"Moreover, the recent space-time rift and the abnormal behavior of the King in Hisui have some connections with the Venerable Sinnoh, so we want to collect as many Plates as possible to see if we can find new clues."
The moment the words "space-time rift" appeared, Ingo's eyes, which had regained calmness, showed an obvious ripple.
His gaze lingered on the Plate in Ash's hand for a long time before he finally spoke in a low voice.
"May I hold it for a moment?"
"Of course, no problem."
Ash didn't hesitate and handed the Plate over directly.
After receiving the Plate with both hands, Ingo didn't speak immediately, but seriously felt the uniqueness of the item in his hands, and his originally expressionless face gradually showed a hint of expectation he couldn't hide.
Since this item might be connected to the space-time rift, even if there's only the slightest possibility, he wanted to try and see if he could glean some past-related insights from it.
Ash didn't rush, and Cynthia stood quietly by his side.
A minute passed, and the Plate hadn't shown any change. A few more minutes went by, and Ingo's mind still didn't conjure any new images.
Until nearly five minutes later did the spark of expectation in his eyes slowly fade away.
"Still no reaction..."
Ingo sighed softly, handing the Plate back to Ash.
While this result was not entirely unexpected, waiting so long with the Plate and still having nothing happen inevitably led to disappointment.
After taking the Plate back, Ash didn't immediately speak comforting words.
Ingo had lived in Hisui for many years without finding his past. Seeing an item potentially connected to the space-time rift would naturally spark hope.
Cynthia remained silent, giving Ingo some time to gather his emotions.
After a while, Ingo took a deep breath, his face gradually returning to its original calm state.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting so long."
"No issue."
Ash shook his head.
Ingo adjusted his state and quickly refocused on the matters that needed handling.
"Since Sneasler has already acknowledged you, it will be much easier to proceed to the deep parts of the Coronet Highlands."
"However, the situation at Moonview Arena is more complicated than before, and before you officially depart, there are several matters I must inform you of in advance."
Ingo quickly put aside the Plate issue and began informing Ash and Cynthia about the things they needed to be cautious of once deep in the Coronet Highlands.
"Some ores here shouldn't be touched. Especially those connected to the mountain body that have numerous cracks around them."
"If the structural area gets damaged, the entire nearby cliff might collapse if you're unlucky."
Ash had been considering calling Ursaluna here to treasure hunt but immediately withdrew that thought after hearing these words.
Treasure hunting is one thing, but tearing down a mountain for a few ores isn't treasure hunting.
That's preparing a tomb for oneself.
Ingo continued: "Also, the wild vegetables and mushrooms here — it'd be best not to eat any unfamiliar ones out of curiosity. Some things at most will upset your stomach all day, but some, if eaten, might have someone preparing your funeral the next day."
Ash: ...
Cynthia: ...
It sounds like the real dangers of the Coronet Highlands aren't just the wild Pokemon that go berserk.
Ash silently decided that food from his Space Backpack would be his safest choice when operating in this area, and no roadside mushrooms, no matter how pretty, should be touched.
Once environmental threats were mostly covered, Ingo's tone became more serious.
"However, if you're planning to go to Moonview Arena, the person you need to be most cautious about is Melli of the Diamond Clan."
"I'm not saying bad things about him out of opposition, but his character is indeed rather peculiar."
"He acts quite independently, regardless of whether it's with Diamond Clan members or outsiders, rarely swayed by what others say."
Ingo paused, seemingly thinking about how to describe that man, then calmly added: "And, he's a bit feminine."
Ash: ???
Cynthia: ???
The independent nature and eccentric character are understandable.
But what on earth does "a bit feminine" mean?
"You'll understand once you see him."
Ingo didn't further explain this somewhat subjective judgment and continued.
"Melli places great importance on power, so if you have conflicts with him over the Electrode issue, strength is the simplest and most effective form of communication."
"Moreover, he might be the only Warden responsible for the Kings among the five regions who doesn't wish for the King to return to normal from the start."
"Because in his view, the power Electrode currently possesses isn't abnormal but a blessing from the Venerable Sinnoh."
Cynthia slightly furrowed her brow.
Before she could ask further, a slightly sharp voice had already echoed from not far up the trail.
"Oh my, I just walked over and heard someone so seriously introducing me from behind. Shouldn't I thank Warden Ingo first?"
Ash and Cynthia looked in the direction the voice came from, quickly spotting a man in a blue outfit walking slowly up the mountain trail from another side.
The clothing he wore bore the very obvious mark of the Diamond Clan, with pale skin and facial features more delicate than many women's.
With his somewhat delicate gait, his whole persona indeed seemed entirely different from most men in Hisui.
Cynthia observed for a few seconds and roughly understood what Ingo meant by "a bit feminine."
Melli's features were highly refined, and his stance held a noticeable grace, but it was more softly intricate, which on a man appeared somewhat pretentious.
Ash sneakily glanced at Ingo.
Well then.
This old chap really wasn't making it up earlier.
Once Melli approached the group, his lips held a rather unfriendly smirk.
"Warden Ingo, should I thank you for introducing my character to our guests, saving me the trouble of speaking later?"
"You're too polite, Warden Melli."
Ingo's expression remained calm.
"I merely conveyed your demeanor and manner of approach to them, helping them prepare ahead without saying anything untrue."
The three: ...
Good gracious!
Having your comments overheard from behind and still boldly claiming you were merely stating facts — Ingo's straightforwardness sure is something.
Melli's mouth visibly twitched.
"So you're telling me I should thank you for saving me time on my introduction?"
"No thanks necessary, just doing my job."
Melli: 666, you're not acting anymore?
Ash nearly couldn't hold it in and turned his face to the side to prevent laughing out loud right then.
Cynthia lightly pursed her lips.
At least in her memory, Ingo never teased someone so formally.
Seems ages living in Hisui have brought changes to this Battle Subway boss.
But they hadn't come today just to watch Ingo and Melli bicker.
With Melli's voluntary appearance, they didn't need to search near Moonview Arena anymore.
Cynthia stepped forward a few steps and brought the topic back to the real issue at hand.
"Warden Melli, I'm Cynthia from Team Galactic, and this is my brother Ash. We've come to Coronet Highlands today to help restore Electrode."
"More Pokemon in the Highlands are being affected by the King recently, so we aim to understand Electrode's current state before determining how to proceed with the Governor's duties."