After assigning the rooms, Professor Kukui brought Grey inside the cottage.
"Do you normally live here alone, Professor Kukui?"
On the second floor, Grey looked around the somewhat cluttered room and could not help asking.
"I do. I spend most of my time conducting research outside. Don't worry, Gym Leader Grey. It won't take me long to clean everything up."
Kukui looked slightly embarrassed before continuing, "If you'd rather stay at a hotel, I can find one nearby in the city."
"That won't be necessary."
Grey declined with a smile.
He did not have particularly high standards when it came to accommodations.
As long as he had somewhere to sleep, it was fine.
He simply needed to keep an eye on Team Rocket's movements.
"Have you seen any signs of Team Rocket on Melemele Island?"
"No."
Kukui shook his head, his expression troubled. "I've heard that Team Rocket has been operating in Alola, but most of that information came from people outside the region. As far as I know, no one here has actually seen them in person."
"I see. That makes things a little troublesome."
Grey fell into thought.
Knock, knock, knock.
While he was thinking, someone knocked on the front door downstairs.
"E-Excuse me!"
Lillie pushed open the door and entered.
When she saw Grey and Kukui standing on the second floor, she clasped her hands in front of herself and hurriedly said, "Grey, Mother said she wants to see you. Would that be all right?"
"Oh? Lusamine is here?"
Grey raised an eyebrow.
He would not mind meeting Lusamine if she had already arrived.
"N-No. We need to go to the Aether Foundation, so I came to ask you to take the boat there with me!"
Lillie shook her head, becoming even more nervous.
She could not help it.
She had not seen her mother in a very long time.
The impression Lusamine had left on her was that of a strict and intimidating mother.
Because of that, Lillie was somewhat afraid of seeing her again.
Even with Grey accompanying her, Lillie would still be frightened.
That fear could not be avoided so easily.
"Then let's go. Professor Kukui, I'll accompany Lillie to see Lusamine. We'll come back later."
Grey walked downstairs, preparing to leave for the Aether Foundation with Lillie.
"Of course. See you later."
Kukui waved goodbye.
After reaching the beach, Grey took out his phone, opened the navigation app, and searched for the Aether Foundation's address.
A location called Aether Paradise soon appeared on the screen.
It was an artificial island located near the center of Alola's four main islands.
It was also the Aether Foundation's headquarters.
Once Grey confirmed the location, he sent out Reshiram and helped Lillie climb onto its back.
After ensuring that Lillie was seated securely, Reshiram spread its wings and soared into the distance.
The wind roared around them.
"Faba, I never expected you to become Team Rocket's lackey."
At the Aether Foundation's headquarters, Lusamine stood beside her fallen Clefable, an anger that had not appeared in her eyes for a long time rising to the surface.
"President Lusamine, I did this for the sake of the Aether Foundation."
Faba stroked his goatee and chuckled. "The Aether Foundation possesses enormous wealth, but it lacks the strength to protect itself. The Ultra Beasts we encountered before may not have been particularly powerful, but behind them stands a being comparable to the third member of a Legendary trio."
"That is why I struck a deal with Team Rocket. Once I obtain control of the Aether Foundation, they'll help us fight that creature."
Lusamine's expression turned cold.
"Faba, you've lost your mind."
"You're the one who lost her mind, President Lusamine."
Faba shook his finger and sighed. "Have you forgotten what you did five years ago, when Lillie was still a child? You froze her most beloved Pokémon into an ice sculpture, then tried to force her to shatter it with her own hands."
Faba spread his arms dramatically.
"By Arceus, President Lusamine, surely you understand that you're the insane one here."
"At this rate, you'll only destroy the Aether Foundation one step at a time."
"Everything I have done was necessary to ensure the Aether Foundation's survival."
"Don't worry, President Lusamine. Once everything is over, you'll still be the president of the Aether Foundation."
Faba slowly stepped aside.
"And now, allow me to introduce Mr. Giovanni!"
A hidden door opened.
Giovanni emerged wearing a fedora and a black uniform with a rainbow-colored letter R emblazoned across his chest. His gaze immediately met Lusamine's.
"How should I address you?" Lusamine asked. "As the chairman of the Rainbow Corporation, the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym, or the secret leader of Team Rocket, Mr. Giovanni?"
The instant Giovanni appeared, Lusamine clenched her fists.
A moment later, however, she forced herself to relax them.
There was nothing else she could do.
Giovanni's strength was renowned throughout the world.
Lusamine herself was only an Elite Four-tier Trainer.
Attempting to oppose a Champion-tier Trainer like Giovanni, who was most likely even at the battle-legend tier, would be suicidal.
"There's no need to be angry, President Lusamine. We're merely discussing an ordinary business transaction, aren't we?"
Giovanni sat down on a nearby sofa and gestured for Lusamine to join him.
"I've long heard about your exceptional management of the Aether Foundation. I've wanted to conduct business with you for quite some time. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, I had no choice but to invite you in this manner."
Giovanni spoke with refined politeness.
The Beedrill hovering beside him was not nearly as courteous.
A silver glint flashed from its stinger, which was aimed directly at Lusamine.
Its wings vibrated with a relentless buzzing sound, causing Lusamine's expression to darken further.
"Mr. Giovanni, are you certain this is the appropriate attitude for a normal business negotiation?"
"President Lusamine, my Beedrill simply enjoys pointing its stingers at people. It's an instinctive habit that it was born with. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to change it."
Lusamine fell silent.
After a moment, she said in a low voice, "Aren't you afraid that my brother will come?"
"Oh? President Lusamine has a brother?"
That genuinely caught Giovanni by surprise.
He had thoroughly investigated Lusamine's family.
Aside from a missing husband whose current whereabouts were unknown, she had only one son and one daughter.
Where had this supposed brother suddenly come from?
Giovanni assumed Lusamine was bluffing. He was about to sneer and continue speaking when she added, "My brother is Grey, the Gym Leader of the Fighting Dojo in the Kanto region. If you don't want anything unfortunate to happen, Mr. Giovanni, I suggest you treat me with the respect expected during a normal business transaction. Otherwise…"
Giovanni laughed in disbelief.
"President Lusamine, you must truly be out of options if you're willing to tell such an absurd lie in an attempt to frighten me."
Now she was claiming Grey was her brother.
Did she honestly expect him to believe that?
"Why does Aether Paradise feel so strange?" Grey asked. "Lillie, is it usually this quiet here?"
Grey and Lillie had arrived at Aether Paradise.
From a distance, the artificial island looked completely isolated, as though it had been cut off from the rest of the world.
"I haven't been here in a long time either," Lillie replied uneasily. "But it was never like this before."
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