"Mmm..."
Yamamino ate the fried rice, closing his eyes occasionally to focus on the aftertaste. After a moment, he looked at Kashiwagi with a complex expression. "You learned this... from video recipes?"
"It's not like a Lo-style chef would actually come to Pyrite Town to teach me, right?"
Kashiwagi chuckled, looking at him expectantly. "So, how is it? Satisfied?"
"..."
The noble youth took a sip of water to cleanse his palate. "To be honest, it's not a matter of satisfaction anymore. If I hadn't met you here in Pyrite Town, I would have sworn you were an apprentice of Locomoco himself."
His decisive tone made Kashiwagi beam with joy. "Is it really that good?"
"It's excellent. From now on, as long as I'm free, I'm having my meals here."
Yamamino made the declaration, then glanced at the walls. "I'd love to say that, but it's a pity you're only open for three hours a day. Your reputation isn't exactly widespread either; I only found out through a high-ranking member of your team."
A high-ranking member?
Probably someone from the Crystal Unit, Kashiwagi mused. They were essentially Team Snagem's public relations and external affairs division.
Kashiwagi replied, "The fame I have now is actually enough. Since I only open for three hours, my customer base is already reaching a saturation point. Unless I raise prices, I likely won't be able to keep up with the demand."
"Then raise them. Your current pricing doesn't match your skill level at all. If you don't raise prices, are you trying to provide a public service? The common folk can't afford your current prices anyway, so you might as well jump up two tiers."
He offered the advice with the easy familiarity of an old friend. "That way, you can earn more money while ensuring the number of customers doesn't become a burden."
"That does make sense..."
"Don't overthink it. The news that I ate here today will reach the Mayor's ears soon, along with many others. Your shop is about to blow up."
"What!"
Kashiwagi was startled. He hadn't expected Yamamino's influence to be so staggering—that simply eating a meal could turn his shop into a local sensation.
"I really don't know how to thank you." He looked at the other with gratitude, though a sliver of wariness remained in his heart.
There is no such thing as unconditional love or hate. Yamamino had given him a Soothe Bell, and now he was going out of his way to help his business. It was hard to believe there wasn't a catch.
As if reading his mind, Yamamino smiled. "It's a small thing. Once you go out into the wider world, you'll realize that mutual aid without expectation of reward is quite normal. Even someone as prestigious as a Champion wouldn't hesitate to accept a challenge from a rookie or lend a helping hand."
"Their grace is something the people in Pyrite Town can't compare to. You can always trust them—Pyrite Town really doesn't suit you. it will only drag a talent like you into a filthy mud pit."
Here he goes again, Kashiwagi thought, blushing slightly. Yamamino's praise was incredibly direct. In his memory of the anime, most characters were like this—showing unreserved admiration when they encountered something impressive.
So, does he truly just believe in me, or is there a hidden motive?
It's best to stay cautious, just in case.
"Thank you for this wonderful meal."
Yamamino stood up and reached for his wallet.
But Kashiwagi firmly refused. "This one is on me. You've looked out for me so much; there's no way I'm letting you pay for a meal—and that goes for the future, too. If you come by, it's on the house."
"Is that really appropriate?"
"Nothing wrong with it. I just want to be your friend—assuming you're willing to give me that face."
"Friend?"
Yamamino blinked, then broke into a brilliant smile. "I thought we were already friends."
"Uh, my mistake then." Kashiwagi laughed helplessly.
They chatted for a bit longer until new customers arrived to place orders.
Before leaving, Yamamino shared one more thing. "There's an underground auction in Underdome No. 6 in two days. There might be items or Pokémon that interest you. You should consider attending."
"An auction?"
"Yes, it's a membership-only event; it's hard for outsiders to get in. But I just happened to receive an invitation. If you don't mind, I can take you. You're looking for new Pokémon, right?"
"...I don't mind at all!"
"Then I'll come find you here the day after tomorrow. Until then." Yamamino waved and departed.
Kashiwagi stood in the kitchen processing the information. If he guessed correctly, the primary reason for Yamamino's visit was to invite him to this auction.
A gesture of goodwill? An olive branch? Or something else?
Regardless, Kashiwagi couldn't refuse. An auction was a prime opportunity to find a rare Pokémon. Though, to be honest... such places usually drove prices up far beyond an item's actual value.
Is 10 million enough?
He could already see his newly acquired 30 million drifting away in the wind.
If only I could get a 'five-finger discount' (zero-dollar purchase).
Kashiwagi indulged in a bit of unrealistic fantasy, though he wondered if the wooden plaque clue from the simulator would actually work—it might be as much of a dud as the iron ingot he'd used for Aron.
The day of the auction arrived.
Yamamino showed up at the shop as promised, and Kashiwagi closed up early.
"If you don't mind, let's take my car." He pointed toward a dusty hover SUV parked outside.
Kashiwagi was surprised. "Your car?"
"Yes. It's the most suitable vehicle for the Pyrite Town environment. Much better than sports cars or sedans. I'm not much of a motorcycle guy." He explained as he pulled open the driver-side door.
Kashiwagi walked around to the passenger seat, but just as he was about to get in, he felt a strange gaze from the back row. A golden, bipedal Pokémon with a fox-like face revealed itself. It wore strange brown armor and looked like a wise old sage.
"Alakazam?"
"My ace Pokémon. I didn't bring him out for our match last time. If there's a chance, I wouldn't mind another round. Your strength has improved again, hasn't it?" Yamamino started the car and smiled.
"Sure, I'm looking forward to it," Kashiwagi nodded. This guy's strength was top-tier even in Pyrite Town. When Kashiwagi could defeat him, he could truly walk the streets without fear.
On the way, they chatted to pass the time.
"If you don't mind me asking... how many Pokémon League Conferences have you participated in?"
"Conferences? I've done four. The Silver Conference in Johto, the Ever Grande Conference in Hoenn, the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh, and the Lumiose Conference in Kalos. My results weren't great: Top 16, Top 4, Top 4, and Runner-up."
"That... that's already incredibly strong!"
"If you don't win, you can't enter the Champion League. If you can't enter the Champion League, you can't challenge the Elite Four or the Champion to take their spot. So, a runner-up finish is ultimately meaningless."
Yamamino smiled at Kashiwagi. "We're here. Get ready to head in."
Kashiwagi looked up to see they had arrived at an isolated underground sector. A massive, silent building stood before them. They parked and entered through the main entrance—the only source of light.
Inside, a giant ballroom filled with rows of neat sofas came into view. At the far end was a bright stage illuminated by spotlights, with staff scurrying about. By the time they arrived, quite a few other invited guests had already reached the venue.