Everyone present was stunned by Lorelei's words.
Only Lu Chen remained calm.
He had long known everything about his partner's condition, including the differences between super-ancient Lapras and modern Lapras.
"What do you mean?" Professor Oak leaned closer, his ears pricked with curiosity.
Delia listened quietly as well.
Even Agatha, who had been stewing in anger, couldn't help turning her head.
Lorelei took a deep breath, suppressed her excitement, and began to explain:
"After studying Lapras's habits, I discovered that super-ancient Lapras actually weren't Water- and Ice-types. They should have been pure Water-types."
"The Water- and Ice-type Lapras of today are merely a regional subspecies of purebred super-ancient Lapras. Or, in other words, a regional form."
"In the distant ancient past, Lapras were the true overlords of the oceans, occupying the richest ocean regions."
"But later, for some unknown reason, the dominant pure Water-type super-ancient Lapras gradually declined."
"One branch had no choice but to migrate to colder regions to live, evolving generation after generation."
"Those Lapras that migrated to colder regions successfully reproduced and survived, becoming the Water- and Ice-type Lapras of today."
"So that's how it was."
Understanding dawned on both Agatha's and Delia's faces.
"Elite Four Lorelei, you really are knowledgeable," Delia praised sincerely.
Lu Chen also had to admit that Lorelei's understanding of Lapras was truly profound.
Clearly, in terms of future potential, Lorelei was considerably stronger than Agatha.
While everyone was marveling at the fact that super-ancient Lapras actually existed, only Delia noticed something else.
As she looked at the scars covering every part of Lu Chen's Lapras's body, her eyes suddenly reddened.
"This poor child suffered so many injuries. It must have hurt so much..."
Her voice was very soft, yet it briefly stilled the atmosphere in the living room.
Lu Chen glanced at Delia but said nothing.
Then Lorelei stood up and bowed her head to Lu Chen in a sincere apology:
"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Lu Chen. Agatha and I were rude earlier. Please don't take it to heart."
Lu Chen waved a hand, indicating that he didn't mind.
But Lorelei continued:
"Mr. Lu Chen, we can help remove those old scars on your Lapras. We have the best medical equipment."
"If you need any resources, you can tell me directly. We guarantee they'll be delivered to your doorstep the next day."
"If you're interested, the Kanto League's Champion position happens to be vacant. Why don't you..."
Lorelei made one offer after another-resources, status, medical care-throwing out all sorts of benefits as though they cost nothing.
But Lu Chen merely waved a hand.
"Forget it. Don't waste your effort."
"This isn't my first time dealing with major powers."
"If I take your things, I'll have to pay the price. I'm not touching that hot potato."
"I don't want to get dragged into your political struggles someday, or fight Legendary Pokémon to the death for your own selfish interests."
"It wasn't easy getting to this peaceful world. Now I just want to retire in peace."
Hearing that Lu Chen had seen straight through their intentions, Lorelei couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.
But that embarrassment lasted only an instant before she regained her courteous smile.
"If you're not interested, then never mind. But if you ever need anything, you can contact us anytime."
Lorelei took a business card from her pocket and handed it over.
Then she moved a little closer and lowered her voice to whisper in Lu Chen's ear:
"Of course, I also hope we can find some time to speak privately, Mr. Lu Chen."
As she spoke, she slipped him another note, indicating that it was her private number.
Looking at Lorelei's slightly flushed cheeks and excited eyes, Lu Chen felt a wave of helplessness.
Looks like I've still caught her attention.
More precisely, though, it wasn't him she had her sights on, but that fellow Lapras.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lorelei and Agatha rose to take their leave.
Watching their figures disappear beyond the courtyard gate, Lu Chen shrugged.
"I didn't expect them to just leave like that."
"You're a Champion-level powerhouse, after all. The Pokémon League was bound to send someone to double-check how safe you were," Professor Oak explained.
"So I passed? That was easier than I imagined."
"Easy?" Professor Oak froze.
Lu Chen said nonchalantly:
"Yeah, easy."
"With those super-ancient organizations back in the day, you three definitely wouldn't have behaved unless I beat all of you up."
"After all, beating the younger ones only for the older ones to show up was the norm."
"But only one of you refused to behave. That's already much better."
Hearing Lu Chen's words, Professor Oak didn't know what to say for a moment.
Before leaving, Lu Chen said to Delia, "Thank you for the apple pie. My Pokémon all loved it."
With that, he waved to Delia, turned, and left.
"I'm glad they liked it..." Delia murmured in reply. Clearly, she had yet to recover from the enormous amount of information she had received that day, and her expression was somewhat dazed.
Professor Oak prepared to leave as well, but gave her another reminder before he did:
"Delia, please make absolutely sure you don't tell anyone about what happened today. If some people who don't know any better find out, it could cause unnecessary trouble."
"O... okay. I understand."
Delia nodded, but her eyes still held some confusion.
After everyone had left, Delia sat alone in the living room, touching her lips as she murmured to herself:
"Super-ancient... what exactly does that mean?"
Meanwhile.
Lorelei and Agatha walked side by side on their way back, both silent.
Only after a long while did Agatha speak, her voice sounding somewhat aged:
"A super-ancient Trainer, and so terrifyingly powerful at that. It's simply absurd."
She suddenly understood why Lu Chen hadn't truly become angry.
A lion wouldn't care about a little white rabbit's provocation.
In Lu Chen's eyes, she might never have posed a threat at all.
At that thought, Agatha seemed to age a little more.
Walking beside them, Professor Oak looked at Agatha with lingering fear. "You really scared me to death back there."
"You should have done something about that stubborn temper of yours long ago."
At those words, Agatha exploded instead:
"What right do you have to criticize me? Who was it who insisted on taking me down the path of a Trainer back then?"
"And after I became a Trainer, you went and said you were giving up being a Trainer to become some researcher!"
"You old geezer!"
Professor Oak was left speechless by her retort.
Meanwhile, Lorelei had no interest whatsoever in paying attention to the old grievances and entanglements between Professor Oak and Agatha.
Her face slightly flushed and her eyes sparkling with excitement, she suddenly murmured to herself:
"If only I could have a child with Lu Chen."
"????"
Professor Oak and Agatha froze at the same time, both turning to look at Lorelei.
"Do young people these days fall for someone that quickly?" Agatha looked stunned.
Only then did Lorelei realize that what she had just said could be misunderstood. Her face instantly turned red to the tips of her ears, and she hurriedly waved her hands in explanation:
"No, no! I meant, if only my Lapras could have a child with Mr. Lu Chen's Lapras!"
She paused, her eyes shining with an almost frightening brightness:
"That's a purebred super-ancient Lapras!"