After Larry and Menchi won the gourmet competition, Linne had personally prepared them a feast. It was more than just food, it was a gesture of trust and gratitude.
That memory lingered with Larry, and now he had a way to repay it.
He was also genuinely curious. If this vanilla was truly as miraculous as the legends claimed, then Linne would be the perfect person to test it on. Through him, Larry could gauge how powerful the herb really was. More than that, it would help him figure out if the vanilla had any effect on the kind of illnesses that originated from the Dark Continent.
And besides, it was a chance to see Menchi again. He hadn't seen her in a while, and part of him missed that familiar fiery energy she always brought into a room.
So, with all that in mind, Larry set his course toward Gourmet Paradise.
"Buzz… buzz…"
Just as he was lost in thought, his phone suddenly vibrated. The caller ID flashed, and to his surprise, it was someone he hadn't expected to hear from just yet. "Earthworm? Got something for me?" Larry answered casually.
On the other end was Earthworm, the shadow beast turned informant Larry had sent out undercover not long ago. "Master Larry, I have extremely important news for you," Earthworm said immediately, skipping any small talk. He knew Larry didn't like to waste time.
He got straight to the point.
"Pride, from the 'Seven Deadly Sins,' has officially become one of the Ten Dons."
Larry's eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint flashing through them. He ended the call after a long pause, quietly repeating the words to himself. "…The Ten Dons."
It all made sense now.
During the Yorknew incident, the original Ten Dons, who oversaw the world's mafia underworld, had been wiped out by Illumi, hired by Chrollo himself. With their sudden deaths, the top seats of global underground power were left wide open.
Ordinarily, those seats would've been filled by successors from within each family. But due to the subtle changes Larry had caused, his own butterfly effect, those events had shifted course.
Pride, seeing the opportunity, agreed to cooperate with the global mafia. In return, they offered him one of the empty seats.
Originally, the Ten Dons only meant to make an empty promise, they had no intention of actually keeping it. But everything changed after the Yorknew incident.
The entire Ten Dons organization was wiped out, and the global mafia network took a massive hit. Even the Shadow Beasts, their most trusted enforcers, were nearly wiped out, only Earthworm was left, still carrying out missions. What they didn't realize was that even Earthworm had long since been turned. He was actually a plant Larry had arranged from the beginning.
With the situation so dire, the remnants of the underworld no longer dared to challenge the Seven Deadly Sins. Sure, the group had lost some of their former prestige, but they were still not to be trifled with.
So, with the original Ten Dons dead, the power vacuum left a perfect opportunity. The underworld decided to legitimize Pride by giving him a seat among the new leadership, essentially turning the Seven Deadly Sins into their own faction while also bolstering their strength.
This, according to Earthworm, was all part of the plan. "Since you've become one of the new Ten Dons…" Larry muttered to himself, "…when the time comes for payback, you better bring some strong allies with you."
He wasn't being sentimental. He simply hoped that Pride could bring more skilled fighters, more opponents meant more training opportunities.
More experience for his Pokémon. That was the only value Larry saw in him now. "Don't let me down, Pride…"
***
At the port of Gourmet Paradise, an orange silhouette dropped from the sky, landing lightly on the ground. Larry jumped down from the back of Dragonite, who had just completed the long trip.
The Bergrusse United Nations was still pretty far from here, so Larry had first flown via airship to Ruston City. From there, instead of taking a yacht like Menchi had, he rode Dragonite straight into Gourmet Paradise by air.
"Larry!" As soon as he landed, a familiar voice called out. A slender figure threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Come on, I made a ton of food for you." Menchi's voice was soft, but full of excitement. Larry gently patted her head, fingers brushing through her silky hair.
He had to admit, he missed her cooking. "Sounds good," he smiled.
A short while later, the two of them arrived at the top floor of Gourmet Paradise's administrative tower. This was the personal office of Linne, the top authority of Gourmet Paradise.
Linne sat behind her desk with her head slightly lowered, eyes closed like she was dozing off. But it wasn't just sleep, she looked like someone reminiscing about days long gone, weighed down by age and regret.
Knock! Knock!
She opened her cloudy eyes just a sliver and glanced at the door. With her "En," she already sensed who it was, Menchi and Larry. A faint question passed through her mind: Why were they visiting now?
After a moment's pause, Menchi turned the handle and led Larry inside. "Good afternoon, Grandma," she said gently. "Larry brought something for you today."
'Something for her?' Linne didn't think much of it at first. With her status, there wasn't much she couldn't get her hands on.
And anything beyond her reach, how could these two kids possibly obtain it? Still, she appreciated the gesture. It was the thought that counted.
At least, that's what she believed… right before Larry reached into the shadow of his coat and pulled something out.
A small, layered herb appeared in his hand, distinctive in its structure, with two or three thin leaves stacked neatly on each level. The moment it emerged, the room filled with a vibrant fragrance.
It wasn't just a good smell, it was overflowing with the breath of life itself. Linne's body reacted before her mind did.
Just by inhaling the scent, she felt lighter. Stronger. Her tired body, wrapped in that strange, death-like black aura, loosened up as if years had been lifted off her shoulders.
The herb was a pale yellow, each leaf shimmering faintly with a soft glow. In the dimly lit room, it practically glowed like a firefly in the night.
In Linne's eyes, it was unmistakable. This wasn't just any herb. "This is…" She blinked, stunned. "The Legendary Vanilla?"
Even with her failing health, Linne couldn't stop the tremble in her voice. This was the sacred herb she'd dreamed of. A life-saving miracle that she'd spent so long searching for.
Worried that she might be mistaken, Linne turned to the painting hanging on the wall, the old, detailed drawing of the Legendary Vanilla she had commissioned years ago. Her cloudy eyes shifted from the image to the herb in Larry's hand.
Perfect match, No doubt about it. It was real.
Larry was a little surprised at first, he didn't expect Linne to recognize the herb immediately. So, she'd been paying attention to this vanilla for a long time, huh?