Chapter 240: Leon and Raihan Are Actually Getting Handsy in Broad Daylight?!

The video continued playing.

While Elaria was still diligently signing autographs, the office door suddenly opened.

This time, the person who walked in wasn’t Asher or Diantha.

It was someone Elaria hadn’t expected at all—

Leon.

Leon was wearing a support T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Rayquaza Sky Knights", and he held a poster for The Dragon-Riding Princess in one hand.

There was a slightly embarrassed look on his face.

"Mister Leon?"

Elaria blinked.

"What brings you here?"

"Uh..."

Leon scratched the back of his head.

"Elaria, I have a favor to ask."

Elaria put down her marker and tilted her head at him.

"Mister Leon, just tell me what you need."

Leon took a deep breath and spread the poster across the desk.

It was a limited-edition The Dragon-Riding Princess poster.

Printed across it was the iconic scene of Diancie riding Rayquaza, while the bottom-right corner featured chibi Groudon and Kyogre personally drawn by Elaria.

"I was hoping you could sign the poster for me."

Leon’s voice grew quieter and quieter.

"...And if it’s not too much trouble, could you sign my T-shirt too?"

"Pfft."

Lillie couldn’t hold it in and quickly raised her folder to hide her face.

"It’s not for me!"

Leon immediately started explaining, his face turning bright red.

"It’s Raihan! Raihan wanted it! He forced me to come here and ask for the autograph!"

The moment those words left his mouth—

The roar of an engine came from outside the office.

A second later, Raihan came tearing down the hallway on an absurdly flashy customized motorcycle, with a tiny golden horn hanging from the handlebars.

"LEON, YOU BASTARD!"

Raihan jumped off the bike with another poster in his hand.

"I knew you stole my T-shirt! Give it back right now!!"

Leon turned around without changing expression.

"What are you talking about, Raihan? This is the League. Watch your language."

"You’re still pretending?!"

Raihan pointed furiously at the shirt Leon was wearing.

"That limited-edition shirt has the exclusive Rayquaza-versus-Eternatus design on it! Only TWO were released in all of Galar!"

"I stood in line for three whole days to get mine!"

"Take it off right now! THAT’S MY SHIRT!!"

"What’s yours is mine."

Leon spoke with complete confidence.

"And what’s mine is also mine."

"WHO TAUGHT YOU THAT TWISTED LOGIC?!"

"Chairman Asher."

Leon remained perfectly serious.

"If you have a problem with it, go complain to him."

"Um..."

Elaria raised one hand.

"Mister Leon, Mister Raihan, I can give each of you a set."

"Then you won’t need to fight over it."

Leon and Raihan both stopped at the same time.

They turned toward Elaria in perfect synchronization.

"Really?"

"You can?"

"Of course."

Elaria opened a drawer and took out two brand-new sets of the limited-edition T-shirts.

She signed her name on both, then pulled a golden paint marker from the pen holder.

"The golden writing glows."

"It’s made with mineral powder Hoopa scraped off a meteorite. We only use it for the limited editions."

Raihan immediately snatched up his set.

Then he reached into his clothes and pulled out an exquisite wooden box.

"Elaria, I specially asked a master craftsman to make this Dynamax Band."

"Consider it a thank-you gift."

Leon had still been basking in the joy of obtaining his own limited-edition T-shirt.

The moment he saw the box, however—

The smile on his face froze.

"When did you prepare that?"

"Obviously I brought a gift."

Raihan looked at him as though the answer should have been obvious.

"If you’re asking someone for an autograph, of course you bring them something."

"Did you think everyone shows up empty-handed like you?"

"All right, all right."

Elaria waved both little hands.

"If you two don’t have anything else, please head out. I still have other work to deal with."

"Ah, actually, there is one more thing."

Leon unzipped his backpack and pulled out a document envelope.

He placed it on the desk.

"The Galar League would like to invite you over for a cultural exchange."

"Flights and accommodations have already been arranged. Everything will be completely covered."

"A cultural exchange?"

Elaria blinked her golden eyes.

"What would I be doing there?"

"Mostly taking you around to see the Pokémon ecology of the Galar region."

Leon leaned against the edge of the desk and crossed his arms.

"For example, the rocky Pokémon Dens in the Wild Area, or the Sea-Current Caverns on the Isle of Armor."

"Nessa said she can be your guide and accompany you for the entire trip."

Elaria thought for a moment.

Then she hopped down from her chair.

"Mister Leon, Elaria would like to visit Galar."

"Daddy said the energy fields there are very unusual."

"Maybe Elaria can find inspiration for an entirely new movie."

Leon rolled up his poster.

Then he grabbed Raihan and started dragging him toward the door.

"Great! Just tell me once you’re ready, then."

"Raihan and I will get going!"

[VIP Chat Group]

[Lance]: ...Those two are grabbing and pulling at each other in broad daylight. What happened to the League’s dignity?

[Lorelei]: Lance, aren’t you used to it by now? The League hasn’t had any dignity from the very beginning.

[Bruno]: Well said! The League’s dignity vanished into thin air the very day Asher became Chairman!

[Flint]: Seriously. Just look at what Asher does as Chairman—sleeps during meetings, turns conference halls into movie theaters, and now Eternatus is perched on top of the communications tower!

[Koga]: When you put it that way, Asher really might be the most ridiculous Chairman in League history.

[Volkner]: Also the most efficient. He can sleep through a meeting and still get every issue resolved.

[Lorelei]: Isn’t his efficiency just because he dumps all the work on Lance?

[Lance]: ...

[Bea]: Anyway, Elaria is going to Galar now? Leon said Nessa would be her guide, so does that mean the first stop will be Hulbury?

[Nessa]: Of course! The Sea-Current Caverns near Hulbury are one of Galar’s most famous habitats for Water-type Pokémon. Parallel-world me will definitely make sure Elaria experiences everything these waters have to offer!

The video continued playing.

Galar region, Hulbury.

When Elaria stepped out of Hoopa’s ring, she was holding Hoopa in her arms while Popplio dozed on top of her head.

The person waiting to greet her was Nessa—

Galar’s Water-type Gym Leader.

She wore a smart sailing outfit, her dark-blue hair fluttering gently in the sea breeze.

"Minister Elaria, welcome to Galar!"

Nessa strode forward and extended her hand with perfect formality.

Elaria shook it.

But before she could even say anything—

Nessa suddenly scooped her up and lifted her high into the air.

The polite smile in her eyes instantly transformed into the blazing excitement of a fan meeting her idol.

"Oh my gosh! You’re even tinier in person than you look in the movie!"

"Where’s Diancie? Is Diancie inside her Poké Ball?"

"Can I see her?! Just once!"

Held helplessly in midair, Elaria’s expression slowly shifted from polite—to completely bewildered.

This was the first time she’d ever encountered someone like this.

All she could do was helplessly say,

"Miss Nessa, could you please put me down first?"

Nessa placed Elaria back on the ground.

However, the fanatic excitement in her eyes didn’t diminish in the slightest.

"Minister Elaria, to tell you the truth, I’m one of your biggest fans!"

"I’ve watched both of your movies twenty times each!"

"Please, you absolutely have to give me an autograph!"

Elaria accepted the notebook Nessa offered her and carefully signed her name.

Then she politely handed it back.

"Miss Nessa, thank you for supporting Elaria."

"But Elaria doesn’t know the Galar region very well yet, so I’ll be relying on you for the rest of the trip."

"No problem!"

Nessa stuffed the notebook into her pocket.

Her expression instantly switched back into professional mode.

"Please follow me!"f