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After leaving Maximus's office, Jacob and Nina walked side by side toward the teachers' dormitory. The Dragon-type Secret Realm felt notably quieter compared to the bustling atmosphere from a few months earlier, with only scattered individuals moving through the pathways.
This peaceful period would continue until the High School Cup concluded, after which the Secret Realm would return to its usual energy and activity.
Jacob found his thoughts drifting into nostalgic memories. He couldn't recall ever taking such a leisurely stroll through these familiar grounds before.
During his intensive training period at the Secret Realm, Jacob had been completely focused on improving his strength, constantly seizing every available moment to develop his Pokémon's abilities. He had rarely allowed himself to live at such a relaxed pace.
They walked past the training grounds where Jacob had spent countless late nights working with Grovyle, Charmander, and Noibat. He still remembered how fierce and competitive Charmander had been back then, always using Taunt to provoke Noibat during their sessions.
The current Charizard was so much more mature and composed in comparison. Looking back now, time had truly flown by incredibly quickly. That period of intense struggle and dedication remained one of the most unforgettable chapters of his journey.
But all that effort had ultimately borne fruit – every moment of hard work had been completely worthwhile.
"Teacher Nina, have you been busy lately?" Jacob asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Not particularly. I've been quite relaxed recently," Nina replied.
With all the students from her training classes participating in their respective provincial and city High School Cup competitions, Nina's schedule had become much lighter. Besides her daily Pokémon training routine, she had relatively few responsibilities.
"Then would you be free next Sunday?" Jacob asked hopefully. "That's the day of the Frostgollow Province finals. Would you consider coming to watch my match?"
Jacob's invitation carried obvious importance to him. Next Sunday represented the culmination of everything he had worked toward in West Shu Province, and he genuinely hoped Nina could come to Embermere City to witness his final battle.
"Sunday?" Nina considered the request thoughtfully before responding with quiet sincerity. "If no urgent matters arise, I will come to watch your match."
"Then it's settled," Jacob replied with an enthusiastic smile. "With your encouragement, Teacher Nina, I'm confident I can claim the championship title."
"Just do your best," Nina said gently, clearly caring more about Jacob's well-being than any trophy. "Stay relaxed and demonstrate your true abilities. Don't put excessive pressure on yourself. Your opponent, Ariana, is exceptionally strong. Make sure you get proper rest tonight."
The night passed without incident. The following morning, Jacob traveled to his grandfather's residence and accompanied him to their research laboratory.
The laboratory staff showed visible surprise upon seeing Jacob and Scott, who hadn't appeared at the facility for quite some time. Ever since Jacob had developed his exclusive Z-Move technology, he had rarely visited the laboratory.
His personal office and research space had remained empty for months. This marked his first return in a considerable period.
Based on the circumstances, something significant appeared to be developing. Could Jacob have achieved new experimental breakthroughs? The laboratory personnel began speculating among themselves about the possibilities.
"Grandfather, Uncle, I need to find two experimental assistants to help me refine my current research and complete the associated paper," Jacob explained.
In Lewis's office, Jacob and Scott sat on the comfortable sofa while addressing Lewis directly.
Lewis, who had lost his beloved son, appeared dramatically more haggard than before. The once portly man had lost dozens of pounds over just a month or two, leaving him gaunt with sunken eyes and pronounced dark circles beneath them.
Lewis's gaze focused on Jacob with a complex mixture of emotions. Although he didn't truly believe the mysterious informant's accusations, seeing Jacob inevitably triggered thoughts about his son's tragic death.
Even though logic told him Jacob couldn't be responsible, he couldn't completely suppress his suspicions.
Lewis had been carefully observing Jacob since he entered the office, noting that the young man appeared exceptionally calm without any unusual reactions. If Jacob were truly guilty of murder, he would never approach so openly requesting assistance.
Unless Jacob was a psychopath with extraordinary psychological resilience, but that seemed impossible. Jacob was simply an eighteen-year-old student – he couldn't possibly possess such advanced emotional control.
Moreover, Kindler had already died by suicide, presumably out of guilt, which suggested Jacob's innocence.
"Certainly. Do you have a new experimental project?" Lewis forced a smile as he pulled back from his troubling thoughts. "Actually, it doesn't need to be so complicated. With your current reputation, you could simply announce that you're recruiting experimental assistants, and qualified candidates would rush to apply."
"Yes, there is a new experimental project," Jacob confirmed. "My research is largely complete. I just need assistance writing the paper, and time is quite limited."
"What kind of new experimental project?" Lewis asked with growing interest. "How about I write the paper for you? I could accept second author credit." His smile became more genuine. "Last time, I benefited tremendously from our collaboration and received second author recognition. Without that achievement, I wouldn't have been elected as an academician last year."
Lewis had indeed gained significant career benefits from their previous partnership. While his qualifications and background were solid, he had lacked a major breakthrough achievement. Without riding Jacob's success, he estimated it would have taken several more years, possibly even a decade, to achieve similar recognition.
"That would be fine with me," Jacob replied agreeably.
"Lewis, you should stay out of this particular project," Scott suddenly interrupted, cutting off Lewis's enthusiasm. "Jacob, I can recommend two excellent candidates for experimental assistants. They can be listed as second and third authors on the paper. For this new experiment, Lewis, you don't need to become involved."