Rowan listened and then looked up blankly at his tall assistant, even the gray in his beard seeming to spell out confusion.
Shiro really had a Gym-level Haunter? And a Psychic-type Pokémon whose strength was at least Champion-level?
Though Rowan did not know much about trainers, he understood that Champion-level trainers represented the League's top combat power. Every properly raised Champion-level Pokémon was extraordinarily precious.
Yet Shiro, a researcher, was said to possess strength comparable to Agatha's and to have wiped out pirates?
Could it be that Agatha had deliberately pushed what she did onto Shiro? No, that was impossible. No matter how brainless the Sinnoh League might be, they would not believe that.
It seemed he had misunderstood. Shiro probably truly had one or two Pokémon around Gym-level.
Rowan suddenly slammed his palm.
No wonder that whenever the topic of trainer strength came up, he and Shiro always seemed slightly out of sync.
But that so-called Champion-level Psychic Pokémon… that was a bit too outrageous.
"Professor Rowan!" Rei said nervously. "The key point is, the Sinnoh League wants us to hand Dr. Corviknight over!"
"Hand him over?"
Rowan let out a disdainful snort. "Ignore them. Just a few pirates. They're dead, so what?"
After speaking, he gestured to Rei and strode toward the stairs.
Those bastards in the upper ranks had gone too far. For a bit of money and a handful of pirates, they slandered Shiro, and even forcibly added a Champion-level Psychic Pokémon to his name.
If he truly had a Champion-level Psychic Pokémon, would Sinnoh's Elite Four, Champion, and Chairman even dare demand him?
Fuming, Rowan stormed out of the research institute and followed the small path through Sandgem Town toward the southern port.
* * *
Aboard the S.S. Anne.
Shiro adjusted his casual clothes and stepped out of the cabin.
"Good morning, Dr. Shiro!"
First Mate Tyler was the first to greet him, grinning broadly as his broad frame nearly blocked half the view.
"Good morning," Shiro replied simply.
As soon as he spoke, nearby passengers and crew members cast glances his way. Everyone knew that this Pokémon scholar from Galar would be disembarking today.
The deck was spacious, and Shiro soon walked to an open edge, gazing toward Sandgem Town.
"Professor Rowan should already be on his way to meet me, right?"
He had just sent Rowan a message, and Rowan said he would bring researchers to pick him up.
Just then, a voice called from behind.
"Dr. Corviknight!"
It was Dale. His brown hair was messy, and a white lab coat hung loosely over him as he jogged over with Bria. The two of them had been captured by Team Rocket and later escaped, so they had little luggage and could disembark at any time.
"Sandgem Town! Professor Rowan's research institute!" Dale leaned slightly over the railing, eyes shining. "Professor Rowan's institute!"
He was from Kanto and had once applied to enter Professor Oak's institute, but Oak's screening process had been too strict, and he was eliminated before even reaching the interview stage.
In the end, he had no choice but to settle for second best and went to Hoenn to work under Professor Birch as a researcher, only to be captured by Team Rocket during a field investigation into Pokémon habitats.
Aside from Birch's institute, Dale had never seen any other professor's research lab.
"Dr. Corviknight!" he said again, excited. "There are only two months left before the Academic Summit. Are we going to work with Professor Rowan on Pokémon evolution research and then simulate the academic report?"
After rambling on, he suddenly looked worried. "I've never taken part in research before. Will I be able to handle being an assistant?"
"Don't worry."
Shiro waved a hand and spoke calmly. "Professor Rowan will personally lead those projects. You can observe and learn first. Later, we can carry out some other studies, like the evolutionary branches of Slowpoke."
Even so, Dale still felt nervous, and his lack of confidence quickly washed away his excitement. But seeing Shiro standing there so composed, without the slightest trace of concern, he gradually relaxed.
That's right. Dr. Corviknight was here. Even if he encountered something he did not understand, he would not face it alone.
Behind them, Bria pushed up her thick glasses, feeling uneasy. She had not even grown familiar with this new environment, and now they were about to head to yet another unfamiliar place. These days had felt like constant ups and downs. Thankfully, Dale was carefree and focused only on academic research.
"Dr. Corviknight!"
A crisp voice called from not far away.
Lorelei ran over, slightly out of breath, her red hair tied into a ponytail as she looked elegant as always. Behind her, Agatha slowly approached with her cane.
The moment Shiro saw the old woman, his relaxed expression turned serious. Lorelei coming to see him off was understandable, but why was this old hag being so enthusiastic?
'Something wasn't right.'
"Shiro~" Agatha's wrinkled face bloomed into a smile, her tone unusually warm. "Getting off the ship already?"
His hair stood on end. He took a sharp breath and frowned. "Yes, Grandma Agatha. What brings you here?"
"I came to see you off, of course." She tapped her cane as she stepped closer and sighed. "Once you get off this ship, who knows if we'll ever meet again."
"Mm-hmm." Lorelei nodded repeatedly.
Forcing a smile, Shiro looked at Agatha with questioning eyes.
"Shiro, why don't you chat with this old lady for a bit?" Her expression did not change.
He nodded silently and followed her into the cabin. They stopped at a quiet corner of the corridor where no one else was around.
Agatha's Gengar emerged from the shadows at once, and at the same time, Shiro's Haunter leaped out. The two ghosts locked eyes, then grinned and stuck out their tongues at each other in perfect sync.
Moments later, like old friends, they slung their arms over each other's shoulders. In name they were going to keep watch, but in truth they ran off together to play.
'This Haunter…'
Shiro raised an eyebrow. Had this fellow secretly gotten close to Agatha behind his back? It seemed far too familiar with Gengar.
"Shiro." Agatha ignored the two Pokémon and spoke first. "I have something to tell you."
"Mm."
He nodded.
Her face was expressionless as she said in a low voice, "Sinnoh has already sent a formal inquiry."
So fast?
But why would she deliberately bring up being questioned?
As he was thinking, she let out a soft chuckle. "They said an unidentified Pokémon scholar carried out a massacre in the Triangle Sea area. They're asking me about you. I didn't answer."
She paused, and the meaning was clear: Sinnoh had obtained information about him earlier than expected.
Shiro blurted out, "There's someone on this ship contacting Sinnoh's higher-ups!"
**
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