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After chatting with Bruno for a while, Liam learned that they shared the same destination—Cinnabar Island.
However, while Liam and Lorelei were headed there for a Gym Challenge, Bruno's purpose was purely to restock supplies for his training.
Since he'd run into a friend, Bruno decided to forgo his swim and instead traveled alongside Liam, chatting and laughing all the way to Cinnabar Island.
As Lapras neared the dock, Bruno leaped onto the pier first. Turning back to Liam and Lorelei, still seated on Lapras's back, he called out:
"I'm going to grab some supplies. You two go have fun—let's meet up at the Pokémon Center tonight!"
With that, he waved and ran off, disappearing into the town.
Liam watched Bruno dash away, speechless, before turning to Lorelei—only to be met with a cold, icy stare. Her gaze was so sharp it felt as if Liam owed her a great deal of money.
The look made him want to pull up his collar and shrink his head into his shoulders.
"Uh... Ahem." Liam cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting the topic. "Bruno's gone now, and it's already afternoon. I think we should head to the Pokémon Center first and settle down. We've been through a lot these past couple of days, so it'd be best to rest up before challenging the Cinnabar Gym. What do you think, Lorelei?"
Feeling guilty under her piercing gaze, Liam tried to defuse the situation with a smile.
Lorelei didn't answer. She simply turned away, jumped onto the dock, and pulled out a PokéBall.
"Return, Lapras."
A beam of red light shot out from the PokéBall, enveloping Lapras. In an instant, it transformed into energy and was absorbed back into the ball.
Seeing her recall Lapras, Liam was startled. Without hesitation, he quickly leaped onto the dock, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and called after Lorelei as she prepared to leave.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
Lorelei paused for a moment, tilting her face slightly as she replied in a cold tone:
"To challenge the Gym, of course."
Liam frowned and reached out to grab her wrist, his voice firm.
"Do you even hear yourself? You're going to challenge the Cinnabar Gym in your current state? Your main Pokémon are Lapras and Slowbro, right? They've been through a lot these past two days—they're completely drained and haven't fully recovered yet. Challenging the Gym like this is irresponsible toward your Pokémon!"
Lorelei froze. She knew he had a point, but hearing it out loud only deepened the bitter feeling in her heart. To hide her emotions, she forcefully slapped his hand away and snapped at him.
"Mind your own business! Who are you to lecture me? If it weren't for me, you'd still be stuck at that rundown harbor doing who knows what! What gives you the right to talk down to me?!"
Liam's temper flared at her words. He lifted his hands in a gesture, as if wanting to smack some sense in to her.
Lorelei's eyes widened in shock. Like a startled bird, she let out a small gasp, shrank back, and wrapped her arms around her head, squeezing her eyes shut, bracing for a hit...
But nothing came.
After a few moments of silence, she cautiously peeked through one eye—only to find Liam frowning as he looked at her.
Her face instantly turned red. Embarrassed, she jumped to her feet, ready to lash out again.
"Enough!"
Before she could speak, Liam cut her off with a sharp command.
Lorelei clenched her fists, biting her lip as she turned away with a scoff. Without another word, she ran off into the distance, her expression carrying a trace of sorrow.
Liam sighed. "...Forget it. Let her cool off on her own. I'll just wait for her at the Pokémon Center."
Shaking his head, he glanced at the signpost by the dock, confirmed the direction, and made his way toward Cinnabar's Pokémon Center.
As he walked, Liam frowned slightly, recalling the sorrowful look on Lorelei's face before she left. He wasn't dense—despite their short time together, they had already shared life-and-death experiences.
A strong bond had formed between them.
But they were still young—fifteen or sixteen—an age when emotions were raw and the idea of love was tempting. Facing danger together had likely stirred up complicated feelings.
Liam had a good idea of why Lorelei's attitude had shifted so dramatically. It was probably because of what he'd said before—about already having someone he liked.
But Liam had no regrets.
The truly loved Delia.
Compared to Lorelei, Delia had no advantages. In terms of looks, they were both attractive in their own ways—Delia had the warmth of a cheerful girl-next-door, while Lorelei carried an intellectual, refined beauty.
But in everything else, Lorelei far surpassed Delia.
Strength alone was a decisive factor—Lorelei had already earned seven Gym Badges and would one day become the Ice-type Elite Four. She was undoubtedly a powerful trainer.
In a world where strength was revered, women like her were admired and pursued by many.
Liam knew that Lorelei had plenty of admirers. She was exceptional in every way.
But still, out of the vast ocean, he had chosen only one sip.
Liam had always considered himself an ordinary person. Without the system that had thrust him into this journey, he would have remained a research assistant at Professor Oak's lab, living a quiet life surrounded by Pokemon.
Maybe in a few years, he would've saved up enough to marry Delia, have a cute child, and enjoy a simple, happy life.
The thought was actually a little exciting.
Even though he had decided to be a trainer and travel, his heart remained with Delia. From the moment he made his promise to her, there wasn't room for anyone else.
No matter how outstanding other women were, it had nothing to do with him. Liam had never entertained the idea of a harem—such a thing was out of the question.
It was simple. To him, having Delia was enough. Why complicate things with unnecessary distractions?
And so, all he could do was silently apologize to Lorelei.
The best relationship for them was friendship—nothing more, nothing less.
…...
Arriving at the Pokémon Center, Liam registered his information and handed over his PokéBalls to Nurse Joy for healing. Then, he found a seat by the clear glass window, gazing outside as he waited for Lorelei and Bruno to return.
But time passed, and nightfall approached—yet neither of them had arrived.
Feeling a bit anxious, Liam turned when Nurse Joy approached with a tray, handing back his fully restored Pokémon.
Taking his PokéBalls, he addressed her with concern.
"Nurse Joy, my two companions haven't shown up yet, and I'm getting worried. I'm going to look for them. One is a guy named Bruno, and the other is a girl named Lorelei. If they come back while I'm gone, could you let them know?"
"Of course. Please be careful," she replied kindly.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy."
With that, Liam slung his backpack over his shoulder and rushed out.
His first priority was finding Lorelei. Since she had headed for the Cinnabar Gym, he recalled seeing a sign pointing in that direction earlier. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the Gym.
Cinnabar Gym was located at the island's edge, right at the base of the active Cinnabar Volcano.
Reaching the site, Liam found that instead of a traditional Gym, the building resembled a research facility—something that felt oddly familiar and comforting.
But there was no time to dwell on that.
Because outside the entrance, beneath a large tree, sat a girl in revealing attire, hugging her knees. Her chin rested on them as she gazed absentmindedly at the darkening ocean.
Lorelei.
Seeing that she was safe, Liam let out a silent breath of relief.
Carefully, he stepped closer and, without her noticing, sat on the other side of the tree. He knocked gently on the bark before speaking in a soft, nostalgic voice.
"Young lady... would you like to hear a story? The story of me and her?"