29 A Costly Folly

"Now that we know their motives, I think it's time that we retaliate in kind," suggested the elder responsible for the Blackthorn family's finances, who was part of the meeting.

The family head glanced around at the concerned faces in the room, contemplating the elder's proposition. "Retaliation might not be the best course of action," he said. "It could result in harm to innocent individuals. Many in the League, especially those in middle and lower positions, believe in the League's original ideals and are unaware of its corrupt core. They are merely following orders, convinced they are working for the greater good."

Agatha, who had a deep attachment to the League's history, nodded in agreement. She had witnessed its evolution and deterioration over the years. "We must consider that not everyone within the League is rotten. There are still individuals who hold onto the original vision, and we should aim to restore the League rather than condemn everyone associated with it."

Cecilia, however, had a more pragmatic view. "Agatha, while your intentions are noble, many of the League's higher-ups are indeed corrupt to the core. The question is, what do we do when those you consider innocent come to our doorsteps, following the League's orders? Are we to stand idly by?"

Cecilia questioned Agatha because, even though Agatha clearly knew the current condition of the League was bad, she knew with enough effort she might be able to bring the League back to its originally intended path.

"Well, there is this other question that haunts my mind: who would be bold enough to help the league even after knowing that the league's target was our Blackthorn family?" Elder Theron inquired with a hint of curiosity and anger in his voice.

The family head, leaning forward, added, "Elder Theron raises an intriguing point. Who would be audacious enough to assist the League in targeting our Blackthorn family? What kind of alliance could they have forged, fully aware of the repercussions? It's a question that demands answers."

The room buzzed with tension and concern, the gravity of the situation sinking in. And all the participants present turned towards me simultaneously with an inquiring gaze for an answer.

"Well, it's not that hard to narrow down our options," I began, tapping my fingers thoughtfully on the table. "Our Blackthorn family has accumulated its share of grudges over the millennia, but we need to focus on a crucial aspect here: the funding. Could anyone out there provide the League with such immense resources to target us? The League's newfound benefactors are not simple riff-raff. They are cunning and intelligent, aware of our strengths and the consequences of going against us. They fear us but are also greedy enough to want us out of the picture. That implies they have some knowledge of our capabilities and are, therefore, wary of us."

Pausing to let my words sink in, I continued, "Moreover, they are likely assisting the League with this event. Hosting something of this scale requires substantial resources. The League alone would struggle to pull it off, given their current state. And if you take a closer look at the grandeur of this invitation, it becomes evident how significant this event is going to be."

As I spoke, I couldn't help but reflect on my past life's knowledge about this incident. It had been a disastrous period for the Blackthorn family, occurring after the death of the old ancestor. During that time, we lost most of our high-ranking members, including core elders, due to the Pokejammer Silph Co. having developed. But now, it seemed the timeline had shifted. If my assumptions were correct, the adversaries would remain the same.

With a wry chuckle, I contemplated the preparations I had made to face our enemies. If we were fortunate, we might even add another legendary trainer's name to the Blackthorn family's history. I was confident that the League would seek the assistance of that old monster, who harbored a deep-seated grudge against our family.

As I reveled in my thoughts of the havoc I could wreak during the upcoming conflict, a sick grin stretched across my face. The unsettling sight of a child's malevolent smile disturbed everyone in the room, who could all too easily guess at the nature of my fantasies.

Cecilia finally interrupted my reverie, saying, "Enough of your daydreaming, little kid. The ancestor has already issued orders, and you won't be present when the storm hits. You are to accompany the younger family members and attend the event, which the Guardian Council is hosting."

Her words snapped me out of my delightful reverie, and for a few moments, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. A collective chuckle rippled through the room as I reacted to her announcement.

"That's not fair! You can't send me away. I need to be here to ensure everything goes according to plan. What if there are changes? What if anomalies arise? Everything will come crashing down!" I protested with the impassioned voice of a child. I felt betrayed, as I was sure that the League's attack on the family would coincide with the event.

"It's no use, kid," Cecilia responded firmly. "The Ancestor personally issued these orders along with a list of family members who should attend this event. There's no way out of this, even if you speak to the Ancestor."

My misery over the situation only deepened when the family head began to laugh. He found my distress rather amusing because everyone in the room was aware of how much I was looking forward to clashing with the League.

"I don't believe you. Hand me the list that the Ancestor wrote. If you're lying, I won't believe it," I retorted. I knew the old monster had the patience of a Snorlax, and I doubted he would have taken the time to compile a list with more than two dozen names.

In response, the family head reluctantly produced a scrap of paper from his sleeve and handed it to me. When I examined it, I felt a rush of frustration. There was only one name on that little piece of paper: mine. And below my name, it simply read that I would choose the rest of the attendees. I was fuming at the Ancestor's antics and turned to the family head, demanding an explanation.

"What is this supposed to be? Did he not even find a proper sheet of paper to write my name? This is nothing but scrap!"

The family head did not answer but sheepishly avoided my gaze and looked around nervously. Before I could explode with anger, Cecilia interjected with a chuckle.

"Honestly, you shouldn't blame the family head, you know. It was all thanks to Agatha here that the ancestor made such a decision." Cecilia coolly exposed her sister's involvement, and she didn't hesitate to chuckle at the evident dismay in Agatha's expression.

Agatha, who was clearly irritated and fixed Cecilia with an intense glare, promised herself some form of retaliation for this brazen betrayal.

"Lady Agatha, why would you do this?" I interjected, wanting to understand her perspective. "You know how important this is to me. If you're worried about my safety, trust me, I'll take every possible precaution and keep myself away from the thick of the battle."

Initially, I was disheartened to learn that Agatha had been the one to suggest sending me away from the family during the impending conflict. She was known for her propensity to confront problems head-on, but I managed to quell my disappointment and give her a chance to explain her reasoning with a questioning gaze.

"Honestly, kid, I'm not so much worried about your safety as I am concerned about our enemies or, more specifically, what you might do to them once you get your hands on them. I'm aware of what you did recently on Mt. Silver, and don't for a second think you can hide what you did to those who went after the children during the culling. That's not something a 5-year-old should be capable of doing. I understand your anger, and I can empathize because they wanted to harm the kids. I specialize in torture and interrogation, with centuries of experience behind me, and I've seen most things. But when I witnessed what you did to those guys, it made even me flinch, and that's saying something. You need to control yourself, kid, or it'll be a problem for you down the line. I thought you might have mellowed out after the incident two years ago, but recent events prove otherwise. So, yes, having you around is a danger to our enemies. However, not everyone among our enemies deserves your treatment; there are quite a few innocents among them. We wouldn't want their blood on your hands. That's why the Ancestor agreed with my idea of sending you away."

Agatha openly expressed her concerns about my proximity to our enemies. She was well aware of the cruelty I could exhibit when someone tried to harm those I cared about. Although I had not yet taken innocent lives, the ruthless treatment I subjected my enemies to, particularly those who threatened my loved ones, was chilling. I couldn't deny her words, and even though I had no innocent blood on my hands, the harsh treatment I meted out to those who sought to harm my loved ones was a source of concern. So I grumbled with a childish voice, acknowledging her points with a hint of discontent.

"I'm going to complain to Grandma Isabel, and I'll ask her to keep me by her side. Let's see who would be bold enough to send me away then." I snickered, thinking I'd found a loophole in their plans. After all, if there was one person in the family who could overrule the Ancestor's words, it was Isabel Blackthorn. However, Cecilia's next words shattered that hope and sealed my fate.

"Oh, you cunning little fox. The Ancestor was right; you'd pull out the big guns. That's why Grandma Isabel will be leading the party to the event, accompanied by Agatha and Elder Theron. As for the rest, as the Ancestor mentioned, you can have your pick," Cecilia declared with a triumphant tone. Everyone in the room wore smiles, reveling in my little moment of misery.

With a resigned sigh, I admitted defeat. "Fine, whatever. I guess I'll be going to that boring event then. Family Head, please come by later to collect the things I've prepared. I'd also like to explain the plans I've implemented. It would be better if you came along with Grandpa Alfred so that I could transfer all the plan details. I have only one request: don't mess it up."

I knew that I couldn't take part in the upcoming conflict, but I had to ensure that I handed over all the plan details and resources I had prepared. The family head acknowledged my request with a simple nod.

"Fine. If there's nothing else, I'm going to train and blow off some steam. I've had a rather bad start today," I sulked, ready to leave my chair. But the elder responsible for the family's finances had something more to say.

"Ahem, Young Master Aron, well, we do have one more important thing to discuss in this meeting. Can you kindly spare a few more minutes of your time?" he inquired.

Reluctantly, I asked, "Fine, go ahead, Elder. What important matter do we need to discuss?"

I was still frustrated by recent events, but I knew the elder wouldn't be here if it weren't important.

The elder began, "Well, how do I put this delicately... From our current rate and estimation of future expenditures, we might soon run out of money."

I was dumbfounded. I was ready to scold him when he continued, wearing a sheepish grin, "It's not that the Blackthorn family has become poor altogether. We've simply run out of liquid cash that we can readily spend."

My frustration turned to disbelief. "What do you mean we're out of money? Last time I checked, even if we didn't earn a single Pokédollar, we should have been sitting comfortably for the next four to five decades. And that's including all the family's expenses. So, Elder, where did all that money go? Why wasn't I made aware of this situation earlier?"

The elder tried to avoid eye contact with me as he explained, "Young Master Aron, it's not like we would run out of money immediately. Following the current trend, we'll run out of liquid assets within two years unless we can generate more income. And your expenditure is the second highest in the family in recent days."

I couldn't believe it. "Don't, Elder. Let's not go there. And thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have a rough estimate of how much I spend each month. I also know the family makes at least two dozen times more profit than the amount I spend, considering all the high-grade recipes and blueprints I've provided. So, tell me, where did all that money go? And wait, what do you mean by 'second highest'? Who the hell is dumb enough to spend so much money? I want to see them now. The money I spend each month is enough to upkeep the two legendary trainers and their Pokémon in our family. Whoever's spending lavishly enough to outbid even me, I want to meet them."

I was frustrated yet intrigued to know who was both careless and bold enough to outspend me.

Agatha, with a tinge of comedy, accused Cecilia. And she said it accusingly, with her ghost aura forming an illusory hand pointing towards Cecilia.

"Well, little Aron, the person responsible is already among us."

I turned to Cecilia, and to my disbelief, she was whistling and gazing at the ceiling as if the matter being discussed had no connection to her whatsoever. I was really finding it hard to believe that the refined and composed genius, a Legendary trainer, was the culprit behind the family's financial woes. Her nonchalant demeanor and seemingly carefree attitude were rather amusing.

"Dear Lady Cecilia," I said, trying to contain my laughter. "I must say, you've done quite a number on our finances. Would you care to explain how you managed to spend so extravagantly?"

Cecilia finally lowered her gaze from the ceiling and adopted an air of feigned innocence. "Aron, sweetheart, you know how it is. I lost close to four centuries of training time. So to help my Pokemon, a little shopping here, a bit of splurging there... and suddenly, the funds are gone. My Pokémon are like family to me, and I couldn't just leave them languishing at their current ranks after all that we have been through. And Aron, dear, you know how dangerous the world of Pokémon has become. If my team doesn't keep up, we'd be left behind.""

Agatha couldn't help but roll her eyes at her sister's audacity, while the family head and Elder Theron tried to stifle their laughter. I, on the other hand, was torn between amusement and exasperation.

"So, you're saying that you single-handedly wiped out a significant portion of our financial reserves just for helping your Pokemon breakthrough. Even then, I don't see the numbers matching. How many treasures did you even buy?" I asked incredulously.

Cecilia chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair. "Oh, don't be so dramatic, Aron. It's just a little hiccup. We're still wealthy. I just bought a meager three Legendary-level treasures and about two dozen Pseudo-Legendary and Epic treasures. And besides, we can always make more money. Isn't that what you're good at? And honestly, you can't blame me; you know no one stopped me".

The elder in charge of family finances spoke with a mixture of frustration and helplessness in his voice.

"Lady Cecilia, it's not that I allowed it willingly," he began, attempting to defend himself, "but you see, it's those rare resources you've been acquiring for your Pokémon. They're incredibly costly, and you were adamant about helping them reach legendary status."

I couldn't help but admire her dedication, but the comedic undertone of the situation remained intact. Agatha chimed in, shaking her head. "But Cecilia, you do realize that the family's treasury isn't an unlimited source of funds for your Pokémon's ambitions, right?"

Cecilia's response was accompanied by a chuckle while simultaneously pointing at me. "Oh, but I thought it was, Agatha. Aren't we the illustrious Blackthorn family with access to vast resources? And don't we have our own little money-minting machine here?"

I had to admit, it was an unusual but amusing predicament. The family head and I exchanged a glance, and I couldn't help but add, "Lady Cecilia, maybe you should consider becoming a financial consultant for your Pokémon. Teach them the value of budgeting!"

I couldn't help but rub my head in frustration because of her antics and turn towards the elder in charge of the family finances. The discussion shifted towards more practical matters, and the elder responsible for family finances was clearly eager to address the current financial predicament. I listened attentively, my fingers rhythmically tapping on the meeting table, contemplating his suggestion.

"So what do you have in mind, elder?" I asked, curious to know his suggestion for our current predicament, even though I had a faint idea about what he might suggest.

"Well, I was thinking that if we had your permission to sell a few more items that you have provided the family out to the world, our current finances would never have trouble again. And with the upcoming auction, I'm sure we will need more immediate funds too." The elder chimed with stars glittering in his eyes because he knew every item that I provided the family was a treasure trove, and I had only permitted a spare few to be marketed to the world to date.

I couldn't deny the logic behind his proposal. "Very well," I conceded, "provide me with a list of items you recommend for sale, and I'll assist in shortlisting them. I'll also supply you with the relevant recipes and blueprints. As for immediate funds for the event, I'll consider our options."

I said this to the elder while thinking about possible solutions because we only had three months of time for the auction and we couldn't expect immediate returns from the items, and I was planning to introduce a few signature items to the world in the upcoming auction.

"You know, Aron, the people in the Guardian council have always wanted to get their hands on the PSP after i accidentally exposed them, and we know they are trustworthy and with all the precautions and security measures that you have set, I don't think they can misuse it, so why not sell a few devices? You will have so much money and you won't know what to do with it." Agatha put forth an idea, and after taking a long time to consider, I thought the idea was feasible, so I addressed her again.

"Alright, Lady Agatha," I nodded, making sure she understood the gravity of the situation. "We'll make these devices available, but under strict conditions. One device per person, only to those we trust implicitly. They must bind the device with their PSP right in front of you, and no tampering whatsoever will be tolerated. If anyone tries to meddle with the device with the intent to study it, they'll face the consequences, and the whole of Guardians will be blacklisted from any future dealings with me."

With these agreements in place, the elder and I made further arrangements to address the family's financial concerns. I took a deep breath and returned to my morning routine, my thoughts already drifting back to the upcoming events and the preparations that lay ahead.