Luther's hand, which was holding the microphone, trembled uncontrollably. To avoid disrupting the flow of the conversation, he moved the microphone away and tried to calm down.
"It seems your answer is almost the same as mine. I've never believed in love that comes without reason. Human nature is selfish in the end."
Evergreen continued unhurriedly, "What's wrong? Your hand is shaking. Your mind is muddled. You don't know how to think anymore."
"Are you talking about yourself?"
Luther blurted out, just to keep the rhythm going. But the moment he said it, he realized it sounded like childish bickering, it was pathetically low-level.
Evergreen let out a laugh of indifference. "I just want to remind you of something: Playing around is fine, but don't take it too seriously."
"Cynthia's expectations for you are real, but Diantha and the others...heh...they're only treating you that way out of guilt."
You caught Cynthia's eye, and you just happened to get involved with us. A relationship that should have stayed at the level of polite acquaintances suddenly turned into something like friendship. Don't you think the pace is a little too fast?"
"Bait. You're the perfect bait, you know that?" Evergreen's voice suddenly came close to the microphone, carrying a chill.
"They couldn't get anything out of that ragtag group, no matter how hard they tried. Then, suddenly, they found someone who actually had a connection to them, so they let you be involved in the Shiran situation from beginning to end and then rushed off to Kalos."
They feel guilty because they used you. At the core, they just wanted peace of mind."
Evergreen's words came to an abrupt stop, leaving behind a blank space like the sudden drop of the curtain in a stage play. The silence only made Luther feel more uneasy.
"I've said everything I needed to say. You should understand what I mean. Lastly, I hope you and Cynthia have a nice date."
The sound of the phone being hung up on echoed like a Doduo's cry, snapping Luther back to his senses.
When he arrived at the entrance of the Pokémon Center, he saw a brand-new backpack on the ground. He glanced at it, slung it over his shoulder, and slowly walked toward the hotel.
Only now did the tangled thoughts in his head begin to unravel and a cold sweat broke out all over Luther's body.
Oleander once said that Evergreen loved playing with people's hearts. Luther had felt it keenly during their first encounter. However, since he had handled things well afterward, he had always felt that Oleander had exaggerated a bit.
Now, however, Luther had no choice but to admit that Oleander was completely right.
Evergreen wasn't bluffing. Everything he said was an open conspiracy, nothing hidden at all, yet you couldn't stop yourself from overthinking.
Diantha and Lance had indeed suddenly become close to him.
It was also true that they had been deeply involved in the Shiran incident.
With just a few sentences, Evergreen forced Luther to reevaluate everything that had happened, causing him to doubt.
The more Luther thought about it, the more Evergreen's explanation seemed like the most realistic possibility.
It wasn't just Oleander; Diantha and Lance both wanted to find any information about that ragtag organization so they could destroy it once and for all. But they had never succeeded.
Then Luther appeared, becoming bait to draw out that group. In fact, they did succeed. Evergreen even showed up personally for that research paper that Luther didn't know the whereabouts of.
But everything that followed spiraled out of control. The Champions underestimated how seriously the group would take the matter. Luther, dragged into it, became the target of retaliation.
Guilt was one of the emotions underlying that incident.
Perhaps there was another emotion mixed in, too.
Worry.
Although everyone else agreed with Luther's actions that night, they were understood by all as an act of self-preservation. It was one of the few choices he had. He simply wanted to live.
But something so far beyond normal understanding was bound to provoke other thoughts.
Throughout the call, Evergreen kept testing whether Luther was Swagger material. Luther carefully countered every move, only for Evergreen to reveal an obvious, unavoidable strategy at the end.
Whether or not Luther was Swagger didn't matter—as long as Evergreen planted a seed of doubt in his heart and made him feel uncomfortable, the goal was achieved.
Anyone capable of giving a gift like that acted in direct opposition to how Champions did things. Even if everything before that had been fake, what had happened now would push Luther farther and farther away from the Champions.
"Impressive. Just one sentence, and I'm already overthinking."
Luther let out a long breath, and it took a while for his emotions to settle.
"But no matter what you say, I will never become someone like you."
Every word Evergreen spoke, every provocation he made, would become fuel for the fire once the ragtag group was destroyed.
Luther had never wanted a battle so badly. He truly wanted to tear that group apart with his own hands.
After exhaling the last of his frustration, an unexpected calm washed over him. One hand gently stroked Espurr, and the other opened the backpack to check the money.
Evergreen really spared no expense. That thick bundle of Pokémon League bills was incredibly tempting.
When Luther returned to the hotel, Mai had prepared an entire table of dishes in his room after borrowing the hotel kitchen.
"You're back just in time. I was just about to say that if you don't eat it while it's hot, it won't taste as good."
"Come here, Espurr. This is your favorite, Sweet Cherri Berry. We ran out before, and I couldn't find it anywhere. But I finally found some here. Come have a bite."
Espurr instantly drooled and eagerly lunged into Mai's hands, swallowing the Sweet Cherri Berry in one bite.
"Luther, where are your Pokémon? Release them already—don't just stand there. Dinner's ready."
Luther released all his Pokémon and watched them squeeze together as they searched for the dishes Mai had prepared for them.
Luther always thought Marill had terrible table manners, but today she looked downright heroic the way she was eating.
"Come on, eat while it's hot. It's rare to get time to rest. You should enjoy it."
Mai handed Luther a prepared bowl.
Luther didn't take it. Instead, he simply stared at her.
Caught off guard, Mai froze for a moment, confused about what was happening until a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her.
Luther leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Thank you."
Mai felt her face burn. The last time she had hugged Luther had been an impulse in the heat of the moment, and she had never had the courage to do it again. She never expected Luther to hug her first.
She didn't know why Luther thanked her. She instinctively felt that he must have been unhappy earlier, but now he seemed especially happy for some reason.
She didn't ask why. Some things were better left alone. Luther would tell her eventually, when he felt ready.
All she needed was patience. Even if it took a long time, it would be worth it.
Marill, happily eating from her bowl, noticed Luther's movement. She called out loudly and tried to get Kirlia's attention.
A powerful psychic force suddenly enveloped Marill, slowly pushing her into a feeding bowl almost her size.
Calmly, Houndoom flicked his tail, gently hooking Marill's bowl and turning it, along with Marill, away from the scene.
All the Pokémon turned their backs to Luther and Mai, facing the wall while they ate, including Darkrai.
Milcery had its eyes covered by Chikorita's vine whip, which was held protectively against Chikorita's chest while Espurr helped feed it.
In truth, Mai was right, Luther was happy.
He was nothing like Evergreen and the others. He always had a place to return to.
In that place, a group of Pokémon and one person were always waiting for him.
His desires were simple. Without Evergreen and the ragtag group, his journey might have been the greatest travelogue one could ever dream of.
The flowery travel articles written by people who had circled the globe paled in comparison to the wonders he had seen since arriving in this world.
"Without you, something important would be missing."
This line floated to the forefront of Luther's mind.
Important to this world as well.
Perhaps the Champions had accepted him into their circle out of guilt. Or maybe it was because of what he had done that night.
But so what?
They did give him a way to join their group, something that countless others wished for but could never obtain.
Luther apologetically told Mai that their plans to rest had to change. He decided to work the night shift and head straight for Sunyshore City.
Mai didn't ask why they needed to rush. She had already guessed that it was related to Luther's behavior earlier, so she quietly repacked her luggage.
By the time they arrived in Sunyshore City, it was past midnight, yet the city was still bustling.
"After all, this is one of the most prosperous cities in Sinnoh. Many businesses stay open all night."
As a Sunyshore native, Mai naturally took on the role of Luther's guide.
On the way to Cynthia's villa, she continued to introduce everything they passed. She even gave Luther reviews of the street stalls worthy of a food critic, clearly a seasoned foodie.
Cynthia's neighborhood was located near Sunyshore's lively shopping district. As she once said, she loved the feeling of quiet within noise.
After Luther showed his Pokédex to the community security guard and explained that he was from the Research Lab, the guard did a brief check-in and then personally led him and Mai to Cynthia's house.
"It's so late. I wonder if Cynthia's asleep."
Mai hesitated at the doorbell.
Luther, however, stepped forward and pressed it immediately. "You're overthinking it. I'll bet you anything, she's definitely gaming right now."
"How do you know?" Mai asked curiously.
"She asked Diantha in the group chat ten minutes ago if she wanted to grind materials with her. I don't think she sleepwalks while gaming."
He rang the doorbell twice. Cynthia didn't appear, but an angry Garchomp appeared behind the railing instead.
Luther suddenly recalled something Cynthia had said at Diantha's villa:
"Any Pokémon League officials who bother me after eight o'clock get thrown out by Garchomp."
Judging from Garchomp's intimidating aura, she was clearly well-practiced at the job.
Seeing that it was Luther and Mai, Garchomp scratched her head awkwardly, then roared toward the house.
"Didn't she say she'd throw people out? It's way past that time…" Luther murmured.
Cynthia finally shuffled to the door, mumbling grumpily like a Doduo, controller still in hand. She froze when she saw Luther.
"When did you…? Weren't you supposed to arrive in Shiyin Town this afternoon?"
Cynthia opened the door, full of curiosity.
Luther didn't wait to step inside. He looked directly at her and spoke slowly, one word at a time:
"Long story short, you might be going on a date with me this Sunday."
Cynthia, who was biting a lollipop, turned to stone.
The controller in her hand fell straight to the ground.
Would a seal lie to you? When I say there will be extra updates, there absolutely will be.
Also, as you can probably tell, this volume won't lack battles of wits with the ragtag group. In my view, everything needs a resolution.
Since it started with Luther's identity, it must end with Luther's identity.
(End of chapter)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395