Rosaria, known for often skipping her duties, pretended to flip through the ledger for a bit. The pages were filled with countless numbers, which looked like ants crawling around, making her head hurt.
She couldn't understand it at all.
Rosaria quickly closed the ledger and handed it back to Takashi. "I've reviewed it. No problems. As for checking the accounts, let's leave it at that for now."
Takashi took the ledger and added, "Sorry, I might have taken the wrong book. This one is just a draft used for calculations."
Rosaria: "…(Damn it)"
Takashi: "…"
Xerneas: "→_→"
"Ahem." Rosaria broke the awkward silence first. "Checking accounts isn't really my responsibility. Someone else can take care of that."
Takashi decided to drop it. "Alright, thank you for being lenient. Then let's move on to inspecting the Pokédex, to check for any counterfeits."
Xerneas: "→_→"
Rosaria was already feeling exasperated inside. Come on, can't you ask me to do something I'm good at?
However, on the surface, she still maintained her cold and aloof demeanor.
"Fine." Rosaria waved her hand impatiently. "Hurry up and show me."
Takashi seized the opportunity and took a Pokédex from the shelf, handing it to her. "Here, check it out. Just press that button to activate it."
Rosaria took it with some suspicion and pressed the button gently. The screen lit up immediately, displaying numerous black silhouettes that eventually slowed down and settled on one.
A round, seal-like creature appeared on the screen.
"What is this?" Rosaria handed the Pokédex back to Takashi, curious about whether this was normal or a malfunction.
Takashi smiled and explained, "This is a normal operation. If you press the button on the side, you can hear the Pokédex's description."
Rosaria followed his instructions.
"Spheal, the Clap Pokémon. It rolls faster than it walks and sometimes crosses the sea by riding on ice floes."
Takashi took the chance to elaborate, "This is called a Pokédex. It contains information on 905 different Pokémon."
"This…" Rosaria hesitated, her cold eyes flickering with confusion. "What is this for?"
"Congratulations, Miss Rosaria. You've just drawn your spirit Pokémon."
"A spirit Pokémon? Mine?" Rosaria looked at him, astonished.
She could hardly believe it.
Takashi spread his hands. "I know you may not believe in destiny, but how about seeing this little one in person? After all, this is part of your inspection duty."
Rosaria hesitated for a moment. Fine, I might as well take a look. But if you plan on forcing me into a purchase, be ready for a trip to the interrogation room to chat with my whip.
"Bring it out," Rosaria said, slightly raising her hand.
Takashi turned around and grabbed Spheal's Pokéball from the shelf. He pressed the white button in the center, and a flash of white light revealed Spheal's figure.
"Gruu…"
Rosaria carefully examined the creature before her. Its entire body was sky blue, with a few white circles on its back. Its round body was covered with thick fat, and it had two small ears on its head. Its belly was light yellow, and it had a short tail. Just like its name, it really looked like a ball.
Takashi smiled and spoke to Spheal, "Come on, Spheal, say hi to this lady."
"Gruu…"
Spheal's round, watery black eyes looked at Rosaria. It clapped its tiny flippers excitedly.
Rosaria estimated that this little creature's weight was no less than that of Klee, the tiny troublemaker of Mondstadt. She couldn't help but ask, "Um, is this thing really stored inside a Pokéball? How can such a small object fit such a big creature?"
"Of course. This is a Pokéball, a habitat for Pokémon. Don't be fooled by its small size; it can hold a Pokémon weighing up to 460 kilograms."
Rosaria hesitated for a moment. Lacking knowledge in this area, she couldn't find any faults. "It is certainly ingenious. It seems fine."
Takashi continued, "Miss Rosaria, would you be interested in taking this child with you?"
Rosaria looked at Spheal by Takashi's feet. Its round shape was quite endearing. Taking it back as a pillow wouldn't be bad. Its thick layer of fat would make it perfect for winter, even as a replacement for blankets.
Wait, does this guy intend to bribe me with this little creature? If that's the case, then he's in big trouble.
Trying to bribe me openly? You're coming with me to the interrogation room to chat with my whip!
Rosaria asked tentatively, "You want me to take it? For free?"
Takashi shook his head. "Of course not."
Rosaria shrugged. If it's not free, then there's no point. Goodbye.
She turned to leave.
If it didn't interest her, she wasn't going to pretend it did.
Takashi quickly changed his approach. "Miss Rosaria, please wait."
"Hmm?" She paused and looked back at him lazily.
"Aren't you at least interested in hearing this little one's story?"
"Not really." Rosaria waved her hand and started to leave.
Takashi muttered under his breath, "Poor Spheal, it seems like you'll have to be all alone."
Upon hearing the words "all alone," Rosaria immediately turned back and questioned him, "What did you just say?"
Takashi was taken aback and pretended to be casual. He shook his head and shrugged as if he'd forgotten.
Rosaria's demeanor suddenly became more serious. "What did you mean when you said it was all alone?"
"Well, I said it would—"
Rosaria cut him off, sounding agitated. "I want to know what happened to it before."
Takashi understood why Rosaria was so upset. The phrase "all alone" had clearly struck a nerve.
She had grown up in a remote village until it was attacked by treasure hoarders. The entire village was plundered, and she was taken in and raised by those same treasure hoarders, forced to work as a thief. Later, she was fortunate enough to be rescued by Falgar, who gave her a new identity as a nun of Mondstadt.
Takashi proceeded to tell her a heart-wrenching, fictional story about Spheal's tragic past.
An illegal poaching gang had set a massive trap to hunt its family. Spheal's parents shielded it from the hunters' guns, giving Spheal the chance to escape.
Throughout the story, Takashi watched Rosaria's expression gradually shift—from cold indifference to anger, then finally to compassion as she looked down at the "poor, tragic" Spheal.
She remained silent for a long time.
Takashi raised his head, pretending to be moved by his own fabricated story. "Spheal is such a pitiful child. I've been trying to find it a suitable caretaker, but I know that Miss Rosaria, being so dedicated to Mondstadt, probably doesn't have the time. I'll just take on this burden myself."
Rosaria: …
Spheal: 0 0
Xerneas: →_→