Arcanine, lying nearby, sensed its trainer's gaze and raised its head to look at Diska, letting out a low, soothing sound from its throat.
Diska reached out and stroked Arcanine's head, his movements gentle and practiced as his fingers passed through its golden mane.
"It's a shame my family won't allow me to travel!" His tone was calm, without complaint or regret. He was merely stating a fact.
Xinhai did not ask why, because he could probably guess the answer—family, responsibility, the duties of an heir, and things like that.
Those words might have seemed distant to ordinary people, but for someone like Diska, they had been carved into his bones from the moment he was born.
"Traveling is indeed nice." Xinhai withdrew his gaze and looked toward the distant clouds glowing like fire, his voice calm.
"But really, the most important thing is being with the companions by your side. As long as your companions are with you, it doesn't really matter where you are."
Diska froze for a moment and turned to look at Xinhai, who was reclining in a lounge chair, as well as the Eevee already asleep on his stomach.
Gardevoir sat elegantly on a lounge chair, watching Xinhai with a faint smile on her lips.
Krookodile leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, his drowsy head bobbing up and down.
Grovyle lay atop the railing and gazed into the distance. Upon hearing Xinhai's words, he looked at him and smiled.
Charmander and Axew were squeezed onto one lounge chair, already snoring away in wonderful dreams.
Every Pokémon looked completely relaxed. That sense of ease from the inside out was comforting to behold.
Diska withdrew his gaze and looked down once more at Arcanine standing guard by his feet.
Arcanine looked at