Vermilion City, early the next morning.
From Damian's room came a series of very suggestive sounds.
The room was fairly dim, curtains blocking out the sunlight… and blocking out a whole lot of scenery.
"Mmm— Mr. Damian, no, not there—"
Erika seemed to realize what was coming and hurriedly let out a tiny, animal‑like whimper, pressing down on Damian's hand.
She knew that if this kept up they'd end up going all the way sooner or later—but right now, she really felt it was too fast.
"I'm really worked up right now, though."
"T‑then what should we do…?" Erika was mortified.
"Then help me like this."
Damian leaned in and whispered in Erika's ear. Her eyes flew wide open.
"T‑that's a thing?"
"Of course. Erika, you can do it, right?"
"T‑then… I'll try—"
Half an hour later, Celadon City's Gym Leader bolted from Damian's room again with a hand over her mouth, even her ears bright red.
In the room next door, once she saw Erika run downstairs, the cracked‑open door pushed wider.
A golden‑haired young lady covered her mouth.
"Forty‑three minutes. Way longer than the last two days. Ugh—why is Damian using her mouth to 'practice his technique'?"
Caitlin felt a stab of sourness in her chest, but she absolutely refused to admit she was jealous of that Erika.
She was just a maid.
Once Damian got tired of playing with her, he obviously wouldn't bother with her anymore.
It was totally fine. She totally didn't care.
Over the next two days, Damian shuttled back and forth between Vermilion City and Lavender Town.
Mr. Fuji had been working properly over these days too, but it was obviously impossible to expect concrete results in such a short time.
Damian wasn't in any hurry.
"Tomorrow we're leaving Kanto. Erika, we'll stay here tonight; tomorrow you can head back to Celadon City."
"I can go back tomorrow?"
Erika had been sipping her soup; when she heard that, she froze.
Oh, right. Mr. Damian had said before: once he left Kanto, she'd be able to return to Celadon City.
But—
She should have been happy. Erika pressed her lips together.
Looking at the boy across from her, her feelings were all tangled up.
She could finally get out from under Team Rocket and go back to her old life. That should be a really good thing.
"Right. Once you're back, the League might come and ask about what happened this past week. You can just tell the truth—that I forced you." Damian said with a smile.
"Y‑yes." Erika lowered her head.
She had been forced into being Damian's maid.
But, well…
Aside from waking Damian up in the mornings and cooking, she hadn't actually had any other duties.
Cleaning rooms, trimming the backyard plants and flowers—that had all been her own idea.
On top of that, Damian had given her main roster Pokémon back two days ago.
And since they'd had time to kill, he'd even given her some pointers on training that had really opened her eyes.
Great! That damn woman was finally leaving!
Caitlin's face stayed perfectly calm, but inside she was overjoyed.
That woman who snuck into Damian's room every morning to "snack" was finally leaving!
She'd said it from the start: a maid was just a maid.
What threat could she possibly pose?
Damian was just playing around with her.
What use did she have besides helping Damian improve his technique? None at all.
Only I, Caitlin, will be the one to stay by Damian's side forever!
Caitlin ladled a bowl of soup for Damian with elegant motions, the faint smile at the corner of her lips exquisite and dazzling.
"What's wrong, gonna miss me already?"
Noticing Erika's mood, Damian flashed her a lazy smile.
"N‑no way! Mr. Damian, honestly… — just—"
The flower‑arranging miss stammered for a long while without managing to "just" anything.
There was no way she'd admit she was reluctant to part with this boy.
He bullied her every single day, and he was only getting worse.
He'd even tricked her into believing "that kind of milk" was really good for her, and she'd actually believed him and swallowed it.
If she hadn't held the line on her bottom limit, her virtue would probably have been gone two days ago.
If word ever got out that Erika of Celadon had been kidnapped by Team Rocket and even lost her body to them—
That would be the end.
"Erika, you really are adorable." Damian couldn't help laughing.
"Uuugh—"
Erika thunked her forehead against the table, dying of shame.
After dinner, Damian called Erika out to the backyard.
"I'll be in other regions for a while after this. Might not make it back for a few months," Damian said, turning to look at Erika.
"So think of this as thanks for taking care of me these past few days."
Damian took out a Poké Ball and opened it.
A green, lizard‑like Pokémon appeared in front of him.
Its body was grass‑green, its tail a darker shade, and its belly a rose red. Its eyes were big, giving it a cool yet adorable look.
"This is… Treecko, right?" Erika asked curiously, eyeing the little one.
"Yeah, it's Treecko. Erika, you like Grass‑type Pokémon, and Treecko's final evolution, Sceptile, can Mega Evolve. It'll be a big boost to your strength," Damian explained.
Among Gym Leaders, Erika's strength wasn't especially high or low—squarely middle of the pack.
But Damian felt she still needed a real core Pokémon she could build her team around.
"…"
Erika gazed at the Treecko glancing around in all directions, and her eyes gradually softened.
"Of course, our own region's Venusaur is great too. It can Mega Evolve as well. If you've got time, you can go catch one yourself—or I can have someone find one for you."
"So, do you like this kid?"
Damian asked with a squint‑eyed smile, looking at the silent Erika.
"I like it a lot."
Erika bent down slightly, her voice warm as she looked at the Pokémon Damian had specially picked out for her.
But then she sighed again.
"Mr. Damian."
"What's wrong?"
"You really are sinful."
"Well～ I am Evil Team Rocket, after all."
Damian snorted.
"After everything you've done to me… how am I supposed to get married now?"
Erika's voice was soft and gloomy.
Over these days, Damian really had seen her from head to toe, and every morning she had to come and give him several deep kisses.
Her kissing skills had actually leveled up now!
"Erika, are you asking me to take responsibility for you?" Damian thought for a moment, then asked her that directly.
"I don't dare think that."
Erika shook her head. Of course she wanted that—she was a fairly traditional girl, after all.
But having Damian "take responsibility" for her? How would that even work? Damian was still with Team Rocket.
Was she really going to throw everything away and go with Damian? Erika couldn't make that choice yet.
And flipping it around—having Damian quit Team Rocket to take responsibility for her? That was a joke.
Erika didn't even need to think about it to know that was impossible. She wasn't that charming.
If she was, she wouldn't be a maid—she'd be the boss's wife.
In Erika's mind, even if she and Damian really did go all the way, his heart still wouldn't stay with her.
He was Mr. Damian—a man who liked women this much.
Unless…
Erika ran a hand over her flat stomach.
If she could get pregnant with Mr. Damian's child… would that be enough to make Mr. Damian quit Team Rocket and marry her?
The next day, Erika came to give Damian his final wake‑up service—and maybe because she knew it would be the last time for a few months, she was very cooperative this time.
Even though she still guarded her final bottom line.
By a certain Caitlin's timing, Erika stayed in Damian's room for a full one hour and seventeen minutes.
For crying out loud, it was just a wake‑up call—how did that end up taking over an hour??
And with all those kinds of sounds leaking out now and then… utterly shameless!
That shameless woman!! I'm absolutely going to brick you up inside a statue someday!!
Caitlin barely managed to push that dangerous line of thought back down.
It was fine. That woman was leaving Damian's side today.
And she herself would continue staying right next to Damian.
When they came back to Kanto a few months from now… there would no longer be any place at Damian's side for that woman.
Because she was going to be the mistress of this house!! (very loud)
Outside Vermilion City.
"Mr. Damian, Miss Caitlin, I'll be taking my leave."
The black‑haired young lady bowed to Damian and Caitlin with impeccable grace as she said her goodbyes.
"Bye. I'll be looking forward to our next meeting."
A small smile tugged at Damian's lips.
Erika instantly understood, shooting him a shy, sidelong glare.
"Goodbye."
Caitlin also gave Erika a reserved farewell.
They watched Erika's silhouette disappear from sight.
Then Damian released Armored Mewtwo.
"Let's go. Gladion's already waiting for us at the airport."
At Vermilion City's airport, Damian and Caitlin saw Gladion waiting.
These past few days, the guy had been doing nothing but brutal special training—his whole vibe had gotten a lot darker.
Well, getting grabbed and cuffed by Bruno like that had clearly been a bit too much for him.
The three of them boarded the plane.
"Kanto, we'll be back."
Meanwhile, outside Vermilion City, Erika watched the plane taking off, Treecko's Poké Ball clutched in her hand.
A complex mix of emotions crossed her fair, delicate face—feelings she couldn't even fully name herself.
The Hoenn Region—another very famous region.
This region had all kinds of natural environments—from tropical rainforests to deserts—but its most striking feature was its vast sea.
The ocean there was almost as large as the landmass itself, a huge contrast to other regions.
According to the legends passed down in Hoenn, the Hoenn Region was created after the appearance of the legendary Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre.
Groudon raised the land, and Kyogre filled the seas, and thus Hoenn was formed.
But there was another legend as well: that the mythical Regigigas had shaped Hoenn while moving the continents, and later, in the Iron Age, Regigigas headed to the Sinnoh Region.
Of course, Damian didn't really care which legend was true.
All he knew was that he was about to reach Hoenn.
Mauville City, a metropolis in the heart of Hoenn, also known as the dazzling city of joy.
"Nice city."
Stepping out of the airport, Damian stretched a little and looked out over the big city.
"Lord Damian, we've received word that some of the organization's members have already arrived in Hoenn."
Gladion checked his phone and reported to Damian.
This time, the only executives following Damian to Hoenn were Caitlin and Gladion, and Gladion—with his notable talent for management—had been entrusted with a major role.
There was also Domino, who'd arrived ahead of them—but she was a special agent.
Though compared to management, Gladion honestly just wanted to get stronger right now.
"Good. Have them head to Lavaridge Town from their respective locations and rendezvous there."
Damian nodded.
"Yes."
Gladion sent the message out.
"Damian, what are we doing next?" Caitlin asked.
"Obviously, we go pay our 'neighbors' a proper visit first."
Damian's mouth curled upward.
He'd always believed that when Team Rocket first rolled into a new region, the very first thing they should do was walk right up to the local 'natives' and say hello.
Otherwise, wouldn't that make Team Rocket look rude?
Team Magma and Team Aqua—
Team Rocket's here to play!
~~~
Get early access to 75+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver
~~~
Every 100 Power Stones = 2 extra chapter