At that moment, Albert arrived with Duraf, the hunter leader of Springvale, hurrying over.
"Miss Barbara, are you okay?" Albert asked, leaning on a crutch he borrowed from Springvale as he approached.
"I'm fine," Barbara reassured him, then looked at the resolute-faced Duraf. "And this is?"
Albert introduced, "This is a hunter from Springvale."
"You must be Miss Barbara?" Duraf placed the feathered arrow he was holding into the quiver on his back, covered his chest with one hand, and greeted her with a knight's salute.
"Yes, that's me."
"My name is Duraf, and I'm your devoted fan. It's an honor to meet you today."
Albert couldn't help but smile. "Mr. Duraf, would you like to join the fan club? I'll notify you about future events."
Barbara forced an awkward but polite smile.
Seeing this was about to turn into an impromptu fan meeting, Takashi quickly spoke up, "Mr. Duraf, do you have a rope with you?"
"Yes, I do."
"Please use it to tie these two up. They're members of the Treasure Hoarders."
Barbara nodded at Duraf in agreement.
Duraf took a rope out of his backpack and began binding Wu Lao Liu and Wu Lao Qi together. "Don't worry, Miss Barbara, this is the strongest ox tendon tied in a pig's trotter knot. Even the wild boars on Dragonspine can't break free."
Barbara tilted her head, blinked, and thanked him.
Duraf was immersed in the moment. "It's my honor to serve you. I'll go back to town and call a few more people over to escort you safely to Mondstadt."
...
The sun was setting, painting the western sky red, casting a warm orange glow over Mondstadt.
It was as if the whole city was basking in the enthusiasm of its residents.
When Takashi and Barbara returned to Mondstadt, they had barely entered the city before the residents surrounded Barbara, leaving her no room to breathe.
"Barbara, charge ahead!"
Cheers, shouts, and words of encouragement echoed all around.
Some people were on the verge of fainting, while others were excitedly forming lines on the spot...
Takashi and Xerneas wisely distanced themselves from the crazy crowd of fans, quietly heading to the Good Hunter to order a takeout of Satisfaction Salad and a serving of Steamed Black-Back Bass before returning to the Pokémon shop.
Pouring some specially made energy cubes for Xerneas, Takashi ate while checking the progress bar on the system.
[Total revenue within 14 days must reach 60 million Mora]
He did some calculations; today had been a day of idling. Aside from teaching Amber, Lisa, and Lumine, and the detour to find Barbara—which didn't exactly count as serious work—recruiting Barbara as a major client wasn't too bad either.
Hopefully, Barbara's luck would be as bright as her popularity in Mondstadt—maybe she could catch a rare legendary Pokémon on her first try.
If that were the case, achieving his goal would become a lot easier.
"Barbara, charge ahead!" Takashi couldn't help recalling Barbara's favorite catchphrase, repeating it over and over until it started to sound like a spell.
Thinking of this, Takashi's lips curled slightly, chuckling softly to himself.
Xerneas lifted its head from its energy cubes to look at Takashi: →_→
Is this silly trainer daydreaming again?
Just then, Jean, the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, stood at the doorway, her hand on her chin, looking at Takashi with a serious expression.
Takashi glanced up, meeting her sharp gaze, and felt a chill. Was this some divine retribution?
Xerneas squinted its eyes, sensing a hint of hostility from Jean.
Jean had a prestigious five-star sword, the Skyward Blade, on her hip, glinting a faint blue light with every step she took.
Takashi put his meal aside, quickly stood up, and greeted her with a businesslike smile. "Master Jean, welcome."
Jean's voice was cold, "Were you with Barbara today?"
The tension in the air was palpable, and Takashi could feel something was off. He had been with Barbara, but it wasn't something that warranted such hostility, was it?
"Yes, I heard from the knights that Barbara was missing, so I went to help find her," Takashi answered calmly, without hesitation.
After all, if he showed the slightest hint of unease, Jean's sword might make him feel "calm" very quickly.
"She wasn't in any danger, was she?" Jean continued, her tone still questioning. She had gone through the report submitted by the knights, which detailed Barbara's intense confrontation with two members of the Treasure Hoarders. According to the report, Barbara, on her own, had managed to subdue the two criminals.
Afterwards, she had sought help from Duraf, the hunter leader of Springvale, and they had brought the two men back to Mondstadt together.
The report was vague, with no mention of whether Barbara was injured or needed treatment.
Moreover, Jean knew that while Barbara had talent for healing, she was no fighter—how could she easily take down two Treasure Hoarders?
As the Acting Grand Master, Jean felt the need to investigate the matter thoroughly. But since the person in question was Barbara, her own sister, she was hesitant to question her directly, fearing it might dampen her enthusiasm for her duties within the knights.
After hearing from Lisa that Takashi had returned with Barbara, Jean immediately dropped her work and came here.
Even though Jean's tone made it sound like she was interrogating a criminal, Takashi didn't take offense. Though Jean appeared stern, she was essentially a protective older sister. Outwardly, her relationship with Barbara seemed tense, but when it came to matters involving her sister, Jean was always anxious.
Following the principle of "reporting the good news and hiding the bad," Takashi explained everything he had witnessed along the way, adding a bit of embellishment here and there, and leaving out the parts where Barbara was in real danger.
After all, he didn't want Jean to get so worked up that she would rush back and execute the two Treasure Hoarders.
Hearing the whole story, Jean finally sheathed her sword, letting out a long sigh. "If you dare lie to me, you know the consequences."
"Got it, got it..." Takashi raised his hands. "I still plan to spread the knowledge of Pokémon in Mondstadt, after all."
"By the way, the end of the month is coming. Make sure you're prepared for your taxes. Lisa mentioned that you've been doing well lately. I wouldn't want any illegal activities happening right under my nose," Jean said, her arms crossed, her tone all business.
Man, she really does believe in "as soon as the prayer ends, arrest the monk."
He had just been talking to her about Barbara, and now she was here to collect taxes—how unreasonable.
Perhaps this was just her excuse. Seeing her face slightly flushed, she might even have felt a bit guilty for it.
"Oh, right, Master Jean, when do you plan to come pick up the Charmander you drew last time?" Takashi seized the opportunity to use Charmander as a distraction.
Charmander? That little red lizard?
"Kra-na..." The image of Charmander, with its gem-like eyes shining like a piece of the Milky Way, flashed through Jean's mind.
If it weren't for the fact that she hadn't brought any money at the time, she would have already decided to take it home.