In the Kingdom of Honnêamise, on an alternate version of Earth, Shirotsugh Lhadatt is an unmotivated young man who once dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot. He ends up in the Royal Space Force, his nation's fledgling program, which has been demoralized by a string of failures. After a fellow astronaut dies during training, Riquinni Nonderaiko, a young street preacher who lives with a quiet, troubled child named Manna, befriends him. Inspired by the groundbreaking nature of the project and by Riquinni's faith, he volunteers for the Space Force's final bid to launch the world's first astronaut into orbit.
Lhadatt's training and growth unfold as he and the team push through technical hurdles, public scrutiny, and the political corruption that drains the kingdom's resources. General Khaidenn, commander of the Royal Space Force, publicly casts the mission as a bold step toward creating a "space warship" to win public support, even as the chief engineer dies in a catastrophic engine test and the project becomes a flashpoint for debates about expense and poverty. Amid rising pressure, Lhadatt grows wary of how power and ideology shape destiny.
His relationship with Riquinni deepens; he visits her in the city, and she perceives the world as corrupted by selfishness and sin. When her home is foreclosed by a power company, she and Manna are forced to live in a small shack provided by a local church. Riquinni gifts him a holy book that speaks of humanity's burden tied to the fire of knowledge, reminding him of the weight of their choices and the moral stakes of their mission. One night, in a moment of troubling impulse, Lhadatt sexually assaults Riquinni while catching her undressing, but he stops himself just before she knocks him unconscious. He begs forgiveness the next day, but she denies the incident, choosing to part ways for now. As tensions rise, he returns to the city only to narrowly survive an assassination attempt by the Republic, a neighboring nation at war with their kingdom.
Before leaving for the launch site, Lhadatt forms a fragile bond with Manna and says farewell to Riquinni, whose resolve only hardens in the face of hardship. The launch takes place at a demilitarized zone, and when the government accelerates the timeline, the Republic invades. Lhadatt — already sealed inside the space capsule — refuses to abort and convinces the vulnerable ground crew to complete the mission. The launch becomes a breathtaking spectacle, stunning both sides into passivity as history seems to hinge on one young man’s courage.
Once in orbit, Lhadatt broadcasts a prayer for humanity’s forgiveness, and the capsule is bathed in a radiant light. A sweeping montage unfolds, replaying moments from his life and pivotal achievements across civilization, offering a quiet, humbling meditation on responsibility, sacrifice, and hope. Back on the ground, Riquinni Nonderaiko gazes upward as the first snow falls, a quiet and hopeful sign amid the vast, unfolding sky.
- Yanaran’s presence is not central to this summary, but the world remains alive with the voices and roles of its many figures, from the steadfast Domorhot and the pragmatic-minded experts to the human flaws that accompany great ambition.
