Sato had a bad feeling the moment he opened the door and saw Elite Four Shiba seated firmly at the head of the table. But now that things had come to this, fear would not solve anything.
"Alright, alright, don't be nervous. Little Sato, we have no intention of investigating your past. It's just that you only left your name back then, and everyone else was meeting you for the first time. The only way to contact you was to look up your information..."
In this atmosphere, Officer Jenny Chief and the two Nurse Joys who were standing did not dare speak. Elder Nurse Joy took on the role of peacemaker.
"Kid, what are you worried about? Did you really do something?"
Sato could not help tugging at the corner of his mouth. What a low-level provocation.
"My parents died in a fire. That night, I was kidnapped. After obtaining Zorua, I was fortunate enough to escape."
Sato looked at the three seated people. Curiosity, concern, expressionlessness—each wore a different look.
"Afraid of being captured again, I fled to the Johto Region and became an ordinary Trainer under a false identity, slowly growing stronger."
"I'm sorry, child, for making you recall so many unpleasant things. We did invite you here today to reward you, but..." Elder Officer Jenny had less of the youthful Officer Jenny's heroic spirit, yet more composure and authority.
But my identity made you suspicious. If I answered badly, this reward might turn from a surprise into a fright.
Sato was not surprised, but neither was he polite. Everything that had happened to him told them that he was no child. Who was he pretending to be young for?
"Just give me the status of a direct Trainer of the League. I don't need anything else."
His