There was no way the hot spring egg was going to be given to Victini to eat.
Besides, most Pokémon Eggs were far tougher than people imagined. They could withstand a certain degree of high heat and severe cold—they weren't that fragile.
That was why Lucas dared to place the egg in the floating wooden basin so it could enjoy the hot spring with them.
However, remembering what Glacia had said earlier, the inexplicable feeling of being watched made Lucas subconsciously sink deeper into the water, leaving only his head—with a towel on top—exposed.
"Well, since things have come to this, let's eat snacks first."
The sound of tearing packaging immediately caught the attention of the Pokémon enjoying the hot spring. When Lucas looked up again, he found all the greedy little rascals staring at him with longing eyes.
Under the Pokémon's watchful eyes, Lucas took out the first piece of Lavaridge Rice Cracker from the package and examined it carefully.
Compared to traditional Japanese senbei, Lavaridge Rice Crackers had a light beige color with faint caramel-colored spots, felt somewhat rough to the touch, and were covered in tiny pores.
Lucas took a bite.
Crunch.
The Lavaridge Rice Cracker had a light, airy crispness similar to puffed snacks. It offered a refreshing balance of salty-savory and sweet. It was the perfect snack for the elderly residents of Lavaridge Town.
"Delicious!"
After finishing the piece, he began distributing the Lavaridge Rice Crackers to the now-hungry Pokémon.
On the shore, Moltres squatting like a mother hen watched the scene with a flash of envy.
Before long, the Lavaridge Rice Crackers were completely devoured.
After enjoying the hot spring, Lucas changed into the yukata provided by the inn and went to order a large spread of Lavaridge's specialty dinner. While ordering, he ran into Glacia again.
The noblewoman showed zero awareness of being the boss. She was sitting among the guests, head lowered as she ate a steaming bowl of super-spicy ramen.
Just like how Grusha, an Ice-type specialist, was afraid of both heat and cold, Glacia—as an Ice-type Elite Four member from a cold region—had a strong contrasting love for anything hot.
She also said she felt this level of training was far from enough. When it came to the tough willpower and physique forged in extreme environments, she was still inferior to Drake, who had sailed the seas for decades.
That was why, despite being an Ice-type Elite Four, she couldn't defeat Drake with type advantage like Lorelei and Lance in Kanto did.
Glacia could feel that she had stagnated in the trainer field for several years. She hadn't been able to break through.
That was why her feelings were quite complicated when she saw Lucas defeat Drake without even sending out his main team.
She saw in Lucas a brilliance that rivaled—even surpassed—Wallace and Steven after the LaRousse City incident.
"I even thought about quitting being a trainer altogether and going home to inherit the family business and title. But now, I might have the courage to try the things I've never attempted before—to train my body, mind, and willpower. And then, after the Grand Festival in one month, challenge the Champion League once again."
Glacia put down her chopsticks. In front of her was an extra-large ramen bowl, soup and all completely finished.
"In summary, I will set off for training tomorrow. The dormant Mt. Chimney isn't challenging enough. This time, my destination should be the desert."
"Thank you for listening to my ramblings. You can stay at the inn as long as you like—accommodation and meals are completely free. I hope this can express my gratitude a little."
After unexpectedly having all inn fees waived by Glacia, Lucas finished ordering and returned to his room.
It didn't take long for the sumptuous feast to be brought in one dish after another.
After enjoying the meal with Luxray and the others, Lucas took the Pokémon that were willing and whose size wasn't too conspicuous for a nighttime stroll around Lavaridge Town's streets.
The crowded, lively streets nearly separated them. When they finally left the crowd, Lucas was still a bit shaken.
So scary… So this was what tourist spots were like at night.
After that, Lucas would rather stay in the inn soaking in the hot springs. He refused to go to Lavaridge Town's streets at night again.
…
Late at night.
The Pokémon had all gone to sleep, but Lucas—probably because he had drunk quite a bit of oolong tea—had no drowsiness at all.
At that moment, a faint unusual sound suddenly came from the courtyard outside.
—The sound was coming from the hot spring.
As if realizing something, Lucas subconsciously slowed his steps. Using a large rock placed at the corner for cover, he peeked toward the hot spring pool.
He had never expected to see this scene.
—The Moltres that had stubbornly refused to enter the hot spring pool that afternoon now had most of its body submerged in the water.
Even though it was in water, the orange-red flames on its folded wings were still burning fiercely.
"…Hiss."
Lucas subconsciously sucked in a breath of cold air. At this moment, he finally understood why Moltres had refused to enter the water so desperately.
Looking at Moltres in the hot spring now, Lucas thought long and hard, and could only come up with one word to describe it.
Even though all its feathers were soaked, Moltres's body size hadn't shrunk at all.
That meant—it was solid!
This completely contradicted what Moltres usually claimed: that it only looked fat because its feathers were fluffy!
Lucas didn't dare make a single sound. He decided to take this secret to his grave. And once they returned to the farm, he would have to urge Moltres to lose weight again.
…