"Sigh... If only I could have a daughter like this." Looker sighed as he spoke lovingly.
Shiro drank a mouthful of warm water with a calm expression.
'This policeman's reaction is what a normal person should have!' Unown A muttered while lying against the edge of the table. 'Why do you always think everyone is a bad person trying to harm you?'
Shiro did not answer.
Technically speaking, Unown A had only used psychic power to disguise itself as a Piplup. This was different from Mewtwo or Ditto's transformation abilities. It was merely an illusion. And to avoid exposing itself, Unown A had casually hypnotized the little girl as well.
Because of that, whether it was the visual appearance or the touch she felt, it was exactly like touching a real Piplup.
Though from another perspective, she actually was touching a real Piplup.
Shiro could also confirm from how easily the little girl had been hypnotized that she was not some hunter skilled in disguise pretending to be a cute little girl.
Knock, knock, knock...
At that moment, the wooden door outside was knocked on.
A young boy poked his head in from outside with a bright orange headscarf hanging over his shoulder.
"Is there anyone here?"
The moment his voice sounded, several gazes in the restaurant naturally drifted toward him.
"Oh my~ Come in, come in... You're here traveling around Lake Verity too, right?" Beth warmly greeted him and pulled him inside.
"Thank you! M-My name is Woody. I'm from Kanto."
Only after introducing himself did the boy notice there were quite a few people in the restaurant. He immediately became awkward and subconsciously stood frozen in place, unsure what to do.
In the end, Beth pushed him toward a table and sat him down before asking, "Woody, what would you like to eat? The menu's written on the wooden board above..."
Woody looked blankly at the wooden board hanging beneath the ceiling in front of him and randomly ordered a few dishes.
After routinely asking if he wanted anything else, Beth quickly headed into the kitchen.
While waiting, Woody instinctively looked around. Then he suddenly shot to his feet with a shocked expression.
"Y-You are... Professor Corviknight!"
"..."
Shiro turned his head and met his gaze.
Woody instantly rushed over, unable to hide his excitement. "I-I watched that Academic Summit! You're a professor on the same level as Professor Oak! I never thought... after traveling all the way from Kanto to here, I'd actually meet you."
Looker also exclaimed, "Young man, this is destiny!"
Shiro smiled faintly while observing the boy in front of him.
He wore a red-and-white trainer outfit. The orange headscarf partially wrapped around his stiff brown hair and hung to his shoulders. His face still looked youthful, probably only around sixteen or seventeen years old.
He likely had not been traveling for very long.
"Um, I wanted to..." Woody took out a pen and a Poké Ball.
Shiro understood and signed his name on the Poké Ball.
"Thank you!" Woody excitedly returned to his seat.
Although he admired Professor Corviknight greatly, he was not some crazy obsessive fan. Just getting an autograph already felt incredibly lucky.
As Shiro looked at him, he turned his head and met old man Jan's gaze again.
"What a young Pokémon professor," Jan suddenly said. "You seem to have been observing me the whole time?"
"..."
Shiro silently nodded.
Because this old man named Jan was the most dangerous person in the entire restaurant. At minimum, he was Elite-level. A veteran trainer like this was definitely stronger than Leon from the current era.
"Why?" Jan asked again, looking determined not to stop until he got an answer.
"You're strong," Shiro responded directly.
"Oh?" Jan put down his knife and fork before abruptly standing up. "You're a trainer too, aren't you? Do you want an exhilarating Pokémon battle?"
The old man's voice was incredibly loud and echoed throughout the restaurant.
Shiro's expression stiffened slightly as the suspicion about the old man's identity disappeared from his mind.
So he was just a battle fanatic...
"Sorry, that wasn't my intention," Shiro replied.
Visible disappointment appeared on Jan's face. His sturdy body sat back down heavily, and the spirited light in his eyes became clouded once more by age.
"How can you reject someone's battle invitation?" Looker leaned over and whispered.
Shiro could not be bothered answering.
He simply did not want to waste time.
Everyone knew Pokémon battles took a lot of time, especially against skilled opponents. A full 6-on-6 battle could easily drag on who knew how long. It was far too troublesome.
Besides, to be cautious, the possible danger from the Hunters Guild still had not disappeared.
Preserving strength for emergencies was more important.
"Sir!" Woody, who had been listening to their conversation, suddenly stood up and shouted toward Jan. "Can I battle you instead?"
The boy clenched his fists tightly, full of anticipation.
Because this was a strong trainer personally acknowledged by Professor Corviknight!
As long as he could battle him, he would definitely gain a lot of guidance!
Jan raised his head and met the boy's eyes. "Kid, you're a rookie trainer who just started traveling, right? You should understand that a Pokémon's strength is the most important factor in battle. If the gap in strength is too large, there isn't much meaning in the battle..."
"I know! But I still want to battle!"
Of course Woody knew he would most likely get instantly crushed.
But battling a senior like this was not about victory or defeat. The important thing was the guidance a veteran trainer could give during battle.
Even a few casual pointers about training or raising Pokémon would already be extremely valuable.
"Very good!" Jan stood up again, infected by Woody's enthusiasm.
No more words were needed. The two walked out together.
"Hm?" Beth lifted the curtain to look outside with a troubled expression. "Should I still make that boy's food...? He hasn't paid yet!"
* * *
A short while later.
"Big brother, are you leaving already?" Anna blinked while tugging at Shiro's clothes.
Shiro lowered his head and glanced at her. The little girl's short black hair looked thick and fluffy, while her chubby face was round and soft as a peach.
"We already finished eating, so of course we're leaving."
As he spoke, Shiro gave a signal. The two Piplups disappeared as if they had been recalled into Poké Balls.
Reluctance filled the little girl's eyes.
Looker immediately crouched down. His thick-browed face revealed a creepy smile like a strange uncle. "Be good, Anna. We'll be back in a little while—"
"We're leaving."
Shiro dusted off his sleeves and dragged Looker outside.
The two followed the muddy path northward and stopped at the edge of the forest.
"Hey! Such an adorable little girl. What's wrong with playing with her a bit longer?" Looker complained.
Shiro reminded him calmly, "According to Sinnoh law, molesting girls under the age of ten is punishable by severe criminal penalties. In other words, certain parts of your body would be cut off. Even International Police officers don't get immunity."
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