Killing Volo—would it affect Cynthia's existence?
Elias had discussed this briefly with her.
She didn't seem particularly bothered by the idea. Her stance was clear—if he wanted to kill Volo, then do it. Don't worry about her.
But even if Cynthia said so, Elias couldn't just brush it off.
After all, if the ancestor dies while the descendant still lives... something about that just felt wrong.
Still, sparing Volo? That wasn't happening either.
The man had nearly killed Zoroark. For that alone, Elias would never forgive him.
With that thought, Elias pressed a hand to his chin, slightly troubled.
He needed to figure out a better solution.
At the same time, Cynthia's video had finished playing.
Most of the crowd, now realizing they'd been duped, wore expressions of both shame and rising anger—every furious glare aimed at Volo.
This was the man who had played the two great clans for fools.
A wave of anger rippled through the crowd, so volatile it seemed a single spark could ignite it into chaos.
"W-Wait! Just wait a second!"
Sitting upright, Volo sensed danger and hurried to steady his voice.
He knew if he didn't act now, these furious Hisuians might tear him apart.
"You still have excuses?"
The Pearl Clan Chief scowled, stepping forward as the first to speak.
The evidence was overwhelming. No matter what Volo said now, no one would believe him.
"You don't even know what that thing in her hand is."
"If that's some device for faking images, then haven't you all been tricked by her?"
Desperation fired up Volo's brain as he spoke in quick bursts.
Even he had never seen the gadget in Cynthia's hand. He doubted anyone from the clans had.
If no one recognized it, then he could make up any function he wanted, couldn't he?
This was the only option he had left—aside from the nebulous hope of being saved by Giratina.
As he spoke, everyone's attention shifted back toward Cynthia.
Seeing this, Cynthia curled her lip, beginning to understand why Elias had said the people here were "simple."
Volo's excuse-riddled nonsense had actually caused them to hesitate.
Calling them "simple" might be putting it mildly.
Thinking that, she raised the Rotom device in her hand.
"This thing really is just a recording device."
"If you'd like, I can demonstrate it for you right now."
"Other than that, it doesn't have any special functions—or at least... when Sinnoh's High Sovereign entrusted it to me, they didn't mention anything else."
"Right, Elias?"
She smiled slightly and flicked her eyes toward Volo, who was sprawled on the ground like a discarded puppet.
She could make things up too—and she'd just used the name of the High Sovereign of Sinnoh to do it.
Caught off guard by the question, Elias blinked, then smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, that's all I remember too."
Predictably, the exchange stirred the crowd into a fresh round of murmurs.
The name "High Sovereign of Sinnoh" had always been a topic of endless fascination in this era.
"That's right—these two are so young, yet so powerful. You really expect me to believe they have nothing to do with the High Sovereign?"
"Huh... Wait, didn't Elias show signs of having psychic powers?"
"He did! Yeah, he did!"
As no one mentioned Volo again, the man himself fell into despair, as though his fate had already been sealed.
His head was still foggy, and under the mounting pressure, everything went black. He fainted.
His last thought before losing consciousness:
That bizarre contraption... could it really have come from Arceus?
With Cynthia invoking the name of Sinnoh's High Sovereign, no one dared question her again.
But in return, you were soon overwhelmed by a wave of curious people, all wanting to know more about this so-called "High Sovereign."
In response, you cobbled together a hodgepodge of legends and nonsense. No one had ever seen the real thing anyway.
Amusingly, the figure you described was modeled after Zoroark.
"I heard the High Sovereign is completely white from head to toe?"
"And they have this soft, smoky trail of mist flowing behind their head?"
"Wait a second—that sounds like Zoroark!"
"Watch your mouth! Don't be disrespectful to the High Sovereign!"
Listening to the crowd's chatter as he finally escaped their circle, Elias found himself chuckling quietly.
Since the clans didn't have any sort of prison, Volo had been locked in a makeshift cage for now.
And all decisions about his fate had been handed to Elias.
"Zoroark."
He called out to the fox Pokémon walking beside him.
Ever since the judgment had been delivered, she'd been lost in thought.
That puzzled Elias.
At the sound of her name, Zoroark visibly flinched. She then slowly looked up at him, as if waiting for him to continue.
"Are you unhappy with the verdict?"
Elias asked.
Zoroark shook her head.
"I'm very satisfied."
It was just… the reaction of the clansfolk had caught her attention.
All because it was something from the High Sovereign… no one dared question it?
They hadn't even asked her to demonstrate the device again.
That kind of treatment made her a little envious—and even more determined to become the next "High Sovereign."
"Elias, do you want me to become the High Sovereign?"
Tilting her head, Zoroark looked up at him with wide, glistening eyes.
"The High Sovereign?"
"Hmm… not really."
Elias shook his head.
Zoroark looked disappointed.
"Why not?" she asked, her voice a touch plaintive.
Instead of answering, Elias reached out and rubbed both of her cheeks.
"Because if you were the High Sovereign, everything I've done would count as sacrilege."
"I'd have to give up my favorite pillow at night."
Zoroark blinked at his reasoning, then quickly turned her head aside, cheeks slightly flushed.
That… actually made some sense.
But she could always make new rules once she became the Sovereign.
Totally fixable.
Noticing she seemed serious, Elias's expression softened as he added,
"Besides, it's not just power that made the High Sovereign so revered."
"Legend has it that in ancient times, the High Sovereign used their own body to shield Hisui's people from a falling meteor—saving all life on the continent."
"That's why they're worshipped."
"But... I don't want you to risk something like that. I won't allow it. Understand?"
Elias's voice was firm.
Zoroark gave a small, uncertain nod.
So you only get treated like the High Sovereign after saving everyone from a massive catastrophe?
No wonder he's Elias. His reasoning is way more advanced than her old theory about strength being everything.
Zoroark felt like she'd just found a whole new direction for her future efforts.