Chapter 569: Lusamine and the Family Portrait

Although it was unclear whether Luo Mu truly didn't know the Popplio's gender, Burnet still opened with this customary statement.

"Aside from its gender being female, our current examinations indicate it is less than a week old, suffers from severe malnutrition, and is noticeably smaller in development than others of its kind and gender."

"However, there are no major issues with its bones or body structure, so there is no need to worry about the possibility of deformities."

Burnet spoke these final words with a hint of relief.

After all, accompanying pollution were not only various intractable diseases but also the possibility of congenital deformities, especially since, according to Luo Mu, the Popplio had remained in its Poké Ball state exposed to the elements for a period before being picked up by Tapu Fini.

This aspect required extra attention.

"Next, we will conduct detailed examinations using our equipment; in any case, let's start by drawing a small amount of blood."

Burnet handed the report sheet to Luo Mu and looked toward Bitchu, who was busy nearby.

Bitchu quickly prepared the sterilized instruments and said softly, "Don't be afraid, it will be over very soon."

"Maru~"

The Popplio glanced fearfully at the needle, then buried its head into Tapu Fini's embrace like an ostrich.

Luo Mu felt deeply empathetic.

Most children felt fear regarding blood draws, vaccinations, and the like; even he himself had been no exception when he was young.

Receiving Tapu Fini's puzzled gaze, Luo Mu nodded and explained, "Blood can reveal a great deal of information; as long as we ensure only a small amount is drawn, it will not burden the Popplio."

Upon receiving Luo Mu's explanation, Tapu Fini finally felt reassured enough to hand the Popplio over to Bitchu.

Before long, Bitchu delivered the blood sample to Burnet, then rummaged through her bag to pull out a handful of candies, hoping to comfort the Popplio, which was curled up in Tapu Fini's arms in a state of withdrawal.

But the Popplio currently had no desire to look at her; it twisted its body and buried its head even deeper.

Helpless, Bitchu could only go assist Burnet.

About an hour passed, during which the Popplio, tossed about by various examinations, grew so exhausted that it fell asleep.

The reports began to emerge one after another, and finally, holding a thick stack of papers, Burnet summarized for Luo Mu: "Based on all the careful examinations, including the blood test, let me state the conclusion first."

"Miraculously, the Popplio, which you described as being born in an environment that should be unsuitable for most life forms, shows almost no detectable signs of pollution."

"It is possible that the purifying water removed the contamination, and even the congenital deficiencies that theoretically should have existed were repaired by some medicine containing mysterious components."

"Perhaps the 'Life No. 1' you fed it played a role; such a potion is truly fascinating."

"In any case, there is only one thing you need to do for the Popplio now."

Setting down the large stack of white papers, Burnet revealed a slight smile.

"Provide nutrition to help it grow robustly; if conditions allow, seek out some medicinal ingredients or foods rich in vibrant vitality to feed it in measured amounts for recuperation—that is all."

Burnet sighed with emotion inwardly.

If she hadn't performed the examinations herself, who would have believed that a Popplio born and hatched in such an extreme environment, as described by Luo Mu, would suffer only from slight developmental delays and malnutrition?

Receiving this definitive answer, Luo Mu immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He nodded gently toward Tapu Fini, and they shared a smile.

With this, the final risks and worries were gone.

Afterwards, Bitchu and Burnet took Luo Mu on a tour of the preservation area, even stopping midway to let them play for a while in a lake.

The Popplio, Munchlax, and Stufful quickly became friends.

Luo Mu also took the opportunity to subtly inquire with Bitchu about the details of how she found the Stufful, ultimately confirming that the Stufful was highly likely the lost offspring of Tapu Xiong Xiong, the fifth of the four Island Guardians.

The matter itself was not actually complex: during her routine patrol for Pokémon conservation work, Bitchu happened upon a Stufful crushed beneath a tree trunk and severely injured, so she brought it back to the Aether Paradise for care.

This action even influenced events far in the future, causing the three great masters of Team Rocket, who followed the twerp to the Alola region, to be taken care of as children by a Bewear whose maternal instincts had nowhere else to be released.

Luo Mu pondered that if he had the chance to encounter a Bewear, he would arrange a meeting between mother and child while he was at it.

After finishing the tour of the Pokémon preservation area, just as expected, before Luo Mu could even propose his intention to leave, Bitchu, having received some instructions, spoke up to detain him: "President Lusamine intends to host you as a guest at her private residence; please do us the honor of coming!"

Here it comes!

Luo Mu's spirits lifted, yet he kept his expression normal and began to ramp up his acting.

"Ah, wouldn't that be inappropriate—"

After some polite exchanges unnecessary to describe in detail, Luo Mu ultimately accepted Lusamine's kindness and prepared to visit her private residence on this artificial island of Aether Paradise.

However, on the way to the private residence, an uninvited guest quietly blocked their path.

It was a gaunt middle-aged man with a green flat-top haircut, wearing glasses that covered nearly half his face, and sporting a small tuft of beard on his chin.

He introduced himself as Faba, an executive of the Aether Foundation, Director of the Research Division, and holder of the title "Alola's King of Invention."

However, his attitude could not be described as merely unfriendly; rather, it was completely devoid of any friendliness.

Adjusting his glasses, Faba scanned Luo Mu up and down with a suspicious gaze, then immediately turned to question Bitchu.

"Executive Bitchu, taking such a strange and suspicious man to the private residence where the President lives, could it be that you intend to harm the President?"

The moment he spoke, a scent of "pettiness" wafted straight toward them.

Somewhat speechless, Bitchu replied, "What are you talking about? This is Mr. Luo Mu; didn't the President mention him just this morning? Furthermore, the President herself invited him as a guest this time."

"Faba, you are being too rude to our guest."

As a fellow executive, Bitchu would not be intimidated by Faba, especially since she had done nothing wrong in the first place.

Instead, perhaps due to some "wrongdoing" of his own, Faba glanced at Luo Mu a few more times, curled his lip, and sneered, "Who knows if he isn't just using Young Master Gladion's matter as an excuse to climb the social ladder."

Even knowing he was not entirely in the right, Faba's mouth remained sharp; after leaving this remark, he turned and walked away.

Bitchu apologized to Luo Mu, whose expression was hard to read: "I'm sorry; although Faba is usually somewhat mean-spirited, prone to jealousy, and often flies into rages for no reason, he is only competitive in words."

"I apologize on his behalf."

Having said this, Bitchu was about to bow deeply to Luo Mu.

"It's fine, it's fine."

Luo Mu stopped Bitchu's action, not angry in the least.

After all, he knew that jerk Faba's personality all too clearly.

Although he has done many bad things, he actually has no talent for that at all; on the contrary, his research abilities are quite good.

Biku described his personality quite accurately; it is likely that Zao Bo detected something and, worried that he, being connected to Glazio, might say something to Lusamine that would expose his past misdeeds, rushed over to "intercept" him.

After all, whether it was Lillie's "fear of Pokémon syndrome" or the trigger for Glazio running away from home, neither could be separated from his involvement.

But this fellow isn't exactly a traditional villain; he is simply a workaholic trying to protect his job, which is quite contradictory.

Luo Mu saw no need to get angry with him; with that free time, it would be better to first handle the matters at hand.

Someone else will sanction him later.

Gesturing for Biku to continue leading the way, the two went straight to a rather luxurious mansion built on an artificial island situated in calm seas.

No, perhaps describing it as a grand estate would be more appropriate.

After passing through security, the exquisitely decorated interior came into view, with a red velvet carpet extending from the entrance all the way up the stairs.

At that moment, Lusamine also walked down from the second floor, wearing high heels.

"Welcome to your visit, Mr. Luo Mu!"

Lusamine extended her hand with considerable enthusiasm.

The only fly in the ointment was that her phone rang intermittently, making it nearly impossible for her to maintain her smile.

In the end, she stuffed a pile of phones into Biku's hands, telling her to cancel all her work for this period, and only then did the two sit down in the reception room.

"I apologize for letting you see such an embarrassing scene."

Placing a cup of hot tea in front of Luo Mu, Lusamine said with some apology.

As the helmsman of this vast Aether Foundation, she was just like those CEOs from domineering CEO novels who make or lose millions every minute.

It would be strange if her work weren't busy.

Luo Mu expressed his understanding of this.

As a world-leading enterprise on par with Silph Co., Devon Corp, and the Rose Group, Lusamine must have paid a heavy price to operate the Aether Foundation to such an extent.

Luo Mu was very envious that she could earn so much money, but he himself had no such desire.

The reason was simple: it was too exhausting.

Not to mention that Lusamine, precisely because she was busy with work, ultimately became somewhat estranged from her children.

After chatting casually for a few sentences, Lusamine cut straight to her main purpose, bringing up Glazio just like that.

"Um, regarding that matter about Glazio, I would like to discuss it with you."

Lusamine's expression dimmed somewhat, seemingly still feeling down due to Glazio's attitude that morning.

Luo Mu slightly straightened his posture, adopting an appearance of listening carefully.

But the first few sentences Lusamine spoke next directly shocked him speechless.

"It is about that child's schooling."

"This morning, I had James check, and it seems that the Grape Academy, where you, Mr. Luo Mu, have taken office, has not yet entered its enrollment season."

"I was thinking, what if I donate some funds to the academy, invest in constructing some teaching facilities, and in exchange secure an enrollment slot? What do you think?"

Luo Mu:?

Why did the topic jump directly here?

Looking at Lusamine's solemn expression before him, which did not look like she was joking.

Luo Mu suddenly realized that the excuse Glazio had hastily come up with, Lusamine had actually taken it seriously.

After all, just as he knew, in order to hold onto the Aether Foundation left behind by Mo En, Lusamine could only work day and night.

But even so, she deeply loved her two children, yet due to her work, she rarely gathered with them.

Look, merely half a morning had passed, and she was already considering making a donation to get Glazio enrolled in Grape Academy.

With this kind of action capability, she deserves to earn big money.

Silenced by Lusamine, Luo Mu pondered for a long time before asking tactfully: "Then, have you consulted Glazio's opinion?"

"Glazio's opinion?" Lusamine showed a puzzled expression. "Didn't he express his relevant intentions this morning?"

Once the topic turned to her own child, Lusamine became talkative.

"Although my little baby Lillie has now been sent to attend the Pokémon School on Melemele Island, Glazio has been taught by tutors hired by James since he was young."

"I was thinking that this child might have had too little contact with peers, making his personality somewhat withdrawn; since this is the first time in several years he has expressed his own wishes to me, I might as well grant his desire—"

The more Lusamine spoke, the more energetic she became; seeing that she was already considering whether the donation should build a teaching building or a playground, and that a library to cultivate one's sentiments would also be nice.

Feeling that something was amiss, Luo Mu locked his gaze on a picture frame placed on a cabinet not far away and stiffly changed the subject.

"Ms. Lusamine, is that photo your family portrait?"

Suddenly interrupted by Luo Mu, Lusamine's gaze shifted to the place Luo Mu indicated, and she paused slightly.

After losing her train of thought for a moment, she nodded with some sadness.

"Yes, that is our family's family portrait."

Perhaps memories surged back into her heart; Lusamine stood up, picked up the picture frame from the cabinet, and then sat down opposite Luo Mu.

Those well-maintained hands gently caressed the cold photograph as Lusamine's voice carried a touch of nostalgia and an imperceptible sadness.

"This family portrait was taken shortly after Lillie was born, when my husband and I were still together."

"Come to think of it, I seem to have never met your husband, and Glazio hasn't mentioned him either."

Luo Mu intentionally guided the direction of the conversation.

Being asked this by Luo Mu, more sadness surfaced in Emperor Yan Di's eyes, and her voice slightly choked as she said: "Actually, my husband went missing many years ago due to a research accident, and his whereabouts remain unknown to this day."

This was no secret; over these years, most people in Alola had heard about Lusamine's efforts to find Mo En, so she naturally did not feel that Luo Mu's question was somewhat deliberate.

"Is that so."

After remaining silent for a few seconds, Luo Mu finally opened his mouth to ask:

"If you don't mind, could you let me take a look at your family portrait? Perhaps I might have seen your husband before?"

"Of course."

Although she held little hope that Luo Mu, hailing from the Paldea region, had ever seen her husband, Lillie's mother still handed the family portrait over to Luo Mu.

Luo Mu took the family portrait and began to examine it closely.

There was Lillie's mother, cradling an infant in swaddling clothes, looking younger and more tender than she did now, with a brilliant smile.

There was also Gladion, not yet as chuunibyou as he was nowadays.

And there was a younger version of Mo En, whom Luo Mu knew.

Casting a glance at Lillie's mother, who seemed somewhat distracted, Luo Mu took a deep breath before speaking with "hesitation."

"Could this be... Mr. Mo En?"

The instant she heard Luo Mu's words, Lillie's mother first froze, then immediately grabbed Luo Mu's arm like someone seizing a straw of hope, asking anxiously.

"You... could it be that you have seen Mo En—!?"

Overcome by concern and confusion, Lillie's mother completely overlooked the possibility that Luo Mu might have learned her husband's name through other channels, her head spinning directly from this first glimmer of hope in so many years.

It was only after Luo Mu nodded very affirmatively that she seemed to lose all strength, sinking to her knees on the ground, her trembling voice following shortly after.

"I beg of you, please tell me, where exactly is my husband right now—"

(End of Chapter)