Handing over the subsequent work to the support staff sent by the League, Victor took Gengar and the others back to the Breeding House, heading towards the backyard.
Shana was sitting at the corner of the stairs holding Chingling, watching the Pokémon coming and going downstairs. Seeing Victor's figure, she stood up happily, then sat back down.
Victor mustered his spirits, smiled at Shana, and opened his arms.
Shana's eyes lit up; she rushed down the stairs clack-clack-clack and threw herself into Victor's arms.
She rubbed her head incessantly against Victor's chest.
Victor reached out and gently checked her forehead; no fever.
"Let's go, let's go eat breakfast together."
"Mm."
Shana nodded happily, made a sound of agreement, and was led by Victor to the backyard.
In the backyard, the Pokémon were lining up, holding bowls to receive breakfast from Grandpa Muji and the others, eating happily.
Grandpa Yongchang and several other uncles and grandpas had taken off their shirts, going bare-chested as they filled bowls with cold medicine.
Mime Jr., seeing Victor, finished the breakfast in his hand and ran towards him.
Victor bent down and picked him up; Mime Jr. fell asleep in Victor's arms just like that.
Carrying Mime Jr., Victor went to Grandpa Muji's side, said hello, then took the breakfast Gothita prepared for him and ate with Shana, Gengar, and the others.
After breakfast, still holding Mime Jr., Victor patrolled the entire backyard accompanied by Gengar.
The herb garden was empty; even the berries were mostly gone.
There were sleeping Pokémon everywhere.
Bypassing the Bibarel sleeping on the grass hugging each other, Victor came to Grandpa Muji's side, but was shooed away by them to go rest.
Watching Shana helping to clean up, Victor yawned and returned to the rest area to lie down.
Only Gengar, Lilligant, Machamp, Gothita, and Vespiquen were left by his side; the other Pokémon had long since fallen fast asleep.
Especially Vulpix, who had coaxed children all night, was now curled up sleeping sweetly. Mime Jr. lay on his chest, drooling, while Marill rested her head on her big tail, nodding off constantly.
Victor gently rubbed her round ears, and Marill fell asleep instantly.
Gothita brewed some refreshing tea and brought it over. Victor, Gengar, and the others took it and drank it in one gulp.
"Geng—"
Bitter and yucky, tastes awful.
Gengar frowned and took out his small snacks to eat.
Victor had him float in front of him, pulled at the corners of his mouth, and then looked at Vespiquen.
"Thank you, Vespiquen."
If not for Vespiquen's honey last night, the cold medicine would have been so bitter that many people wouldn't have been able to drink it.
Vespiquen looked at him and nodded wearily.
"I'll find some different honey for you to taste when the time comes."
Hearing Victor's words, Vespiquen surprisingly wasn't tsundere, but nodded obediently.
Lilligant sat beside Victor, leaning against him.
"Victor."
Just as Victor was about to fall asleep, Officer Jenny's voice woke him up.
Victor sat up, his movement causing Mime Jr. in his arms to open his eyes groggily.
"Mime?"
Victor patted his back, signaling him to continue sleeping.
Officer Jenny walked in, followed by a man with long purple hair draped over his shoulders and wearing glasses.
This is—
Lucian?
Sinnoh Region's Psychic-type Elite Four, Lucian?
"This is Sinnoh Region's Psychic Elite Four, Lucian. The League sent him to handle this matter."
Officer Jenny looked weary as she introduced him to Victor.
Victor handed Mime Jr. to Gothita, asking her to take him back to the room to sleep.
Then he looked at Lucian and said:
"Hello, Elite Four Lucian. I am the owner of this Breeding House, Victor."
Victor extended his hand. Lucian politely extended his hand to shake Victor's.
Carrying a humble aura, Lucian looked at the weary-faced Victor before him.
His Pokémon like him very much, Lucian could tell.
To be able to solve this matter under such severe circumstances showed his ability was very strong.
Plus, he observed Gengar and the others, focusing on Mime Jr. and Gothita.
They were all raised very well.
Then the answer was clear: the owner of this Breeding House was an extremely excellent Breeder.
"On behalf of the League, I thank you for your help."
Lucian said sincerely.
Victor was a bit taken aback, paused for a moment, and then responded:
"Twinleaf Town is a place I like very much, after all. And as the Breeding House owner, I will certainly do my best."
Lucian and Victor released their hands simultaneously. Hearing Victor's sincere words, Lucian smiled slightly.
Like a big brother, he pushed up his glasses, prepared to continue speaking, but was interrupted by Victor's phone ringing.
Seeing Victor's apologetic expression, Lucian indicated it was fine and let him answer the phone first.
Hearing a familiar voice coming from Victor's connected call, Lucian was stunned.
That was—Cynthia's voice?!
Victor answered the phone apologetically. Cynthia's face appeared in the center of the screen.
At this moment, she seemed to be riding on Garchomp's back, shuttling through the sky.
Her golden hair was blown high by the wind.
"Victor."
Cynthia on the screen spoke:
"How is the situation over there?"
"No major problems anymore."
Victor replied.
"The League's support should have arrived. I am also heading towards you now, wait for me."
Hearing Cynthia's words, Victor was stunned.
"I remember Cynthia should be dealing with Team Galactic at Mt. Coronet, right?"
Hearing Lucian's words, Victor snapped back to reality, looked at the screen, and said:
"You're coming from Mt. Coronet?"
"Mm."
Cynthia nodded.
"The matter here is resolved, you don't need to come over?"
"I am the Champion of Sinnoh. I definitely need to go handle what happened in Twinleaf Town."
"But hasn't the League already sent someone over?"
Cynthia didn't respond.
"Cynthia."
Hearing Victor call her name, Cynthia looked at the screen.
"It's fine. Mt. Coronet needs you. Needs you to defeat Team Galactic."
Looking at Victor's tired smile on the screen, Cynthia remained silent for a long time.
"My ability isn't weak either, okay."
Victor grinned and laughed, "So, trust me, I can handle it. Besides, Elite Four Lucian is here too."
Cynthia looked at the smile on the screen and laughed too.
"Okay."
A simple word. Cynthia turned Garchomp around and left.
"Remember, if there's a problem, find me anytime."
"Received, Miss Cynthia."
"Call me Champion Cynthia."
"Okay, Champion Cynthia."
Cynthia chuckled a few times. "Lucian."
"Champion Cynthia."
"I'll leave that side to you."
"..."
So I was sent to work overtime during my break again?
Thinking of why Lucian was working overtime, Cynthia's face felt a bit hot.
"Sigh, I know. I will cooperate with Victor to handle it well."
Lucian pinched his forehead and said, "I leave Mt. Coronet to you, Cynthia."
"Good."
Hanging up the phone, Cynthia looked at the distant Mt. Coronet range and narrowed her eyes.
Team Galactic?
Just you wait.
...
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