Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

"Let us proudly applaud this girl, this trainer, this champion."

Thunderous applause and fireworks filled the sky. In a casual glance, the victor glimpsed the myriad expressions of the crowd and, more importantly, the fleeting disappointment of his friend.

So the girl stepped out onto her toes, and spread her palms out towards the figure, just as always.

"Let's go back. Have you decided what you want to eat tonight? The supermarket's promotion hasn't expired yet, so I can make sure you have whatever you want."

Seeing her friend's stunned expression, Nan Yin smiled slightly and used her fingertips to carefully comb through the stray hairs that had been ruffled by the evening breeze.

"Consider it a celebration of my victory, and a recognition of your courage."

Perhaps this battle wasn't described in great detail, nor was it meticulously embellished, but Nan Yin only wanted to tell Ke Erni—

Their rivalry has ended, but their lives together will continue.

Chapter 148 Fairy King Nan Yin and the Subjugation of Diancie

The twilight of late winter comes early, and there are often gusts of cold wind that brush against one's face.

As the conference concluded and the cold snap of the following day dispelled the chill, people gradually forgot the scenes of fierce battle and returned to their daily routines.

The food vendors worked tirelessly day and night, calling out their wares. People toiled from dawn till dusk, all for what their hearts desired. Just like Nan Yin's speech at that time, their battle had come to an end, but their lives would continue.

He covered his lips and nose, rubbed his palms together, and with each breath, a little white mist dissipated in front of him.

"Phew, it's so cold."

Bathed in the falling snow, with her scarf tightly wrapped around her neck, the blonde girl leaned against the wall of the building, seemingly waiting for a certain figure to appear.

"Korne, are you waiting for her again?"

Pushing open the door, the shapely woman had intended to follow her heart and visit a dessert shop on the street during her free time after get off work.

After all, this was her favorite place, but a chance glance led her to see a familiar figure.

"Yes...that's right."

With a slightly flushed face, Korni gripped the belt of her waist bag with a bit of force.

Whether it was the temperature or the ripples of emotion, the blush easily reddened the girl's ears.

"Pfft, come in quickly, it's too cold outside. Let's talk inside."

"Thank you, Sister Karuni."

Stepping into the elevator inside, as the altitude increases, the anticipation and emotions in my heart become increasingly melancholic.

Even though she verbally refused, in the end, Nan Yin still took the vacant seat and became one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Nakaros.

Her preferred attributes, her sharp style, and her commanding demeanor—all these outward characteristics have now been transformed into terms that describe the girl's uniqueness, further earning her the title of Fairy King.

Ding--

My thoughts paused, the elevator stopped rising, and the narrow door slowly opened.

The scene before my eyes was nothing special; it was just a fairly ordinary office, not small, with several square pillars standing inside.

Beside these pillars, four clean white desks are huddled together, facing each other in pairs, separated by a partition, with adjacent tabletops on each side.

The items on the table were mostly the same, such as the same model of computer and power strip, but there were many more personal items that were different from each other—tea cups, headphones, chargers, desk calendars, and even elf dolls and figurines.

As you venture deeper into the inner room, you see a graceful figure with flowing white hair bent over a desk, writing furiously, seemingly focused on the day's work.

But the laughter that followed easily punctured this superficial pretense.

"Alright, Nan Yin, you don't need to pretend to be so focused anymore."

She knocked lightly on the door, drawing out the last syllable. Upon seeing the scene before her, Karuni couldn't help but smile with a hint of amusement.

Closing the book she had been reading, she stood up and stretched her stiff waist from sitting for so long. There was no awkwardness in Nan Yin's eyes, as if her pretense had been exposed.

"What, Sister Karuni, do you want to help me with some of the work too?"

"Shut up, I don't remember the Alliance assigning you any work. Didn't I already organize all those matters, big and small?"

She gathered her skirt, sat down beside her without any airs, crossed her legs, and the gray-haired beauty showed no signs of being a champion.

Just as this joke suggests, the reason why the girl went against her past words and accepted this position is because the Carlos Alliance has never given its own kings too heavy a burden, nor has it imposed any responsibilities on them.

Unlike Dante of Galer, who carried the region forward, in this romantic urban and rural area, most public duties are handled by corresponding departments. In normal times, the so-called champions and kings only need to act as nominal representatives. Only in times of crisis do they need to step forward, stop disasters in front of people, and save the building from collapse.

Indeed. They are the backbone of the region and the shield of the people, but beneath those robes and their renowned reputation, they are no different from ordinary people, each with their own unique interests, just as Chikura is engrossed in exploring history and Daigo is devoted to mineral crystals.

Ultimately, champions and Elite Four members are still the most powerful trainers in a region, and trainers are inherently pursuing a journey of mind and body, and will never stop their pursuit.

"That really troubles you, Champion Karuni."

"Likewise, King of Southern Music."

It wasn't a deliberate accusation; the friendship came first, the colleague relationship second, and these words were just casual jokes.

"By the way, Nan Yin, are you really not planning to fight Yan Kai and Zhi Mi? As the tournament champion, you have the opportunity to challenge Carlos for the championship."

She spread her fingers, then slowly tightened them, seemingly unintentionally continuing the conversation before asking another question.

"Forget it, Karuni, I don't want to take on your burden. Besides, I want to see all the unfinished scenes of this world with it and them."

Knowing the former's thoughts, being confined to one place and constantly on the go is not the life Nan Yin wants, moreover—

I glanced sideways at the cute Eevee beside me, watching its pointed ears perk up and down, its body curled up against my legs, its eyes wide with concern, and its little mouth slightly open, uttering a melodious murmur.

"Buy~"

She couldn't help but reach out her fingertips to stroke the little animal's fur. Yes, how could Nan Yin possibly give up her companionship with them and squander that precious time for a little bit of real power?

"That's a real shame. Look who I brought."

She stepped aside, letting the blonde girl pass, and Karuni's face showed a hint of contentment as she observed.

Good afternoon, Korni.

His voice was calm and even, yet it was a constant companion day and night.

"Yeah, Nanyin, you've worked hard. I bought some Grey Pie when I passed by the shopping street just now; it should still be warm. And..."

She opened her handbag, took out the delicate pastries, but didn't make any further moves. She just clenched her fingertips, as if hesitating about how to speak.

However, before she could speak, the white-haired girl took the pastry and sniffed its rich aroma.

She could naturally see why her friend was hesitating.

"The taste is very good. It must be one of the chain stores that has branches all over Carlos, right?"

"Yes, because of the limited daily sales, we couldn't get any before. This time, with the heavy snow, no one wanted to brave the cold wind to queue, so we managed to buy two."

Upon hearing this, Nan Yin's gaze softened involuntarily, and she reached out her fingertips to gently wipe away the snowflakes that clung to the former's hair.

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Korni."

"No, I didn't..."

Even though she said she was fine, her awkward little movements already told the story of the girl's enjoyment and shyness.

Without another word, they each found a spot, savoring their pies and occasionally sipping hot tea, quietly enjoying the tranquil moments before nightfall.

"Are you busy with work after becoming a superstar?"

Her gaze swept over the desk piled high with documents, and with a hint of worry, Kernie asked softly.

"No, the president of the alliance thinks I am still too young and need more experience. Although I am strong enough, I am not suitable to take on all the responsibilities of the Heavenly King at this time. As Karune said, the position of Heavenly King is currently just a prestigious title, with name but no substance."

She pressed her fingertips against her lower lip, as if deep in thought, and the soft flesh slightly indented as she applied pressure.

"Of course, this is not unfair treatment. On the contrary, I like it very much. After all, I still have to embark on the journey ahead with those children and my family and friends. If I am bound by empty fame, it is better to cut it off sooner rather than later."

By emphasizing the word "friend," Nan Yin intentionally observed the other person's expression and caught a glimpse of the scene she longed to see.

With her eyelashes lowered and head bowed, the blonde girl stood with her legs together, her fingers gently pressing against the ground, seemingly trying to conceal her nervousness and surprise.

"......Thanks."

In truth, she hadn't expected Nan Yin to extend an invitation to her. Ke Erni had already prepared herself for this parting, but this word "friend" easily shattered her feigned composure, bringing tears to her eyes.

She never chased after that figure, nor could she offer him any help in her life. She knew that the former was like a free-flying eagle, destined to fly to a sky she could never reach. But even knowing this, the girl still did not want to part ways.

She grew accustomed to the warmth of sitting around the lamp day and night, to the whispers that dispelled her sleepiness in the morning, and even more accustomed to being cared for, guided, and affirmed every day.

My thoughts were in turmoil, but a pair of delicate eyes looked down and whispered something familiar.

"It is enough to say thank you only once at the end, but today, we are indeed sending farewell words to a certain child."

Pointing to the clear, bright night sky outside the window, as the fog that had enveloped the city dissipated, the citizens all looked up at the sky and were astonished to discover the stars, taking photos to commemorate the occasion.

Seeing stars in the heavily polluted city of Miare is a rare occurrence.

If you were to ask why, the only answer would probably be the wishing star that now accompanies you.

"Jirachi."

When the former's name is called, the empty space gradually gathers the light of dawn, and then transforms into a cute little beast.

[Yes, Nan Yin, I'm here~]

As if blending into the entire starry night, the soft ribbons fluttered gently with the breeze.

As the seven days drew to a close, Jirachi's figure grew increasingly dim, and even his eyelashes drooped slightly, concealing his fatigue.

"Although it's regrettable, the time has finally come for us to say goodbye..."

Holding the tiny child in her arms, Nan Yin didn't use any eloquent words; she simply embraced him tightly, revealing her deepest emotions with her heart and soul.

The girl was not an inarticulate person; it was just that, often, her limited vocabulary simply could not express the thoughts in her heart.

[It's alright, Nan Yin, at least I remember everyone.]

[At least, in this encounter, I gained a treasure I hadn't obtained in the past thousand years, didn't I?]

With a blink, Jirachi made no attempt to hide his affection for the girl, only the marks at the corners of his eyes seemed like eternal tear stains, implying his reluctance to part.

Those seven days of meticulous companionship not only warmed the little guy's heart, but also taught him a lot from Nan Yin. Even though he was reluctant to part with her, he didn't want her to see through his act and feel even more heartbroken.

Without a word, the sacred bird spread its wings and, as if understanding, carried everyone through the clouds, over the mountains, and transformed into a white thunderbolt in the eyes of the world.

The wilderness stretches out, the tall grass sways, and the distant mountain peaks are covered in silver, just as they always have been. The nearby pine trees stretch their branches, standing proudly in the cold winter. This is where they first met.

"This is it..." The white-haired girl sighed softly as she closed the Pokémon Navigator, and then tiptoed to gently scoop up one of the thousands of snowflakes.

Nan Yin never tried to subdue the child. Even though their time together was short, she felt the benevolent heart of the Wishing Star, which cared for others. Therefore, the young girl was willing to give, wishing to use her meager kindness to comfort the lonely, unnoticed star in the vast starry sky.

Surrounded by numerous small animals and with their friends by their side, they lit the campfire again, creating the only remaining warmth in this winter.

With few words exchanged, under the tranquil night, the distance between humans and spirits seemed infinitely close, as if one could hear each other's heartbeats if they held their breath.

When you meet and spend time together, and then part ways, tears are bound to flow... But when you look up at the shining star on the snow-covered mountaintop, or glimpse the towering snow-capped peak in the vast universe, everyone can think of each other and of those short but blissful seven days.

Pausing for a moment, leaning against the ancient pine, Nan Yin slowly opened her hands, releasing the wishing star held in her palms into the long night that belonged to it.

"Li Gu".

Her gaze trembled slightly; the metallic structure could not express the fluctuations of her emotions, but the lush blooming flowers covered the desolation of the mountaintop in the past. Magiana sent the most straightforward farewell to Jirachi in her own way.

“Bony…”

Clinging tightly to the translucent energy cube, the little devil's eyes were already blurry with tears.

Just now, it wanted to share the delicious snack with the child, but was refused and apologized for. Now, however, Egui Peng understands the reason for everything.

Goodbye, Jirachi.

It was a sob that Korni suppressed by pursing her lips.

"Kirachi, from now on, we will still be here waiting for you."

Holding her hands to her chest, Diancie closed her eyes and sincerely prayed for their future reunion.

If Nanyin cannot wait for that moment to arrive, then it will take on the mission and wait for Jirachi's arrival again on the seven nights a thousand years later, as a friend and as a witness, to retrieve that brief but precious memory.

This was the young girl's entrustment, and also the responsibility she had entrusted to herself, to Egui Peng, and to Magiyana over the past seven days.

It's clear that I can't keep Jirachi in my current state, but the memories of those seven days can be transformed into a sweet and mellow flavor after a thousand years of wandering, lingering for centuries.

Mythical Pokémon have long lives and unspeakable loneliness, but just like Jirachi's longing for family and partners, that loneliness accumulated over thousands of years can melt away like spring snow in each other's company.

This parting is for a better reunion in the future, and now... Jirachi needs to return to the stars and take a short nap.

A strong wind swept through, dispersing the dark clouds that covered the wilderness and revealing the moonlight that flickered between light and shadow. In the hazy light, a comet hovered, casting a beam of light that completely enveloped the star of prayer.