Kanto, Fuchsia City, Yakimori Manor
This is a very famous manor in Fuchsia City. It is a very famous manor in Fuchsia City. It is a beautiful and classic manor with a long history, and it is located in the suburbs of Fuchsia City.
This manor originally belonged to the Yakimori family. However, at the end of the Warcraft War, the family chose to fight against the League, and the manor became a property without an owner.
League took it back to League, but it didn't seem to work. So League simply put the estate up for sale.
But the people who could afford this manor were few and far between, and basically those who could afford it were the same family power as the Yakimori family.
Under the sadness of the dead fox, naturally will not go to buy this manor.
However, two years ago, this manor which had been lying in the suburbs of Fuchsia City like a sleeping beast in silence, after a lapse of more than ten years, once again lit up...
While everyone was still discussing which one of them had bought this manor, this manor which had just gained some popularity once again closed its doors to its customers.
Apart from the lights that were lit up every night, the servants who went out shopping every day, and the sound of Pokémon roaring, there was nothing different about this manor from before.
And the awakening of this manor did not bring any meaningful impact to the other clans in the neighborhood. At most, it only provided them with a little bit of inconsequential talk after tea.
Everyone was curious about this new, unknown, seemingly non-existent outsider.
However, after a few investigations, no one could figure out the family's financial resources. They were like the novel titled "The Count of Mount Coronet" that became popular a few years ago.
It was as if they came here with the treasures of the ancient Sinnoh Kingdom and then carried out some unknown action.
Mysterious, powerful, rich!
Everyone wondered how the little family hand named Mono had risen so silently and why it was rich and so understated.
But everyone is silently watching the Mono family, looking forward to the day when their secrets are revealed and they either come to the forefront themselves or are dragged out into the sunlight.
Incidentally, "The Count of Mount Coronet" was written by Rope, under the pen name Frigid Prose. it's based on "The Count of Monte Cristo[1]" - after all, no isekai is complete without plagiarizing.
Of course, Rope isn't exactly a plagiarizer either, after all, he's also responsible for adding Pokémon elements into the mix, which isn't an easy task...
Let's get back to the story.
In the Yakimori Manor, a young man dressed in a gorgeous, rather ancient style was eagerly walking along the winding and elegant corridors.
He didn't care to appreciate the frescoes on the corridor describing myths and legends, nor did he pay attention to the realistic and graceful reliefs on the pillars, his face was sulking, his lips pursed, his hands clenched into fists, his bones whitened while his hands shook, as if he was angry and fearful of something at the same time.
In the room at the end of the corridor, a man in simple clothing sat in the shadows in the corner of the room, the chair he was sitting in was equally elaborate, the arms of the chair were a pair of wings, and at the top of the chair back, was a Ho-Oh head all carved in wood. And there were a dozen other such chairs in this room.
If you look at them one by one, you will realize that the carvings on each of the chairs here are Ho-Oh, but each chair is different from the other...
In the middle of the room, a table for office or reading is bathed in the early morning sunlight.
If a person sat in front of the table, the sunlight would brighten them up.
But that man didn't seem to have the desire to stand under the sunlight. He dragged his chair into the shadows to keep himself away from the light.
In front of the table, a man in a butler's uniform was reporting on his work.
"Mr. Mono, all of our men have been lost. Right now we know nothing about what's going on inside the Safari Zone."
The expression on the butler's face was as usual, but the more rigid movements than usual showed that his mood was not as calm as his expression at this time.
"Don't be too nervous, Nari," the man said as he sat in his chair, shadows obscuring his expression. But there was a reassuring power in his tone, "Send out more scouts, it's bound to be no accident that all of them disappeared together, call Adler and ask him what's going on here."
The man gave his orders methodically, not seeming to be nervous about the fact that he had lost contact with all of his men.
"Okay, Mr. Mono. I see." The butler, aka Nari's body visibly sent up a bit before nodding towards Mono in response.
Mono nodded, seemingly satisfied with Nari's return to normalcy.
"Tell Adler that I have all the leverage on him, and don't be able to disengage when you're already on my ship, it's not that easy to get off."
Mono's tone took on an icy killing intent.
Although he didn't know the exact situation yet, it was always right to warn Adler first. As long as Adler was stabilized, then there was a possibility to continue deceiving the top.
"Yes, I will tell him Mr. Mono. However, Mr. Mono, we are the stock is quickly running low, and the batch of Pokémon that was originally supposed to be delivered 3 days ago has already not arrived over there."
A difficult look appeared on Nari's face.
"The guests are rushing over there." Nari also said helplessly.
If this conversation was spread to the outside world it would surely create a huge uproar. It turned out that this mysterious family's source of wealth was actually selling Pokémon! And the Pokémon they were selling were the ones captured in the Safari Zone, which was a big crime!
Of course, this matter wasn't a secret among the really high-ranking families.
"Even if they are rushed, they have to wait, they can go to other clans to get it, I will never say anything. If they don't go, then they should wait honestly. When things are settled, I'll give them a 20% discount..."
"Father!"
A clear but angry, yet trembling male voice sounded outside the door, and before Old Mono could say anything, Young Mono had already pushed the door open and barged in.
"Young Master, good day."
Nari bowed and saluted towards Little Mono.
And Little Mono didn't even mean to give him a look, just staring straight at his father.
Old Mono and Little Mono stared at each other for a while, but finally sighed softly, then said, "Nari, you go out first."
Nari bowed before saying, "Yes, Mr. Mono."
After saying that, he bowed again towards little Mono, then walked out of the room and gently brought the door with him.
The father and son duo in the room looked at each other before Mr. Mono took the lead and said, "What's wrong, you rushed into my room early in the morning in a rage and then stared at me with a furious look on your face, and by the way, you should soothe the stiffness and tension from your face, or else your anger will only be covered by your timidity."
With that the old Mono stood up, glanced at his son in the sunlight, and then stepped out of the shadows.
"What are you, again, going to say to me?"
Mr. Mono looked down at his son, above the icy expression was, a gentle look.
Little Mono looked up at his father, opened his mouth, no words came out.
Mr. Mono wasn't in a hurry either, he just looked at him.
"I... I think you should take this opportunity to stop, father. Not do this kind of thing anymore."
Little Mono finally managed to gather the courage to say.
Mr. Mono turned around instantly, then sat back in his chair, once again hiding himself in the shadows. Little Mono stood in the light and looked at his father, but couldn't see his face.
"Reason."
Mr. Mono asked in a low, icy voice.
A thousand thoughts instantly flashed through Little Mono's mind, but there didn't seem to be several reasons that could convince his father.
Seeing that Little Mono was once again silent, Old Mono opened his mouth, "What qualifications do you have to oppose these things I'm doing? The clothes you're wearing now, the house you're living in now, those maids by your side, the food you eat every day, all of them were obtained in exchange for me doing this kind of business. As a person with a vested interest, what qualification do you have to object?"
Little Mono instantly turned red. Yes, how could he refute such a fact? He liked this kind of house, big enough, no longer need to squeeze in a small bed with his father; he liked this kind of food, fragrant enough, no longer a previous meal without oil and meat; he liked the maid beside him, very beautiful, and he himself did not need to look at the girl but show his heart like before.
Such as he was, such as he was enjoying life, what qualification could he have against the 'business' that brought him all this?
Old Mono's face was hidden in the shadows, not really visible.
"Go back if there is nothing else, you don't even want to say good morning to your father."
Though he spoke of regret, Old Mono's tone remained icy, and there was no hint of regret.
But little Mono also stood there fixedly. I don't know what is still entangled.
Old Mono did not urge, just silently looked at his son, under the shadow of the face, do not know what kind of expression.
"But... mom, she likes Pokémon the most..."
After a long time, little Mono slowly raised his head, then said. His eyes were red, and tears were just swirling in his eyes, seemingly about to gush out.
Old Mono was silent, still not moving, as if he was asleep, and as if he was frozen.
And little Mono wasn't about to quit, "I admit that I'm enjoying my life now, and I wouldn't necessarily like it if I were to go back to the way things used to be. But father..."
His tears eventually slipped.
"Mother she wouldn't want to see you like this. We've got enough money now, we could have gotten a new place to keep surviving!" Little Mono spoke excitedly, eventually coming close to a growl, but then seeming to wail.
Finally, Mr. Mono spoke up, saying in a husky tone, "Your mother wouldn't have died if she hadn't had no money back then."
"But mother would never have wanted to use money earned that way."
Little Mono said firmly.
Indeed, how could she possibly want money earned this way?
Mr. Mono tilted his head as if holding back something.
"But she's dead, and you and I are alive."
Old Mono's tone reverted to ice.
"You! Father!"
It was pure wailing at last.
"Get out of here, I have my official business to attend to, you can go out and hang out with your fox friends if you want, and report me if you want to, now, leave!"
Old Mono's tone was like extremely cold ice, still not allowed to be half warm and humane.
"Do you no longer have the memories and conscience of that year?" Little Mono asked in tears, puzzled and pained.
"Your father died when the first Pokémon was sold and the money reached me." Old Mono said coldly, "The one who lives now is Mono, the Pokémon dealer Mono who shall not die, a middle-aged man who has lost his wife and has no more sons, Mono."
Little Mono looked at his father, trying to see the expression under the shadow.
But in the end nothing could be done.
"Good morning, father. Goodbye...father."
Little Mono turned and left the room where light and darkness were intertwined.
Mr. Mono watched from the shadows as his son walked towards the morning light shining through the house, watched as he slowly closed the door behind him, his fingers on the armrest moving and eventually falling.
The tears did likewise.
The door was closed.
Old Mono got up and staggered a little to the table, then with his own trembling hand picked up the picture that was upside down on the table and brought it to his eyes.
In the sunlight, a handsome young man, a beautiful and elegant woman, and a toddler. Their smiles were so genuine and radiant.
At that time they were very poor ah, the clothes they wore were all made by her hands, even how inferior ingredients she would always think of all kinds of ways to make things delicious.
The poor man said.
"I will give you a happy life, living in a big house, surrounded by many people to serve!"
The happy woman said.
"Having you and the children around is happiness enough."
Old Mono touched the face of the woman in the photo and a tear fell on it.
He moved away from the table. He was afraid that she would see herself now. Shameless merchant, wicked criminal, it was all him, Mono, the poor man.
"The house is there, the servants are there. And the children grew up. And you were gone..."
His voice was full of resignation, like a child who had lost his favorite child.
And he was already a middle-aged man in his forties.
"The child has grown up and knows what's right and what's wrong. It just sort of cleared the air with me."
"I got Nari to set him up with a separate house, a large sum of money, which is clean, money I made from investments. It's still a little dirty, but it's not unacceptable anymore."
"Nari you remember. Old Yoon's son, the kid you adopted, is grown up now too. I know he actually has a good relationship with his son. That's good too. There aren't many people I can trust anymore. But Nari's hands are dirty too. So...he can't follow his son. I'll find a way to deal with it."
"You don't like hearing that, do you. I'm sorry, I don't really have it in me to talk to someone who's been told that, so I'll just laboriously listen to it...never mind, I'll just come back to you afterward and talk to you face to face."
"I think I can come to you soon."
"Yoshiko..."
[1] novel by Alexandre Dumas in 1846