Scarlet Book

"Hello, Uncle. My name is Arven, and I'm ten years old."

On the way to the research lab, the reenergized Arven chattered nonstop beside Luo Mu.

Luo Mu had a headache. Could this chatterbox kid really become the slightly gloomy Senior Arven from Scarlet/Violet?

The change was way too drastic, wasn't it?

Arven being talkative was nothing to Luo Mu. He was a man who could sit through all four hours of meetings that started punctually after work. A little verbal bombardment—

But this was the one thing Luo Mu could not tolerate.

After Arven called him "Uncle" once again, Luo Mu placed a hand on his shoulder and said with a smile, "Has it occurred to you that I'm only about eight years older than you?"

"Be good. Call me Brother."

". . . Brother Luo Mu," Arven said weakly.

Though he preferred calling Luo Mu Uncle, there seemed to be some untouchable slide hidden within Luo Mu's smile just now. Arven chose to follow his heart.

Children's emotions always came and went quickly. Before long, Arven started babbling again, calling him Brother over and over.

This time, even Olin, who had been enduring it all along, could no longer stand her son's chant-like nagging. Half-annoyed, she said, "Quiet! Go back to your room and play with Mabosstiff."

As if long accustomed to Olin's short temper, Arven made a face at her before riding Mabosstiff and charging around another corner.

Olin could only watch helplessly as Arven rode Mabosstiff away, a tenderness appearing in her eyes that even she had not noticed.

Witnessing it all, Luo Mu suddenly thought of the sorrowful expression Arven wore after growing up.

Even though his parents had remained in Area Zero for years to research the Time Machine, perhaps at the very instant the AI standing in for the two professors contacted Arven, he had already noticed that the parents speaking to him had become unfamiliar strangers.

That was why an unerasable sorrow always lingered between Arven's brows.

True emotions were far too difficult for an AI to imitate. Even after inheriting all their feelings, the Olin/Futou AI had only gradually come to understand such things after witnessing the protagonists' magnificent adventure.

Could his arrival change these tragedies?

Luo Mu fell into deep thought.

Olin Noticed that the atmosphere seemed to have grown somewhat stagnant after Arven's departure. Still feeling guilty for wrongly accusing Luo Mu, she decided to casually find something to talk about.

"Brother Luo Mu, do you know why I was so nervous earlier?"

Luo Mu was pulled from his thoughts. He slowly raised his head, confusion appearing in his eyes.

Right. If Olin had not mentioned it, he would not have thought of it.

As a Region where evil organizations rarely operated, Paldea should have had very few criminals.

Yet Olin had been so nervous then, as though she were afraid of something.

Luo Mu nodded. "I'm very curious."

Olin said seriously, "The police issued a notice. Recently, a group of criminals from other Regions seems to have fled into the Paldea Region, and their business is trafficking or kidnapping children."

"They extort the parents if they're wealthy and influential. As for ordinary children, they sell them directly to evil organizations in other Regions. That's why I reacted so strongly to you."

"Is that so?"

Luo Mu's gaze sharpened. He had nothing but contempt for criminals who trafficked children.

He would not go looking for trouble just to play the hero, but if he happened to run into them, they definitely would not have a good time.

Soon, the place where Professor Olin and the as-yet-unmet Professor Futou usually worked and conducted research came into Luo Mu's view.

The lab was unlike the cutting-edge places filled with technology and metallic sterility that Luo Mu remembered. Instead, it felt very lived-in.

The research area naturally contained plenty of sophisticated equipment, but there was also a sizable living space in the room. The bookshelves in particular were packed with all sorts of books.

Noticing Luo Mu's curious gaze wandering about, Olin gave him a detailed introduction to the subject she was researching. "Aside from accepting commissions to craft Tera Orbs, my husband and I research the legends that have been passed down in the Paldea Region since ancient times."

"The four ancient shrines scattered across Paldea, the ultimate secret within the Paldea Great Pit... Just thinking about them makes my blood boil."

Olin was undoubtedly a professor who loved research. Whenever she spoke of it, her entire expression seemed to shine.

Olin walked over to the bookshelf, Take Out a book with a red cover, and enthusiastically introduced the facilities in the research institute to Luo Mu while stroking its cover.

But Luo Mu could not hear a word. His gaze was fixed on the book in Olin's hands, his pupils shrinking slightly.

This was the Scarlet Book!

He remembered that this book had been written by the explorer Heath, who had successfully reached the bottom of the Paldea Great Pit one or two hundred years ago.

Its general content recorded the experiences of Heath's Expedition Team in the mysterious area at the very bottom of the Paldea Great Pit, which they had Named Area Zero.

But the contents of the Scarlet Book were simply too bizarre. At present, mainstream opinion in the Paldea Region leaned toward the belief that the book was merely Heath's fantasy.

The Scarlet Book had been labeled supernatural literature, while Heath himself had been branded a liar.

It was worth mentioning that the Violet Book had also been published by Heath shortly after the Scarlet Book.

Luo Mu roughly remembered the contents of both the Scarlet Book and the Violet Book. Naranja Academy's library also kept copies of both books, so if he really forgot anything, he could look through them in the library after class.

But what shocked Luo Mu was not the existence of the Scarlet/Violet Book, but Professor Olin holding the Scarlet Book.

This meant that Professor Olin and Professor Futou might already have the idea of going to Area Zero to create a Time Machine and research Pokémon from the past/future.

Once they had such an idea, it probably would not be long before Paradox Pokémon appeared, or even before the Scarlet/Violet cover legends arrived.

Luo Mu was silent for a while. His dream was to live a peaceful, leisurely life, but he could not bear to see tragedy unfold either.

After hesitating for a moment, Luo Mu still asked, "Professor Olin, do you like this Scarlet Book very much?"

Olin froze, then revealed a dazzling smile. "I'm very interested in those gigantic, ferocious Pokémon with ancient wildness recorded in the book. That has also prompted me to devote myself fully to research on Area Zero."

"You came at just the right time. My husband and I are scheduled to restart the Terastal Project for the Paldea Great Pit this month. My husband went out precisely because of this, to negotiate with companies interested in financing it. If you had come any later, I'm afraid I would not have had time to make a Tera Orb for you."

"Are you interested in the Scarlet Book too?" Olin Looked at Luo Mu expectantly. When Chairwoman Geeta contacted her, she had specifically Mentioned that Luo Mu was a powerful Champion-Level Trainer no weaker than herself.

If she could persuade him to join her research team, the dangerous Wild Pokémon in the Paldea Great Pit and Area Zero would no longer pose a threat.

Luo Mu thought for a moment, then said modestly, "I've only read it and know a little about it. That's all."