Chapter 365: Mo En and Nihilego: The Slumbering Weald

Deep within the Crown Tundra.

Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang arrived before a single-story house built of stone bricks, its roof covered in thick snow, with trees growing all around it.

The area near the house was simply enclosed by a wooden fence, featuring several small, cleared fields planting crops capable of surviving in the icy snow.

Looking at the house before them, Lei Guan Wang immediately pulled tight on the reins, and Ice Rider Horse halted its steps accordingly.

"Daring to build a house and live alone deep within the Crown Tundra, it seems the owner of this house is quite a skilled and bold person."

Hearing Lei Guan Wang's sighing voice, Luo Mu mimicked him by pulling tight on the reins; when Shadow Rider Horse stopped, Luo Mu glanced at it with some regret.

Indeed, the unity of human and horse is Lei Guan Wang's privilege; since he possessed no special ability to release energy and was not a Pokémon himself, it was naturally impossible for him to achieve resonance with Shadow Rider Horse and enter that state of unity.

A talking Pokémon?

Mo En blinked his eyes, finding it somewhat novel, and became especially interested in Lei Guan Wang.

"However, who among us will take the photo?"

That such a tiny box could even trap time, keeping himself and Cosmog's past inside it—had human technology evolved to this extent?

Since he could not figure it out, Mo En did not ponder further, simply stepping aside to allow enough space to pass, and after watching Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang lead Vulpix, Luxray, and Cosmog into the room, he cast a worried glance at Shadow Rider Horse and Ice Rider Horse outside before closing the wooden door.

Before long, accompanied by a creaking sound as the wooden door opened, a middle-aged man with blond hair wearing work clothes walked out.

He could feel a certain desire rising from the depths of his heart, yet lacking a key to match it, leaving Mo En unable to understand what he was thinking.

This also proved that as a visitor from another dimension, its connection to this world had become even tighter.

If he and Lei Guan Wang were to expose its identity now, even if Mo En recovered his memories, the Ultra Beast "Lillie" might depart immediately, something he was unwilling to witness.

But for some reason, Luo Mu seemed to have known something all along, not asking him to uncover that secret, but instead departing after some casual chat.

Mo En paused for a moment, then smiled helplessly: "You are right."

That was precisely why Mo En had been able to live here for several years.

This Nihilego "Lillie" was essentially an outlier among Ultra Beasts; much like Ash's Poipole, it was very close to humans, possessed rich emotions, and was destined to be an important member of Mo En's family in the future.

Once everyone had taken their positions, Luo Mu gave Lei Guan Wang a signal; understanding the cue, Lei Guan Wang used the method Luo Mu had taught it, manipulating the camera with telekinesis to focus and pressing the shutter.

The Nihilego "Lillie" inside the house probably had an Ultra Aura so faint by now that it was nearly imperceptible.

For instance, the piano Lillie was playing inside the house had been traded from the village, and he had gone through considerable trouble to move it back.

Compared to the relatively tidy and bright exterior, the light inside the house was quite dim.

Waiting until the tea had cooled completely, Luo Mu finally stood up and asked Mo En: "Before we leave, Mr. Mo En, could you grant me one more request?"

Mo En placed his hands slightly on his hips and shouted toward the room where the sound of the piano was coming from: "Lillie, we have guests!"

"A matching aura, huh..."

Thinking this, Luo Mu exchanged a glance with Lei Guan Wang, then holding Vulpix and accompanied by Luxray, he walked straight to the front of the house and knocked on the door a few times with a thud.

Lei Guan Wang nodded gently, its voice sounding in Luo Mu's mind: "On the other side of that door lies an aura consistent with an Ultra Wormhole, though it has become quite faint."

A kettle hanging from an iron chain descending from the ceiling was emitting steam, suggesting the water inside would soon boil.

Luo Mu played a little coy, holding Vulpix as he stood on Mo En's right side, while Lei Guan Wang held Cosmog and stood on Mo En's left side, with Ice Rider Horse and Shadow Rider Horse standing behind them thanks to their tall stature.

At that moment, the just-awakened Cosmog floated up from Lei Guan Wang's arms, landed smoothly on top of Luo Mu's head, and let out a big yawn in front of Mo En.

To Lei Guan Wang, that house seemed very strange; it neither let in light nor possessed any mirrors, as if designed to conceal something.

Just as Mo En was about to enter the room to call Lillie out, Luo Mu stopped him: "There is no need; since Mr. Mo En's daughter is shy with strangers, let us not force her."

Although not quite understanding what "Happy end" meant, Lei Guan Wang still nodded and followed Luo Mu's arrangement.

Holding up the camera, Luo Mu asked politely: "As you know, I am a tourist who enjoys traveling everywhere, so could Mr. Mo En take a photo with me and my Pokémon?"

"."

Luo Mu nodded gently and offered the answer he had prepared long ago.

Perhaps the aura Lei Guan Wang sensed was a special kind of field; although the authorities had not named it, Luo Mu felt calling it an Ultra Aura was extremely appropriate.

Ultra Beasts that traveled from Ultra Space through an Ultra Wormhole to this world would carry a special aura similar to that of Alpha Pokémon.

Should one say this is worthy of a former Pokémon Professor?

Perhaps due to the auras of Luxray and Lei Guan Wang, the "Lillie" inside had no intention of appearing; Luo Mu did not insist that Mo En must bring "Lillie" out, as doing so would only make matters more complicated.

But even so, the entire room remained incredibly dim, showing that this place indeed had no electricity.

Emitting a neigh filled with a hint of anger, before the two horses could cause any trouble, Lei Guan Wang's spiritual power soothed them, and its voice sounded accordingly.

Yet regardless, both he and Lillie found such days very fulfilling and took great joy in them.

Within this quiet forest, some existence was indeed sleeping, and the purpose of Lei Guan Wang's journey here was to see them one last time before leaving Galar.

"Of course," Mo En agreed to Luo Mu's request very readily, voluntarily suggesting: "Let us go outside; the light inside the house is a bit weak."

This kind of aura would gradually disappear over time, just like Cosmog was now.

"This place is quite far from the village; everyone has traveled a long distance, so you must be tired."

Holding with one hand."

"Yes, they are my partners; when I came to the Crown Tundra for sightseeing, I temporarily stayed in Freezington for a while, where I heard from the villagers about Mr. Mo En's existence; curious as to who could live alone deep within the Crown Tundra, I specially came to pay a visit."

This made Lei Guan Wang even more curious about this friend of theirs who seemed to know everything.

"You will know in a moment."

The smell was actually quite clean, with only the scent of burning charcoal at the tip of the nose.

Seizing this opportunity, Luo Mu glanced at Vulpix and Cosmog frolicking on Luxray's back, then turned to Lei Guan Wang and whispered: "Did you notice anything?"

Attracted by the sound, Mo En directly removed the hot water kettle hanging from the iron chain with his bare hands, ran to the side, and began brewing tea.

If Luo Mu had not known there was indeed a "Lillie" inside the house, he might have mistaken Mo En for someone suffering from the same condition as the Dragonite leader, imagining a non-existent daughter to stay by his side.

A thoughtful expression appeared on Luo Mu's face.

Lei Guan Wang had some matters it wished to settle with the existence within the Slumbering Weald.

Luo Mu had no intention of going to the Crown Tundra Station, but instead chose to ride Shadow Rider Horse directly toward the town.

Mo En's gaze first fell upon Cosmog, then shifted to the Vulpix in Luo Mu's arms, and he praised, "Truly adorable Pokémon; are they your companions?"

Though it was somewhat regrettable, Luo Mu did not dwell excessively on the matter.

Most Ultra Beasts possess formidable strength; judging by the power of that shiny Nihilego in the animation, along with their race's potent neurotoxin, most wild Pokémon should not dare to provoke it.

Smiling, Luo Mu said, "Allow me to introduce myself: I am Luo Mu, and these are my companions: Luxray, Vulpix, Cosmog, Lei Guan Wang, Shadow Rider, and Ice Rider."

Stepping outside, the Shadow Rider and Ice Rider, who had been obediently waiting by the door, drew some admiration from Mo En; "Truly two intelligent and majestic fine horses; with them here, traveling a thousand li a day should pose no problem for you."

The windows were covered in thick dust, preventing even sunlight from penetrating; only the charcoal burning for warmth emitted a faint glow, just enough to keep one from being unable to see one's own hand before one's face.

Essentially, Mo En answered every question, resolving most of Luo Mu's inquiries.

It was as if he were racing against something.

When Mo En returned to Luo Mu carrying several cups of tea and some Pokémon food, Luo Mu, accepting the steaming hot tea, pretended to be a curious tourist and asked Mo En ordinary questions about whether living deep within the Crown Tundra caused any inconveniences and how he usually lived.

As if suddenly thinking of something, Lei Guan Wang, with a slightly serious expression, reminded Luo Mu and the Luxray following beside the Ice Rider and Shadow Rider to hold nothing back and gallop at full speed toward the direction of the Slumbering Weald as he remembered it.

Seeing this, Mo En said helplessly, "My apologies; my daughter is somewhat afraid of strangers."

However, because I have been slightly busy recently, I simply haven't had time to transmit it to the Messenger Bird via the Black Ball yet.

Then, Mo En stepped aside and invited, "If you don't mind, would you like to come in for a cup of tea?"

"Why do you want to take that thing called a photograph with Mo En?"

To be honest, when Lei Guan Wang first saw Luo Mu take out a camera to photograph himself and Cosmog, he was like an ancient person encountering modern technology, utterly shocked.

In the afternoon, Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang politely declined Mo En's invitation to stay for dinner and set out on the road to Postwick.

"However... since you do not ride horses, I am afraid I cannot provide a stable; will those two very handsome horses of yours be alright?"

Mistaken by Mo En for ordinary horses meant to stay in a stable, the Shadow Rider and Ice Rider, who had once been kings of the Pokémon in the Crown Tundra, were furious—a rage that not even Mo En's praise of their handsomeness could extinguish.

Fortunately, there is still a very long... no, for me, it should be considered a short amount of time in the future to understand him.

Luo Mu took a brand-new camera out of his backpack; this was one he had specially purchased based on Sha-Li's suggestion.

Although Luo Mu later explained the principles of the camera to Lei Guan Wang in detail, Lei Guan Wang remained intensely curious about the camera.

"I see."

He exhaled a puff of white breath, looked at Luo Mu and the two tall, majestic horses behind him with curious eyes, and asked puzzledly, "It is me... may I ask who you are?"

Glancing at Mo En, who was busy brewing tea nearby, Luo Mu lowered his voice again to speak to Lei Guan Wang: "Let us not expose this point; otherwise, we will not be able to reach the happy ending of a family reunion."

Sensing the aura inside the house, Lei Guan Wang had intended to say something, but remembering Luo Mu's earlier admonition, he chose to remain silent.

Sitting atop the Shadow Rider, Luo Mu paused mid-stroke as he combed the Vulpix's fur.

But no responding sound came from inside the house; the piano music still had not stopped.

"My beloved horses, please wait outside for a moment; I shall return shortly." Lei Guan Wang floated to Luo Mu's side, nodded lightly to Mo En, and said, "It is hard to refuse such hospitality; then I shall trouble the homeowner to prepare tea."

Luo Mu was still worried that after introducing so many Pokémon to Mo En all at once, he might not be able to remember them all.

Meanwhile, the Luxray stood before Luo Mu, Mo En, and Lei Guan Wang.

Usually, he often goes outside with Lillie to gather edible wild plants and valuable medicinal herbs, exchanging these items for supplies in Freezington, and he also cultivates some crops outside the house.

"Mogu~"

Swaying his body along with the Ice Rider's movements, Lei Guan Wang looked curiously at Luo Mu, who was holding the camera and examining the photograph.

The one who tied the bell must untie it; only Mo En's family members can conquer the Ultra Beast "Lillie."

However, before that, we must follow Lei Guan Wang's wishes and take a slight detour to visit the surrounding Slumbering Weald.

The trees of the Slumbering Weald were not particularly tall, but they were arranged very densely; with the canopies overlapping one another, sunlight found it extremely difficult to penetrate, making this forest seem as if, at every moment, it had fallen into a quiet slumber just as its name suggested.

Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang sat together on a wooden bench built against the wall, restraining the Vulpix and Cosmog from being too mischievous in someone else's home.

Mo En nodded: "Go ahead and speak."

Just as when he and his daughter Lillie had first lived here, this house built of stone bricks was still very dilapidated; it was he who had repaired it bit by bit to its current condition.

At this moment, the water in the kettle boiled completely, and the continuous whistling sound was exceptionally piercing and attention-grabbing.

Around five o'clock in the afternoon, having already left the Crown Tundra far behind and with the surroundings restored to a vibrant green, they finally saw the outline of the Slumbering Weald.

Mo En paused only for an instant before accurately repeating the name of every Pokémon, then said to Luo Mu, "I see; I welcome your visit, however, I must correct one point: it is not just I who reside here; my lovely daughter Lillie also lives here with me."

"Hello, may I ask if Mr. Mo En is at home?"

Shaking off the ice crystals covering the brush, Luo Mu replied, "Consider this photograph as evidence; later, when I go to the Alola region, I plan to hand it over to Mo En's family so they may reunite, and while I am at it, earn a favor."

Lei Guan Wang nodded thoughtfully.

Luo Mu also knew that the specific reason Lei Guan Wang had come to the Slumbering Weald was to see someone.

The hero who once drove away Eternatus from the darkness, saving the Galar region from imminent destruction, and who wielded the legendary Sword and Shield.

The King of Swords, Zacian, and the King of Shields, Zamazenta!

(End of Chapter)