Let's rewind time just a few seconds, courtesy of the great Dialga...
At the very instant the Ultra Wormhole vanished, Lusamine was freed.
Nihilego is a poisonous Pokémon.
Once it ensnares its prey, it releases toxins to render them unable to resist—allowing it to continue its parasitic existence.
So even though Nihilego hadn't "parasitized" Lusamine for very long, the moment she regained her freedom, she immediately transformed into a legendary kowtowing ghost and hurled herself toward the ground, forehead first.
If that impact had landed solidly, well... maybe it wouldn't have been fatal, but it would've definitely left her bedridden for a couple of days.
Fortunately, Haru was a prodigious pastry chef capable of slicing through anything with an unpredictable mix of speed and precision. Just as Lusamine was about to faceplant, he caught her mid-fall with lightning speed.
"..."
Lusamine, who had been flailing in panic, went completely stiff.
Even Haru didn't expect what happened next. The moment his hand touched Lusamine's soft body, it was as if it had been imbued with the power of a Greatsword—because Lusamine responded in a very... peculiar way.
It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long, long time. For Lusamine, it was as if time itself had stopped; as though the entire world had faded away, leaving only a serene stillness—a moment of forgotten peace.
And then, riding that wave of sensation, a strange warmth flooded forth.
The moment that warmth arrived, Lusamine suddenly snapped back to her senses—her brain catching up to her body and informing her, in no uncertain terms, of what had just happened.
W-Wait... what did I just do? Did something break inside me? Why does this feel so weird!?
At that very moment, Lillie and the others arrived on the scene.
But then...
The moment Lillie subconsciously voiced her innocent question aloud, the entire atmosphere of the scene shifted dramatically.
It was as if she had flipped a switch on some strange, oval-shaped object—Lusamine's weary eyes flew wide open.
Of course she knew why her pants were soaked.
It was because just moments ago, this human woman—herself—had involuntarily used a move that only Pokémon were supposed to be able to use: Scald.
But how on earth could she admit something like that?
No matter how obsessive or extreme she might be, there was no way Lusamine was going to stand in public and confess that she was one of the... Rainy Day Brothers.
In the end, all she could do was fall into silence. There was nothing else she could do.
Haru, meanwhile, had absolutely no idea what had just occurred. He was simply puzzled by Lusamine's strange behavior and had no inkling of what she had just done.
As for Guzma... moments earlier, he'd been kicking himself for not rushing in to rescue Lusamine first, but he hadn't had the time to really dwell on it.
After Haru saved her, Guzma just quietly reassessed the young man's strength—and then took a sharp breath in.
"This guy's scary powerful!"
Over on Lillie's side, though she never got a direct answer from Lusamine, she didn't press the issue further.
As long as she's safe, that's all that matters.
Even though Lusamine had done terrible things to her in the past, Lillie's heart still held deep love for her birth mother.
Luckily, this time, there was no real danger—Lusamine simply looked drained, as if she'd suffered some sort of emotional shock. Nothing else seemed too badly affected.
Still, Haru's reflexive act of heroism caused Lillie's affection for him to shoot upward like a gamer's blood pressure after wiping on the final boss with one hit left in Elden Ring.
Lusamine had just tried to harm Haru earlier, yet he'd still stepped in to help her at a critical moment... Mr. Haru really is such a kind person.
Or maybe... he only did it because of me? Because Lusamine is her mother, and that's why he chose to save her... that explanation made sense too.
As this thought crossed her mind, Lillie's cheeks turned inexplicably pink—like they'd been dyed with a sheer, rose-colored veil.
Mr. Haru... that was really bold of you... If this continues...
Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, and for a brief moment, a strange equilibrium settled over the scene.
That peace didn't last long, though—soon broken by the belated arrival of the Aether Foundation staff.
These people were all sweating bullets. They knew their boss had just been attacked, and they were terrified Lusamine might chew them out later for showing up slower than a Torkoal on vacation.
But then they heard Lusamine had been rescued by Haru... and their expressions grew complicated.
It wasn't that whole "Oh no, the enemy saved our boss, we're so useless" kind of feeling. No—it was more like...
"What's the deal between those two?"
They'd already thought Lusamine's earlier orders were a bit off. It hadn't sounded like she was trying to capture an "enemy" at all. And now, in the middle of a crisis, this mysterious man had dropped everything to save her.
He'd literally been in the middle of a Pokémon battle when he leapt in. What if Guzma had attacked him during the rescue? That could've ended very badly.
Yet even with that risk, he still chose to help her.
Could there really be something between them? Isn't there some anime term for this... "enemies-to-lovers," was it? Could it be that, after all these lonely years, the president was finally finding a partner? But could that guy really handle her?
Though their heads were full of wild speculation, the loyal Aether Foundation members kept their expressions in check and politely asked Lusamine:
"President, what are your orders now?"
Realizing she could no longer stay silent, Lusamine—still half-collapsed in Haru's arms—finally moved her lips and murmured:
"For now..."
"Let's halt the capture operation."
Then, after a slight pause, she gingerly tilted her head and asked Haru:
"Would you be willing... to accompany me back to Aether Paradise once more, Mister... um, mysterious gentleman?"
"I promise... I won't do anything."
Seeing Lusamine had regained some strength, Haru let go of her without much thought.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I helped you because I have a good heart—and because you're Lillie's mother."
"But even so, I'll still need some kind of compensation for saving you."
"No problem. But in that case, I'd like to invite you to the Aether Foundation. That would make it easier for me to give you your... compensation."
As she said the word compensation, she bit her lower lip—clearly implying something more.
"Oh?"
By now, Haru was definitely curious about Lusamine's attitude. Why did she seem so... cautious around him?
It was like she was scared of him—and even her body language suggested she was deliberately avoiding physical contact.
Could it be... that she was remembering the pain of being smacked?
What a strange woman. He really couldn't figure her out.