The large sign with the name "Nathan Vesper" stood out prominently.
"Master, that's your name!"
Perched on Nathan's shoulders, Bella spotted the sign not far away and called out excitedly.
Perhaps Nathan and the little one were too eye-catching together, because the moment the black-suited men were spotted, the girl beside them lit up.
"Idol! Idol! Over here!"
Having located her target, Zoe began hopping in place with excitement, full of youthful energy.
"Zoe, shouldn't you be at home focusing on your training?"
Helpless against the crowd's attention, Nathan walked over and asked.
The girl giggled, not bothered at all. "Becoming a Trainer was never my dream."
"What I want is to collect the rarest and cutest Pokémon in the world!"
Unlike Evelyn, who was her family's sole heir, Zoe wasn't an only child. While deeply loved by her parents and elders, she didn't carry heavy responsibilities.
This, perhaps, was something Evelyn envied?
Shaking off the thoughts, Nathan looked at Zoe. "That's a great dream—but even so, you still have to work hard."
Hearing this, the suited bodyguards immediately looked at Nathan more kindly.
Unfortunately, their sunglasses covered half their faces, so no one could see their expression.
"Let's go! I will work hard. But right now, my idol's tournament is more important!"
Zoe grabbed Nathan's arm without a trace of shyness.
Seeing a wealthy-looking girl pulling along a boy—with a little loli in tow—many people around them were filled with a sudden burning envy.
If they could, they'd set fire to such a happy trio of "normies."
Of course, some recognized who Nathan was, and they looked at Zoe with shock.
Who was this girl?
Why was she so close to Nathan?
After all, while Nathan didn't yet have a huge fortune, his name was nearly legendary online.
Mega Evolution, the Zeraora bond evolution —images and discussions were flooding the web to the point of saturation.
And his future was widely admired and full of promise.
He wasn't even in college yet, and he was already making waves.
By the time he graduates? He'd probably be a national sensation!
…
Pulled away from the airport by Zoe, Nathan truly experienced the splendor of the capital.
As expected of the capital, the city buzzed with life—people of all races came and went. Towering skyscrapers stood beside traditional courtyards.
Anime expos and cultural exhibitions could be found just a few steps apart.
Since it was still summer, many people were holding iced milk teas or cold ice creams.
Soon enough, Nathan, Bella, and Zoe were each holding an ice cream of their own.
"This city is really something else."
Eating his ice cream, Nathan couldn't help but sigh.
If there was ever a city that truly matched people's dreams, this was probably it.
Entertainment districts were everywhere, and Pokémon battle clubs could be found on almost every block.
Thud!
Just as Nathan was admiring the city's prosperity, a girl around Bella's age tripped and fell on flat ground.
A balloon shaped like Zeraora floated up into the sky.
"M-My balloon…"
Seeing the limited edition balloon her father had just bought for her drifting away, the little girl's eyes began to fill with tears.
But the next moment—
A golden figure soared into the sky!
"Zoar!"
Before the girl could even react, Zeraora appeared before her—holding the balloon.
"Th-thank you!"
Stunned, she accepted the balloon. It wasn't until Zeraora disappeared into a beam of red light that she realized—
She had just seen her idol!
"That man… maybe he's not as cold-blooded as he seems."
Not far away, Cecil witnessed the scene and looked surprised.
Could this flower-crushing delinquent really have a softer side?
Was he a loli lover?
Or… did Pokémon truly matter to him that much?
She glanced around at the men nearby and their burning gazes, and a sense of defeat welled up inside her.
Was she, a gorgeous grown woman, no match for a few Pokémon?
Steel-hearted straight guy!
Nathan also noticed Cecil—but didn't react at all.
He was currently browsing his phone, looking for a hotel with the best reviews and no scams.
"This one looks good."
After a long search, Nathan finally booked a well-reviewed Pokémon hotel.
"Master, Master…"
Just as he finished, Bella called out softly, her tiny finger pointing at Zoe.
It was only then that Nathan noticed a well-dressed young man blocking Zoe's path.
"Will! I'm warning you! This is a really important time for me right now. If you don't stop bothering me, don't blame me for flipping out!"
Looking at the boy, Zoe's voice was full of disdain.
If not for his powerful background, her professional team would have already buried this guy.
"Oh come on, Miss Xue. Don't be so fierce. How are you ever going to marry into our Hammond family like that? You'll end up being a bitter, resentful old maid!"
Will replied with a smirk, completely unfazed.
"Is this guy your friend?"
Nathan walked up beside Zoe, eyeing the youth.
He looked a few years older than Nathan, but everything about him screamed "rich, useless playboy."
"Nice to meet you, genius Trainer Nathan Vesper. I'm Zoe's fiancé—Will Hammond."
Completely shameless, Will smiled and introduced himself.
He had no manners whatsoever. That was the first impression everyone had of Will.
"Don't listen to his nonsense!"
"I'd rather die single than marry this trash. He actually thinks he's something special? Has he even looked in the mirror?!"
Before Nathan could say a word, Zoe exploded in anger.
To be honest, Nathan had never seen this fiery side of her.
It made him curious—what had Will done to disgust her so much?
Will's face finally darkened, clearly pissed off by her ruthless words.
Before he could respond, though, Zoe had already dragged Nathan away, still fuming.
"Idol, don't hang around that scumbag."
"That guy's not just a pervert who toys with girls—he even abuses Pokémon! He's a complete monster!"
…
Listening to her outraged voice, Nathan finally got a full picture of Will.
He was the rich heir of the Hammond Corporation—one of the capital's many privileged brats.
But due to a twisted childhood, his personality was warped.
He changed girlfriends every three days and enjoyed watching gold-diggers' expressions turn sour.
Worse still, he got off on abusing Pokémon and often bragged about the thrill it gave him.
Unfortunately, he always covered his tracks too well, leaving no evidence for the League to act on.
"Tch… This guy isn't going to end well."
Hearing Zoe's description, Nathan silently issued a death sentence for him.
Not because Nathan thought of himself as a hero of justice—
But because he understood Pokémon all too well.
They might seem innocent and pure… but even angels can fall.
Let alone Pokémon.
Even if Nathan didn't lift a finger, someone like Will was bound to face retribution one day.
Not from justice.
Not from heaven.
But from the revenge of a Pokémon pushed into utter despair.
Zoe, meanwhile, was still furious, ranting about how unlucky she was to run into such "dogshit."
"Master… I'm hungry…"
Not long into their walk, Bella's pitiful voice drifted up to Nathan.
If a true lolicon saw this, they'd probably be smashing their keyboards screaming:
"FEED HER!!"
Nathan wasn't a lolicon, but even he couldn't help but chuckle at her pitiful look.
"That's what you get for not eating properly on the plane. Come on, let's find a place to eat."
Ruffling Bella's silver hair, Nathan smiled and looked at Zoe.
As a native rich girl from the capital, she'd surely know where to eat.
And Zoe didn't disappoint—patting her chest (which was about the size of an airport) she proudly declared:
"Leave it to me, idol! I know an amazing restaurant nearby!"
(End of Chapter)