Next morning.
I woke up peacefully.
For the first time since I came to this world…
no screaming, no guards shouting, no chains rattling, no one threatening to throw me off a walking continent.
I stretched a little on the bed.
"This is the first peaceful morning in this world," I muttered.
I opened my eyes.
Gray was standing right in front of me.
Very close.
Too close.
His sharp eyes were locked onto me…
and there was literal saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth.
Like he was imagining how I'd taste.
I froze.
My back slowly pressed against the wall.
"O—oi," I said nervously, raising my hands.
"I'm your captain… not your fooddd."
Gray grinned.
"Captain?" he repeated lazily.
"Yeah, yeah…"
He leaned closer.
"I can't wait for my captain to make one mistake."
His hand twitched.
"Slash."
I choked.
"…Okay," I said quickly.
"Let's talk. Calmly."
I swallowed and took a breath.
"Uhmm… I wanna explore Zou," I said.
"And don't worry, I won't do anything to you or your country."
He stared.
"I just wanna see your culture," I continued.
"The city… the people… and the demons who threw an innocent boy—who is very handsome, by the way—off a giant elephant that's like FIVE KILOMETRES TALL."
Gray's eye twitched.
"And before leaving," I added carefully,
"I need you to train me. Like… for a week."
For a moment, he genuinely looked like he was about to slash my head off.
Then he turned away.
"I'll need permission from Duke Inuarashi," he said.
I nodded instantly.
"Fine. Fair. Completely understandable."
He called over a guard and sent him off.
Another guard arrived with breakfast.
Vegetables.
Again.
I stared at the plate.
Then slowly looked at Gray.
"So… what do you guys eat?" I asked.
"Like you, Gray?"
He replied casually.
"Flesh. I mean—meat."
I froze.
My throat closed.
I silently picked up the vegetables and started eating like my life depended on it.
"Smile. Just smile.
Don't look tasty.
Vegetables are my best friends now."
After some time, the guard returned and whispered something into Gray's ear.
Gray turned to me.
"The Duke has allowed you to explore Zou," he said.
Relief hit me—
"But," he continued,
"You will wear handcuffs. One on you. One on me."
He growled.
"That means I'm stuck with you."
I blinked.
"…I'm stuck with you too."
He continued coldly.
"And for training—if you try to run away, you die."
"…Okay."
"Ten elite guards will follow us at all times."
I glanced around.
"…So no privacy."
He nodded.
I sighed.
"Fine."
Then my eyes lit up.
"LESSSS GOOO."
Gray opened the cell gate.
Click.
A handcuff locked around my right wrist.
Click.
The other locked around his left.
And then—
For the first time since coming here—
I stepped outside without fear.
I looked up.
The sky.
Wide.
Clear.
Free.
"Woahhhh…" I whispered.
Tall trees surrounded us.
A massive forest stretched endlessly.
"This is good," I said,
"But where's the main town area?"
Gray smirked.
"Get ready to run," he said.
"If you don't catch up, I'll drag you."
"…What do you mean?"
He didn't answer.
He started running.
Fast.
Very fast.
My arm jerked forward violently.
"WAIT—" I shouted.
"You're FASTTT—"
"This is training," he said calmly.
"You asked for it."
He increased his speed.
"BRUHHH WAITTTTT—"
I barely managed to stay on my feet.
I looked behind.
Eight Mink guards running.
Two beside me.
Gray in front.
Me in the middle.
Being dragged.
"GRAYYY YOU'RE TOO FASTTTTT—"
Birds flew out of the trees as I screamed.
"This is not training."
"This is attempted murder."
"Why is everyone so athletic here."
---
Scene shift.
Town road.
Gray walked calmly.
Behind him—
Me.
On the ground.
Being dragged the entire way.
Leaves tangled in my hair.
Dirt all over my clothes.
"GRAYYY," I groaned.
"I told you to be slower."
"I'm your captain."
He looked down at me.
"And you asked for training," he said.
He was smiling.
Actually enjoying this.
The guards behind us stood straight like nothing happened.
I stood up slowly.
"My knees hurt…"
Then I looked down.
"…Wait."
White half shirt.
Black pants.
Not Ace's outfit.
"…BRUHH."
"GRAYYY," I said.
"Let's go shopping."
He stared at me like I'd insulted his ancestors.
"Are you a girl?" he asked.
"And do you even have money?"
I paused.
"…I don't."
Then I smiled proudly.
"But I'm your guest."
"Guests are like gods," I added.
"So show some… uhh…"
I sat down, thinking.
"What's that word.
Starts with H , uhh..
Hospital… no.
Bruhhh.", I muttered
One guard laughed.
"You mean hospitality?"
I jumped up.
"YES. THAT."
All guards laughed.
Gray glared at them.
"…Fine," he said.
"Let's go."
---
The market was lively.
Clean roads.
Well-designed houses.
"This feels like those civilizations from history books."
"Except everyone can beat me up."
I kept staring at everything, completely distracted.
Gray and ten guards followed.
At some point, I realized—
I was dragging Gray.
"This place is beautiful," I said.
"You guys are kinda advanced."
"The clothes shop is that way," Gray replied.
"Okkk."
We entered a shop.
Small outside.
Huge inside.
A Sheep Mink shopkeeper greeted us.
"Welcome, Captain Gray," he said.
"And who is this?"
Before I spoke—
"That spy?" he asked.
My smile dropped.
"I'm Ash," I said.
"Not a spy."
Gray whispered something in his ear.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Are you saying something bad about me?"
They both straightened.
"No no," the shopkeeper said nervously.
"Captain Gray was talking about… cheap clothes."
I sighed.
"Fine."
He showed me clothes.
I quickly picked a white shirt, black pants, and a black jacket with white stripes.
Done.
Gray stared.
"…Pure girl energy."
I threw a cloth at him.
"I'm straighttt."
I asked the shopkeeper where to change.
He pointed to a door.
I walked—
And tripped.
Handcuffs.
I glared at Gray.
"What? You wanna come with me or what?"
He laughed.
"Don't run."
Inside, I changed.
Paused.
"…Woah."
Biceps.
Chest.
Abs.
"I did not expect this."
"This body is actually insane."
Then I looked at my arm.
No Ace tattoo.
"…WHATTTTT—"
Gray knocked.
"You planning to escape?"
"No," I muttered.
"I just realized… this really is my life."
I came out.
The shopkeeper clapped.
"Even if you're a spy," he said,
"You look majestic."
I smiled.
"Pay for your guest."
Gray choked at the price.
He threatened the shopkeeper.
And got a discount of 70%.
We explored more.
As we walked through the market, minks kept glancing at me—some curious, some cautious, some whispering among themselves—until a small mink child waved at me shyly and said, "You don't look like a bad human."
For some reason… that simple line stayed with me longer than all the threats I'd heard since coming to this world.
Then We—
Ate.
Drank.
Watched the sunset.
And then ,Back in my cell, I jumped onto the bed.
"That was a nice day," I said.
"Don't you think, Gray?"
"No.", He growled.
"…bruhh."