl forgets Xavier and their connection	After tassel gift
Gladius Ceremony in Starfall Forest	Approximately 200 years before coronation
Discovers Philos sacrifices humans to survive	During Gladius Ceremony
Refuses throne after father's death	Immediately after Gladius Ceremony
Disappears from public life	After refusing throne
Forms Backtrackers (rogue knight faction)	During 200-year gap
Learns Philos is artificial with hollow core	During 200-year gap
Discovers royal plan to sacrifice immortal girl	During 200-year gap
Develops Operation Backtrack (time travel plan)	During 200-year gap
MC becomes Queen of Philos	Present day (coronation)
Xavier returns but refuses to stand with Queen	Coronation day
Reveals time travel mission to MC	Coronation day
Departs on spaceship to alter history	Immediately after coronation
MC discovers Xavier manipulated Queen prophecy	After his departure

Key lore information:

Philos’s Secret: A dying人造 planet that feeds on human energy, creating Wanderers as byproducts. [also explained in When Shooting Stars Fall Anecdote]
The Tassel Girl: An immortal being Philos’s royals sought to exploit. Xavier’s entire arc revolves around protecting her. [MC, this happened in their first life in When Shooting Stars Fall Anecdote]
Uluru: A flower-filled planet Xavier and MC dreamed of escaping to—symbolizing hope beyond Philos’s decay.

Notes from the Retranslation Project with key differences between the English and Chinese differences:

Tone: The first translation leans poetic ("crownless queen," "call our steel into battle"), while retranslations are more literal.
Cultural Terms:
- "Backtrackers" (1st) vs. "回溯小组" (retranslated as "retrospection team").
- "Grandis Knight" (1st) retained as a title; retranslation clarifies it as "首席圣剑骑士" (Chief Holy Sword Knight).
- "Grandis Knight" (1st) vs. "首席圣剑骑士" (retranslated as "Chief Holy Sword Knight").
- "Lightseekers" (1st) retained as a faction name; retranslation clarifies it as "逐光骑士团" (Order of Lightseekers).
Key Lines:
- "In darkness does one claim a glimmer" (1st) vs. "Someone is bound to capture the light" (retranslation).
- Xavier’s vow: "Your Majesty has my gratitude" (1st) is more formal than "Thank you" (retranslation).
- Xavier’s line "I wish he never was my father" (1st) is more emotionally charged than the retranslation’s "If it were possible, I would rather he had never been my father."
- Jeremiah’s teasing tone is sharper in the first translation ("She was drowning in a pool of tears" vs. retranslation’s literal "crying from the pain").

Full transcript:

Chapter 01

Our old tale is found in the annals of Philos's history.

Wandering bards sing of it throughout the land.