Chapter 346: You Can Call Me Godmother Too

[Ding! Memory Fragment playback complete. The livestream will now resume!]

The live screen returned to the frozen frame.

Then the video started playing again.

Cinnabar Island.

Backstage lounge of the Sun-Moon Group’s Cosmic Park.

Steven was sprawled across the sofa, hugging his life-sized Diancie standee.

The golden eyeshadow around his eyes had been washed downward by sweat into two glittering streaks that looked like golden tears.

Selene crouched beside him, furiously taking photos of his face with her phone.

"Uncle Steven, this makeup look is really avant-garde."

"I’ll turn it into a meme and post it on the Sun-Moon Group’s official account. It’ll definitely go viral."

"Post it."

Steven hugged the standee even tighter.

"Post whatever you want."

"Just remember to edit Diancie and me together, and put a heart in the background."

"Got it!"

Selene immediately opened an editing app and started swiping across the screen at incredible speed.

"..."

Aurelia sat in a chair on the other side of the room.

She held the Ho-Oh feather in both hands and stared at it absentmindedly.

Asher walked over carrying two cups of warm milk.

He handed one to Aurelia and the other to Sabrina.

Sabrina accepted hers and leaned back against the sofa, her red eyes half-closed.

Lorelei stood beside the bar with a glass of ice water.

The three adults somehow formed a triangle that was both subtle... and not subtle at all.

"Aunt Lorelei, why are you drinking something cold again?"

Selene poked her head out from behind her phone.

"You already had three sea-salt lemon smoothies today."

"Won’t your stomach hurt?"

"It’s called hydration."

Lorelei didn’t even blink.

"As an Ice-type Elite Four member, my body requires more ice than an ordinary person’s."

"Is there any scientific basis for that?"

"No."

"But drinking it makes me happy."

"And being happy is the greatest science of all."

Aurelia put down the feather and looked toward Lorelei.

"Aunt Lorelei, you’ve helped me a lot these past few days."

"Thank you."

"Why are you being so formal?"

Lorelei waved a hand.

"I’ve known your dad for years."

Helping you out is only natural."

Sabrina lightly tapped one finger against the side of her cup.

She said nothing.

But the psychic field around her fluctuated noticeably.

Asher coughed twice.

Then quietly took a sip of milk.

"Well..."

Lorelei set down her ice water and stretched.

"I’m heading back to the League tomorrow."

"I’ve been away for too long this time."

"If I keep skipping work, Lance might personally come drag me back."

Selene immediately poked her head out from behind the holographic screen.

"You’re leaving already, Aunt Lorelei?"

"Why not stay and have fun for a few more days?"

"Our Cosmic Park still has three unopened zones."

"I can reserve an internal-testing slot for you!"

"Next time."

Lorelei waved.

"But before I leave, I need to say something to your dad."

Asher looked up.

"What is it?"

Lorelei leaned down toward him.

Then she lowered her voice so that only the people nearby could hear.

"If I hadn’t chosen to become one of the Elite Four back then... would you still have left the League and become a magician?"

Selene’s eyes lit up like two LED bulbs.

Aurelia hurriedly grabbed Selene and pulled her backward.

After saying that, Lorelei straightened up and laughed softly.

"Hehe."

"Just kidding."

"Don’t take it seriously."

"I’m off."

"See you all next time."

She reached the doorway then turned back toward Aurelia.

"Aurelia, your Gallade is coming along nicely."

"Next time we meet, I’ll have to properly test how much you’ve improved."

Aurelia gave Lorelei a small bow.

"Thank you for all your guidance these past few days, Aunt Lorelei."

"You can call me Godmother too."

"Aunt."

Aurelia’s expression didn’t change.

Lorelei laughed, shook her head, and waved goodbye before leaving.

[VIP Chat Group]

[Raihan]: I genuinely couldn’t hold it in when Lorelei said, "You can call me Godmother too." Then Aurelia just hit her with a flat "Aunt." She welded that door shut on the spot! This kid is usually so obedient, but when it matters, she doesn’t hesitate at all.

[Bruno]: So what Lorelei meant is that she really did have some history with Asher back then, but for some reason they never ended up together. Right?

[Sidney]: Bruno, you can actually understand subtext? I thought your brain only contained the word "fighting."

[Bruno]: I’m a martial artist, but I’m still a human being! I can understand something this obvious!

[Valerie]: Everyone, have you considered another possibility? Maybe Lorelei was actually testing Asher’s reaction. After all, Aurelia is Asher’s daughter. If Aurelia called Lorelei "Godmother," wouldn’t that basically mean Asher acknowledged it too?

[Lorelei]: Did any of you consider the fact that I’m still in this group while you’re discussing this?

[Diantha]: Oh my~ That was parallel-world you, not present-day you. We’re merely discussing what happened in the video. Isn’t that right?

[Elesa]: Lorelei, speaking as someone with experience... The more you explain things like this, the messier they become. Better to just lie down and accept the teasing.

[Misty]: Elesa’s right. Look at the rest of us. Which one of us hasn’t already been publicly executed by this livestream?

[Lorelei]: ...Could the lot of you show even a little sympathy?

[Diantha]: Sympathy? What’s that? Can it be used for entertainment?

[Lorelei]: ...

The video continued playing.

Once the door closed—

Selene immediately jumped in front of Asher.

"Dad, Dad!"

"What exactly did Aunt Lorelei mean just now?"

"Is there some kind of story between you two?"

Asher remained silent for three seconds.

Then he stood up and walked over to the window.

With his back to everyone, he gazed out at the setting sun.

"Fine."

"Since you’re asking this directly, I’ll come clean."

Click!

Selene instantly pulled a palm-sized recorder out of her pocket.

She held it solemnly in both hands and presented it toward Asher.

"Dad."

"Go ahead."

"I’m ready."

"The reason I became a magician back then... was because I wanted to pursue your mom."

Selene waited five seconds.

"...And then?"

"There is no ’and then.’"

"That’s way too simple!"

"What about the process?!"

"The details?!"

"Before Big Sis and I were born—"

Aurelia assumed Selene was about to say something outrageous.

She immediately clamped a hand over her sister’s mouth.

Her own face had already turned tomato-red.

"Selene!"

"Some things are not appropriate to ask!"

"Mmph! Mmph mmph!"

Selene’s eyes widened.

Both arms flailed wildly through the air.

She desperately pried open a tiny gap between Aurelia’s fingers and squeezed her voice through it.

"Big Sis!"

"Why are you blushing like a bubbling teapot?!"

"I was only going to ask how Mom and Dad fell in love before we were born!"

"Don’t tell me your mind went somewhere weird?!"

Aurelia pressed her lips into a thin line.

It took her ages to force out a reply.

"...No."

"If not, then why are you blushing?!"

"I... I’m going back to rest!"

"I still have to challenge Cinnabar Gym tomorrow."

Aurelia turned around immediately.

Then called toward the side.

"Latios."

"Let’s go."

Latios was just about to follow her when he suddenly turned his head toward Latias.

"Don’t let Selene teach you bad habits."

"You’re becoming more and more like her."

Latias immediately looked offended.

"Big Brother, you’ve got some nerve saying that!"

"Aren’t you becoming more and more like Aurelia too?"