Chapter 208: As Long as Brother Asher Stands, So Do I

The video continued playing.

Asher placed his glass back on the coffee table and leaned into the sofa.

"The main reason I came today was to thank you."

"Thank me?"

Lusamine raised an eyebrow.

"I don’t remember doing anything recently that would warrant the Chairman of the World League personally coming to thank me."

"Lillie."

Asher continued.

"Your daughter."

"She’s been helping look after Elaria lately. The reason Elaria adapted to Alola so quickly, made friends, and has been enjoying herself so much is largely thanks to Lillie."

The curve of Lusamine’s lips didn’t change, but her gaze visibly softened.

"There’s no need to be so polite. Lillie is also very happy to have a friend who’s almost like a little sister."

"She used to spend all her time alone at the research institute. Aside from Pokémon, all she had were experimental data."

"Ever since Elaria arrived, even she’s become much more talkative."

Asher nodded and took another sip of lemonade.

"Still, what surprised me was that you really did send your daughter all the way to Alola."

Lusamine leaned against the armrest again.

"Based on my experience with you, Chairman, I assume there’s some deeper reason behind it?"

"There is."

"Ever since Elaria was little, she’s had this habit."

"Whenever she sees something new or interesting, she wants to draw it, write it down, and then tell other people about it."

"Kalos is too small."

"She needs to see more of the world."

"That’s also why I let Hoopa stay with her."

Asher placed his empty glass on the coffee table.

"Hoopa’s rings can take her anywhere, but Elaria still isn’t particularly familiar with using that ability."

"Alola is a region made up of islands. Every island has different natural environments, Pokémon ecosystems, cultures, and customs."

"For her, it’s basically a natural training ground."

Lusamine remained silent for a moment before standing as well.

"Chairman, your approach to your daughter’s education is far more farsighted than I expected."

"Farsighted?"

Asher’s expression didn’t change.

"I’m just too lazy to micromanage her."

"I’d rather let her run around and explore on her own. Hoopa is with her anyway, so nothing too serious should happen."

"That’s certainly a very blunt way of putting it."

Lusamine set down her glass.

"But since you’re being so candid, I’ll be direct as well."

"While Elaria remains in Alola, the Aether Foundation will provide her with any support she needs."

"Mutual benefit."

Asher stood.

"Lillie needs a friend who can help her open up."

"Elaria needs a guide who knows Alola."

"The fact that they get along so well proves my judgment was correct."

Asher walked toward the door.

Just before leaving, however, he suddenly stopped.

Without turning around, he spoke.

"Oh, right. President Lusamine."

"Hmm?"

"Has your Lillie ever considered doing an internship with the League?"

Lusamine’s smile disappeared instantly.

"Chairman."

"Poaching my daughter right in front of me seems rather inappropriate, don’t you think?"

"I was just asking."

Asher pushed open the door.

"I’m leaving. No need to see me out."

Lusamine stared at the closed door.

She took a deep breath before muttering to herself—

"That man..."

"He’s still just as infuriating as ever."

[VIP Chat Group]

[Lusamine]: ...He actually tried to poach my daughter right in front of me? Hehe. Parallel-world Asher certainly does have a talent for irritating people.

[Gladion]: There’s no way Lillie would leave the Aether Foundation. @Lillie, don’t worry. Your brother won’t let anyone abduct you.

[Lillie]: Brother! What do you mean, "abduct"? Don’t use words like that!

[Asher]: Friendly reminder: all behavior shown in the video is limited to my parallel-world counterparts and has nothing to do with me personally.

[Steven]: ??? Brother Asher, why are you so active in the chat today? This doesn’t feel like your usual self at all.

[Asher]: Steven, you seriously have the nerve to ask?! Isn’t it because you keep stirring up trouble in the chat? At this point, can I even pretend to be dead anymore?

[Misty]: At least you understand.

[Cynthia]: +1.

[Elesa]: +2.

[Iris]: But seriously, Lillie interning with the League actually seems pretty possible! Elaria and Lillie get along so well that if Elaria just said, "Big Sister Lillie, come with me~," Lillie would definitely give in!

[Dawn]: Exactly! Lillie has absolutely no resistance to Elaria! Last time Elaria told her that her hair was pretty, she blushed for three whole seconds!

[Lucian]: Thinking about it carefully, Asher sending Elaria to Alola appears to be about broadening his daughter’s horizons, but in reality it accomplishes three goals at once. Elaria becomes friends with Lillie, gets opportunities to familiarize herself with Hoopa’s abilities, and simultaneously deepens the relationship between the League and the Aether Foundation. That kind of strategic planning really is impressive.

[Steven]: That’s just Brother Asher’s standard operating procedure. When he was Chairman of the League in that parallel world, he could sleep through meetings and still solve the agenda. The Aether Foundation is nothing by comparison.

[Wallace]: And there you go praising Asher again. Steven, can’t you give it a rest for even one day?

[Steven]:As long as Brother Asher stands, so do I! I’ll follow Brother Asher for the rest of my life! I, Steven Stone, swear to spread Brother Asher’s glorious name across the entire world!

[Wallace]: ...

[Raihan]: Amazing.

[Leon]: Steven and Asher probably had some unfinished business from their previous lives.

The video continued playing.

Alola, Melemele Island, behind the Pokémon School.

Hoopa floated in midair.

A golden ring three meters in diameter hovered in front of it.

On the other side of the portal was a frozen world covered in ice and snow.

Freezing winds carried snowflakes through the ring, blowing so violently that a nearby palm tree bent wildly from side to side.

"Elaria! Hoopa has locked onto the target!"

Hoopa rubbed its little hands together, its eyes gleaming mischievously.

"It’s that Alolan Ninetales!"

"Catch it and raise it at home! Then you won’t need air conditioning during summer!"

Elaria stood in front of the portal and seriously shook her head.

"Hoopa, Daddy said running an air conditioner uses less electricity than raising an Alolan Ninetales."

"Then we’ll pick another one!"

Hoopa waved one little hand.

The view inside the portal instantly changed.

This time, it showed the crater of a volcano.

Magma bubbled and churned below—

And a Magmortar was sprawled beside the lava, leisurely soaking in the volcanic heat.

"How about this one?"

"It can be a heater in winter!"

"Alola doesn’t have winter."

Elaria adjusted Kirlia in her arms.

"Hoopa, can’t you find something I’m familiar with?"

"Something familiar?"

Hoopa tilted its head and thought for a moment.

Then its eyes lit up.

It excitedly snapped its fingers.

The scene inside the portal changed once again.

This time—

It showed a street somewhere in a city.

A silver-haired man wearing a suit was walking out of a League museum while hugging a rock nearly half his own height.

"Uncle Steven!"

Elaria shouted excitedly.

Steven, on the other side of the portal, clearly saw the ring as well.

He froze for a moment.

Then he immediately hid the enormous rock behind his back and waved toward the portal.

"Niece Elaria!"

"Aren’t you supposed to be studying in Alola? How did you open a portal all the way to Hoenn?"

"Hoopa and Elaria are practicing portal targeting!"

Hoopa proudly puffed out its chest.

"Uncle Steven, what are you holding?"

"This is—"

Steven coughed.

"A museum donation."

His expression remained perfectly calm.

"I’m helping them relocate one of their exhibits."

"But Uncle Steven..."

Elaria pointed behind him.

"That security guard looks like he’s chasing you."

Steven glanced behind himself.

Then his expression visibly changed.

"Niece Elaria, Uncle will talk to you later—"

"Oh, and whatever you do, don’t mention this to your dad anytime soon—"

"Bye!"