Lillie felt it would be awkward if she were living alone with Carl, even if it was under the guise of an apprenticeship. She had long wanted to get closer to Serena, hoping that they could support each other in their daily lives and work.
"Hello there!" Lillie greeted enthusiastically.
Serena, with her gentle nature, felt a little guilty about the earlier misunderstanding with Lillie. Seeing Lillie's warmth, she immediately responded, "I've already had breakfast, but would you like some?"
"Thanks, but I've had mine too," Lillie replied with a smile.
However, the next moment, both their stomachs growled in unison.
They paused, blushing at the unexpected moment.
In truth, Serena had skipped breakfast altogether. After feeding her Pokémon, she was too busy looking for Carl, leaving her both hungry and tired. Lillie, too, had skipped her breakfast, preoccupied with rescuing her little Nebby.
"Pff—"
They exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.
The initial awkwardness vanished, and they quickly grew closer.
"Come on, let's try some of my breakfast," Serena said, taking Lillie's hand.
"Sure! Carl says your cooking is amazing, and I've been eager to try it," Lillie said excitedly.
"He really said that?" Serena was a bit surprised.
"Of course!"
"Well, he does have good taste," Serena laughed.
"Serena, are you and Carl..." Lillie winked mischievously.
"Don't overthink it. We're just... like you," Serena said, her cheeks reddening slightly.
"Uh-huh, just the same," Lillie nodded with a cheeky grin.
---
Half an hour later, in the study.
Carl poured Evan a cup of tea.
"Did they become best friends that quickly?" Evan asked, incredulous.
At the breakfast table earlier, Serena and Lillie had seemed as if they'd known each other forever. Now, they were washing dishes together.
"It's a girl thing," Carl said calmly, sipping his tea.
Evan nodded, "Noted."
"Let's move on," Carl put down his teacup, "Why are you here today?"
"Can't I miss you?" Evan raised an eyebrow with a grin, "They're best friends, and we're best bros, right?"
"Tired of cutting weight?" Carl raised an eyebrow back.
"Sorry, Carl! My bad!" Evan's whole body jiggled as he laughed apologetically, then turned serious, "Recently, a lot of people have been asking my dad about the game's main developer. You really don't want to go public?"
"No need," Carl shook his head firmly, "I like it the way it is now."
"But if you did, wouldn't it shut up those online critics?" Evan was puzzled.
Even though Carl had won all eight gym battles since becoming the leader, even defeating Ethan Cross's brother Hop, there were still naysayers. Many keyboard warriors claimed that only rookies had challenged him and that the real elites hadn't shown up yet.
As Carl's close friend, Evan couldn't stand it. If people knew Carl was the genius who made millions from the game in just a few days, who would dare question his right to be a gym leader?
"No need," Carl said calmly, "Revealing my identity would be too troublesome. I don't want to get involved in all that."
Living in the world of Pokémon, a place he'd dreamed of, Carl just wanted a relaxed life. Spending time with those close to him, occasionally going out to catch Pokémon, maybe even befriending a legendary creature. Titles like "strongest trainer" or "genius" meant nothing to him. He took over the gym to fulfill his grandfather's wish.
"Alright," Evan gave up, seeing he couldn't change Carl's mind.
Carl wasn't one to meddle in unnecessary affairs.
Evan was a bit worried. The number of people asking about Carl's identity was growing, and he feared he might not be able to handle them all. Some of those individuals, like the league president or elite trainers, were beyond his league.
Should he tell the truth or play dumb? Being honest might seem disloyal, but lying could cause trouble.
"What are you fretting about?" Carl chuckled.
"If there are people you can't handle, can't they find out themselves?" Carl continued, "It's none of your concern."
Carl knew it was impossible to keep his identity completely secret.
He just wanted to avoid the everyday crowd and those pesky individuals for some peace.
In fact, just two days ago, the league president and the regional commissioner had called him to encourage his efforts.
Many top figures had reached out to him, essentially giving him a nod of acknowledgment.
These people were busier than he was; they had no time to chat casually.
"Those words sting a bit, Carl," Evan said with a wry smile, realizing he had a bit of a nouveau riche attitude, while Carl remained grounded.
No wonder his dad wanted him to meet with Carl.
"But if any troublemakers come asking, you've got to help cover for me," Carl reminded.
"Wouldn't a psychic Pokémon get the truth out in no time?" Evan joked.
"Not necessarily," Carl replied confidently.
He had long ago used his psychic abilities to place subconscious suggestions in Evan and his father. Unless confronted by a master-level psychic, they wouldn't reveal anything.
Both were aware of this, but to keep Carl's psychic powers a secret, they had asked him to seal that part of their memory. Carl made a note of this favor.
"Hey Carl—" Evan was about to speak when a knock came at the study door.
"Come in," Carl called out.
Serena and Lillie entered, arm in arm.
"Carl, it's time for the gym," Serena reminded.
Lillie's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Although she had seen many Pokémon and read countless books, her life had been lacking in friends and real experiences. Watching a gym battle in person was exciting for her.
"We're closed this morning, but we'll take challenges in the afternoon," Carl's response left her a bit disappointed.
"Huh? Why's that?" Serena asked, confused. It wasn't like Carl to slack off from work, at least not recently.
"Of course, he just wants to slack off," Evan thought to himself, though he trusted Carl would give a reasonable explanation.
"The battles can be postponed, not canceled," Carl said with a smile. "I need to help Lillie sort out her residency papers. That's more important. Serena, why don't you take Lillie downtown to get familiar with the area, buy some essentials and personal items? Consider it a half-day off."
Lillie felt warmth spread through her at Carl's thoughtfulness. She didn't refuse because residency papers and supplies were indeed what she needed. She decided she would repay this kindness with her hard work as an apprentice.
"Thank you, Carl," Lillie said sincerely.
"Don't mention it," Carl waved it off.
Evan watched, quietly impressed. Turning laziness into a considerate gesture was quite the move.
That afternoon, Carl completed another gym battle. The challenger chose a two-on-two match, fielding a Venusaur and Tropius. With a type advantage, Carl's Blaziken easily beat the Tropius.
The match had barely begun when the opponent brought out a MEGA-evolved Venusaur. Carl initially planned to let Blaziken have some fun before switching to Electabuzz. But seeing the opponent's MEGA evolution, he decided to let Blaziken try its MEGA form too. The Venusaur was thoroughly defeated, and Carl secured a two-win streak.
"What do you think?" Carl turned to Lillie.
"That was amazing!" Lillie exclaimed, genuinely impressed.
Carl shook his head with a smile, "I meant, did you learn anything?"
"Ah?" Lillie realized she had been too caught up cheering to notice the battle techniques.
Seeing her expression, Carl didn't press further, simply reminding, "There's another doubles match tomorrow. Pay attention. As your mentor, it's our responsibility to guide you."
"Understood!" Lillie quickly straightened up.
"Alright, enough of that," Carl stretched, "The hot spring should be ready. Let's go relax."
"A... hot spring?" Lillie suddenly remembered the photos from the morning, her face turning red.
Serena looked confused beside her.
Meanwhile, at the Havenport Airport, a woman in a leather jacket was drawing everyone's gaze.
"Those legs are perfect."
"No, it's the outfit that's more captivating."
"A whip would complete the look."
The woman in focus turned to the speaker. The person suddenly looked dazed, starting to undress publicly, shouting, "Punish me!"
"Pervert!" came the screams from around.
Airport security quickly arrived to escort the person away. As the scene calmed down, someone scratched their head in confusion, "Weird, I feel like I've forgotten something."
A taxi pulled away from the airport, a cold voice coming from the backseat, "To the XY gaming company."
As the sun set, the lights of the XY gaming company building began to glow.
The company was bustling due to the explosive sales of "Pokémon: Green Leaf Red Fire," with employees even using their Pokémon to help relieve fatigue. After Evan Cross announced a fivefold salary bonus for the month, everyone was even more motivated, as this was well above industry standards.
Evan had just finished discussing Carl's plans with Daniel Ward, using a key to open his office door. Without turning, he instructed his secretary, "Serena, get me a coffee." As the deputy manager of the gaming department, he planned to work late to repay Carl's trust.
But the moment he stepped inside, he froze. A woman with purple hair sat on the guest sofa, her silhouette captivating. Yet what caught his attention most was: How did she get in?
The windows on the sixteenth floor were impossible, and the main door made no sense—there were people outside in the secretary's office and open workspace; a stranger couldn't simply walk in unnoticed.