"If my stomach could still hold more, I'm sure I would eat three more bowls," May said as she rubbed her belly, which was clearly swollen after a full meal. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction and comfort, her face noticeably refreshed after a full night's sleep.
"Yes, Alex, the scallion oil noodles you made are really delicious," May said sincerely, with a hint of surprise, as if she hadn't expected such a simple dish to please her so much.
Roxanne sat quietly beside them, smiling softly. Her cheeks showed a rare blush of femininity, but her belly seemed larger than usual—probably because she had eaten quite a lot during breakfast.
At first, Roxanne thought Alex was just helping out of politeness for a guest. However, seeing his skillful movements, she realized he was no novice in the kitchen.
What surprised her most was that the breakfast Alex prepared was surprisingly tasty—a simple bowl of scallion oil noodles, ordinary yet delicious! Even Roxanne, who usually ate little and was quite picky, ended up having two full bowls.
"Haha, as long as you like it, that's all that matters," Alex said with a gentle smile, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction. He began clearing the table.
"Eating is the easiest way to satisfy oneself," he said confidently and warmly, "And I never compromise on that."
Seeing Alex ready to clean up alone, Roxanne felt she couldn't let him do it all by himself. She stood up and started helping.
"I'll do it! I can't let a guest do anything more," she said, serious and determined.
"If not, as the host, I'd be too rude." Roxanne took the lead and began tidying up, her eyes full of resolve.
"Let's do it together," Alex said with a smile, working alongside her. They wiped the table and put away dishes, the small space becoming warmer and livelier thanks to their teamwork.
"Hey~" Roxanne suddenly spoke, her voice mixed with excitement and a bit of surprise.
"Alex, didn't you agree yesterday that you would battle me when the chance came?" She looked straight at him, her eyes full of curiosity and a hint of challenge.
Roxanne had never thought she would let Alex go so easily. She felt she wanted to know more about this mysterious man—a talented chef, a knowledgeable Pokémon trainer, humble and polite.
"A battle?" Alex looked a little surprised, paused for a moment, then answered casually, "No problem."
He had only mentioned it casually the day before, not expecting Roxanne to take such interest. After Professor Oak's lecture, Alex planned to head to the league center to find suitable missions and earn some living expenses. The battle with Roxanne wouldn't require much effort, so he agreed without hesitation.
"All right, let's head to the gym!" Roxanne smiled brightly, leading the way.
"I'm coming too!" May followed eagerly, her face full of excitement and curiosity about the battle between Alex and Roxanne.
When the three arrived in front of the Rustboro Gym, they found a large crowd of trainers gathered outside. As the gym leader, Roxanne took the battle with Alex very seriously and had proactively informed the gym staff that she would not accept any challenges from ordinary trainers that morning. She wanted to dedicate special time to this battle.
Upon receiving the order, the gym staff quickly acted, announcing to trainers that the gym would be closed for the morning and rejecting all challenges.
At first, the trainers wondered why, not knowing the real reason. They guessed Roxanne might be having personal issues or important matters to deal with. Some thought she might be training or resting to preserve her strength.
But when people learned Roxanne closed the gym to battle someone, their curiosity flared up fiercely.
Hundreds of trainers gathered at the entrance, chatting excitedly and trying to catch a glimpse of who had such a strong team that the gym leader would dedicate her entire morning to battling him.
Rumors spread, and more and more people poured to Rustboro Gym, crowding the entrance and craning their necks to look inside.
Before the battle started, Roxanne felt a bit helpless at the growing crowd. She had wanted a quiet battle with Alex without disturbance, but that seemed impossible now.
"Sorry, Alex, I'll handle this first," Roxanne said sincerely, with a hint of embarrassment as she looked at him.
Too many trainers were packed at the door. Pushing could cause dangerous accidents like stampedes.
"It's okay, you go ahead," Alex smiled and nodded understandingly.
Roxanne stepped toward the door, trying to manage the situation. The gym staff had to open the auditorium inside to accommodate the crowd and restore order.
Once the crowd was cleared, hundreds of people entered the auditorium, taking their seats as guided.
The spacious, modern-designed auditorium could hold thousands, enough for trainers and fans to watch the battle clearly.
In the middle was the battlefield, where the two opponents would face off. On either side were stands where spectators could follow every move and decision of the trainers and their Pokémon.
Seated in the stands, many trainers whispered, "Who is this man?" "Why does Roxanne care about him so much that she closed the gym this morning?"
Most shared the same question, curious about this mysterious figure. Alex kept a low profile, few knew of him, and he had few friends among trainers. His fame was relatively modest.
But someone Roxanne respected so much certainly wasn't weak.
Trainers in the stands grew eager for the match to begin.
"Sorry, Alex, I didn't expect so many people…" Roxanne said sheepishly, glancing at him.
At least 300 trainers were seated, filling the auditorium to watch. Though gym battles usually attracted viewers, this crowd was unusually large.
Roxanne was used to fighting under public eyes, but Alex was different. He wasn't a gym leader, so he rarely faced such attention.
Many spectators could pressure anyone. When tense, people tend to make mistakes, and in Pokémon battles, a small error could cause defeat.
However, Alex didn't mind the attention. He said gently to Roxanne, "It's fine, let's begin."
After speaking, he stepped forward to his corner of the battlefield.
In his past life, Alex was the owner of a large company and often spoke in front of large crowds, even at important forums. Three hundred people were just a small number to him, nothing to unsettle him.
"Uh… alright then." Roxanne stood beside him, stunned for a moment, but seeing Alex's calm and confident face made her even more curious about him.
She stepped forward to her corner.
And from that moment, the battle between Roxanne and Alex officially began.