"Teacher Ms. Jell!" Jerry quickly straightened up and greeted her.
The person who arrived was none other than Ms. Jell, the lead special training teacher of Giselle's Elite Class.
She was twenty-seven years old, a graduate of Kanto region's top Trainer Education Academy, and was headhunted by Pokémon Technical Institute three years ago with a high salary, specifically tasked with training Giselle and the other most talented students.
"Jerry!" Teacher Ms. Jell quickly walked up to her, her chest heaving violently from her rapid breathing: "Giselle... is she inside?"
Her voice revealed clear panic.
"Yes, Teacher Ms. Jell." Jerry nodded and whispered, "Senior Giselle... just finished a battle."
"I heard..." Teacher Ms. Jell took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down: "It was a Training Faction member from outside the Academy? Who only used a Pikachu? And... and won?"
When she received the hurried message from her student, she was completely dumbfounded.
Giselle lost?
And was defeated by a type disadvantage reversal?
How is this possible!
That was the Chief Student she personally trained! With the strength of three Badges! A genius who ranked highly among the entire Kanto younger generation!
"Mmm..." Jerry hesitated, but still spoke truthfully: "Roy's Pikachu... is very strong. And his fighting style is... very unique."
So unique that it completely overturned the Academic Faction's theories.
But Jerry didn't dare say that out loud.
Teacher Ms. Jell's face grew even paler.
She knew Giselle too well.
That young miss, who was proud to the core, had never been defeated since enrolling; every battle was an overwhelming victory, and she was long accustomed to being praised and admired.
Now, being publicly defeated by an unknown Training Faction member... would her mentality collapse?
More importantly, Giselle's family had members on the School Board!
The Pokémon Technical Institute Board of Directors had seven seats, and the Rochefort Family held two.
And she, Ms. Jell, was able to receive ten times the salary of a regular Pokemon Academy, live in a luxury apartment allocated by the Academy, and enjoy various top-tier benefits, all because she was responsible for teaching Giselle.
To put it bluntly, she was hired and paid by the Rochefort Family specifically to serve this young miss.
The other teachers in the class were the same, spending most of their energy on Giselle.
As long as the young miss was happy and progressing quickly, they could live comfortably at the Academy.
But what if... what if Giselle was utterly demoralized by this failure... Ms. Jell didn't dare think further.
She had heard about the methods of the Rochefort Family members.
Last year, a teacher made a teaching error that caused a collateral relative of the Rochefort Family to fall behind, and the very next day, that teacher was transferred to the Logistics Department and their salary was immediately cut by eighty percent.
"Miss Giselle... how is she feeling right now?" Teacher Ms. Jell asked in a low voice.
Jerry recalled Giselle's disheartened look just now, and then remembered the look in her eyes when her fighting spirit rekindled, and carefully replied:
"At first, she seemed very shaken... but later, after Roy said a few words to her, she seemed... to have her fighting spirit re-ignited instead."
"Roy? The Training Faction member?" Teacher Ms. Jell frowned.
"Yes." Jerry nodded: "He said... Senior Giselle still has a lot to learn outside of textbooks."
Teacher Ms. Jell's heart sank.
That sounded exactly like saying there was a problem with her teaching!
"I understand." She took a deep breath, trying hard to calm her emotions: "I'll go inside and check. You go attend to your duties."
"Understood, Teacher Ms. Jell."
Jerry bowed and quickly left.
Silence returned to the corridor.
Teacher Ms. Jell stood at the entrance of the Battle Classroom, took a few deep breaths, and then gently pushed the door open... The light inside the classroom was dim.
Giselle was sitting casually on a chair, her back to the door.
Her wine-red long hair was spread out, covering the side of her face.
She hung her head, her hands tightly clutching her skirt hem, clenching so hard that her knuckles were white.
Her entire person was like a frozen statue.
"Miss Giselle..."
Teacher Ms. Jell spoke softly and walked over cautiously.
The sound of her high heels clicking on the floor was especially clear in the silent classroom.
Giselle did not react.
Teacher Ms. Jell's heart sank a little further.
She walked up to Giselle, squatted down, and looked up at the young miss's face.
That beautiful face, which usually carried an arrogant expression, was currently expressionless.
But her eyes... were frighteningly bright.
Not hollow, not lost.
But something suppressed and burning.
"Are you... alright?" Teacher Ms. Jell asked gently: "Battles have wins and losses; this is... normal."
She paused, then added:
"It's also possible that the opponent used some... less savory methods."
Having said this, Teacher Ms. Jell felt guilty herself.
But to appease Giselle, she could only say this.
Normally in class, she was Giselle's teacher and could give guidance.
But privately... she had to address her as "Miss Giselle."
Her posture had to be humble, and her tone respectful.
Just like a maid of the Rochefort Family.
However, Ms. Jell didn't feel there was anything wrong with this.
If the money was enough, what did it matter if she was a little subservient?
When she used to teach at a regular Pokemon Academy, her monthly salary was only thirty thousand alliance coins, and she was ordered around by the Principal, treated like a slave.
And now?
Three hundred thousand monthly salary, plus year-end bonuses, and the Rochefort Family would occasionally reward her with Luxury Goods.
The apartment she lived in was the best in the Academy, and her food and supplies were top-tier.
As long as she served this young miss well, money would flow in endlessly.
In this world, the most frightening thing is not subservience.
It's the kind of job that pays little, demands much, and treats you like a dog.
And this current job... she absolutely could not lose!
Teacher Ms. Jell looked at Giselle, her eyes full of worry and flattery.
The classroom fell silent for a moment.
"Heh."
Giselle suddenly let out a soft laugh.
She slowly lifted her head, her wine-red long hair sliding back to reveal her delicate, pale face.
Her beautiful eyes looked directly at Teacher Ms. Jell.
"Teacher Ms. Jell."
Giselle spoke, her voice very calm, even somewhat cold:
"Do I look like the type of person... who can't handle losing?"
Teacher Ms. Jell trembled all over.
"N-no, I didn't mean that!" She waved her hands in a panic, explaining: "I was just worried about you..."
"This time, I was careless."
Giselle interrupted her.
She released her grip on the skirt hem and flexed her somewhat stiff fingers.
"I underestimated Roy."
"I thought that by following the theories in the textbooks and the calculations of the Data Models, I could easily win every battle."
"But I was wrong."
"Teacher Ms. Jell."
Giselle did not turn around, her voice still calm:
"Help me unlock access to all level courses."
"Starting now, I will study the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Courses simultaneously."
Teacher Ms. Jell was stunned.
"Miss Giselle, isn't this... too rushed?" She quickly advised: "It's best to solidify the basics step by step. Your talent is extremely high, and your future achievements will certainly be great! But opening all three levels... you'll exhaust yourself!"
"Do you think I can't handle it?"
Giselle turned around and looked at Teacher Ms. Jell.
In her eyes, that arrogance reappeared.
But it was different from before.
The previous arrogance was condescending and taken for granted.
Now, it was an arrogance burning with a certain obsession.
"Do you think I can't compare to a Training Faction member... who carries a yellow-skinned pet?"
Giselle's tone became serious.
Teacher Ms. Jell's face went pale.
"No... I didn't mean that..." She waved her hands frantically: "I'm just worried about your health..."
"Go and do it."
Giselle turned back toward the window, her voice containing no room for doubt:
"I will speak to the family about it. They won't make trouble for you."
Teacher Ms. Jell opened her mouth, wanting to persuade her further.
But seeing Giselle's straight back, she swallowed the words she was about to say.
She knew this young miss had already made up her mind.
No one could change it.
"...Yes."
Teacher Ms. Jell lowered her head and replied softly.
She stood up, took one last look at Giselle, turned, and quickly left the Battle Classroom.
The door closed softly... Silence returned to the classroom.
Giselle stood by the window, her gaze passing through the glass toward the direction of the Academy gate.
There, three figures were slowly walking out.
The young man walking in front had one hand in his pocket and a casual stride.
On his shoulder, a Yellow-skinned Electric Mouse was swinging its tail, seemingly showing off proudly.
Giselle's hands slowly clenched into fists.
Clenched very tightly.
Roy!
Since childhood, no one has ever dared to use such a "preachy" tone with me!
I'm usually the one preaching to others!
You actually dared to lecture me in front of so many people!
Just you wait!
At the Indigo League Conference, I will defeat you!
I want you to lick my feet and listen to me lecture you in shame for an entire day!!!!
..."A delicious Lollipop! Here~"
Misty happily tore open the wrapper of a strawberry-flavored Lollipop, stood on her tiptoes, and intimately fed it to Roy.
"A reward for you~ for defeating that Arrogant Young Miss!"
Misty snorted, her voice full of triumph:
"Seeing her lost and panicked expression, and the way she was slumped on the ground unable to stand up, I felt so great!"
As she spoke, she subconsciously looped her arm through Roy's.
Her soft body leaned against him, exactly like a Charmi-ing girlfriend.
"So sweet~" Roy commented subconsciously.
Delia blinked beside them and teased:
"I wonder if you're talking about the Lollipop being sweet, or someone's actions being sweet~"
Only then did Misty realize what she had done.
As if burned, she abruptly released Roy's arm and jumped back a step.
"I—I didn't!"
Her face instantly flushed deep red, even the tips of her ears turning pink.
She frantically pointed at Roy, turning the tables:
"It's all—all your fault! Roy! Big Pervert!"
After speaking, she turned and ran.
"Huh?"
Roy, sucking on the Lollipop, looked innocently at Delia:
"I wasn't perverted just now, was I?"
Delia burst out laughing.
She shook her head fondly, her eyes filled with tenderness as she looked at Roy:
"Misty is just shy~ Go quickly and chase her, don't let her get lost."
"You're right."
Roy smiled and stepped forward to follow.
Delia also jogged to catch up, shouting toward Misty's retreating figure:
"Hey, Misty! Slow down! The bushes ahead are too tall! Don't run so fast~"
...The three of them continued joking and playing around for most of the day.
Unknowingly, the surrounding scenery became increasingly desolate.
The trees on both sides of the road thinned out, replaced by dense patches of tall grass, higher than a person.
The grass blades were emerald green, swaying gently in the breeze.
Misty was running ahead at first, but gradually, she also slowed her pace.
"This road... doesn't seem right, does it?"
She stopped and looked around suspiciously.
Roy walked up to her, raised his hand, and gently tapped her on the head.
"Ow~"
Misty let out an exaggerated cry, covering her head and glaring at him:
"What was that for!"
"Look at the path you led us down." Roy pointed to their surroundings: "Are we lost?"
"I didn't lead us astray!" Misty mumbled defiantly: "Vermilion City is this way... I remember the map showing it like this..."
Her voice got quieter and quieter, clearly lacking conviction.
Delia walked over, looking around with some concern:
"This grass is too tall... we can't see the path at all."
The blades of grass in this patch were over a person's height, packed densely together, obscuring almost all visibility.
The path beneath their feet had disappeared long ago, replaced by soft dirt and tangled grass stems.
The three of them were like intruders in a green labyrinth.
"What do we do now?" Misty asked softly.
Roy didn't speak.
He looked around, his brow slightly furrowed.
Just then, a rustling sound suddenly came from the tall grass not far ahead.