Whitney led Cain directly outside of the entire building. Once outside, she kept apologizing to Cain, as even though she had promised not to say anything, her grandfather had managed to coax the information out of her.
Cain waved his hand, indicating that he didn't mind too much. He was prepared for this situation from the beginning. Moreover, thanks to the false identity provided by Team Rocket, even with the influence of Whitney's family within the Alliance, they couldn't discover anything.
This shows just how deeply Team Rocket has infiltrated the Alliance.
Obtaining a Miltank care manual could also be considered a fair exchange. Besides, Cain really needed money, so by risking making a deal with Whitney, he was already prepared. The heirs of major families often have no other choice.
Cain declined Whitney's offer to give him some items as compensation and returned alone to his room. Up until that moment, his Pokémon had not yet had dinner.
Following his usual routine, he asked Gastly to check for any surveillance devices in the room. Although the possibility was low, it's always necessary to maintain a level of caution.
"Come out, Slowpoke, Murkrow, Miltank." After confirming that there was no surveillance, Cain called out his Pokémon.
He then prepared their dinner, taking out the packed food. His hungry Pokémon did not hesitate to start devouring the food as soon as Cain gave them permission.
Miltank, who had recently joined the team, fit in perfectly after earning her place with her milk. While eating, the Pokémon exchanged their dishes, making sure to try everything.
After dinner, their usual training session followed before bedtime. Cain did not do his meditation training but instead performed simple physical exercises alongside his Pokémon.
At fifteen years old, his body was in full development, and proper nutrition had made him lose the skeletal appearance he had while on the Trial Island.
...
The next morning, following his biological clock, Cain got up and left the huge grounds with his Pokémon. He didn't say goodbye to Whitney, but they had exchanged contact information earlier.
It's likely that Cain won't return to that place for a long time. Although he didn't show Miltank to her peers, after interacting with Whitney's Miltank, her shy personality improved a bit. With the communication and support of the other Pokémon, she no longer blushed when trying to interact.
An hour later, Cain arrived at the southern edge of Goldenrod City, standing before a Pokémon daycare famous throughout the Johto region. He wore simple trainer clothes and was accompanied by a pink-colored Slowpoke.
There weren't many people around, but a few trainers carried newly hatched Pokémon or Pokémon eggs. There were also parents who brought their children, strolling around the daycare.
Cain, the young man who had just arrived, had never been to a place like this in his previous life. This was his first time visiting a professional Pokémon daycare.
Upon entering, he noticed that a public class was taking place. A young woman, about twenty years old with thick glasses, was fluently explaining the basics of Pokémon care.
Some technical terms that could be difficult to understand were turned into simple and clear expressions when they came out of her mouth, causing the listeners to nod in understanding.
Cain's arrival did not cause any commotion. He saw a few people taking notes on what the young woman was saying.
In fact, the content of the class was very basic, almost mandatory for any novice trainer. But that was ideal, as the audience was made up of young people who had just received their first Pokémon or were not yet trainers.
"Alright, that's all for today. Remember to take good care of your Pokémon. If you have a Pokémon egg, it's best to keep it in an incubator to ensure a healthier birth." With these words, the class came to an end.
Cain did not approach immediately, as the young woman was surrounded by many people asking basic questions.
In the Pokémon world, many novice trainers, especially those not belonging to families within the Alliance, often lack a solid understanding of Pokémon.
Even those who do belong to the Alliance, like Ash, who will eventually become a champion, are not always well-informed when they begin their journey.
Not all trainers have access to a Pokédex during their travels, so these public classes are very popular among beginner trainers.
Finally, after half an hour, the crowd around the young woman dispersed, allowing Cain to approach.
"Hello, do you have any questions?" The young woman adjusted her glasses as she saw Cain approaching.
"Excuse me, I'd like to know if you have computers here to look up information. I might have encountered a problem," said Cain, explaining his purpose.
"Umm, the computers here aren't available to the public. However, if you tell me what the problem is, I might be able to help. And if I don't know, I can ask my grandparents. They're the experts at this daycare," the young woman responded after hesitating a bit.
In the Pokémon world, knowledge is rigorously protected. Famous daycares like this one often have secret information accumulated over the years, which they do not share with the public.
The fact that they offer free classes already places them among the most responsible daycares.
Some daycares charge exorbitant fees for classes, and the prices for Pokémon care can be extremely high.
Cain nodded, understanding the situation. "I'd like to ask if you've ever come across a case where a Pokémon egg shows all normal indexes, but the hatching time appears as unknown."
The young woman adjusted her glasses again, resting her head on her hand while she pondered. After a moment, she smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I've never seen a case like that. Also, we don't know what that egg has been through, so it's difficult to make a judgment."
"If you have time, you could wait for my grandparents to return. They're at a breeders' conference and might take a while."
Cain was asking about the Larvitar egg, a topic that had been quite puzzling to him.
"I'd like to ask again if I can access the computer to look up information. Don't worry, you can supervise the entire time to make sure I don't do anything inappropriate. Plus, I'm willing to pay," Cain insisted.
(End of chapter)