Curator Stern seemed to enjoy this feeling of being the center of attention. He straightened his back, a perfect smile on his face, nodding to acquaintances passing by while lowering his voice to introduce them to Ariel.
"The one on the left is a director of Devon Corporation; his family's business spans across all of Hoenn."
"See that lady? Rustboro City's most famous jewelry designer. It's said her design inspiration all comes from the beauty of different Pokémon."
Ariel only glanced at them casually, not showing any interest.
To him, these people's identities, status, and wealth were nothing more than insignificant labels.
Curator Stern noticed Ariel's lack of interest. His eyes flickered as he seemingly casually steered the conversation in another direction.
"Speaking of which, the Hoenn region hasn't been peaceful lately; several Gyms have undergone significant changes. For young Trainers, this is both a challenge and an opportunity."
His tone was relaxed, like he was just chatting about family matters, but his gaze fell unobtrusively on Ariel's profile, trying to catch any flicker of emotion.
"I wonder how little brother Ariel's Gym challenge journey is going?"
This was a probe.
An experienced businessman evaluating the value of a "commodity."
Ariel stopped walking and didn't answer immediately.
He took an unremarkable badge case from his pocket and opened it with a calm motion.
No words were spoken.
Six badges of different shapes lay quietly in the case under the light of the crystal lamps.
The ancient simplicity of the stone badge, the power of the Knuckle Badge, the brilliance of the Dynamo Badge, the passion of the Heat Badge, the balance of the Balance Badge, the lightness of the feather badge... they shone brightly on the black velvet lining, each one representing a hard-won victory and the recognition of a Gym Leader.
The smile on Curator Stern's face froze.
It was an expression that maintained commercial etiquette on the surface, but had completely collapsed internally.
The rhythm of his breathing faltered for a second. Although he adjusted quickly, that fraction of a second's pause was incredibly clear to Ariel's perception.
Six!
As the owner of a shipbuilding company, Stern had come into contact with countless Trainers, many of whom were geniuses.
But he had never seen, nor even heard of, anyone at this age who could obtain six badges in such a short period of time.
What this represented was not just strength.
It was terrifying efficiency, a crushing advancement capability, and a nearly cold-blooded execution.
The youth before him was definitely not just a kind-hearted Trainer with some skill who acted heroically and happened to know Brawly, as he had initially thought.
He was a monster rising at an incredible speed.
The look in Curator Stern's eyes toward Ariel transformed from gratitude to appreciation, and then to awe, all within a few short seconds.
Finally, all emotions settled down, turning into the unique fervor of a businessman toward a high-return investment.
He re-evaluated Ariel's value.
This ticket and this favor were well worth giving.
In fact, they were far from enough.
"Little brother Ariel... you have truly opened my eyes."
Curator Stern's voice gained a hint of subtle solemnity. He carefully closed the badge case and handed it back to Ariel personally, his movements as if he were handling a rare treasure.
The smile on his face became fervent again, but this time, the object of his fervor was no longer the surrounding socialites, but Ariel himself.
"To be honest, my good-for-nothing son, Marius, is also on this ship."
Curator Stern took the opportunity to get to the point, his tone carrying a bit of parental worry.
"This kid has good luck and has a Pokémon with extremely high potential. It's just a pity his personality is too soft. He has good resources but can't produce the momentum he should have; he lacks a certain ferocity in battle. As a father, I see this and worry in my heart."
As he spoke, he sighed, looking like a father who had exhausted himself worrying for his son.
Ariel listened quietly, his mind clear.
What a performance of fatherly love as heavy as a mountain.
He detected all of Stern's performance.
From the gratitude at the beginning to the request now, every step was within his calculations.
The so-called gratitude was just a foot in the door, an excuse to establish a connection.
Now, this request to guide his son was the true core of this transaction.
Stern wanted to use a ticket and a bit of insignificant favor to trade for a future extraordinary Trainer's personal guidance for his son.
As for this business, his calculations were very clever.
However...
Ariel didn't dislike this method.
In this world, pure kindness often comes with unpredictable risks and moral kidnapping.
An exchange of interests with a clear price like this actually made him feel safer and purer.
"Marius should be at the battle arena on the ship right now."
Seeing that Ariel didn't immediately refuse, Curator Stern was overjoyed and continued to up the ante.
"If little brother Ariel has time, you might as well go and take a look. If it's convenient, please... give him some pointers. Of course, I certainly won't let you help for nothing."
"Okay."
Ariel finally spoke, uttering two words.
He didn't refuse.
He needed to take the wave breaker to the Southern Isolated Island; this was a favor he owed.
Now, he had the chance to repay this favor in a way he approved of and transform it into a bargaining chip favorable to himself.
A sincere smile blossomed on Curator Stern's face. He was about to say some words of thanks when he was interrupted by Ariel.
"In exchange,"
Ariel's gaze looked straight at Stern calmly.
"I need a detailed sea chart of the Southern Isolated Island and its surrounding waters—the more detailed, the better. This includes reef distribution, ocean current directions, and all records of abnormal weather in recent years."
Curator Stern was slightly startled.
He hadn't expected Ariel to make such a request.
It wasn't money or some precious item, but extremely precise professional information.
Such a thing wasn't difficult for a shipbuilding tycoon like him, but for ordinary people, it was hard to come by even for a thousand pieces of gold.
This youth's every step seemed to have a frighteningly clear purpose.
Curator Stern's evaluation of Ariel rose another level in his heart.
He nodded immediately without the slightest hesitation.
"No problem! Very soon, the most detailed sea chart will be delivered to your room."
"Deal."
Ariel nodded.
An invisible transaction was quietly reached amidst the background noise of clinking glasses.
Curator Stern contentedly pointed out the direction of the battle arena to Ariel and indicated that he needed to socialize for a bit and would arrive shortly.
Ariel turned alone and walked toward another area that was vastly different in style from the main banquet hall.
The golden cage was left behind him; the road ahead led to a more direct and pure balance of strength.
Now, it was time to go meet that young master.