“Morning, Aya!”
Roy pushed open the door to the League Mart and casually leaned against the front counter.
Behind it stood a young woman with a high ponytail, fair skin, and a light dusting of freckles across her cheeks.
She smiled warmly as soon as she saw him.
Roy, however…
Was already focused on someone else.
Specifically…
The tiny pink Pokémon covered in star-shaped markings beside her.
“Cleffa!”
“Have you missed me?”
“Pi!”
Cleffa immediately waved both tiny hands.
The answer was obvious.
Not even a little.
Roy ignored the rejection completely.
Scooping Cleffa into his arms, he began enthusiastically rubbing its soft little body.
“This is heaven…”
The more he petted it, the harder it became to stop.
He was convinced this Cleffa had to possess Cute Charm.
Otherwise…
Why did every hug feel so ridiculously addictive?
Cleffa struggled with all its might.
After finally escaping Roy’s hands, it immediately pointed accusingly at him while complaining to Aya.
Unfortunately…
Roy interpreted the angry expression as something entirely different.
“Oh?”
“So you’re asking for another round?”
“How thoughtful.”
Before Cleffa could escape again…
Roy launched another relentless cuddle attack.
Only after delivering a rapid series of tiny slaps to Roy’s face did Cleffa finally free itself once more.
“You little menace…”
Landing safely on the counter, Cleffa puffed out its cheeks.
Every single time Roy visited…
He ruined the hairstyle it had spent all morning fixing.
With practiced movements, it opened a drawer beneath the counter, took out a comb and a small mirror, and carefully began fixing its curls.
Roy watched with obvious disappointment.
“Why is it…”
“Only Ghost-type Pokémon seem happy to see me?”
Aya covered her smile with one hand.
Watching Roy and Cleffa’s daily “battle” had become one of her favorite parts of the day.
Normally, Cleffa wasn’t afraid of anything.
Except…
Roy’s hands.
After living in this world for years, Roy had reached one undeniable conclusion.
The average appearance of people in the Pokémon world was absurdly high.
Especially the women.
Nearly every girl he had met looked like she belonged on a magazine cover.
“Aya.”
“I’d like to buy two Poké Balls.”
Aya blinked.
“You finally got your ID card?”
With a proud grin, Roy placed both his newly issued ID card and 1,000 Pokédollars on the counter.
Aya compared the photograph with Roy’s face.
Then she scanned the card through the League’s registration terminal.
Even though they knew each other well…
Procedures were procedures.
A few seconds later, the terminal confirmed his identity.
Everything checked out.
Aya walked over to the display shelves and retrieved two standard Poké Balls.
After scanning Roy’s ID card once more, she officially registered both Poké Balls under his name.
Returning to the counter, she smiled brightly.
“Congratulations, Roy.”
“Since I didn’t have time to prepare anything in advance…”
“I have a little gift for you.”
She reached beneath the counter and produced a cream-colored bracelet with a brilliant blue crystal embedded at its center.
Roy’s eyes widened.
“A Storage Bracelet?”
Of course he recognized it.
Ever since arriving in the Pokémon world, he’d developed a fascination with its technology.
This bracelet was one of Silph Co.’s newest products.
After bonding it to its owner’s identity, the blue crystal could open a forty-square-meter storage space simply by touching it.
It functioned almost like a portable warehouse.
Roy loved it.
Which was exactly why he couldn’t accept it.
Judging from the model…
It had to cost tens of thousands of Pokédollars.
Aya’s monthly salary was only around five thousand.
She must have saved for a very long time.
He gently pushed the bracelet back.
“Aya…”
“It’s too expensive.”
“I can’t take something like this.”
Instead of taking it back…
Aya crossed her arms and deliberately frowned.
“Take it.”
“It’s a gift from your big sister.”
“You’ve helped me so many times.”
“If you hadn’t been here…”
“I honestly don’t think I would’ve survived my first year working at Mt.
Pyre.”
“So stop arguing.”
“If you refuse…”
“I’ll assume you don’t consider me family.”
With that, she grabbed Roy’s wrist before he could protest.
Click.
The bracelet locked neatly into place.
Roy could only laugh helplessly.
Refusing any further would only hurt her feelings.
Aya admired it for a moment before smiling with satisfaction.
“Perfect.”
“It fits you exactly.”
“What do you think, Litwick?”
The blue flame atop Litwick’s head flickered happily.
For a brief moment…
The fire formed a smiling face.
Aya barely reacted anymore.
When she’d first met Roy, seeing ghostly flames appear from his body nearly scared her unconscious.
Now…
She occasionally even reached over to pat Litwick on the head.
That alone was proof of how much she’d grown.
“Go on.”
“Try it.”
Roy nodded.
After binding the bracelet to his identity, he gently pressed the blue crystal.
A spacious storage dimension instantly appeared in his mind.
Forty square meters.
It was larger than the tiny apartment he’d rented in his previous life.
With a simple thought…
He could freely store or retrieve any personal belongings inside.
A genuine portable inventory.
His eyes lit up.
“Thank you…”
“Seriously, Aya.”
Their friendship had begun roughly six months after Roy first arrived at Mt.
Pyre.
By then…
Under Phoebe’s grandparents’ guidance, he’d already awakened his Ghost Force.
He frequently traveled down the mountain to buy daily necessities.
Coincidentally…
That was also when the League opened its first official building near Mt.
Pyre.
The League Mart.
Unfortunately…
Having a building didn’t mean having employees.
The first clerk lasted less than a week.
After being frightened half to death by a mischievous Shuppet…
He resigned on the spot.
Without looking back.
Then came the second unlucky recruit.
Aya.
Unlike many League employees, she had earned her position entirely through hard work.
Even entry-level League jobs required passing competitive examinations.
Because she came from an ordinary working-class family with no influential connections…
She was assigned to the one place no one wanted.
Mt.
Pyre.
Everyone in Hoenn knew its reputation.
Ghost stories.
Urban legends.
Haunted forests.
Ghost-type Pokémon.
Aya had known all of them before accepting the position.
At first…
She encouraged herself.
A League job is still a League job.
Lots of people would kill for this opportunity.
Then…
One afternoon while organizing a cabinet…
She opened a drawer.
Inside…
A Duskull was waiting.
It stuck out its tongue and made a funny face.
The little Ghost only wanted a quick scare so it could feed on the fear energy she produced.
It never intended to hurt anyone.
Unfortunately…
Aya fainted immediately.
Luckily…
Roy happened to be nearby buying supplies that day.
Hearing her scream, he rushed over.
Litwick quickly drove Duskull away.
After learning what had happened, Roy simply fed the hungry Ghost some of his purified Ghost Force.
Its hunger disappeared instantly.
And from that day forward…
Duskull decided to follow Roy everywhere.
That encounter…
Had earned Roy his second Pokémon.
Because the League Mart stood so close to Mt.
Pyre…
Ghost-type Pokémon constantly wandered inside.
Most only caused harmless mischief.
The real danger came from the possibility of them draining someone’s life force.
There wasn’t even a Pokémon Center or League Police station nearby.
If something truly dangerous happened…
Aya had almost no way to protect herself.
Thankfully…
Roy was always willing to help.
Whenever Ghost Pokémon caused trouble…
He came running.
Compared to most Ghost-type Trainers, who looked gloomy enough to scare people on sight…
Roy and Phoebe were completely different.
Phoebe was cheerful and energetic.
Roy…
Was like warm sunlight in the middle of winter.
Always smiling.
Always making people feel at ease.
“Oh, right.”
“I almost forgot.”
Aya reached beneath the counter one last time.
This time…
She pulled out an enormous life-sized Gengar plush.
It was nearly as tall as Roy himself.
“This finally arrived.”
“You asked me to special order it.”
Roy’s eyes sparkled.
It was a limited-edition Gengar plush he’d planned to give Phoebe as a present.
Ghost-type merchandise wasn’t exactly popular.
Most stores didn’t carry anything like it.
Aya had gone through the trouble of finding someone in Ecruteak City in the Johto region to purchase it on Roy’s behalf.
After chatting for a little while longer…
Roy noticed the evening sun beginning to set.
He waved goodbye to Aya.
Cleffa, meanwhile, stood safely behind the counter.
It made one last silly face at Roy before sticking out its tongue triumphantly.
Roy simply laughed.
Then carried his newly purchased Poké Balls, his new Storage Bracelet, and the giant Gengar plush out of the League Mart.
It was time…
To head back up Mt.
Pyre.