Being able to befriend such an outstanding young talent was naturally something Kael welcomed. Resources were not limited to money—connections were an equally vital asset.
In fact, their value often far surpassed wealth itself.
Rarely did one encounter a genius who had already become a Level 7 Breeder at such a young age. Kael's interest was immediately piqued. He began sharing many of the difficulties he had previously encountered while raising Pokémon, laying them out one by one before Suzie.
Suzie was gentle by nature. After pouring him a cup of coffee, the two sat across from each other on the sofa, engaging in an earnest exchange of questions and answers.
"Miss Suzie, how can one help a Pokémon that tends to be rather insecure become more optimistic and confident?"
Suzie took a sip of her coffee and smiled. "That depends on how the insecurity formed."
"I have a Pokémon whose appearance, frankly speaking, doesn't align with conventional aesthetics—it's considered ugly by most standards," Kael explained. "But to me, Pokémon are family. No one despises their own family."
Suzie nodded. "In that case, I recommend visiting one of Celadon City's perfume boutiques. There's a Pokémon-exclusive perfume extracted from the saliva of Gloom. Applying this special fragrance can keep a Pokémon feeling cheerful throughout the day. Just like humans, when Pokémon remain in a happy emotional state, their mood gradually becomes more positive and confident."
The conversation flowed pleasantly. Kael possessed a broad reservoir of knowledge and many unique insights into Pokémon breeding. At times, even Suzie couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at some of his perspectives.
Meanwhile, Cole sat off to the side with his head lowered in frustration. Ask him to track down criminals, and he'd excel—but when it came to Pokémon breeding, his knowledge was painfully shallow. He simply couldn't join the discussion.
....
The jeep rolled steadily down the road. Cole, sitting in the driver's seat, looked sullen. In contrast, Kael sat in the back, sunglasses on, legs crossed, in high spirits. His discussion with Suzie had cleared up many lingering questions.
The perfume extracted from Gloom's saliva was called No. 18. It was a Pokémon fragrance carefully developed by Celadon Gym Leader Erika. The price was equally refined—200cc cost 22,000. It could easily be considered a luxury item.
As one of the most economically developed cities in the Kanto region, Celadon City boasted impressive consumer spending power. Luxury brands from all over the world could be found everywhere.
...
The reservoir construction site was located on the edge of the eastern forest of Celadon City, not far from Fuchsia City—only a mountain range separated the two.
After driving for a full three hours, the faint outline of the Fuchsia Mountains gradually came into view. The half-built reservoir sat atop those mountains, designed to collect water from a large mountain lake to irrigate farmland in over a dozen villages around Fuchsia City.
Bang!
The jeep suddenly lurched violently forward.
Kael reacted quickly, bracing his foot against the front seat to counter the momentum.
Cole wasn't so lucky. As a former League Investigator, he had the terrible habit of not wearing a seatbelt while driving. The sudden jolt slammed his head hard against the steering wheel. Though hissing in pain, he managed to stomp on the brakes in time.
Clutching the swelling bump on his forehead, Cole stepped out to inspect what had happened—only to find the front wheel sunk into a hole.
"Those Diglett again!" he cursed angrily. "How long has it been? These little pests have already expanded their territory all the way here!"
A Diglett disaster occurred when too many Diglett multiplied in a given area. They burrowed relentlessly underground, severely damaging the surface ecosystem and affecting local buildings and crops.
Research showed that a small number of Diglett burrowing beneath the soil could increase its vitality, promoting crop growth. But once their numbers grew excessive, underground cavities multiplied rapidly, preventing plant roots from properly absorbing nutrients and causing widespread withering.
The ground here was riddled with hollow spaces. Cole took another step and immediately created yet another pit. Shaking his head helplessly, he said, "We'll have to walk to the construction site. There's no way a car can drive through here."
Kael stepped out and circled the area. With just a few firm stomps, more holes appeared.
Diglett were social Pokémon. Typically, a Diglett colony was led by a Dugtrio. Taking a metal rod from his backpack, Kael drove it into the soil and spoke calmly:
"If we want to resolve this Diglett disaster, we first need to determine how many colonies exist in this region. Then we track down the Dugtrio leaders and capture them. In a forest area of thirty thousand hectares, it's best to maintain three to five Diglett colonies—enough to keep the soil active without damaging its structure."
"I don't think you're suited to being a bounty hunter…" Cole fell silent for a moment before suddenly shouting excitedly, "Kid, if you don't become a League Investigator, it would be a waste of your talent!"
Kael narrowed his eyes and looked at him. "Heh. I was thinking the same. That's why, back on the S.S. Anne, my second condition was a temporary Investigator credential—no actual authority required."
Back then, his intention had simply been to secure an official façade. Having an Investigator identity would provide considerable convenience when carrying out future missions.
At those words, Cole scratched his head awkwardly. He'd already been dismissed by the League. His former backer, Boss Renard, was off on who-knew-what vacation. Helping Kael obtain a temporary Investigator credential was beyond him now.
Kael pulled another bundle of silver metal rods from his backpack and tossed them into Cole's arms.
"Stop standing around. Plant one signal rod every ten meters."
"What about you?" Cole asked, holding the dozens of kilograms of metal rods.
Kael patted the laptop in his hands.
"Obviously—working."