Nowadays, when Ash faced the Joy family and met Clarissa's relatives, the relationship between the two sides was no longer one where Ash was the one marrying above his station.
In fact, to a certain extent, it was the Joy family that was marrying upward.
Because everything the Joy family possessed, Ash possessed as well.
Yet many of the things Ash possessed were things the Joy family did not have.
The things the Joy family took pride in were not particularly attractive to Ash, while the various advantages and resources Ash possessed were precisely the things the Joy family desperately wanted.
...
"Vroom..."
The Joy family's headquarters was a massive estate located in the outskirts of Saffron City, occupying nearly a thousand acres of land.
After Ash and the others arrived in Saffron City, Clarissa's extended luxury limousine continued driving for a while before finally reaching the Joy family's magnificent estate in the suburbs.
However, even after entering the estate, the limousine continued turning left and right for quite some time.
This gave Ash a much clearer understanding of just how enormous Clarissa's family estate actually was.
Along the way, he could see numerous gardeners and flower attendants tending to the plants and flowers throughout the gardens.
After driving for several more minutes, the limousine finally came to a stop in front of a majestic building that resembled a castle, its classical and elegant architecture carrying a profound sense of history.
"Ash, we're here. Let's get out."
Clarissa, who had been sitting beside Ash like a sweet and affectionate little bird, spoke softly.
"Mm, okay."
Ash nodded.
At that moment, an elderly man waiting outside the "castle" entrance stepped forward and opened the car door for them.
His hair was streaked with white, and he wore an immaculate tailcoat. His dignified appearance and formal attire made it immediately obvious that he was the household's butler.
Ash, Clarissa, and Amelie, who had accompanied them back home, stepped out of the car one after another.
"Miss... welcome home!"
"Young Master Ash, welcome to Joy Manor. Madam and the Old Madam have already been waiting for you. Please follow me."
The old butler spoke with great respect and courtesy.
Clarissa had already informed her family in advance that Ash would be visiting today, so everyone at home already knew about his arrival.
"Of course. Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Butler."
Ash politely returned the greeting.
Clarissa immediately took his hand and excitedly led him toward the manor.
"Young Master Ash, you're too polite. This is simply what I should do."
The old butler responded before quickly following behind the two of them.
The children of the Joy family, whether they were descendants of ordinary clan members or the direct daughters of the family head—even the family's treasured princesses—were all required to undergo practical training at the most grassroots Pokémon Centers once they reached the appropriate age.
Clarissa was no exception.
Although she had wanted to travel with Ash after reaching the appropriate age, the family's rules could not simply be changed.
Even if Clarissa eventually decided to follow Ash's example and establish a chain of online clinics in the future, the rules of the Joy family still had to be respected.
It was necessary both to satisfy the rest of the family and to silence any gossip or objections among the clan.
At the same time, it provided Clarissa with a legitimate reason to get closer to Ash.
Therefore, when Ash was studying and training at the Viridian City Pokémon Center, the Joy family had also sent Clarissa there to undergo practical training.
She had been there for almost an entire year.
Naturally, Clarissa had deeply missed her parents and family during that time.
"Mother! Grandma!!"
Holding Ash's hand, Clarissa hurried into the reception hall.
There, she immediately saw her mother supporting her grandmother as the two of them came downstairs.
Clarissa's face lit up with happiness.
"Clarissa!"
"Clarissa!"
Seeing their beloved daughter and granddaughter rushing toward them, the two women happily called out her name.
Although sending Clarissa to the Viridian City Pokémon Center had successfully helped them find an excellent son-in-law—and grandson-in-law—for the family, she had still been away from home for nearly a year.
Normally, they could only communicate through video calls.
As her mother and grandmother, both women had missed her terribly.
They had also been worried about her and felt sorry that she had been away from home for so long.
...
Not long after Ash and Clarissa officially began dating, Clarissa had already told him about her family.
Although the Kanto Joy family was enormous, aside from various distant relatives and branch families, Clarissa's closest immediate family consisted mainly of three people:
Her grandmother, Joy Rong.
Her mother, Elena Joy.
And her father, whose name was not mentioned.
Joy Rong was the former head of the Kanto Joy family from the previous generation.
Elena Joy was the current head of the Joy family.
As for Clarissa's father, he had come from an ordinary civilian background and had married into the Joy family. He currently served as the Minister of the Alliance's Medical and Public Health Department.
Earlier in the year, after Ash had traveled to Cerulean City to attend the Water-type Pokémon Beauty Contest, he had bought gifts for the people around him before leaving.
Naturally, he had also selected and purchased gifts for Clarissa's family.
Therefore, although this was technically Ash's first time visiting the Joy household in person, he wasn't exactly a stranger to Clarissa's family.
~
"Hello, Grandma. Hello, Auntie."
After his girlfriend Clarissa finished embracing and exchanging greetings with her two closest relatives, Ash took out the gifts he had purchased earlier from his system storage and greeted them proactively.
"Good, good!"
"Oh, child, you came all this way. Why did you bring so many things?"
Seeing Ash suddenly take out a large number of gifts, Joy Rong and Elena Joy were both delighted.
The Joy family had a massive estate and enormous wealth. Naturally, they weren't lacking these material things.
What they cared about was Ash's thoughtfulness.
Things were different now compared with the past.
When Ash had first revealed his potential during Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp, all the major families in Kanto had already regarded him as a highly promising young man.
The Joy family, in particular, had placed enormous importance on him.
Now, in less than a year, Ash's strength had increased at an astonishing rate.
His wealth and assets had also reached a level that shocked outsiders.
That promising young man had completely transformed into a genuine golden son-in-law.
How could Joy Rong and Elena Joy possibly not be delighted?
After all, Ash and Clarissa were now boyfriend and girlfriend.
And before Ash had even fully transformed from a promising prospect into the golden son-in-law everyone coveted, the Joy family had already managed to "hook" him.
Now, the various prestigious families throughout Kanto were practically green with envy toward the Joy family.
"Alright, don't all stand around here."
"Clarissa, take Ash around and show him the place. Your mother and I will go remind the kitchen to prepare lunch."
"I already called your father this morning. He knows you're coming home, and he also knows Ash is visiting."
"Your father said that once he finishes dealing with the matters at hand, he'll come home around lunchtime and have lunch with everyone."
"Ash, don't be so reserved. Think of this as your own home."
"Old bones like mine have rather old-fashioned ways of thinking. You young people will be much more comfortable talking among yourselves."
"You don't need to stay here and keep us company. Let Clarissa take you around."
"Is there anything you particularly like to eat? Tell Grandma, and I'll have the kitchen prepare it for you."
"..."
"..."
Both Elena Joy and Joy Rong were extremely satisfied with Ash as their son-in-law—or grandson-in-law.
In fact, the entire Joy family was extremely satisfied with him.
Perhaps earlier in the year, after Ash had rejected the marriage proposal and vaguely implied that his healing supernatural ability could not be inherited, some of the Joy family's higher-ranking members had lowered the importance they attached to the marriage somewhat.
But as Ash's strength, career, and every other aspect of his life rapidly flourished during the second half of the year, those voices of opposition within the Joy family completely disappeared.
Nowadays, the Joy family could only marvel at Joy Rong and Elena Joy's extraordinary foresight.
At the same time, they couldn't help but marvel at just how outstanding Ash had turned out to be.
The young man whom they had identified as a promising prospect had now become a genuine golden son-in-law.
And the Joy family had been fortunate enough to secure him before everyone else realized his true value.