Chapter 37: Viridian Hospitality and Broke Realities
In the end, Logan couldn't resist Little Yellow—or rather, he willingly gave in to the adorable little girl and chose to go home with her.
Little Yellow's house was located on the outskirts of Viridian City, far from the bustling city center. The architectural style resembled that of a detached home from some alternate-reality Japan, rather than the usual urban apartment buildings.
Logan had long given up trying to make sense of the architectural styles in this world. Each city had its own distinct vibe, often looking like a mashup of various cultures. Skyscrapers dominated the cityscape, but it wasn't unusual to spot buildings in Chinese, Japanese, or even European palace styles. It was, simply put, a giant mishmash—much like the names people had here: some clearly influenced by Eastern naming traditions, while others sounded entirely Western.
Following Little Yellow into her house, Logan noted that it was a two-story building, and inside, it was spotless. Clearly, the little girl cleaned often. From the furniture, appliances, and overall layout, he could tell this was a solid middle-class household—neither rich nor poor, just comfortable.
Interestingly, while social classes did exist in this world, true poverty was rare. Thanks to the presence of Pokémon and the abundance of natural resources, there was little reason for conflict over essentials. As long as a person wasn't exceedingly lazy, they could find a job that ensured a decent living.
No sooner had Logan stepped into the house than he shamelessly requested a hot bath. After over a month of survival in the wild—with only minimal tools for hygiene—he was more than ready to soak in a proper bathtub. While he'd done his best to stay clean, there was just no substitute for a real, hot bath.
Sinking into the warmth of the tub, Logan let out a contented sigh as he scrubbed himself clean. When he stepped out, wrapped in a towel, he noticed a bamboo basket outside the bathroom door with a neatly folded set of pajamas on top. There was also a note:
"Big brother's clothes are in the wash. These are Dad's, they might be a little big, but please make do for now~"
At the bottom of the note, a little chibi drawing of Little Yellow was smiling up at him, complete with twinkling red stars. Logan could hear the washing machine humming nearby—his clothes were already being cleaned.
Though you didn't need to bring many outfits into the wild—since carrying them was pointless—Logan had made sure to pack plenty of underwear. He fished out a fresh pair from his sci-fi-looking utility pouch, slipped into the borrowed pajamas, and blinked a few times, unsure how to feel.
"Am I being… pampered by a little girl?"
As if on cue, a small head peeked out from the kitchen.
"Big brother, you're done with your bath? Wait for me in the living room—I'm almost done cooking!"
Logan strolled to the kitchen entrance and saw Little Yellow standing on a chair, skillfully preparing the meal. Well, mostly skillfully—she seemed a little clumsy while dealing with the fish, probably because she had only recently learned how to cook it.
He wanted to help, but since he was wearing pajamas and didn't want to get them dirty, he had no choice but to hold back.
"Am I… being kept by a loli?"
His brain was full of question marks.
Cute, sweet, charming—and no doubt she'd grow up to be stunning. Add to that her cooking and cleaning skills? Logan nearly shouted aloud: "Mom, I want to marry her!"
Sure, she was just eight or nine years old, and saying that out loud might raise eyebrows… but still! A loli like this was a national treasure!
By the time he got to the living room, he saw Gible sitting blankly on the floor. The moment it spotted Logan, it lit up and ran over to him, happily bouncing and nuzzling its large head against his side as he sat on the couch.
"We're finally back in civilization. I'll take a few days off… and then maybe give you a proper tour of a human city, Mewtwo."
"I'm looking forward to it."
He casually chatted with Mewtwo in his mind as he pulled out his Pokédex. The Pokédex in this world functioned almost like a smartphone—it had everything. During his time at Professor Oak's lab, Logan had learned quite a bit about this world's tech and culture. Honestly? It was more advanced than the one he came from.
Thinking about how Gible's food supply was running low, Logan opened up an app that resembled the Pokémon version of 'Amazon' or 'Taobao.' It sold everything—from human items to an overwhelming variety of Pokémon products. He searched for the brand of food Gible liked—the same one he'd seen at Professor Oak's—and when the prices popped up, his eyes widened in shock.
It was expensive. Really expensive.
Maybe because not many trainers raised Dragon-type Pokémon, food tailored to their tastes cost double or even triple the usual amount. Based on Gible's appetite, one week's supply could cost over ten thousand credits. Since he'd been living at the research lab, Logan hadn't gotten a true sense of this world's economy until now. Curious, he searched for other items to get a better grasp of prices, and after comparing for a bit, he reached a grim conclusion:
This world's currency value and cost of living were similar to that of Japan in his previous life. That ten thousand credits Professor Oak gave him sounded like a lot—but it was barely equivalent to half a month's salary for an average office worker. A single night in a basic hotel cost nearly a thousand credits. Even the cheapest meal would run around a thousand.
Suddenly, Logan realized that ten thousand credits… wasn't going to last very long.
He frowned deeply, realizing he had to figure out how to handle his financial situation—at least in the short term. He wasn't prideful like Blue, but he still couldn't bring himself to shamelessly ask Professor Oak for more. The man had already done more than enough for him.
"But how is a 15-year-old supposed to earn money?"
Logan sank into thought.
A job? No way. That was impossible. He was not built for labor.
The very thought of "working" made him grimace. He knew too little about this world, and as a Pokémon Trainer—someone who held a unique status here—it felt wrong to be stressing over cash. Wasn't being a Trainer supposed to be a prestigious path?
"Should I… ask Mewtwo to rob a bank?"
That idea… actually sounded kind of genius. Maybe he could solve the problem once and for all. Even if they didn't rob a bank, doing some Robin Hood-style redistribution with Mewtwo's powers wouldn't be hard. Controlling a rich guy or two? Child's play.
"Honestly, all the quickest ways to make money are written in the Criminal Code. Just flip through a few articles, and you'll know everything."
Logan sighed. The idea of committing crimes didn't sound so bad anymore. Maybe… just maybe, it was worth a try.
Just as Logan was lost in thoughts of crime and cash flow, Little Yellow stepped into the living room, balancing a tray filled with steaming, delicious-smelling dishes.
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