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"Haha, old man, you and ropes sure have a strange affinity today. You've already been tied up twice in such a short time. Don't move, I'll untie you."
After dealing with the man from Kyra, Liam walked toward the "old man." Seeing that the man was still in shock and hadn't recovered, Liam smiled faintly and spoke with a light tone.
"Uh… Is it all over? That fast? You really are amazing, you brat!"
It wasn't until Liam started untying the ropes on his hands that the "old man" snapped out of his shock. He looked up in disbelief, his face full of astonishment.
"Heh, this time was already considered slow. Alright, now that the bad guys are taken care of and you're free, I should get going. You should call the police quickly and have them handle the rest. As for me, I'd appreciate it if you could keep my involvement to yourself—I'd like to stay low-key for a while longer. That's all. I'll be off now!"
After untying both the "old man" and the Ledian, Liam said his piece, then turned and leapt onto Garchomp's back. Ignoring the man's shouts, Garchomp spread its sand-colored clawed wings and shot up into the sky, carrying Liam away until they disappeared from sight.
"…What an interesting young man. I think his name was Liam. Just now, I saw him take out that badge—was that the Champion's Proof of the Kanto region? How? Isn't the Kanto Champion that scoundrel Oak? When did it change? No, I have to ask Oak about this! Wait, now's not the time for that! I have to call the police first! I'll deal with Oak after this is sorted out!"
Muttering in confusion for a long while without figuring anything out, the "old man" finally gave up guessing. Looking anxious, he hurried toward the town center with his Ledian to alert the local police.
...
Riding on Garchomp's back, Liam swiftly made his way toward the Pokémon Center.
Upon arrival, he first recalled Garchomp—now back in its normal form—into its PokeBall. Then he found a secluded spot to change back into his original clothes before quietly climbing up to the second floor and slipping back into his room.
Closing the window gently, Liam glanced at Delia, who was sound asleep hugging the Pokémon egg. He couldn't help but smile warmly. Reaching out to adjust her blanket, he then went to his own bed, pulled the covers over himself without even changing, and as soon as his head touched the pillow, his breathing gradually became slow and steady.
"Mmm~ that was such a good sleep~ Huh? Liam~ Good morning~ You're up so early today?"
By the time morning light filled the room, Delia stretched lazily in her pajamas and noticed Liam already awake and up. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she greeted him.
"Heh, morning. Couldn't sleep, so I got up early. I was bored, so I organized some of my things. I didn't wake you, did I?"
Liam, busy tidying his bag, turned and smiled at her.
"No, no! I slept great, you didn't wake me at all."
Delia quickly waved her hands.
"Good. Well, it's getting late—time to get up. Let's have breakfast and then check out the parts of town we didn't visit yesterday. Oh, and Mr. Kurt—he should be home today. We can go visit him."
Hearing that, Delia's eyes lit up. Liam zipped up his neatly packed bag and smiled.
"Ah, right! We have to visit Mr. Kurt today! Liam, wait for me—I'll get ready right now!"
Delia hopped out of bed, suddenly full of energy, and bustled about chaotically.
Half an hour later, Liam and Delia came downstairs to the lobby of the Pokémon Center to check out. At the counter, Nurse Joy looked at them a bit uncertainly before speaking.
"Excuse me—are you Mr. Liam and Miss Delia?"
The sudden question puzzled Liam. Frowning slightly, he answered, "Yes, I'm Liam. Is something the matter, Nurse Joy?"
Hearing his confirmation, Joy smiled warmly, quickly taking a slip of paper from behind the counter and handing it to him.
"This is a communication record from the Kanto region that arrived this morning. The sender asked that you contact them once you see this. Here's their name and contact information—please keep it safe."
Taking the note, Liam saw the name "Professor Oak" written on it. His face filled with doubt. How did Prof. Oak even know he was here?
Unable to figure it out, he decided not to overthink it. Thanking Joy, he turned toward the communications area.
"Huh? Is this… a Pokémon transfer machine? Already installed? I didn't see it yesterday when we came back. When did they put it in?"
Next to the communication terminals were two brand-new, rather odd-looking devices. The moment Liam laid eyes on them, he knew—they had to be the legendary Pokémon Transfer Machines.
Feeling a spark of excitement, he stepped to the terminal nearest the machines and dialed Professor Oak's number.
"Hello, Liam? Heh, surprised, aren't you?"
As soon as the call connected, Prof. Oak's image appeared on the screen. Seeing who it was, Prof. Oak grinned smugly.
"Uh… I am a little surprised. Professor Oak, how did you know we were here…? And what exactly did you want to talk to me about?"
"There are indeed a couple of things. First—those Steel-type research materials you gave me? I've finished analyzing them. I'm now working on the final summary, and once it's done, it can be published again."
Oak completely sidestepped the question about how he knew Liam's location, going straight to the research topic.
"Oh… That's great news. Congratulations, Professor."
Liam's calm tone carried no surprise, as if he had expected the result.
"Tch. You're the one who contributed the most, yet you act so indifferent. Not cute at all… Whatever. The main thing is—since the Steel-type research is about wrapped up, it's time I return Steelix to you. Do you have a Pokémon Transfer Machine where you are now? If not, contact me next time you're at a place that has one."
Holding up a PokeBall with a smile, Prof. Oak made his offer.