It took nearly three hours for Suguru Natsume to travel from Shirogane City to Ankei City.
Even then, he had yet to reach Toto Pokémon Nursery.
According to the navigation display on his phone, there was still another half hour remaining.
Ankei City was considerably smaller than Shirogane, and naturally, it could not compare to the prefectural capital in terms of prosperity.
Fortunately, the Corviknight’s flight had been remarkably stable.
Aside from some turbulence during takeoff, the passenger cabin had barely shaken at all.
Suguru had even managed to take a short nap along the way.
“Sir, we’ve arrived at your destination.”
“Understood.”
Suguru opened his eyes and nodded.
The Corviknight descended steadily, lowering the passenger cabin onto a designated landing area beside the road.
By the time Suguru stepped outside, it was already sometime past two in the afternoon.
Before leaving Shirogane, he had informed Gardevoir that he had something to take care of and would not be returning home for lunch.
The first thing he saw upon raising his head was the signboard of Toto Pokémon Nursery.
The sign looked rather old, its colors slightly faded by years of sun and rain.
Suguru had already researched the establishment on his phone.
It was a small, family-operated nursery specializing primarily in Rock-type Pokémon.
He pushed open the door and walked inside.
“Welcome!”
An electronic greeting rang through the shop.
The young woman sitting behind the counter immediately put down her phone and looked toward the entrance.
Her eyes widened.
He’s so handsome!
Naturally, she had seen attractive men before.
But this was the first time she had encountered someone as striking—and as refined—as Suguru.
Her name was Aoi Kanemori, the fourth-generation heir of Toto Pokémon Nursery.
Because many descendants of Trainer families visited the store, she was familiar with the bearing of people raised in influential households.
One glance was enough for her to determine that the customer before her was undoubtedly the heir of a powerful family.
And not some insignificant little household, either.
An ordinary family could never cultivate this kind of effortless dignity.
Still…
Why did he seem vaguely familiar?
Aoi felt as though she had seen his face somewhere before, yet she could not recall where.
“Sir, what kind of Pokémon are you looking for?”
Her enthusiasm immediately increased.
“Our nursery carries a large selection of Rock-type Pokémon.
Our four main specialties are Geodude, Onix, Carbink, and Roggenrola.”
“Of course, should you be interested in another Rock-type species, we can also acquire it on your behalf.”
Seeing such a handsome customer had greatly improved Aoi’s mood.
She felt as though the rest of her day had suddenly become brighter.
“I’d like to see your Carbink,” Suguru replied.
Carbink was the sole reason he had traveled to Ankei City.
He had no interest in the nursery’s other Pokémon.
“Certainly, sir.”
Aoi nodded and selected a Poké Ball from the display shelf behind her.
Pop!
The Poké Ball opened, releasing a Carbink onto the floor.
A translucent status panel immediately appeared within Suguru’s vision.
…
Pokémon Status
Name: Carbink
Type: Rock/Fairy
Level: 7
Aptitude: Ace Grade
Ability: Clear Body
Held Item: None
Gender: Genderless
Natural Moves: Tackle, Harden, Guard Split
TM Moves: None
Inherited Moves: None
…
“Are you satisfied with this one, sir?”
Aoi looked at Suguru.
Seeing him study Carbink so carefully, she could not help feeling slightly proud.
However, Suguru soon shook his head.
“Do you have any others?”
This was clearly not the Carbink mentioned by the system.
“We do.”
Aoi promptly recalled the first Carbink and brought out another.
Pop!
Suguru examined it.
“Another one.”
Aoi changed it.
“Another.”
She changed it again.
“No.”
Another Poké Ball opened.
“Not this one either.”
Again.
“Please show me another.”
Again.
“Next.”
After more than a dozen Carbink had been examined, Aoi’s expression gradually stiffened.
She stared at Suguru with a look that practically read:
<(￣﹌￣)>
If he had not been so handsome, she might already have lost her temper.
At this point, it almost felt as though he had come here specifically to toy with her.
Suguru himself began to feel somewhat embarrassed.
He offered her an apologetic smile.
“Perhaps it would be easier if you released the remaining Carbink together.
I can choose one myself.”
Aoi hesitated before nodding.
“All right.”
She gathered the remaining Poké Balls and released every Carbink still available for sale.
More than twenty of them soon gathered in the shop.
Some floated quietly above the floor.
Others observed Suguru with curious eyes, their crystal-like bodies sparkling beneath the overhead lights.
Suguru activated the system and examined them one by one.
First.
Second.
Third.
His expression remained calm.
Tenth.
Fifteenth.
Twentieth.
Then—
A trace of surprise finally appeared on his face.
The mutated Carbink was not among them.
That’s strange.
Had the system made a mistake?
Impossible.
Suguru rejected that possibility immediately.
The System Shop’s descriptions had never been false, and the intelligence reward had clearly identified Toto Pokémon Nursery.
There was only one reasonable explanation.
The Carbink currently gathered before him were not all the Carbink in the store.
Aoi had been quietly admiring Suguru’s face throughout the process, so she naturally noticed the brief change in his expression.
“Sir, have you still not found one that suits you?”
Suguru shook his head.
“Are these all the Carbink belonging to your nursery?”
“Yes, they—”
Aoi was about to nod when she suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, wait.”
She reached into her pocket and took out another Poké Ball.
“There is one more.”
As she spoke, she opened it.
Pop!
A Carbink appeared in a flash of light.
Unlike the others, this one looked listless.
Its crystal body had lost some of its usual brilliance, and it floated weakly as though even maintaining its position in the air required effort.
“This little one hasn’t had much of an appetite lately,” Aoi explained.
“I suspected that it might have a problem with its digestive system, but its condition didn’t improve even after treatment.”
“I was planning to take it to a Pokémon hospital after closing the store today.”
Aoi turned toward Suguru.
Then she noticed that his eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the sickly Carbink. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
A new status panel had appeared before him.
…
Pokémon Status
Name: Carbink
Type: Rock/Fairy
Level: 6
Aptitude: Ace Grade
Ability: Clear Body
Held Item: None
Gender: Genderless
Natural Moves: Tackle, Harden, Guard Split
TM Moves: None
Inherited Moves: None
Special Note:
An extremely rare mutation—estimated at approximately one chance in a hundred million—has begun within its body.
It may possess the potential to transform into Diancie in the future.
Mutation Success Rate: 45%
Using Rock Essence, Fairy Essence, and a Sun Stone may increase the success rate to 75%.
A Mutation Elixir purchased from the System Shop can increase the success rate to 100%.
…
Suguru’s heartbeat instantly accelerated.
His eyes remained locked on the weakened Carbink, but his calm expression concealed the excitement surging within him.
The two notes displayed by the system shone like brilliant stars in his vision.
This was it.
This was the Carbink mentioned by the Level-Seven Intelligence.
“I’ll take this one.”
Suguru’s voice remained calm, yet it carried an unquestionable firmness.
Internally, however, he was anything but calm.
This Carbink was already undergoing a mutation.
And with the help of his system, there was no reason for that mutation to fail.
In the future, this seemingly ordinary Carbink would become—
Diancie.
A Mythical Pokémon.
Aoi froze for a moment before revealing a troubled expression.
“But sir, this Carbink’s condition is genuinely poor.
I was already planning to bring it to the hospital…”
If she sold it now and something happened afterward, the customer might return and hold the nursery responsible.
Someone with Suguru’s background was clearly not a person her little family-run shop could afford to offend.
“Double the listed price.”
Suguru interrupted her without hesitation.
“I’ll also take full responsibility for its medical treatment.”
“If something happens after I purchase it, neither you nor your nursery will be held accountable.”
Aoi stared at him.
Seeing how determined he was, she could not help turning her suspicious gaze toward the sickly Carbink.
Is there something special about this one?
Every Pokémon brought into the nursery underwent strict examinations before being placed on sale.
Their levels, health, abilities, and especially their aptitude were all carefully verified.
It was extremely difficult for mistakes to occur.
The same applied to nearly every legitimate Pokémon nursery.
Anyone hoping to walk into a licensed establishment and accidentally purchase a hidden high-aptitude Pokémon for a low price was dreaming.
For a moment, Aoi wondered whether Carbink’s original aptitude test had been inaccurate.
Or perhaps its aptitude had suddenly improved?
Suguru had rejected every other Carbink in the store.
Yet the instant he saw this sickly one, he decided to purchase it—and even offered twice the price.
Aoi refused to believe there was nothing unusual about the situation.
Still, she never considered the possibility of a mutation.
The probability was simply too absurd.
One in a hundred million was effectively no different from zero.
Moreover, even if a Carbink began mutating, that did not mean it would successfully become Diancie.
The chance of completing the transformation was equally pitiful.
“Have you changed your mind about selling it?”
Suguru noticed the hesitation in Aoi’s eyes.
His expression immediately cooled.
He had already offered twice the listed price.
He had also agreed to accept all responsibility for Carbink’s condition.
Suguru had no patience for people who became greedy after realizing that a customer desperately wanted something.