Pokemon: Lord of Fear

"Young Master Edward," the old butler said as Edward walked out of the company building, standing at the entrance with a smile on his face.

"Grandpa Robert, have there been any leads?" Edward looked at the butler, noticing that his mood seemed quite good. This made Edward think of the previous Pokémon thief incident—could there be some news from the thief? If so, that would be a good thing.

However, upon seeing the slightly troubled expression on the old butler's face, Edward knew that there was no new information about the Pokémon thief yet. If there had been, the butler wouldn't have such an expression.

"Youth Master Edward, there are no leads regarding the Pokémon thief, but the investigation you requested into that Pokémon charity organization has yielded results," the old butler said gently, handing Edward a document.

Edward took the document, reading it while reassuring the old butler not to be too anxious. Investigating leads takes time—after all, even the police need time to solve cases.

However, Edward was quite satisfied with the document in his hands. According to the butler's investigation, the charity organization that Headmistress Lillian mentioned was indeed quite good. The person in charge was diligent, spending each day caring for stray Pokémon from the Hoenn region. Though there were minor flaws, they didn't overshadow the organization's merits.

At the very least, such an organization would be socially recognized in Edward's previous life.

It was far better than those who used charity as a front to line their pockets.

"Then it's this one. Grandpa Robert, please arrange a meeting with their leader," Edward said, handing the document back to the butler as he sat in the backseat of the car. He was going home for a meal, as his father had mentioned there was something to discuss at lunch the night before.

"Understood," the old butler replied respectfully before driving Edward back home.

When Edward arrived home, he saw his father sitting at the dining table, chatting and laughing with his older brother Steven. Upon seeing Edward, his father waved him over, and Edward quickly walked over and sat beside Steven.

"I called you both here today to let you know that I'll be going on a business trip soon," his father said calmly. Edward and Steven exchanged a glance. Steven smiled at Edward, while Edward looked a bit confused.

It wasn't unusual for their father to go on business trips, but he had never mentioned them before. Why was he bringing it up this time?

"Four years ago, I was invited by the League to participate in a research project in the Johto region. Now, that project has encountered some issues, and the League has asked me to return to Johto. I'll be gone for quite a while, probably around six months," his father said, smiling at both Edward and Steven.

Edward blinked. He remembered this.

Four years ago, their father had taken members of Devon Corporation to Johto on a business trip, and when he returned, he was very excited. Edward hadn't paid much attention back then, considering Devon Corporation was a leading company in Hoenn, always collaborating with various other leagues and companies.

But now, Edward sensed that there might be more to the story.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting its rays onto the living room, shining on his father, Joseph. His face was partially hidden in the shadows, his expression somewhat ambiguous.

"Edward, I'll be gone for a long time, and your brother will be busy with League matters, so I hope you can take care of some of the company's affairs," his father said earnestly, his tone serious.

"??" Edward slowly tapped out two question marks. What was going on? Why did his father sound like he was preparing to entrust his affairs to him?

"Dad, so what exactly is..." Edward felt a bit uneasy. Why was his father acting like he was preparing for something? He could easily handle the company matters over the phone, there was no need to leave it to him.

Something about his father's behavior today seemed off, which made Edward feel a bit tense. But regardless of what was going on, Joseph was the CEO of Devon Corporation in both the game and the anime, so that part hadn't changed. Or had he somehow crossed into a different timeline?

Cough cough... Steven cleared his throat a few times, drawing Edward's attention. He subtly made a digging motion with his hand.

Edward's lips twitched. He got it.

The whole "company matters" thing was just a cover. His father probably had an itch for mining again and had heard about some rare stones discovered in Johto. That's why he was planning to go there, likely to indulge in his hobby while simultaneously "training" Edward.

His father had often mentioned that once Edward grew up, he would be able to take charge of the company, allowing his father to retire and pursue his mining passion.

Edward eyed Steven suspiciously. He had a strong suspicion that Steven wanted to go to Johto to mine stones as well. He knew his older brother's obsession with digging.

When they were younger, things were fine, but since Edward turned fourteen, he hardly saw his brother at home. Every day, Steven was either digging for stones or on his way to do so, displaying the same perseverance as Emperor He Qiang crossing the dangerous Shu roads to fish.

And eventually, after all that digging, Steven had become a Pokémon Champion.

The skills were incredible.

"I understand," Edward said with a wry smile. These two were impossible to deal with. He was only seventeen and still months away from turning eighteen. Why was he suddenly expected to handle such a huge company?

However, Edward knew that his father wouldn't give him full control of the company. His father likely had plans and would only assign him small tasks to practice.

"That's good. By the way, Edward, do you know about Mega Evolution?" his father suddenly asked, as if remembering something.

"MEGA Evolution? Of course, I know about it." Edward's mind immediately recalled the term. He was familiar with this new evolution method. Mega Evolution wasn't something particularly new in the Pokémon League either. During the previous Master's Tournament, both the champion and the Elite Four had used Mega Evolutions.

"I hope you can master Mega Evolution," his father said seriously.

Edward was stunned for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Master Mega Evolution?

In the games, it was as simple as using a Mega Stone and a corresponding Key Stone, but in real life, it required a deep connection between a trainer and their Pokémon.

(End of Chapter)