"All set?"
Standing in the Alliance Hall, almost treated like a rare Pokémon and watched by others, Hilona saw Natsuhiko coming out of the building, gently brushed her hair, and calmly asked.
Being watched?
Hilona said she had long been accustomed to it.
"Yeah."
Natsuhiko shook the document bag in his hand.
Inside, there were a series of certifications issued by the Alliance.
Although the Gym Leader identification hasn't been issued yet, just with these, Natsuhiko could boldly announce that from today, Suiyi Town... has changed hands!
Ahem.
That's about the gist of it.
Very soon the Alliance will publish news of Natsuhiko opening a dojo in Suiyi Town, becoming a Dojo Leader, on its official website and major portals.
The heat from the "Lily Youth Competition" has yet to fade; it's believed this will soon gain attention.
And as the renowned "Tactical Master," Natsuhiko can use this to get free publicity.
The "Lily Youth Competition" runner-up opens a dojo!
This will undoubtedly draw many spectators who watched the competition to come.
"Let's go."
Hilona nodded and headed towards the door.
Natsuhiko didn't say much.
As they walked outside, some people inside the hall expressed curiosity about Natsuhiko's identity.
"Who is that guy? He seems quite familiar with Miss Hilona?"
"You don't know? Haven't been following the online or TV news lately?"
"Is he famous?"
"Hmm - Lily Youth Competition runner-up, 'Tactical Master' Natsuhiko, one of Sinnoh's future stars, you don't know?"
"Runner-up..."
"The champion is Miss Hilona."
"It's just a youth competition..."
"Outstanding young trainers from six regions participated."
"..."
...
...
When Natsuhiko and Hilona reached Shenhe Town, it was already getting late.
Returning here felt no different from before.
Quiet, peaceful, soothing.
Hilona's home.
"So you really chose the Dragon Type in the end?"
Hilona pursed her chopsticks, looking at the already finished dinner of Natsuhiko in front.
She quietly pushed her plate, which still had plenty of food, towards Natsuhiko.
"Dieting?" Natsuhiko rubbed his temples.
He's not a big eater; he just doesn't want to waste food.
How does it feel like it's evolving into a permanent illusion of never being full?
"Mm." Hilona subtly lowered her gaze.
"I haven't not had enough; I just don't want to see food wasted."
She said, yet her hand movements were unabated.
Hilona smiled gently.
Leaning on her hand, she watched as Natsuhiko devoured the prepared dinner entirely, leaving nothing.
Her smile grew wider.
A frugal person.
After finishing, Natsuhiko contentedly wiped his mouth.
"Yeah, Dragon Type, sounds a bit more catchy." He then answered Hilona's earlier question.
"So the Dragon-type Pokémon..."
Natsuhiko took a sip of water and exhaled deeply.
"It's not much of a problem; I figure there's enough time till the dojo construction is completed."
Once the dojo's construction is finished, it won't immediately open. The Alliance's inspection and evaluations must conclude before officially starting "business."
"By the way, I heard from Ice-type Elite Four Kikuno that Suiyi Town is not that simple?" Natsuhiko suddenly asked.
He'd merely conducted a brief investigation into Suiyi Town's environment, facilities, and industries, finding it suitable, but didn't delve deeper.
Honestly, there wasn't much in Suiyi Town worth his investigation, mostly individual ranchers.
Building a dojo in Suiyi Town is only beneficial for these ranchers, with no downsides.
Hilona frowned slightly upon hearing this.
"It's probably... the nursery."
"Nursery?"
Natsuhiko was a bit taken aback.
Indeed.
Suiyi Town hasn't completely faded away because it houses the largest nursery in the Sinnoh region.
In Natsuhiko's eyes, a dojo and nursery complement each other, can mutually boost popularity, and should be mutually beneficial, without causing any issues;
otherwise.
Natsuhiko would have focused on investigating this nursery during his initial examination of Suiyi Town.
Hilona pondered for a moment, then said: "Actually, there's not much about that nursery, but it has endured and done well backed by Sinnoh's largest commerce association, Kikuno may be worried you might have a conflict of interest with this association."
"Commerce association? Sinnoh's largest commerce association?"
Natsuhiko repeated Hilona's words.
But quickly, he realized something and hurriedly asked:
"What's this commerce association called?"
"It's called 'Sinnoh Commerce Association,' composed of many wealthy individuals from Sinnoh as a loose organization, each year conducting charitable activities and investing in various businesses; many Sinnoh cities have industries linked to this association, considered a well-known local organization in the Sinnoh region.
Apparently, that nursery was funded by this association," Hilona briefly explained.
Sinnoh Commerce Association?
Daring to use a regional name for their association indicates either recklessness or substantial confidence.
And to become the most prominent commerce association organization in Sinnoh, how could they be reckless?
Natsuhiko quickly asked: "Who is the president of this association?"