Amber pulled Kaeya aside, letting Eileen continue practicing on her own.
She flashed a mischievous smile and whispered, "Captain Kaeya, are you interested in improving your quality of life?"
Kaeya noticed her mysterious demeanor and remained silent, arms crossed.
Is she trying to sell me insurance? He thought.
Rumor had it that Mondstadt's higher-ups were looking to improve the Knights' benefits. This was partly to recruit more personnel and address the manpower shortage left by Grandmaster Varka's expedition. It was also part of a new management plan, though the specifics were complicated.
Word had spread that, under the guise of better benefits, a "new type" of insurance was being introduced. A portion of the taxes paid by Mondstadt citizens and merchants, as well as a part of the Knights' wages, would be used to buy personal safety insurance for each Knight. If a Knight were injured or killed, a portion of this fund would be used for medical expenses or compensation.
Once this news got out, many merchants in Mondstadt followed suit, offering similar insurance policies to both citizens and Knights, promising more compensation in case of accidents. It was said that Albert, the guy who constantly injured himself just to see Barbara, had already been blacklisted as a customer.
"I was planning to finish training Eileen quickly so I could head to the tavern for a drink," Kaeya shrugged, clearly uninterested in Amber's proposition.
Amber put her hands on her hips, smiling brightly. "I'm not asking you to join a competition. There's a new shop in the city selling creatures called Pokémon, and I recommend you go buy one."
Kaeya's expression shifted slightly. He had been busy with duties these past few days, and whenever he had some free time, he'd go get drunk at the tavern. He had heard the drunks and gamblers talking about these Pokémon, and he'd seen little Klee with a small creature, as well as a red lizard with a fiery tail lounging in Jean's office—he had thought it was some kind of new lighter.
Even that slacker librarian, Lisa, was carrying around a purple salamander, mumbling about potion recipes for Pokémon.
"What's the benefit of buying one?" Kaeya asked, arms still crossed.
"There are lots of benefits," Amber began pitching enthusiastically. "Don't think of them as just hunting dogs. They're really smart and pretty powerful too."
"Oh, I get it—to boost combat strength? Sounds like keeping a pet dog to me," Kaeya replied.
"Seeing is believing!" Amber pulled out a Poké Ball from her pouch and threw it into the training field. "Come on out, Ponyta!"
"Neighhhh!" Ponyta neighed loudly in response to Amber's call.
"Oh?" Kaeya rubbed his chin, observing the strange horse in front of him. It had flames all over its body, and even its eyes sparkled like jewels, full of life—much livelier than any foal he had ever seen.
Amber strutted over to Ponyta, stroking its fiery mane, and boasted, "Ponyta is my partner now. With it, I can make a round trip between Mondstadt and Windrise in no time at all."
"Aren't your hands burning?" Kaeya asked, curious.
Amber chuckled, swinging herself onto Ponyta's back. "See, I'm fine. Isn't it amazing?"
Kaeya's eyes turned thoughtfully. This horse was indeed peculiar. You wouldn't find another like it across all of Teyvat. "Is this your Pokémon?"
"Pretty cool, right?" Amber grinned, wrapping her arms around Ponyta's neck and nuzzling her cheek against it.
"Neighhh," Ponyta closed its eyes contently, responding warmly.
Kaeya stood there, arms crossed, contemplating.
"Captain Kaeya, standing guard, patrolling, and catching criminals all the time is boring, isn't it? We all need some enjoyment in life. I think having a Pokémon is quite worth it," Amber continued her pitch, secretly hoping for the commission and rewards the shop owner had promised—surely enough to keep her Ponyta supplied with high-quality Pokéblocks for a while. The thought made her even more eager to convince Kaeya to buy a Pokémon.
Kaeya nodded slightly, "You make a good point. But my idea of enjoyment is buying a drink. As long as I can have a glass of Angel's Share's 'Death After Noon' after a tiring day, I'm content."
Seeing that talking about enjoyment wasn't working, Amber decided to tackle his work directly. "The Knights have been busy lately. Wouldn't you like to be more efficient, so you have more time to enjoy those drinks?"
This caught Kaeya's interest. If someone could help take some tasks off his plate, like training rookies, he'd have more time to drink. Sister Rosaria still owed him a bottle of dandelion wine—he needed to find time to collect that.
However, there was still a question in Kaeya's mind. This creature seemed unique, unlike a regular pet. "Is taking care of it troublesome? If it's like a newborn, crying all the time and needing constant attention, I'd have even less free time."
Amber's lips curled up in satisfaction—Kaeya was hooked. "It's not that troublesome. Take my Ponyta, for instance. It just needs to be fed Pokéblocks regularly, or given some fodder. Sometimes, I take it out for walks and let it enjoy the breeze. Plus, there are already several Pokémon in the Knights now—they can all play together, so it's like having someone to watch over it."
Kaeya nodded, "Amber, you're getting smarter and smarter."
Amber rubbed the back of her head, pleased with the praise. "Hehe, I don't know everything about Pokémon, but raising them, battling, and sharing experiences with others—it's really fun."
Kaeya's expression turned serious. "Battling? You're not talking about some old aristocrat dog-fighting nonsense, are you?"
"Of course not," Amber waved her hands. "It's about Pokémon and Trainers working together in battles against other Trainers and their Pokémon."
"Do I need to fight myself?" Kaeya asked.
"The Trainer commands, and the Pokémon fights according to those commands. For example… Ponyta, use Ember!" Amber pointed towards the vast blue sky.
"Neighhhh!" At her command, Ponyta released a burst of flames from its mouth, reaching two or three meters high.
Kaeya's eyes lit up in surprise. A creature that could use such a flashy move?
"That's just the tip of the iceberg. The shopkeeper said there are 905 kinds of Pokémon, with 18 different types, plus unique traits…" Amber scratched her head, trying to recall the rest.
Kaeya considered it carefully. A Pokémon like that could reduce his workload, giving him more time to relax at the tavern. It could also be a sparring partner to help him refine his Vision's abilities. And in the future, a powerful Pokémon could assist in eliminating enemies.
There were quite a few benefits.
With that thought, Kaeya spoke up, "Alright, Amber, take me to this Pokémon shop."