Chapter 710: The Seed, and Returning to Azoth
Having witnessed Diancie's growth and felt Her Highness's regard for it.
Sachima, overjoyed, went home without another word, telling Her Highness to have fun playing on the surface and asking Kazuya and Volcanion to take good care of her.
Everything went smoother than imagined.
Diancie temporarily became a member of the Nebel Plateau and would stay by Kazuya's side to learn.
But actually.
Kazuya felt there wasn't that much to teach Diancie.
Diancie was inherently powerful enough, and her personality wasn't entirely cowardly either. He just needed to teach her to know how to fight back.
Even.
The necessity of learning to fight back wasn't that great.
After all, after Diancie played on the surface for a while, she would have to return to the Underground Ore Kingdom.
A nation cannot be without a monarch for a day, and a family cannot be without a head for a day.
Diancie was destined to spend the vast majority of her life underground.
And in that kind of place.
What Pokémon would dare to attack Diancie?
Therefore.
The teaching matter wasn't urgent.
Kazuya planned to bring Diancie along when he went out for his daily training.
As for the time spent on the plateau.
Just let the girl have fun playing.
"By the way, Floette hasn't been here for a long time, right?"
Volcanion turned to ask Kazuya.
"It's been half a year."
Kazuya nodded.
During this half-year, he and Volcanion also occasionally visited Azoth.
But the frequency was very low.
It wasn't that they didn't want to find Floette.
Mainly because the Azoth Kingdom was currently in a state of high tension.
Even a science fanatic like AZ had left the underground laboratory and gone to the battlefield.
What the situation in Azoth was like went without saying.
Floette herself was also quite busy.
Running around all day helping to heal the injured Azoth soldiers.
Under these circumstances.
It wasn't good for them, two magical beasts, to swagger in and out frequently and disturb them.
"The war outside should be over by now, right? Floette should be able to come over, right?"
Volcanion asked with some anticipation.
Kazuya gave Him a strange look.
Usually, Volcanion and Floette couldn't stand each other. After all, the former was allergic to pollen and hated flowers coming near, while the latter loved flowers and even carried one.
He didn't expect.
This tsundere actually liked Floette quite a bit in His heart?
"What are you looking at!"
Volcanion blushed from Kazuya's stare, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Barring any surprises, Floette should already be pestering AZ. Maybe she can come over to play in a few days."
AZ's research should also be restarting soon...
Kazuya lowered his head and muttered in his heart.
The power of Yveltal and Xerneas had made the three major kingdoms of the Kalos region wary, not daring to start large-scale wars again.
Even if small-scale conflicts might continue, they couldn't shake the foundations of the three major kingdoms.
Even.
The three major kingdoms might temporarily sign a peace treaty and call a truce.
In short.
For a relatively long time to come.
The Kalos region basically wouldn't see any more flames of war.
Floette wanting to come to the Nebel Plateau wouldn't be a problem. She had been cooped up for so long; even if AZ didn't let her come, she would sneak over.
"Oh, that's good."
Volcanion nodded, the corners of His mouth uncontrollably rising.
At this time.
Diancie came skipping over from a distance, her two small hands seeming to wrap around something: "Big Brother Kazuya~ Big Brother Volcanion~"
"Hey, hey, don't run so fast, be careful not to fall."
Volcanion reached out and caught her from afar.
Kazuya couldn't help but sigh upon seeing this.
This guy actually already had the vibe of an old father so early on.
"Look, look."
Diancie opened her clasped hands.
Kazuya and Volcanion looked and saw a seed lying quietly on her palm.
"What is this?"
Volcanion revealed a puzzled expression.
"...It looks like a tree seed."
Kazuya frowned and observed it for a few seconds before speaking uncertainly.
"Sachima brought this tree seed to me. It said it found it near the Underground Ore Kingdom and gave it to me as a protective charm."
A cute smile appeared on Diancie's face.
It looked like she was showing off her protective charm to them.
"Oh."
Volcanion nodded.
He didn't think much of it.
But Kazuya's feeling upon hearing this was different.
Where is the Underground Ore Kingdom?
Tens of thousands of miles underground.
In that place, let alone tree seeds.
Even moss and algae wouldn't survive there.
So how did this tree seed fall into such a place?
"Keep it well, it can tentatively be considered a miracle."
Kazuya reached out and patted her head.
"Right, I said before I'd take this girl to eat something good. Kazuya, let's go to Azoth today? And visit Floette while we're at it."
Volcanion suddenly remembered what He promised Diancie yesterday.
The food made by those chefs in the royal palace tasted very good.
He felt it would definitely amaze Diancie's taste buds.
"Hm? Alright."
Kazuya was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
He didn't have any obsessive pursuit when it came to eating.
But since Volcanion wanted to take Diancie there, it was no problem for him to accompany them.
Just right.
He could check on the research progress of the Soul Heart.
Approaching evening.
The three Pokémon, none of whom had ordinary identities, set off.
Dinner time at the royal palace was six o'clock.
It was currently past five.
With their speed, arriving at the royal palace would just be in time for dinner, and they could score a free meal.
It wasn't Diancie's first time running away from home.
But every time she came out, she would quickly be caught and taken back, never having left the Allearth Forest.
If she hadn't bumped into Kazuya and Volcanion this time.
Perhaps the result would have been the same as before.
Today could truly be considered the first time leaving the Underground Ore Kingdom for an adventure and trip.
So Diancie acted very excited along the way.
Exclaiming when she saw the grasslands.
Staring for a long time when she saw Pokémon she was encountering for the first time.
Everything outside was incredibly fresh to her.
The so-called "Princess of the Ore Kingdom" was actually just a glamorous-sounding title. Successive generations of Diancie had lived in a giant cage from birth.
It was precisely because of this.
That the traditional event of the Princess running away occurred in the Underground Ore Kingdom.
Upon entering Azoth.
Kazuya and the three Pokémon immediately received massive attention.
Undoubtedly.
Naturally, it was because of Diancie.
Kazuya and Volcanion had long become familiar faces in Azoth during this half-year.
Basically, everyone in the Azoth Kingdom knew of their existence.
Now, the people of the Azoth Kingdom didn't pay much attention to them anymore.
Even if Kazuya and Volcanion walked right past them.
Those citizens would merely look up and glance at them.
Only a Pokémon like Diancie, whom they had never seen before and who had a large pink diamond on her body, would attract the attention of humans.
Amazement.
Greed.
Fear.
Curiosity.
Human's seven emotions and six desires were clearly perceived by Kazuya at this moment.
Humans three thousand years ago desired to obtain Diancie, in exchange for endless wealth.
Humans three thousand years later were exactly the same.
Very interesting.
Three thousand years.
Changed many things.
Even the living environment of humans ushered in tremendous changes.
But they still produced identical pursuits and desires.
"Wow~ Is this the human kingdom? So amazing!"
"Hmph, what's so amazing about it? Don't go near them, be careful those guys don't kidnap you."
Volcanion snorted unhappily.
Ever since the three major kingdoms started fighting, even affecting the Allearth Forest and Nebel Plateau.
He had become somewhat displeased with humans.
"Eh? They wouldn't, right?"
"Why wouldn't they? If we weren't beside you, they might even risk their lives to try and catch you."
Volcanion's survival skills were also getting stronger and stronger.
Clearly He still didn't understand the meaning and value of "diamonds" and "jewels" to humans.
But He could still see through this group of humans' thoughts and ideas about Diancie.
It seemed Volcanion wouldn't be easily deceived by humans in the future.
"...I don't want that."
Diancie was scared by Volcanion and reached out somewhat fearfully to grab Kazuya's skirt.
She was short.
Couldn't reach Kazuya's hand, so she could only grab the skirt.
"Haha, if you're afraid, then interact with them less."
Volcanion grinned at Diancie.
Kazuya watched from the side.
And didn't speak up to stop Volcanion.
After all.
What He said was the truth.
Whether for Diancie or the Carbink, staying away from humans was generally the right thing to do.
Arriving at the royal palace.
Learning of her friends' arrival, Floette hurriedly came out to welcome them.
"Hula~"
Floette, holding the Eternal Flower, pounced over, gently rubbed her cheek against Kazuya's, and then glanced at Volcanion, "Hmph!"
Floette deliberately turned her head away, then revealed a sly smile where Volcanion couldn't see.
"Hmph!"
Volcanion also deliberately snorted in response.
Seeing this, Kazuya couldn't help but smile and shake his head, then pulled Diancie from his leg: "This is Diancie, a Pokémon from tens of thousands of miles underground, who just arrived at the Nebel Plateau yesterday."
"Hello~"
Diancie crossed her hands in front of her little skirt and bowed to Floette.
At this moment, she had quite a bit of a princess's demeanor.
However.
When it came to etiquette.
The future Diancie was still better at it. Basically, every action had a bit of the air of a noble family's princess.
Perhaps it was the difference in education between Sachima and Dace.
"Hula~"
Floette responded friendly.
She didn't really care where Diancie came from or what her identity was.
Anyway, if she was a member of the Nebel Plateau, she was her friend.
Floette would properly entertain Diancie.
The method of entertainment was, of course, a sumptuous dinner.
Only after eating human food did Diancie finally understand why Volcanion dared to speak so loudly before.
Human food is really delicious!
For a moment, where was Diancie's princess demeanor? If Sachima saw her wolfing down her food like this, she would inevitably get beaten a few more times.
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