Three days had passed since the intense battle with the Super Ancient Dragon. Ash had also successfully subdued the Super-Ancient Pokemon, just as he had intended.
Since Dr. Bill couldn't bear to part with such an eventful encounter, Ash and Brock decided to stay behind and continue their training for another two or three days.
"What?! Grandpa, are you joking? How old do you think I am?!" Ash shouted into the video call, clearly stunned by what Professor Oak had just said. Standing behind him inside the lighthouse, Cynthia watched with a faint, amused smile.
The situation had escalated quickly. On the second day after Ash subdued the dragonite, Giselle had been abruptly sent back by Cynthia on strict orders.
It was said that her father was furious and intended to ground her for several months. After Giselle's departure, Cynthia didn't leave either.
Instead, she openly revealed her identity as Ash's fiancée. After all, her main reason for coming here wasn't just to travel—it was to develop a relationship with Ash.
Otherwise, why would the Sinnoh Champion go out of her way to accompany a rookie like Ash?
After hearing Cynthia's bold declaration, Ash immediately called Professor Oak—leading to the current scene.
Facing Ash's stunned expression and raised voice, Professor Oak remained calm and replied, "Relax, Ash. I'm not asking you to get married right away—just to get engaged. Since Cynthia's staying with you to train and grow closer, it makes sense."
"You're about to turn sixteen, and Cynthia is only twenty-eight. Sure, there's a bit of an age gap, but she's in great shape and comes from a respectable lineage. Think it over. Besides, your grandfather and I have already exchanged gifts with the Yoto family. Backing out now would bring shame to both the Oak family and their side."
Ash groaned and rubbed his forehead in frustration. Ever since he came to this world, he had been avoiding matters of the heart.
He was still a teenager and had planned to dodge any romance for at least another seven or eight years. But now? Someone had already arranged a bride for him!
"Grandpa, I'm still young. I don't want to be burdened by emotional stuff. I just want to focus on training my Pokémon. Can't we talk about this later?"
His words left Cynthia visibly disappointed. During their battle against the dragon, Ash's bravery had impressed her. At first, the idea of a political engagement had left her uncomfortable—but after spending time with Ash, she genuinely found herself drawn to him.
Since she couldn't choose her partner freely, at the very least she hoped to be with someone she liked. And Ash fit that role perfectly. Unfortunately, it seemed he didn't share the same sentiment—not yet, anyway.
But before Ash could say more, Professor Oak firmly declared, "Enough, Ash. Cynthia is your fiancée. That's already been decided. I've sent the invitations to all the major families. After the Quartz League Conference, you'll hold an engagement ceremony."
And just like that, Professor Oak turned off the call, cheerfully grabbing a bowl of ramen as the screen went black—leaving Ash no chance to object.
Bang!
"Damn it!" Ash punched the wall with his right fist, causing spiderweb cracks to spread across its surface. His frustration wasn't directed at Professor Oak—it was just that he still couldn't escape from these emotional entanglements. It made him feel trapped.
"You act like being with me is such a burden," Cynthia said quietly from the side. "I'm the Sinnoh Champion. I don't think I'm lacking in looks either. Sure, I'm older than you—but in arranged marriages like ours, age doesn't matter."
She tried to sound composed, but her voice was tinged with sadness. It was the first time she'd ever been rejected by a man.
"I don't care if you're a Champion or whatever," Ash said coldly, his voice stiff. "To me, you're just another person—maybe stronger than most, but that's it. Let me make this clear: even if we do get married, we'll live our own separate lives."
Maybe it was selfish. Maybe it was his way of protecting himself. But it was the best he could offer right now. Accepting love again wasn't something simple for Ash. Emotionally, he felt like fire and water—unable to mix.
With those words, Ash turned and walked out of the lighthouse, leaving Cynthia alone in the silent corridor.
She stood there, watching his back fade into the distance. For some reason, Cynthia could sense that there was a deep crack inside Ash's heart.
Don't underestimate a Champion's intuition—especially when it came to aura and emotional perception, what many referred to as Telepathy.
"Haaah…"
Out at the nearly repaired shoreline, Ash took a long breath, exhaled, and tried to calm himself. After speaking so harshly to Cynthia, he felt a twinge of guilt. She was still just a girl after all. Maybe he had been too cold.
As Ash appeared, Brock—who had been tending to Growlithe, Pidgeot, and Steelix—walked over and asked,
"Ash, what's going on? What did Professor Oak say?"
Ever since Brock learned that Cynthia was Ash's fiancée, he'd been stunned. But after thinking it over, he eventually nodded in acceptance.
Honestly, Ash and Cynthia were a good match. The Yoto family might be internally complicated, but outwardly they presented a unified front—one of the reasons they remained among the most influential families in the world.
Ash sighed and replied, "What else? No room to argue. Grandpa won't even let me get a word in... what a pain."
Fortunately, there was still some time before the Quartz League Conference. At least for now, this headache could be shelved until later.
"You might as well give up," Brock said with a wry smile. "These arranged marriages between major families are set in stone. You rejected Cynthia today, but your grandfather would just find someone else tomorrow. That's how it works."
Ash gave a bitter chuckle. Brock wasn't wrong. He'd seen too many such forced pairings in powerful clans.
After all, Brock's own grandfather was a member of the Elite Four. Whenever there was a high-profile wedding among the top families, they always sent him an invitation—even if they barely knew the groom or bride. The only time they didn't was when the families were on poor terms.
"Forget it. Let's talk about something else. How's Dr. Bill's research going?" Ash asked, brushing off the matter and turning to where Dr. Bill was examining Dragonite.
"It's done. He's just collecting a few more samples. After that, we can head to Vermilion City. According to the map, it should take a little over an hour from here," Brock said, checking the map and their current location.
Ash nodded and walked over to Dragonite. "Hey, how are you feeling? Fully recovered?"
This was Ash's first time using the Cell Activation treatment. And not just on any Pokémon—but on an ancient one like Dragonite. He wasn't sure whether the effects would be diminished.
"Woooo~!" Dragonite let out a soft cry, eyes squinting happily as it gave Ash a nod.
Ash had to admit—despite its size, Dragonite had an undeniably cute charm. Especially with that dopey, lovable expression on its face.
...
TN:
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