"Hehe~ Don't feel inferior. Miss Emma's luck isn't something you can compete with. Still, try to stay strong."
Emma blinked her long lashes and gave Lily's shoulder a playful pat, smiling mischievously.
Lily's face darkened instantly.
"…Excuse me?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Smug woman, what exactly are you doing?"
Emma placed a hand dramatically over her chest.
"Encouraging you, of course."
Lily snorted.
"It's just a long-necked sea creature! I don't even care. What I want is a dragon!"
She crossed her arms and pouted.
"Water-and-Ice long neck? So what! When Charmander and Trapinch evolve, they become real dragons! What's Lapras compared to that?"
Emma shrugged casually, though the corner of her lips betrayed her satisfaction.
"Boss, could you bring Lapras out?"
Ren nodded.
"Of course. Give me a moment."
He disappeared into the back room.
A few minutes later, he returned.
Behind him, moving slowly and gracefully, came Lapras.
Emma's eyes lit up instantly.
"So beautiful…"
Even Squirtle, standing beside her, stared wide-eyed.
Lapras's body was a soft, ocean blue. A sturdy gray shell rested on its back, patterned with gentle ridges. Its large, intelligent eyes were calm and kind, and a faint, almost humanlike smile curved at the corners of its mouth.
The Pokédex chimed.
"Lapras. Water and Ice type. The Transport Pokémon.
Ability: Water Absorb.
Moves: Growl, Water Gun, Sing, Freeze-Dry.
A kindhearted and intelligent Pokémon that glides across the sea while singing beautifully."
Even though Lily had been acting unimpressed earlier, she instinctively raised her Pokédex and scanned Lapras the moment it appeared.
Lapras gave a soft hum.
"Wooo…"
Its voice was gentle and soothing.
Up close, Lily's eyes couldn't help widening slightly.
Lapras was big.
Lily was tall for a girl — nearly 170 centimeters — but even standing straight, she barely reached above Lapras's head.
This was easily the largest Pokémon she had ever seen.
Ren smiled.
"If there's a Water-type Pokémon best suited for long sea travel, it's Lapras."
"It has incredible endurance and stays stable even in strong currents."
"The shell on its back is perfect for resting during long voyages."
Emma's imagination immediately ran wild.
Blue sky. Endless ocean. Warm sunlight.
Cruising peacefully across the sea on Lapras's back.
"We wouldn't even need a yacht for beach vacations," she murmured dreamily.
Lapras slowly approached Emma, lowering its head slightly.
Its eyes curved warmly.
Emma gently placed her hand on its face.
"So soft…"
After hesitating only briefly, she wrapped her arms around Lapras's neck and rubbed her cheek against it.
"This is amazing…"
Meanwhile, Lily had already circled around to inspect the shell.
"It's sturdy," she muttered, tapping it. "Can you really sit on it?"
Before Ren could answer, Charmander and Squirtle had already climbed up onto Lapras's back, wobbling but delighted.
Lapras didn't mind at all.
If anything, it seemed pleased.
Ren chuckled.
"One Lapras can comfortably carry four people."
Lily carefully climbed up and sat down.
The shell wasn't smooth — small natural ridges gave it grip.
Surprisingly stable.
"…Okay, that's actually impressive."
Emma turned decisively.
"Boss, I want Lapras. How much?"
"Four hundred thousand."
Emma didn't hesitate.
"Done."
Considering Lapras's rarity and strength — comparable to fully evolved Water-types — the price was more than fair.
After completing the payment, Ren returned with several neatly packaged boxes.
"One set of Water- and Ice-type energy cubes. And ten additional Ice-type boxes."
"Thank you~"
Emma was practically glowing as she sat on Lapras's back, gently swinging her legs.
After a moment, Lily suddenly spoke up.
"Boss, have you considered building an official website?"
Ren paused.
"An official website?"
"Yeah," Lily said casually. "Right now, there aren't many Trainers. But if this keeps up, Pokémon will become huge."
"If you create a proper website explaining basic Pokémon knowledge, new customers won't walk in completely clueless."
Ren blinked.
Emma stared at Lily in surprise.
That was… unexpectedly thoughtful.
"What's with those looks?" Lily frowned.
Emma coughed lightly.
"No, no. It's just… I didn't expect that from you."
Lily's eye twitched.
"Excuse me?"
Emma continued more seriously.
"Your videos are popular, but they're limited to one platform. A lot of people still treat Pokémon like special effects or entertainment."
"If you create a professional official website and run proper ads, more people will take it seriously."
"Especially if you include Pokédex entries, beginner guides, and safety information."
Ren slowly nodded.
She was absolutely right.
Right now, many customers arrived knowing nothing, and while the beginner manual helped, they still relied heavily on him for explanations.
An official website would:
Reduce misunderstandings
Spread awareness faster
Make Pokémon feel legitimate
Lighten his workload
And once people found it interesting, they'd naturally share it.
Ren smiled faintly.
"…That's a very good suggestion."
He looked at Lily.
"Well done."
Lily lifted her chin proudly.
"Of course. I'm very smart."
Emma laughed.
Lapras hummed softly.
The shop felt warmer than ever.
And outside—
The world was slowly, quietly changing.
-------------Author---------------
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