Just as the two of them were finally getting into the mood, everything came to a screeching halt.
That damned knock on the door — of all times, why now?!
"…Just wait there, I'll go see who it is," Nathan grumbled through clenched teeth, letting out two deep breaths to calm his inner fury.
Still wearing his pajamas, he got up and walked to the door.
As soon as he opened it, he was greeted by the sight of Mickey — the deceptively innocent-looking little brat.
Admittedly, the kid looked cute, dressed in cartoon-themed sleepwear and clutching a teddy bear in his arms. But that mischievous glint in his eyes ruined the entire image.
Seeing Nathan open the door, the sly smirk on Mickey's little face deepened.
"Pretty sister, I'm scared to sleep alone. Can I sleep with you tonight?" Mickey spoke in an innocent tone that nearly made Nathan unleash his Pokémon to handle him on the spot.
Sure, he was just a kid — but how dare he ask to sleep with his woman?
"Ah~!"
Hearing Mickey's voice, Lily immediately panicked and started trying to get dressed and out of bed.
"No need for that, Lily. You just keep practicing. I'll sleep with him tonight," Nathan said with a devilish grin while glaring at Mickey.
Mickey opened his mouth to say something else, but Nathan simply reached out and covered it with his hand.
Without another word, Nathan scooped Mickey into his arms and forcefully carried him back to his room.
Lily, hearing this exchange, had no choice but to stay where she was and resume resting.
Mickey struggled desperately in Nathan's arms, but he was just a child — how could he possibly break free?
After all, Nathan kept himself in top physical shape through regular training, not to mention he frequently spent weeks surviving in the wilderness. His body was strong and well-trained, and Mickey, at six or seven years old, was no match.
Bam! With one swift kick, Nathan shut Mickey's door behind them.
"You… What do you want to do? I'm warning you, a lot of people know I came here with you!" Mickey said, clearly terrified by the mischievous grin plastered across Nathan's face.
Heh. Thought you could outsmart me during the day, huh?
Now that it's nighttime — and with Lily not around to protect you — Nathan wasn't about to let this little devil off easily.
Not that he'd actually do anything — they were still civilized people, after all. Physical punishment was off the table, especially since it could leave evidence. But giving this kid a good scare? That was totally fair game.
"What do I want? Why don't you tell me what I want?" Nathan said as he slowly approached Mickey.
Terrified, Mickey backed away step by step until he was cornered against the wall, with nowhere left to retreat.
"If you dare do anything to me, I'll scream!" Mickey's voice was shaking now.
"Scream? Go ahead and scream. I booked the best room in the hotel — the soundproofing's amazing. Even if I started shooting a gun in here, nobody outside would hear a thing," Nathan said nonchalantly.
And he wasn't lying — when Nathan booked this room, he knew he'd need it to be private for his "paid scenes" at night. No way was he getting a place with poor sound insulation.
"Waaah… Aaaaah!!"
Mickey's cries pierced through the night — abrupt, loud, and jarring. But unfortunately for him, the room's soundproofing was as good as advertised.
Not only could no one next door hear it — even someone standing at the door wouldn't pick up a thing.
Mixed in with Mickey's cries were the sounds of Nathan's wicked laughter.
Meanwhile, in the room next door, Lily had already drifted off to sleep, completely unaware of what was happening just one wall away.
-----------------
The next morning...
Nathan woke up refreshed and full of energy. When he looked over and saw Mickey sleeping soundly on the sofa, a smug smile spread across his face.
Seriously? Just a brat like this, and he thought he could mess with me?
Last night, Nathan hadn't actually done anything too over the top — all he did was show Mickey a few foreign news stories involving child abuse cases.
And of course, he "accidentally" made sure Mickey had a full understanding of those terrifying headlines.
At first, Mickey thought Nathan was just bluffing, trying to scare him. But when he saw Nathan making a phone call and glancing at him repeatedly with a sinister look — like he was examining a product, not a person — the fear finally took over.
Even though Mickey didn't understand what Nathan was saying on the call, the cold look in Nathan's eyes sent chills down his spine.
But what truly broke him was the line Nathan said just before hanging up:
"Don't worry — I'm a world champion. It's just a kid. Even if I lost him, you think our country would actually blame me?"
That was the moment Mickey really got scared.
World champion or not — how could he, a little kid, possibly fight back?
Sure, Mickey was young, but he wasn't stupid. With Nathan's current status back in their home country, even if something did happen to him, the fallout would probably amount to nothing.
"Hey~ Time to wake up," Nathan said as he walked over to the sofa.
Mickey slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Nathan's face hovering right in front of his.
He jolted up with a shiver. The events of the previous night were still fresh in his mind.
"G-got it," he stammered, curling up in the corner of the sofa and pulling the blanket tightly around himself.
Looking at how terrified Mickey was, Nathan couldn't help but wonder if he might've gone a bit too far.
But then he remembered how the kid had interrupted him last night, and all sympathy instantly vanished.
Ruining my paid vacation and I only scared you a little? You got off easy!
After waking Mickey, Nathan turned to go change and get ready to head out.
But just before leaving the room, a sudden thought popped into his mind.
"Hey, one more thing — don't even think about interrupting me and Lily tonight. You know what happens if you do," Nathan said, glancing back ominously.
"Oh — and remember: some things are better left between just the two of us. If Lily finds out…" he let out a soft, sinister chuckle.
Mickey nodded furiously, clearly terrified that Nathan might sell him off to one of those abuse rings he'd read about the night before.
Seeing how obedient the little brat had become, Nathan felt completely at ease. Tried to challenge me? Nice try.
When Nathan returned to the room, Lily was already up and brushing her teeth.
"Did Mickey behave last night?" she asked when she saw Nathan come in.
"Totally. I've rarely seen such an obedient child," Nathan said with a proud smile.
Of course, the reason for Mickey's newfound obedience remained his little secret.
Once all three of them were ready, they left the hotel together to go sightseeing.
But the moment they stepped outside, Nathan saw something that immediately caught his interest.
Back home, he'd seen many things — Pokémon gambling, duel arenas, even underground Pokémon trading.
But this? This was a first — a man selling his Pokémon to save his daughter's life.
A ragged, disheveled middle-aged man stood by the sidewalk, gripping the hand of a frail-looking girl. In her hand was a set of medical documents.
Fluent in every language, Nathan quickly glanced at the files and understood: the girl had a rare, difficult-to-treat illness.
Laid out in front of the man were five or six Poké Balls.
"Please… kind-hearted people, I beg you to help my daughter…"
"She's so young… I can't bear to watch her leave this world like this…"
The man's voice trembled as he sobbed uncontrollably. His cries echoed with pain and desperation as he pleaded with passersby to buy his Pokémon.
Lily, standing next to Nathan, was already visibly moved. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Even Mickey, seeing the girl's pitiful state, felt a chill down his spine.
Thank goodness I didn't keep arguing with Nathan last night, he thought. Otherwise, I might be the one being sold today.
"Nathan, let's help them, okay? You've got plenty of money, don't you?" Lily said as she wiped her tears away.
Nathan was stunned. She actually fell for this?
This simple scam, and it worked on her?
He took a quick glance around and immediately noticed several men lurking nearby, all staring in their direction.
Their clothes were ragged and ill-fitting — completely out of place in the upscale shopping district of Dunmar's capital city, where they currently were.
This street was lined with luxury boutiques and five-star hotels.
Those men? They looked like they couldn't afford even a coffee here.
If they were all women, maybe it could be explained — maybe they were out looking for wealthy partners.
But no — these were scruffy, gangster-looking men, clearly waiting for their cue.
Helping their friend con some tourists, Nathan thought.
"Take a look around. Do you see a few people who don't belong here? People who are watching us?" Nathan whispered in Lily's ear.
She quickly turned her head to survey the surroundings. Sure enough, just as Nathan said — there were men lurking about, all focused on the same scene.
Lily had genuinely been touched by the performance at first. But that didn't mean she was stupid.
"You mean… they're all working together? It's a scam?" she whispered back.
Nathan nodded slightly. "Exactly."
Now that she understood the truth, they quietly turned to leave, ready to distance themselves from the con.
(End of Chapter)