Chapter 357: Lance Is a Brick. Wherever He’s Needed, That’s Where He Gets Moved (Membership Extra Chapter)

The video continued playing.

Inside the reception room of Saffron Gym, Asher was sitting on the sofa flipping through a magazine.

Five cups of tea were arranged on the coffee table, all still giving off steam.

Clearly he had already calculated that the sisters would be coming home today.

Selene rushed inside while hugging the silver-patterned Egg.

"Dad! Look! What’s this?"

Asher raised his head and glanced at the Egg in Selene’s arms.

"Oh, could this be..."

Selene’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Dad, you recognize it?"

"Nope."

"Dad, you’re being so half-hearted!"

Selene puffed out her cheeks.

Then she placed the Egg on the coffee table beside Aurelia’s golden-patterned one.

Diantha sat elegantly on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other.

"Patterns like these..."

"I’ve genuinely never seen anything like them."

"Where did you two get them?"

Aurelia sat down beside Asher.

"They were given to us by Pokémon that called themselves Solgaleo and Lunala."

"Solgaleo and Lunala..."

Diantha touched her chin thoughtfully.

"I feel like I’ve heard legends about them before."

"Right—I think I learned about them while filming in Alola."

Aurelia took out Gallade’s Poké Ball.

Her thumb lightly traced the patterns across its surface.

"Besides this Egg, Solgaleo also gave Gallade a sun mark."

"I can sense that its power increased by roughly thirty percent."

Selene picked up her silver-patterned Egg again and pressed her ear against it for a long while.

"By the way, why can’t I hear anything inside this Egg?"

"Don’t tell me it’s a dud."

"You think you’re picking out a watermelon?"

Asher reached over, took the Egg from her arms, and placed it back on the coffee table.

Selene folded her arms.

"Oh, right, Dad!"

"Lunala said that some ’mysterious person’ helped them a long time ago."

"Who do you think that mysterious person was?"

Asher lifted his teacup and blew gently across the surface.

"No idea."

"Probably some kindhearted person."

"In any case, if we want to figure out what’s going on with these two Eggs, our best option is to ask someone familiar with Alolan mythology."

Diantha clapped her hands.

"Perfect!"

"Professor Kukui from Alola is currently doing research in Lumiose City."

"Aurelia, Selene—why don’t you come to Kalos with your godmother?"

"...Aunt Diantha."

Aurelia shook her head.

"I think I’ll pass."

"I still need to return to League Headquarters later and deal with official business."

"Oh, Aurelia."

"You’re a twelve-year-old girl."

"Why are you living like a forty-two-year-old corporate slave?"

Diantha waved a hand.

"Who cares about paperwork?"

"You have the Elite Four under you, don’t you?"

Aurelia paused.

"But..."

"The Elite Four aren’t secretaries."

"How can I just dump the work directly on—"

"The Kanto League operated normally before you became Champion too."

Diantha waved her hand with complete confidence.

"Just throw the paperwork at Lance."

"He’s already familiar with Champion duties anyway."

Selene’s eyes instantly lit up.

She darted over to Aurelia and clasped her hands together.

"Big Sis!"

"I think Aunt Diantha makes a really good point!"

"But..."

"Can I really do that?"

Asher leisurely held his teacup.

"Aurelia, I actually think Diantha has a point too."

"You need a balance between work and rest."

Diantha immediately pressed the advantage when she saw Asher supporting her.

"Exactly!"

"Look at me."

"I’m the Kalos Champion, and I still have time to pursue my own hobbies."

"Aurelia, just do your godmother this one favor, all right?"

"It’s Aunt."

Aurelia sighed.

Then she pulled out her communicator.

Her finger hovered over the screen for one second.

Then she pressed Lance’s number.

The call was answered almost instantly.

"Aurelia?"

"Do you have instructions for me?"

"Um..."

Aurelia paused to carefully choose her words.

"I’m going to Kalos for a few days to handle some personal matters."

"So I’d like you to temporarily take full responsibility for the League’s daily affairs."

"All right."

Lance agreed without even the slightest hesitation.

"Will ten days be enough?"

"Probably..."

"Three to five days?"

"Understood."

"I’ll handle everything."

"Go without worrying."

"Mm."

"Sorry to trouble you."

"It’s no trouble!"

"Serving the League is my duty!"

The call ended.

The instant Aurelia watched the communicator screen go dark—

She inexplicably felt much lighter inside.

As though she’d just opened a door that could never be closed again.

[VIP Chat Group]

[Volkner]: Amazing. He answered that fast? Lance’s communicator must be sewn directly onto his hand.

[Flint]: Answering instantly is one thing. But he even asked, "Will ten days be enough?" Bro, do you genuinely see yourself as a workhorse? @Lance

[Steven]: Lance is a brick. Wherever he’s needed, that’s where he gets moved.

[Sidney]: So basically Lance handles all the important work in the Kanto League, while the other Elite Four members spend their time slacking off?

[Karen]: Not just Kanto. The other Leagues slack off too. Otherwise, why would Lance constantly end up running cross-regional operations?

[Aaron]: So what exactly do Kanto’s other Elite Four members normally do?

[Bruno]: I TRAIN! I train seriously every single day!

[Lorelei]: I’m on business trips.

[Agatha]: I’m old. I can’t be bothered managing that much anymore.

[Lucian]: I’m jealous...

[Raihan]: Incredible. You people really did decide to milk Lance and Lance alone.

[Clair]: What do any of you know?! My cousin has professional ethics! A sense of responsibility! He’s the backbone of the Kanto League!

[Leon]: Doesn’t that just make him an Aether-powered donkey?

[Diantha]: Hahahaha~ An Aether-powered donkey! That’s such a perfect description!

[Koga]: And apparently this isn’t even the most ridiculous part. Don’t forget—once Raina and Aurelia are born in our world, they’ll directly take up two positions. And on top of that, Lorelei will probably end up like Cynthia... What does that turn Lance into?

[Steven]: The League’s one and only officially designated perpetual-motion machine.

[Lance]: ...I’m leaving the group.

[Raihan]: It’s over. We talked so much that we literally broke the League’s final backbone.

[Bruno]: @Lance, before you leave, can you approve my vacation request? Mainly because I’d rather not have to ask you in person later.

[Sidney]: Hahahahaha! You people are absolutely ruthless.

Just as everyone was still enthusiastically discussing the matter—

The image on the giant screen froze again.

[Ding! Question Time!]

[Generating random question...]

[Question: What Pokémon are most likely to hatch from the two Eggs Aurelia and Selene received from Solgaleo and Lunala?]

[A. Cosmog]

[B. Eevee]

[C. A Caterpie That Believes It’s Rayquaza]

[D. Steven]

[The buzzer round begins in thirty seconds!]

...

TL: Sorry for the late updates!! I’m still busy with the coding! Also thanks to Patrick Ferro for the tier 3 membership!!