A Top Master

"Business? No, nothing like that. I was just curious to see someone as young as you." The old man named Katsumune looked Beautifly over again, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"Curious about what?" Terrance asked.

"You're taking the Breeder examination at ten years old. Isn't that worth being curious about?" the old man asked.

"Fair enough." Terrance nodded.

The old man was a little surprised that Terrance didn't deny his guess about his age.

"Since you say you're a Breeder, does that mean you raised this Beautifly yourself?" Seeing no particular reaction from Terrance, the old man asked another question.

"More or less."

Though everyone at Qinggu House had helped, Terrance had done most of the work of caring for Beautifly.

"Impressive," the old man said.

"..."

Terrance still hadn't figured out what the old man wanted. His remarks had only left Terrance more confused.

"No need to be nervous. Relax and think of this as an ordinary chat."

The old man laughed. It had been a long time since he had met such an interesting young person.

Although Beautifly's upbringing looked rough to him, an achievement like that was remarkable for someone like Terrance.

For him to say a Pokémon had been raised well meant that its Breeder was at least at the beginner level, and Terrance was only a boy.

"Other than Jun, this is the first time I've met such an outstanding young person. I really am getting old." Seeing that Terrance still had little reaction, the old man sighed.

"Jun? Is she a Breeder too?"

Realizing that the old man really did just want to chat, Terrance relaxed. He had nothing else to do, so he might as well pass the time.

To hell with not talking to strangers.

"If you're ten... then you're the same age as Jun. Impressive. Jun is also getting ready to take the Breeder examination. The two of you might even end up competing against each other," the old man said with a sigh.

"...Is she on this ship too?" Terrance was a little speechless. Could it really be such a coincidence?

"She's still eating. I finished, so I came out for some air." The old man spoke casually, then smiled and pointed. "Look, she's coming out now."

Hearing that, Terrance instinctively looked where the old man was pointing.

A girl with her pink hair tied back appeared before Terrance. But before he could speak, she exclaimed in surprise, "It's you!!"

"Me?" Now Terrance was genuinely baffled. He had no idea what she meant.

"You know each other?" The old man was also very surprised.

"Teacher." The girl named Jun greeted the old man respectfully. "He's the person I told you about."

"You mean he's the young fellow who found the mistake in your medicine?" The old man was surprised too. He hadn't expected such a coincidence.

Listening to their conversation, Terrance finally understood. "Oh, it's you."

The girl had worn a hat in Slateport City, hiding her face and hair, so Terrance hadn't recognized her right away. But now that he heard her voice, it really did sound very familiar.

"Let's introduce ourselves properly. I'm Nurse Joy Jun." The girl held out her hand and winked playfully at Terrance.

"Terrance." Without hesitation, Terrance held out his hand as well, and the two introduced themselves anew.

The surname Joy, however, caught Terrance's attention. The Joy family had a monopoly on Pokémon Centers in every region, even in places with only a few people. The girl before him was also named Joy, which gave him something to think about.

The histories of the two longstanding families, Joy and Jenny, could be traced back to the founding of the Pokémon League.

The way Nurse Joy Jun addressed the old man also caught Terrance's attention. Teacher was not a title used lightly. According to the old man, Nurse Joy Jun was also preparing to go to Qishui City for the Breeder examination. A ten-year-old Breeder, together with the background of the Joy name, made him begin to wonder about the old man's true identity.

Perhaps the old man was a formidable Breeder too... That would also explain his reaction when he heard Terrance was going to take the Breeder examination.

"Who exactly are you?" Terrance looked at the old man and spoke again. Without even knowing who he was, Terrance might easily make some mistake.

"Me? Didn't I tell you? My name is Katsumune, but I'm also a Breeder." The old man smiled and answered without a care.

Hearing the old man explain it that way, Nurse Joy Jun looked helpless and added for Terrance, "Teacher is also a Breeder, and he holds the top title among Breeders."

A top Breeder!

The news made sense, yet it was also unexpected. Terrance was surprised. Top Breeders were probably among the people of higher standing in this world, weren't they?

How could he not know what that status meant? Who could bear the title of master?

The Elite Four could, as could regional champions and renowned professors from every region. There were also Pokémon Contest Masters, who stood above top coordinators. Aside from them, there were top Breeders.

Since they could be addressed by the same title as those people, the status of top Breeders went without saying.

Even a single comment from a top Breeder about a Pokémon was worth a fortune.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Master Katsumune!" Terrance apologized for his earlier behavior. Every master deserved respect, and he seemed to have misunderstood the old man.

The man's curiosity was probably just concern for someone younger...

"Haha, it's nothing. So you're the child Jun told me about. I was wondering how it could be such a coincidence, running into so many talented youngsters one after another. If you could get the better of Jun, you must have some skill yourself," Master Katsumune teased.

"I was just lucky," Terrance said truthfully.

To the others, however, his words sounded modest and unassuming.

"I already asked Teacher to check it, and it really was my mistake," Nurse Joy Jun said candidly, making no attempt to hide her error.

"Jun has plenty of things I can learn from. Even now, I haven't figured out the principles behind many of the medicines she made." Terrance shook his head. Experience from his previous life told him to keep a low profile in situations like this.

"Hahaha, naturally. Jun has me teaching her, and she's quite talented too. That's how she reached the level of a beginner Breeder at ten. But that's what makes you stand out, young man."

The top Breeder's assessment gave Terrance a clear understanding of where he stood. His four years of hard study surely hadn't been so inadequate. A ten-year-old Breeder might really count as a miracle.

After all, Terrance had been a student for more than ten years in his previous life. Studying and analysis had become second nature to him, ingrained in his bones. That was an enormous advantage over any child under ten.

How could kids his age, still playing in the mud and hide-and-seek, compete in learning ability with someone who had undergone more than ten years of exam-oriented education?

So Terrance was unbeatable.