Chapter 241: Aroma Lady

【Simulation Start】

In a pixel-style background, an old mansion set within a beautiful garden slowly came into All Baimu's view.

In the garden.

Many Pokémon wandered about, roaming here and there. Basically all grass-, bug-, and Normal-type Pokémon — the kind you can find anywhere in the wild.

The camera pulled to the front door of the old mansion.

A big sister in a pink blouse and white skirt walked out of the old mansion, accompanied by a Roselia that barely reached her knee.

"This lady here is… which big sister?"

All Baimu was stumped for a moment — he really couldn't tell which in-game NPC her appearance was based on, so he had to file her away as "big sister" for now.

Narration appeared.

【At eighteen, you decided to follow your friend's advice and set out on a journey to see more Pokémon, in order to verify and improve your research results】

Research… results?

All Baimu stared at the pixel sprite in surprise. A researcher shouldn't be dressed like that — the profession of this simulation subject was bewilderingly unclear.

But before he could wonder too long, the narration gave him the answer.

The pixel sprite walked over to a Sentret that was wobbling about with a blue bad-mood icon floating over its head, pulled out a strange little bottle, and waved it under its nose.

Soon the Sentret perked right up, bouncing with energy as it ran circles around the big sister.

In the blink of an eye, more Sentret popped out of the grass, happily tumbling about with the first one.

【You watch the recovered Sentret and smile happily — it is precisely because of these lovely Pokémon that you have spent so many years working hard to develop various perfumes】

Perfume!

All Baimu had a sudden revelation — at last he knew who this was: 【Aroma Lady】!

This type of Trainer often uses Grass-type Pokémon in the games, and is always surrounded by little sparkles symbolizing fragrance.

Hmm, the fact that he could even remember what she was called was no small feat.

He muttered a private complaint, curious as to what reason a perfume-obsessed Aroma Lady would have for challenging Gyms… wait, what if the simulation subject didn't plan to challenge Gyms or the League? Would that mean no reward, or only the most basic reward?

That couldn't be possible, right?

Surely someone chosen as a simulation subject would challenge Gyms and enter the League.

All Baimu's heart was drumming with uncertainty, and then he watched the Aroma Lady plunge into the forest with Roselia, walking through the woods with practiced ease.

Clearly she wandered around forests often — but she seemed to be looking for something…

Suddenly.

The Aroma Lady crouched beneath a tree.

【You obtained a five-year-old herb, which made you very happy】

Herbs? All Baimu watched the Aroma Lady and Roselia bustling about the forest, looking just like hardworking Combee, and understood that she was gathering materials for making perfume.

But in the next moment he realized the Aroma Lady wasn't only collecting raw materials — she also treated injured Pokémon in the forest.

The latter always knew exactly where wild Pokémon would lick their wounds or convalesce after getting sick or hurt; with a casual turn she could find their nests, then cautiously lure them out and heal their various injuries.

Her patients ranged from Oddish and Cherubi all the way to Arbok and Dustox — Pokémon that weren't exactly easy to get along with — and she treated them all equally, or used incense to perk them up.

Occasionally, when she ran into uncooperative patients, Roseria would step in forcefully, using Grass Knot or Leech Seed to make them perfectly obedient.

【You found an injured Arbok, healed its wounds, and it gratefully offered you a Berry — you smiled and declined】

《The First Clan》

A-An angel!

All Baimu couldn't help but sigh in admiration, feeling the Aroma Lady was basically the barefoot doctor of the Pokémon world — she healed wherever she went, and her medical skills were exceptionally good.

So far he hadn't seen a single Pokémon that the narration said she couldn't cure.

If Brock met this angel of a lady, he'd probably be so moved he'd cry and propose on the spot, right?

In the picture.

The Aroma Lady walked along, treating every injured or sick Pokémon she came across, basically using raw materials found in the forest to make healing medicine.

Of course, she didn't refuse all payment.

When she met certain Grass-type Pokémon, she would collect some bodily fluids or pollen from them — the narration said these were the main raw materials for making perfume.

Before long the Aroma Lady had already crossed an entire vast forest and arrived at a small town that looked somewhat "rustic."

Why call it rustic?

Because most of the buildings here were in the style of ancient Japanese architecture, with only a small portion being modern concrete construction. It gave All Baimu an inexplicable feeling of having traveled back many years.

Presumably this simulation's timeline was set fairly early.

【You have arrived at Lavaridge Town. Your longing for the hot springs, said to cure a hundred ailments, makes you eagerly contact your friend】

The Aroma Lady stood by the roadside waiting, and soon a vintage Volkswagen Beetle drove up. A woman in a dress got out and picked her up.

All Baimu nearly couldn't stop himself from spitting out a mouthful of cocoa.

A black Beetle!

What era is this timeline set in?!

He could swear this simulation was the earliest one he'd ever seen — it had gone all the way back to the vintage-car era.

There couldn't possibly not even be a League yet…

That couldn't be — Lavaridge Gym Leader Flannery's grandfather had been an Elite Four member before stepping down, so the Pokémon League should have existed quite early.

On the screen.

After arriving at Lavaridge Town, the Aroma Lady soaked in the hot springs under her friend's hospitality.

Their conversation notably included the Gym.

【You heard from your friend that there's a very impressive Gym in Lavaridge Town. She strongly recommends you challenge it, and mentions that the Gym Leader has Pokémon not found in the Hoenn region】

【You are very interested in this】

The narration fell, and the scene shifted.

Fragrance Sister tracked down the Cinnabar Gym and knocked on its front door.

Then, a young man walked out from inside the Cinnabar Gym; upon seeing Fragrance Sister, a great many lines of text floated up across his forehead and quickly vanished.

【You learned from the Gym Leader that challenging the Gym requires owning three Pokémon, which left you — who only had a Roselia — feeling regretful】

【You raised the idea of meeting the other party's Pokémon, and the Gym Leader refused】

Gym Leader!

This one really is Agatha's grandfather!

Baimu looked at that young pixelated figure and realized the timeline was probably some fifty or sixty years before the present. And Agatha's grandfather, before becoming one of the Elite Four, had also served as a Gym Leader; after stepping down from the Elite Four, he had come back to be a Gym Leader once more.

In the scene, Fragrance Sister left in disappointment after being refused, but she clearly wasn't going to be discouraged by it — she decisively ran to a nearby forest to search for Pokémon to catch.

Her powerful execution made Baimu gasp in admiration.