Mia sat quietly in her seat, her eyes locked curiously on something—or rather, someone—lying motionless on the cold, polished floor between their seats. After witnessing the chaotic launch that had sent Kaiser and Aria tumbling through the corridor earlier, no one dared leave their seats, each gripping their armrests tightly, half-expecting another violent surge of motion at any moment. The tension stretched in the silence, each breath measured, each glance wary, until Regulus's voice came crackling cheerfully through the comms, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

  "You know," he said with a faintly amused sigh, "I'm not quite foolish enough to take off at full speed when there’s an unconscious woman sprawled on the floor, contrary to what you may think."

  Aria raised an eyebrow sharply, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms over her chest with a dry smirk. "Well, color me surprised. I didn’t realize our honorable captain Regulus had a fondness for bringing unconscious women aboard his private chambers."

  Regulus coughed abruptly, audibly flustered through the comms. "It wasn't like that! She was lying face-down in the middle of the desert—what else was I supposed to do, just leave her there?"

  "Oh, I’m sure," Aria said sarcastically, rolling her eyes dramatically, "Some men just conveniently have all the excuses lined up when they bring a helpless damsel into their homes.”

  Ivan, however, was oblivious to the implications of their banter, staring intently at the woman with sparkling eyes. "She’s so pretty!" he blurted out with genuine awe, practically leaning from his seat as if he hoped to get a closer look at the mysterious figure lying before them.

  Aria shot Ivan the driest, most judgmental stare possible, shaking her head slightly in utter disbelief. "See? All men are creeps deep down. Even the innocent ones have it lurking somewhere inside them."

  Mia remained quiet amidst the banter, unfazed and methodical as she leaned slightly forward in her seat, using the tip of her foot to carefully poke the woman’s shoulder, testing for any sign of consciousness. Yet the woman didn't so much as twitch, remaining motionless as a statue upon the glowing metal floor.

  Noticing Mia’s cautious inspection, Aria briefly glanced at the woman, then involuntarily allowed her eyes to drift downward, staring at the woman’s ample chest, then comparing it irritably to her own. She let out an annoyed grumble, slumping back into her seat with an audible sigh, "Honestly, Regulus, you could've just left her out in the sand, couldn’t you?"

  Throughout the entire exchange, Kaiser had been silent as stone, his gaze piercingly locked onto the figure lying perfectly still on the floor. His expression was unreadable, intense, and quietly observant, a sharp contrast to the casual amusement around him. After another moment passed, he finally cleared his throat softly, speaking up in a voice as cool and measured as ever, "Regulus, any particular reason you didn't mention to anyone that this woman isn't unconscious at all, and is actually very much awake and listening?"

  Instantly, the room erupted into a frenzy of startled gasps and exclamations as Aria nearly jumped from her seat, Ivan jerked backwards in embarrassment, and Mia swiftly withdrew her foot as though burned. Over the comms, Regulus himself sounded genuinely astonished as he asked incredulously, "Wait, what? How did you even notice?"

  Aria’s voice rose in mild panic and embarrassment, her eyes wide with horror as she squeaked out, "She heard everything we've been saying this whole time?!"

  Kaiser’s lips twisted into a faint, knowing smirk, his gaze unwavering as the previously motionless woman suddenly sprang upright with astonishing energy, revealing flowing emerald hair, vivid green eyes, and a broad, mischievous grin; her muscular, athletic figure was wrapped in a sleek, skin-tight black uniform as she threw her hands into the air and exclaimed in a gleeful, singsong voice, “Surprise! Elsie has arrived!”

  Aria was the first to find her voice again, staring blankly at Elsie with a mixture of shock, disbelief, and grudging amusement etched onto her face. "Okay, I've seen some weird people before," she began slowly, rubbing her temples in disbelief, "But she is definitely going near the top of the list."

  Ivan, his mouth still hanging partially open in awe, simply nodded vigorously in agreement, seemingly still lost in admiration rather than processing the absurdity of the situation. Mia, however, simply leaned back into her seat, folding her arms thoughtfully and quietly observing this strange new arrival with cautious curiosity, her expression unreadable yet clearly intrigued by Elsie's peculiar behavior.

  Completely unfazed by their reactions, Elsie’s bright green eyes sparkled with excitement as she clapped her hands together. “You’re probably wondering,” she said with theatrical flair, “What series of divine circumstances led to all of you being so incredibly lucky as to meet Elsie!”

  She continued, not letting anyone else speak. "Well, you see, Elsie was walking through the desert because last night, Elsie knew Selvira was planning to run away to the capital again," she began, her words tumbling forth in a cheerful cascade, "And Elsie also knew that finding that witch would become much, much harder once she got into such a crowded city! So Elsie tracked her while she was still in Orlogolog and, oh, by the way—" she paused dramatically, pointing an accusing finger directly at Kaiser, eyes wide with exaggerated fright, "You turned into a freaking tornado of fire, you know? You were as scary as a dragon with rabies!"

  Ivan and Mia exchanged bewildered glances, their gazes flicking simultaneously back toward Kaiser, who merely sat there, expression neutral but eyes narrowing slightly at Elsie's theatrics. "Elsie," he sighed calmly, "Could we perhaps skip the vivid analogies and just explain what happened to you?"

  Elsie's playful grin faltered slightly, replaced instantly by a dramatically solemn expression, though her tone remained delightfully vibrant. "Well, Elsie ruined her escape plans and chased her out of the city, right into the endless sands, but that witch—that absolute villain—ambushed poor Elsie in the middle of the desert! She paralyzed Elsie with one of her cowardly traps," she explained dramatically, clutching her chest as though wounded, "And then she stole from Elsie! Again!" With a flourish, she swept back her long, emerald-green hair, revealing sharply pointed ears that immediately drew Kaiser's intense, analytical stare.

  He silently noted their sharpness, and considering her already razor-like teeth, quickly concluded to himself that Elsie was undoubtedly one of the Grounded, or perhaps a Silvarin? His eyes briefly focused on the ornate green earring that dangled elegantly from her left ear, starkly contrasting her right, which was conspicuously bare.

  Seemingly not noticing Kaiser's careful observations, Elsie continued in her lively, melodramatic tone, her voice suddenly wavering with emotion as genuine tears gathered at the edges of her bright eyes. "She took Elsie's earring! First it was my necklace, now this! That wicked thief, that villainous villain—how could she do that to Elsie?!" Her shoulders shook gently, and she sniffled softly, looking pitifully wounded, a sharp contrast to her previously cheerful demeanor.

  Ivan, whose sympathy instantly overcame his sense of self-preservation, moved instinctively, half-rising from his seat as though to offer comfort to the weeping young woman. However, the moment he began to stand, both Mia and Aria simultaneously shot him a murderous glare, pinning him to his seat with a promise of imminent death if he dared to move another inch forward. Ivan gulped visibly, slowly sinking back down, his face a mask of wounded indignation mixed with embarrassment.

  Surprisingly, it was Mia who rose carefully and quietly from her seat, casting a wary glance towards the ceiling, clearly still worried Regulus might once again launch them forward without warning. Seeing no immediate threat, she cautiously approached Elsie, gently kneeling beside her and softly embracing her in an unexpectedly compassionate gesture. Ivan looked momentarily jealous, sulking quietly in his seat, but his expression quickly shifted into wide-eyed shock and awe when Elsie, eyes still glistening with tears, suddenly clenched her fists tightly and declared passionately, "Elsie hates Selvira! Next time we meet, Elsie promises to steal both of her lungs!"

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  A long, tense silence hung in the air, everyone frozen in the aftermath of Elsie’s disturbingly cheerful threat. It was Kaiser who finally broke the quiet, raising his voice deliberately and sharply as he addressed the seemingly omnipresent Regulus. "Regulus," he called out, his voice resonating through the chamber with a commanding edge, "Would you kindly get Varisis moving again, before we all lose what's left of our sanity?"

  Mia, who was already visibly disturbed by Elsie's vivid threat, immediately jolted back into her seat, her composure momentarily broken as she glanced nervously upward, half-expecting the machine to surge forward without warning. Elsie blinked in confusion, tilting her head slightly as she watched Kaiser with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. Kaiser, meanwhile, calmly patted the empty seat beside him, his eyes locked steadily onto Elsie's, a gesture that was both reassuring and authoritative.

  Elsie rose to her feet cautiously, seemingly considering Kaiser's invitation, but after a brief pause she hurriedly crossed to the opposite side of the compartment, selecting the seat furthest away from Kaiser and dropping down next to Mia. Kaiser raised one eyebrow slowly, regarding her with an amused, questioning expression. "And what exactly was that about?" he inquired dryly, his voice dripping with feigned indignation.

  Elsie responded immediately, folding her arms defensively while she glared across the room at Kaiser, her eyes filled with genuine wariness despite her playful tone. "Kaiser is an absolute psycho," she announced matter-of-factly, tilting her chin upward slightly in defiance, "And Elsie distinctly remembers Kaiser trying very hard to kill her the last time we met. Meanwhile, Mia is a very sweet, kind-hearted girl who hugged Elsie during a moment of emotional vulnerability. Elsie is grateful, and Elsie trusts Mia."

  At this, Kaiser erupted into sudden, genuine laughter, the unexpected sound bouncing off the smooth metal walls. "If I'm really such a dangerous psychopath," he began calmly, his voice lightly mocking, "Shouldn't you be panicking right now, considering you're surrounded by strangers in an unknown place, far away from any safety you might know?"

  Elsie lifted her chin defiantly again, though Kaiser caught a faint tremble in her slender fingers, betraying the bravado she carefully maintained. "Elsie is never scared, thank you very much," she replied with an exaggerated sniff, her eyes flicking briefly toward her shaking hand before quickly concealing it beneath her crossed arms. "But Elsie is fully aware that she’s at the mercy of everyone here, so all Elsie can do right now is pray you’re all kind-hearted heroes, not vile, stinking villains."

  Ivan immediately puffed out his chest, his voice filled with an almost laughable sincerity as he declared proudly, "Well, I'm definitely a hero! There's absolutely nothing for you to wor—"

  Elsie abruptly cut him off, seemingly ignoring his heroic declaration entirely, as she continued thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her chin. "You see, Elsie is confident in her own strength, of course, but even Elsie can sense that the pilot—the one who found Elsie in the desert—as well as Kaiser, the psychotic villain, both have a loooooot more Sol than Elsie. Even the pink-haired girl next to Kaiser has about the same Sol as Elsie, which is honestly impressive. So," she concluded cheerfully, clapping her hands together softly, "Elsie thinks making friends with everyone here is definitely her best option."

  She offered a wide, hopeful smile, eyes sparkling as she leaned forward eagerly. "Elsie already introduced herself, but Elsie would love—absolutely love—to know all your names too!"

  Ivan, clearly eager to regain some dignity after being so rudely interrupted, leaped at the chance to speak first, leaning forward and puffing out his chest once more as he introduced himself enthusiastically, his voice brimming with energy. "I'm Ivan, and as I said before, I’m definitely the hero type. You don’t need to worry about a thing as long as I'm around, Elsie!"

  Aria rolled her artificial eyes dramatically, leaning against Kaiser as she sighed loudly. "Aria," she said simply, offering a casual, dismissive wave of her hand. "And for the record, I’m the sensible one here—so don’t take anything these idiots say too seriously, especially Ivan."

  Mia gave Elsie a gentle, calming smile, softening the harshness of Aria's words as she introduced herself in a quiet, steady voice. "I'm Mia," she said gently, "and despite everything you’ve heard, everyone here means well."

  Finally, Kaiser's calm, commanding voice broke through again, his eyes meeting Elsie's with an amused, almost challenging expression. "As you've already loudly announced, I’m Kaiser," he stated evenly, folding his arms as he leaned back comfortably in his seat, one eyebrow arched slightly. "But let’s set one thing straight—I'm only a villain on my worst days, and even then, it’s mostly directed at certain annoyances," he said, glancing pointedly at Ivan, who shrank back slightly with an offended expression.

  Elsie, seemingly delighted by everyone's introductions, clapped her hands together cheerfully again, visibly relaxing now that formalities were exchanged. "Elsie is very pleased to meet you all," she said brightly, her mood instantly shifting back to pure excitement and friendliness, though her earlier trepidation lingered faintly in her eyes.

  A burst of static crackled through the comms system, followed swiftly by the unmistakable sound of Regulus clearing his throat, his voice filled with a playful indignation as he interjected, "I believe, Elsie, you might’ve forgotten someone quite important, you know—the heroic and handsome pilot currently guiding this magnificent Jericho."

  Elsie visibly startled at the booming sound of his voice, yelping softly and pressing her hands over her sensitive, pointed ears, as she protested, "You’re way too loud! Elsie’s ears are delicate!" Even Kaiser, despite his usual stoicism, couldn’t help but slightly flinch at the unexpected volume, though he chose to keep any commentary to himself, merely watching with amused curiosity.

  Realizing his mistake immediately, Regulus coughed awkwardly, and the sound of fabric shuffling indicated he was hastily adjusting the microphone further away from himself. "Ah, terribly sorry about that," he apologized sheepishly, his tone dropping to a far gentler, more reasonable volume. "I tend to forget these things can amplify my natural charisma to dangerous levels. Anyway, Elsie, it’s a genuine pleasure meeting you—now at a more civilized note, of course."

  Elsie, still slightly wary, nevertheless offered a cautious smile toward the ceiling, uncertain exactly where Regulus could be sitting within this strange metal beast. "Elsie is very pleased to meet you as well, loud but charismatic pilot," she replied politely, eyes sparkling playfully, the earlier shock fading into amusement.

  With his confidence quickly restored, Regulus continued in his carefully adjusted tone, speaking warmly as he addressed their unexpected guest. "Since we have a long journey ahead, maybe you could tell us your destination, Elsie? If it’s somewhere along our route, we might as well drop you off. Consider it an apology for nearly deafening you earlier."

  Elsie tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment, her green eyes sparkling with determination as she replied decisively, "Elsie is heading straight for the Southern Liberatorium." Her voice grew firmer with each word, and even Kaiser found himself mildly intrigued by the fierce resolve suddenly emanating from the previously flustered young woman.

  A curious silence filled the room momentarily before Regulus gently prompted, "The Southern Liberatorium? Mind if I ask why exactly you’re heading there, of all places?" But before Elsie could even answer, Kaiser calmly interjected, already piecing the clues together, his voice heavy with mild amusement, "She’s obviously still chasing that woman who robbed her blind."

  Elsie immediately nodded vigorously, a flare of anger visible in her narrowed eyes as she clenched her small fists tightly. "Exactly! Wherever that villain Selvira runs, Elsie will follow—no distance too far, no place too dangerous! Elsie will not stop until she gets her precious necklace back!"

  Regulus chuckled softly, clearly amused and possibly impressed by her sheer tenacity. "Well, since we don’t exactly have a lot of time to waste, and considering everyone is safely seated now, I think it’s about time we got moving again."

  Before anyone could offer another word of protest or commentary, a low hum rapidly built within the mechanical body of Varisis, the sound resonating with a deep intensity that vibrated through their very bones. In the next instant, the beast surged violently forward, accelerating from a standstill to incredible speeds in a heartbeat, causing Elsie to let out an involuntary yelp of surprise. Yet somehow, against all logic and expectation, she remained firmly planted in her seat, eyes wide with confusion and bewilderment.

  "What—How the hell is the seat keeping Elsie in place?!" she asked in a tone halfway between awe and genuine panic, gripping the armrests tightly as if fearing she might fly out at any moment.

  Regulus’ laughter thundered through the comms once more, the sound still much louder than he clearly intended, even after adjusting the microphone distance. "Oh, that’s just a little trick of mine," he declared cheerfully, voice brimming with pride. "The seats have stabilizing enchantments, my dear Elsie, altered by gravitational Sol! Now, welcome aboard the best, safest and probably the only Jericho ride you'll ever experience!"

  Every victory counts! Whenever any of these milestones is reached, I’ll drop a Bonus Chapter as a reward! Hit them all, and you get even more!

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