Cynthia had Blissey open the door while she quickly changed out of her pajamas.
By the time she returned to the living room, Kumaki Tetsu was already seated on the sofa, sipping tea that Blissey had poured for him.
Cynthia sat down and combed her hair. She glanced at Kumaki Tetsu and decided to get straight to the point.
"Tell me, what brings you here? If it's about finalizing sponsorship or commercial contracts, please contact the Pokémon League. They have specialists handling those matters, and I generally don't get involved."
Kumaki Tetsu took another sip of tea and set the cup back on the coffee table.
"Actually, even when we were finalizing contracts before, I wondered why you never questioned anything and simply let the Pokémon League decide everything. You're missing out on maximizing your potential profits."
Cynthia tied her hair up and took a cookie from the tray Blissey was holding, popping it into her mouth.
"I don't really care about money," Cynthia said. "Besides, the people at the Pokémon League are far more specialized in this area than I am. I understand the principle of focusing on one's expertise."
"So, it's not about the contracts," Cynthia continued. "Then what exactly brings you here?"
"Mai stayed here recently, and she had a man with her, right?"
Cynthia paused, caught off guard by this unexpected line of questioning.
It was clear Kumaki Tetsu had come to discuss Mai. Judging by his tone, he seemed to have some reservations about Luther.
'Honestly, Luther,' Cynthia thought, 'if you like someone's daughter, you should make an effort to get along with her family.'
"First, I apologize for my daughter's lack of discipline in bringing outsiders to disturb you," Kumaki Tetsu said, leaving Cynthia even more confused.
'The decision to visit my home must have been Luther's, right? Mai never interferes in such matters. Why is Kumaki Tetsu acting like it was her idea?'
Cynthia raised her hand, signaling Kukui Tetsu to stop.
"I'm a bit lost. Why don't you just get straight to the point?"
Kukui Tetsu adjusted his glasses and said gravely, "I want you to witness a Battle."
Cynthia's hand trembled, and the cookie she had taken from Blissey's plate fell to the floor.
"You want to Battle Luther?"
Kukui Tetsu nodded.
"Just..."
Cynthia nearly blurted out "you."
Despite sharing the Kukui surname, Kukui Tetsu had no connection to Professor Kukui. No matter how highly Cynthia regarded his knowledge of Pokémon Battles, she couldn't imagine him being a match for Luther.
Kukui Tetsu looked at Cynthia curiously, gesturing for her to continue.
"Let me ask first, why are you doing this?" Cynthia quickly changed the subject.
"We've collaborated many times. You should be well aware of the Kukui Family's current situation. Our traditional crafts are on the verge of dying out, with no one left to inherit them."
Cynthia pondered for a moment, then her eyes widened in realization.
The Kukui Family primarily produced beverage products.
Luther's favorite drink, the one with the Shuckle pattern on the label, was a Kukui Family product. Its flavor closely resembled the fermented fruit juice Shuckle made within its shell, but with numerous improvements and a variety of flavors.
He almost always kept a grape-flavored bottle in his backpack. Though it lacked the fizzy kick of carbonated drinks, he thoroughly enjoyed its rich, mellow taste.
In truth, that wasn't the Kukui Family's finest product.
The mass-produced juices sold on the market were merely products tailored to consumer demand. The Kukui Family's true artistry lay in their fermented fruit juices, which took six months to a year to produce.
This required the coordinated efforts of numerous Pokémon, meticulously blended according to recipes passed down through generations. In the Sinnoh Region, these beverages had always been luxury items.
When Cynthia first became Champion, she chose the Kukui Family's contract with the Pokémon League precisely because she was so enamored with these juices, even though their bid was significantly lower than those of other competitors.
This traditional method was undoubtedly a closely guarded family secret. As Kukui Tetsu's only child, Mai had been groomed from a young age to inherit the family legacy.
To Kukui Tetsu, any losses from market fluctuations affecting their mass-produced goods were inconsequential. What truly mattered was preserving this irreplaceable tradition.
Just as Cynthia had willingly sacrificed lucrative endorsement deals to support the Kukui Family, their brand served as the family's license to ascend into Sinnoh's elite circles.
In the past, many members of the Kukui Family had traveled abroad, but there were always other children willing to manage affairs at home.
Now, with Kukui Tetsu, the situation was awkward. He had only one heir: Mai.
Understanding the reason, Cynthia felt somewhat perplexed.
"But you're not the only member of the Kukui Family, are you? I remember when we finalized the contract, your younger brother was sitting next to you. Doesn't he have any suitable descendants?"
Kukui Tetsu remained silent, simply picking up his teacup and taking another sip.
Cynthia instantly understood and didn't press further.
It seemed that this ancestral technique, at its core, was controlled solely by the family head.
Even a younger brother was no exception; when it came to profit, keeping it in one's own hands was the only true path.
"I want to leave the best for Mai. Her mother passed away too early, and she missed out on so much growing up due to her illness."
"She's still young and doesn't understand how important this is for her. As long as she holds these formulas, she'll be able to live well, no matter what happens."
"What parent doesn't want their child to have a better life? But Mai has never understood. Ever since she recovered from her illness, our relationship has deteriorated. Now, she no longer listens to me."
"She wouldn't even come home to see us, not even for a moment. We only found out she was back in Sun Heart City right before she left."
"It took us ages to dig up information on that Luther kid she's been hanging around with."
Kukui Tetsu pulled two heavily folded sheets of paper from his pocket. Cynthia took them and glanced over the contents.
They contained all of Luther's background and experiences.
But why did it all feel so hollow?
The Gym Challenge records only went as far as Rockfist Gym and then stopped. That was ancient history; how long ago had that been?
His social connections were limited to Professor Rowan and "Pokédex holders," which was reasonable. That was probably all the information the Pokémon League could provide.
Finally, there was an assessment and conclusion:
Luther is an ordinary Pokémon Trainer with average potential, not worthy of attention.
Cynthia frowned, struggling to reconcile the labels "ordinary," "average potential," and "not worthy of attention" with Luther's face.
'Why did this information feel so wrong?'
"Evergreen would definitely explode with anger if he saw this. He was actually fooled by someone like this. Hakuya would probably tear this paper apart. He thinks very highly of Luther. Saying Luther is no good is basically saying he himself is trash, isn't it?" Cynthia muttered to herself.
"What was that?" Kukui Tetsu asked.
"Nothing," Cynthia replied quickly. "I want to know where you got this information."
"I had the family conduct a quick investigation. We even sent someone to Twinleaf Town to inquire about Luther and learned he used to have a Pokémon phobia."
"Forgive my bluntness, but how can a Pokémon Trainer like that possibly protect Mai?" Kukui Tetsu tossed Luther's photo onto the coffee table with disdain.
"Mai is blindly following him around now. As her father, I have to do something to make her see reason."
"Mai has always idolized you. That's why I'm asking you to witness their battle. It might be the only way to bring her back."
Cynthia frowned, still clutching the file.
As a businessman, why would Kukui Tetsu rely on his family's network instead of the Pokémon League's official channels? That's just foolish.
If he'd bothered to check Luther's current Badge count, none of this would have happened.
(End of Chapter)
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