The Pokémon Center was a national institution established specifically for trainers—an integrated facility combining treatment, protection, lodging, dining, training, battling, trading, and more.
A trainer could find nearly everything related to their profession here.
"Miss Joy, could you please take a look at this little one for me?"
Gu Qiu briefly explained Ralts' experience.
A trace of sympathy appeared in Miss Joy's eyes.
"Quick, bring her in. I'll clean her wounds first."
The moment she left Gu Qiu's arms, Ralts woke up.
A wronged expression instantly appeared on her face, as if she thought Gu Qiu was abandoning her. She hurriedly broke free from Miss Joy's embrace, ran back to Gu Qiu, and cried out pitifully—
"Ralts~ Ralu…"
Miss Joy was clearly stunned. Even she had never encountered such a situation before.
The Joy family was born with a natural affinity.
An affinity especially attractive to Pokémon.
That was precisely why they could become outstanding Pokémon doctors, stationed all across the country.
If not for the Joy family's complete lack of ambition, the entire Dragon Nation might very well have fallen under their influence.
"This little one was frightened earlier. I was the one who rescued her. She's probably just scared of strangers."
Not wanting Miss Joy to feel awkward, Gu Qiu smoothed things over.
"I understand. Ralts are Pokémon that are especially sensitive to a trainer's inner thoughts. Usually, the humans who receive Ralts' affection are exceptional trainers."
Miss Joy gave a sweet smile, showing not the slightest hint of irritation.
And what she said was true.
Ralts was one of the most difficult Pokémon to raise.
Only when you truly opened your heart and earned Ralts' recognition would she cooperate with your training.
But that was incredibly hard.
Especially for male trainers.
Miss Joy had worked in Pewter City for many years and had never seen a single male trainer own a Ralts.
In fact, she had hardly heard of any in the entire Dragon Nation.
There were a few female trainers, however.
The most famous among them was the Kalos female Champion and renowned actress—Diantha.
Because of Ralts' affection toward Gu Qiu, Miss Joy's impression of him improved significantly.
"Judging by how she's acting, she probably won't let me bathe her later. Why don't you handle it instead?"
"Me?"
"Please take out your Trainer License. I'll register you."
The Pokémon Center in Pewter City stood eighteen floors tall.
The first six floors mainly housed Pokémon-related services and facilities.
The upper twelve floors were residential.
Accommodation was divided according to trainer rank.
In the Dragon Nation, trainers held a highly respected status.
Starting from the twelfth floor, rank restrictions applied.
Floors 12–14 were reserved for Elite Trainers.
Floors 15–16 were for Quasi-King Trainers.
The seventeenth floor housed King-level powerhouses. It was said that from the seventeenth floor upward, the rooms became exceptionally spacious.
The eighteenth floor was reserved for Titled Kings, Champions, and individuals of extremely distinguished status.
Floors 7–12 had no rank requirement—any trainer could stay as long as they could afford the price.
The higher the floor, the more expensive the room.
Gu Qiu sold the seven mid-grade Pokémon he had captured.
The price wasn't particularly high—most were relatively common species.
Still, selling all seven earned him a substantial amount of Poké Dollars, and a smile immediately spread across his face.
Catching Pokémon to resell truly was profitable.
No wonder so many people became poachers.
In a way, this also served as a form of compensation for ordinary trainers.
Aside from those backed by powerful families, independent trainers required enormous resources to grow stronger.
Gu Qiu managing to capture seven Pokémon this time was largely due to exceptional luck.
He left Frogadier and Pika-Itachi at the Pokémon Center.
Primarily for recovery and treatment.
Pokémon required regular checkups to ensure no hidden injuries remained after training.
The cost wasn't high.
From the moment one became a Rookie Trainer, medical insurance could be enrolled.
For treatments and examinations, the state covered most of the expense.
Otherwise, ordinary people truly wouldn't be able to afford it.
Gu Qiu booked a room on the twelfth floor.
Five hundred Poké Dollars per night.
The room was fairly spacious and even had a bathtub—perfect for letting Ralts enjoy a proper bath.
"Ralts, come here. I'll give you a bath."
Gu Qiu spoke casually.
Unexpectedly, Ralts' face flushed slightly.
Gu Qiu looked at her in confusion.
Was she… shy?
He shook his head, free of distracting thoughts.
In his mind, Ralts was just a child. Any other considerations would only matter after she evolved into Gardevoir.
"I'll run some warm water first."
As expected of the Pokémon Center.
The facilities were excellent.
Even the body wash was a special single-use bottle exclusively supplied by the Center.
Completely different from ordinary hotel toiletries.
It carried a light osmanthus fragrance—soothing and pleasant.
After adjusting the water temperature, Gu Qiu called Ralts over.
She looked somewhat hesitant.
Gu Qiu simply picked her up.
Ralts didn't resist.
"Ralts…"
Her soft voice stirred an overwhelming urge to protect her.
Gu Qiu gently placed Ralts into the comfortably warm bathwater.
The pleasant sensation made her let out a soft, content—
"Ralts…"
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