Chapter 438: The Loyal Three Accompany: A Minshuku for Grandchildren

Because it was currently daytime, the Spectrier, whose vision had somewhat deteriorated, could barely make out its surroundings.

Fortunately, even though its vision had declined, the Spectrier's other five senses were far sharper than those of ordinary Pokémon.

Even without sight, by detecting its surroundings through its other senses, the Spectrier could still accurately grasp the terrain and the positions of living creatures.

As an area famous for agriculture, although it lacked wide main roads, a road leading to Kitakami had still been constructed.

Thanks to this, Luo Mu was able to let the Spectrier gallop forward along this road while he, with an Applin munching on his head and a Mimikyu carried on his shoulder, read a Kitakami promotional booklet he had picked up from the airport.

There were actually quite a few vehicles entering and exiting Kitakami on the road, all of which unanimously curiously sized up Luo Mu riding the Spectrier, attracting numerous gazes.

Although Luo Mu had checked the information in advance, online information was not one hundred percent accurate; instead, these travel booklets, which were frequently updated at the airport, mostly contained up-to-date news.

After browsing through it, most of the information was similar to what Luo Mu remembered from his data, though there were also many detailed additions.

Kitakami was far from being a region; it was merely a corner of some region.

At the same time, the town where the people living in Kitakami resided was called Mossui Town, while Kitakami was the general name for an area radiating far outward from Mossui Town, composed of multiple terrains.

Towering mountains surrounded Kitakami; the foothills were where people lived and went about their daily lives. It was because of these abundant natural resources that this town, isolated deep within the mountains, had been able to continue its lineage.

Enjoying the rare breeze blowing past as the Spectrier galloped, the Applin noticed Luo Mu looking at something, carefully poked half its body out of its apple, and curiously stared at the promotional booklet in Luo Mu's hand.

When Luo Mu turned the page to a photo of Apple Hill, the place of origin of Kitakami's specialty apples, the Applin's eyes immediately lit up.

"Kaji!"

It knew that once it reached that place, it could complete its evolution.

The Mimikyu on Luo Mu's shoulder felt slightly envious of the Applin and its kind.

It seemed to be the type of Pokémon that had been unable to evolve since its birth; having seen so many companions evolve and heard them describe the feeling of evolution, to say it wasn't envious would definitely be false.

However.

Mimikyu looked down at its nice decorations, and the little face hidden inside the rag doll costume blushed slightly.

Having just this was enough for it.

The promotional booklet was very thin, only about a dozen pages; apart from the few pages introducing Kitakami's environment, most of it depicted anecdotes and legends passed down orally by the residents of Kitakami.

"It is said that long, long ago, there was a very terrifying Ogre in Kitakami.

The Ogre occupied the mountain behind the village and would usually play pranks to scare people who entered the mountains to pick mountain delicacies and medicinal herbs.

But suddenly one day, the Ogre flew into a Lei Ting rage, suddenly descended the mountain, and plunged the villagers into panic.

At that time, Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti happened to be in the village; these three Pokémon, seeing injustice and drawing their swords to help, staked their lives and finally drove the Ogre back into the mountains.

Since then, these three heroic Pokémon received new titles from the villagers' mouths; everyone affectionately called them the Loyal Three, buried their remains with great honor, built statues of the Loyal Three atop them, and established the Loyalty Plaza."

This was the Legend of the Loyal Three passed down through generations in Kitakami.

Unfortunately, the promotional booklet only mentioned this story; regarding the so-called appearance images of the three Loyal Ones and their statues, no pictures were attached, as if deliberately concealing them to some extent to arouse tourists' curiosity.

After all, holding a pipa half-covering the face ultimately attracts curiosity more easily than exposing everything openly and generously.

An Ogre, plus Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti—that was already four unheard-of Pokémon at once; adding Heiyue mentioned by Carmine, Kitakami was quite interesting.

Could it really be DLC content he hadn't played yet, or perhaps a part of a new region? Was that so-called Ogre some kind of Ghost-type Pokémon?

One fighting three and killing them all was just like a villain boss in a game, moreover a villain boss that directly killed the hero; just how strong was it? Could it be a Legendary Pokémon? Plus Heiyue and Kitakami's various famous products, Luo Mu admitted that his interest in Kitakami was growing thicker.

The Spectrier's pace was fast; before mealtime, Luo Mu already saw the outline of Mossui Town in Kitakami.

In the distance were continuous undulating mountain ranges; the peaks of the layered ridges were shrouded in mist and clouds, covered with verdant vegetation.

Nearby, along the road entering the town, a clear stream wound around the town, its gurgling sound interweaving with the chirping of unknown bird Pokémon from afar.

To let Luo Mu see more carefully, the Spectrier stepped on soul-like drifting mist and flew into the sky, as if walking on air.

Amidst the exclamations of wonder from the Applin and Mimikyu, Luo Mu gazed out at Mossui Town built at the foot of the mountains.

The entire town style of Mossui Town looked like very standard Japanese single-family homes, full of rustic charm.

Gazing slightly farther away, apart from that vast forest of unknown depth, the hills near Mossui Town were planted full of apple trees; green leaves and red apples interwove, looking extremely pleasing to the eye.

There was also the "Wisteria Pond" within "Wisteria Field," called the "Kitakami Six Selections" in the promotional booklet, which seemed somewhat similar to the "Paldea Ten Views."

"Eh?"

Only when Luo Mu glanced at the furthest mountain peak did he inadvertently let out a light exclamation.

Was it his illusion? The summit of that mountain seemed to be glowing? A moment later.

After finishing appreciating the scenery, Luo Mu had the Spectrier descend first.

After all, because they had stayed in the air for quite a while, the villagers of Mossui Town who were currently active outside had all noticed the existence of Luo Mu and the Spectrier, and were all stretching their necks to look up at the sky.

Luo Mu, who had simply come to travel, did not want to be so high-profile; he didn't want the entire town of Mossui to know about him before he had even checked into an inn.

Deciding to simply not think about the glowing mountaintop for now, he patted the Spectrier's neck and had it descend first.

After landing, Luo Mu first recalled the Spectrier into a Poké Ball, then, with the Applin still on his head and the Mimikyu on his shoulder, he walked into Mossui Town with a straight face and carrying his backpack, under the watchful eyes of many townspeople.

He did not notice that among the onlooking villagers, two people kept staring at his back until he disappeared before withdrawing their gazes.

Inside Mossui Town.

Although it was in the countryside, road signs were properly erected on the roads of Mossui Town; plus, with the information reminder sent by Carmine, Luo Mu quickly found the place where he would be staying for these few days.

From the appearance, it looked like an ordinary single-family house; in reality, this was a minshuku operated by the residents of Mossui Town in their spare time.

The architectural style followed the overall style of Mossui Town; it was neither conspicuous nor ugly.

Under Carmine's strong recommendation, Luo Mu ultimately did not choose the Mossui Town Community Center but instead chose this nameless minshuku.

"I hope there's a private hot spring," Luo Mu muttered, pressing the doorbell on the wall.

Ding-dong~

After a crisp and long doorbell sound rang out, Luo Mu waited a few seconds before a slightly aged voice responded from inside the house.

"Coming~"

With a swish, a somewhat old-fashioned wooden sliding door was pulled open, and an elderly person with a head full of white hair walked out.

Looking at his somewhat peculiar, slightly long center-parted hairstyle that exposed his entire forehead, Luo Mu subconsciously thought of an old acquaintance.

The old man sported a handlebar mustache with a tuft on his chin; stroking his beard lightly, he walked toward Luo Mu with a beaming smile.

"Could it be that you are the guest checking in today?"

The old man asked with a hint of puzzlement.

It wasn't that he recognized Luo Mu; rather, based on Luo Mu's attire, which differed from that of the residents of Emerald Town in the Northern Province, and the fact that he carried a backpack, he had simply made a basic inference.

"Hello, I am Luo Mu; I believe I already have a reservation, correct?"

As he spoke, Luo Mu's gaze once again fell upon the nameplate hanging on the wall beside the doorbell, confirming he hadn't taken a wrong turn.

"It is indeed you; of course there's a reservation—that girl Shari booked it for you several days in advance."

The old man nodded and stepped aside to gesture for Luo Mu to enter.

Luo Mu followed him inside and changed into disposable slippers at the entryway.

It had to be said, the house exuded a strong Japanese style; from the structure of the entryway to the wooden floors that emitted a faint creak underfoot, and the various decorations consistent with this aesthetic, everything made Luo Mu feel as though he had traveled through time again.

Come to think of it, the Northern Province's location was close to the Kanto and Sinnoh regions; everyone who understood knew the prototypes of those two regions, so it was no surprise that their cultures shared similarities.

The old man led the way, introducing the facilities within the house.

"As for this house, usually only my wife and I live here; our children have all started families, and after our grandchildren were born, they settled down elsewhere in town, leaving this house suddenly empty."

"Perhaps because the house felt too spacious, my wife and I discussed it and decided to have it renovated, turning the second floor into a homestay to rent out to tourists like yourselves visiting the Northern Province."

"The second-floor area is an independent space; my wife and I only go up there at scheduled times each day to clean, so you and your Pokémon can rest assured and live comfortably; however, if a Pokémon is too heavy, please keep it inside its Poké Ball—it's too heavy and could cause accidents."

"Understood." Luo Mu, who had been listening attentively, nodded, then as if remembering something, asked: "Judging by your words, the previous tenant here was...?"

"Of course, it was that girl Shari; however, to take some photographs, she has been camping inside the Eternal Forest for many days now."

The old man shook his head, seeming somewhat unable to comprehend the mindset of today's youth.

Then, chuckling, he said: "That girl has already paid your accommodation fees, and I've replaced all the amenities upstairs with a new set; that should be no problem, right?"

Luo Mu: ". Of course, no problem."

He could roughly guess that the old man probably assumed he and Shari shared an unusual relationship.

"This is the dining room; we provide three meals a day; although my wife and I usually eat very lightly, that doesn't mean our cooking skills are lacking; the accommodation fee includes meal costs, and we will prepare delicious cuisine featuring the unique flavors of the Northern Province for you."

"We have also built an open-air hot spring in the backyard; the guest area and our private area are separated, so please be sure to enjoy it; soaking in the hot springs can wash away all fatigue."

"And also..."

The old man rambled on about many things; compared to the civic center which resembled a hotel, this kind of homestay truly possessed a bit more human warmth.

Luo Mu also gained a general understanding of his living environment for the coming days and couldn't help but sigh that Shari, being a photographer who traveled around the world, truly deserved credit for finding such a wonderful homestay.

Once there was nothing left to explain, the old man finally remembered that he hadn't yet introduced himself.

"My name is Xue Zhong, and my wife is Shuzi; if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask."

Xue Zhong turned to Luo Mu and revealed a kind smile.

"We count on your kind care during this period, Mr. Xue Zhong."

Luo Mu nodded, preparing to go up to the second floor first to unpack his luggage.

At this moment, Xue Zhong noticed the Applin atop Luo Mu's head and said with some surprise: "Is this child your Pokémon?"

"Yes, one of my purposes for coming to the Northern Province is precisely to seek an opportunity for it to evolve."

Luo Mu did not deny it, lifting the Applin down from his head.

"There are many Applin at Apple Hill; it won't be easy to compete for those special apples." Xue Zhong stroked his beard, his face showing a look of reminiscence, "Speaking of which, my grandson recently caught an Applin as well; what a coincidence."

Then, as if thinking of a brilliant idea, Xue Zhong's eyes lit up, and he asked Luo Mu: "Luo Mu, do you need a tour guide? My grandson and granddaughter happen to be on holiday at home; why not let them serve as your free guides?"

"I see that they've been playing wildly lately; with school starting soon, it's better for them to do something to settle their minds first."

"They are children born and raised right here in Emerald Town and know the surrounding environment very well; rest assured on this point, they are definitely more familiar with the Northern Province's environment than any tour guide you could hire from a travel agency."

"Furthermore, they are both Trainers; even if you venture into the wild, as long as you don't go too deep, they are fully capable of protecting your safety."

Finding it truly hard to refuse such earnest hospitality, Luo Mu accepted the enthusiastic Xue Zhong's proposal, planning to rest a bit, eat lunch, and then have Xue Zhong's grandson and granddaughter show him around the Northern Province.

After all, it was better than wandering around blindly alone.

Before stepping onto the stairs leading to the second floor, Luo Mu deliberately nudged his shoulder toward Xue Zhong, exposing the Mimikyu, which was often ignored unless interacting directly with Luo Mu, right before Xue Zhong's eyes.

"Mr. Xue Zhong, besides the Applin, I am also traveling with a Mimikyu."

"Oh my, so it is; it seems my presbyopia is acting up again."

Xue Zhong widened his eyes, staring at the Mimikyu which, in his view, had "suddenly appeared," for quite a while, before finally breaking into a smile and praising generously: "She's a girl, isn't she? She looks so adorable after putting on decorations!"

(End of Chapter)