Chapter 53

The harvest from this round of ten consecutive draws had come to an end.

Takumi was very satisfied. Although it didn't go exactly as planned, Meloetta was still a great prize.

Just as he was about to head to the back of the store to continue spending time with Meloetta, Kaeya led the knights and burst into the store.

"Hey, Club Manager Takumi!" Kaeya called out.

"Big brother~" Klee's eyes lit up, and she waved at Takumi.

"I just saw you on top of the statue!"

Klee was quite small, and her height wasn't much different from Meloetta's.

Takumi smiled and called into the store:

"Let me introduce you to a friend, Klee."

"Meloetta, come entertain your exclusive little client!"

Hearing Takumi's voice, a humanoid Pokémon, resembling a Barbie doll, emerged from the back of the store.

Standing near the counter, Meloetta gave everyone a serious bow:

"Welcome."

Klee threw herself in front of Meloetta and let out an exclamation, her red eyes blinking with excitement.

"I'm the 'Spark Knight' of the Knights of Favonius, Klee!"

"Hello~" Klee greeted Meloetta.

"Do you want to come fish-blasting with Klee?" Klee asked enthusiastically.

Meloetta: ...

Meloetta, with her serious personality, kept her face tight:

"I... I don't know how to fry fish."

Klee, hearing the response, became even more excited. She opened her small backpack and began taking out stored explosives, one by one:

"These are all made by me! They're called 'Jumpy Dumpties.' Klee's dream is to make hundreds of Jumpy Dumpties that can move on their own so that the streets, steps, and squares of Mondstadt are all filled with them!"

Hearing this felt like watching a horror movie. The faces of the surrounding members of the Mondstadt Knights all twitched. The thought of Mondstadt being filled with explosives—whether for blasting fish or causing destruction—was too vivid and terrifying.

"Klee!!"

Kaeya sighed, covering his face, and pressed his palms on Klee's shoulders to stop her from getting too carried away.

At the same time, he took out his Pokédex, glancing at Meloetta, who stood elegantly and gracefully despite being only sixty or seventy centimeters tall. He swallowed nervously, his face filled with shock:

"As expected..."

Beep!

The Pokédex made an electronic sound, reading out Meloetta's information.

Suddenly, the store fell silent.

"Is this the mythical Pokémon that Kaeya, Amber, and the others were talking about?" Eula and Diluc couldn't help but frequently glance at Meloetta.

Based on her appearance, she looked even more slender and delicate than Klee.

However, the Pokédex data clearly showed she was a level 100, second-level legendary Pokémon!

Klee also looked up, slightly ashamed, and asked Kaeya hesitantly:

"Is this the special mythical Pokémon that Brother Kaeya, Captain Jean, and Sister Lisa talked about?"

Kaeya shook his head with a wry smile:

"No, it's not."

"Meloetta... It's the first time I'm seeing her as well."

Kaeya then gave Takumi, who stood behind the counter, a look filled with deep awe.

If this information were reported to Captain Jean later, it would probably trigger crazy discussions and gossip within the Knights.

Ah, this!

How many mythical Pokémon does Club Manager Takumi have?

"I brought them to draw their initial Pokémon," Kaeya said.

"Spark Knight, Wave Knight, and Grand Master Diluc, the righteous man..."

Takumi smiled and said:

"Not counting Jean, who is busy with her duties, you three are basically the strongest in Mondstadt."

He was genuinely curious about what kind of Pokémon these three would draw. Although the limited-time mission was complete, the new mission hadn't yet been released.

"Elder Club Manager, you understand us well!"

Kaeya gave a thumbs up.

Indeed, Eula, Klee, and Diluc were the strongest combat forces that the Knights could directly dispatch.

Hence, Captain Jean had urgently sent a message calling them over to pick up a Pokémon.

It could be said that the Pokémon drawn by these three would determine the order and stability of Mondstadt for some time to come.

If they drew Pokémon with high potential and nurtured them well, they would become the strategic deterrent force of the Knights of Favonius.

But if they were unlucky...

And others in the Knights drew Pokémon with high potential, it was inevitable that those individuals would surpass them and take over as the "strongest combat force."

The wheels of a new era were turning.

It represented opportunity. For some, it was a chance to soar, while for others, it was a sign of the end of their era.

Eula and Diluc were both a little nervous.

Eula had the blood of Lawrence's sinners running through her veins. If she lost the power to bring stability, then her road to atonement and redemption would become even more difficult.

Diluc, on the other hand, came from extraordinary blood. He was a descendant of Mondstadt's Dawn Knight, Ragnvindr. Having witnessed the evil schemes of the Fatui, he was determined to become a hero of the night, judging evil.

If he could find a Pokémon with extraordinary potential, Diluc thought it might be time for him to restore the glory of the "Dawn Knights."

Only Klee was without a care in the world, still trying to explain to Meloetta how fun blasting fish could be.

"Do you want to go first, or should I?" Eula looked at Diluc, who remained silent.

"I'll go first..."

Diluc raised his eyebrows, taking a blank Pokédex from Takumi's hand without hesitation. He quickly registered and authenticated it.

Kaeya suddenly asked:

"Club Manager Takumi, has anyone in Mondstadt drawn a pseudo-legendary Pokémon yet?"

Takumi replied:

"Not yet. I hope one of you can break that record."

"A Pokémon with pseudo-legendary potential is guaranteed to have the growth capacity of an Elite."

"I think that, to meet the standard of 'strongest combat force,' one must at least have the strength of an Elite-level Pokémon."

Diluc took a deep breath.

Pseudo-legendary... Elite-level?

Please!

Father, protect me, and help me restore our family's glory... It is my duty!

Beside him, Kaeya—who had adopted a small Spheal—found it surprisingly interesting to watch others draw their initial Pokémon.

Who am I?

What do I draw?

Diluc loosened his tense fingers and looked at Takumi solemnly:

"What do you think of this one?"

"After its third evolution, it becomes 'Ampharos.' Its combat power isn't weak," Takumi replied.

"But the growth potential of this one isn't that great, I suggest you draw again."

To be honest, Takumi wouldn't have said this to anyone else.

But for Grand Master Diluc, Takumi felt something subtly different. He didn't want Diluc to be ridiculed for "the family's despair."

No abandoned offspring, no defeat from others!

He just wanted Diluc to lift the metaphorical "coffin lid" and shout for the restoration of glory!

The images on the Pokédex continued to change and flicker.

Beep!

The next Pokémon appeared:

"Shinx!"