Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [164]
[After you made a firm promise, Cogita's expression finally eased a little.]
[But with her worries somewhat relieved, she now had the mental bandwidth to turn her attention to Cynthia, who was quietly seated nearby.]
"She's from the Pearl Clan too?"
Pointing toward Cynthia, Cogita asked Elias with a skeptical look.
She wasn't deeply familiar with the Pearl Clan—only knew a handful of people from there.
But the clothing across the Hisui region tended to follow similar styles.
At the very least, aside from the outfits she personally designed for herself and Elias, she had never seen anyone dressed in anything this well-made.
The golden-haired girl's clothes didn't exactly fit her properly, but the material and tailoring were both of extremely high quality.
Cogita couldn't believe someone dressed like that was just an ordinary clan member.
On the other side, Elias had never intended to keep the truth from Cogita.
Seeing her curious, he frankly recounted the entire story of how he and Cynthia met.
"If it weren't for Elias, I'd be in a far worse state right now."
"I'm very grateful to him."
When Elias finished, Cynthia, who had been quietly listening, offered her thanks in a soft, courteous voice.
Cogita nodded in response, saying nothing more.
She trusted that Elias wouldn't lie to her about something like this.
And it seemed like Cynthia was only staying here temporarily out of gratitude.
When the time came, she could probably be asked to leave without much trouble—so Cogita wasn't too concerned.
The real problem now was… the so-called "Irida," who had practically plastered herself to Elias's side.
What exactly was this thing? She still didn't know.
But whatever it was, Elias was being unusually tolerant—downright indulgent, even.
To the point where Cogita suspected he treated "Irida" even better than her.
Unacceptable.
"Looks like the snow's letting up."
Glancing outside the cave, Cogita made the observation with a deadpan expression.
At her words, Elias cautiously asked, "Then… we heading back now?"
He had a feeling Cogita wasn't in the best of moods.
"Yes."
She rose to her feet as she spoke.
But at the same time, her gaze locked sharply onto "Irida" sitting beside Elias.
"We're going back to the Pearl Clan. You planning to come too?"
She addressed the question to Zoroark directly—her meaning could not have been clearer.
Zoroark, perceptive as ever, instantly understood: Cogita was trying to kick her out.
In the past, she probably would've run off right then and there.
But now… she wanted to try something else. To try staying by Elias's side, no matter what.
With that resolve, her form shimmered again.
Right in front of Cogita, she leapt into Elias's arms.
But thanks to her evolved illusion abilities, from everyone else's perspective, she vanished on the spot—as though she'd turned invisible.
Cogita bit her lip. Her chest felt inexplicably tight.
You're not even trying to pretend anymore?
"You'd better explain this properly when we get back. Where did you find such a… charming Pokémon?"
She narrowed her eyes and growled at Elias through clenched teeth.
Elias: "..."
Zoroark had sunk her invisible teeth into his neck. He didn't dare move a muscle.
---
[You step out of the cave. The blizzard has ended, and the morning sun is slowly rising on the horizon.]
[You can't help but feel a little dazed. After all, you've been awake for over a day and night—even your nerves are starting to fray.]
[Fortunately, the ever-thoughtful Zoroark, still hidden from view, has rested her head on your shoulder—acting as a fluffy, living travel pillow as you walk.]
[At the edge of the frozen tundra, you finally encounter a search party from the Pearl Clan.]
[The moment they see you, everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief.]
[You catch it at once—among them, the real Irida's knees buckle and she collapses into the snow.]
[Soon after, at the chief's arrangement, a still-grumpy Irida leads you to a makeshift rest outpost.]
[You desperately need some sleep.]
"How could you go into the heart of the Alabaster Icelands alone when you barely know anything about it?!"
Under the open shelter, Irida stood with arms crossed, eyebrows knitted as she glared at Elias.
In truth, she knew this wasn't really Elias's fault.
The sudden blizzard that swept through the region had caught everyone off guard.
But that didn't stop her from using it as an excuse to try and knock some sense into him.
What if next time he ended up in an even more dangerous place?
Elias yawned, but despite his exhaustion, he nodded in agreement.
Seeing that, Irida couldn't bring herself to keep scolding him.
After tidying the room a bit, she moved to step outside and let him get some rest.
But at the door, she paused.
Looking back at him, clearly conflicted, she asked:
"Elias… when you left yesterday morning, did you go into the Icelands alone?"
She recalled what Cogita had said the day before.
The question seemed to bring Elias out of his haze.
He thought for a moment, then gently shook his head.
"No," he said softly.
Hearing that, Irida nodded with a faint, knowing look in her eyes.
"I see."
---
[You sleep like a rock until the next day. You, Cogita, and Cynthia begin preparing to return to the Crimson Mirelands.]
[That sleep had been unusually comfortable—not just because you were exhausted, but largely thanks to Zoroark, who had curled around you like a blanket.]
[Her long, soft fur and naturally warm body made it hard for you to wake up at all.]
[In fact, you almost overslept and missed the departure entirely.]
"Elias, illusions can do so much. Want to test a few when we get back?"
Nestled beside him, Zoroark whispered temptingly.
She'd already figured it out—Elias might be calm most of the time, but he wasn't immune to temptation.
And with her illusion powers, she could absolutely make use of that.
Sure enough, Elias hesitated at her suggestion.
"…Let's talk after we get back."
---
[As you depart, Irida—true to form—looks reluctant to see you go.]
[She reminds you several times about the upcoming Pokémon battle tournament next month.]
[Cynthia, on the other hand, looks more than ready.]
[She hates the cold and has been eager to leave the Alabaster Icelands since the moment she arrived.]
"Elias, that battle tournament you were talking about—what is it, exactly?"
Walking beside him, Cynthia asked with curiosity.
As a Champion, the word battle made her fingers itch.
"Oh, it's a competitive event hosted by the Pearl and Diamond Clans next month," Elias explained.
"It's meant to encourage ordinary clan members to take Pokémon battles more seriously."
"Why? Are you interested?"
Thinking of her Garchomp, Elias looked at her with interest of his own.
---
T/N: ZOROARK NOOO STOP BEING FREAKY