Inside the workshop sat an elderly craftsman.
His hair was completely white, and a pair of thick round reading glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Wearing a worn leather apron, the old artisan was completely absorbed in carving a piece of jewelry on his workbench.
Five minutes passed after the clerk knocked.
Only after finishing the work in his hands did the old craftsman finally raise his head.
"Come in."
"Master Caldor, this customer would like to commission a custom piece of jewelry," the clerk said respectfully.
"I see."
The old craftsman simply nodded.
That was all.
The clerk shot Ash an apologetic look before quietly leaving the workshop.
Now the room contained only Ash, Gary, and the elderly craftsman Caldor, who had returned to polishing a gemstone in his hands.
…
Gary had never seen such terrible customer service before.
A paying customer had come to commission jewelry, yet the craftsman treated them with cold indifference and completely ignored them.
But seeing that Ash himself didn't seem bothered, Gary held back his temper.
Instead, he walked around the workshop while holding Eevee, examining the various tools and unfinished ornaments.
Ash, meanwhile, stood quietly beside the craftsman's workbench with Pikachu in his arms, silently watching the old artisan at work.
Ash wasn't in a hurry.
Tomorrow morning he didn't have any training scheduled, and crafting custom jewelry would take quite some time anyway.
So he patiently observed the eccentric craftsman polishing and shaping the ornament.
At the same time, Ash released a trace of Aura Power.
The Powers of Aura allowed him to sense a person's emotions—and even overhear fragments of their thoughts.
After all, he would need to leave the Pidgeot Mega Stone and the Key Stone here for crafting.
If this craftsman wasn't trustworthy, Ash would never feel comfortable handing over such precious items.
…
But the moment Ash began probing with his Aura—
The craftsman suddenly raised his head.
Through the thick lenses of his glasses, the old man's eyes seemed incredibly deep, wise… and sharp enough to pierce straight into one's soul.
"Boy," the craftsman said suddenly.
"You're an Esper, aren't you?"
Ash blinked in surprise.
Having psychic powers wasn't exactly a secret in his case. In fact, it was practically public knowledge.
But from the craftsman's earlier attitude, Ash could tell that this old man belonged to the type who had no interest in modern trends.
Someone who didn't browse the internet or follow news.
A true old-school craftsman immersed entirely in his craft.
In other words—
He clearly hadn't recognized Ash's identity earlier.
Yet despite that, he had instantly sensed Ash's power the moment Ash activated his Aura.
That alone was astonishing.
Could it be…
Is this craftsman also a psychic?
..
The old man shook his head as if reading Ash's thoughts.
"I'm not an Esper."
"My senses are simply sharper than those of ordinary people."
He removed his glasses and wiped them with a stained cloth from the workbench before fixing Ash with a piercing gaze.
"Boy."
"I don't know who you are."
"I don't know what faction you belong to."
"I don't know your family background or which elder recommended you here."
"And I don't care whether you're a genius or a fool."
"If you found this place, then you should already know my rules."
"I do not work for any organization."
"I only craft items for individuals."
"Anyone who comes here—if they pass my test—I will forge one item for them."
"And only one."
…
The old craftsman leaned forward slightly.
"And don't bother saying useless things like 'I'll definitely pass' or 'I'll try my best.'"
He waved dismissively.
"Come with me to the battle arena."
"If your courage and spirit satisfy me…"
"I'll follow the rules and craft an item for you."
With that, he put his glasses back on and walked out of the workshop toward the battle arena next door.
Only after the old man left did Gary rush over with Eevee in his arms.
"Ash… do you understand anything that old guy just said?"
"I have no idea either…" Ash replied, shaking his head thoughtfully.
Gary lowered his voice and began complaining.
"The clerk said earlier that this old guy had a strange personality. I didn't believe it at first—I thought he was just acting mysterious."
"But when we came in here he ignored us completely…"
"And then he suddenly started saying a bunch of stuff nobody could understand!"
"No wonder the clerk warned us. This guy isn't just strange—he's ridiculously strange!"
Gary continued grumbling beside him.
Ash ignored him.
Instead, he stood there in deep thought.
…
Ash had originally come here just to commission a set of Holy Ring-style accessories to mount the Pidgeot Mega Stone and Key Stone.
But judging from the old craftsman's words earlier…
The man clearly misunderstood Ash's identity—and the reason he had come.
More importantly—
The craftsman had repeatedly referred to creating an "item" rather than "jewelry."
…
Ash quickly pieced everything together in his mind.
Let me think…
So what happened was this:
I searched the electronic map and found this highly rated jewelry shop called "Rainbow Radiance."
But hidden inside the shop is actually a mysterious master craftsman.
When I arrived, I specifically asked for the most experienced craftsman to handle my commission.
Then I waited patiently in his workshop.
When he sensed my Aura Power, he mistakenly assumed I was someone sent here for a different purpose.
So he revealed his hidden identity.
And now he thinks I came here specifically to request a Pokémon item.
If I pass his test in battle… he'll craft one for me.
…
Ash's eyes gradually lit up with excitement.
"So…"
"What started as a misunderstanding…"
"might actually turn into a huge opportunity."
Originally, Ash had come only to craft a piece of jewelry.
But now—
He might end up receiving a genuine Pokémon item instead.
--------------
T/N:
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