Teddus's Unfortunate Adventure

Rai Quadrant, a planet of breathtaking beauty.

The sea was far from calm. Raging waves crashed again and again against the cliffs, while gulls and petrels soared through the sky, their piercing cries cutting through the air.

An elderly man in a white-and-gray skintight combat suit sat at the edge of the cliff, his legs hanging naturally over it. His white hair was sparse, and a short white mustache rested above his lip.

The old man looked down at the surging waves below, his gaze calm and profound.

His name was Teddus, a legendary general of the Viltrumite Empire.

His military exploits and achievements were renowned throughout the universe. Everyone knew his name.

Suddenly, faint footsteps sounded behind Teddus.

He turned his head slightly and glanced at the owner of those footsteps from the corner of his eye.

She was a female alien dressed in a peach-red gown. Her skin was an unhealthy, cold white, and her long hair flowed loose behind her, dancing with her dress in the sea breeze.

Though she was an alien, she looked similar to a Viltrumite. The only difference was the slender tail extending from her spine, gently swaying behind her.

"Oh my, I didn't expect anyone to be here."

She tilted her head slightly, a gentle smile curling across her lips. Her voice was like a pleasant wind chime, inexplicably reassuring.

Teddus looked away after a moment and turned back toward the sea, his voice steady and powerful.

"This cliff is a public area. Anyone can come here."

"Of course... I could also claim it for myself. No one could stop me."

He paused before adding,

"But today, I'll allow you to share this view."

The woman chuckled, her tail curling into an arc as she slowly walked to a spot three meters behind him and stopped.

"What an arrogant yet gentle thing to say."

There was a hint of teasing in her voice, yet it was not unpleasant.

At the word "gentle," Teddus's brows furrowed slightly, then quickly relaxed.

He continued staring at the waves, though faint ripples stirred within his heart like those upon the sea.

He was widely acknowledged within the Empire's Military Department as a ruthless, cold-blooded iron general. This was the first time anyone had called him "gentle."

The woman lightly swept her windblown hair behind her ear, folded her hands before herself, and looked out at the sea as she spoke softly.

"But very few people sit alone at the edge of a cliff to admire the ocean like you do."

Teddus did not respond. He simply continued gazing at the sea as though the woman behind him did not exist.

The woman did not mind his silence and continued on her own.

"Do you like the sea?"

Teddus did not answer immediately. After considering it briefly, he finally spoke.

"The sea is sincere. It never hides its emotions. When angry, it raises enormous waves. When calm, it is as gentle as a mother, bestowing generous gifts upon sailors."

The woman quietly listened to Teddus's answer.

Suddenly... she covered her mouth and began to laugh softly, the corners of her eyes curving into a lovely shape.

Meanwhile, Teddus's motionless back remained seated at the cliff's edge, but the muscles on his face gradually stiffened.

Why was she laughing? What was so funny? He hadn't said anything strange, had he?

The woman behind him was still laughing. Teddus felt as if his thoughts had been thrown into disarray. Somewhat irritated, he touched the cliff's edge, then stroked his short white mustache.

At last, the woman stopped laughing and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her slender fingers.

"I couldn't tell. Not only are you a gentle person, but you're also a philosopher."

Teddus cleared his throat, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rock beside him.

"A philosopher? Hm... when you've experienced enough, you naturally gain some insight."

The woman's tail swayed gently. She placed her index finger against her lower lip, looking thoughtful in an adorably vacant way.

"It seems you've experienced many things and have many stories to tell."

Teddus immediately lifted his head and chest with the pride of an ostrich, his voice carrying barely concealed pride.

"I wouldn't dare boast about anything else, but when it comes to stories, I've experienced more in this life than there is water in this sea."

The woman blinked, seemingly intrigued. With her hands behind her back, she playfully took a light step forward.

"Oh? Would you be willing to tell me?"

Teddus turned his face and looked her up and down from the corner of his eye. "It's not impossible, but... that depends on my mood."

The woman clasped her hands together and leaned forward slightly.

"Then how is your mood right now?"

Seeing the anticipation in her eyes, the tightly drawn corner of Teddus's mouth rose by half a pixel. Then he abruptly looked away and closed his eyes so he would not have to look at her.

"Of course... very bad."

Teddus deliberately dragged out the last word, secretly opening one eye a sliver to observe her reaction.

"Huh? How can you be like that?" The woman's tail drooped in disappointment.

But soon, her tail began swaying cheerfully again. As if performing a magic trick, she produced an oil-paper package.

"Try this. Honey bread is my favorite. Whenever I'm in a bad mood, one bite makes me happy."

Teddus's nose twitched as he caught the scent of wheat and the sweetness of honey.

He deliberately coughed and turned his head away.

"Childish."

The woman pouted, her face plainly saying, I'm unhappy, come cheer me up.

Then she took a bite of the bread and sighed dramatically.

"Hehe, just as expected, one bite made me happy."

"Won't you invite me to sit with you? Honey bread can only reach its full potential when paired with an ocean view."

Teddus looked at the woman, then at the height of the cliff. "The edge is dangerous."

The woman tilted her head, her cheeks stuffed full, her tail curling into the shape of a question mark as she spoke indistinctly.

"But aren't you sitting there right now?"

Teddus raised his brows.

"Even if I fell from here, I could climb back up with my bare hands."

The woman blinked, a trace of slyness flashing in her eyes.

"Then are you worried about me?"

Teddus's expression froze. His throat bobbed, and he stiffly threw out a reply.

"Think whatever you want. If you fall, don't expect me to save you."

The moment Teddus finished speaking, the woman stepped forward with the oil-paper package and sat half a meter away from him, her legs pressed together as they gently swung in the air.

"Want a bite? It's really, really, really delicious."

With a smile, the woman held a small piece of bread between two fingers and waved it beside Teddus.

Teddus stared at her expressionlessly.

"I don't like sweet things. If you like it, eat more."

Seeing that Teddus would not yield to soft tactics, the woman immediately chose a hard one. She stretched out her arm and brought the bread between her fingers to Teddus's mouth.

She opened her cherry-red lips as if coaxing a child.

"Ah—open up~"

Teddus's brows twisted into a dead knot, and he instinctively leaned back.

"Eat it, eat it. It's really delicious. Just one bite, okay?"

Teddus sighed helplessly and finally compromised, opening his mouth to bite off a corner of the bread.

The rich aroma of wheat and mellow sweetness of honey filled his mouth. It was exceptionally delicious.

"See? It really is delicious."

"Come on, have another bite. I'll feed you."

The sunset softened, stretching their shadows long behind them. Teddus's embarrassed voice sounded from where they sat.

"Whoa—I can eat it myself. What's your name?"

The woman answered, "My name is Maya."

"Maya? My name is Teddus."