After locking the door, Aki lazily sprawled across the desk, resembling a cat napping in the afternoon sun.
The warm sunlight filtered through the window, casting a golden glow around her figure.
Enjoying this fleeting moment of tranquility, Aki's thoughts began to wander.
If she had chosen to become a wealthy heiress from the start—abandoning the constant scheming, giving up the struggle to become the head of the Murrigan family—would she have been spared from the endless worries? Would she no longer have to fear being targeted by others?
More importantly, she wouldn't have had to orchestrate such an elaborate scheme like she had the night before.
Outsiders only saw Aki's meticulous planning and composed demeanor, but who could truly understand the anxiety and fear buried deep in her heart?
If the operation had failed, she might have survived the night—but what came next would have been suppression and gradual erosion, until she and the entire Murrigan family were annihilated, just like the Albanis.
This fleeting wave of emotion passed quickly, and Aki soon returned to her usual sharp and capable self—the head of the Murrigan family.
Snapping out of her thoughts, she refused to let fear cloud her mind any further.
Her unease had stemmed from witnessing the fall of the Albani family—a household once on par with the Murrigans—reduced to ruins overnight. The fear that such a fate might one day befall her had taken root in her heart.
However, now that she was back to her senses, she refused to allow that fear to linger.
Almost as if on cue, Gardevoir used Teleport to bring Ron into Aki's office.
"A word of advice—consider installing some materials that block psychic powers around here. If someone offers me the right price one day, I can't guarantee what I'll do."
Ron sat across from Aki, offering the suggestion as a small bonus piece of advice.
As he said, if he harbored ill intentions, Aki would already be finished.
"Oh? And what would you like to do? I wouldn't resist, you know."
Seeing Ron arrive, Aki didn't straighten up. Instead, she leaned even further onto the desk, pressing her upper body down, accentuating her curves. From Ron's perspective, a generous expanse of pale skin was visible.
Her large, watery eyes shimmered, exuding an air of vulnerability and seduction.
As the head of the Murrigan family, Aki was the object of countless men's fantasies. Had anyone else been sitting in Ron's place, they would have likely lost control by now.
Unfortunately for her, Ron had little interest in this thorny rose.
"My reward—plus the extra compensation for eliminating Petrus Albani."
Ron's unwavering gaze remained fixed on Aki, his stoic expression making her feel a twinge of shame.
"Such a bore."
Suppressing her embarrassment, Aki shot Ron a glare before slowly sitting upright.
"Here are thirty Terraberries—this year's share. The fifty million League coins and the common Pokémon eggs you requested are ready. You can either have someone pick them up or provide an address, and I'll arrange for delivery."
"Thank you. I'll take them myself."
After stowing the Terraberries away, Ron replied calmly.
"I figured as much. Go ahead—I've already given the order."
"Farewell."
Satisfied with his payment, Ron wasted no time, instructing Gardevoir to teleport him away.
With Aki's prior arrangement, Ron quickly collected a batch of Bug-type Pokémon eggs and Rattata eggs.
As the most common Pokémon in the wild, these eggs were extremely cheap but perfect for nurturing—just what Lars Flavian's breeding house needed to liven up the place.
When helping Lars build the breeding house, Ron had asked about his current Breeder rank.
Lars's answer had been straightforward—excluding the effectiveness of any secret techniques, he was a Grade 6 Breeder.
Among the younger generation, Lars was one of the most talented, with the potential to reach Grade 9 if his secret techniques proved effective.
For such a rare gem, Ron spared no resources. The Pokémon eggs and fifty million coins were all prepared for him.
With Gardevoir's Teleport, Ron soon arrived at the breeding house Lars had built.
In the Pokémon world, construction was far faster thanks to the help of various Pokémon. By the time Ron had reached Yolton District, the breeding house was already up and running.
Though it was officially open for business, Lars was the only staff member—until two days ago, when he adopted a pair of orphans, giving the place a small spark of life.
"These are for you—make good use of them. Try to get the breeding house fully operational as soon as possible."
Ron gestured toward the Pokémon eggs and the fifty million League coins, trying to maintain a cold, aloof demeanor.
With Lars and his two apprentices coming out to greet him, Ron felt the need to uphold his image as the boss.
"This is our boss—the one who built the entire breeding house. My salary and yours both come from him."
Perhaps due to their upbringing in the orphanage, the ten-year-old twins, Kidd and Killer, immediately adopted a respectful attitude upon learning that Ron was the boss.
"No need to be so tense—our boss is actually quite easygoing. He's just putting on a show right now."
Lars chuckled, ruffling Kid's hair.
Patting the small heads of Kidd and Killer, Lars Flavian mercilessly exposed Ron's pretense.
Unfazed, Ron watched Kidd and Killer with great interest. He couldn't help but wonder—would these two grow up to be like the ones from One Piece, one wielding metal and the other mastering blades?
Especially Kidd—there was no Kaido in this world, so he probably wouldn't lose his arm, right?
"Don't stare too much. These are Kidd and Killer, the ones I told you about. They're my apprentices now—both have promising Breeder talents. The only question is whether you're willing to offer them a little welcome gift."
Grinning, Lars Flavian introduced them to Ron.
"Got it. Here's five million—use it to select a suitable Pokémon for them to raise."
Honestly, if there had been anyone else available, Ron wouldn't have come in person. Otherwise, there was no escaping the matter of giving a welcome gift.
Seeing Lars Flavian's satisfied expression at the generous offer, Ron couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'll leave the future development of the Breeding House to you. If anything comes up, contact me, and I'll come as soon as possible."
Having played courier for the day, Ron was ready to leave. Before departing, he made sure to give Lars Flavian a final reminder.
After all, while Lars Flavian was a capable Breeder, his battle strength was still lacking. At the very least, Ron had already reached the rank of quasi-Elite Four Trainer—there were some matters only he could handle.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely contact you if anything happens. If things get really bad, I'll just take Kidd and Killer and run."
Seeing that Lars Flavian understood the situation, Ron didn't say anything more. With Gardevoir's help, he teleported away, leaving Lars Flavian to begin sorting through the Pokémon Eggs and the fifty million League coins.
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