Caller: Dr. Olin.
“Huh?”
Luo Mu let out a soft “huh.” Dr. Olin calling at this time—did that mean the tera orb was finished?
Luo Mu’s long, well-defined fingers quickly tapped the answer button on the screen.
A few faint crackles came from the phone’s receiver, and Luo Mu sighed, “Speaking of which, I should really get a new phone.”
He remembered when he first transmigrated to this world, knowing that falling behind meant getting beaten, so he chose to spend most of his savings to buy this phone from a second-hand market.
It was also because of this phone that he and Luxray met.
“What’s wrong with your phone?”
A slightly amused female voice came from the phone’s receiver; the owner of the voice was none other than Dr. Olin.
Luo Mu, who was about to get lost in thought, was startled awake by Ao Lin’s voice.
He blinked, quickly adjusted his state, and replied, “My phone is a bit old; I plan to find an opportunity to get a new one.”
“I see.” Ao Lin, on the other end of the phone, used her long legs to spin the rocking chair around and went straight to the point: “The tera orb is ready.”
“Oh?” Luo Mu’s eyes began to light up.
This was truly good news.
He immediately asked, “Do I need to come to the Lighthouse Research Institute to pick it up?”
“No, a little delivery person volunteered to help~” Ao Lin’s tone gradually softened, with a hint of well-hidden pride.
“...Pai Pa is here?” Luo Mu’s expression froze, and his tone was a bit hesitant, but Ao Lin’s default made him speechless.
He said helplessly, “He’s just a ten-year-old kid.
Doctor, are you really comfortable letting him travel through the wilderness of South Area One to Pingdie Town?”
“Why not?
That child is already ten years old.
Children in other regions would have already received their first Pokemon and become Trainers, embarking on a journey full of dreams and adventures.” Ao Lin knew what Luo Mu was worried about and explained, “Mabosstiff is also with Pai Pa.
With its strength, crossing South Area One, which is for beginner Trainers, is more than enough.”
“Dr. Olin, you’re right.”
Luo Mu admitted that he was convinced by Ao Lin.
Indeed, because he was already seventeen when he transmigrated, he subconsciously forgot one of the most absurd settings in the Pokémon world.
In this world, children who turn ten can receive their first Pokemon and officially become a new Trainer to go on adventures.
And both Pai Pa and Nemo, whom he had rescued not long ago, had reached this “independent” age.
“In any case, Pai Pa left some time ago and should be arriving at Pingdie Town soon.
He doesn’t know where your farm is, so I’ll have to trouble you to pick him up at the entrance of the town~”
“Alright, I understand.” Luo Mu nodded slightly, answering Dr. Olin while looking not far away, where Swampert was walking towards him.
Ao Lin seemed to remember something and suddenly said, “Oh, right, if you have any questions after getting the tera orb, try to ask me within the next few days.”
“Around the time Orange Academy starts, my husband and I will return to the Paldea Great Crater for research.
At that time, I probably won’t have time to deal with these matters.”
Luo Mu was silent for a moment and asked, “Both you and your husband are going into the Great Crater for research, so what about Pai Pa?”
Ao Lin replied with a strange expression, “Orange Academy is a boarding school.
To help Pai Pa integrate, even if we were home, we’d still have him live at school.
Don’t let his appearance fool you; he’s actually very independent.
Recently, he even seems to have developed an interest in cooking.”
“So, during this time, I’ll have to trouble Teacher Luo Mu to take good care of Pai Pa~”
“...Alright.” Luo Mu sighed and replied.
Ao Lin chatted with Luo Mu for a few more sentences before hanging up the phone.
Luo Mu looked at Swampert, who had already arrived beside him, and said apologetically, “Let’s go.
We still need to pick someone up in town.”
Swampert nodded, its steps as steady and heavy as the earth, following Luo Mu’s pace.
South Area One, Lighthouse Research Institute.
Seeing his wife hang up the phone, Fu Tu, dressed in a futuristic outfit, said to her, “It seems that once our research progresses, we’ll have to prepare a special Gift to thank this teacher…”
Ao Lin caressed the beast tooth necklace on her chest and nodded, “Ever since I heard the rumor about bullying among Orange Academy students, I’ve been a bit worried about Pai Pa.
That child is not cunning; he might silently choose to suffer when faced with bullies.
Besides President Ye Ci, we don’t have many acquaintances at Orange Academy.”
“Although Clavell intends to join Orange Academy, distant water cannot quench a nearby fire after all.”
“Perhaps it’s a wild instinct… I feel that this new teacher is someone trustworthy, so I shamelessly asked him for this favor.”
Fu Tu took out the zhi zhi shu he carried with him, stroking its cover and saying distractedly, “Shameless, you say?
You’re absolutely right.
To achieve both our dreams and long-cherished wishes, once we enter the Great Crater, we probably won’t have much time to accompany Pai Pa all year round, and who knows how many years such days will last.”
“On one side is a dream I’ve yearned for since I was young, and on the other is the responsibility of being a parent.
Reality is truly cruel…”
Ao Lin stood up, patted Fu Tu’s shoulder, and said in a deep voice, “But Teacher Luo Mu’s question also went straight to the core of the problem: if we go into the Great Crater for research, what about Pai Pa?”
“Will that child be sad? Will he be lonely?
To my shame, I had never considered these things before.”
Fu Tu embraced Ao Lin and whispered, “Let’s work together.
Let’s strive to find a balance between our dreams and our responsibilities.”
“Okay.”
“Wow~ Is this Uncle’s farm?” Pai Pa’s eyes were full of curiosity, taking in the surrounding scenery with wide-eyed wonder.
You just wanted to call me ‘uncle,’ didn’t you?
Luo Mu said with a forced smile, “As you can see, most of it is still barren land, and there’s a long way to go before it can be transformed into a proper farm.”
Pai Pa nodded thoughtfully, then squatted down and took out a black crystal sphere, shaped like a Poké Ball, from the backpack on Mabosstiff, who seemed a bit timid due to Swampert’s presence.
He handed it to Luo Mu with both hands.
“Luo Mu Ge Ge, this is the tera orb Mom asked me to bring you.”
Luo Mu took the tera orb; the first sensation was cool and smooth, as if it were naturally formed without any flaws.
The tera orb’s black crystal shell made it hard to imagine how dazzlingly it could glow when used.
After examining it closely, Luo Mu couldn't help but marvel at the level of technology required to create such a beautiful item.
Pai Pa tugged at his sleeve and asked, “Luo Mu Ge Ge, do you know how to use it?”
Luo Mu hesitated and nodded.
He still remembered the specific usage method; it just depended on whether it would be effective.
Immediately, he looked at Swampert beside him, and Swampert also cast its gaze over at that moment.
Their unspoken understanding made them instantly grasp each other’s intentions.
Luo Mu’s lips curled into a smile, feeling a long-lost warmth in his chest, and he shouted, “Terastallize, Swampert!”