Shelter

Yuga felt that he had been lying down for a whole night, and it must have been uncomfortable. So he quickly helped him roll over and sit up.

"It was me and the innkeeper who saved you. Luckily, you're okay. But I'll take you to the hospital later. Your injuries seem quite serious, and it's safer to get them checked," Yuga said. He handed over a bowl of porridge he had prepared. "Have something to eat."

"Thank you," Yasushi accepted the bowl of porridge, "But going to the hospital isn't necessary. I should be fine."

Yasushi's injuries had improved significantly since yesterday, thanks to Gardevoir's powerful milking volume.

Yuga, seeing that Yasushi didn't want to go to the hospital, didn't insist further. He wasn't one to meddle unnecessarily in other people's affairs. If Yasushi had his reasons, Yuga respected that.

He walked over to Gardevoir, noticed the drool hanging from its mouth, and gave it a gentle push. "Gardevoir, wake up, wake up."

"Hehe..."

Gardevoir giggled, slurped the drool from its mouth, and turned its head to the other side, adjusting its sleeping position as if it had no intention of waking up.

"Gardevoir, Gardevoir, it's time to get up!"

"Gardevoir! The sun is shining on your butt!"

"Gardevoir..."

...

Yuga called out multiple times, but Gardevoir remained unresponsive.

This was too much for Yuga. He was getting embarrassed in front of Yasushi.

Yasushi, however, smiled at Yuga's predicament and didn't seem bothered by Gardevoir's deep slumber.

"By the way, I still don't know your name," Yuga quickly changed the topic to ease the awkwardness. "I'm Yasushi. How should I address benefactor?"

"I'm Shimizu Yuga. You're probably older than me, so just call me Yuga. Benefactor sounds a bit awkward," Yuga replied. He only asked for Yasushi's name and didn't inquire about his background. It would have been impolite to pry too much.

In the following days, Yasushi stayed at the inn to recover from his injuries. Thanks to Gardevoir's assistance, he made a swift recovery. After two days, he could walk again, and after four days, he could perform daily activities without much trouble.

Initially, Yuga and his group had planned to continue their journey to Verdanturf Town. However, they decided to stay longer because Yasushi was reluctant to go to the hospital and preferred Gardevoir's care.

Although there was curiosity about Yasushi's background, no one pressed him for information. It was clear from his demeanor that he came from a respectable background.

But there was one nagging question that Yasushi couldn't shake off during his stay.

Why hadn't the person who was after him come looking for him yet?

Unless...

Yasushi wasn't foolish; in fact, he was quite intelligent. Someone highly powerful and influential must be watching him closely, preventing any direct action against him. That explained why the person allowed the local people to save him and why they hadn't come to find him even though they knew he was here.

Due to certain circumstances, Yasushi wasn't aware of recent events outside. Therefore, he didn't know about Yuga's recent fame.

But finding out about these things wasn't difficult for someone like him.

Now, Yuga's online presence has surged, and it's easy to find information about him, especially in the past two days. A post claiming to be from a person named "Brodie the Man of a Thousand Faces" suddenly appeared online. It stated that he had clashed with Shimizu Yuga, the Gym Leader of Verdanturf Town, confirming Yuga's status as an Elite Trainer.

While some people were skeptical, most believed it. Brodie the Man of a Thousand Faces was known for his ability to disappear, and the Pokémon League had even sent Elite Trainers after him, only for him to elude capture. So, the fact that he could walk away from a confrontation with Verdanturf Town's Gym Leader wasn't too surprising.

As a result, Yuga's online popularity remained consistently high, and more people became familiar with him. Admiration for strong trainers was a natural tendency, especially in the world of Pokémon.

However, what others didn't know, Yuga was quite aware of. He suspected that the person behind that post might indeed be Brodie. Still, he couldn't fathom the purpose behind Brodie's actions.

Upon realizing this, Yasushi, who now knew about Yuga's true identity, had an epiphany. The Gym Leader, an Elite Trainer! No wonder that person hadn't dared to approach.

With this knowledge in mind, Yasushi approached Yuga privately.

Yuga: "Do you need something from me?"

Yasushi: "Gym Leader Shimizu, I'd like to accompany you to Verdanturf Town."

Yuga, puzzled by the sudden formal address, asked, "Return to Verdanturf Town? Why?"

Yasushi hesitated but eventually spoke up, "I was pursued by someone before, but they seem to be wary of your identity and strength. So, I want to seek your protection."

Yasushi felt a bit embarrassed, but he had no choice but to say these uncomfortable words to ensure his safety.

Yuga was surprised by Yasushi's straightforwardness and asked further, "You're quite direct. But why was someone after you? Why didn't you report it to the authorities? You're not a criminal, are you?"

"No, no, the person chasing me has personal grudges. I can assure you I'm not a bad person. If you let me stay in Verdanturf Town, I'm willing to work for you without pay, as long as you can provide me shelter," Yasushi explained.

Faced with Yuga's three consecutive questions, Yasushi quickly clarified.

Yuga then asked, "If that's the case, you'll have to tell me who's after you."

Yasushi hesitated, looking quite conflicted. While that person had wanted to harm him, Yasushi didn't hold much hatred towards them. He mainly wanted to keep a safe distance from them in the future. Plus, Yuga was a Gym Leader and part of the Pokémon League's armed force. Yasushi was concerned that if Yuga knew the identity of the person chasing him, he might seek retribution.

Seeing Yasushi's discomfort, Yuga sighed and said, "Never mind, you don't have to tell me."

Through their days of interaction, Yuga had gained some understanding of Yasushi's character. He realized that Yasushi wasn't a bad person, and he seemed intelligent. Yasushi's willingness to seek shelter here showed that he had good judgment and manners. But at the same time, Yasushi was somewhat soft-spoken and polite, always smiling.

Yasushi: "Well..."

Yuga: "If you want to come with me to Verdanturf Town, you can."

Yuga believed in helping others in need. After all, he was a Gym Leader and had a sense of responsibility, and he couldn't just turn a blind eye to someone seeking shelter.