Chapter 46: Do Boys These Days Not Get the Charm of an Older Sister?

"There, all done. It looks adorable on you."

"Ee-vee!"

On the deck of the Joseph, N leaned against a quiet corner and carefully fastened the accessory onto Eevee. The little fox flaunted the silver bell around its neck with immense satisfaction.

Being female, Eevee naturally loved cute trinkets, and the gentle, melodic chime of the Soothe Bell was incredibly soothing. This only added to its growing fondness for N.

Delicious food every day, relaxing massages after training, the occasional treat, and a Trainer who smelled wonderfully pleasant, being held in his arms while sleeping was pure bliss. Eevee was thoroughly enjoying its pampered lifestyle.

"Oh! I didn't expect you to give the bell to this Eevee. It really does look precious on her. Though, personally, I've always been more of a fan of Electric-types like Pikachu."

A melodic, playful voice drifted from behind. Without N even noticing, Elesa had wandered over, looking down at Eevee with a look of maternal affection.

They were in a secluded corner of the deck where few people ventured. Elesa had just barely managed to shake off a mob of fanatical admirers and was looking for a place to hide when she spotted N enjoying the breeze.

This spot was peaceful and comfortable, at least it was free of screaming fans and paparazzi trying to dig into her private life. Since the battle from earlier was still fresh on her mind, she couldn't resist stepping forward to say hello.

"Miss Elesa. Is it alright for you to leave your fans like that?"

"Even I need a break sometimes! My schedule is usually packed to the brim, and balancing work with my duties as a Gym Leader is exhausting. I actually officially closed the Nimbasa Gym for a while just so I could take a vacation and tour other regions."

N raised an eyebrow at her carefree tone. Is it really okay to just close a Gym on a whim? He couldn't help but feel that Elesa was a bit irresponsible for a Gym Leader.

"Don't worry, it's not like mine is the only Gym in Unova," Elesa said with a casual wave. She leaned down, reaching out to scoop Eevee into her arms.

However, the moment she moved, Eevee warily darted away and shot her a sharp, annoyed glare. It seemed it hadn't appreciated the comment about being inferior to Pikachu. As a girl, Eevee was quite sensitive to such comparisons.

Seeing Eevee flee, Elesa wore a troubled expression and let out a dejected sigh before turning her attention back to N.

"By the way, young man, I forgot to ask your name. You and your Zorua are quite impressive. You had me spinning in circles back there."

"You can just call me 'N.' And you flatter me, Miss Elesa. I still have a long way to go..."

This wasn't false modesty; N truly meant it. His strongest partner, Zorua, had only just reached the Mid Alpha level. Even if its talent meant it faced almost no bottlenecks in its training progression, it still needed time to grow steadily.

As he was now, N lacked the strength to truly protect himself. If he encountered a truly dangerous situation, it would be difficult to resolve.

In Elesa's eyes, however, N's attitude felt excessively humble. Despite having just soundly defeated a Gym Leader, he didn't show a hint of arrogance. In an age where seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds were prone to vanity, his calm and steady character was astounding.

In fact, she felt a faint, almost imperceptible sense of "dread" coming from him. He was so young, yet he had toyed with a Gym Leader who had years of experience. Thinking back on the match still made her feel a bit embarrassed.

N, unaware of her internal monologue, suddenly remembered something important. He turned his gaze directly toward Elesa's face. The sudden change from his casual demeanor to such an intense stare caused Elesa's smile to falter.

Wait, what's going on? Why is he looking at me so seriously?

"Miss Elesa, I have a small request."

"Hmm?"

Elesa's expression turned subtle. She had just been complaining that boys didn't understand the charm of a mature older sister, had this handsome youth suddenly "awakened"? If he confessed his feelings, how should she even turn him down...?

"Could I get your autograph?"

"...Huh? Are you actually a fan of mine?"

A flash of bewilderment crossed Elesa's pale blue eyes. From the start of the battle to the very end, she hadn't seen a single sign that this boy was a fan.

A bit of resentment bubbled up. If you're a fan, you could have shown a little more mercy! Using that Zorua to trick her so thoroughly had been quite the blow to her pride.

"No, it's just that my friend really likes you. I wanted to get your autograph as a gift for her."

N scratched his cheek awkwardly. Hilda had loved Elesa since her debut as a supermodel and had often talked about wanting to be just like her.

Elesa felt a wave of realization. That made more sense. She gracefully signed a piece of paper and handed it over.

N thanked her again as he tucked it away. If he gave Hilda an authentic autograph as a souvenir, even someone as stubborn and prickly as her would likely be thrilled. It would make her much easier to handle the next time she got into a huff.

"Ah, right. You're probably heading to Nichiyo City for the Charizard Cup, aren't you?"

"I might stop by and watch since I'm on vacation. You and Zorua better put on a good show. Try to win the whole thing, otherwise, it'll look even worse for me to have lost to you."

Elesa spoke with a playful, teasing lilt. But despite the joking tone, she had a distinct woman's intuition about the boy standing before her.

He was going to become very strong in the future. Perhaps even strong enough to be frightening.