Chapter Text
If you were to ask Froggy who Grox was to him, he might take quite a while to answer.
Grox... was someone difficult to describe in just a few words. To Froggy, he was nothing more than a cruel tyrant—a terrifying figure who controlled the villagers at a whim, looking down on others as if anyone other than himself was merely an insect to be crushed underfoot.
Yet, Froggy had to admit there was something that kept him wondering.
Was Grox truly just the person he had always seen? Beneath that cruel demeanor and unpredictable personality, was there another side that he had never truly understood?
Froggy wanted to know the answer. He wanted to understand this figure who had always been so hard to fathom, even though he himself had never been willing to acknowledge his true feelings toward Grox.
Those feelings were too complex to explain—even to himself. So, Froggy chose to let the matter remain an unanswered question.
But who could have guessed that his curiosity would lead him into a situation he had never once imagined?
"You're so cute, little frog!"
The cheerful voice rang out so close by that Froggy could hardly believe the speaker was Grox—the very person he had always thought of as a ruthless tyrant.
The tyrant seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the presence of the small frog held in his grasp. With an expression of pure delight, he rubbed his cheek against the tiny creature's body, as if he had just discovered the most adorable thing in the entire world.
Meanwhile, Froggy could only freeze in place.
If he had still been in his human form, he might have unleashed a barrage of protests at Grox. Unfortunately, reality dictated otherwise. His small body left him with few options, while the only sound escaping his mouth was the croak of a frog—utterly incapable of conveying his grievances.
What on earth is going on?
Froggy stared at Grox in disbelief.
Since when had the guy become like this?
He had known Grox long enough to realize just how terrifying the man could be, even if he would never admit it aloud. Grox was someone who wouldn't hesitate to use violence—someone whose mere presence could turn the atmosphere tense and foreboding. The very idea of the tyrant acting gently toward anyone was bizarre enough, let alone witnessing it firsthand.
Yet, here was Grox, cradling a frog with a wide smile, as if nothing else in the world mattered more than the tiny creature in his hands.
And the most pathetic part of it all? That frog was him.
Froggy never imagined he would see this side of Grox—especially without the tyrant realizing that the frog he was treating with such affection was actually Froggy himself.
But before we delve deeper into this bizarre situation, perhaps we should first understand how Froggy ended up as a frog in the first place.
It all began when Froggy asked Nerd for help brewing a potion to boost his strength.
At first, the request seemed simple enough. Froggy just wanted a potion to make him stronger, and Nerd, with all his expertise, was willing to help.
Unfortunately, things didn't go quite as planned.
Whether due to a mistake during the brewing process or an error in selecting the ingredients, Nerd accidentally gave Froggy the wrong potion. Instead of enhancing his strength, the concoction produced a completely unintended effect.
In an instant, Froggy was enveloped in smoke; when it cleared, he found himself transformed into a frog. A completely unexpected mistake.
Naturally, Froggy was far from pleased with the situation. He wanted to return to his original form immediately, but for the time being, Nerd still had to figure out how to reverse the effects of the potion he had been accidentally given.
While waiting for the antidote to be found, Froggy had to face the reality that the world he knew now appeared far larger than before.
Unfortunately, he also had to contend with another problem—one just as troublesome.
GROX.
Somehow, amidst this predicament, Froggy had ended up in the tyrant's grasp.
Back in the present moment, Grox showed no signs of letting him go. Instead, he lifted Froggy a little higher, studying his tiny face with a look of intense curiosity.
"Look at you," he murmured with a smile. "So tiny. How can a creature as adorable as you even exist?"
Froggy just stared back unblinkingly.
For the love of everything in this world, please stop saying weird things like that.
"You know what?" Grox continued, completely oblivious to the discomfort the frog in his hands was feeling. "I think I’ll keep you as a pet."
Froggy’s eyes went wide.
*Croak?!*
Grox raised an eyebrow, then chuckled at the sound.
"Oh? You agree?"
Of course not! Never!
"*Croak! Croak!*"
"Hahaha! You even sound excited!"
Froggy was fast losing his patience.
If there was one thing he wanted to do right now, it was to turn back into a human and make sure Nerd never forgot the mistake he’d made. But to carry out that plan, he first had to get out of this terrible situation.
Unfortunately, Grox seemed to have other plans.
"In that case, from now on, I’ll call you my katak."
Froggy fell silent.
...I really just want to disappear.
Yet, amidst all the annoyance filling his mind, Froggy found himself unconsciously studying Grox’s face again.
Something felt different.
For the first time, he saw Grox without the mocking look that usually accompanied his every word. There was no sense of intimidation. All he saw was someone simply enjoying a quiet moment with a tiny frog.
The sight held Froggy’s attention longer than he intended.
So, you have a side like this, too?
The question popped into his mind unbidden.
For a moment, Froggy found himself thinking back on everything that had ever made him curious about Grox. Perhaps there was indeed a part of the tyrant that neither he himself nor anyone else truly knew. Perhaps, beneath the persona known for such cruelty, there lay another side that surfaced only under specific circumstances.
Yet, Froggy lacked sufficient grounds to draw any firm conclusions.
He was merely a frog at the moment, and Grox was cradling him as if he were the most precious creature the tyrant had ever discovered.
That alone was enough to throw his mind into turmoil.
"Hey, katak."
Froggy started as he heard Grox’s voice calling out to him again.
"I want to show you something."
Before Froggy could even contemplate the worst-case scenario, Grox carried him over to a seat within the palace and carefully placed him upon his open palm.
For a few moments, Grox simply gazed at him with a faint smile.
"You know," he said then, his tone a shade calmer, "it has been a very long time since I found something that made me feel this at peace."
Froggy remained motionless.
He did not know how to respond to such words. Indeed, even had he been in his human form, he might still have struggled to find the right answer.
Grox then stroked his tiny head with the tip of a finger.
"So, don't go anywhere, alright?"
The words Grox spoke were too gentle, too sincere—too strange, coming from the lips of a man who tormented his subjects daily.
Froggy stared intently at him.
A whirlwind of thoughts collided in his mind. He still wanted to return to his original form. He still wanted to kill Grox. And, of course, he still wanted to ensure that Nerd would be held accountable for all of this.
Yet, there was one thing he could not deny. This encounter with this particular side of Grox raised a new question in his mind.
Perhaps understanding someone isn't as simple as observing how they treat the world around them. Sometimes, there are facets revealed only when a person feels at ease—when there is no pressure to play the tyrant, or when they are unaware of being watched.
And Froggy, who had long tried to understand Grox from afar, now found himself witnessing that side firsthand. A side Grox would likely never show anyone else—perhaps not even himself.
Though, in all honesty, he would have preferred this opportunity to arise only after he had turned back into a human.
Froggy took a shallow breath, trying to steady himself.
*Make sure you find the antidote as soon as possible, nerd.*
Because if Grox truly intended to keep him as a pet, Froggy began to worry that his new life as a frog would be far more troublesome than he had ever imagined.
And seeing the look of satisfaction on the tyrant's face, he had a sinking feeling that this was only the beginning.