Shiny Zeraora?!

Hearing Lillie's request, Xia Chen was a little curious. Did this girl want to become stronger?

Although she had not said so outright, that was undoubtedly what she meant.

He did not think Lillie had said that merely because she wanted to see him more often, because Xia Chen found what showed in her eyes very familiar.

He could not quite put it into words. Perhaps it was determination, along with something deeper. In any case, Xia Chen had seen it in Steven, Nemona, and the others' eyes when they battled him.

Everyone might have had different reasons, but at their core, Lillie was the same kind of person as them.

"Can I ask why?"

Xia Chen smiled. "Consider it a test I'm giving you."

After saying that, he quietly watched Lillie, waiting for her answer.

Although this had not been part of Lillie's expectations, she answered Xia Chen's question without hesitation. "Because... I have something precious that I want to protect."

Xia Chen smiled.

Beneath that frail and gentle exterior, she truly was still the kind and strong Lillie.

Xia Chen did not know what the precious thing Lillie spoke of was. Perhaps it was a special Pokémon, such as Nebby; perhaps it was her desire to find her missing father; or perhaps it was something he did not know about.

Words were not particularly persuasive, but eyes were. Though it sounded cliché, he saw light in Lillie's eyes.

Looking at the girl before him, her long golden hair tied high into a ponytail, Xia Chen nodded gently.

"All right. You passed my test."

"Eh—?"

Lillie apparently had not expected the so-called "test" to be so easy to pass. Half surprised and half delighted, she looked at Xia Chen with sparkling eyes and a round little mouth.

Xia Chen