After Ash took the business card, the old man didn't linger. He turned and left without leading Ash and his friends to the hotel.
"Wait!" Brock hurried forward, trying to stop the old man, but he quickly vanished into the crowd.
"What's going on? He mentioned his hotel but didn't show us the way..." Misty gazed blankly in the direction the old man had disappeared.
"There's a clue on this business card." By now, Ash had remembered the old man's identity, but he kept it to himself. Instead, he held up the business card, drawing the attention of Brock, Misty, and Pikachu.
"The bottom swings, and the top shows two brothers racing..." Misty read the words on the business card aloud, then paused in surprise. "Is this a riddle? Could it be the hotel's address?"
"The answer to the riddle should lead us to the hotel." Brock stroked his chin, pondering the solution.
"Pika..." Pikachu feigned deep thought, though he didn't understand the riddle at all.
"There's a swing mentioned. So, there should be a park or a swing set below the hotel." The riddle wasn't particularly complex. Even without recalling the original storyline, Ash could deduce the answer from the clues.
"And above, two brothers racing..." Misty thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "It's a clock! The minute and hour hands are like brothers, racing in the same direction!"
"So, we just need to find a place with swings and a building with a clock nearby?" Brock nodded, as if he had grasped the location of the hotel.
"Shall we go?" Ash asked, leaving the decision to them.
"Since the seaside hotels are full, and we might not find a hot spring hotel in town, and since the old man gave us his card, it means his hotel has vacancies. I think we should check it out." Brock reasoned, favoring the idea.
"Well, we might as well." Misty agreed.
"Let's ask around and see if anyone knows where there's a swing." Ash put away the business card and inquired at a nearby shop. They learned that there was a park on the northern hillside of the town, complete with swings, and a hotel overlooking the park.
"Sounds promising. That must be the place!" After confirming the location, Ash and his friends followed the map to the northern hillside, found the park, and spotted a building above it.
The building wasn't very large, but its secluded location offered a sense of tranquility.
"This must be it." Looking up at the clock above the main entrance, they all agreed this was likely the hotel the riddle referred to.
"Impressive that you solved that challenging puzzle." Just as they were about to ring the doorbell, the old man materialized behind them, stroking his thick, Golden beard with a smile.
"Old man!" They turned around. The sky had grown dark, but the old man still wore his sunglasses, obscuring most of his face.
"Come on in." The old man walked past them, gesturing for them to follow, and opened the door.
The house's exterior had a European, or rather, Kalos region style, but the interior was distinctly Kanto, surprising Ash and his friends.
"I opened this hotel not for profit, but for my love of riddles. Only those who solve the riddle and find my hotel are welcome to stay," the old man explained at the entrance. "And... it's free."
"Free?!" The trio was stunned, then overjoyed. "Thank you so much, sir!"
"You're welcome. Come, I'll show you to your rooms." The old man smiled, smoothing his beard, and led them to their accommodations.
True to the Kanto region style, the hotel's corridor was made of solid wood planks, and the room doors were sliding wooden doors with camphor paper. Inside, the rooms featured tatami mats.
Each room also had an entrance leading to a small private courtyard with an open space and a steaming hot spring pond.
"Amazing!" Misty exclaimed upon seeing the hot spring. "Is this a private hot spring?"
"Indeed!" The old man proudly stroked his beard. His hotel had four rooms, each with its own courtyard and independent hot spring.
"It's unbelievable that such a wonderful place is free." Brock marveled, though his fantasy of a hot spring filled with beautiful women had been dashed.
"Dinner will be brought to you later. If you have any special requests, just tell the waiter." The old man turned to leave.
"Thank you very much, sir!" Ash bowed slightly to the old man to thank him.
"By the way, sir, what should we call you?" Although Ash already knew the identity of the old man, he couldn't reveal it at this time. After all, he didn't know how to explain it.
"If you want to address me, please call me the Riddle Master!" The old man didn't say his name, turned his back to the three people, and left the room.
"Although this old man is a bit eccentric, he is indeed a kind person!" Misty put down the luggage, sat on the tatami mat, and said while looking at the interior of the room.
"Indeed, it's a little unexpected that such a nice place is for us to live in for free." Brock also started to unpack his things.
The three of them sat down and immediately discussed the issue of using the hot spring later. Because Misty was there, they decided to wear their swimsuits in the hot spring.
"Then everyone, come on out." When they came to the courtyard, except for Brock, the three of them released their Pokémon. "Everyone, please be quiet and don't disturb others."
The Pokémon responded, but their voices were not loud. Brock also started to prepare dinner for the Pokémon. He directly started a fire in the courtyard, because he saw a fire pit, which was obviously intended for use by the residents.
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