Absolute silence stretched between Mia and Ivan, an awkward, heavy quiet that seemed to thicken with each passing second, pulling them into a world entirely their own. Mia stared at her brother with eyes wide in pure confusion, blinking slowly, as if trying desperately to process what she had just witnessed. Meanwhile, Ivan stood utterly frozen, unable to move, his face rapidly turning into the brightest, most furious shade of red anyone in the room had ever seen.

  Nearby, Kaiser and Aria were lost to the world, their laughter filling every inch of the metal room, echoing against the glowing walls, doubling and tripling until it seemed to surround the siblings from every direction. Aria clutched at Kaiser’s shirt as she struggled for breath, tears streaming down her face, while Kaiser, despite his attempts to remain composed, soon dissolved into laughter just as uncontrollable, leaning heavily into his seat as if he might topple over at any moment.

  Yet through all the commotion, Mia and Ivan remained silent, eyes locked together in a strange, wordless conversation. The uncomfortable quiet continued for far longer than it reasonably should have, as if both siblings were trapped, waiting for the other to break the spell. Ivan’s embarrassment reached a boiling point, his entire body tensed, visibly praying for the floor beneath him to mercifully swallow him whole.

  Finally, Mia’s lips twitched into a faint, sympathetic smile, and she began to speak, her voice soft and careful, "Ivan, it's...it's okay, I understa—"

  But her words were abruptly cut off as Regulus’s booming voice sliced through the room, echoing cheerfully from some unseen speaker and commanding their immediate attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," he began, his tone dramatically grand, as though addressing an audience at a royal performance. "Welcome aboard the finest, most glorious Jericho of the Northern Liberatorium, the legendary Varisis! It is my distinct honor and infinite pleasure to serve as your captain for today’s journey."

  His voice dipped briefly, adopting a note of playful seriousness as he continued, "Now, I kindly request everyone to take their individual seats and strap in securely. Hold onto your dignity, people—we’re about to take off."

  Aria instantly stopped laughing, her joyful expression flipping into a pout of defiance as she crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest, pressing herself further into Kaiser’s lap as though challenging Regulus directly. She raised her voice, shouting up at the unseen source of Regulus's announcement, "Screw off, you tin-headed bastard! I'm perfectly fine right here, thank you very much!"

  On the other hand, Ivan seemed relieved to finally have a reason to move, practically sprinting towards the nearest available seat and sinking down into it, still pointedly avoiding his sister's gaze. Mia followed him gracefully, choosing the seat beside his own, her eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and lingering curiosity.

  She leaned towards Ivan, gently elbowing him as she whispered quietly, "You know, Ivan, if you'd told me earlier about your fascination with metallic dragons, I would've prepared myself better for whatever… That was."

  Ivan groaned, his head sinking into his hands, voice muffled as he muttered in embarrassment, "Please, Mia, just stop. I beg of you."

  Mia laughed lightly, her voice softer now, filled with genuine warmth, "Don't worry. Your secret’s mostly safe."

  Ivan sank even further into his seat, muttering bitterly under his breath as the Jericho around them began to hum with renewed energy, preparing itself for the impending takeoff.

  Almost immediately after, a series of deep, rumbling sounds resonated from within the walls, as if the entire mechanical dragon had awakened from a restless slumber, shifting and flexing its unseen muscles. The strange humming intensified, vibrating through every surface, echoing around them like a metallic heartbeat, each pulse stronger and more insistent than the last.

  Regulus’s voice cut through again, smug and amused, the metallic echo making his words seem even more dramatic, "Aria, don’t say I didn’t warn you! Hold on to something sturdy—or better yet, actually sit in a chair next time I tell you to!"

  The dragon lurched forward abruptly, surging across the sands with a force so sudden and violent that the entire chamber tilted sharply backward. For a fleeting second, through the round window beside him, Kaiser saw Milo standing alone in the desert, watching their departure, his hand raised in farewell, a faint smile tinged with unmistakable sadness lingering on his face. Kaiser tried to focus, to catch Milo’s expression clearly, but that thought vanished in an instant as a piercing scream erupted right beside him.

  Aria, who had stubbornly refused to leave Kaiser’s lap, was catapulted violently out of his seat, her arms flailing frantically as her eyes widened in absolute panic. "KAISER! HELP!" she shrieked, grabbing instinctively at the closest thing within reach, which unfortunately happened to be a fistful of Kaiser's thick black hair. With a painful yank, Kaiser’s head snapped to the side, his eyes widening in shock as he felt himself dragged helplessly along by Aria’s desperate grip.

  "Aria!" Kaiser shouted, his voice a mix of astonishment, anger, and genuine disbelief, "Of all the things to grab onto, why my damn hair!?"

  "It was shiny and right there!" Aria squealed back, her voice shrill and defensive as the momentum flung both of them ungracefully from the chair, sending them tumbling through the narrow passageway. Kaiser’s arms flailed uselessly as they hit the smooth metallic wall, sliding down the polished surface in a tangle of limbs and bruised dignity, finally landing in a chaotic heap against the rear of the cabin.

  For a second, everything was silent, apart from the low, rhythmic hum of Valerra's internal mechanisms. Then, a snort escaped from Ivan’s direction, quickly escalating into a full-blown, uncontrollable laughter that echoed loudly through the small, glowing space. Ivan clutched his sides, barely able to keep himself upright in his seat as he pointed triumphantly at the disheveled duo.

  "Oh, how the mighty have fallen!" Ivan howled gleefully, eyes watering from laughter.

  From beneath a pile of tangled limbs and wounded pride, Kaiser growled, his voice muffled and dangerously calm, "Ivan, if you value your existence, I strongly suggest you reconsider saying another word."

  Aria lifted her head slightly, face flushed deep crimson, her voice meek and sheepish as she glanced at Kaiser apologetically, "If it makes you feel any better, your hair feels really nice."

  Ivan nearly toppled out of his seat, wheezing as Mia rolled her eyes next to him, failing to hide her amused smile as she shook her head gently, "Honestly, Aria, it's as if trouble seeks you out on purpose."

  "Trouble?" Aria sputtered indignantly, finally managing to sit upright, "This isn't trouble—this is sabotage! Regulus planned this all along! He knew I'd refuse to move and deliberately launched this oversized lizard to embarrass me!"

  As if summoned by her accusations, Regulus’s smug voice crackled through the chamber once again, filled with barely contained laughter, "No sabotage needed, Aria. Trust me, watching you embarrass yourself is entertainment enough."

  Aria's cheeks puffed in anger, and she raised her voice to a dramatic shout toward the unseen source, "This isn’t over, metal-head! You owe me candy, an apology, and a personal hairstylist for Kaiser!"

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  Then as suddenly the Jericho had surged forward, the great beast smoothly slowed to a halt, its internal hum fading into a gentle whisper, as if Valerra herself was holding her breath in amusement. Kaiser and Aria, now somewhat humbled, managed to pick themselves off the floor, exchanging quiet, begrudging looks of embarrassment before shuffling awkwardly into seats next to each other.

  Aria cleared her throat theatrically, glancing sideways at Kaiser with mock dignity as she crossed her arms, pretending the previous incident had never occurred. Kaiser merely shook his head with a resigned smirk, running his fingers through his abused hair, checking for bald patches, and muttering quietly to himself, "And here I thought war was dangerous."

  A soft vibration stirred beneath them once more, gentler this time, easing them forward with surprising smoothness as Valerra resumed her journey. Opposite them, Mia was smiling—a broad, genuine smile that lit her face in a way Kaiser had rarely seen, her eyes sparkling with quiet delight, her ears perked attentively as though she was soaking in every second of the experience.

  Kaiser cocked his head slightly, studying her with raised eyebrows and playful curiosity, "Well, well. You know, Mia, just a little while ago your aura was so gloomy it practically had rain clouds hovering around you. Yet now you're beaming brighter than a royal ball in midsummer. I must ask—what's made you so suddenly happy?"

  Before Mia could answer, Ivan leaned forward abruptly, glaring accusingly at Kaiser, his cheeks still slightly flushed, eyes narrowed indignantly, "She's smiling because you're clearly a torturous psychopath who calmly eats candy while delighting in our suffering! I've never met someone who takes this much joy from other people's humiliation!"

  Kaiser, entirely unfazed by Ivan's dramatic accusation, casually lifted a hand, effectively filtering out the boy's frantic ranting as though adjusting the volume on an annoying radio. "Ivan," he drawled calmly, a dangerous glint returning to his eyes, "The day your hands fully recover their strength, I promise you I'll make you suffer something at least three times worse than mere paper training, so kindly pipe down before I get inspired."

  Ivan instantly fell silent, leaning back into his chair with wide eyes, visibly swallowing any further insults he might have conjured up. From somewhere overhead, Regulus's laughter suddenly crackled loudly through the comms system before abruptly cutting short. "Ah, shit," his voice muttered hastily, clearly embarrassed, "I could've sworn I muted myself."

  Kaiser tilted his head upward, an amused threat already forming on his lips, but before he could fire it, Mia gently interrupted—her voice soft, but bright with wonder.

  "Actually, Kaiser... the reason I’m smiling is that I’ve never been outside Arkhold before. Not even once."

  The laughter died down. Even Ivan forgot whatever insult he was brewing. Kaiser’s gaze turned to her, not with surprise, but with something quieter. Focused.

  Encouraged by the silence, Mia continued, her voice gaining strength. "Back before they moved to Arkhold, our parents were wealthy merchants. They traveled everywhere: mountains, cities, monuments, places we only heard about in their stories. Ivan and I used to hide behind the curtains and listen while they spoke with their friends about the world beyond. And we… we dreamed."

  For a moment, Kaiser didn’t speak. He looked at her—really looked—then followed her gaze to the glowing walls around them. His expression shifted. Not mockery. Not sarcasm. Something else.

  "…In that case, I suppose this isn’t a bad first ride." His tone carried its usual bite, but there was a flicker of something gentler behind it—acknowledgment, maybe even approval. He glanced around at the glowing walls, at the quiet hum beneath their feet.

  "Most people that I knew of left their hometowns on foot, maybe a cart if they got lucky. But you? You get chauffeured across the desert in a giant steel dragon."

  He tilted his head toward the window. "Though I’ve got to ask… you people do have teleportation, don’t you?" Kaiser asked. "So why are we running through a desert in a glorified oven with claws?”

  A short silence followed his question, during which Kaiser felt his confusion deepen as Ivan and Mia exchanged an amused look. Aria, however, was busy nodding dramatically in agreement, whispering conspiratorially, "Exactly! Teleportation sounds way more efficient—and way less troublesome."

  Mia finally spoke again, her tone patient yet quietly amused, "Teleportation exists, yes, but it's mostly used for short journeys. The longer the distance, the more incredibly expensive it becomes. Plus," she added, a wistful smile spreading across her lips once again, "There's a beauty and adventure in traveling this way. On the roads and between cities, there are sights you'd never glimpse if you simply blinked from one place to the next. Many people consider the journey itself more valuable than the destination."

  Aria rolled her eyes dramatically, nudging Kaiser playfully with an elbow, "Hear that, Kaiser? Beauty, adventure, and watching Ivan hopelessly court animals. Who would dare miss out on all that?"

  Kaiser chuckled lightly, eyes dancing with humor, "Indeed, it would seem this form of travel holds unforeseen benefits. Perhaps it's not entirely worthless after all."

  Ivan, still sullenly slumped in his chair, muttered darkly to himself, "I should've never left Arkhold."

  Regulus's voice crackled gently over the comms again, carrying a subtle note of intrigue and amusement, as if he had been listening to their chatter with keen interest, "You know," he started slowly, breaking into the conversation with practiced ease, "There's actually one more reason why we're traveling like this."

  Instantly, the group went quiet, their eyes instinctively rising towards the invisible source of Regulus's voice. After a short, thoughtful pause, Regulus audibly corrected himself with an exaggerated sigh, "Actually, I suppose I should say two reasons. First, it's rare that I get to stretch this beautiful creature's legs, considering I'm usually tethered by deadlines, politics, or outright restrictions. With few exceptions—and today being such a pleasant rarity—I don't often get the chance to take this Jericho out for leisurely excursions."

  A curious glint appeared in Ivan's eyes, and he leaned slightly forward, clearly eager to learn more. Yet, before Ivan or anyone else could voice their thoughts, Regulus smoothly continued, his voice carrying a hint of pride and reverence, "And though she may not be the most powerful thing in existence, make no mistake, she's still classified as a war-class machine, a weapon capable of changing the tides of smaller battles. Therefore, protocol forbids me from casually using her outside the boundaries of official quests."

  Before any of them could react or object, Regulus quickly pressed onward, urgency slipping quietly into his voice as he continued, "Secondly, there’s an errand I must run before reaching the capital—a visit to a specific place, directly linked to where you'll eventually be staying in the city."

  At this revelation, Kaiser's brow furrowed slightly, the easy-going humor that had softened his expression giving way to practical concerns that now surfaced clearly in his eyes. "Now that you mention it," he began thoughtfully, one hand idly scratching the back of his neck, "I hadn't given much thought about where exactly we’d be staying in the capital. Milo's generosity has sustained me thus far, but that coin pouch is starting to feel dangerously thin, and if we're staying for any length of time, I might need to find some proper work."

  Regulus’s laughter rolled through the comms, light and carefree, infused with a casual confidence that dispelled Kaiser’s immediate worry. "Kaiser, my dear oblivious friend," he chuckled warmly, "Rest assured, you won't need to worry yourself about money. Just trust me on this one."

  Before Kaiser could inquire what exactly Regulus meant by that cryptic reassurance, the Jericho abruptly slowed, the hum of its internal workings fading into an unsettling stillness. The room fell silent, each of them exchanging questioning looks. Kaiser narrowed his eyes suspiciously toward the ceiling, as if he could see through the polished metal to Regulus directly.

  A faint whisper from Regulus drifted through the comms, carrying a tense uncertainty that contrasted starkly with his earlier confidence, "What the hell is that?"

  An uneasy silence stretched painfully long, heavy with anticipation, as every person aboard the Jericho collectively held their breath. Eventually, Regulus spoke again, this time clearly and with a cautious resolve that echoed in the now-silent chamber, "Alright, give me a minute or two—I need to check something outside. Won’t be long."

  Aria straightened up instantly, excitement brimming in her eyes, oblivious to the tension in his tone, "Hey, captain fancy feather, hurry it up! We’ve got a capital city to visit, you know!"

  Kaiser, however, shot a sharper, more pointed question towards the comms, voice stern but subtly anxious, "Before you go teleporting off into gods know what, how about clarifying exactly what you meant when you said I wouldn’t have to worry about money?"

  But Regulus, with a flippancy that clearly marked the end of conversation, simply replied in a sing-song voice, "Sorry, can't hear you, going through a tunnel—bye bye!" A brief hum, gentle yet unmistakably the sound of teleportation magic, resonated softly from the comms, leaving the room suddenly and uncomfortably quiet once more.

  Kaiser sighed, rubbing his temples lightly, frustration creasing his forehead as he muttered, "I really hate how easy it is to teleport."

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