The next morning.
The morning at Erika’s house began with the soft greetings of the maids.
The abundance of the breakfast was even more staggering.
Exquisite grilled fish, soft Tamagoyaki, warm Miso Soup, and even post-meal fruit and milk.
Kaname enjoyed treatment she had never experienced in this life, and while the maids were clearing the plates, she quickly wrapped several untouched pieces of Tamagoyaki and ham in a napkin and slipped them into her pocket.
—These were consolation gifts for Eevee.
To compensate for its tragic experience of being forced to play a baby for half the night, being held by Erika while being fed air-milk and burped to sleep.
Because of the Ekans incident, the Daycare Center had issued an emergency notice to conduct a comprehensive safety inspection, and the kindergarten was temporarily closed for three days.
Not having to go to school was a good opportunity for Kaname.
But for Erika, this wasn’t exactly something to cheer about.
As the young lady of an Flower Arranging family, even if she didn’t have to go to kindergarten, she had to stay home to receive one-on-one Flower Arranging training from her mother.
“Ugh…” Erika, wearing a Yukata for practice, knelt in the hallway with a bitter little face, watching longingly as Kaname moved freely about the mansion.
Kaname gave her a “do your best” look and began wandering around the mansion alone.
As she passed by a half-open study, her footsteps suddenly stopped.
“Are you interested in this?” A gentle voice came from behind.
Erikas Mother had walked over at some point.
She followed Kaname’s gaze and then explained with a smile, “This is called a computer.
It’s a very high-tech machine.
It can be used for typing and calculating very complex numbers…” The lady tried her best to explain what a computer was to the five-year-old child in simple terms.
“Yes, I know.” Kaname didn’t look away, only nodding.
“I’ve seen it in books.
It can process data and store information.” “Eh?” Erikas Mother was greatly surprised, even forgetting to wave her folding fan.
She couldn’t help but marvel.
“Kaname, you know so much…
You even know about things like this.” “Unlike my husband, who just followed the trend and bought it when he heard Silph Co.
released a novel product, but then found the manual too thick and was too lazy to read it.
To this day, he only knows how to turn it on and play Minesweeper.” Seeing Kaname staring at the computer, clearly looking very interested, Erikas Mother generously pushed open the study door.
“Since Kaname knows how to use it, feel free to go in and try it.
It’s just gathering dust here anyway, and I don’t know how to use it either.” She was quite at ease.
Such a high-end tech product should be durable enough not to be broken by a child pressing a few buttons.
However.
To her surprise, Kaname shook her head.
“Not right now.” Kaname pointed to the entire wall of bookshelves in the study.
“I want to read first.
Once I’ve finished reading, I’ll give it a try.” For Kaname, who possessed the pokédex system, although the computer was a window to the world, she currently needed to build a basic knowledge framework of this era through books first.
Moreover, she needed some time to research whether the pokédex system could directly interact with electronic devices for data exchange.
“Waaah…” Erikas Mother had clearly misunderstood something.
Looking at Kaname’s little eyes hungry for knowledge, and then thinking of how her own daughter got sleepy the moment she saw a book, her heart instantly melted.
“How sensible…
If only little Kaname were my child.” Who knows what kind of inspirational drama she was imagining in her head.
In short, the lady had tears in the corners of her eyes, appearing deeply moved and overflowing with maternal love.
Then, she turned around toward Erika, who was still dawdling in the hallway, instantly withdrawing her gentleness and assuming the posture of a strict mother.
“Erika!
Look at Kaname!” “Eh?!” “Even on her day off, she knows to take the initiative to read.
What about you?
I have to push you just to get you to do Flower Arrangement!
You must study hard with Kaname today; no more making excuses to Slack Off!
Today’s practice amount is doubled!” “Eeeehhh—!!!” Erika pouted and let out a wail of despair.
With a tearful face, she looked back every few steps as she was dragged into the Flower Room by her mother, her gaze toward Kaname filled with resentment.
—What happened to being best friends?
Kaname pretended not to see and turned into the study.
…
Kaname stood on a stool, casually flipping through the collection of books in the study.
She had to admit that the heritage of a wealthy family was indeed extraordinary.
The variety and depth of the books here far exceeded the book corner of the Daycare Center.
From “Analysis of Pokémon Physiological Structures” to “Special Climates and Ecological Distribution of the Kanto Region,” there were even a few rare copies concerning ancient legends.
This was excellent news for Kaname.
She wanted to understand as accurately as possible to what extent humans of this era understood Pokémon.
While the pokédex system was useful, the knowledge contained within was too far ahead of its time.
If Kaname were to encounter a top scholar who knew their stuff, like Dr.
Oak, and casually mentioned theories that would only be proven decades later, how would she explain the source if they asked?
—She couldn’t exactly say she had a system in her head.
Although Kaname could package herself as a natural-born genius or a Psychic with special sensory abilities, it would be too conspicuous.
In this world, exposing excessive talent too early often meant trouble.
Besides, resting on one’s laurels wasn’t a good habit either.
If she didn’t update her knowledge in real-time and build a solid foundation from now on, one day, the stagnant pokédex system might fall behind reality as the era changed.
However.
More than these outward reasons.
More importantly, Kaname had nothing else to do right now.
Even if she let her mind go blank and spaced out, she would just end up being dragged by Erika to play house; she’d rather study hard instead.
In the future, as her knowledge base grew, perhaps she could even use her own abilities to optimize and upgrade the currently somewhat rigid pokédex system?
With such thoughts, Kaname entered “book-grinding” mode.
[Scanning…
“Evolution of Modern Poké Ball Craftsmanship” entry complete.] [Scanning…
“Theory of ite Energy Fluctuations” entry complete.] [Scanning…] Accompanied by the constant notifications scrolling through her mind, Kaname quickly flipped through book after book and returned them to their places.
In the blink of an eye.
The whole morning passed just like that.
It wasn’t until the sound of the maid preparing lunch came from the hallway that Kaname snapped back from the sea of knowledge.
She rubbed her aching neck, looked at the bookshelf she had almost entirely gone through, and nodded with satisfaction.
The foundation was mostly laid.
Only then did Kaname turn around and refocus her gaze on the computer that had been quietly on standby in the corner of the desk.