Rustle rustle rustle—
Accompanied by the howling wind outside, the tip of Haru's pen swept rhythmically across the paper, the ink gradually soaking the page with purpose and clarity.
He was currently busy drafting a growth plan for Mew and Flutter Mane.
These two Pokémon were inherently far stronger than most, and Haru typically wiped the floor with opponents by simply letting them take the lead.
But even so, they weren't at their full potential yet. They should be capable of even greater strength.
It was Haru's job as their Trainer to figure out how to unlock that strength—to help them rise higher, challenge tougher opponents, and reach new heights.
That said… Haru felt their biggest hurdle wasn't power, but personality.
If he could help it, he'd never rely on Mew, who was even lazier than Zorua. And her hobbies? Way more questionable than Zorua's.
As for Flutter Mane, don't even get him started. If this ultra-introverted ghost even showed up for a Gym Challenge, Haru would consider that a miracle.
It was already late, but neither Pokémon had any intention of sleeping. Mew, true to her nocturnal gamer habits, lay sprawled to Haru's left, using her psychic powers to operate five devices at once. Her long tail flicked lazily against his arm, a picture of leisure.
Flutter Mane, meanwhile, was bouncing gleefully on the bed, quietly humming some tune to herself. For a Pokémon who avoided the spotlight like the plague, she was surprisingly childish in private.
Haru didn't mind. In fact, he found it kind of cute—like owning a shy, skittish cat.
But right in the middle of this warm, peaceful moment, Mew suddenly froze as if sensing something.
Her psychic powers let her pick up on all sorts of… interesting things.
And among those things was the woman standing just outside the door.
A sly grin tugged at Mew's lips. Suddenly, this dull night didn't seem so dull anymore.
To her, humans were fascinatingly complex creatures. Their ways of thinking were completely alien compared to Pokémon, and even she couldn't always predict what they'd do.
But one thing was certain: whatever that woman was here for, it was going to be entertaining.
Flutter Mane, on the other hand…
While she wasn't a Psychic-type, she didn't need psychic powers to feel the dread creeping in.
She sensed a powerful, chilling aura—one that made her recoil in fear.
That woman! That terrifying woman is here! Retreat!
What had happened at Aether Paradise earlier was more terrifying to Flutter Mane than a billion paradox Pokémon combined. She absolutely did not want to witness Lusamine's "meltdown" a second time.
Without hesitation, she vanished into Haru's body with what could only be described as an impossible burst of Extreme Speed.
And at that exact moment, the door—where Lusamine had been hesitating for quite a while—finally opened.
"Ms. Lusamine? What… what are you doing here?"
There was no way Haru hadn't noticed his Pokémon's odd behavior just now. He had already sensed someone outside the door—but never in his wildest dreams did he think it'd be her.
Wait, wait, what?
Showing up at this hour, and in that kind of suspicious manner? Was he misunderstanding something here?
But Lusamine didn't answer. She simply walked into the room and shut the door behind her.
And then he noticed something else—when had her lips turned that shade of red, and her cheeks gotten so flushed?
What came next was even worse. Once she took off her coat, she revealed what was underneath: a nurse outfit.
But not just any nurse outfit. No. This was one of those see-through, borderline-fantasy, definitely-not-medically-approved British-style nurse uniforms.
Forget healing patients—this thing looked like it could heal the nurse's hip mobility instead.
"Uh, ma'am… What exactly are you here for, dressed like that?"
Haru took a cautious step back, keeping his tone as polite as humanly possible.
In all his life, he'd never seen something so outrageous. Up until now, the most scandalous thing he'd experienced was catching a glimpse of Iono's blueberry-themed cleavage.
But this? This was straight out of Night Shift Nurses or something.
Lusamine, meanwhile, began explaining herself with an air of utter seriousness:
"To repay you. I promised to give you a reward for saving me earlier, remember?"
"You told me to deliver it 'outside,' but I… I just couldn't do it. Not out there, with all those people. It was too much."
"So I did the best I could."
"But don't worry! I'll get better at this soon!"
"So… please, punish me."
As she spoke those final words, her cheeks bloomed with an unnatural flush.
Truth be told, Lusamine had initially planned to tie herself up before coming here—but then thought better of it.
Tying yourself up? What's the point of that? Is DIY really that satisfying? No—it has to be his hands. It has to be him.
Haru stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.
Oh. My. God.
Had she actually been broken by all this? Was reversing her pain receptors really the right move? Did he screw up?
And what the hell was this talk about "outside" and "payment"? He'd just asked her to settle things casually—heck, he would've been fine with a tip or two! Nobody said she had to pay in this way!
But it was too late to explain anything now. The woman standing before him was no longer bound by common sense.
And reasoning with her?
Yeah. Good luck with that.
Although… reasoning with his mouth… might have some effect…
***************************
Read advanced chapters ahead of everyone else on my P@treon.
P@treon/GodDragcell