Chapter 138

Chapter 138: Chapter 138

Mike stared at the screen.

The video was supposed to be about Gengar and the others playing in a beautiful flower field.

Why was almost everyone talking about the stupid story?

He shook his head and scrolled farther.

Only occasionally did he find comments discussing the Pokémon themselves.

Mike closed PokéVid and opened his fan group instead.

IDon’tWantOvertime had already reposted the video and left several messages.

[IDon’tWantOvertime: The scenery there is beautiful.]

[IDon’tWantOvertime: Glameow clearly loves the flower field.]

Mike smiled slightly.

Apparently Lucian had no interest whatsoever in the ridiculous Gracidea Codex story.

Unlike most of the comment section, he had been paying attention to the Pokémon.

Then Mike noticed the timestamp.

A little after three in the morning.

His smile widened.

[Mike: @IDon’tWantOvertime, working late again last night?]

The response appeared almost instantly.

[IDon’tWantOvertime: ...]

Mike stared.

[Mike: YOU’RE STILL AWAKE???]

[IDon’tWantOvertime: Two more hours until shift change...]

[Mike: 👍👍👍]

[Propht: ??? Overtime Bro is STILL working? More importantly, the deadbeat uploader finally decided to show his face?]

[Juice Bro: ??? Why are you insulting me? Oh, wait, you meant Mike. Yeah, the deadbeat uploader finally crawled out of hiding? @Mike]

[Silent Watcher: ...]

The group chat immediately began exploding with messages.

Mike wisely escaped before he got dragged into another argument.

A private message from Lucian appeared almost immediately afterward.

[Lucian: You’re in Floaroma Town now?]

[Mike: Yeah. I heard there might be ruins around here connected to legends from Hisui.]

[Lucian: The boss came back from there a while ago. She said the ruins she investigated were ordinary ruins. Nothing she found had any records connected to Hisuian legends.]

Mike immediately sent several photographs.

[Mike: Images attached.]

Lucian was silent for several seconds.

[Lucian: ...]

[Lucian: What is this? Someone’s attempt at cursed handwriting?]

Mike: "..."

[Mike: IT’S AN ANCIENT BOOK.]

[Mike: Those are ancient characters. There’s a lot in here about Hisui.]

[Lucian: ???]

[Lucian: Impressive.]

Mike smiled and changed subjects.

[Mike: By the way, how’s the Sigma Stantler doing?]

[Lucian: Sigma Stantler? You mean the Wyrdeer?]

[Lucian: He’s doing well. His psychic power is extremely strong, and he really enjoys battling.]

Then another message arrived.

[Lucian: I forgot to tell you. Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, and Professor Kukui are almost finished preparing everything.]

[Lucian: I have an exhibition match in a few days, so I was thinking of having Wyrdeer make his official public debut there. What do you think?]

[Mike: Exhibition match? Against who?]

[Lucian: Caitlin of the Unova Elite Four.]

[Lucian: Unova is holding an event centered around Psychic-type Trainers. They specifically invited me to face Caitlin in an exhibition battle.]

’Caitlin?’

Mike immediately pictured a blonde young woman who, like Cynthia, had an unmistakably elegant appearance.

If he remembered correctly, Caitlin and Cynthia were very close friends.

There had even been plenty of rumors about exactly how close they were, although Mike had no idea whether any of them were actually true.

[Mike: Caitlin... She’s one of Cynthia’s close friends, right?]

[Lucian: Yes. She’s extremely strong, and she’s also a genuine psychic.]

[Mike: I know. Almost every Psychic-type Gym Leader or Elite Four member in the League has psychic abilities except you.]

A long pause followed.

[Lucian: ...]

[Lucian: I don’t NEED psychic powers to hold my position as Sinnoh’s Psychic-type Elite Four member.]

[Lucian: That’s called actual skill. Understand?]

[Mike: ???]

[Mike: I thought it was because of your legendary paperwork efficiency and unmatched ability to work overtime.]

[Lucian: Psyshield Bash.jpg]

Mike immediately changed his tone.

[Mike: Kidding. Kidding.]

[Mike: If everyone’s ready, then I’m fine with Wyrdeer making his debut there.]

[Lucian: Good. I’ll discuss the exact procedure with Professor Rowan and the others.]

[Lucian: We’ll probably also need you to release a video explaining how Stantler evolves into Wyrdeer around the same time.]

[Mike: Leave it to me.]

[Lucian: Professor Rowan said that once Wyrdeer is officially revealed, Sinnoh will probably be flooded with researchers and Pokémon Professors.]

[Mike: That dramatic?]

[Lucian: Who knows.]

[Lucian: Anyway, I’m going back to slacking off.]

Mike stared at the message.

[Mike: Screenshot taken. I’m sending this straight to Cynthia.]

[Lucian: Go ahead.]

[Lucian: She’ll dock anyone’s pay before mine.]

Then Lucian went offline.

Mike sighed.

Unfortunately, Lucian had a point.

The League could punish almost anyone else without threatening its daily operations, but if Lucian ever genuinely stopped working, who exactly was going to process the mountain of administrative work accumulating at League headquarters?

Bertha?

Not happening.

Aaron?

Professional slacker.

Flint?

He was usually too busy chasing after his rival and looking for someone to battle.

Cynthia?

Mike stared into the distance.

Yeah.

Right.

Gardevoir emerged from the house, reminding him of something.

Mike immediately opened Lucian’s private chat again.

[Mike: One more thing.]

[Mike: I heard Pokémon Hunter J was around Floaroma recently. Apparently she’s trying to rebuild the Pokémon Hunter organization. You might want to increase the search effort.]

[Mike: Also, J still seems to be cooperating with that unidentified organization. I’d keep a close eye on Lake Verity, Lake Valor, and Lake Acuity.]

He sent the messages and put the tablet aside.

Tap tap tap tap.

Snivy came running out of the house carrying a cup and a toothbrush with toothpaste already squeezed onto the bristles.

She placed both beside Mike.

"Thanks."

Mike set the tablet down and stroked her head in appreciation.

Then, rather than brushing his teeth immediately, he found himself watching several early-rising Combee collecting nectar nearby.

Naturally, the camera came out first.

He quietly photographed them moving between the flowers.

A little while later, Gengar finally opened his eyes.

He stretched dramatically on the branch, then grabbed the still-sleepy Beedrill and dragged him away to wash up.

Glameow woke shortly afterward.

The moment she opened her eyes, she discovered Mike smiling at her.

She immediately glared.

Then she unwrapped her tail from his wrist, stood, and marched away with as much dignity as she could manage.

Mike watched her go with amusement.

’Still embarrassed.’

He picked up the cup and toothbrush Snivy had prepared and crouched nearby to brush his teeth.

By then, Melodi had also begun bringing breakfast outside.

After everyone ate, Mike started packing his belongings and preparing to continue toward Floaroma Town.

Then his Rotom Phone began ringing.

A video call from Cynthia.

Mike answered it.

Her voice came through immediately.

"Lucian mentioned during shift change that you found an ancient book containing records about Hisui?"

Mike nodded.

"Yeah. It belongs to the woman who owns this flower field."

He turned the camera toward Melodi.

Melodi curiously leaned into view.

The instant she saw Cynthia on the screen, her eyes widened.

"Ch-Champion Cynthia?!"

She covered her mouth in shock.

Cynthia offered her a courteous smile—polite and perfectly composed, though still carrying the natural distance of someone accustomed to speaking with strangers.

"Hello."

"H-Hello! I’m Melodi."

Melodi hurriedly introduced herself before retreating from the camera.

It was obvious that Cynthia and Mike needed to discuss something important.

"The book belongs to her?" Cynthia asked.

"Yeah. It’s been passed down through her family for generations."

Mike glanced toward the carefully wrapped ancient volume.

"There’s a lot in it."

"Ancient script again?"

"Mostly. Unfortunately, quite a few sections have been damaged, overwritten, or covered with later annotations."

Cynthia’s interest sharpened.

"What does it mention?"

Mike began counting the major subjects.

"Almighty Sinnoh. Dialga and Palkia. Gracidea. Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus, Enamorus... and Hisui itself."

Cynthia’s eyes widened.

"That book..."

She leaned slightly closer to the camera.

"Can I see it?"

"I can ask Melodi. If she agrees, I could send it to you."

"No need."

Cynthia answered immediately.

"I’ll come get it myself."

Mike blinked.

"I also need to tell you what I learned about the scale. I asked my grandmother to examine it."

"Sure, but..."

Mike hesitated.

"Are you actually free to come here? Aren’t you working right now?"

Cynthia’s answer came without the slightest concern.

"It’s fine."

She glanced somewhere off-screen.

"Lucian hasn’t gone far yet. I’ll just call him back and have him cover for me."

Mike: "..."

Poor Lucian!

He had been exactly two hours away from freedom!

"Then I’ll wait for you in the flower fields outside Floaroma."

"Good."

Cynthia gave a small nod.

"I’ll be there soon."

The video call ended.

Mike lowered the Rotom Phone and stared at the blank screen for a moment.

Somewhere out there, Lucian’s morning had just become significantly worse.