Takashi saw Rosaria's question, and realized she was probing him, perhaps treating him as a suspicious person. He smiled gently, "I'm sorry, it's not from Liyue. This is a Pokémon."
A Pokémon?
Rosaria's gaze flickered. She instinctively thought of Kaeya's Machop and Eula's Chikorita. But those were much smaller, not like the creature in front of her.
She quickly made the connection. "Oh, I remember now. There's a Pokémon shop in Mondstadt, right? Did you buy it from there?"
Takashi gently patted Feebas, giving it a routine massage treatment while explaining, "Actually, I'm the owner of the Pokémon shop. I have already obtained approval from the Knights of Favonius, so my business in Mondstadt is legitimate."
Hearing this, Rosaria's hostility eased a bit, though her face remained cold enough to make anyone shiver. So, he was a legal businessman. Well then, no problem here.
If he was merely an ordinary merchant and posed no threat to Mondstadt, she had no reason to act against him.
"You'd better be careful. Don't wander around in the wild. If some vicious monster gets you, your business in the city will be over," Rosaria left a comment that seemed both like advice and a warning, and then turned to leave.
Takashi smiled slightly at her words. Though they were blunt, they were true.
This cold nun, who seemed hard to deal with, was actually a hero silently protecting Mondstadt from the shadows.
Mondstadt's peaceful days wouldn't be possible without her burdens in the dark. She was like a member of the Anbu in Naruto, doing the dirty and thankless jobs that no one else wanted.
As the owner of the Pokémon shop, Takashi couldn't help but be curious about what kind of encounter such a unique woman would have with a Pokémon.
So, he called out to her, "Miss Rosaria, would you be interested in inspecting my Pokémon shop? It's quite large. If you want to check whether I'm operating properly, now would be convenient."
Rosaria's body stiffened slightly. This was a blatant provocation! Most merchants would wish to stay as far away from the Knights of Favonius as possible. Getting involved with them could bring a whole lot of trouble.
This man had some guts, to actually invite an inspection.
Could it be that he really was an undercover agent sent by the Fatui?
No, she had to investigate this matter thoroughly.
With this thought in mind, Rosaria turned back and coldly replied, "Alright, since the host is willing, how could the guest refuse?"
Takashi put Feebas back in its Poké Ball and, accompanied by Xerneas, led Rosaria back to Mondstadt.
On the city wall, Amber watched through her monocular, hands on her hips and a bright smile on her face, thinking to herself.
That alcoholic nun actually went to see the shopkeeper. What kind of Pokémon will she choose?
How exciting! Hopefully, it won't be another rival for my Ponyta.
Oh no… Ponyta's current rivals are Oshawott, Wingull, and... Larvitar?
Darn it, she couldn't remember. Thinking this, Amber quickly knocked on her head and took out her Pokédex for a refresher.
"Hmm, the types that counter Fire are Water, Rock, and Ground. Larvitar is Ground and Rock. Ah, we're doomed, we can't win at all..." Seeing that Barbara's Larvitar was a natural counter to her Ponyta, Amber's head began to ache.
"Who's paying you to study the Pokédex during work hours?"
Amber hastily stuffed the Pokédex back into her waist pouch, turned around, and sheepishly greeted the newcomer, "Captain Kaeya, it's you."
Kaeya crossed his arms, just teasing her, "Any unusual activity?"
"None. Everything is normal," Amber responded formally.
"How about a battle?" Kaeya released Machop from its Poké Ball.
"Huh? I'm on duty," Amber replied awkwardly.
Kaeya looked out at the Dandelion Sea, "Alright, then focus on your patrol. I'll go take a look around."
"Captain," Amber called after him.
"Yes?"
Amber pressed her forefingers together, embarrassed, "Barbara's Larvitar made a mess of her villa. Could you take Machop to help her fix it up? Otherwise, when Bishop Simon returns, she'll be in big trouble."
Kaeya stroked his chin with an amused expression, "Interesting. Why not rally her fan club? If Barbara asked, that villa could be fixed within two weeks."
"If you help, I'll have Barbara get you some front-row tickets for her next show. You could resell them for a good price, and that'll save you plenty of Mora to buy Machop more Pokéblocks. Doesn't that sound great?" Amber suddenly got an idea.
Kaeya nodded slightly, "Sounds reasonable. After all, my Machop alone is worth a hundred men."
"Chop, chop!" Machop heard Kaeya praising it and enthusiastically flexed its muscular arms.
Kaeya crossed his arms, his gaze meaningful. Somehow Machop seemed like a strong woman showing off her muscles to him—it felt a bit odd.
"Let's go."
"Take care, Captain Kaeya."
Once Kaeya disappeared around the corner, Amber pulled out her Pokédex again.
Even during work hours, one must study Pokémon knowledge. If strength couldn't win, then she would seek breakthroughs through knowledge.
The Pokémon trainers in Mondstadt—the competition starts with me.
—--
Mondstadt's Pokémon Shop.
Takashi led Rosaria inside. She looked at the shelves filled with numerous red and white spherical items that resembled berries, with clear dividing lines and a protruding white button in the middle.
In addition, there were many beautifully packaged boxes labeled Pokéblocks, divided into basic, intermediate, and advanced types.
The colors were varied, and they were neatly arranged. The shop was clean and comfortable, showing how much care Takashi put into maintaining both the merchandise and the environment.
Even that strange deer seemed very attached to him, closing its eyes and enjoying his gentle pats.
The man and the deer seemed to get along very well, which made it unlikely that he was a member of the Fatui.
After all, Fatui members were arrogant, rude, and often merciless killers.
Rosaria silently watched the warm scene unfold before her, inwardly muttering.
Aren't you worried that one day, when the shop owner runs out of options, he might roast you and eat you?
Takashi pulled out an account book from the drawer and handed it to her. "Miss Rosaria, feel free to inspect it."
Rosaria paused for a moment. Ever since Grand Master Varka brought her back to Mondstadt and she joined the Church of Favonius, skipping lessons had become the norm.
Either she was sneaking out for a breath of fresh air or sneaking out for a drink.
Ask her to catch a thief or interrogate a prisoner, that she could do.
But inspecting accounts in person—was he kidding? Was this a joke, buddy?
Takashi had no idea about all that. He was simply looking for an excuse to bring her to the Pokémon shop, hoping to introduce her to the concept of Pokémon.
He wasn't intentionally trying to make things difficult for her, not at all.