Ch#87
"Stop staring already."
At Lucarion's resigned voice, Tie whipped her head away.
But her gaze soon snuck back toward the opposite seat.
There sat Lucarion in his human form, which she hadn't seen in ages.
Wearing the pea-green blouse and beige suspender skirt Tie had brought from Korea.
"I didn't know human form could do this either."
Veil beside her stuck out his tongue in amazement.
"Still, good thing we had spare kid clothes. Otherwise, you'd have been stuck naked, right? Even for a summon, that'd be a bit..."
"Veil oppa! Be nice."
Tie narrowed her eyes and scolded him.
"Kkamang-i, no, Lucarion is embarrassed! Being naked isn't wrong!"
At those words, Lucarion let out a deep sigh.
Lifting his gaze, he saw Ppuppu giggling inside Tie's pocket as if it were hilarious.
A vein throbbed on his forehead.
Looking back, the root of all this trouble was that.
Tie forcing that weird dog collar on him.
Before departure.
While Tie was busy packing.
[Ah, why won't this thing come off.]
Lucarion had been struggling to remove the dog collar Tie had put on him.
But for some reason, it wouldn't budge.
Then Ppuppu, who had been watching, spoke up.
[Give up, lizard. You can't overcome Mom's compulsion with your power.]
[What?]
[I thought only your heart had a hole, but your head does too. Didn't you hear me?]
Ppuppu propped its head on one arm and lay sideways.
Then kicked its legs while adding,
[Whether you or I, we're both sustained by Mom's mana. Between Mom and us lies an insurmountable wall of power.]
'What nonsense is that.'
Of course, he had felt something oddly preventing him from going against Tie.
But compulsion? An insurmountable wall of power?
[Mom is your master, you her familiar. Defying what Mom has done is impossible.]
Lucarion let out a hollow laugh.
[Little pest. Are you saying I can never remove this dog collar?]
[Yes. Because Mom compelled it upon you.]
He recalled what had happened moments ago.
Tie insisting he try it just once despite his refusal, and slipping it on.
But that was compulsion?
Flustered, Lucarion hesitated before speaking.
[I just pretended to give in thinking I'd remove it later. If I'd known it was compulsion...]
[How foolish. There's no 'pretending to give in' for you. You simply can't overcome Mom.]
Ppuppu sneered mockingly.
[Try until your breath runs out. See if that collar comes off.]
Only then did Lucarion grasp the gravity and fall silent.
So, to sum it up.
'If Astie does something to me, I can't undo it.'
Absurd.
But it explained all the mysteries so far.
Wanting to stop her tears somehow.
Agreeing to whatever she said.
Acting for her sake over his own, always.
[...Ha?]
As he plopped down in shock,
[But why do you want it off anyway?]
Ppuppu, now using the bag strap as a pillow, asked.
Lucarion glared fiercely.
[Would you like a collar meant for livestock?]
[Lizard. That's no livestock collar. It's an advanced magic tool that captures leaking mana.]
His brow furrowed at 'magic tool.'
[Look. Your body, wasting Mom's mana with every breath, is finally holding onto it, isn't it?]
Lucarion's eyes widened slightly.
Come to think of it.
The mana that leaked out like pouring water into a bottomless jar, no matter how much he absorbed, was now staying put.
Focusing his mind, he felt it pooling around the device on his neck.
[Looks like wise Mom designed all this. Just accept it.]
[...]
[Better than being trapped in the Bed of Repose all day, isn't it?]
At that moment, Lucarion thought maybe.
If this dog collar—no, device truly prevented mana leakage.
Then he could maintain manifestation without constant absorption—good, right?
But that was a mistake.
'This magic tool doesn't just trap mana absorbed from Tie.'
It preserved even the faint mana regenerating in his own body.
In short, unprecedentedly abundant mana was building up inside his body.
Normally, Lucarion could handle any amount in his body.
He could cast stronger spells, reinforce his body tougher.
But the problem was how long it had been.
'...I forgot it all, damn it.'
Lucarion had completely forgotten how to control mana.
He must have done it in the past, but now it wouldn't come easily.
[Too long since... I can't control the mana...]
Unable to contain the overflowing power, Lucarion unwittingly shifted to human form.
Inside the carriage, no less.
Panicking at his changed appearance, he scurried into the luggage compartment before anyone came.
And hid under a blanket, holding his breath.
[Ahahaha! Kekeke! Uhahaha—!]
Ppuppu, watching from the front pocket, laughed at him mockingly.
"Haaa..."
Recalling the situation, another heavy sigh escaped Lucarion.
Right after poking his head out from the luggage.
Spotting Lucarion 'naked,' Tie hurriedly gave him her clothes.
The sleeves were a bit short, but luckily they fit him somewhat.
The problem was they were a flowery-embroidered girl's blouse and skirt.
"I said stop staring."
"Eek, I wasn't!"
At his repeated words, Tie whipped her head to look out the window.
Lucarion leaned back against the seat, whatever.
Astie's comrades' voices came from beside her.
"Now I get why Berugon is the greatest factory chief ever."
"Exactly. I never imagined summon stabilization could reach this level."
They were discussing among themselves, eyeing the device around Lucarion's neck.
'Can't just shut their mouths...'
Calming his frayed nerves, he rubbed his throbbing temple.
Who could he blame?
He was the one who introduced himself as her summon.
"Lucarion, you okay?"
Then Tie asked slyly.
Lucarion turned with a sullen expression.
"I'm fine, don't worry."
"Hey, Enzo oppa said he'll buy you boy's clothes in the next town."
"...Yeah."
At his indifferent response, Tie's brows drooped.
Tie soon wheedled Basto to switch seats next to Lucarion.
The moment she sat, she whispered in his ear.
"What if, you know, we take off that collar? Is that why you're like this?"
Lucarion eyed her reproachfully before turning away.
"It's fine. I'll wear it for a while."
"Eh? Why?"
"Since it's happened, I need to check how far this collar can go."
Tie's lips parted slightly.
Soon her green eyes sparkled as she said excitedly,
"Lucarion, you're so smart!"
Lucarion cleared his throat lightly.
He was about to give in and look at her when—
Thud—
Suddenly, Tie limply leaned her head on Lucarion's shoulder.
Startled, Lucarion looked at her, his red eyes widening.
"...Astie."
"Kid!"
How had he not noticed?
Tie's body was burning hot like a fireball.
