It's just a little over three million. Once "Plants vs. Zombies" is released on the market, I'll easily be able to pay it back.
Compared to these material possessions, how could I ever let down my Pokémon?
If you've made the commitment to have Pokémon under your care, you must be responsible for them until the end, no matter what!
Despite his determination, Luke couldn't help but feel exasperated with himself. He realized that he was acting rather pompous.
Teacher Luke was inadvertently demonstrating what it meant to be both self-important and extravagant.
It was truly unexpected that the mastermind behind this would turn out to be Cynthia!
He had previously thought of Pokémon training as a costly venture, but he never anticipated having to borrow money for it. Was Cynthia scheming against him from the beginning?
Rubbing his temples and clenching his teeth, Luke decided that this would absolutely not happen again. He firmly believed that he would never become a Trainer in this lifetime.
"Jie jie~! o(*≧▽≦)ツ"
Haunter, reveling in joy, darted around the room and eagerly rubbed against Cynthia's shoulder.
Luke felt a pang of betrayal even though he was the one who footed the bill and even bought the Dusk Stone. Why was Cynthia getting all the affection?
"By the way, what about Eevee..." Cynthia's gaze shifted to Eevee, who was peacefully asleep. "I suggest getting custom training equipment for it."
"Considering Eevee's body shape, the cost shouldn't exceed one million."
Cynthia pushed her blonde hair behind her ear and sighed, "It trained so diligently..."
"Customized equipment can adjust its force exertion methods and prevent potential skeletal problems."
Luke, who had just finished complaining, glanced at Eevee, who was soundly asleep.
"B-buy..." Luke's heart ached.
"If we calculate it all, it should be around five million," Cynthia said with a slight smile. "That's quite affordable."
Luke had mixed feelings.
Did they have a different understanding of the term "affordable"? To Cynthia, five million was probably a trivial amount, whereas he felt somewhat insulted.
Cynthia handed a card to Luke, who hurriedly caught it.
While he was confident in the popularity of "Plants vs. Zombies" and considered this an advance investment, he still intended to repay the debt gradually.
"I'm not in a rush," Cynthia said with a slight smile. "Your Pokémon training is more important."
Cynthia didn't worry about the five million. With her exceptional Pokéblock-making skills and Tactical Master's commanding abilities, would Teacher Luke still lack money?
But it was only a temporary financial constraint. Being able to assist Teacher Luke gave her a sense of satisfaction.
"Due date?" Luke inquired.
"I trust you," Cynthia replied with a yawn. "You can set any date you like."
Luke's mouth twitched.
Did she consider five million as insignificant? He felt somewhat offended!
Despite his reservations, Luke earnestly filled out the promissory note in duplicate and handed them to Cynthia.
Cynthia accepted the notes with a faint smile and an air of indifference, which was evident from Haunter's excited reaction.
The most thrilling moment for a Trainer was often when they spent money.
Eevee, still half-asleep, failed to grasp the situation. But considering the importance of professional training equipment for its health, Luke decided that the expenditure was necessary.
As he held a five-million-yen promissory note, Luke couldn't help but feel a pang of regret and pain. "This feels like a huge loss!"
...
As night fell, Eevee, who had been asleep, groggily opened its eyes.
In front of it was a bowl of freshly prepared Oran Berry Pokéblock.
In the distance, Haunter was engrossed in deep thought while holding the printed "Shadow Ball training method" that Luke had provided.
Luke lay sprawled on the sofa, watching TV, while the blonde beauty next to him was completely absorbed in playing video games.
Eevee shook its head and let out a soft growl.
One month felt unbearably long, as if it were an eternity.
"If this is a dream, then let me wake up…"
Eevee wore a sweet smile, shifted into a more comfortable position, and drifted off to sleep with its Silk Scarf as a pillow.
Out of nowhere, Luke produced an SLR camera.
"Hey, do you really want it?" Cynthia was taken aback for a moment.
"Just give me a catchphrase."
"What kind of catchphrase?"
"If it's catchy, like...'Brother, come...' cough, not that one, just something like 'Plants vs. Zombies are really fun.'"
"I feel a bit embarrassed," Cynthia blushed slightly.
"Then we'll wait, and I'll ask you to be our spokesperson."
Cynthia relaxed and nodded with a smile.
After experiencing the Masters League Tournament and incurring a five-million-yen debt, Luke felt utterly drained.
Yawning, Luke waved his hand. "Get some rest early."
With that, Luke hugged Eevee close to his chest, rested it on the sofa, and settled under the blanket.
Cynthia nodded and suddenly asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"
Luke peeked out from under the blanket. "Going out for some fun?"
"The flight is at 10 o'clock in the evening."
"That should be fine," Luke replied with a slight smile. "I know the neighborhood quite well."
"Is it safe for you to go out at night?" Cynthia teased. "Or should I rent the entire street?"
Cynthia nodded seriously. "I'll check if that's possible."
Luke found her way of thinking quite amusing.
Is this how rich people think? Can they actually rent out an entire street in Magic City Shopping District?
...
Magic City Pokémon Association.
Cynthia invited Luke to the guest seat, which left Chairman Song Pengcheng truly astonished.
From the surveillance records of the venue, Luke had a friendly match with Dragon Tamer Lance and even managed to tie the game?
Song Pengcheng rubbed his temples, feeling that Luke's strength was far beyond what he had initially estimated.
It's no wonder he displayed such a high level of strategic command during the Piplup event, resembling that of a Master...
"This is the kind of person who might consider going to Rookie level tournament just to beat up on newcomers," Song Pengcheng said with a wry smile. "In the whole world, there's no shortage of such peculiar individuals."
At that moment, a phone call from the secretary made Song Pengcheng raise an eyebrow.
"Cynthia? Who is she shopping with?"
Upon hearing Luke's name, Song Pengcheng was momentarily surprised but then realized something. Even if he didn't know the nature of their relationship, Cynthia had been at Luke's place for at least two days.
Regardless of the specifics, Luke hailed from the Orient Region, and establishing a good rapport with Cynthia would undoubtedly be beneficial.
"This kid is quite charming," Song Pengcheng mused, stroking his chin. "I wonder... can he capture Cynthia's heart?"
He had never heard any rumors about Cynthia becoming so close to someone of the opposite sex.
Song Pengcheng tapped his fingers on the desk, picked up the phone, and instructed, "Ensure a smooth journey for them. If possible, facilitate their closeness!"