[Inside the space, at the same time]
"H-huh?!"
"Woof!"
Lucille suddenly jolted, sitting up so abruptly that Dobby and Ponyo flinched beside her. The worry that was engraved deeply on her face turned into something worse.
She was sitting on the front porch, unable to be calm. With every passing moment, she thought of those who were out fighting the enemies.
But out of nowhere, her heart began trashing wildly. Not from fear, but from an unknown source. A weight that wasn't hers began crushing her chest.
Amid her confusion, a face suddenly surfaced in her mind.
"Brother Ash...? Ugh!"
Right after the name slipped out from her lips, her core rumbled once. Despite being broken and unstable inside her, the vibration was hard enough to make her wince.
The pain reminded her of the times the core went berserk. But it wasn't trying to suck the spiritual energy this time. Something felt completely different.
Whummm—
