"What kind of power?" she asked, her curiosity immediately piqued. After all, the last time Su Mo had awakened a new ability, he had gone from an ordinary person to someone with power on par with a god. Now, it had happened again.
"Something from the transformation type," Su Mo explained. "But instead of just describing it, I'll show you."
Lumine eagerly nodded, her expression sparkling with anticipation.
"Alright then, watch closely."
With a brief chant, a magical light enveloped Su Mo. When it faded, a living, breathing Pikachu appeared in his place.
"Pika-pi!"
The small electric mouse straightened up and let out an energetic cry. Its lightning-bolt-shaped tail swished lightly behind it, and its bright orange-yellow fur shone under the morning light. Black eyes sparkled with mischief, and the fluffy texture of its body made it impossible to resist.
"So cute!"
Lumine's eyes lit up. Without even giving Su Mo a chance to react, she dashed over and scooped the Pikachu into her arms. Rubbing her face against its fur, she let out a soft squeal of delight. "You're telling me this is your new power?"
Even knowing full well it was Su Mo in disguise, Lumine couldn't help herself. Pikachu was the mascot of the Pokémon world, after all—its cuteness levels were off the charts.
"Pika pika," Pikachu—Su Mo—nodded seriously.
Even though Lumine couldn't understand Pokémon-speak, his tone and expression made it obvious enough.
"Mmm... This fur, this color... it feels even better than Paimon."
Lumine melted into a blissful smile as she cuddled Su Mo's new form. She couldn't stop petting him. Subconsciously, she began to compare the tactile sensation to Paimon—both were small and adorable, sure, but unlike Paimon's smooth skin, Pikachu's fluffy coat was pure perfection.
Just as she finished voicing her thoughts, a dull clatter echoed from nearby.
Lumine turned around and froze.
Paimon, now wide awake, was staring at her in utter shock. At some point, her floating crown-like accessory had slipped off and clattered to the ground. Normally, Paimon would have panicked about it, but right now, she didn't even blink. Her wide, tearful eyes were locked on Lumine, filled with betrayal.
"T-Traveler... You..."
Paimon's little hand covered her mouth in disbelief, and her eyes shimmered with the threat of tears. "You really went and raised a new emergency food!?"
She couldn't believe what she was seeing. All she did was sleep in a little later than usual, and now her designated caregiver was cradling another creature—with love in her eyes, no less!
Fine. Girls liked cute things. She could accept that.
But what broke Paimon's heart—what truly broke her—was when Lumine, while cuddling that suspiciously adorable creature, actually compared it to her—and then had the audacity to say that it felt better!
Unforgivable!
This wasn't just betrayal. This was the classic tale of a cheating lover who leaves the long-time partner because the new fling has a better figure. Absolute scum!
"Traveler, you're too much!" Paimon finally snapped. "I'm going to find Su Mo and tattle on you!"
Paimon glared pitifully at Lumine, as if she were a child being bullied by her mom and running off to complain to dad. She zipped straight toward the bathroom to look for Su Mo—but after checking every corner of the room, there was no sign of him.
"Wait, Paimon—just listen to me for a second!" Lumine called out, grabbing her arm.
"No! I don't wanna hear it! You've already got another pet now! You don't want Paimon anymore!" she protested, hands over her ears, tears welling up again as she kept floating about in search of Su Mo.
"I don't have another pet!" Lumine sighed in frustration and lifted the Pikachu she had been cuddling. "Paimon, this is Su Mo!"
"..." Paimon froze for a moment—then puffed up in anger.
"Traveler, do you think I'm stupid?! Just grabbing some random cute animal and saying it's Su Mo?! I'm not that gullible!" she huffed. "Hmph! If that thing is really Su Mo, then I'll cook myself into a soup on the spot!"
Paimon was starting to question what kind of fool Lumine took her for. As if she'd believe such an obvious lie.
But right after she said it—just as the words left her mouth—a magic circle lit up before her eyes.
In a shimmer of light, the Pikachu transformed back into Su Mo.
"Uhh—what…?" Paimon stared blankly, completely thrown off.
Su Mo rubbed his chin and looked at her, smiling slyly. "I think I just heard someone say they were going to cook themselves?"
"Eh?! Ehhhhh?!" Paimon's shriek echoed through the entire inn, rattling the windows.
…
…
After a scolding from the inn staff for making a ruckus so early in the morning, Su Mo and Lumine checked out, as planned. The three of them were now walking down the main street.
"So that cute little critter was actually Su Mo in disguise?" Paimon finally pieced it together. "So the Traveler didn't replace me with another pet! Thank goodness!" She patted her chest in relief.
It was all fine—if it was Su Mo. That changed everything.
Lumine, however, still remembered something rather important. A sly glint flickered in her eye—though whether it was her being ditzy or devious was hard to say.
"By the way," she said with a mischievous smile, "I remember Paimon saying something earlier…"
"If that Pikachu is Su Mo, then she'd cook herse—"
"Look, Traveler! The Adventurers' Guild is right up ahead!" Paimon shouted, cutting her off at lightning speed.
"Come on, Su Mo! Let's go!" she called out quickly, flying toward the Guild entrance and waving at them frantically.
Lumine blinked, then chuckled. "Paimon sure is a sly one."
Still, remembering her earlier pouty face and watery eyes, Lumine couldn't bring herself to stay mad. With a smile, she followed after her little companion, Su Mo at her side.
The plan for today had already been set: they'd register as adventurers, take on a few commissions, and earn some Mora. Just enough to get themselves started.