Chapter 52: To the Academy

"Uh... Mr. Isaiah, hello, my name is Darren," Darren said.

"As for the matter of enrolling in Crown Academy, I have been recommended, so I should be considered a 'transfer student', right?" Darren thought for a moment.

Transfer student.

Isaiah looked at the young man suspiciously. It was rare for Crown Academy to have transfer students. Each student's spot was precious, and only Professors, researchers, teachers, or decision-makers who had made contributions to the academy were eligible, aside from those families who were willing to pay.

For most people, it would be impossible to transfer to Crown Academy after the enrollment date.

"Well, I'll believe you then," Isaiah said faintly, turning to Little Candice. "Do you know your own shortcomings now? You're still too immature to inherit the Snowpoint Gym!"

"What? Next time, I will definitely win, and I will beat you sooner or later to become the gym leader!" Little Candice retorted, unwilling to show weakness.

Uninterested in watching this father daughter duo, Darren looked out the window.

Several little boys and girls were playing happily with Pokemon in the courtyard.

"Mr. Isaiah... Why did you invest so much in a Pokemon trainer school?" Darren looked at the children outside and sighed. When he was in Fallarbor Town, the children there didn't have this kind of treatment. They not only got to interact with different Pokemon but also learned some knowledge of Pokemon training, which was actually necessary for children.

Interrupting the bickering of the father and daughter, both were drawn to Darren's question.

"Of course, it's to let everyone understand Pokemon better and become friends with them," Little Candice said casually.

Isaiah was a little surprised at Darren's question. He didn't know what Darren wanted to hear from his answer.

When he met Candice in Snowpoint City, Darren knew that the current time was much earlier than the beginning of the anime plot. The modern atmosphere was not yet evident in most places, and the conditions for becoming a Pokemon trainer had decreased, but it had not been popularized to every household or gained the attention of everyone.

In other words, most Pokemon trainers were not "valuable" at this time.

Aside from a few elites, most trainers just persisted through their dreams.

In this context, Isaiah's self-funded effort to provide a place for the children of Snowpoint City to understand Pokemon and Pokemon training seemed to reflect a particularly high level of thought.

"Little Candice is right. I just hope that humans and Pokemon can coexist peacefully through the bond of Pokemon trainers," Isaiah observed Darren's expression.

"I see," Darren nodded.

"Darren, right? I still have one day of vacation left. How about we set off early tomorrow morning?"

"..." Darren.

...

Fortunately, Darren was persuaded to stay and did not have to search for accommodation on his own. And when dinner time came, Darren shamelessly applied his philosophy of mooching off of others and spent the night safely.

The next morning, Mr. Isaiah drove his private car with Darren and set off.

"Dad, be careful on the road~ and Darren, don't be lazy with your training. Let's have a full-on battle next time!" Little Candice waved goodbye to them as the car "buzzed" and quickly drove out of the city with a plume of white smoke trailing behind.

There is a small road that led from Snowpoint City to Crown Academy, which can barely accommodate any cars. Perhaps because the cars made noise, they rarely encounter wild Pokemon on the way, and the journey is relatively peaceful.

After about an hour, Mr. Isaiah parked the car on the side of the road.

"Let's get out. From here on, we have to walk. There are no roads that cars can pass through in this direction."

Darren was surprised. He thought he could just lie down in the car all the way to their destination, but they still had to walk in the end...

"Is it okay to leave the car here? If there are wild Pokemon..."

"It's okay. Look over there." Mr. Isaiah pointed to the distance. Darren followed his gaze and saw a small white Pokemon with a sickle-shaped horn on its head standing on the side of a mountain, looking down at them.

"Absol, the Disaster Pokemon!" Darren exclaimed in surprise.

"Not bad. You actually know about Absol, and you haven't even used your Pokedex. No wonder you were able to defeat Little Candice. You're already knowledgable than most new trainers." Mr. Isaiah said, "That Pokemon lives nearby. If there is a snowstorm, it will be the first to notify the travelers in the area."

"With it watching the car, there should be no problem." Mr. Isaiah gestured to Absol and led Darren up the Mount Coronet.

Without a flat road, walking became more difficult.

"That Absol, is it Mr. Isaiah's Pokemon?" Along the way, Darren remembered the Absol from earlier and wondered about its special friendship with Mr. Isaiah.

"Hehe, no he isn't." Mr. Isaiah shook his head. "When I was young, Absol actually saved my life. It was also then that I began to aspire to become a trainer."

Darren fell silent, realizing that Mr. Isaiah had not finished his story yet.

"However, at that time, the city of Snowpoint was very poor, and due to its proximity to the Mount Coronet, the weather was harsh, so few rich people were willing to come here for development."

"Well, how did you become a teacher at Crown Academy?" Darren suddenly had a question.

"How I became a teacher..."

"First I was a student. I also graduated from Crown Academy. At that time, I wanted to become a trainer, but because my family was poor, I heard that there was still such a school in the Mount Coronet, so I had the idea of ​​going to study there."

"At that time, I worked hard to get into Crown Academy. If it weren't for my teacher's soft heart, seeing me as a child walking all the way there... I'm afraid I wouldn't even have the qualifications to enter the Academy."

He let out a sigh and stated, "Upon completing my studies at Crown Academy, I transformed into a highly skilled mentor and improved my circumstances. Nonetheless, individuals like myself are a rarity, as most are still consumed by the demands of everyday life."

"So, is this the real purpose of your investment in the Pokémon trainer school?" Darren's eyes flashed with surprise as he looked at the uncle.

"It's a consideration. After graduating from the academy, I applied for gym qualifications from the Pokémon League, established the Snowpoint Gym, and the city of Snowpoint gradually developed in this way. Moreover, the number of trainers has increased in recent years, even in this remote city, there is a gradually growing population."

"Moreover, the city of Snowpoint is close to the Mount Coronet, and trainers also like to come here to tame powerful Pokémon..."

As he guided Darren, a transfer student from Crown Academy, Mr. Isaiah was unsure of his emotions upon realizing that Darren was admitted to the academy straight away.

However, Mr. Isaiah had worked tirelessly and pushed himself to the limit to earn his own place as a student at Crown Academy. With a touch of luck, this transformed his destiny.

Crown Academy has an indelible emotional connection for Mr. Isaiah, so even after he applied to become a gym leader after graduation, he still returned to the academy to serve as a teacher and continue to teach the next generation of trainers.

Thanks to the remoteness and coldness of Snowpoint City, this allowed Mr. Isaiah to handle both his role as a teacher and gym leader.