The remaining time passed surprisingly quickly.
Before long, Wally was making the final preparations for his departure.
The children deliberately stayed away.
None of them had the courage to stand in front of him and say goodbye.
But Wally knew them too well.
Once he actually walked away the following morning, he was certain every one of those little troublemakers would come running after him with tears in their eyes.
That was simply who they were.
The next morning arrived.
Unlike the previous day, the sky was completely clear.
Not a single cloud could be seen overhead, and the soft morning sunlight spread gently across the land.
Inside Verdanturf House, the children arrived outside Wally’s room carrying carefully prepared gifts.
But when they pushed open the door, they discovered that there was no one inside.
There was only a neatly written letter held down on the desk.
The children’s hearts tightened when they saw it.
Little Misty fought back her tears and was the first to step forward.
She picked up the envelope Wally had left behind.
“Everyone,
By the time you read this letter, I think I’ve already set out.
I hope my leaving won’t cause everyone too much trouble.
Don’t be sad because I’m leaving.
Although sometimes you little brats really get on my nerves, I still love the cheerful atmosphere of Verdanturf House.
Misty, remember not to be so mischievous in the future.
If you get bullied by Poochyena again, Beautifly won’t be there to rescue you.
Brock, you’re the oldest among the children besides me, and you’re also one of the most sensible.
Remember to take good care of your younger brothers and sisters.
Chili, stop being such a picky eater.
After I leave, there won’t be anyone specially cooking for you anymore.
Cilan, I know you’re the one among the children who dreams most of becoming a Coordinator.
Believe me, I’ll take Beautifly with me and stand on that final stage someday.
But if you keep fooling around all the time, you’ll never reach your dream.
Max, you were the first one to stay by Grandma Agatha’s side.
You know that she’s getting old.
Remember to make sure everyone doesn’t upset her, and take better care of Grandma Agatha.
Bonnie, you’re the youngest of everyone and everyone’s little sister.
Remember to listen to your older brothers and sisters.
After I leave, there won’t be anyone to clean up your messes after you get into trouble.
Finally, Grandma Agatha…
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Everyone, don’t worry about me.
When I come back again, I’ll definitely make Verdanturf House better and bigger.
I’ll help all of you escape the lives you’re living now and make sure every one of you has the right to pursue the life you want and chase your dreams!
—Wally”
The surroundings were silent.
The only sound was Little Misty’s quiet sobbing.
Before long, the letter had passed through everyone’s hands.
Everyone fell silent.
At that moment, Grandma Agatha arrived as well.
Seeing what the children were doing, she immediately understood what had happened.
Having experienced so many things in her life, even she could not help feeling a deep sense of sadness.
She didn’t know how to comfort the children.
Perhaps letting things take their natural course was the best outcome.
As soon as Little Misty saw Grandma Agatha, she threw herself into her arms.
Among all the children, Misty had been the one closest to Wally.
Naturally, his departure affected her more than anyone else.
“Grandma…
when I grow up, I’ll definitely find Big Brother Wally and bring him back.”
Her voice was muffled by tears, and her cheeks were already covered in them.
Grandma Agatha gently stroked Misty’s head.
“I believe you, Misty.
You’ll definitely be able to find your Big Brother Wally.”
Although she said this, Grandma Agatha sighed inwardly.
Sigh…
It won’t be that easy.
She only hoped that after Wally encountered setbacks outside, he would be willing to swallow his pride and return here.
Trying to make a decent life for himself in this world as nothing more than a child would be far from easy.
Even among newcomers from relatively well-off families who possessed the qualifications to officially register as Trainers with the Pokémon League, each region only registered around a hundred new Trainers every year.
Of those, only roughly one in ten would successfully collect eight Gym Badges and qualify to challenge the regional Pokémon League Conference.
And there were even more Trainers who were eliminated during the League Conference itself.
Take the Ever Grande Conference in Hoenn as an example.
Even reaching the Top 16 was not enough to confidently say that one could make a living solely from being a Trainer.
Only exceptionally talented Trainers might attract the attention of major corporations or even the Pokémon League.
Society only paid attention to Champions.
Only by reaching the pinnacle of a League Conference and becoming its Champion could a Trainer obtain the kind of “star effect” that major corporations valued.
People often forgot who had come in second place, but they remembered who had become Champion.
If a Trainer wanted to rise above the ordinary, they had to challenge the Conference, defeat all their opponents, endure the trials of the finals, and ultimately claim the Champion’s title.
Only then could they hope to receive the greatest amount of attention and opportunities.
Wally had none of the resources that other Trainers possessed.
He had grown up alongside poverty.
People like him often ended up becoming Bug Catchers by the roadside.
Successfully supporting an entire orphanage was certainly not something that could be accomplished by simply talking about it.
Without the qualifications to become a registered Trainer, Wally could not enjoy the conveniences provided by Pokémon Centers.
The supplies he had taken with him were nowhere near enough to support him for very long.
Grandma Agatha sighed inwardly for a long time.
“We have to believe in him.”
Grandma Agatha said this to the children.
Even so, Agatha had chosen to believe in Wally.
Otherwise, she would never have allowed a child without Trainer registration to travel outside alone.
It was precisely because she had seen Wally’s determination and intelligence that she had decided to support his choice.
Otherwise, no matter how stubborn Wally was, Agatha could never have allowed a child who had never experienced the wider world to face it alone.
“Yes.
I believe Big Brother Wally will definitely succeed.”
Misty lay against Agatha’s chest and spoke through her sobs.
The other children also looked out the window with their own thoughts, then nodded firmly.
These children were all orphans who had lost their families for different reasons.
Unless something unexpected happened, they would probably grow up alongside poverty.
Grandma Agatha’s savings were dwindling day by day.
If they were lucky, the children might eventually find ordinary jobs, earn just enough to feed themselves, and spend the rest of their lives getting by.
If they were unlucky, they might fall into poverty once again.
Pursuing the lives and dreams they wanted was nothing more than a luxury.
For children with no background and no one to rely on, what could they possibly use to pursue those dreams?
Passion alone?
Of course, it was also possible that the children might encounter some enormous turning point, seize an extraordinary opportunity, and from then on enjoy smooth and prosperous lives.
But what were the odds of something like that happening to the children of a poor orphanage?
One could not determine one’s life based on an unknown future.
That was why Wally had boldly stepped outside.
He was doing it not only for himself, but also for Verdanturf House.
Grandma Agatha was already too old to carry everything alone.
Wally also had to shoulder his own responsibilities.
Sometimes Wally thought that this transmigration of his had truly been a painful one.
But everything would get better.
He was not the kind of person who blamed heaven or complained about his circumstances.
Everything had to be fought for through his own efforts.
That was simply the kind of person he was.
A ray of sunlight pierced through the forest and fell upon Wally’s back as he walked with his backpack.
The light illuminated his determined face.
Wally had no idea how long the supplies in his backpack would last him on his journey.
But that wasn’t the most important thing.
No matter how difficult the road ahead became, it was all for the sake of a better future.