A luxurious carriage approached Mondstadt. The guards at the gate hesitated for a moment; the opulent aura was unmistakable. Only the young nobleman from Dawn Winery could exude such an air, so they allowed the carriage through without stopping it for inspection.
The carriage slowly rolled through the streets and alleys, finally stopping in front of the Pokémon shop.
Passersby, merchants, and adventurers all paused, watching as Diluc stepped out of the carriage. His elegant black and gold formal attire swayed slightly, exuding an aura of an ancient nobleman.
"Master Diluc spent a fortune at this store just yesterday, and he's here again today?"
"You're way behind on news. I heard from Lisa, the librarian, over at the Angel's Share tavern. She bought a Pokémon too, and she mentioned the shopkeeper is a cute young man."
"A Pokémon? Could it be some trick by Hilichurls, Abyss Mages, or those from underground?"
"You're out of the loop. I saw a Pokémon in the wild yesterday—a rock snake about seven or eight meters long. At first, I thought it was a mutated Slime."
"Two hundred thousand Mora, minimum. Us common folk can't afford that. Let's leave it to the Knights of Favonius."
"Agreed. The Knights of Favonius are the real MVPs."
Amidst the murmurs of onlookers, Diluc entered the Pokémon shop with Bagon in his arms, still frozen unconscious, his expression unchanging.
Takashi and Xerneas had just finished enjoying their afternoon tea and were idly lounging, watching some anime.
"Tom can even dress as a cowboy? He's really good at charming the ladies. Lighting a cigarette with a gun—that's impressive," Xerneas said, tilting his head in awe.
"Haha... Yeah, totally." Takashi nodded vigorously, laughing so hard his stomach hurt.
Diluc's shadow stretched long under the setting sun. Takashi noticed him, put down the tablet, and let Xerneas continue enjoying the show alone.
"Welcome, Master Diluc. It's an honor to serve you." Takashi stepped forward, recognizing one of his best customers. Thanks to Diluc's lavish spending, he had managed to complete his beginner's mission and had his historical meeting with Xerneas.
Diluc held Bagon, which had frostbite, and spoke in a calm, steady voice, "Could you help my Bagon? It's unwell."
Takashi glanced at Bagon. A thin layer of frost covered its blue skin. Despite Diluc using his Vision to summon Pyro energy, he had not been able to heal the frostbite caused by the Cryo Slime. "Please follow me."
Diluc followed behind, glancing at Xerneas, who was still watching the show. Occasionally, Xerneas would lift his front hooves, bouncing on the couch, the antlers on his head glowing with vibrant colors as he laughed.
This world had many strange things, but they no longer surprised him. What mattered most right now was Bagon.
Takashi led him through an inconspicuous door into the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy and Chansey were waiting at the reception desk.
"Please take care of it, Nurse Joy." Takashi placed Bagon on the small trolley Chansey had prepared.
"Don't worry, leave it to me." Nurse Joy and Chansey took Bagon into the treatment room.
Hearing those reassuring words, Diluc breathed a sigh of relief, though his doubts were far from settled.
What exactly had caused Bagon to sustain such severe injuries? He needed to find out.
He had read through the Trainer's Handbook, which covered some basic issues regarding trainers and Pokémon, and briefly mentioned Pokémon battles.
However, it lacked detailed information on battle strategies.
This oversight, in his view, was the seller's responsibility. He decided to have a word with Takashi.
"By the way, why did Bagon end up like this?" Diluc asked, breaking the silence.
Takashi was puzzled for a moment. He hadn't asked Diluc anything yet, but now Diluc was questioning him.
Judging by Bagon's injuries, it was obvious it had been in a battle with an Ice-type Pokémon.
"Bagon is a Dragon-type Pokémon, which means it's weak against Ice, Fairy, and Dragon-type moves. When facing these three types, the damage dealt to Bagon is doubled," Takashi explained slowly.
Diluc was silent for a moment. He had let Bagon spar with a Cryo Slime, not expecting such explosive damage. He was stunned.
Diluc's expression turned serious. "Is there any way to mitigate that?"
"Yes, when facing these three types—especially Fairy—it's best not to send Bagon out, as Dragon-type moves have no effect on Fairy-types."
Diluc rubbed his chin, realizing a gap in his knowledge. "So, you're saying these three types are Bagon's natural enemies. If Bagon could learn moves that counter these types, it could turn the tables?"
Takashi nodded slightly. "Correct. Dragon-type moves are strong against other Dragon-types. If Bagon learns Fire-type moves, it can counter Ice-types. If it learns Steel or Poison-type moves, it can counter Fairy-types. However, it will still take double damage when attacked."
Diluc thought to himself, Bagon is the Pokémon I want to raise into a Salamence to soar across Teyvat. I can't let it succumb to its weaknesses.
"Shopkeeper, help my Bagon learn those skills. Also, prepare any potions I might need in the future. If there are knee guards, armor, helmets, or weapons, prepare those too," Diluc said firmly, his gaze unwavering.
Takashi held his head in his hands. Did Diluc think Bagon was a knight?
"Equipment and potions are still under development. If your Bagon gets hurt, come find me in Mondstadt. As for learning new moves, Bagon will need to level up slowly, just like how you had to adapt when you gained your Vision..."
Diluc wasn't satisfied with this answer. Moves could wait, but essential medicine could not. "Shopkeeper, it was exhausting coming all the way from Dawn Winery."
"The Pokémon must be even more exhausted, right?"
Diluc paused. He was still a novice and had indeed pushed Bagon too hard during training. He needed to learn more.
"Are there any supplements? If you need funding for developing Pokémon medicines, I can help." Diluc was determined. His only vision was riding a Salamence across Teyvat. No matter the cost, it would be worth it.
"Please calm down..."
"Is ten million Mora enough?"
"This isn't about money..."
"Twenty million."
"I said, it's not about the money."
"Thirty million."
"Alright, deal." Takashi couldn't handle Diluc's enthusiasm any longer and reluctantly agreed.
Diluc pulled out a massive deposit slip from his pocket. "This is thirty million Mora. From now on, I'm counting on you for Bagon's care, energy cubes, and medical needs."
Takashi accepted the deposit slip, his hands trembling. Master Diluc truly was Mondstadt's greatest philanthropist.
"No problem, leave it to us. We guarantee Bagon will be lively and healthy every day. Once we have the potions ready, we'll deliver them to Dawn Winery," Takashi said with a smile as he put away the deposit slip.
The sunset's glow fell upon Mondstadt as Diluc, with his fully healed Bagon, got back into the carriage and leisurely headed back to Dawn Winery.
Takashi flicked the deposit slip in his pocket, muttering to himself, "How much pizza could I buy with all this Mora?"
Just as he finished, he noticed a lively young girl standing at the shop's entrance. She had a pair of goggles around her neck, her bright eyes scanning the area, her pearly white teeth glinting in the setting sun.