Chapter 716: I Will Definitely Be of Great Use!
With Kazuya and Volcanion accompanying her.
This journey back home wasn't so unacceptable for Diancie.
The most crucial point was.
Sachima had already promised her.
After going home to let her subjects know she was safe, she could come back to the surface to play!
This was the key reason why Diancie was in a relatively good mood now.
The path leading to the underground world was deep and dark.
It felt even more agonizing than climbing Mt. Xiaoyao.
If there hadn't been quite a few companions along the way, Volcanion might have gone crazy from boredom in this tunnel.
"I say, if you want to go, just go. Why do you have to drag me along!"
Volcanion trailed beside Kazuya, looking gloomy.
He absolutely hated going out now.
Damn it.
He decided that in the future, even if He had to die, He would die on the Nebel Plateau!
"Didn't you say before that you wanted to protect me? What? Don't love me anymore?"
Kazuya grinned and patted Volcanion's head.
He knew Volcanion was purely just complaining.
Actually, being brought along by Kazuya.
He was quite happy inside.
If Kazuya really hadn't brought Him along and went to the Underground Ore Kingdom alone, Volcanion would definitely have a completely different attitude, probably scolding him for at least seven days.
"Don't say such disgusting things! With this bunch of Carbink around, can't they protect you?!"
Volcanion bumped Kazuya with His shoulder, feigning disgust.
Kazuya couldn't be bothered to respond to Him anymore.
This small team heading to the Underground Ore Kingdom consisted of twenty Pokémon in total.
Besides Kazuya, Volcanion, and Diancie, the other seventeen were Carbink like Sachima.
These tunnels dug out by the Underground Ore Kingdom.
Each one was guarded by a dedicated squad of Carbink.
The tunnel they were currently walking in was guarded by these seventeen Carbink, so the job of leading the way was also theirs.
Kazuya observed these Carbink but couldn't make heads or tails of them.
He only knew two Carbink.
Besides Sachima, there was Dace, both of which sounded very delicious (Sachima is a Chinese pastry, Dace is a type of fish, though in Chinese their names might resemble other food items like Maca/Machima).
But unfortunately.
Carbink basically all looked the same.
With so many Carbink gathered together, a face-blind person like Kazuya naturally couldn't tell who was who.
I remember Dace seemed to have met the previous generation's Diancie. Maybe it's already born now?
Kazuya muttered in his heart, somewhat looking forward to seeing Dace as a child.
He believed the young Dace must have been very pure and cute.
Definitely not like the future one, who learned so many sassy phrases from humans.
Suddenly.
A Carbink in the front sneezed: "Achoo!"
It was a Carbink with a very small build, clearly very weak at a glance. Its two small ears perked up with the sneeze, looking very cute.
No one paid attention.
They continued downwards.
The tunnel dug by the Carbink was relatively spacious.
Probably for the convenience of large-scale troop movements.
Or maybe they temporarily widened the path for the two Elders, Kazuya and Volcanion.
In short, walking in this tunnel.
Although slightly crowded, it didn't affect their travel speed.
Generally speaking.
Going downstairs is easier than going upstairs.
If you feel going downstairs is more tiring than going upstairs, it's definitely because you used up all your strength going upstairs.
This time, because they were going straight down.
Both Kazuya and Volcanion felt it was quite easy.
Especially on some paths.
They didn't even need to walk.
They could just slide all the way down.
It was relatively relaxing.
Along the way, Kazuya told them some things he had seen and heard over his past lives: "In the distant northern part of the Kanto region, there is an incredibly huge 'Tree of Beginning'..."
"Its true identity is actually a giant rock, not a real plant..."
"It has magical powers and can control the ecological balance through 'Time Flowers' scattered around the world..." (Note: The prompt says "World Tree Crystals", but in canon it's Time Flowers. Adapting to fit the prompt's intended meaning while keeping the fantasy element.)
Legendary stories they had never heard of drifted into the ears of the Pokémon present.
Everyone couldn't help but sigh at how big the world is and how it is full of wonders.
"As expected of an Elder of our Underground Ore Kingdom! Truly knowledgeable and experienced! I just suffered from being uncultured; otherwise, I wouldn't have let Her Highness the Princess grow up to be such a disappointment!"
Sachima angrily slapped its own cheeks with its ears and sighed heavily!
"...Sachima, am I very bad?"
Diancie looked at Sachima with teary eyes, her pitiful look making even Volcanion feel a pang of heartache.
"That's right."
Sachima nodded.
Lies don't hurt people; the truth is the sharpest knife.
Although Sachima valued Diancie very much, it also had to admit that this princess was useless.
"Wuwuwu, Master~"
Diancie hurriedly hopped over to Kazuya to seek comfort.
"...Diancie is awesome."
Kazuya reached out and patted her head, smiling and praising her.
However, this way of coaxing a child didn't seem to comfort Diancie very well.
"...I will definitely be of great use!!"
Diancie clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and shouted "fiercely"!
"That's right, just like that! Show your spirit, Diancie!"
Volcanion was moved and cheered her on.
"Oh!"
Diancie raised her hands high and shouted!
"Louder!"
"Oh, oh!!"
The Carbink walking in the very front looked back, a look of worry in its eyes.
It made a decision in its heart.
In the future, it must definitely go out, take a look around, learn more knowledge, and strive to become an intellectual like the Elder!
Only in this way.
Could it teach an excellent Princess!
Only then could it become an excellent Minister of the Ore Kingdom!
And those 'World Tree Crystals' the Elder mentioned, it also had to go see them for itself!
The Carbink's eyes were resolute, its mind made up.
In just this moment of distraction.
Diancie and Volcanion, like excited bulls, started running wildly through the tunnel, charging forward fiercely, seeming to want to use this action to demonstrate their spirit and determination.
"Her Highness the Princess!"
"Her Highness the Princess!"
Seeing this, the Carbink were startled and quickly quickened their pace to catch up, afraid the Princess might encounter some danger.
"Sigh, Her Highness the Princess still has many areas that need tempering."
Sachima sighed helplessly.
"It seems so."
Kazuya pursed his lips and smiled.
He actually thought Diancie was fine just the way she was.
As the Princess of the Underground Ore Kingdom, there seemed to be no necessity for her to be completely rigid and mature.
After all, with the geographical location of the Underground Ore Kingdom, they wouldn't encounter any enemies or major problems. Whether Diancie was mature or not didn't make much difference.
Every generation of Diancie actually only had one problem to face—the creation of the Sacred Diamond.
As long as they could create a true Sacred Diamond to maintain the Underground Ore Kingdom.
Then as a princess, they were already fully qualified.
Perhaps this kind of thinking was a bit too doting on Diancie.
But at least in Kazuya's view, the fact was just like this—Diancie only needed to grow up happily, make lots of friends, and after realizing the true meaning of emotion, aim to create the Sacred Diamond.
As for the rest...
That had to be left to Xerneas.
"In the future, I will still have to ask the Elder to take good care of Her Highness the Princess."
Sachima nodded towards Kazuya.
"Alright."
Kazuya also nodded in response.
"Um.. if possible, please don't be too strict with her. Although it's weird coming from me, but..."
When Sachima reached this point, it lowered its head, and its ears drooped, "Putting aside my status as a Minister, I still hope Her Highness the Princess can grow up relaxed and happy. Whether she becomes successful or remains useless, these things aren't actually important... As long as Her Highness the Princess can be happy every day, that's enough."
When Sachima said this, its eyes dimmed a bit.
Seeming to have recalled something unpleasant.
"Leave it to me."
Kazuya reached out and stroked Sachima's head.
What Minister of the Ore Kingdom.
In reality, it was just a little baby pretending to be mature.
Because of its identity as a Minister, it couldn't lavish excessive doting on the beloved Princess, worrying that doing so would make it unworthy of continuing to bear the responsibilities of a Minister.
So it could only entrust the task of doting on the Princess to the honorary Elder, Kazuya, who didn't need to bear any responsibility for the Ore Kingdom, hoping this teacher could make up for the love it owed the Princess on its behalf.
This was what Sachima was thinking.
Kazuya felt it all.
And precisely because of this, he would say Sachima was also just a little baby.
The way to express love doesn't necessarily have to be "doting."
Every word and action of Sachima on a daily basis definitely hid its love for Diancie.
Diancie must have felt it too, which was why she cared so much about Sachima, even overcoming her fear to protect it.
Regarding this awkward master and servant duo.
Kazuya had no intention of intervening.
Time would cook all emotions perfectly. Whether it turns out to be a grand feast or a disaster, they would naturally understand in the future.
As a third party, he shouldn't step into it.
He just needed to do his own job well.
Continuing forward.
When Kazuya felt the surrounding oxygen obviously becoming thinner, and the ambient temperature noticeably making his skin feel scorching.
He understood.
They were about to arrive at the Underground Ore Kingdom.
At a certain moment.
When Kazuya felt some kind of membrane wrap around him, and then the temperature around him suddenly dropped, and oxygen immediately became abundant again.
He knew he had entered the boundaries of the Underground Ore Kingdom.
"Me-shii?"
"Me-shii."
"Me-shii.. Me-shii.."
One Carbink after another cast curious glances at Kazuya and Volcanion, who were outsiders.
Then.
Their gazes were involuntarily drawn to their own Princess.
At that moment.
Kazuya felt the eyes of all the Carbink light up.
As if they had seen the sun rising in the early morning!
Diancie.
Her status in the hearts of the Carbink was truly incomparably high.
No matter what kind of personality this Princess had, or what kind of strength she possessed, the Carbink always dedicated all their love and true devotion to her.
The Underground Ore Kingdom.
Truly a pure and dreamy nation.
Only such a place could give birth to a Mythical Pokémon like the "Princess of the Ore Kingdom".
"Ahead is the supreme treasure and lifeline of our Underground Ore Kingdom clan—the Sacred Diamond! Only Her Highness the Princess and the Elders may touch it!"
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