"Slowking, if you ever open a coffee shop, I'll definitely visit every single day."

  As Hannah sipped on the coffee brewed by Slowking, her eyes lit up. She was a regur coffee drinker and someone who truly appreciated the nuances of coffee.

  The taste of Slowking's brew left her astonished.

  "The fvors are so distinct, without any muddiness. The bance of acidity and bitterness shifts beautifully. It's rare to find coffee this good anywhere else."

  Slowking's eyes sparkled slightly.

  'So, she's an expert, not like Julian, who only knows it tastes good but 't articute why—a total amateur'

  "Slow~"

  Slowking, always friendly, handed Hannah a small bag of walnuts.

  "Slow~"

  'Would you like to try making a cup yourself?'

  Hannah couldn't uand Slowking's words but could tell it was encio do something.

  "Slowking is asking if you'd like to try brewing a cup yourself," Julian expined.

  "In that case, I'll give it a try. If it's not perfect, Slowking, you'll have to point out my mistakes," Hannah said with a hint of excitement as she stood up.

  She was eager to let Julian taste her coffee and show him that she had more to offer than just her looks and figure—she had many hidden talents.

  As Hannah followed Slowking to brew coffee, Julian rexed, enjoying the peace. He quietly sipped his coffee while watg Nicole outside, diligently measuring Steelix.

  Her hands were red from the cold, but she didn't stop. Judging by her expression, she was thhly enjoying herself.

  Researchers really were a different breed, Julian thought.

  As usual, apart from Steelix, all of Julian's other Pokémon were indoors. Even the usually active Are wasn't running around in the backyard.

  Earlier, while Are ying outside, that woman had walked in, her eyes sparkling as she stared at it, tools in hand, ready to take measurements.

  That expression had terrified Are, prompting it to flee indoors immediately.

  Uo catch Are, Nicole had shifted her attention to Steelix, who was resting in the yard.

  Julian watched as Nicole collected saliva samples from Steelix, who cooperatively opes massive mouth. She didn't seem the least bit worried about the possibility of being swallowed whole.

  After for a while, Julian lost i and pulled out his phoo scroll through TikTok.

  "Men over 20 shouldn't dress like kids anymore."

  What nonsense. He swiped past.

  "A flying stick is ing!"

  Swipe.

  "Winning back-."

  Swipe.

  Video after video, all random and uing. 'Is there nothiing to watch?'

  Finally, a transformation video of a beautiful woman.

  'Ah, now we're talking'

  Seeing the curvaceous figure of the woman in the video, Julian unsciously straightened his posture.

  "So, you're just like other men, enjoying such vulgar things."

  Just as Julian was about to cli the woman's profile, a soft voice apanied by a faint st made him stop.

  Looking up, he found Nicole standing in front of him, gng down at his phone s.

  "Oh, I fot. You're a man, too."

  Julian's face darke her words. He had been about to say something, but her tter remark threw him off.

  The tone was so simir to Celebi's snide ents that for a moment, he thought that pesky Pokémon was talking to him.

  "If you record something like this, I'd watch it too," Julian shot back.

  Nicole shook her head. "I don't film that kind of thing. Besides, her figure isn't even as good as mine."

  'Not better than yours?'

  Julian g the curvaceous beauty on the s. Her hss figure was enough to outshine 95% of women out there.

  "If you really want to see, I could record something for you ter. But you 't share it with anyone."

  "Deal"

  Julian subsciously nodded in agreement.

  Then, realizing what he'd just agreed to, he froze. Why had he said yes?

  "Slow~"

  Slowking interjected, looking at Hannah curiously.

  'What's wrong? Why are you suddenly angry?'

  Hannah, holding the coffee she'd made, had been on her way to let Julian try it. But hearing Nicole's teasing and flirtatious tone, she froze in pce.

  'That shameless eople outside say she only has eyes for her research, but she's clearly a deeply hidden flirt'

  "Coffee. I could use a drink."

  Nicole said suddenly, notig Hannah and the cup in her hand. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed it and took a sip.

  Hannah: (｀皿′)

  "The bitterness is to. Not great," Nicole ented casually.

  Hannah: 'I'm about to tear this b** apart!'

  Not only had Nicole taken the coffee she'd made for Julian, but she'd also insulted it.

  "You leave if there's nothing else," Julian said suddenly.

  Hannah's anger instantly melted away at his words. She shot Nicole a triumphant look, as if to say: 'Your skills don't matter; you're still not liked'

  "Actually, I do need something," Nicole replied.

  "Hm?"

  "I need some metallic powder from Steelix. I didn't bring the tools for it today."

  "Metagross, help scrape some off for her," Julian said.

  "Here, use this."

  Nicole handed Metagross a small vial.

  Metagross extended one d lightly scraped Steelix's body, effortlessly colleg a yer of metallic powder.

  Nicole's eyes lit up immediately at the sight.

  Steelix's body hardness was already beyond her expectations. If Metagross could easily scrape off its metallic powder, then its cws must be even harder.

  "Meta~"

  Metagross hahe small vial to Nicole and immediately retreated. The way she looked at it sent an inexplicable shiver through its metallic body.

  "You got what you came for. You leave now," Julian said again.

  "Alright. I'll send you the video when I get back."

  Nicole replied with a smile before turning and leaving without further dey.

  As for her research, Julian wasn't the least bit worried. The exceptional strength of his Pokémon was among the old families and powerful s.

  Many of them had already quietly gathered data on Pokémon like Metagross—colleg saliva, blood samples, or even fur strands.

  After all, injuries during battles were on occurrences, leaving traces behind.

  But Juliahey wouldn't uncover anything groundbreaking. His Pokémon's strength wasn't due to some geic or bloodline anomaly; it was the result of systematic training and various system resources.

  Super-rich sed geions like him relied on teology and resources to gain an edge. Mutations? That was a strategy for those who couldn't afford his lifestyle.

  Hannah, however, was a little unhappy. Nicole's parting ent echoed in her mind, leaving her feeling sulky.

  'Was that a challenge?'

  "You're still here?"

  Julian raised a brow, notig Han standing before him, her expression shifting through a range of emotions as though lost in a dramatier monologue.

  Hannah: 'So I'm the here?'

  Her annoyance fred at the thought. Deg she'd had enough, she lifted her , the elegant curve of her neck like a swan, and turo leave.

  But after a few steps, she paused.

  "I'll record a video too. Let's see whose figure is better, mine or Nicole's!"

  Julian: (￣▽￣)~*.

  *****

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