"Damn it! He's still bullying me like this!"
Staring at the tightly shut bathroom door, Green clutched her forehead and gnashed her teeth.
Right after she instinctively blurted out the word "threesome," Lucas gave her a merciless flick "headshot" without the slightest hesitation.
Before, it was just verbal mockery—but now this guy was actually laying hands on her! Damn it!
"Hiss~ Oww... It really hurts."
She accidentally touched the swollen red bump on her forehead again and gasped in pain. It seriously hurt like hell! But...
Green's bright eyes spun mischievously. Lucas was in the shower right now—this was a great opportunity.
She quietly moved closer to the door. Let herself be taken back obediently by Lucas?
Keep dreaming!
"If I were you, I'd sit down quietly and behave."
At that moment, a calm and crisp voice reached Green's ears.
Startled, she instinctively turned toward the source of the voice—only to see Lucas's companion sitting at the computer desk, staring at her intently.
Green's pupils shrank. She remembered these two annoying people all too well. Of course, she hadn't forgotten this girl. But from her observations, the girl's strength didn't pose any real threat to her.
"Compared to Lucas, if you fall into Karen's hands, things won't be so simple," Marnie said calmly, wiping off a Poké Ball with a clean cloth.
"You know Karen?"
How did this girl know about that? Did Lucas really trust her that much?
"Just wait until Lucas finishes his shower. Don't waste your time on useless thoughts. Try guessing which of Lucas's main Pokémon is inside this ball?" Marnie didn't answer her question. Instead, she tilted her head and shook the Poké Ball in her hand, her delicate face still expressionless.
That's right—she was wiping off Lucas's Poké Balls as well.
"Tch... I just wanted to go to the bathroom, that's all."
Realizing she had no hope of escape, Green gave up on the idea completely. She knew that Lucas had a Gardevoir as one of his main Pokémon—trying to flee in front of a Gardevoir?
No chance.
Clicking her tongue in frustration, Green reluctantly sat down on the large bed, then sprawled out on it without any care for her appearance.
Well... there goes any hope of escaping…
But damn, this high-end hotel bed was really comfortable.
"Hold it in. Also, you're sleeping on the floor."
Marnie glanced at her and casually spoke while picking up another Poké Ball to clean.
Green: "..."
This… is such a tragic story.
Expressionless, Green stood up and began preparing her bed on the floor. This emotionless, deadpan girl was totally using Lucas's name to throw her weight around!
Time flew by in the blink of an eye.
The next morning.
Lucas, who always maintained a very disciplined routine, opened his eyes—and immediately sensed something unusual.
An arm was wrapped around his waist under the blanket, and a leg was draped over his own.
"This girl really is adorable."
He turned slightly—and the first thing he saw was a cute, peaceful sleeping face.
Yes, it was Marnie.
Green had slept on the floor, while Marnie had slept beside Lucas.
They had used separate blankets and weren't sharing one, but at some point during the night, Marnie's blanket had mysteriously disappeared—probably kicked off while she was sleeping.
Gazing at Marnie's delicate face, Lucas didn't hesitate—he leaned in closer.
Perhaps sensing something, Marnie's eyes suddenly snapped open, staring at Lucas in surprise.
"Mm…"
Green, still drowsy, sat up to go to the bathroom. But with one casual glance in that direction, her eyes widened instantly.
What the hell?
-------------------------------------------
The sunlight today was warm and bright, casting a peaceful glow over the entire Vermilion City. Though the S.S. Anne incident had just occurred yesterday, it couldn't really be hidden.
Still, compared to the firsthand witnesses, outsiders who only heard about it could do little more than sigh in amazement.
In a private dining room at a hotel…
Lucas and his two companions were seated at the table. Across from them sat a composed, mature middle-aged man and a young man.
"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Lucas. I am Rose."
With a polite smile, Rose introduced himself to Lucas.
"It's an honor. I never imagined the chairman of the Galar region's League would personally come to Kanto."
"And even more surprising… that you would request a meeting with a member of the so-called evil organization, Team Rocket," Lucas raised an eyebrow, carefully studying Rose before speaking in a slow, deliberate tone.
He had already arranged for Dr. Fuji to be taken away. Next, he planned to head to the Unova region.
But before that, he wanted to hear what Rose had come to discuss. Lucas had a pretty good guess about his motive.
It was obviously Eternatus.
"The Chairman of the Galar League..."
Marnie didn't show much reaction. She had recognized Rose the moment she saw him. After all, he was a household name in Galar.
But Green stared in shock at the refined, elegant middle-aged man before her. This was one of the most powerful figures in the entire world!
"That's why I'm meeting you in secret, Mr. Lucas. Naturally, this matter must not be made public."
Rose chuckled and shook his head. As a chairman of the Galar Pokémon League, if word got out that he had secretly met with a high-ranking Team Rocket executive…
That would be a massive scandal.
"You're well aware of the consequences, Chairman Rose. But that also means you've given me a handle I could use against you. Aren't you afraid I'll use this to blackmail you?" Lucas lit a cigarette, leaned back leisurely in his chair, and stared at Rose with great interest.
He wasn't some benevolent saint. Using this leverage against Rose was absolutely something he would do if needed.
"One must weigh the pros and cons. I've always had a clear view of such things. My coming here in person is a gesture of sincerity. Mr. Lucas, I believe you already understand my intentions." Rose smiled gently, his magnetic voice calm and composed, his cultivated demeanor on full display.
"You mean Eternatus, right? Sorry, but I've already captured it. If Chairman Rose is hoping to take it back, that's impossible." Lucas raised an eyebrow and dropped the pretense, responding directly.
Rose truly did come with sincerity. From a legal standpoint, secretly meeting with Lucas was already a serious offense.
Currently, Team Rocket and the Kanto League were completely at odds.
Yet Rose had still chosen to come in person rather than send a subordinate. In other words—he hadn't left himself any way out.
That kind of sincerity was no small thing.
"Of course, I understand. But I didn't come to reclaim Eternatus. Mr. Lucas's ability to capture it is a testament to your own strength. What I want is to cooperate with you in other ways," Rose replied with a smile, though inwardly he let out a sigh.
He had known the chances were slim—but now, faced with Lucas's resolute attitude, he couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Taking Eternatus back was nearly impossible. With Lucas's level of strength and Eternatus under his command, who in the world could beat him?
Rather than risk everything on a confrontation with Lucas, it was wiser to pursue cooperation.
"And what kind of cooperation does Chairman Rose have in mind?" Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly. Rose's decision was unexpected—yet also entirely reasonable.
With Rose's level of shrewdness, he clearly understood the smartest course of action.
And Rose was the kind of man who would do anything for the sake of Galar—even if it meant bearing a heavy burden or a lifetime of infamy, he wouldn't care.
Such a man was truly dangerous.
Unfortunately for him, the very core of Rose's ambitions… now rested in Lucas's hands.
(End of Chapter)