–+–
Johto Region, Azalea Town.
Sera showed her master the payment record.
“Gym Leader Bugsy seems very pleased with that Fast Ball.
He took it and headed straight into the forest to catch some Pokémon the moment he received it yesterday.”
The old craftsman fell silent for a moment.
I told you to make one Fast Ball as your final apprentice task, I didn’t say you had to finish it in a single day…
Based on Kurt’s understanding of Sera, he expected the girl to prepare carefully, spending two or three days meticulously crafting it.
He even imagined she would bring the ball for him to inspect, ensuring the quality was impeccable before finally handing it over to Bugsy.
He never expected that only a day later, Sera would tell him it had already been delivered.
Kurt was caught completely off guard.
Just as Sera had thought when she first received the final task, Kurt had long ago considered the girl’s craftsmanship to be superb; she didn’t really need any extra testing.
Kurt had passed Bugsy’s commission on to Sera not only to help her build her professional network but because the old craftsman had a specific idea in mind.
—He wanted to prepare a gift for his apprentice.
That gift was incredibly time-consuming to prepare—a single day was nowhere near enough.
Thinking that Sera now had no reason to stay, beads of sweat began to form on Kurt’s temples.
However, the old craftsman kept a straight, stern face, showing no sign of his inner panic.
“When are you leaving?” the old man asked calmly.
Sera didn’t think much of it and answered immediately.
“In about two or three days.
I want to do some more preparation.”
This was the first time Sera was preparing for a long journey.
In her memories of traveling, she only recalled that accidents always seemed to happen in the animation.
Fortunately, Sera could still absorb the experience of her predecessors from the forums.
The ordinary trainers who she had paid little mind to while playing games or watching the animation in her past life were, in reality, the very group upholding regional peace for the League.
Most trainers, after debuting, would challenge Gyms following the routes recommended by the League to qualify for the League Conference.
Once they reached the Conference, they would showcase their strength in round after round of battles.
Although not every trainer could become a Champion, as long as they possessed sufficient strength, the League would reserve a spot for them within the system.
Aside from the League institutions, the various Gyms also recruited trainers.
Gym trainers were required to complete tasks issued by the Gym leaders, and in return, they received specialized insights into the Gym’s specific type.
Regardless, even though there was occasional competition, according to the threads Sera had browsed online, trainers generally got along quite harmoniously and would help each other out while on the road.
While basic necessities like Potions or Repel could be bought at standard League-recommended stores, Sera needed more time to compare prices and quality for other items.
“I see.”
Kurt breathed a sigh of relief.
The timing was now about what he had anticipated.
“Come see me again before you set off.”
“Of course, Master.
I’ll make sure to come by and say a proper goodbye.”
The girl smiled, which earned her a grumpy lecture from the old craftsman.
“Just make sure you don’t give me a heart attack,” he muttered.
Finishing an Apricorn ball in one day—looking at Sera’s complexion now, she seemed no more tired than usual, meaning she hadn’t even spent much effort on it.
Sera’s skills were already this refined, yet he had kept her as an apprentice in the workshop for so long.
The proud old craftsman felt increasingly uncomfortable the more he thought about it.
“Why are you still standing there?
Go back and get yourself properly prepared.”
For her final graduation ceremony in three days, he needed to hurry up and finish that upgrade.
To ensure Sera wouldn’t see him in a flustered state, Kurt began to shoo her away.
“Yes, yes.”
The girl responded and headed out.
–+–
Sera wasn’t in a hurry to return home.
Since she had come to report her progress to Kurt, she figured she might as well stop by the Pokémon Center on her way.
As the automatic doors of the Pokémon Center opened, the familiar music drifted into her ears, and Nurse Joy, waiting at the counter, looked over.
“Welcome!
Is there something I can help you with today?”
“Please help me upload a commission.”
The technology in this world was similar to what she was familiar with.
Smartphones, computers, and internet platforms were likely influenced by certain advanced technologies, with some areas even surpassing her previous life.
For example, the commission system set up on the trainer exchange forum—something this sophisticated didn’t exist in the games of her past life.
Now that Sera could easily recruit trainers, she felt like she was truly enjoying the perks of the League.
“What type of commission would you like to post?”
Sera provided additional details.
“I am traveling from Azalea Town to Ecruteak City.
Since I plan to spend a week in the National Park, I need to hire a trainer to protect me during that time.
As for the payment…”
The girl thought for a moment.
“A specific type of Apricorn ball.”
“An Apricorn ball?”
Nurse Joy’s expression was one of surprise.
“That value is a bit too high.
Generally, the cost for an escort in a non-dangerous zone is 300 to 500 Poké Dollars a day.
Are you sure you want to set the reward as an Apricorn ball?”
The League’s commission system primarily served trainers looking to make money, but that didn’t mean Nurse Joy would be biased toward them; she needed to explain the market rates to the requester to avoid future conflicts.
Within the trainer circle, Apricorn balls were viewed as very precious items.
When Bugsy bought his Fast Ball, he only spent 9,000, but that was because he bought it directly from Kurt in Azalea Town, avoiding extra overhead.
Sera had priced an Apricorn ball at 10,000 in her head, which was actually an underestimate of how much they were in demand.
At 10,000 each, wealthy trainers would buy them as fast as they could be made.
Although Apricorn balls didn’t affect a Pokémon’s base stats, trainers never skimped on them—whether it was the psychology of showing off or a simple desire for rarity, they loved having their Pokémon reside in them.
Besides, Sera was offering a specifically requested type of Apricorn ball.
—With a reward like this, are you trying to attract a Gym Leader to join in on the fun?
Nurse Joy, still maintaining her professional smile, thought to herself.
In reality, Sera was indeed harboring similar thoughts.
This was her first time traveling far from home, and prior to this, her life had been a simple two-point line between her house and the workshop.
Even now, Sera didn’t have many friends.
After delivering the Fast Ball for her final task, Sera had added Gym Leader Bugsy to her contact list, but that was far from enough.
My dream is to become a Pokémon Trainer!
With the Electronic Pokémon Raising System activated, Sera’s heart was stirring.
She couldn’t wait to become a full-fledged trainer.
But before that, Sera believed she needed to observe the lives of other trainers more closely as a form of preparation.
Using an Apricorn ball that only took an hour to craft to trick an elite trainer into being her study subject—this was definitely a bargain!