Breeding House

"Hello, please register first," the clerk said with a smile, directing the two boys, Brock and Terrance, who had just come in.

"How does it work? Do we pay?" Brock leaned forward and asked.

"Well, if you have no other way to gain access and intend to pay, there are two options. First, you can purchase time to browse freely in the library and make copies by hand. Second, you can borrow books at the prices listed on the labels beneath them and take them out of the library to read."

"I see... Then I'll buy some time for now." Brock thought it over. He couldn't stay in the Hoenn Region for long, and he had only come to broaden his horizons. Even if he borrowed books, he probably wouldn't have much time to read them.

The clerk nodded in understanding and pointed to the opposite wall. A huge screen displayed the different floors and the fees for the corresponding lengths of time. When Brock saw it, he immediately ran over.

"And..." The clerk then turned her gaze to Terrance, but before she could speak, he had already handed her a small sky-blue booklet.

"This is..." The clerk took the booklet and was slightly surprised to see the familiar design on it. After she opened it, what was written inside left him even more astonished.

Beneath Terrance's photograph,

his name was listed.

The formal "junior breeder" certification in large print, along with the date he had passed the examination and his age, stunned the clerk.

It wasn't that she had never met a breeder before, but... a ten-year-old breeder was a little too astonishing.

"Here you are. You may browse freely on the first three floors." Smiling and nodding, she handed the certificate back.

Just then, Brock returned.

"One floor, two hours. This is the right amount, isn't it?" Brock asked the clerk as he handed over the money he had prepared.

"Yes."

The clerk took Brock's money and promptly gave him a square slip of paper that looked like an access pass.

"Huh? Terrance, why are you still here?" Brock blinked when he saw Terrance still standing there. "Oh, right, you must know the prices. So, have you finished paying?"

"All done. Let's go in." Terrance smiled and offered no explanation. The two went straight into the library.

Brock wanted to read books about raising Pokémon, while Terrance was there for Swablu. The books he needed were more focused on training and moves, and even detailed introductions to Pokémon.

Once inside the library, Terrance and Brock split up. The library was enormous. Even the collection on the first floor left Terrance in awe. If it hadn't been divided into detailed sections, the time he needed to find the books he wanted would have been astronomical.

If the first floor contained elementary primers on something like "Pokémon studies," then the second held reading material more akin to "history books" and "novels." Higher up were even more advanced subjects, including techniques such as Poké Ball manufacturing.

But generally, someone without specialized training wouldn't necessarily understand what those books said, even if they read them.

You couldn't expect someone to look at the materials and manufacturing process for a Poké Ball and immediately be able to make one, could you? Otherwise, Poké Balls wouldn't be monopolized by the League and a handful of major conglomerates. The techniques, details, technology, and resources involved were beyond the reach of any individual.

Terrance wandered around the first and third floors for a while and soon found several books he needed.

Terrance gathered the main books, such as "The History of the Swablu Species" and "A Brief Analysis of Dragon-type Moves," along with supplementary books on other moves, breeding, and diets for Swablu and Beautifly.

Generally speaking, even a book introducing "Dragon-type moves" would have at least four or five versions. As a breeder, however, Terrance naturally had his own judgment and understanding, so choosing the ones best suited to him was no problem at all.

Finding the books was easy, and Terrance had no intention of reading them there. As a junior breeder, he could borrow them for a long time, and even if he lost them, the compensation he had to pay was very favorable. That was one of the benefits of being a breeder.

After getting the books he needed, Terrance didn't sit idle. It was rare for him to visit such a large library. The books he usually read mainly dealt with basic knowledge and common theories. As for knowledge about the world itself, such as how the League had been established, the history between ancient "demonic beasts" and "beast tamers," famous figures from ancient times, and the history of modern development, Terrance actually knew little beyond the most elementary things that practically any adult knew.

So, after wandering around for a while, Terrance went to the second floor.

Influenced by memories of his past life, Terrance was very interested in biographical works like these.

For the rest of the time, Terrance sat alone in a corner on the second floor, rapidly browsing through various books with relish.

These largely narrative books didn't require him to tax his brain too much.

Quite a few books piqued Terrance's interest. For example, before Poké Balls appeared, humans had used another kind of special tool to control Pokémon, which were still called "demonic beasts" at the time.

Even in ancient times, without technology, humans had not been at the very bottom of the food chain.

Several hundred years ago, this world had also been organized into nations, with various powers constantly waging war in pursuit of resources and territory.

Pokémon had been the principal instruments of war back then, and the idea that humans and Pokémon were partners had been a very unusual thing to say.

Besides that, Terrance also found books introducing Coronet Academy here. But unless he had deliberately searched for such obscure books, probably not many people would have been interested enough to pick them up and read them.

After reading a great deal, Terrance let out a long breath. The feeling of being immersed in a sea of books, the thrill of his whole being rising to a new level and transforming after gaining new knowledge, was truly intoxicating!

With everything more he learned, Terrance felt a sense of fulfillment within. Humanity's desire for knowledge seemed to have been amplified and magnified in him!

Terrance checked the time and stretched. He planned to go back after finishing the last book in his hands. There would be plenty of time to read in the future, so there was no need to rush now.

Title: "Sedai"

"Sedai." Looking at the book's title, Terrance cleared his throat. It was hard to imagine that this was a person's name, and that the book was a biography.