Silas originally had no intention of spending much time in Pewter.
However, Tropius was exhausted and Espeon needed her rest too.
His Pokémon had battled hard for him so he wanted to give them ample time to relax and recover. Continuing immediately would be pointless.
"One night should be enough. I'll make the best of this."
Silas pulled out his device.
"I might as well enjoy myself. I've been working hard for over a year, it wasn't just the Pokémon busting their asses. Sometimes I forget that i get tired too haha."
He booked a room at one of the city's most luxurious hotels.
It was known as the Diamond Hotel. More specifically, he rented their Loft Suite. The price was a staggering 300,000 Pokédollars for a single night.
Silas stared at the number for several seconds before confirming the reservation.
"I have money and a little bit of power now. It's not too bad for me and the Pokémon to splurge on ourselves."
That night, Silas and his Pokémon experienced a completely different kind of recovery. The suite was enormous. The beds alone were better than most places Silas had slept since arriving in this world.
There was plenty of space for all of his Pokémon but the real attraction was the private healing pool. The water was warm and infused with materials specifically meant to improve Pokémon recovery.
Tropius soaked in it for several hours. Combined with Synthesis, the results were impressive. She thoroughly enjoyed her time. Fortunately, her injuries from the gym battle were mainly bruises.
Nothing was broken or required serious medical treatment. By the end of the evening, Tropius had nearly made a complete recovery.
Silas decided that if he was already spending money, he might as well commit.
Another 100,000 Pokédollars went toward high-quality meals.
He made sure to get nutrient-dense dishes specifically designed for Pokémon. This was one of the main reason why rich trainers have a much higher starting point. Nutrient dense food is extremely important for Pokémon.
Pokeblocks were just as important but nutrient dense food was easier to obtain. The only difference was that it improved a Pokémon's physical body while Pokeblocks mainly focused on energy.
This was why Silas always made sure his Pokemon had good quality food in the wild even if the wild animals were annoying to hunt.
Fresh fruits, high quality meat, energy rich vegetables, they even had supplements mixed into meals without ruining the taste.
Silas' Pokémon ate like royalty that night and so did he.
For 400,000 Pokédollars in a single night, it was worth it. Silas leaned back and stared at the ceiling.
He understood now.
Being wealthy was amazing.
Comfort, convenience, better food, faster recovery, better treatment. Nearly every inconvenience became smaller once enough money was applied to it.
Then Silas caught himself.
He couldn't become too comfortable. The 150 million Giovanni had given him was substantial, but it wasn't unlimited.
Much of it would eventually be invested. He needed to fund acquiring land and Pokémon for his Spartan faction.
They will need training manuals and resources to grow properly into the powerful, reliable force he wanted.
He wanted to get involved in business too. If he could get a strong foothold into a few prominent markets, that would be best. That way, he'd have a constant inflow of funds. Everything was for greater strength.
Silas looked at himself in the mirror.
For a moment, he thought he should remain humble.
Then another thought entered his head.
"Why should I humble myself? My ambitions are reasonable. Look at all I've accomplished already."
"Yeah boss! That's the spirit."
"Yeah, don't ever feel bad that you are spoiling us, especially me. I fly you around whenever you need me to and I think we all deserve to be pampered once in a while."
"You all are right, we've been working hard and will be working even harder and earning more too. So what's the harm in splurging on ourselves once in a while?"
Infernape and Electivire poured him a drink in a tall mug.
"You gotta try this. It's special mix of berries, it's so sweet."
Silas nearly fell over laughing seeing the purple splashes on Electivire's yellow fur.
"Yeah we can tell you've been enjoying yourself a little too much."
The rest of the Pokémon joined him in laughter.
Silas got up and stared at his reflection in the bathroom.
"I will have this kind of wealth one day. Not borrowed wealth. Not a reward from Giovanni. My own that nobody can lay a claim to."
Silas' expression became increasingly determined as he made a promise to himself.
There was no reason to feel guilty for enjoying luxury. The shame would be to indulge too much and become complacent or lazy.
He simply needed to reach a point where spending 400,000 Pokédollars on a hotel night meant nothing.
"I'll be great. Plain and simple. With my system and knowledge of this world, it is an attainable goal."
That night, Silas and his Pokémon enjoyed everything the Diamond Hotel offered.
The staff bringing food to the room were happy too.
Silas spent another 100,000 Pokédollars in tips throughout the stay.
Expensive?
Absolutely.
But Silas wasn't spending completely without purpose.
The Diamond Hotel wasn't some random luxury chain. It was one of the most prestigious hotel brands in the Pokémon world. There were competitors, but Diamond comfortably remained among the top.
The hotel also held strategic value for his future goals. It's headquarters were located in Sinnoh. Silas had already accepted Giovanni's mission.
Eventually, Sinnoh would become one of his primary targets.
Establishing even small connections with influential Sinnoh businesses now could become useful later.
Silas didn't expect a single hotel stay to suddenly open doors but people remembered unusual customers. Especially wealthy trainers with powerful Pokémon.
Silas had intentionally made himself noticeable.
Several upper-level staff members had already begun paying attention to him.
Silas knew they had quietly investigated his identity. What they found had been confusing.
Silas Cross appeared to be an ordinary young trainer from Pallet Town with no famous family or major corporate backing. Nothing explaining his spending habits. Yet he had arrived riding an obviously powerful Tropius.
He had spent hundreds of thousands of Pokédollars without hesitation. He tipped generously and he treated the staff politely.
Most importantly, he didn't possess the arrogant demeanor typically associated with wealthy heirs.
From his spending alone, he could have been mistaken for a spoiled rich kid. Everything else contradicted that impression.
Using his telepathy subtly, he was able to easily gleam these details from the workers of the hotel and the few higher ups he had the pleasure interacting with.
The following afternoon, Silas prepared to leave.
His Pokémon had eaten. Tropius was fully recovered. Most importantly, everyone was well rested and ready to face the next challenge together.
Silas headed through the lobby.
"Mr. Cross."
He turned.
A well-dressed, bald, middle-aged woman approached him. She had an elegant demeanor about her that made the bald look work for her.
She was like an unfathomable monk. Her posture and the immediate respect shown by nearby employees made it obvious she held a senior position.
"Please take care."
She smiled warmly.
"It has been a pleasure hosting you as our guest. We sincerely hope you visit again."
Silas returned the smile.
"Thank you. My Pokémon and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay."
He nodded.
"We'll certainly visit again."
The woman extended a hand.
"I'm Nyla."
Silas shook it.
"Next time you come back, I'll personally treat you and your Pokémon to a drink."
Her smile widened.
"Trust me, they'll love it."
Silas laughed slightly.
"Ms. Nyla, I look forward to it."
Silas meant this sincerely. As higher up of a chain hotel like this, Nyla wasn't likely a strong trainer but she certainly possessed real power in society.
He released Tropius outside.
"Until next time."
Silas climbed onto her back. Tropius spread her wings and then they rose into the sky.
Nyla remained outside for several moments watching them disappear.
A man approximately her age stepped beside her.
"Do you think that kid will actually be back?"
Nyla looked toward him.
"I looked into him."
The man shrugged.
"He's just a regular kid."
He paused.
"Some potential as a trainer, sure, but nothing particularly special on paper."
Nyla continued watching the distant silhouette of Tropius and she smiled faintly.
"I can see why you're skeptical but something about the way he carries himself…"
She turned around.
"I wouldn't bet against a guy like that. He likely has some secret backing. Getting close to him now costs us nothing but offers endless benefits in the future. Also, he paid us good money, was respectful, and tipped the staff well. Why shouldn't I treat him like an honored guest?"
The man was speechless and said no more. Clearly, Silas Cross had left a deep impression on his boss.
Elsewhere, Silas had no idea he had left any lasting impression.
He was already thinking about Cerulean City.
The flight there would be slightly more dangerous.
The League-approved route required trainers to travel through the lower levels of Mount Moon.
Silas had no intention of doing that. The official route was safer but it was also slower.
For someone with Tropius, Flygon, and multiple advanced Pokémon, Silas considered it a waste of time.
During the first day, they covered more than half the distance toward Cerulean. By nightfall, however, Silas decided to stop. Flying through mountainous terrain at night without a reason was unnecessary.
He released Excadrill and Flygon.
"I want somewhere comfortable underground."
Both Pokémon immediately got to work. Using their Ground type abilities, they excavated a series of underground chambers.
Silas made sure ventilation shafts were included.
The resulting shelter was hidden, secure, and significantly more comfortable than an ordinary tent.
Their stopping point was roughly between the unnamed mountain region and Mount Moon.
Locals had a name for the area.
Crescent Valley.
Silas stood near the entrance to the newly created shelter and looked out across the dark valley.
Tomorrow they would continue toward Cerulean.
For tonight, they could rest.