Chapter 570: Photos and Wicke's Juice

Luo Mu had never seen Lusamine display such a fragile expression—

No, that was wrong; he had only met Lusamine for the first time this morning, so by any logic, he was not the one who should be saying this.

In any case, for Lusamine, a business queen quite famous internationally, to reveal such an expression regardless of outsiders being present was sufficient proof of her husband's status in her heart.

Even Wicke, who was guarding outside the door, noticed the commotion inside and hurriedly burst into the room.

However, she discovered that Lusamine, due to being overly agitated, was leaning very close to Luo Mu, and her face instantly turned red.

Instinctively covering her eyes, she peeked through the gaps between her fingers while explaining in a panic, "I-I didn't see anything!"

Luo Mu & Lusamine: "."

"Is she always like this?" Asking with speechlessness after glancing at Wicke, Luo Mu turned to Lusamine and asked.

"No, at least I think most of the time, Wicke is quite reliable—"

Having calmed down somewhat, Lusamine stood up with Luo Mu's support and straightened her appearance.

Afterwards, she apologized to Luo Mu, saying, "I'm sorry; I couldn't help but lose my composure upon hearing matters related to Mo En."

"It's fine; let's sit and talk slowly."

Luo Mu nodded slightly, not minding this at all.

Wicke, standing to the side, also realized she seemed to have misunderstood something and attempted to quickly run out of the reception room to act like an ostrich.

But at this moment, Lusamine called out to stop her.

"Wicke, you come and listen as well."

Luo Mu sat alone on one side, while Wicke and Lusamine sat on the other.

After Lusamine explained a few sentences, Wicke understood why she had been so agitated just now.

Not to mention Lusamine; even Wicke herself was agitated!

"You really know Dr. Mo En!?" Wicke confirmed repeatedly.

"Mm, I know him."

Luo Mu nodded gently, then took out a photo album from his backpack.

On the way, he had considered that bringing only a single photograph to meet Lusamine would seem too deliberate.

Since he had brought the photo album anyway, it was better to plug the loopholes as much as possible.

As Luo Mu opened the photo album, Wicke and Lusamine immediately focused their gazes upon it.

Most of the photos in the album were pictures Luo Mu had taken of the Pokémon on his farm: some during evolution, some from daily life, and also the family portrait taken by Sha Li.

But that was not the main point.

"This is a group photo I took with Mr. Mo En."

After flipping to a certain page, Luo Mu placed the open album in front of Lusamine and Wicke.

"Mo En—"

Gazing at Mo En in the photo, who looked more haggard, or rather, older than in her memories.

With her eyes unknowingly turning red, Lusamine could confirm that the man in the group photo was indeed Mo En!

Although she did not recognize a few Pokémon in the group photo, judging from Luo Mu's appearance, which had hardly changed, it was easy to determine that this photo was taken with Mo En within the last year or two!

"It really is Dr. Mo En!"

Wicke was equally agitated and had already begun guessing Mo En's location based on the background of the group photo.

Piled with thick snow; could it be near Mount Lanakila on Ula'ula Island?

Has Dr. Mo En actually settled there?

"Chairman Lusamine, I will immediately take people to search the area near Mount Lanakila for traces of Dr. Mo En!"

Wicke could not sit still; she jumped up excitedly with a "swish," intending to depart immediately.

Just as Lusamine was about to say something, Luo Mu spoke up: "What's the rush? I haven't finished speaking yet."

Wicke could only obediently sit back down, though like Lusamine, she stared at Luo Mu without blinking.

Luo Mu adjusted his sitting posture uncomfortably, then spoke: "It was a few months ago; I was in the Crown Tundra region of Galar... well, you could call it tourism; I stayed in a place called Freezington."

"Does Dr. Mo En live in that Freezington?"

Only after Luo Mu finished speaking did Wicke ask.

Luo Mu shook his head, "He doesn't live there; he resides in the surrounding areas further away from Freezington, living alone far from the village."

"Living alone..."

Lusamine silently chewed over these words, her face growing paler and paler.

She could not understand.

Since Mo En had not met with disaster, why, in all these years from when Lillie lost her memory until now, had he not returned to find her, or to see Gladion and Lillie?

And Luo Mu's next sentence made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

"No, let me correct that; Mo En is not living alone; he also has a daughter, I just didn't see her that day."

"A d-daughter?"

As if struck by a tremendous shock, Lusamine's face turned as pale as paper, her whole body trembling slightly, nearly fainting from sorrow.

Fortunately, the truth was not revealed right in front of her; she was not so far gone as to faint directly from being unable to accept reality after such a mental shock, just like in the anime.

"How could this be, Dr. Mo En..."

Wicke also wore an expression of disbelief.

In her understanding, Dr. Mo En and Chairman Lusamine were the most loving couple in all of Alola, with an unbreakable bond.

How could he possibly betray the Chairman, remarry, and have children?

Luo Mu had no hobby of speaking in riddles, so he immediately threw out the remaining information.

"Come to think of it, I remember Mo En saying that daughter also seems to be named Lillie."

"It's just that something feels off; from the room where his daughter was hiding, my partner detected an aura identical to that of an Ultra Wormhole."

Luo Mu furrowed his brows and recounted the details he "knew."

Such as the umbrella-shaped hat and white-yellow brim he had seen when glancing from afar at Frostpoint Village.

And the fact that the villagers of Frostpoint Village had never seen Mo En's "daughter," Lillie.

And matters regarding the aura of the Ultra Wormhole that Lei Guan Wang had detected.

Shortly after, with Bi Co's help, Lusamine, who had recovered somewhat, saw her pale complexion improve a little.

Thanks to Luo Mu's reminder, she too had realized certain issues.

Putting aside how Luo Mu's partner knew so clearly about the aura of the Ultra Wormhole.

But the Mo En mentioned by Luo Mu was indeed somewhat strange; as for exactly where the strangeness lay, one would probably have to meet him in person to find out.

Lusamine truly lived up to her reputation as a business powerhouse who, even alone, could continuously expand the scale of the Aether Foundation.

Lost in thought, she did not fall into self-consumption but instead planned to personally travel to the Crown Tundra to investigate.

Whether it was to speak openly with Mo En or to seek the truth, having finally obtained a clue about him was satisfaction enough for Lusamine.

Amidst her thousand expressions of gratitude, Luo Mu, who had finally completed the pile of tasks at hand, also breathed a sigh of relief and mentioned that it was about time for him to return.

As he left, Luo Mu warmly reminded Lusamine once more.

"The environment of the Crown Tundra is perilous; occasionally, Ultra Wormholes similar to those in Alola open there, causing those creatures called Ultra Beasts to appear."

"If you intend to go, try your best to bring the Pokémon you have raised, or at the very least, take a bodyguard with you."

After leaving these words, Luo Mu paid no further attention to what Lusamine was thinking; led away by Bi Co, he left Lusamine's private residence, directly mounted his Dragonite, and flew away from Aether Paradise.

He figured that having given hints to this extent, the intelligent Lusamine should have realized something and would at least make adequate preparations before heading to the Crown Tundra.

Lusamine's team in the anime was of quite good quality.

Clefable, Salazzle, Milotic, Young Lady Lurantis, Mismagius, Absol, and Herdier.

All things considered, this should be sufficient to protect her safety while Lusamine "sought the truth."

As for whether "Lillie" could be retained at that time, it would depend on the efforts of Lusamine and Mo En.

As for whether Gladion and Lillie would be taken by Lusamine to the Crown Tundra, Luo Mu personally leaned toward it not happening.

He had already warned the other party of the danger, and Lusamine was not the type of mother who would drag her children into peril; Gladion might be acceptable, but given Lillie's current condition, Lusamine would most likely not agree to her going.

Moreover, during this period, Lusamine had not yet experienced the incident of being parasitized by Poipole, so she was somewhat willful regarding her children; the probability was high that she would arbitrarily decide her "little baby" Lillie could not venture into danger.

Lusamine still had a massive Aether Foundation to manage; judging by her busy work demeanor, even if she was anxious, she probably could not depart immediately.

At that time, he could just whisper a few reminders to Gladion.

Luo Mu left with flair.

Lusamine and Bi Co, however, were completely unable to remain calm.

Not only was there the travel itinerary for departing to the Crown Tundra, but there were also many other matters she needed to handle.

Tonight was destined to be sleepless.

It was already past five in the afternoon when Luo Mu left Aether Paradise.

On the way, he was delayed for a while because he went to the Poni Island market to buy some Poni Radishes.

By the time he returned to the villa on Akala Island, it was nearing seven in the evening.

Gazing at the soft silhouette of the villa, which was very close to the beach, Luo Mu, who had experienced quite a lot in just a single day, felt as if an entire lifetime had passed.

Dragonite shared the same sentiment; it could not resist sitting on the wicker swing chair outside the house, blowing in the night sea breeze to rest its body and mind.

As luck would have it, they happened to encounter the Eevee sisters, Pecharunt, and Spectrier, who were also returning to the villa.

It was just that their appearance left Luo Mu somewhat stunned.

The Eevee sisters' soft fur now looked dirty, with knots in many places; especially on the younger Eevee sister's silver-gray fur, the stains were extremely clear.

Pecharunt's cloak was in a similar condition to theirs; only Spectrier was slightly better off, but not by much.

What had they been doing in the forest today?

A huge question floated up in Luo Mu's mind.

Before he could think further, seemingly having detected their presence, Oranguru, wearing an apron, walked out from inside the house; behind him, in the warm yellow light, the figure of Gladion busily carrying plates briefly flashed by.

"Welcome back; everyone, please take a bath before dinner."

Oranguru displayed a kind smile, causing Luo Mu and the Pokémon, who were physically and mentally exhausted in every sense, to also reveal a faint smile.

That was right; no matter what had happened, it would be the same to discuss it at the dinner table after bathing.

After all, everyone had returned safely.

Even though he had already undergone purification by the Purifying Water, it was only after a hot bath that refreshed both body and mind that Luo Mu felt he was finally clean.

The dual satisfaction of psychology and ritual sense was nothing more than this.

Arriving in the living room, sure enough, he saw Gladion staring wide-eyed at Tapu Fini.

Even though Luo Mu had previously introduced to everyone that Tapu Fini and Popplio would be living at the farm in the future.

Compared to the Pokémon, who were accustomed to it and happy to have two new companions, Gladion could be said to have his worldview shaking precariously.

Mr. Luo Mu only went out for a trip, so how did he bring back an Island Guardian deity!?

From what he heard, Tapu Fini was not just visiting but also planned to settle down in Paldea!

Then what about Poni Island?

Gladion obviously had not recognized the issue with Tapu Fini's coloration, and Luo Mu also planned to find an opportunity later to slowly explain the differences between the two to him.

Glancing around the living room, the Eevee sisters, who had already washed and smelled fragrant before Luo Mu, were excitedly lying beside Luxray, seemingly listening to it narrate something.

Pecharunt's eyes were full of stars, holding considerable longing for what Swampert was describing.

Seeing that Luo Mu had also finished bathing, Oranguru walked out from the dining room and, with a smile, shouted via telepathy: "Dinner is served!"

Today, it had let Gladion accompany it in researching recipes all day long; the masterpiece it served would surely astonish everyone!

Gazing at the steaming hot dishes, the worldly inexperienced Popplio excitedly clapped its front flippers, but was quickly carried aside by Tapu Fini, who had been reminded by Burnet.

—Given Popplio's current physical condition, it can only consume nutritional supplements or Tapu Tapu Moumou's fresh milk; these dishes are out of the question.

Aside from Popplio, every Pokémon received a portion of dinner suited to them; even though Tapu Fini's arrival exceeded Oranguru's expectations, it always prepared a few extra servings, so it was no big problem.

At the dining table, beside Gladion who was silently devouring his meal, Luo Mu looked left and right, wanting to ask the Eevee sisters, Ogerpon, or Spectrier what they had done in the forest today.

Just then, Oranguru approached, using telekinesis to carry a pot containing a liquid that resembled a beverage.

As if performing a magic trick, over a dozen paper cups landed one after another before Luo Mu and the Pokémon under the control of telekinesis, and the liquid inside the pot immediately filled them.

"Yare yuta."

Oranguru introduced with considerable pride the "World's Most Delicious Mago Berry Juice" it had finally developed after several months of work.

It was very confident that this cup of juice could even captivate an island guardian like Tapu Fini!

Yet the casual remark made by Ogerpon, who was swinging its little legs after tasting the Mago Berry Juice, left Oranguru stunned in place as if struck by five thunderbolts.

"Poni poni!"

It tastes exactly as delicious as the beverage made by another Oranguru in the forest!

In an instant, even someone as dull as Gladion was so frightened by a sudden aura sweeping through the dining hall that he nearly choked on his food.

(End of Chapter)