Chapter 47 - 047: Cynthia: Quite Interesting

After struggling so hard to beat a level, did I just breeze through it? Cynthia was a bit stunned. Are we even playing the same game? Natsume's voice came through the team chat: "Boss, come quick! I just got some rare materials!" Cynthia paused for a moment, her eyes lighting up. "Don't move, I'm coming!" ... Outside the window, the twilight sun cast its golden glow, and the chirping of Pidgeys returning to their nests filled the air. The voice coming through the headphones sounded tired, with a hint of laziness, like a yawn. "I'm logging off." "Alright." Natsume let out a yawn. "Next time, remember to book in advance. My schedule's pretty packed." Cynthia thought for a moment. A Master-level Trainer like him probably didn't have much free time. She couldn't always expect him to be available on a whim. "Alright." Cynthia nodded obediently, brushing a strand of golden hair from her forehead as she spoke seriously. "I'll book in advance next time." Natsume chuckled. "By the way, why do you always use Garchomp?" Cynthia was momentarily taken aback, about to answer, when Natsume teased. "Don't tell me you're one of Cynthia's fans too?" "Well..." Cynthia hesitated. The Sinnoh Champion, constantly pestering someone to play games? How would that look? Not to mention whether the opponent would believe her, revealing her identity online was just plain foolish. Cynthia smiled faintly and countered, "Are you a fan of Cynthia?" "Yeah, I really like her." Natsume sounded nostalgic. "I've been a fan since I first watched Diamond and Pearl." "What's Diamond and Pearl?" "Ah, it's nothing, just another name for the Master League Tournament." Cynthia's tone remained calm. "You could always challenge her at the Master League." "Nah, I don't want to be a Trainer." Natsume glanced at the Haunter beside him, who was rubbing its stomach with teary eyes, clearly unhappy. "Haunter..." Hurry up and feed it! Look how hungry Haunter is! Natsume laughed. "I'm logging off. Let's catch up next time!" Cynthia wanted to say something, but in the end, she just softly replied, "Alright." "One more thing." "What?" "Have you ever heard Primarina's song? I think it sounds a bit like your voice." A faint smile tugged at the corner of Cynthia's lips. "Thank you." Natsume grinned. "See you later!" The opponent had already logged off. In the room, an elegant Glaceon leaped onto Cynthia's lap, curling up gently on her chest. Cynthia tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, gently stroking Glaceon as she murmured to herself. "A Strategy Master who doesn't want to be a Trainer...?" A subtle curve formed on Cynthia's delicate face, eventually blossoming into a stunning smile. "Quite interesting." ... Natsume took off his headphones and let out a long sigh. "I told myself... there's no way it could be Cynthia." Because of Garchomp, Natsume had started to doubt again. So, he had tentatively probed the opponent's identity, even bringing up Cynthia on purpose. But the opponent's tone didn't change at all, even acting like they were just fellow fans. "I must have overthought it." Natsume shook his head. "A League Champion wouldn't have the time to play games every day, right?" But no matter who this wealthy patron was, they were definitely generous. Even if they weren't much to look at in real life, their voice alone was enough to spark some imagination. Natsume suddenly slapped his cheeks hard. "You've got big dreams to chase!" "Even if it's tempting... you can't rely on your looks to get by!" His phone buzzed. [Cabbage Ice Cream: Don't forget to send me the bill. I might forget.] [Natsume-sensei: Got it.] Haunter, who had been floating nearby and witnessed the whole scene, gave Natsume a sidelong glance. "Haunter?" (That's it?) "Being a playmate... doesn't count. It's a skill-based job... can you call that freeloading?" Natsume argued. What followed were some incomprehensible remarks, like "Pokémon expenses are huge" and "I really don't want to be a Trainer." "Haunter~!! o(*≧▽≦)ツ" Haunter burst into laughter, filling the room with a lively atmosphere. ... Time flew by, and Natsume's review week arrived as scheduled. The first episode of "Natsume-sensei's Night Kitchen" was currently ranked third in the Lifestyle Category, with the top spot being Professor Samuel Oak's Backyard Documentary. Speaking of Professor Samuel Oak, while he didn't personally appear on Nico Dou, he had a dedicated team managing his account. Every day, they used high-definition cameras to document the living conditions of the Pokémon in his backyard. "Pancham is so cute~~!" "Whoa, a Tauros herd!" "Forty thousand square meters, and you call that a backyard?" Natsume watched half an hour of Pancham footage, satisfied, and gave the video a like. Lunch was bacon with a poached egg. Haunter, ever the aristocrat, laid a napkin for itself and elegantly cut the bacon with a knife and fork. Natsume raised an eyebrow. "Remember to grab the luggage later. We're heading back to our hometown!" "Haunter?" Since he wasn't planning to go home for the summer, Natsume decided to take advantage of the review week to visit his parents. His hometown was a small village nestled between mountains and rivers, about two hours from Tokyo. After packing his luggage and preparing gifts for relatives and neighbors, Natsume boarded the high-speed train. After another half-hour bus ride, the earthy scent of the suburbs greeted him. The sky suddenly felt clearer, and the sound of a flowing river filled his ears. "Be careful later. Don't scare anyone!" "Haunter!" Haunter, carrying a large bag of luggage, nodded confidently. As they reached the village entrance, a little girl with pigtails was riding a scooter. When she saw Natsume, she immediately dropped the scooter and ran over excitedly. "Big brother Natsume!" The little girl flashed a toothy grin, her baby teeth still growing in, and threw herself into Natsume's arms. Natsume smiled and ruffled her hair. "Natsumi, did you miss me?" "Mom said you'd definitely bring gifts!" Natsumi said shyly. "Little rascal! Here, take this." Natsume pulled out a minimized Poké Ball from his pocket and handed it to her. "Your gift!" "...A Poké Ball?" Natsumi stammered, swallowing hard. "Big brother, isn't this too expensive?" Poké Balls cost 500 Pokémon Coins on the market, so it was no wonder Natsumi hesitated. "Your mom said you've always wanted to catch a Pidgey. I'll take you up the mountain this afternoon," Natsume said with a smile. Natsumi's eyes lit up, and she threw her arms around Natsume's neck, planting a big kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, big brother!" Haunter, mimicking her, floated out from behind Natsume and poked its own cheek with a grin. Natsumi froze for a moment, then stiffened and burst into tears. "Mom, there's a ghost!" Haunter looked flustered, fumbling to pull out a napkin from the luggage, but the little girl had already run off crying. "Haunter..." Haunter's head drooped in disappointment, its face turning a pale gray. Natsume patted Haunter comfortingly. "How about I give you a kiss instead?" Haunter shot Natsume a disdainful look, then floated ahead with the luggage, looking utterly defeated. Natsume felt a pang of sadness. You've changed... You weren't like this before you evolved... As Natsume was lost in thought, Haunter had already floated far ahead, almost reaching the village entrance. Natsume shouted, "Wait for me! Don't go scaring any more kids!" ???? Join My Patreon and Unlock Exclusive Pokémon Content! ???? ????patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver Are you a fan of the Pokémon series? Become a member today and enjoy amazing benefits! ???? Membership: Pokémon Series - Gold Champion Unlock access to 21 Chapters in advance! 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