I will become the ice jellyfish queen with the Chat Group

[Grey POV]

I stood in the captain's room of the airship, staring out the windows, though all I could see was a thick blanket of clouds stretching in every direction. The hum of the engines was steady beneath my feet, and the occasional flicker of lightning in the distance gave the sky an eerie glow.

Arms crossed, I exhaled slowly.

[Grey]: This whole thing feels off.

Behind me, the crew moved with disciplined efficiency, adjusting dials, checking navigation charts, and maintaining the ship's altitude. Despite the professionalism, there was tension in the air—no one liked the idea of being summoned to the capital under vague circumstances.

The door creaked open, and Ash stepped inside, his expression unreadable.

[Ash]: We're about an hour from arrival.

I nodded, not taking my eyes off the stormy sky.

[Grey]: You trust this invitation?

[Ash]: Trust? No. But ignoring it wasn't an option either. We both know how that would've played out.

He wasn't wrong. Denying an invitation from the capital—especially one delivered with an armed escort—was practically begging for trouble. But for now, there were more pressing matters.

I glanced at Akako, who was lounging in a chair, nose buried in a book titled "How to Know If Your Cat Is Trying to Kill You."

I raised an eyebrow.

[Grey]: Should I even ask?

Akako didn't look up.

[Akako]: The Doctor is going to pay for this.

I sighed. Whatever that meant, I didn't have the energy to unpack it. Instead, I decided to stir the pot a little.

[Grey]: Hey, Akako, how do you feel about Ash here?

Akako finally lowered the book, tilting his head in deep thought. For a moment, the room was silent. Then, with a completely unreadable expression, he answered:

[Akako]: He is the one for me.

The room froze.

I blinked. Ash took an instinctive step back, looking utterly horrified as he crossed his arms over his chest like a scandalized maiden.

[Ash]: Wha—?! No! Absolutely not!

I was already struggling to hold back my laughter, but Akako? He just smirked, clearly enjoying Ash's discomfort.

[Akako]: What? You don't believe in fate?

Ash still looked horrified, but I could see him mentally calculating his escape routes. If this airship had an eject button, I was pretty sure he'd be the first to test it.

I, on the other hand, was losing it. I burst into laughter, clutching my stomach as I leaned against the table for support. Even through the walls, I could hear suppressed laughter from behind the door. Clearly, we had an audience.

[Grey]: Wow. Comedy at its finest.

Akako grinned like the chaotic menace he was, while Ash looked like he had just been sentenced to a lifetime of suffering.

I waved a hand, still chuckling.

[Grey]: Alright, alright—enough messing with him. Just give him the Orb so he can officially join the group.

Ash frowned, still wary.

[Ash]: And what exactly is this 'Orb' supposed to do?

[Grey]: It connects you to us. Think of it like an identification key. It'll allow you to access our network, and our resources, and——more importantly, it will stop Akako from declaring his undying love for you.

Ash snatched the Orb out of Akako's hand so fast it might've broken the sound barrier, as a notification flickered in front of him.

[New Member: (Tyrant Defender) has joined the group.]

A strange mix of emotions flickered across his face as we explained everything—the history, the purpose of the group, and what this all meant for him.

At first, he was stunned. Then came the inevitable denial. But as we continued, the reality settled in, and he started laughing—a full, almost hysterical laugh.

And then, to everyone's surprise, he cried.

It wasn't loud or dramatic, just silent tears running down his face as he processed everything.

Finally, he wiped his eyes and looked at us, his voice steady but filled with something deeper—relief.

[Ash]: Thank you… I don't know what else to say, but… thank you.

Akako gave him a playful punch on the shoulder, while I just smiled.

[Grey]: Welcome to the madness, Tyrant Defender. Buckle up, because it only gets crazier from here.

[Later]

I sighed, rubbing my temples. It had been barely an hour since Ash officially joined, and he was already trying to recruit people.

[Grey]: First of all, Goosein is a literal goose. He just… doesn't act like one sometimes. Second, why do you need a discount from the Alchemist girl?

Ash crossed his arms, looking far too serious about this.

[Ash]: Because her potions are expensive as hell, and I need a lot of them. Preferably without selling a kidney.

[Grey]: …Fair point.

I glanced over at Goosein, who was currently cleaning his sniper rifle with alarming precision. The guy had a habit of talking like an old war veteran despite looking way too young for that. Then there was the so-called "Bone Guy," which could only mean one person.

[Grey]: Wait. Do you mean you want to hire Arakan?

[Ash]: Yeah, him. The Samurai. He seems useful.

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

[Grey]: Ash. Buddy. You can't just 'hire' Arakan like he's some freelance mercenary. That guy does whatever he wants.

Ash frowned, looking mildly disappointed but not deterred.

[Ash]: Alright, what if I challenge him to a duel? The winner gets to make a request.

I stared at him.

[Grey]: You really don't value your life, do you?

Ash shrugged, clearly not getting the point.

[Ash]: Yeah, but everyone has a price. I just need to figure out what he is.

I sighed, resisting the urge to slam my head against the nearest wall.

[Grey]: Listen, Arakan isn't some gold-hungry swordsman looking for his next payday. The guy follows his own code. Even if you dumped a mountain of gold at his feet, he'd probably just stare at you and walk away.

Goosein snorted, not looking up from his rifle.

[Goosein]: Yeah, good luck bribing a guy who once turned down a kingdom just because he didn't like the 'vibes' of the ruler.

Ash blinked.

[Ash]: Wait, he did that?

[Goosein]: Yep. The king offered him land, a title, and a personal harem. Arakan just sipped his tea and told him, 'Your aura is unpleasant.' Then walked off.

Ash whistled, clearly impressed.

[Ash]: Alright, I respect that. But now I really wanna see if I can change his mind.

I groaned.

[Grey]: You're going to get yourself cut in half, and I'm not cleaning up the mess.

[One hour later]

[Grey]: Finally the capital.

The airship descended through the thick clouds, revealing the sprawling capital beneath us. Massive walls surrounded the city, and countless banners flew in the wind, each representing a different noble house or guild. The streets below were alive with movement—merchants hawking their wares, knights patrolling, and civilians going about their business.

[Akako]: So, do we get the royal welcome, or are we sneaking in?

[Grey]: We were literally invited, Akako. Sneaking in would defeat the purpose.

[Goosein]: You say that like it wouldn't be more fun.

I shot him a look. Before he could say anything else, a deafening horn blast echoed through the air, signaling our arrival. The royal landing platform came into view, and waiting for us was a group of heavily armored knights, robed officials, and—of course—a noble-looking figure that practically screamed 'politician.'

[Ash]: Yeah, this is definitely going to be a long day.

[Grey]: Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Chapter end]