Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Having six Pokémon on your person means that the other three Pokémon are stuck in their Poké Balls all day, unable to train or relax properly, just like a company employee forced to work overtime to meet their work hours, only able to kill time idly.

Moreover, the stronger a Pokémon is, the more it needs to hone its skills in an environment full of formidable opponents. Otherwise, if it relaxes, its years of hard work will betray it mercilessly, and it will not be so easy to return to its peak state.

Therefore, despite her reluctance, Azure still had to send Blastoise, Gengar, and Clefairy, the three Pokémon that had already been trained, back to the backyard of Professor Oak's lab.

—After all, that's where the Crimson and Blue-Green Pokémon are stored.

.

Having just completed the registration process for transferring a Pokémon to a handheld Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, on her way back to the agency, Azure witnessed an incredible figure.

Having served as the detective's assistant for so long, conducting countless background and marital investigations, the girl has certainly not been without growth; at the very least, her insight has sharpened considerably.

Therefore, although the person was wearing large sunglasses and his body was completely covered by winter clothes, Bilan still recognized him the moment she saw his distinctive dark blue hair.

"Is that Sabrina from the Goldenrod Gym? I didn't expect to meet you here!"

"Hmm?" When her name was called, Miss Sabrina looked up in the direction of the azure sky, stared at the girl waving and greeting her for a moment, and then realized what was happening—

"You are... Azure, right?"

The psychic gym owner, whose identity had been exposed one after another, sighed and helplessly took off his sunglasses, revealing his ruby-like eyes.

"Azur Lane from Pallet Town, who once challenged the Goldenrod Gym with Wartortle and Gastly, and later made it to the top four at the famous Indigo League. It's quite a coincidence that we meet again in the Unova region today—although I had a feeling it was going to happen."

"Did I have a premonition? Miss Nazja really hasn't changed."

Hearing the familiar lines, Bilan smiled nostalgically, feeling a sense of reunion with an old friend in a foreign land.

Unlike when she first arrived in Unova, now, even if people bring up her past as one of the Indigo League's top four, Azur Lane will no longer feel lost or melancholic. She has found what she wants to do.

“However, Azure, you seem to have changed quite a bit.” As if she could see through the girl’s thoughts, Sabrina said this meaningfully.

"I guess I've found something like a goal. It's much easier than back in Kanto. Unova really is a place that broadens one's mind." Azure smiled and answered frankly.

"Indeed, the United States is full of self-assertive individuals, which makes one's nerves thicker as well—that's probably the feeling."

As if touched by Azure's thoughts, Naz recalled what had happened not long ago and couldn't help but agree wholeheartedly.

"I'm working in this city right now. And you, Miss Nazi? Are you here for tourism in United States?"

"Looks like I'm not famous enough."

The museum owner idly fiddled with her sunglasses. Under the influence of her superpowers, the sunglasses magically floated up and flew back and forth in the direction her fingers moved.

"Don't let my appearance fool you, I'm a famous actor in Pokémon Hollywood in Unova, and I even had a new movie released recently."

If it were Douzi here, he would probably be shouting with excitement, but Bilan doesn't watch movies much, so his reaction was rather muted.

"You're making a movie too? But are things alright with the gyms in the Kanto region?"

“My Goldenrod Gym is still running smoothly,” Sabrina said, resting her index finger on her chin.

"Although I leave Kanto for a few months every year, the former Fighting-type Gym Leader next door helps guard the city when I'm not there. He may lack some skill in Pokémon battles, but he's quite good at teaching newcomers."

"That karate master, huh..."

Azure recalled the people she had met during her travels, remembering how he had once competed with Sabrina for the Gym Leader position in Goldenrod City, only to be defeated and dejected. She never imagined he would become Gym Leader again in this way…

However, the Goldenrod Gym is known throughout Kanto for its Psychic-type abilities, so is it really appropriate to appoint a Fighting-type user as its governor...?

"No problem." Seeing the hesitant look on the blue-haired woman's face, Naz added, "No problem."

"That karate king recently trained a Medicham. As long as there is one Psychic Pokémon, the gym will still be a Psychic-type gym."

What kind of unreasonable one-drop-of-blood principle is this... It seems that this lady doesn't even need to come to the Unova region; her nerves are already thick enough.

Facing the psychic gym owner who was playing with his sunglasses, Azure maintained a polite smile while silently grumbling to herself.

Oh right, the girl realized she hadn't asked Sabrina's purpose yet, so she casually asked—

"However, speaking of filming movies, the shooting location should be in Raven City, which is further north, right? There aren't any film crews shooting on location nearby. Miss Nazja must have come here for something else today, right?"

Judging from Naza's sunglasses, it seems she was there for some private purpose. However, the fact that she was willing to stop and chat with me suggests that the matter at hand wasn't that urgent...

Azure didn't reveal the second half of her reasoning; even as a detective, there was no need to disclose all her thoughts.

Naz nodded: "In that case, I do have something I'd like to ask Miss Azure. Azure, you said you work in Flying Cloud City, so you should be quite familiar with this city, right?"

"More than familiar, I know it inside and out," the girl said confidently.

They investigated not only the surface urban road conditions, but also the underground sewer system layout.

"That's perfect. Have you ever heard of a detective agency called Hugo Detective Agency in Feiyun City?"

Naz's calm face was full of sincerity as she casually inquired about Azure.

"I originally wanted to use the pendulum method to find the way to the detective agency, but for some reason the pendulum malfunctioned and led me to the city center instead."

Ignoring the stunned Azure, the museum owner continued speaking to herself—

“Look, aren’t private organizations like detective agencies always struggling to make a profit? Opening one in the city center, where land is incredibly expensive, is practically suicidal. They should be located in old, rented buildings in cheap neighborhoods, right? Like in TV dramas and comics, a small, run-down office piled high with files, the detective and his Pokémon assistant huddled together pitifully. That’s what it should be like…”

Are all people in the film industry this photogenic and imaginative? The image of the Psychic Pavilion Master in Azur Lane's mind began to waver.

Just in case, let me double-check.

Azure took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down—

"You don't know everything, do you? And you're just saying these things to me on purpose, don't you?"

"I don't know everything; at most, I have a vague premonition."

Naz, puzzled, stared at the girl with curiosity.

Hmm, it seems she doesn't know anything.

So, Azure decided to be honest—

"Ahem... In fact, Miss Naz, reality is a little different from what you imagine..."

Chapter 187 Interlude-Yu Qi Mansion

Located in the heart of Feiyun City, where land is incredibly valuable, just steps from the subway station and adjacent to the city's most luxurious commercial center, with numerous museums and art galleries nearby; the property is so large that it makes one subconsciously question the owner's source of income, and even includes a garden for planting fruit trees, yet the building itself is a two-story house with extremely low space utilization...

—This is Yuxi Residence, the base of Hugo Detective Agency.

"It seems my pendulum didn't spin in the wrong direction..."

Staring blankly at the stylish metal sign on the second floor of the building, Naz finally realized that she hadn't gone to the wrong address.

The magnificent and extravagant building in front of her was the detective agency she had spent the entire morning searching for.

The transfer of wealth is always accompanied by crime. How many bad things must a person do to live in such a luxurious city villa?

"By the way, where did Miss Naz find out about our agency?"

Azure, who had previously revealed her identity as a detective's assistant, fumbled for a key in her bag to open the courtyard gate while chatting curiously with Natsume, who was about to become her client.

She seems to really enjoy her current job.

"I came here because of this business card."

The owner gently flicked her finger, and a business card printed with the same metallic paint as the signboard on the second floor flew out of her pocket.

It's the detective business card that Hugo would hand out to everyone he met.

"Ah, that's strange."

The two women crossed the courtyard to the actual gate of the Feathered Residence. Azure took out the second key to open the door, while simultaneously feeling puzzled by the inconsistencies in the details—

"If she had a business card, she should be able to find the Feather Residence based on the address written on it. Why does Miss Naza need to use her superpowers to find her way?"

"No way? It even has an address?"

The detective's assistant's words made Naza momentarily flustered, but after looking through the business cards, she realized that the address of the Feathered Residence was not on them.

"It only has the detective's name and contact information, and doesn't mention the Feather Residence in Feiyun City at all." The owner breathed a sigh of relief and shrugged. "There's absolutely no information about the address. Even the clue that the agency is located in Feiyun City was something I heard indirectly from the introducer."

"If there is such a lack of consideration, then the detective should really reflect on his actions."

Bilan opened the door and very courteously invited the client inside.

At the same time, a hint of doubt arose in the assistant's mind—Hugo was not the kind of person who would be careless in his detective work, so why would there be such an oversight on his business card?

.

Upon entering, there is a spacious entryway where a large painting can be seen on the wall.

From afar, it appears as a brightly colored landscape painting. Up close, one can see a young man leisurely reading a book on a bench, and three beginner elves playing happily at his feet. Upon closer inspection, one discovers that the painting's beautiful brushstrokes are actually composed of countless delicate silk threads. The artist's signature, also drawn with continuous silk threads, is found in the lower right corner of the silk painting.

Regarding the placement of this painting, Hugo once sat in his armchair and pondered for a long time—

If placed in the living room, this portrait of the detective would remain in people's sight for a long time, not only leaving visitors with an impression of arrogance, but even Hugo himself would feel a little ashamed; while if hidden in a private room, the painting would lose its purpose of display.

Hugo was not a collector; he preferred that every item in his firm have a corresponding function.

After careful selection, the middle section of the wall on the left side of the entryway became the final resting place for this valuable painting.

If placed in this location, the painting will disappear into a blind spot after guests pass through the entryway.

Moreover, placing the painting at the entrance allows clients to form a positive first impression of Hugo by appreciating the artwork before meeting the detective. Although the paintings by the curator of Artisan are avant-garde and bold in their use of materials, their style differs from contemporary art. They belong to the category of traditional masterpieces whose extraordinary qualities can be appreciated even by a casual glance. A detective leisurely reading among elegant paintings with elves will surely make a strong impression on his guests…

"Azure, are the detective fees here ridiculously high?"

Upon seeing the painting framed in an ornate frame, Nazie immediately became alert. She had only come here to satisfy her curiosity and had no intention of being taken advantage of.

Wealth is not something to be squandered at will—after experiencing the extravagance of the casino, the superpowered girl gained a deeper understanding of the realities of money.

"The fees here are about average for the detective industry. If we come across an interesting case, we'll lower the fees even further," Bilan replied with a wry smile.

"Considering Miss Sabrina's position as both gym leader and actress, the commission fee here should be considered quite inexpensive. Rest assured, the painting was a gift the detective received by chance, not an ill-gotten gain; and the reason we're able to stay at this Feathered Residence is largely due to our overly sentimental landlord..."

Before the assistant could finish speaking, the overly sentimental landlord rushed out—

"I think I hear a familiar voice! There's no mistake, it's the voice of Her Majesty the Queen from 'The Magical Door to the Magic Kingdom'! You're the actress who plays the Magic Queen Lizhao in the show, Miss Naz, right!"

A girl wearing a baseball cap dashed out like a hurricane, her high black ponytail swaying in the air.

As if using the "Block" move, the other party blocked the entrance, looking at the Pokémon Hollywood star who had come to their door with great enthusiasm, looking exactly like a fanatical movie fan.

"Miss Naz, your performance in the movie was absolutely brilliant! Despite playing a villain, your acting depth was in no way inferior to the male and female leads on stage... No, considering their screen time, your acting almost completely surpassed theirs—'Light is sometimes just a door installed by darkness,' your line completely struck me in the theater! It was incredibly effective! A perfect hit!"

A barrage of praise instantly filled the entryway, and the actress being complimented waved her hands repeatedly—

"Not at all, the script for 'The Magic Door' is excellent in itself. The current result is also thanks to the active cooperation of the rest of the crew..."

While Naz said modest words, the smile on her face became more and more obvious.

"Could I get your autograph?" Seeing the pleased look on the other person's face, the landlady became even more excited, her eyes gleaming. She produced an autograph board and a black marker from somewhere—

"Is it true that Miss Sabrina in Raven City has superpowers? And what about all those props flying around in the movie? Were they special effects or real?"

"I have superpowers, but during filming, I only used them to make my hair float. The flying props had to be handled by specially trained Psychic-type Pokémon because of the camera position."

The actress signed her name on the whiteboard with a cool air and handed it back to the girl with the high ponytail, who happily held the autographed board in her hands.

"By the way, can we go inside and talk further?"

Behind Sabrina, the detective agency's assistant, who had been standing there for a long time, offered her suggestions with a somewhat troubled expression.

Chapter 188 Solution - Method of Identifying Identity

Naza thought that after experiencing the double shock of the Feather Residence and Miss Touko, she would no longer be surprised by any unexpected events in this house.

However, the detective sitting behind the desk in the reception room easily shattered her composure.

Generally speaking, the figures depicted in paintings are always more beautified than the originals, but the young detective in the white coat looks exactly like the figure in the painting at the door.

It neither enhanced nor dulled the color; it felt like pouring one glass of water into another glass of the same size…

Speaking of water, as soon as Sabrina found a suitable seat in the reception room, green vines served fresh tea to everyone present. Following the vines, one could see a Turtle with a tender shoot on its head casting a spell, located halfway through the living room.

Is that one of the detective's Pokémon? What kind of acrobatic performance is this? Why use a move from so far away?

Sabrina's gaze was drawn to the grass turtle, completely oblivious to Azure's actions beside her—the detective's assistant routinely took the second teacup from the knotted vine and passed it to the detective. Everything moved with effortless grace…

That being said, there are indeed differences between the detective in person and the artwork.

Turning her gaze away from the grass turtle, Sabrina suddenly had a flash of inspiration and remembered that the detective's real black hair had a slightly different sheen than in the painting, the latter having a hint of dark gold.

But this was probably just an artistic consideration by the painter to depict sunlight... truly a useless inspiration.

As the young lady from Kanto was lost in thought, the detective spoke up—