About his true identity, Damian isn't planning to keep it from Silver; there's no real need, it will be exposed sooner or later.
But for Giovanni's real identity, Damian doesn't want Giovanni to tell Silver.
Otherwise… for Silver, this would be too cruel.
"Hey, Dad."
Thinking it over, Damian makes a video call to Giovanni, and from the background it seems he's in Viridian Gym's office again.
"Nice to hear from you, Damian," Giovanni's mood seems pretty good, and he's in the mood to tease Damian.
"Yesterday you stirred Goldenrod City up quite a bit; the news reached Indigo Plateau at the time."
Giovanni takes a sip of coffee, a faint smile forming as he speaks.
"Oh? How did they react?"
Damian is curious about the Indigo League's reaction.
"Originally I told Goodshow about Aster's matter; Lorelei was about to arrest the Pokémon Association's upper echelon, but your move was faster."
The corner of Giovanni's mouth lifts a bit more.
"Goodshow did dispatch reinforcements at once, but supposedly by the time Lorelei arrived, the Pokémon Association Building had become ruins."
"Supposedly, last night's lawmakers' meeting raged, and two League lawmakers were ousted."
Giovanni's tone is half-amused, half-mocking; it's clear someone helped cover for the Pokémon Association back then.
Last night Goodshow also stood firm, directly exposing two lawmakers.
But Giovanni believes that's not all; Indigo League's establishment has a hundred-plus years, and there are plenty of worms inside—these two are just the start.
"I thought they'd be angry and want to come at me," Damian says with a shrug, a bit bored.
Emotions are just him ruling his own turf; it has nothing to do with him.
"Hehe—right now they're not ready yet."
Giovanni smiles lightly; after Hoenn's Primal Kyogre showed its might, the League's attitude toward Damian changed subtly.
Without full preparation, fighting Damian would not be a joke; Primal Kyogre's Primordial Sea is terrifying.
"I'm actually looking forward to it."
Damian responds casually.
"By the way, Dad, guess who I ran into in Ecruteak City?"
Damian grins at Giovanni.
"Spill it."
Giovanni remains calm, takes another coffee sip,
"Silver, I ran into Silver!"
"What did you say?!"
Giovanni's expression halts, then disbelief.
Silver?!
"That's right, Silver. I've acknowledged him."
Giovanni's expression flickers, then Damian repeats with a smile.
Though Giovanni is stern and ruthless, and ambitious, these can be set aside for family.
This is the most charming thing about Special manga Giovanni: a father who would give his life for his son.
When Silver vanished ten years ago, Giovanni was tormented with guilt; Damian has seen this.
Although with time, Giovanni has tucked his longing deep, the love is still intense.
"Is it really Silver? Damian, where are you and he? I'll come right over."
Giovanni quickly regains his composure and speeds up his words.
"Dad, don't hurry. I've already told Silver to go to Viridian City to find you, but I should warn you in advance: Silver hates evil organizations."
Damian reminds Giovanni.
"It may be related to what he's endured; he probably can't accept our true identity."
After all, Silver was taken by the Masked Man when he was a child, which split him from his family; hating evil organizations is normal.
Giovanni furrows his brows; hating evil organizations is something he can hide for now, not telling Silver.
But Damian cannot keep it hidden forever.
No wonder Damian sent Silver to Viridian City alone; obviously he's considering this.
"…I understand."
Giovanni nods; though he'd love to tell him that the father and two sons reuniting is the most important thing.
As a boss, he knows Damian's goals won't waver because of this.
"And Silver's strength is still a bit weak; Dad, you'll need to teach him well."
As the second-generation lead, Silver's Trainer talent is excellent.
But like Green, though taken by the Masked Man, Silver still resists the Masked Man at heart.
So he and Silver didn't grow much under the Masked Man's trials; Karen Will advanced a lot by completing the Masked Man's trials.
"I understand. Will Silver be arriving today?"
"He should be. He's just left Ecruteak City."
Damian nods.
"Good. I'm glad I listened to your proposal to cut ties with Team Rocket."
Otherwise, Silver's two only family members would both be Team Rocket members; for Silver, that would be worse than not knowing them.
Time moves to the afternoon.
With nothing to do, Damian heads to Ecruteak Dance Theater again to listen to music.
In the private room, soft, melodic music fills the air; Damian lies on a bench while Miki gently massages his thigh, and Zuki slowly feeds him peeled grapes.
Damian closes his eyes, enjoying the faint fragrance of the beauties, thinking how old stories say a gentle touch is a hero's tomb—hard to resist.
"Lord Damian, please wait a moment; I'll fetch a new basin of water."
Miki stands, bows to Damian with a gentle grace, and leaves the room with a water basin.
"No wonder Ecruteak Dance Theater is so captivating; if I were you, I'd hate to leave either."
Damian looks at Zuki, her black kimono with gold threads elegant and cool, her refined makeup and bright red lips making one want to kiss.
"Lord Damian, you must be joking; we Ecruteak Dance Theater isn't a place of romance, just a formal stage."
Zuki's voice is distinct, with a slight huskiness.
"Of course, I meant no such thing."
Damian smiles and returns the compliment to Zuki when she presents gleaming grapes.
"Zuki, may I ask you something? Can you really meet Lord Ho-Oh?"
"Don't worry—this simple condition is worth a beautiful woman serving you for life; what a bargain."
Damian lazily replies.
"Eldest sister always does this, takes care of us, never considers whether we'd want to accept her sacrifice."
Zuki bows her head; her gaze fixes on the grapes in her hand.
"What do you mean?"
Damian's expression shifts; this is a dramatic moment he's not sure will happen.
"Lord Damian, after you finish the agreement, could you reject the eldest sister?"
Zuki's eyes harden as she looks at Damian.
"As compensation, I'll serve you for life, no complaints."
This… really happens like that?
Damian is stunned; doesn't a trio of sisters want to serve him together?
He's not a pervert; he doesn't want some melodrama of turning them into inferiors.
"This is… huh."
Damian reflects.
Miki and Zuki each have their charms; Miki is beautiful, generous, and embodies the traditional Japanese beauty; Zuki is equally beautiful but cooler in temperament.
If forced to choose, Damian doesn't like options anyway; he dislikes multiple-choice questions.
"Please!"
Seeing Damian hesitate, Zuki's voice is sincere.
"Zuki, you're making this hard for me."
Damian sounds helpless; he has already agreed, and if he tells Miki that her sister would offer herself in return, that would make him look like a villain.
"Zuki understands, but trust Zuki; I'll do better than eldest sister."
"Do you know what you're proposing?"
Damian raises an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Zuki understands."
Zuki lowers her head; but even so, Damian can tell she's a little shy.
"In that case, show me what you've got. What scent is on your lipstick? I'm curious."
Damian grins and looks at the girl's lips.
"… it is."
Zuki tenses; as a theater girl, she knows about such matters, but hearing others speak of it is different.
Damian's hint is plain; she knows what he means.
Zuki reaches to her chest; her heartbeat quickens as she leans closer to the boy's face.
She can't help but close her eyes.
Then a hand presses the back of her head, and a strange touch lands on her lips as a foreign object slips into her mouth.
Bang bang—
When Miki knocks on the door and returns with a basin of warm water, she enters.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Lord Damian."
"It's fine; with Zuki here it's not dull."
Damian moves his right hand casually; this motion makes Zuki pause mid-grape.
"Good, my little sisters will be back tonight; I'll introduce them to Lord Damian."
Miki glances at Zuki, noticing the kimono's collar is a bit disheveled.
Miki's confused; the room had seemed neat when she left?
But for girls who often wear kimono, such a mishap is a big taboo.
"That's my honored one."
Damian chuckles lightly.
Just then, Damian's phone rings.
"What's up?"
"Lord Damian, Vicious has been dealt with."
Carr's voice comes through.
"Nice, efficient; well done."
Carr—the Stinky Shorty—works fast, dealing with their own.
"Thanks for the compliment, by the way; our people found Lugia's signs at Whirlpool Islands, both a large and a small Lugia!"
Carr's tone is excited.
"Oh? Are you sure?"
"Yes, very sure. But our people on that side were attacked, and attackers may have been alerted."
Carr sounds grim; if not for fear of revealing too much to Damian, he wouldn't report this.
Damn, besides the Pokémon League, who dares attack Team Rocket? It's crazy.
Carr is furious; is Johto Team Rocket under his command? It seems he doesn't take this lightly.
"But don't worry, Lord Damian. I'll head over in person and take down those two attackers."
Carr smiles cruelly.
"Be careful—the ones who attack Team Rocket aren't usually minor players."
Damian casually reminder him.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure those reminder fools understand that Team Rocket isn't something just any cat and dog can bully!"
Carr didn't take Damian's reminder to heart. He scoffed; as long as it wasn't one of the Elite Four from the Indigo League, was there anyone in all of Johto that he, Carr, wouldn't dare to provoke?
Absolutely not. No matter who it was, Carr would make them understand the might and authority of him, Carr, the foremost of Team Rocket's Three Beasts!
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