“Little Yamper!”
“Chewtle Can’t Use Withdraw!”
“Aaaaaah!” x2
The two girls threw their arms around each other in excitement, unleashing all the joy of finally meeting an online friend in person.
On the other side, the two boys inside the wooden building looked at each other, then silently sighed.
They really could not understand what there was to get so excited about.
“I’m Leon, a rookie Trainer taking part in this year’s Gym Challenge.”
Leon took the initiative to extend his hand toward Blake.
“You already introduced yourself earlier, but never mind.
I’m Blake.
I suppose I count as a Trainer, though today my role is officiant of the Great Catch Festival.”
Blake, who was dressed in a specially made ritual outfit, reached out and shook Leon’s hand.
“Well, that wasn’t formal enough earlier.
A proper introduction has to be more official.
But an officiant?
That’s amazing!”
Leon looked at Blake.
Although Blake was tall, he did not seem to be that much older than him.
“I got choice.
My dad ran off to explore some ruins, so I had to fill in.
Ever since the Great Catch Festival moved here with our family, our family has always hosted it.
Now that my dad isn’t around, I’m the only one who can do it.
Come to think of it, this is already my third year.”
Blake stared ahead with dead-fish eyes, his face full of helplessness.
He truly did not like wearing this complicated ritual outfit, and he liked being watched by a crowd even less.
On top of that, he had to recite those ritual lines that sounded painfully embarrassing to him.
“Really?
I think your outfit looks super cool!”
Clearly, though, Leon’s thoughts were completely different from Blake’s.
He thought the outfit was genuinely awesome.
Then again, this was the same person who could wear a cape and strike dramatic poses in the street.
Although, according to the official setting, Leon actually did not like wearing capes that much.
“If you had to spend an hour putting this outfit on, you wouldn’t feel that way anymore.
Forget it, saying more won’t help.
Just follow us later.
That way, you’ll be able to get close to the ritual stage.
Though to be honest, there isn’t much to see.
The celebration afterward will have quite a lot of good stuff, so you can check that out.” Blake said this with a sigh.
“A celebration?
Then we definitely have to join, right, Charmeleon?”
The moment Leon heard there would be a celebration, he immediately perked up and called out to his partner.
“Char?”
Charmeleon put down the juice in its claws and turned around in confusion.
It had been chatting happily with Haunter just now and had not heard what Leon said at all.
“Haunter!
Heeheeheehee!”
Haunter was also delighted. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
He had finally found a fellow fan of spicy flavors!
Cheri Berry juice was the best!
Cheri Berries cured paralysis and, according to the setting here, had a spicy taste.
“Looks like the Pokémon are having fun too.
Though, Haunter, huh?
Ghost-type Trainers are pretty rare in Galar.”
Leon waved at Charmeleon to show that it was nothing important, then turned his gaze toward Haunter.
“Our family has used Ghost-type Pokémon as our main partners for generations.
Besides, the Gastly line is really interesting, isn’t it?”
Blake smiled as he spoke.
He was not lying.
Who would not like the little purple chubby guy?
“That’s true.
Every Pokémon is a miracle!
Oh, right, want to have a battle?”
Leon could tell that Haunter had been raised very well, and the urge to battle immediately started itching in him.
“A battle…
sure.
But tomorrow.
Battling is forbidden today.”
Blake hesitated for a moment, but when he saw the eagerness in Haunter’s eyes, he ultimately nodded and agreed.
“Of course!
Gym Leader Hathaway already told me about that.
I’ll definitely respect your traditions.”
Leon nodded.
He loved battling, but he was not the kind of person who ignored everything else just to get a fight.
“Then tomorrow it is.
For now, though, it’s time for me to go on stage.”
Blake pushed himself up from the table with one hand.
This ritual outfit was not only complicated, but also heavy.
There was no helping it.
There were simply too many decorations on it.
It looked gorgeous, but it was horribly unfriendly to the person wearing it.
“You two follow me.
I’ll take you to the best viewing spot!”
Nessa smiled at Leon and Sonia.
“Thank you, then.” Leon replied politely.
“No problem!
Though before you challenge my teacher the day after tomorrow, you’ll have to get past me first!”
Nessa looked at Leon as she spoke.
After all, if he could not even defeat the apprentice, there would be no need to challenge the Gym Leader.
“I won’t refuse any battle!”
Leon was also extremely excited.
Ever since he had received his endorsement and set out on his journey, he had not missed a single battle, including challenges from wild Pokémon.
“Stop talking and help me open the door.” Blake spoke helplessly.
Before going on stage, he really did not want to move any more than necessary, because even the sleeves of this outfit were ridiculously heavy.
“Coming, coming!”
With Nessa’s help, Blake took heavy steps onto the temporary ritual stage.
But stopping would only make him even more tired, so he might as well endure it, climb all the way in one go, and get through the long, boring ritual speech that was repeated every year.
Only after he finished reciting the final line did he throw the prepared paper talismans and written ritual prayers toward the sea.
With the Tailwind released by the Flying-type Pokémon that had been prepared in advance, the talismans and prayers flew out over the water.
With that, Blake’s part was finally over.
After that came the town-wide celebration, and Blake could finally take off the outfit.
“Hah…
I’m exhausted!
Can’t they install an elevator next time?”
After removing the final ornament, Blake spoke helplessly.
Even with the physical strength of people in the Pokémon world, the outfit still felt incredibly heavy.
That showed just how much it weighed.
If this had been his original world, probably no one would have been able to wear it at all.
With all those densely packed decorations, it probably could have stopped a bullet.
“How would that be possible?
The ritual stage is built temporarily every year.
Installing an elevator would be way too extravagant.
Though, now that the scenic area is open and bringing in funds, maybe it won’t be impossible in the future.”
Nessa smiled as she helped Blake sort the last of the ornaments into their proper categories.
“I hope so.
I’m just lamenting the fact that I don’t have a younger brother or sister.
If I did, I could hand this job over to them in the future.”
Blake pressed a hand to his forehead helplessly.
Fortunately, this year’s Great Catch Festival was over for him.
“Hasn’t your family had only one child per generation for four generations in a row?
I imagine your uncle and aunt must be pretty anxious about that.” Nessa said this casually.
“Tell me about it.
Come on, let’s go find Leon and Sonia.
We promised to show them around.”
Blake slapped his thigh and stood up.
“You don’t want to rest a little longer?”
Nessa found it a little strange.
In the past two years, Blake had collapsed there for a while after completing the ritual.
“No.
We can’t keep guests waiting.
Besides, this year feels easier than the last two years.
I’m not as tired.
Come on, come on.
I don’t want to stay in this place one minute longer.”
Blake pushed Nessa out of the wooden building, while the other helpers inside watched the two leave with smiles.
“All right, everyone, pack everything up.
We should hurry and join the celebration too.”
Hulbury’s mayor smiled and stroked his beard as he spoke to the people present.
“By the way, Mayor, it feels like this year’s ritual outfit is already getting a bit small.
Should we make a new one next year?”
“Hahaha, let’s talk about that next year.
That boy Blake might end up even taller than his father.
Hahaha!”