After clearly seeing where Ralts's tiny hand was reaching, both Diancie and Diantha froze.
"Wait… shouldn't it be some kind of Psychic-type item?"
Diantha blinked, her expression flickering with confusion. From her perspective, Ralts was clutching at nothing but thin air.
No Twisted Spoon, no Odd Incense—none of the typical Psychic-enhancing items appeared.
Puzzled, she scratched her head. Had Ralts made a mistake?
Or… had the Pokémon before her secretly used an ability to hide something?
Otherwise, how could Ralts be so fixated on nothing?
Meanwhile, Diancie's shock quickly shifted into anger.
Because unlike Diantha, she could see what Ralts was holding—Elias's arm.
Obviously, this little Ralts was trying to trade the book for Elias himself.
Absolutely delusional!
Diancie's face darkened. Just what was this human thinking—trying to take him away over a single book?!
If Elias was gone, what good would that book even be?
"Impossible! You're dreaming!"
With a sharp motion, she smacked Ralts's hand away and yanked Elias protectively behind her.
Then she glared daggers at Diantha.
A moment ago, she'd thought this human was kind and generous. But now—she was even worse than Cogita!
Trade Elias for a book? Ridiculous! Even if this girl offered the entire Kalos region, Diancie would still refuse without hesitation.
Because Elias belonged only to her!
"Ralu!"
Having her hand slapped away, Ralts let out a frustrated cry and darted back to Diantha's side, pointing furiously at Diancie as if to complain.
Only then did Diantha finally realize something was off.
If there was truly nothing there, Ralts's strange behavior might still make sense… but this other Pokémon's aggressive reaction?
That was another matter entirely.
Clearly, something was there—something she couldn't see.
"Excuse me," Diantha asked carefully, still polite despite her confusion. "Is there… something there?"
Hearing that, Diancie froze.
She can't see Elias?
Diancie looked Diantha up and down. The girl's tone was genuine—she wasn't pretending.
Then Diancie glanced at Ralts again and finally understood.
Elias was in Ghost Form right now; ordinary humans and Pokémon wouldn't be able to see him.
But Psychic-types, with their sharp perception, could.
I was careless!
Realizing this, Diancie's face clouded even more.
Under Diantha's curious gaze, she tightened her grip on Elias and tugged him further behind her.
"There's nothing there!" she said firmly, glaring in warning.
However—
Before she could even blink, Ralts once again pointed excitedly toward Elias's position.
"Ralu Ralu!"
To her Psychic senses, Elias shone like a beacon—Life Energy, telekinesis, Ghost Form, all radiating an irresistible pull.
Since her Trainer had offered to trade, Ralts had no intention of giving up.
Watching the scene, Elias couldn't help a small, helpless smile.
With Diancie's fierce protectiveness, even an oblivious bystander would realize he was hiding something.
As expected, Diantha's curiosity only deepened.
Guided by Ralts's insistent gestures, she, too, began to feel something faint—an odd, invisible presence nearby.
...
"Elias, you're so reckless!"
Diancie sat cross-armed in her chair inside the library, pouting furiously.
A short while earlier, Elias had revealed himself to Diantha and her Ralts.
His condition had improved enough recently that he could manifest briefly in a semi-visible state, visible even to ordinary humans.
When he appeared, Diancie saw Diantha's eyes widen in stunned disbelief—while her Ralts looked positively thrilled.
But under Diancie's lethal glare, the little Psychic Pokémon had wisely stayed put.
"H-Hello. I'm Diantha. My hobbies are Pokémon and acting," Diantha managed, recovering from her shock.
She was usually composed and confident, yet now found herself uncharacteristically nervous.
She certainly hadn't expected a translucent human figure to materialize beside this mysterious Pokémon.
"This is Elias! I raised him myself!"
Before Elias could even speak, Diancie leaned forward and declared it with fierce pride.
Elias gave a faint, amused smile at her protectiveness and simply nodded, offering no further explanation.
At the same time, his gaze flicked toward the book in Diantha's hands.
That was the reason he'd chosen to reveal himself—it was exactly the resource he'd been searching for.
He had a hunch this young woman possessed other rare materials as well. The quality of that book alone was far beyond anything he'd seen in the library's public collection.
Diancie quickly realized his intent.
She bit her lip, torn.
Elias was doing this for her, she knew that—but showing himself to a stranger was dangerous.
That Ralts had already tried to claim him once! She didn't even want to imagine what they might do next.
And if Diantha harbored hidden motives, it could be even worse.
Perhaps reading Diancie's tension, Diantha softened her tone.
Pokémon really were such pure creatures.
She wasn't plotting anything sinister—only curious about why her Ralts was drawn to this ghostly figure.
Though she had to admit… the figure's calm demeanor and gentle presence were unexpectedly captivating. Still, she prided herself on self-control.
"Relax," she said with a small smile, gently holding back Ralts. "I won't do anything inappropriate."
But her lingering gaze on Elias did not reassure Diancie in the slightest.
"What do you want with Elias?" Diancie asked, narrowing her eyes.
If Elias weren't holding her hand right now, she'd have already dragged him out of there.
"Please don't misunderstand," Diantha said quickly. "I'm only curious why Ralts is so drawn to… Elias."
She hesitated briefly, remembering Diancie's earlier words—then decided to speak plainly.
---
Diancie: I regret introducing him!
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