Night had fallen.
Baimu had dinner with Drake at old Aoyanagi's house.
The old man had a great-granddaughter named Yuzu, about five years old. She was always clutching a soft, squishy Goomy, spoke in a tiny voice, and was adorable.
She took a liking to Baimu and had clung to the hem of his shirt ever since he walked in.
The funny thing was that Drake seemed to like Yuzu too, but she didn't even dare look at him. She acted as though she was afraid he might eat her.
Baimu spotted a trace of hurt beneath the old Elite Four member's stern expression. He wanted to laugh, but didn't dare.
What he couldn't understand was why children were so afraid of Drake. Ash and May had been perfectly at ease around him and had even wanted to tour his ship.
A matter of attitude?
That was the only explanation he could think of.
All in all, dinner was pleasant. Drake was in a talkative mood and once again told the story of how his blind arrogance had led to loss after loss when he was young—
Well, as far as Drake knew, it was Baimu's first time hearing it.
In short, Drake had won so many battles that success had gone to his young head. It took a string of crushing defeats to bring him to his senses. After correcting himself, he had soared to the top of Hoenn's Elite Four.
That was why he was so pleased that Baimu, despite his outstanding results and all the praise he received, showed no sign of letting confidence go to his head.
In truth,
a little fame like this wasn't enough to make Baimu conceited.
When it came to fame, profit, and power, things had been far more excessive back when