Chapter 1: The Garden Family of Sinnoh
"Florges, this is today's poffin. Try it."
"Flo~ Flo~" Florges flew out of a pink flower field, shaking the flower in its hand.
This small Pokémon was delicate and graceful, with slender, pure white hands clutching a budding pink Gracidea flower, like a palm-sized flower fairy.
Seeing Chenxi, Florges couldn't help but smile joyfully. It flew to Chenxi's side on the wind, rubbing against his cheek.
Then, the little one landed in front of the plate, eating the special poffin (a type of Pokémon pastry) in small bites, as if the flower in its hand had become even more vibrant.
Just as Chenxi was feeding the little one, a young girl dressed in green with a plain face hurried over. Her voice was sweet and delicate, "Young Master, today is a big day for the people from the Temple. Why are you still here? The Family Head is waiting!"
Her name was Lian, and she was Chenxi's personal maid.
Her slightly flushed cheeks showed a hint of urgency, and her slightly furrowed brows conveyed a touch of worry.
"My old man wishes I'd die sooner, so he wouldn't have to see me and be annoyed. Why would he care if I go or not!"
Chenxi said this, but he still recalled Florges, packed up the poffin dishes, and prepared to leave.
"Bah, bah, bah, Young Master, you're talking nonsense again! Little Lian will clean these up. You should hurry to the main hall!" Little Lian said anxiously.
"Then I'll leave it to you!" Chenxi handed the dishes to Lian's fair and tender hands, but walked away without looking back.
Chenxi hurried through the garden corridor and arrived at the main hall.
He saw a throng of people standing in the hall. As Chenxi pushed open the door and entered, almost everyone's gaze involuntarily turned towards him.
Chenxi remained composed and walked slowly forward.
Yuan Jin, sitting in the center, was the current head of the Yuan family. His hair was grey, his expression serious, and his phoenix eyes, upon seeing Chenxi, couldn't help but wrinkle even more. He was about to scold Chenxi for being late.
But the young woman beside him, dressed in a long silk dress with an orchid brooch on her chest, was graceful and dignified. She was the eldest daughter of the Yuan family, and also Chenxi's older sister, Yuan Zihua, nicknamed Huazi.
Yuan Zihua came forward first and said to Chenxi, "Ah, little brother, you're here. Come sit by your sister!"
"Okay, Sister!" Chenxi nodded obediently, not even glancing at Yuan Jin.
Seeing this, Yuan Jin's breathing quickened. If he could, he would have loved to find a rolling pin and beat this unfilial son to death.
In the end, he just said coldly, "You are already twelve years old. After we receive the Temple envoys, you will go to the business school at Snowpoint Academy. Do you have any..."
"I know!" Chenxi interrupted Yuan Jin just as coldly, but didn't retort anything.
"You..." Yuan Jin was furious, but then remembered that today was the day to welcome the Temple envoys, and said, "The Temple envoys are here today, so I won't argue with you for now."
Not long after, a servant came to report, "Temple envoys Cyrus, Bertha, and Drasna have arrived at the Yuan residence!"
Soon, Yuan Jin, along with the entire Yuan family, welcomed the distinguished guests from the Temple into the Yuan residence.
Chenxi also observed the visitors from the Temple, or rather, the Pokémon plot characters he was seeing for the first time.
Cyrus, at this time, was not yet the leader of Team Galactic, but the youngest Gleaming Moon Priest of the Sinnoh Temple. At only seventeen years old, he was in his prime, and dressed in the Gleaming Moon Priest robes, he exuded a cold sense of mystery.
Bertha, because Sinnoh had not yet joined the League, was not yet one of the Sinnoh League's Elite Four, as she would be ten years later.
But as one of the five Theocratic Families, the Bertha family was one of the families closest to the League in Sinnoh. It was even rumored that Ground-type Gym Leader Giovanni from the League had once visited the Bertha family to exchange insights.
Drasna was a young girl, and her shamanistic attire gave her a sense of sanctity. At this time, she was only a Starlight Priestess, but coming from Celestic Town, one of the five Theocratic Families, even as a Starlight Priestess, no one dared to underestimate her.
But at this moment, Chenxi's gaze fell on the little girl who had accompanied them, almost the same age as himself.
This little girl still had a hint of childishness, but her long, naturally curly yellow hair, and the naturally exuded confidence and charm, as well as the mysterious and distant aura from her Temple background, made her someone not to be underestimated, even as a small girl.
Chenxi was certain that this was Cynthia, the future Champion of Sinnoh. At such a young age, she already possessed a touch of peerless grace.
"Is this a derivative world of the Pokémon game?" Looking at these familiar characters, Chenxi couldn't help but inwardly complain fiercely.
Although this world had magical beings like Pokémon, and even a Pokémon League and various plot characters, the Temple, the five Theocratic Families... these should only appear in the background of the "Pokémon League" game.
He finally confirmed that he had not transmigrated into a Pokémon fanfiction world, but rather a derivative world of a certain Pokémon game.
The main storyline of this game was that the Pokémon League, with its left hand commanding the Kanto League and its right hand controlling Team Rocket, started by annexing Johto, and then unified the Pokémon world at a rate of roughly one expansion pack every two years, bringing all continents under the Pokémon League.
And the Yuan family, one of the five Theocratic Families where he was, unfortunately sided with the local forces when the Pokémon League took over Sinnoh.
The result, naturally, was a complete crushing by the Pokémon League.
Ten years later, there would be no more Yuan Family of Sinnoh, only a Yuan Town barely surviving on the edge of Eterna Forest.
Chenxi couldn't help but smile bitterly. His current pampered life as a young master would probably cease to exist in ten years.
Chenxi was momentarily lost in thought, remembering the past plot because he saw Cynthia, and his eyes remained fixed on Cynthia.
Cynthia, being stared at so intently by Chenxi at this time, remained graceful and composed, instead curiously observing Chenxi.
However, the adults, seeing this scene, made Yuan Jin's face somewhat grim. He said, "Chenxi, have you forgotten the etiquette lessons you've had?"
Chenxi was slightly startled, reminded by the voice, and came back to his senses. He simply replied, "Understood," and returned to his seat.
Yuan Jin didn't say much more. Although he disliked Chenxi, with outsiders present, he naturally wouldn't let Chenxi lose face.
Because if he were to scold Chenxi at that moment, it would be the Yuan family that would be embarrassed, which Yuan Jin did not want to see.
Soon, the guests were seated, and both sides were initially exchanging pleasantries quite happily. But then Bertha said, "Family Head Yuan, I wonder if your family has recovered the Leaf Jewel that went missing two years ago."
In an instant, the entire hall seemed to be plunged into an incredibly cold current. The previously lively atmosphere was swept away in that moment.
The Yuan family's servants, big and small, bowed their heads even more nervously.
Yuan Jin couldn't help but clench his fists at this moment. Because this taboo of the Yuan family had been exposed so openly.
According to Sinnoh legend, Arceus appeared during a meteorite attack on Sinnoh, shattering the meteorite, but in doing so, it exhausted its strength and collapsed. Its life-force gems scattered in all directions. Damus came before Arceus and, following Arceus's instructions, found one of its life-force gems. Subsequently, other life-force gems gradually flew back to Arceus.
Damus wished for Sinnoh to become prosperous. To repay Damus, Arceus used five life-force gems—Ground, Water, Grass, Electric, and Dragon—to synthesize the Jewel of Life and lend it to Damus.
Later, Damus used the Jewel of Life to make Sinnoh prosperous and founded the Sinnoh Temple, becoming the first Lord of Sinnoh.
Afterward, for reasons not recorded in history, the Jewel of Life split into five, becoming the Earth Jewel, Waterdrop Jewel, Leaf Jewel, Thunder Jewel, and Dragon God Jewel, inherited by the five great envoys of the Temple, who were the predecessors of the five Theocratic Families of Sinnoh. These five Theocratic Families, along with the Sinnoh Temple, formed the highest system that governed all of Sinnoh.
The five great jewels also became symbols of the identity of the five Theocratic Families, their status akin to that of an imperial seal to a dynasty.
However, the Leaf Jewel held by the Yuan family was stolen two years ago when Yuan Jin was attacked on his way back from the quinquennial Sinnoh Festival.
In that battle, except for Yuan Jin, who managed to escape the encirclement at the cost of five pseudo-Elite Four level Pokémon, almost all of the Yuan family's elite forces were wiped out, creating a severe generational gap in the Yuan family.
The entire Yuan Family of Sinnoh began its decline from that point on.
As the current patriarch of the Yuan family, witnessing the symbol of the Yuan family's rule—the Leaf Jewel—being stolen, was arguably the most humiliating event for Yuan Jin as patriarch. But today, this matter was exposed by Bertha.
"I wonder what Bertha-sama means!" Although Yuan Jin clenched his fists, he still spoke unhurriedly.
His voice was as calm as ever, without a hint of emotion, but everyone knew he was furious, so the servants bowed their heads even lower.
"It means nothing!" Bertha said, "The Sinnoh Festival is in three years. This year will be the first time the Jewel of Life will be difficult to reassemble. As descendants, we truly fail to live up to the legacy of our ancestors, and it is a disgrace to Sinnoh~"
"You don't need to trouble yourself with this matter!" Yuan Jin said, "In three years, our Yuan family will definitely recover the Leaf Jewel!"
"I hope that's not just talk!" Bertha sneered, "Otherwise, in the name of the Bertha family, one of the five Theocratic Families, I will propose to the Theocratic Council that due to the Yuan family's grave negligence in losing the Leaf Jewel, the Yuan family's qualification to continue as one of the five Sinnoh families be revoked."
"You..." Hearing this, Yuan Jin gritted his teeth.
The Theocratic Council was composed of the Temple, the five Theocratic Families, and the Sinnoh Star, with each party having one vote, totaling seven votes. This seven-party Theocratic Council was the most official body in Sinnoh, and the only body with the authority to strip a Theocratic Family of its qualifications.
And Yuan Jin clearly knew that if the Leaf Jewel was not recovered by the Sinnoh Festival, the Yuan family indeed had grounds for impeachment.
However, just as Yuan Jin and Bertha were speaking contendiously, Drasna interjected, "The five Theocratic Families have always been the pillars of Sinnoh. How can their status be determined by a single Leaf Jewel? Such hurtful words should be spoken less often.
Today, we came to the Yuan family mainly to let Cynthia see the world and to have some exchanges within the five families!
To temper Cynthia and let her know that there are always people better than you, and there is always a higher mountain to climb!"
"Priestess Drasna, what are you saying?" Yuan Jin smiled and said, "Cynthia is intelligent and extraordinarily spirited, a rare genius trainer in Sinnoh in a hundred years. Her talent surpasses all of our five Theocratic Families. Who among the younger generation could be her opponent? I even believe that when she comes of age, she will certainly become an Elite Four level trainer."
Chenxi heard this and couldn't help but glance at Cynthia, who remained as calm and still as an ancient well, as if the praise was not directed at her.
Such tranquility and composure, no wonder she would become the Champion of Sinnoh in the future.
Drasna smiled with satisfaction upon hearing Yuan Jin's praise for Cynthia, and said, "This child has been praised so much that she's a bit overconfident. She even suggested going on a journey alone.
So we made a pact with her: if she can achieve a perfect record in 1v1 battles against trainers under eighteen from the five Theocratic Families, then we will let her travel alone.
If she can't, then she'll have to attend Snowpoint Academy in Snowpoint City and won't be allowed to travel alone in Sinnoh until she's fifteen."
Chenxi heard this and couldn't help but look at Cynthia. A twelve-year-old girl actually dared to suggest traveling alone.
To be honest, it was quite surprising.
At this time, Sinnoh was not the Sinnoh continent after being annexed by the League, with Pokémon Centers, police stations, and official Gyms.
Back then, a ten-year-old child, as long as they held a Pokédex and didn't foolishly rush into dangerous places, would generally be avoided by all forces.
Because behind every Pokédex holder stood the Pokémon League.
But the current Sinnoh was more like a collection of feudal lords ruling their own territories.
Although the Temple united with the five Theocratic Families to govern the entire Sinnoh, in reality, there was no development to speak of in Sinnoh.
The five Theocratic Families were all looking out for themselves, and the Temple was even more aloof, considered the highest exploiting class in all of Sinnoh.
Therefore, under such a system, the state of Sinnoh's environment was naturally imaginable.
Chenxi had to admit that it was precisely the League's invasion and annexation of Sinnoh that brought new development to Sinnoh.
"I wonder which family has already been challenged!" Yuan Jin frowned, asking in a deep voice.
"She has already been to Celestic Town, the Wetlands Temple, the Bertha family, and the Electric family. The Yuan family is the last one," Drasna said.
"Celestic Town?!" Hearing this name, Yuan Jin couldn't help but be puzzled.
"This challenge journey is also an assessment for Cynthia's probationary priestess status by the Temple!" Cyrus added.
"A Temple Priestess..." Hearing this, Yuan Jin looked at the twelve-year-old Cynthia before him with newfound respect.
He also understood why both Cyrus and Bertha were present, as the Priestess assessment required both the Temple and the five Theocratic Families to bear witness.
Although the Bertha family, to which Bertha belonged, and the Yuan family were at odds, this Priestess assessment had the Bertha family as the supervisor of the assessment process.
Of course, the five Theocratic Families were merely simple supervisors, ensuring the process was fair. But whether Cynthia would be chosen as a Priestess was a matter for the Temple, and the five Theocratic Families had no right to interfere.
"All four families lost?" Yuan Jin's expression changed when he looked at the twelve-year-old girl again.
