Pokemon: A New Path-Paradise[448]

Paldea Headquarters

At the Paldea Alliance Headquarters, Geeta stared at her phone screen, her expression complex.

Nearby, Rika leaned against the wall, arms crossed. She noticed Geeta's hesitation and after a moment, asked,

"Did he turn it down?"

Geeta sighed.

"Yeah… I originally planned for Iono to take him on a week-long beach trip to Levincia City!"

She had already booked everything—but Naoki refused.

Rika thought about it for a moment.

"It's harvest season at the ranch. Maybe Naoki just doesn't have time."

Geeta scrolled through her phone, about to respond—when a breaking news alert popped up.

Trending Topic: "Galar's Strongest Champion, Leon, Has Left Galar and Is Now Traveling to the Paldea Region!"

The post was from a Paldean traveler who had just returned from Galar after watching Gigantamax battles.

On his cruise back to Paldea, he unexpectedly ran into Leon—and even took a picture with him.

In the photo, Leon grinned broadly, flashing his signature confident smile.

Geeta froze.

"Leon? What is he doing in Paldea? Is he coming for Naoki… again?"

Her alarm bells went off.

'Could Leon be trying to recruit Naoki for the Galar League?!'

That must not happen!

Geeta's expression turned serious as she shared her theory with Rika.

Rika, after listening, was momentarily speechless.

"Chief… aren't you overthinking this?"

Geeta wasn't convinced.

"Pack my bags. I am heading to the ranch."

Rika sighed.

"Fine, fine. I get it."

...

Meanwhile, at the ranch, Naoki also received a message from Leon.

Leon: "Hey, Naoki! I'm on my way to Paldea! I should arrive in two days—let's catch up!"

Naoki pondered for a moment.

"Two days… That's just enough time to finish my work on the World Tree."

After forming a response in his mind, he replied.

Naoki: "Alright. When you arrive, take the Squawkabilly Taxi directly—don't get lost again."

Leon: "Haha, don't worry! I'll definitely be on time this time!"

On the other side of the screen, Leon awkwardly scratched his head.

After his last attempt at visiting Naoki, where he got lost for hours, he had learned his lesson.

Instead of riding Charizard, he opted for a cruise ship—a transport method with a fixed route.

This way, he shouldn't get lost… right?

Leon let out a small sigh.

"Man, I've been bad with directions since I was a kid."

Back when he first started his Pokémon journey, he would constantly get lost—to the point where his Charmander had to learn to read maps just to help.

That same Charmander later evolved into Charizard, becoming his most trusted partner.

...

The next day, Naoki, along with the Pokémon from the ranch and Calyrex, made their way to the World Tree.

It was time to accelerate its growth.

With a gentle wave of its hand, Calyrex unleashed a brilliant green aura.

The World Tree bathed in light—absorbing the purest energy.

A moment later, the glow faded. At first glance, the tree looked unchanged.

But Naoki knew better.

"Just two more months… and the World Tree will fully mature."

As he gazed up at its towering form, new information surfaced in his mind.

[World Tree (Mature Stage)] A legendary tree that has absorbed an immense amount of Grass-type energy. Due to influence from the GOgoats, it underwent a mutation during its growth. It is said to possess the power to sustain an entire world and nourish all living things.

Estimated time until full maturity: 19,850 years.

Naoki's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"One more round in May… and by June, we can begin the World Tree Ascension Project!"

Calyrex, standing beside him, shared the same awe.

"I never thought I'd witness such a miracle in my lifetime."

Suddenly, a white light flashed nearby.

Mewtwo teleported onto Sky Island, gazing curiously at Naoki and the other Pokémon. It glanced at the World Tree, clearly sensing its changes.

Naoki turned to Mewtwo.

"No need to worry. Calyrex is using its power to accelerate the tree's growth. The process takes time since the World Tree needs immense energy."

Mewtwo nodded, taking in the explanation. Its eyes flickered toward Calyrex, the Pokémon with the large head.

It remembers that the other party was also in that group chat.

These days, Mewtwo has been quietly lurking in the group chat, watching the chats of the other two Pokémon.

After observing for a period of time, it found that the Giratina had a rather arrogant and violent personality, and liked to curse at humans on the Internet.

Sometimes, when Giratina can't win by scolding humans, it will just run along the network cable to scare those humans.

At first, Mewtwo thought that Giratina was full of malice towards humans.

But later it discovered that this was just the guy's character.

Compared to Giratina, who constantly ranted in the chat, Calyrex had a much calmer temperament.

Whenever Giratina's fiery temper flared up, Calyrex would step in, offering a few wise words to help soothe the situation.

Mewtwo had also noticed something else—

"These two Pokémon seem to be extremely popular among humans."

On the human Internet, both Giratina and Calyrex had gathered a huge following.

At one point, Giratina even suggested that Mewtwo create an account like theirs.

But Mewtwo refused.

It had no desire to expose its current life, nor did it want to be bothered by humans.That sort of existence wasn't for it.

Mewtwo's thoughts were interrupted when it noticed Calyrex looking at it.

The King of Bountiful Harvests gave a small, knowing nod—one that Mewtwo returned.

Then, Calyrex turned to Naoki, flashing a gentle smile.

"Well, I won't keep you any longer. I'm going back to relax and play on my phone."

Naoki: "…"

"…Alright, have fun."

With that, Calyrex left, and Naoki shifted his gaze toward Mewtwo.

"The crops should be ready for harvest now, right?"

Mewtwo nodded.

"Great! Let's head over and start harvesting."

Naoki turned to the Pokémon gathered around him.

"Koraidon, Cyclizar, Pawmot, Alcremie, and Garganacl—want to come help?"

"Raao!"

"Awoo!"

"Pawmot!"

"Mree!"

The Pokémon eagerly agreed.

With that, Naoki and his group followed Mewtwo toward the World Tree.

Mewtwo led the way, gliding effortlessly through the air—its long tail swaying behind it.

Naoki observed for a while before they arrived at the World Tree Elevator. With a slight hum, the green energy bubble activated, lifting them to the top of the World Tree.

At the very heart of this place stood the Expedition Guild.

Even after just a few days, the guild had become lively—filled with Pokémon enjoying their new home.

Venusaur, Vaporeon, Golduck, and the three Tatsugiri were busy running the sushi restaurant. Purrolin and Ninetales were relaxing on a bench in the park, basking in the gentle breeze. Cinccino and Minccino were brewing coffee in the café. Pikachu and Meowth were working as waiters at the Pokémon tavern. A sleeping Rhydon lay snoring near the Expedition Guild entrance.

Even Dragonites had come to enjoy themselves.

Two of them were seated in the sushi restaurant, happily devouring plates of fresh salmon sushi prepared by Venusaur, the head chef.

Naoki chuckled, taking in the cheerful atmosphere.

"Wow… these Pokémon really look happy and at ease here."

The Pokémon around him also seemed curious about this vibrant sanctuary.

At that moment, Alcremie suddenly spotted two familiar faces inside the cake shop—

"Mree!"

A vanilla-flavored Alcremie and a lemon-flavored Alcremie—

Naoki had brought them from the town just a few days ago.

Hearing the excited call, the two Alcremie turned toward the window, looking delighted.

Naoki smiled.

"Do you want to go play with them?"

"Mree!" (Yes, yes!)

Alcremie nodded excitedly.

"Alright, go on then!"

With that, Alcremie happily dashed away, joining its friends.

Naoki turned to the rest of the Pokémon.

"This is Pokémon Park. Feel free to explore and enjoy yourselves."

Hearing this, Gholdengo and Ogerpon lit up with excitement—

Like kids stepping into a toy store, they rushed straight to the sushi restaurant.

Meanwhile, Pawmot went to visit its parents in the chicken coop.

Naoki's Eeveelutions also scattered, eager to play in the Expedition Guild.

The only ones left standing were the five giant Garganacl.

They looked around blankly, unsure of what to do.

Just then, Alcremie waved at them—and with brightened expressions, the Garganacl stomped over happily.

And just like that, only Koraidon and Cyclizar remained by Naoki's side.

Mewtwo watched all of this in silence, its gaze unreadable.

"Alright, let's head to the farmland," Naoki finally said.

Mewtwo nodded.

The group soon arrived at the farmland area that was transformed from a plain.

At this moment, all kinds of crops have grown in those fields.

Emerald green watermelons, Bright orange pumpkins, Dark green cucumbers, Shiny red apples, Golden wheat fields swaying in the breeze

The air was thick with the scent of ripening crops.

"Remember how I told you to harvest them?" Naoki asked.

Mewtwo nodded.

Then, without a word a powerful psychic force swept across the wheat field.

Grains of wheat floated into the air, gathering into a golden cloud.

Then like a gentle rain, the wheat drifted into the mill, where Charizard and Nidoking stood waiting with barrels.

As the mill churned, finely ground flour trickled down from the wheat into the barrels. Before long, the first barrel was full.

Seeing this, Nidoking stepped forward, lifted the heavy barrel with ease, and set it aside. Then, he pushed a fresh empty barrel into place.

This process repeated several times until—

More than a dozen barrels of freshly milled flour were neatly arranged beside the mill.

Naoki: "…"

'Having Pokémon with Psychic-type abilities sure is convenient.'

But—Naoki didn't come here just to watch Mewtwo perform telekinetic magic tricks. Mewtwo wouldn't always be here to help.

One day, these Pokémon would need to learn how to manage the farm on their own.

So, Naoki called over the Pokémon watching from the sidelines, along with Koraidon and Cyclizar, and began demonstrating how to properly harvest crops.

The Pokémon watched carefully.

Among them, Sandslash caught on the fastest—

Using its sharp claws, it mimicked Naoki's technique, slicing through stalks of golden wheat with precision.

Naoki nodded approvingly.

"That's it! Keep going just like that!"

Seeing Sandslash master the technique, the other Pokémon grew excited and eagerly joined in.

Meanwhile, Mewtwo floated off to the side, observing everything in silence.

Naoki noticed its thoughtful expression and stopped beside it.

"I know what you're thinking," Naoki said.

Mewtwo turned toward him, intrigued.

"They will eventually have to learn how to harvest crops by themselves because you can't take care of them for a lifetime. If one day you suddenly want to leave the World Tree and travel to other places, these Pokémon can live here with their own strength."

Naoki looked out at the field, where Pokémon of all kinds worked together—

Water types helped with irrigation. Ground types tilled the fertile soil. Grass types carefully tended to saplings and crops.

"Different Pokémon, each with their own strengths, working together to build something special."

Mewtwo's gaze softened slightly.

It had spent so much of its existence fighting against the world—

And yet, here, on the World Tree, Pokémon were building their own future, side by side.

"Let them enjoy a meal made from their own hard work for lunch," Naoki suggested with a smile.

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Mewtwo nodded. This time, it didn't intervene. Instead, it stood back and observed, as Naoki led the Pokémon through their work.

Only when they were completely exhausted—collapsed in the fields, panting from the effort—did Mewtwo finally use its Psychic abilities to collect the remaining crops, teleporting them directly to the granary.

Naoki sighed. 'They really need more helping hands.'

Having Pokémon like Scyther or Gallade would make the harvesting process much more efficient.

'Guess I'll just wait until Mew and Baby Bear bring in more friends!'

By midday, the group returned to the Expedition Guild—their arms full of freshly harvested produce.

Naoki took over the kitchen, preparing a sumptuous feast using the fruits and vegetables from today's harvest.

The meal was held in the restaurant next to the guild, where a long wooden table had been set up.

Pokémon gathered around eagerly. And when the food was finally served—

"Meow~" (This is pure happiness, meow~)

"Pikapi!" (This is the life I want!)

Meowth melted in delight, while Pikachu's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Other Pokémon nodded in agreement, their faces full of joy as they enjoyed every bite. For the first time, they were eating food they had grown themselves.

The entire restaurant buzzed with laughter and warmth. Naoki watched with a smile.

"This is your home now. Live well and take care of it."

...

After lunch, Naoki walked around to check on how the Pokémon were settling in.

By now, they had fully embraced their new roles.

Some Pokémon rested, while others got back to work.

Tatsugiri and its three employees returned to the sushi restaurant.

Venusaur, the head chef, reported to Tatsugiri that their ingredient supply was running low.

Without missing a beat—

"Tatsu!" (Let's go get more supplies!)

Tatsugiri rallied its team, and the group headed to the lower level of the World Tree

Naoki didn't follow them. Instead, he decided to check out the nearby café.

The café, located right next to the sushi restaurant.

A place where Pokémon could relax with a warm drink.

As Naoki entered, he saw Cinccino working diligently behind the counter. The little Pokémon moved gracefully, brewing coffee with practiced ease.

Minccino swiftly moved over, carrying three cups of freshly brewed coffee—one for Naoki, one for Koraidon, and one for Cyclizar.

Naoki took a sip, expecting bitterness—but was pleasantly surprised.

"This isn't bad at all!"

It had a mild, smooth flavor. Even Koraidon and Cyclizar—who usually weren't fans of coffee—drank enthusiastically.

"Excellent craftsmanship!" Naoki gave Cinccino a thumbs up.

"Mimi mimi!" Cinccino beamed with pride.

Just as Naoki finished his coffee, a trio of Treecko—who were in charge of guarding the orchard—entered the café.

Seeing that the café was getting busier, Naoki decided not to stay too long.

After finishing his drink, he took Koraidon and Cyclizar with him and continued his tour of the area.

Next, Naoki stopped by the item shop. The store was run by Lilligant, and its shelves were well-stocked with an impressive variety of berries—each with unique effects.

Some could restore stamina, some could cure ailments, and others had mystical properties useful for battle.

Naoki walked around, examining the setup.

"This is perfect. Keep up the good work, and more Pokémon will visit!"

Hearing the praise, Lilligant twirled happily.

"Lilli~!" (I'll do my best!)

Next to the item shop was a Pokémon hospital. But since no Pokémon with healing abilities had moved in yet, it remained empty—for now.

Beside the hospital, the Pokémon dormitory was nestled under the shade of the World Tree's massive branches.

Inside, a pair of Mareep and a Ninetales were curled up in their nests, napping peacefully.

Naoki chose not to disturb them and continued on his way.

When he arrived at the Pokémon Tavern, the place was lively. Pikachu and Meowth were busy preparing fresh berry juice using a technique Slowking had taught them. Once the juice was ready, Meowth delivered it to customers. Gholdengo sat comfortably, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

"This place is shaping up nicely," Naoki thought with satisfaction.

After greeting Gholdengo, Naoki continued his tour.

Next on the list was the Expedition Guild Headquarters—

However, since it hadn't officially opened yet, the building was mostly empty, with only a Rhydon snoozing near the entrance.

Naoki didn't go inside. Instead, he walked toward the fountain, sat down on a bench, and admired the peaceful surroundings.

Nearby, a Purrolin lay stretched out on another bench, basking in the warm breeze. The moment it saw Naoki sit down, it immediately jumped onto his lap, curled up, and fell asleep.

"Heh, just like an ordinary house cat."

Naoki chuckled and gently stroked its fur.

At that moment, he felt a deep sense of fulfillment. The Pokémon here had truly built a life for themselves. Even if he wasn't around, they could thrive on their own.

"What do you two think of this place?" he asked Koraidon and Cyclizar.

Cyclizar's eyes sparkled as it looked around in excitement.

"Gaaa!" (It's a Pokémon paradise!)

Naoki's brows lifted in thought.

"Paradise, huh… That's actually a great name."

From this moment forward, he decided—

"We'll call this place Pokémon Paradise!"

It was a fitting name, far better than the cold, research-based name once used by Professor Sada and Professor Turo in Area Zero.

"Gaa!" Cyclizar nodded enthusiastically.

Naoki turned to Koraidon.

"What about you?"

Koraidon tilted its head and let out a deep "Ah, gah!", signaling its agreement.

Naoki grinned.

"Then it's settled! You two must protect this place—never let any bad guys come and ruin it!"

"Gaaa!" (Of course!)

Cyclizar nodded seriously.

Koraidon, however, sensed a different meaning behind Naoki's words. It turned to look at Naoki in confusion.

...

After several days of travel, Leon finally arrived in the Paldea region.

But this time, he had learned his lesson. To avoid getting lost, he stuck with the main group during the entire trip.

The moment he disembarked, he headed straight for the Squawkabilly Flying Taxi Station—taking a direct flight to Naoki's ranch.

...

Back at the ranch, Naoki was enjoying the cool breeze inside his air-conditioned home. With a glass of freshly squeezed Moomoo Milk in hand, he checked his phone for Leon's arrival update.

Last night, Naoki had discovered a fun game on his phone…

…and ended up staying up way too late playing it.

Now, he was exhausted.

"Ugh, if I didn't have guests today, I'd be sleeping in for hours."

He downed the rest of his Moomoo Milk—instantly feeling refreshed. Just then, his Rotom phone buzzed.

Incoming call: Leon.

Naoki answered.

On the other end, strong winds howled loudly—

"Hey, did you finally make it to Paldea?" Naoki asked.

Leon's cheerful voice came through.

"Yes!"

Hearing the whistling wind, Naoki squinted suspiciously.

"Wait… are you riding Charizard again?"

If so… wouldn't he accidentally end up in Levincia instead?

Leon chuckled awkwardly.

"Haha, no, no! I took a flying taxi this time!"

"Phew… that's a relief," Naoki sighed.

"So, when will you arrive?"

"Ten-thirty sharp."

"Ten-thirty?" Naoki repeated before adding, "Alright, don't wander around town. I'll be heading there soon to buy groceries—I'll pick you up then."

Leon hesitated for a moment.

He wanted to protest, saying he wasn't a kid anymore…

But considering his history of getting lost, he swallowed his pride and answered,

"Okay."

At 10:20 AM, after picking up fresh groceries, Naoki arrived at Flying Taxi Station.

About ten minutes later, a Squawkabilly Flying Taxi swooped down, landing gracefully on the platform.

As the doors swung open, a familiar figure stepped out—Leon.

Naoki spotted him immediately, rolled down the truck window, and patted the passenger seat.

"Get in!"

Leon didn't mind that Naoki's pickup truck looked old and worn—without hesitation, he hopped in and buckled up.

"Long time no see!" Leon greeted with his signature wide grin.

"It has been a while," Naoki admitted as he started the engine, steering the truck away from the flying taxi station.

It had been a full year since Naoki last saw Leon.

Back then, it was Leon's visit that led Alder to come to the ranch, and thanks to that, his Volcarona had been saved.

"Isn't your work in Galar keeping you busy?" Naoki asked.

Leon sighed dramatically.

"Busy? That's an understatement!" he groaned. "If I weren't so swamped, I'd have challenged you again ages ago!"

Naoki: "…"

Leon leaned back in his seat.

"Especially with everything that happened recently. The whole 'Calyrex Incident' completely shook up Galar!"

At first, Naoki didn't think much of it.

After all, Calyrex was an independent Pokémon, not a 'resource' exclusive to any region.

But after hearing Leon's reaction, Naoki realized how deeply it had affected Galar.

"Did it really cause that much of a stir?" he asked.

Leon nodded.

"It hit the Galarian Royal Family the hardest. Public opinion turned against them, and their reputation plummeted. Their influence isn't as strong as before—but it didn't affect the Galar League much."

Naoki listened carefully.

After all, the Galar League wasn't responsible for the incident. Most people recognized the League's efforts in developing the region, while the Royal Family, who took credit for past successes, had done little to contribute in modern times.

"I see..." Naoki murmured, lost in thought.

It was clear that Galar's government didn't see Calyrex as a major priority.

Instead, Chairman Rose seemed far more invested in Dynamax energy research.

To solve Galar's long-term energy crisis, Rose constructed a massive underground energy plant. But he hadn't anticipated the leaked energy would trigger widespread Dynamax outbreaks, eventually leading to the release of Eternatus.

'If Chairman Rose had truly mastered Eternatus's power… what would've happened to Galar?'

Naoki didn't have an answer. But something about Galar's current state felt… off.

It was shifting toward "commerce over agriculture." Not a full neglect of farming, but the focus had clearly shifted.

"Still… I never expected all this history to be real," Leon admitted.

"The idea of a Pokémon ruling Galar as a king? It feels surreal."

Naoki chuckled.

"It's not just Galar—every region has its own forgotten legends. Galar's just happens to be… a bit messier due to historical revisions."

Leon sighed, then shook his head.

"Anyway! Let's not dwell on history! I came here to battle you!"

His eyes lit up with excitement.

"Last time, I conquered your Grass Trial. This time, I want to challenge the Storm and Lightning Trials!"

Naoki smirked.

"You know, the ranch has more than just those three trials now."

Leon perked up immediately.

"Wait, what?!"

"There's a hidden trial—only accessible to trainers who have passed at least one previous challenge. Since you cleared the Grass Trial, you qualify to attempt it."

"What is it?"

Naoki smiled.

"It's called the Ancient Trial. Unlike the previous trials, this one has two formats: Single Battle or Double Battle."

"In a Single Battle, you must defeat a single Pokémon—Koraidon. In a Double Battle, you must defeat two opponents together."

Leon's mind immediately flashed to the image of Koraidon—the powerful scarlet Pokémon.

His excitement spiked.

"Then I'll challenge the Ancient Trial!"

"Alright," Naoki grinned. "I've been looking forward to battling you again."

As they continued chatting, the pickup truck rumbled toward the ranch. From a distance, Naoki spotted someone waiting at the entrance.

"Hmm? Geeta?"

'What was she doing here? Wasn't the Paldea League busy?'

Naoki pulled the truck to a stop.

Geeta approached with a smile. "Long time no see, Naoki. I came by to visit—hope I'm not intruding?"

'What was this? A surprise inspection from the Champion?'

If he remembered correctly, in the Paldea region, Geeta regularly visited Gym Leaders to test their strength.

Though Naoki wasn't a Gym Leader, he supposed he could be considered some kind of rising star now.

"Come inside and we'll talk!"

With that, Naoki drove the truck into the ranch.

Leon hopped out first, stretching his legs after the ride.

Geeta arched an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

"Mr. Leon? I didn't expect to run into you here."

Leon grinned, extending a hand to shake hers.

"It's been a while, Chairwoman! I'm here to visit Naoki and have a friendly battle with him!"

"I see!" Geeta clasped her hands together in excitement. "Then that means I'll get to witness a battle between two Champion-level trainers firsthand!"

Leon chuckled.

"It's just a spar, not a serious match!"

Geeta shook her head.

"A battle of this caliber is rare! Outside of the annual World Championships and the Masters Eight Tournament, it's not often we see Champions battle!"

Hearing that, Leon suddenly remembered something.

"Speaking of which, Chairwoman Geeta—aren't you competing this year?"

Geeta smiled and shook her head. "The Paldea League keeps me too busy. I don't have the time."

Leon sighed, disappointed.

"I was hoping to face you in an official match one day!"

Geeta shifted her attention to Naoki.

"What about you, Naoki? No plans to join the World Championships or Masters Eight?"

Naoki blinked, caught off guard.

"Me?"

He shook his head, waving off the idea.

"Forget it. I'm not a teenager anymore. I'll leave that stage to the younger generation."

Geeta was around twenty-six or twenty-seven now—and of the three present, Leon was still the youngest.

For a moment, Naoki and Geeta exchanged a knowing glance, then looked at Leon together.

"Ah… youth." They sighed in unison.

Leon: "…I'm not that much younger than you two!"

Naoki ignored his protest, smirking.

"No more talking. I'm going to start cooking—come inside and have some tea first!"

The three entered the ranch house, where Indeedee brought them tea. As trainers, Leon and Geeta immediately noticed something—

There were far more Pokémon here than before. Leon couldn't resist taking out his Rotom Phone, and scanning the Pokémon around him.

"No data found. This Pokémon is not yet registered in the Pokédex!"

Leon's eyes widened.

"Wait, what?"

Geeta smiled knowingly.

"That's Gholdengo, the Treasure Pokémon. It's said to be made of 1,000 coins and is naturally friendly toward people."

"It evolved from a Pokémon called Gimmighoul, but currently, there's only one recorded case of this evolution in all of Paldea."

Leon was stunned.

"That rare?!"

Geeta nodded.

"Naoki went through quite the challenge to evolve it."

Leon then turned his attention to another unfamiliar Pokémon.

"What about that one?" He pointed toward Ogerpon.

But this time, Geeta shook her head.

"I don't know about that. It's a Pokémon that Naoki brought back from outside."

At that moment, Ogerpon perked up, revealing its bright starry eyes.

"Pon!"

Naoki, overhearing, called out from the kitchen.

"That's Ogerpon, a Pokémon found in the Kitakami region."

Leon repeated the name thoughtfully.

"Ogerpon… seems pretty lively!"

"Pon~!" Ogerpon nodded happily before dashing off to play with Gholdengo.

Leon turned his scanner toward Koraidon, who was napping on the floor.

Again, no Pokédex data appeared.

Leon blinked.

"Wait… why isn't this registered either?"

Geeta was more clear about this matter.

The Paldea League funded Area Zero's research from the beginning, so they are aware of the findings… but paradox Pokémon like Koraidon and Miraidon have not yet been publicly documented."

Naoki soon finished frying a few dishes, passing the rest of the cooking duties to his Indeedee before rejoining them in the living room.

Just as he sat down, Geeta brought up a certain topic again.

"That fully-funded vacation trip I arranged for you—if you don't go, someone else will take your spot!"

Naoki thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"Then let someone else have it."

Geeta: "…"

Leon, who had been listening, perked up.

"Vacation? Naoki, are you planning to travel?"

Naoki shook his head.

"No such plans for now."

Leon grinned and extended an invitation.

"Well, if you ever change your mind, come to Galar! I'll take you to Postwick Town for the hot springs, Spikemuth for some heavy metal concerts, and Wyndon to see the skyscrapers!"

Naoki laughed.

"Sounds fun. I'll keep that in mind."

It was true—he'd never been to a hot spring before.

Too bad Paldea didn't have one, or he would've taken Koraidon and the others for a visit.

Leon nodded seriously.

"It's a promise!"

Geeta: "!!!"

She stiffened.

She knew it—Leon had come to recruit Naoki for Galar!

Immediately, Geeta changed the topic.

She took a casual sip of tea, then spoke as if she weren't scheming at all.

"Naoki, isn't it too much work to run this ranch alone? Wouldn't it be easier if you had someone to help manage things? Like, say… a wife?"

Naoki blinked, then chuckled.

"The Pokémon are well-behaved, and my Indeedees help out a lot—I'm not overwhelmed at all."

Then he turned the question back on her.

"Besides, Geeta, aren't you still single?"

Geeta: "…"

She calmly took another sip of tea.

"The Paldea League keeps me busy—I don't have time for marriage."

But Naoki was different.

If Naoki got married and had kids soon, then in a few years, she could personally mentor his child.

By the time she retired, that child could inherit her position as Chairperson, leading Paldea to the top.

The more Geeta thought about it, the more perfect it sounded.

Meanwhile, Naoki raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Workaholic."