The mood gets oddly funny when Nea's reaction to Lucien's teasing is an expression she's never made before; It's a mix of frustration, anger, gratitude, and even contemplation.
The Sins are already used to seeing women act like that around Lucien, but Mira and Saria are holding the emotions back, not to laugh at how the great Mermaid Queen looks like a little girl whose candy has just been stolen by a shameless villain.
[Why do you do that?!?] She can't help but wonder as she almost pouts, gazing at Lucien.
Nea feels like she's never been in such a tense moment in her life, except for when she faced the evil Water Goddess. Just like that time, the fate of not just her people but the whole Blue Star seems to be in her hands.
But now, everything is more confusing as Lucien is a chaotic element that is driving her crazy. And if the whole situation with him and Tyrion wasn't enough, now she also has to save the Water Spirit to save everyone else.
This should be the true pinnacle of her life as she could help their kind protector on behalf of all Mermaids ever, paying back thousands of years of aid, uniting the Blue Star races, and learning more about the mysteries surrounding all the creations of her homeworld.
Her life's most important mission should be done as carefully and seriously as possible, but here she is, almost pouting because a limitless devil is teasing her.
Nea feels like she should crush him in meat paste due to his selfish actions. But how could she do any harm to someone to whom she owes such a debt that not even her life could pay? Or how could she do that when everything else she needs to do seems to depend on his help?
What could she do?
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})[Nothing.] Nea quickly comes to that conclusion when trying to control Lucien feels like trying to control the wildest nature force ever.
And when she finally stops trying to understand him, she feels a certain relief grow inside her, and only then does she begin to understand that flirting and teasing the other is the way he uses to control his emotions.
[What the...] Nea is shocked again that despite looking inconsequent and childish, Lucien is actually helping everyone around him by drawing attention to himself, which improves the mood and makes them stop, even if for a moment, to think about how complicated their situation is.
The drastic changes in Nea's expressions make Lucien laugh and also help him feel in control again. He doesn't plan to continue teasing her right now, although he's very curious to know what other cute expressions the Mermaid Queen can make when she's confused.
"Alright..." He smiles friendly at her. "I was just kidding, you know."
Nea just sighs, not knowing what to say. Then she takes some regenerative potions from her storage treasure; she had already used many of those along the way, which is making their effects much less effective, a problem Lucien's life mana plus his demonic energy doesn't have.
"Give me just a minute, and I'll be fine." She comments despite knowing that those potions can no longer do much for her over-exhausted body.
Everyone can see that just as they understand her pride. Saria wants to help her mother, but her treasures and potions are inferior to Nea's, meaning they would have even less effect on her.
A fruit from the Mermaid's sacred tree could help her recover a little, but the ones Nea carries in her storage treasure are the rotten ones that she planned to use in her last act against Tyrion.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Mira is sorry for Nea and starts taking out special foods and herbs from her storage treasure; with Lucien by her side, those items that are considered rare throughout the whole Blue Star are now like trash compared to the energies he can give her with just a few kisses.
"Take it..." Mira offers the best items to Nea; some of them are rare magical creature meats that can help people restore mana and regenerate the body.
Nea doesn't even think about refusing that offer because she really needs all the help she can get now, except the help of the teasing devil and his seductive mouth.
"Thank you..." She smiles at Mira as her tone becomes even more gentle. "...my friend."
Lucien is really happy that Nea is getting along with Mira. While the Naga Queen was as a victim of Tyrion as any other, the Mermaids are the people who were abused and attacked, so it wouldn't be unreasonable for Nea to hold a grudge against Mira as well.
"Well, so, I guess…" He comments as he approaches the giant shell again. By facing such a mysterious thing and without the advice of the Sins, he is lost.
He looks at Nea again. "Talk to her?"
Nea gracefully finishes eating a piece of meat that Mira gave her before nodding to Lucien. "Yeah, perhaps your voice can reach our Lady and wake her from her sleep so that she can open the way."
Lucien doesn't believe his voice could wake the woman in the glass coffin; in fact, he didn't think anyone could do that as she seemed to be in some sort of magical deep sleep.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})But with no other choice, he looks at the shell again and tries to say something; however, talking to an animate object seems strange, and he feels awkward. "Uhmmm... my... water lady?"
"..." There is no response from the shell or the Water Spirit to Lucien's words.
The girls make thoughtful expressions, and Nea again finishes chewing gracefully before looking at Lucien with an annoyed expression. "Could you be a little respectful and frank??"
Before Lucien can respond, Saria speaks to him in a friendly and sorry tone. "My mom meant you to speak a little clearer and louder; she's just too tense, you know."
"Of course." He nods and turns to the shell again before trying to improve his tone and words. But since that still looks pretty weird, he approaches the shell and extends his hand forward. "Oh, great wat-"
Lucien didn't really expect any response even though he changed his tone, but what happens next shocks him and the rest of the group, including the Sins: the spot where he touches the shell glows, and the whole thing starts to tremble.
*RUUUMMMBLE*
"No way!!" Envy exclaims as everyone watches the mysterious shell open due to Lucien's touch.
If it already seemed strange for the supposed Water Spirit to call Lucien, let alone her shell open up to him with just one touch. But that's happening; the top of the shell rises about three meters, revealing an interior of glowing gems, which is currently covered in dark roots and strange moss.
Everyone sees the glass coffin and the mysterious beauty inside it, and the Sins don't feel any aura from her, just like it happened when they were near the Nature Spirit.
Then Envy exclaims again. "No fucking way!!"
Lucien is just as shocked and confused as everyone else, but in terms of emotions, the strongest feeling he has right now is the urge to help the woman in the glass coffin. That familiar feeling in his heart and the desire to protect her comes back even more intense now that he is close to her.
"Who are you?" He thinks aloud as he enters the shell without a second thought.
'Lucien!!' But then he stops when he hears Lust's voice in his mind. 'We'd better understand more before you… you know, rushing into the unknown recklessly.'
He clearly understands what Lust means; they're not even sure if that woman is the Water Spirit or even a Primordial; in fact, they don't know anything about her, so acting carefully is essential.
But on the other hand, until now, he has trusted his instincts, and they all say that woman would never harm him; That's not the same feeling he has toward his mother, his sisters, and his wives, but something entirely different.
While Lucien has an internal struggle of emotion against reason, he feels a presence next to him; that is Nea, who flies past him and quickly arrives in front of the glass coffin.
"Mom!!!" Saria yells at her mother, trying to bring some rationality to her mind.
However, Nea's faith is too powerful, and as soon as she sees the face of the woman in the coffin up close, tears fall from her eyes. "It's her!! I'm sure! She's our kind Lady!!"
Lucien smiles at how thrilled Nea is; that is like a believer who finds their most loved deity, even though Nea had seen the Water Spirit before.
But he doesn't have time to enjoy that scene because Lust's voice sounds concerned in his mind again. 'It's closing!!'
He looks up and notices that the shell is closing over him. He quickly raises his hands to hold the shell, but not sure if he can do that, he also warns the girls outside. "The shell's closing!!"
Olivia doesn't think twice before rushing toward Lucien, followed by Mira. Saria is a little concerned about the situation, but she instinctively heads toward him as well.
Lust and Envy materialize their bodies beside Lucien and try to hold the shell with him, but a wave of energy pushes them back, almost as if the shell doesn't want to hurt Lucien before it closes completely.
*BAM*
The sound of the shell closing echoes right after the girls make it inside. Lucien and the Sins are again shocked by the strength and energy of that mysterious object... or creature?
"Are you okay??" Lucien asks, especially to Saria, as he can feel that Olivia and Mira are fine.
"Ya…." She quickly responds, but actually, that gloomy atmosphere due to so much dark mana around makes her sick and also fearful.
The glowing gems on the ceiling and wall should make the inside of the shell well lit, but due to the moss and roots, the place is quite dark.
Saria quickly thinks about using her water magic to light up the surroundings, but she feels Lucien's hand holding hers, so she prefers to keep hiding her flushed face.
When everyone seems to think the same thing, Envy again exclaims that aloud. "Shit, are we stuck?!?"
