As evening fell, Luo Yuan carefully rose from the bed.
He picked up the blanket that had been kicked aside and gently draped it over Sabrina.
Pausing to rub the heads of the two drowsy Eevee lounging nearby, he fished out some snacks from his bag and handed them over. With that, Luo Yuan left the hotel.
---
In a quiet café on the Indigo Plateau,
Malva sipped her coffee with a practiced grace. Her pink hair, red-tinted sunglasses, and figure-hugging black outfit exuded an alluring charm balanced by an air of elegance.
Yet, despite her poised exterior, Malva's gaze toward Luo Yuan was tinged with curiosity and confusion.
Across from her, Luo Yuan sat stirring his coffee, entirely unfazed by her presence. Her charm, which had always been her advantage, seemed to have no effect on him.
This unexpected reaction unsettled Malva.
She was confident in her appeal. As the most renowned news anchor in Kalos, her allure was practically legendary.
Most men, regardless of temperament, would show some signs of being influenced by her presence.
But Luo Yuan? He didn't so much as blink.
Could it be that my makeup isn't on point today?
Compounding her annoyance was the bad news she'd received earlier about Clarisse's team. Nothing about today seemed to be going right.
Unaware of Malva's inner turmoil, Luo Yuan calmly added a third sugar cube to his coffee, paused, and added two more for good measure.
After taking a sip—letting the overwhelming sweetness offset the bitter fatigue gnawing at him—Luo Yuan noticed her distracted state.
Is it because she's heard about the lost Team Flare submarine?
Amused at the thought, Luo Yuan maintained a neutral expression as he asked, "Miss Malva, shall we begin?"
Her thoughts interrupted, Malva straightened, setting her coffee aside. She pulled a notebook and recorder from her bag and flashed a professional smile.
"Yes, of course. Let's start."
---
The Interview Begins
"Are you a rookie Trainer, Mr. Luo Yuan?"
"That's right. I received my starter Pokémon from Professor Oak earlier this year."
Malva raised an eyebrow.
She already knew Luo Yuan's rookie status from her research, but hearing it directly from him had a different weight.
Quickly regaining her composure, she continued, "Based on my research, you defeated Keita Nakada—a relatively well-known Trainer from Hoenn—in your very first match of the preliminaries. As a rookie, how did you manage to beat such an experienced opponent? Do you have a secret?"
"I just approach every battle seriously and give it my all. As for why Keita lost, perhaps he underestimated me or wasn't in peak condition that day."
The response was polished—smooth and generic.
Malva had reviewed footage of Luo Yuan's battles before the interview. His overwhelming dominance couldn't be chalked up to something as simple as an opponent underestimating him.
"Not a word of truth," Malva thought with a sigh.
Undeterred, she moved to the next question. "Your Dragonite has been instrumental in your winning streak. Its massive size is highly unusual. Could you share how you captured it?"
"If you've read Professor Bill's research paper on giant Dragonite, you'll know I first encountered it through his studies. As for capturing it... let's call it fate. I believe compatibility between a Trainer and their Pokémon is key. Dragonite and I just clicked, so it naturally became my partner."
Though Luo Yuan spoke at length, his answer boiled down to one word: fate.
Malva's hand paused mid-note. She felt like he was toying with her. Deciding to press him, she went for a sharper question.
"There are rumors about your close ties to Silph Co. Do you attribute your current success to that connection?"
It was a clear trap.
If Luo Yuan answered yes, he'd be admitting that his achievements were due to Silph Co., undermining his own abilities.
But Luo Yuan's expression remained unchanged, as if the question didn't faze him.
He answered calmly, "That rumor is true. I'm a shareholder in Silph Co. and hold a seat on its board."
"So you don't deny that your success is linked to Silph Co.?"
Malva's surprise at his openness didn't stop her from pouncing on the opportunity to probe further.
But Luo Yuan only smiled.
"Well, I'm just a minor shareholder. My position on the board has helped me access useful tools, sure. But consider this: Mr. Steven Stone, the Champion of Hoenn, is the heir to the Devon Corporation. Do you believe his success is solely due to his background?"
"Of course it is," Malva thought, though she kept the thought to herself.
Steven's family connections undoubtedly played a significant role in his success. After all, without Devon's resources, where would Steven have gotten his high-quality Beldum that eventually evolved into his Metagross?
Still, Malva couldn't voice such thoughts aloud. Criticizing Steven, the Champion of another region, wasn't worth the potential fallout.
She opted to move on.
"Last question. Many Trainers enter the Indigo League with clear goals: making it to the elimination rounds, reaching the semifinals, and so on. What's your goal for the tournament?"
Luo Yuan took a thoughtful sip of his coffee.
"Goals, huh?" He mulled it over for a moment.
"Well, let's start with something modest—winning the championship and challenging the Elite Four."
---
A good story, much like a well-fought battle, is all about precision, strategy, and passion. Every choice matters—the right move, the right word, the perfect balance between staying true to the original and making it shine in English.
That's why you should support WiseTL at [patreon.com/WiseTL] – where every pledge helps ensure more high-quality translations, faithful to the original while flowing naturally in English. Trust me, as a Champion, I know a thing or two about mastery.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another battle to prepare for. But you? You should definitely check out that Patreon.
—Cynthia