"Giovanni, you wouldn't want Silver to..."
As soon as Qingyu spoke, Giovanni narrowed his eyes.
In anyone's eyes, Giovanni was undoubtedly an ambitious man whose thoughts were impossible to read and whose motives were best left unspoken. He would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
Using his position as a key League member as cover, he secretly researched genetic cloning experiments considered taboo in every region. That alone was enough to prove he was a thoroughly evil man.
Yet the mere mention of that name actually rattled him.
Because beyond his ambitions, nobody knew that Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, harbored another, simpler wish.
To be a steady, dependable father.
Yes, even someone as formidable as Giovanni of the Earth could become incredibly gentle when it came to family.
However...
For certain reasons unknown to others, Giovanni had not seen his son, Silver, in years.
"Teacher Yu, let's make a deal."
Just as the atmosphere sank into a strange silence, leaving Qingyu wondering whether he had said something wrong and killed the conversation, Giovanni suddenly spoke in a calm voice.
"You're right. Nothing I've done should affect Silver. He was supposed to have a path of his own."
"And I've never been a proper father... not to Mewtwo, nor to Silver."
"So, could I entrust Silver to you, Teacher Yu?"
Giovanni's unexpected words made Qingyu instinctively turn to meet his gaze.
"This isn't a request from Giovanni of Team Rocket. It's a commission from a father who's failed his child."
Looking into the middle-aged man's utterly serious eyes, Qingyu quickly realized how sincere he was.
But...
"Why me? Surely there are better choices."
Qingyu instinctively asked, inwardly breaking into a nervous sweat.
As a Trainer or an "educator," even he had to admit that he did seem