Chapter 190: Sonia

Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Sonia

"Flint..."

"...is one of the very few Trainers in Sinnoh who still dares to challenge me."

In Cynthia’s eyes...

Flint was basically a punching bag.

And a spinning top.

A hot-headed younger brother with a rough personality.

She’d beaten him during her travels.

She’d beaten him in the League Tournament.

Even after becoming Champion...

She still beat him whenever the opportunity arose.

Flint:I feel like I’ve lived my entire life under that woman’s shadow.

That was also why Flint feared Cynthia so much.

Within the League...

He obeyed practically every order she gave.

Not because she was Champion.

But because she’d beaten him so thoroughly over the years that he’d completely accepted her as the boss.

"I actually have high hopes for him."

If anyone was likely to inherit the title of Sinnoh Champion after Cynthia eventually stepped down...

It would probably be Flint.

At least...

Until another exceptional young Trainer emerged...

Cynthia had always been grooming Flint as her successor.

"So..."

"I’m not exploiting him."

"I’m training him."

"I’m giving him more opportunities to prove himself."

She spoke with complete righteousness.

If Sora hadn’t seen Cynthia blacklist Flint’s nonstop phone calls...

He might actually have believed her.

"I’m suddenly worried..."

"...that when you return in a month..."

"...you’ll find Flint’s resignation letter waiting for you."

"Heh."

Cynthia merely sneered.

She now possessed Sora’s research notes.

After spending a month studying them...

Her strength would undoubtedly improve by leaps and bounds.

A complete transformation wasn’t impossible.

Which raised a new question.

Before becoming stronger...

She already treated Flint like a training dummy.

Now that she was about to become even stronger...

If Flint dared mention resigning...

He’d be getting in the way of her pursuit of happiness—

Ahem.

Her pursuit of becoming stronger.

"If he dares resign..."

Cynthia said coldly,

"I’ll break his legs when I get back."

She couldn’t kill him.

If she wanted to slip away for more research trips...

Someone still had to cover for her.

"...That’s..."

"...a pretty rough life."

Sora silently observed three seconds of mourning for Flint.

Not long afterward...

The group arrived at the Crown Tundra Station.

They boarded a train...

And returned to Postwick.

This wasn’t Cynthia’s first visit to Galar.

However...

Her previous trips had all been official League business.

She’d never been able to travel freely like this before.

"So..."

"This is Postwick?"

Postwick was a peaceful little countryside town located in southern Galar.

In the games...

It was the very first town players visited.

Though sparsely populated...

Its scenery was beautiful.

It also housed Galar’s regional Pokémon Laboratory.

Players even received their starter Pokémon here.

"Sora."

"Would it be alright if we paid Professor Magnolia a visit?"

"Huh?"

"You know..."

"I almost forgot."

Originally...

Sora had planned to pass straight through Postwick...

Just like the last time.

He’d been in too much of a hurry, racing across Galar.

As a result...

He’d forgotten something.

Professor Magnolia’s Laboratory was located here.

Professor Magnolia...

Was Galar’s foremost authority on Dynamax research.

And her granddaughter...

Was none other than the popular researcher Sonia.

Judging by the current timeline...

Sonia should be around Cynthia’s age.

Eighteen...

Or perhaps nineteen.

"But..."

"Wouldn’t it be rude to just show up?"

Korrina asked.

"Professor Magnolia is one of Galar’s greatest scholars."

Every regional Professor...

Was a highly respected authority.

Professor Oak in Kanto.

Professor Rowan in Sinnoh.

Professor Sada and Professor Turo in Paldea.

Each possessed enough influence within both academia and the Pokémon world...

That even the Pokémon League treated them with the utmost respect.

Showing up without an appointment...

Might simply waste their valuable research time.

It wasn’t because Professors were arrogant.

Quite the opposite.

They were kind people.

Anyone who visited would receive a warm welcome.

But if everyone constantly dropped by...

How would they ever finish their research?

Over time...

An unspoken understanding had naturally formed.

Unless absolutely necessary...

People generally avoided disturbing such esteemed scholars.

"You’re right."

"It would be rather impolite."

Cynthia nodded.

She agreed with Korrina.

So...

She pulled out her Pokégear...

And dialed Sonia’s number.

"Sonia?"

"Yes, it’s me."

"I’ve arrived in Postwick."

"Are you free?"

"I’d like to come over."

A short while later...

Cynthia received permission to visit.

She gave the others a look.

Everything had been settled.

"As expected of you..."

"Big Sis Cynthia."

Sora couldn’t help smiling.

"What connections."

"You even know Sonia?"

"The academic world isn’t that large."

"And since I’m a mythology researcher..."

"I’ve worked with Sonia many times before."

One collaboration led to another.

Eventually...

The two had become close friends.

They frequently exchanged research findings and discoveries.

"Cynthiiia~~~!"

Before they had walked much farther...

A fashionable young woman with wavy orange hair came running toward them from the distance.

"Ahh!"

"It’s been so long!"

"You’re in Galar, and you didn’t even tell me?"

Sonia enthusiastically threw her arms around Cynthia.

Then she noticed Sora and the others...

And greeted them just as warmly.

Everyone introduced themselves.

When Sonia learned...

That Sora and the others were traveling together with Cynthia...

She covered her mouth in astonishment.

She genuinely couldn’t imagine...

What kind of person could convince Cynthia to travel alongside them.

Then she looked at Sora.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind.

Wait...

Could it be...

Even Cynthia...

...has finally fallen in love?

Honestly...

Sonia couldn’t think of any other explanation.

She had never seen Cynthia become so close to a man before.

They were even traveling together.

At that point...

What else was impossible?

"Stop imagining things."

Cynthia lightly flicked Sonia’s forehead, interrupting her runaway thoughts.

"Sora is an exceptionally powerful Trainer."

"His strength..."

"...is no less than my own."

"...Huh?"

This time...

Sonia was genuinely stunned.

Not weaker than Cynthia?

You’ve got to be kidding.

Cynthia...

Was the Champion of Sinnoh.

Even her own childhood friend—

Leon, the Champion of Galar—

Could never claim with certainty that he’d defeat Cynthia.

Yet now...

The famously composed Ice Queen herself...

Had admitted someone else’s strength stood on equal footing with hers.

Strictly speaking...

Cynthia hadn’t said Sora was stronger.

But to Sonia...

Simply hearing Cynthia say...

"He’s no weaker than I am."

Was already one of the highest compliments imaginable.

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