My fiancée is Cynthia

Cynthia wore a sky-blue sleeveless blouse, her bare arms smooth as jade. Her long golden hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her cool beauty was as intoxicating as wine.

"Excuse me, this viewing lounge is reserved for friends and family. Are you sure you're in the right place?"

Cynthia turned and folded her arms, addressing Su Bai in the Sinnoh language. Her voice sounded just as it did in the anime-elegant and cool, with sweetness beneath its mature poise.

Su Bai smiled inwardly. Hadn't he just randomly obtained proficiency in the Sinnoh language? It was already coming in handy.

"Hello, Miss Cynthia. I'm in the right place. Qi Shijun, the Dragon Nation's Elite Four member, is my uncle. I'm here as his family."

Su Bai's gentlemanly decision to speak her language gave Cynthia a favorable impression of him.

Still, she wondered how he knew her.

"You're from the Dragon Nation, right? Your Sinnoh language is excellent, but how do you know me?"

"Of course I know the famous Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia the Valkyrie."

Su Bai smiled faintly, but Cynthia froze.

"Thank you. Although I quite like the title Valkyrie, I haven't finished my Champion League battles against the Sinnoh Elite Four yet, so that title isn't appropriate."

Hearing that, Su Bai nodded. Lucian had only just become an Elite Four member, so it made sense that Cynthia had yet to be crowned Champion.

No wonder this Cynthia was a little less imposing than her anime counterpart, and a little more innocent and adorable.

Cynthia studied Su Bai. His face seemed familiar, as though she had seen this young man somewhere before.

"I think I've seen you before. What's your name?"

"My name is Su Bai."

"Su Bai? Su Bai..."

Cynthia thought for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up.

"What's your relationship to Dr. Su Zhe, the mythology scholar from the Dragon Nation?"

"He was my father."

The original owner's memories included that detail. Su Bai's father was named Su Zhe, and he had died in some ruins when Su Bai was eight.

At his answer, understanding dawned in Cynthia's voice.

"No wonder you looked familiar."

Then Cynthia smiled and began looking Su Bai over with an appraising gaze.

He's quite handsome, and carries himself well, too. Refined features, a fine appearance... he lives up to my expectations.

"Miss Cynthia, why are you looking at me like that?"

Her scrutiny made Su Bai a little nervous.

"Don't tell me my father offended you, and now you're making his son pay by silencing me for good?"

Cynthia laughed at his words. The sight of her covering her mouth as she chuckled was lovely.

Su Bai, however, didn't dare admire it for long. He inwardly cursed the father he had inherited for landing his son in trouble.

"Miss Cynthia, did you know my father?"

"Do you really not know, or are you pretending?"

Cynthia looked at Su Bai with a smile, her gaze never leaving him.

Su Bai was starting to panic under her scrutiny.

"I really don't know."

"Then never mind. If you really want to know, ask Elite Four member Qi after the match."

With that, Cynthia turned and sat on the sofa, gracefully watching the battlefield outside the window.

Su Bai wanted to keep asking, but the stadium suddenly erupted with excitement as spotlights flashed and swept back and forth.

The match was starting. Qi Shijun and Lucian had taken their positions on opposite sides of the battlefield, as host and guest.

Su Bai's attention was drawn to the field as well.

"All right! Time to start a new series! Go, Machamp!"

As the host, Qi Shijun sent out his Pokémon first-a shiny female Machamp whose entire body was a cheating-spouse green.

Qi Shijun streamed on Bilibili as a side job, and that was his signature opening line.

"Go, Bronzong."

Lucian sent out Bronzong.

Since it was an exhibition match, each side fielded only one Pokémon. At the referee's signal, the battle began.

"Bronzong, use Iron Defense!"

"Darkest Lariat!"

As soon as Qi Shijun spoke, Machamp spun around, striking Bronzong with Darkest Lariat.

Bronzong swayed but managed to hold on, a faint green glow appearing around its body.

Darkest Lariat ignored the opponent's stat changes. Qi Shijun had predicted Lucian's move.

Cynthia raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at Su Bai, her interest piqued.

Just a moment ago, Su Bai had murmured the exact same command.

Could this younger boy predict Lucian's moves?

Surely not. I've heard about the Dragon Nation's laws. Before becoming an official Trainer, you don't get many opportunities to battle. How much experience could he have accumulated?

Besides, Lucian himself is an expert in tactics and prediction. How could he be so easy to read?

Su Bai is Elite Four member Qi's nephew. His uncle must always open with that move, and he's picked it up from watching.

Although that was her explanation, Cynthia knew the possibility was remote.

Because in the next instant, Su Bai uttered another move.

"Thief!"

Then Machamp on the field ate a Lansat Berry that reduced the power of Psychic-type moves. At Qi Shijun's command, she braved Bronzong's Flash Cannon and used Thief to steal its Leftovers.

He guessed right again!

Qi Shijun was a veteran member of the Dragon Nation's Elite Four, after all. He kept the inexperienced Lucian under pressure throughout the match.

The Dragon Nation was famous worldwide for its psychological and setup tactics, and Qi Shijun was especially well versed in them.

"Bronzong, use Body Press!"

Cynthia's gaze sharpened. She had read about Body Press in Sinnoh legends. It seemed to be a move used by the Steel Pillar and Regigigas, and Bronzong shouldn't have been able to learn it.

It was an extremely obscure move-so obscure that even with Cynthia's knowledge, she didn't know what it did.

"Body Press? The higher the user's Defense, the more damage it deals. So that's Lucian's trump card. I really wonder how he taught Bronzong that move."

Su Bai watched the battlefield and murmured to himself. His words sent ripples through Cynthia's heart.

How did he know that?

Could Elite Four member Qi value this nephew so highly that he's invested that much in his training?

This Su Bai... he really is knowledgeable.

Seeing Machamp kneeling on the ground in pain, yet still holding on without being completely knocked out, Su Bai smiled faintly.

"It's over. Counter!"

On the battlefield, Qi Shijun likewise ordered Machamp to use Counter. Cynthia began to see Su Bai in a new light.

The battlefield changes from moment to moment. This definitely isn't something Qi Shijun could have taught him beforehand.

Could Su Bai really be this gifted at battling?

Bronzong was knocked out, and Qi Shijun won. After the two Elite Four members shook hands, the spectators were beside themselves with excitement.

This was the Dragon Nation's home turf, after all.

Only after a series of promotional events and commemorative photos did Qi Shijun arrive at Viewing Lounge One.

"Little Su, how was that? Your uncle won... Oh, Cynthia, you're here too?"

"Yes. Hello, Elite Four member Qi."

Cynthia nodded, greeting him with the respect due an elder.

Su Bai glanced at Cynthia. Remembering her earlier reaction, he couldn't help questioning Qi Shijun.

"Uncle Qi, are you hiding something from me?"

"Cynthia didn't tell you? Fair enough. A girl would have trouble saying something like that."

Qi Shijun laughed heartily. Then Su Bai saw Cynthia's Garchomp emerge from its Poké Ball.

Qi Shijun walked up to Garchomp and stroked the tip of its nose.

The fearsome Garchomp was now like a house cat, happily allowing Qi Shijun to pet it.

"Your father, Su Zhe, gave Cynthia this little one's egg back then!"

Hearing that, Su Bai inwardly grumbled again about his inherited father landing him in trouble. Seeing his expression, Qi Shijun irritably slapped the back of his head.

"What have you got to complain about, brat? That was your father's first-meeting gift to his future daughter-in-law!"

"Even if she's his future... huh?"

Su Bai froze. Wait! My father's daughter-in-law? Doesn't that mean...

He looked at Cynthia again. She stood to one side, her pretty face faintly flushed.

"Don't look at me. I only learned about the engagement a year ago myself."

Holy shit! The dad I inherited was awesome!

So my fiancée is Cynthia?!