Chapter 47: Oh? You're Still Going to Refuse Me?

Lusamine's hands and feet were ice-cold right now—yes, she had a secret she could never let see the light.

Ever since her husband, Professor Mohn, had disappeared during his Ultra Wormhole experiment, Lusamine's pursuit of Ultra Beasts had grown increasingly pathological.

Pathological to the point of perversion!

That President Lusamine adored Pokémon was something everyone in Alola knew.

But in reality, because her temperament had gradually grown fanatical and twisted, Lusamine's "love" for ordinary Pokémon had twisted as well.

She wanted to add every Pokémon to her collection, and right here in this private mansion, she used live-freezing technology to preserve the Pokémon she liked, keeping them for her collection!

This was strictly forbidden by the Pokémon League!

Live-freezing Pokémon was an utterly inhumane act, but Lusamine had done it anyway.

This was also why both Gladion and Lillie wanted to escape the Aether Paradise, to get away from Lusamine.

Because Lusamine's heart had truly twisted, and this showed in every aspect.

"Madam, you don't want this secret getting out to the Pokémon League, do you?"

Mammon curled his lips and spoke slowly, looking at Lusamine's eyes that held no light.

The current Lusamine had not yet been corrected; for her, threatening her with Lillie and Gladion was nowhere near as effective as threatening her with this secret.

Live-freezing Pokémon for a collection—once this got out, Lusamine would be utterly disgraced in the Alola region in an instant!

Everything she now possessed would be lost, and the Pokémon League would never let her off either.

For Lusamine, this was absolutely unacceptable—she hadn't even fulfilled her "long-cherished wish" yet!

Lusamine stared fixedly at Mammon, her expression dark and ugly; she couldn't understand how Mammon could possibly know.

It shouldn't be—no one else could know about this.

No, the most important thing right now wasn't that.

She couldn't let him spread it—absolutely not!

"Hydro Pump!"

A beautiful Milotic appeared at Lusamine's side, opening its mouth as pure water-light condensed.

At this moment, a shadow seemed to settle over Lusamine's eyes; her originally fair face was full of gloom—absolutely no way could she let this guy walk out of this mansion!

Otherwise, once it was exposed, her life would be over!

Milotic's Hydro Pump shot straight at Mammon himself at high speed.

"Tch—going straight for the person? Decisive and ruthless, just like you, Lusamine."

Mammon clicked his tongue. During Lusamine's dark period, she truly recognized neither family nor kin, and was indeed ruthless.

After all, this was someone who wouldn't resist even being parasitized by an Ultra Beast.

"Just a bit weak, though."

From Mammon's shadow, a shiny Gengar drifted out; its two plump claws pressed together, and a Shadow Ball shot straight up to meet it.

Boom!

The Shadow Ball and Hydro Pump clashed heavily, but the next instant, under Lusamine's suddenly contracting pupils, the Shadow Ball pushed the Hydro Pump forward with overwhelming force and finally slammed directly into Milotic and exploded.

Milotic shrieked, its whole body sent flying and crashing to the ground; the intense pain left it unable to even pick itself up for a short while.

"Impossible…"

Seeing her ace Milotic nearly one-shot, Lusamine's face went pale and ugly.

How could he be this strong?!

"Kukui and the others had you help track my movements—didn't they tell you my actual strength?"

Mammon lightly spun a Poké Ball in his hand, watching Lusamine with great interest.

Lusamine's expression darkened—Kukui really hadn't told her!! He'd only said Mammon was an extremely dangerous Team Rocket member.

Damn it! Why didn't you just say he was a Champion-level trainer?!

"No need for useless resistance in front of me—let's have a proper talk about what comes next, shall we?"

Seeing Lusamine's hand quietly reaching behind her back, Mammon narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of coldness creeping into his tone.

"…"

Lusamine gritted her teeth—when others hold the blade and you are the fish and flesh, the situation forces you.

"What do you want?"

Lusamine forced herself to calm down and asked Mammon in a low voice.

"The Aether Foundation secretly serves Team Rocket," Mammon said straight out.

"Impossible!!" Lusamine refused without hesitation, glaring at Mammon.

The Aether Foundation was passed down from her father—her life's work!

"Oh? You're still going to refuse me?" Mammon raised an eyebrow.

"Lusamine, what qualifications do you have left to refuse me?"

"I can make sure you never get the Aether Foundation!"

Lusamine knew she couldn't let herself fall into a completely passive position, or she really would be at Mammon's complete mercy.

"You seem to think you're awfully important—do you imagine I can't get what I want from the Aether Foundation without you?" Mammon mocked.

"Gengar."

"Heheheh—"

The shiny Gengar laughed wickedly, floated right up in front of Lusamine, very close.

Lusamine instinctively stepped back—Gengar's terrifying eyes were simply too horrifying.

"Mammon, without my help, no matter what you want to do with the Aether Foundation, you won't be able to pull it off smoothly!"

Lusamine blustered with an outward show of force but inward timidity.

"You know what? My Gengar is very skilled at Hypnosis." Mammon curved a gentle smile, tilting his head as he looked at Lusamine.

Lusamine's expression changed drastically.

"That's right, the Hypnosis you know it is. Once the hypnosis succeeds, you'll be my puppet. If I tell you to lie down, you'll lie down; if I tell you to lie on your back, you'll lie on your back."

Mammon's tone was very soft.

"Impossible! Gengar isn't a Psychic-type, how could its Hypnosis possibly control a person!" Lusamine denied it in a startled voice.

"Sorry, but my Gengar really can. Would you like to try?"

Mammon's smile deepened at the corner of his mouth.

Of course, this was a lie. Just as Lusamine had said, to completely hypnotize and control a person, that kind of Hypnosis would have to be performed by a Psychic-type Pokémon with extremely powerful psychic abilities.

"……"

Lusamine's expression flickered between gloom and uncertainty — of course she didn't dare gamble!

At the same time, Lusamine also despairingly realized that she had absolutely nothing with which to resist Mammon.

"No need for that expression."

Mammon slowly walked up to Lusamine, whose aura was listless and whose expression was dim, raised his hand, and gently brushed it across Lusamine's face.

With this, both the Aether Foundation and Lusamine were in his hands.

Lusamine's eyes were filled with shame and fury, but… what could she do?

"This skin really is so smooth, you take such good care of it." Mammon couldn't help sighing in admiration at this point.

Lusamine's face was expressionless.

"Cheer up, smile — what's so bad about being with me?" Mammon pressed a finger against Lusamine's lips, saying with a smile.

Lusamine remained silent; at this moment she felt as though the sky were about to collapse.

Mammon naturally noticed her emotions, but it didn't matter — soon she would be screaming.

"Come, let me take a look."

(End of this chapter)