"Yes! My brother, he..."
Kenji's face was full of anxiety, with a hint of panic in his eyes. It seemed that the two brothers of the Sato family had quite a good relationship, with no so-called rivalry for inheritance.
"Catch your breath and speak slowly. The more anxious you are, the harder it is to explain clearly."
Natsuhiko guided Kenji to a seat in the club hall and sat down.
"Anai, could you please bring us two glasses of water?" he called out to Anai, who was standing at the front desk.
"Sure."
Anai took two glasses of water from behind the counter and brought them to Natsuhiko and Kenji.
As she approached, Natsuhiko sniffed slightly, a very strong scent of high-end perfume wafted into his nostrils. It was rich, fragrant, but not pungent at all.
He glanced at Anai with some surprise. Is the average salary at the club really that high?
Can a receptionist afford such expensive perfume?
And spray so much?
"Thank you."
Natsuhiko expressed his gratitude and took the glass.
"You're welcome."
Anai responded crisply, leaning her head on her hand as she quietly watched Natsuhiko and Kenji, her gaze subtly observing the people coming and going in the club, with her willow-leaf eyebrows gradually furrowing, a flicker of light in the depths of her eyes.
Kenji drank all the water in his glass in one go, wiped his mouth, and finally caught his breath.
Seeing Kenji ready to talk, Natsuhiko spoke seriously, "Your older brother is missing? What's the situation exactly? Tell me."
Kenji pursed his lips, seemingly recalling, "You know my family is in the clothing business, and the old man at home is getting on in years, so he wanted to pass things on to the next generation. I'm still studying, so naturally, it would fall on my brother..."
Natsuhiko nodded, not surprised by this situation.
If Kenji and his older brother had such a significant age gap, there wasn't much to contest.
Consider Flint from the Devon Company in the Hoenn Region, who took over the company at a young age and became the Champion of the Hoenn Alliance, though he later relinquished the championship to Mikkel due to company affairs. It illustrates the maturity and intelligence prevalent in the Pokemon Realm.
Kenji continued, "This time, my brother heard about a very good batch of materials, supposedly something from a Pokémon, in the Johto Region, and went there personally to procure it."
Pokémon have thoroughly integrated into this world, even in the clothing industry.
Natsuhiko had heard that his own expensive outfit was made from the feathers shed by a Dark Crow Pokémon from the Johto Region.
Such clothing, made from materials shed by Pokémon, is highly favored by the wealthy and often priced extravagantly.
"The Johto Region?"
Natsuhiko took a small sip from his glass, "If it's a matter in the Johto Region, I'm afraid I can't help..."
Kenji shook his head immediately, "No, it's not the Johto Region. My brother successfully returned with the batch of goods and was almost at Goldenrod City when he suddenly lost contact. Both he and the goods disappeared without a trace."
"When did this happen?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but the old man at home mentioned it was either last night or yesterday evening..."
Natsuhiko nodded.
He had just returned yesterday evening and night, and had collapsed into bed upon reaching the club.
"Didn't you report it to the police?" Natsuhiko asked again.
In Goldenrod City, the Sato family could be considered wealthy, with a thriving clothing business. The disappearance of their first heir should be taken very seriously.
"We did, but a day has passed without any result. I'm worried about my brother's safety, though the old man tells me to stay out of it. But he's my brother; how could I not care? Among the friends I know, you're the only one I fully trust, Natsuhiko, so I came to you..."
It's flattering, truly. Miss Jenny in Goldenrod City can't do anything—what can I accomplish... Natsuhiko thought to himself, though he didn't voice it.
After all, Kenji had provided him with quite a few conveniences over time. He always booked the entire venue without interrupting his training and even gifted him such an expensive outfit. It's only right to try helping if possible.
Maintaining such precious clients is important, of course.
"I know your club offers mission-based services, so I just posted a mission. If someone can provide useful and accurate information about my brother, the reward is 100,000 Alliance credits. If they find my brother, the reward is 500,000 Alliance credits plus the friendship of the Sato family."
100,000 Alliance credits, 500,000 Alliance credits...
Coming from Kenji's mouth, why does it sound so casual?
The friendship of the Sato family is probably the most valuable reward, in his eyes.
Indeed, that is likely the case.
"Alright, I'll take this mission—not for any other reason, but simply because we've been friends for so long. 50... uh, 100... ahem, for our long-time friendship," Natsuhiko said with a straight face.
Whether or not he can find Kenji's brother.
He admired the generous gesture.
"Natsuhiko, you're the only one I can trust," Kenji said with some exhaustion.
With that, he handed over a file bag, "Inside is some basic information. My brother disappeared on the muddy road south of Goldenrod City. That's all I know."
"Get some rest; I'm heading out." Natsuhiko patted Kenji's shoulder and, without waiting around after just getting back, turned to walk back into the endless rain.
Kenji watched Natsuhiko leave, his eyes full of hope.
But no one noticed there were still eyes behind them... cold eyes.
...
...
As Natsuhiko stepped into the rain, his pace gradually slowed down.
The pattering of the rain slowly restored his rationality and calmness.
Money is obviously a good thing, and he was indeed very lacking in it, but this decision had been slightly impulsive.
The best outcome would be if he successfully finds Kenji's brother, earns the 500,000 Alliance credits, and gains the Sato family's friendship. With money, he could try to leave Goldenrod City and its complex web of Alliance and Rocket Team influences.
The coincidental mission with Yujira had left a lasting scar in his heart, one that couldn't be removed or healed.
But that was the best-case scenario. The most likely outcome was finding nothing and having to return with nothing but time wasted.
Even if he did find some clue about Kenji's brother, what kind of force or individual could snatch away the future head of the Sato family right under the noses of Goldenrod's Alliance members? Could a small Junior Trainer like him handle it?
But Kenji was a major client, and he couldn't refuse face-to-face.
After pondering, he finally decided to first check the situation before proceeding.
Based on the scene and remaining clues, he would be able to judge if the mission could be completed.
"Weedle..."
Just after making his decision, the Weedle on Natsuhiko's shoulder suddenly cried out.
"What's wrong?"
The Weedle looked embarrassed, wriggling awkwardly as if unsure how to express itself.
"Hungry?" Seeing its expression, Natsuhiko more or less understood what Weedle meant.
"Weedle~~" Weedle gently rubbed its head against Natsuhiko's cheek.
Its smooth, earthy-colored shell was plump and round, as if brimming with immeasurable energy.
Feeling Weedle's affection, Natsuhiko murmured in surprise, "The muscle saturation... Weedle, you really are about to evolve..."
After a day fighting with Water-type Pokémon in the Fengluo River, Weedle had reached the threshold.
———————-
A bit delayed due to some matters; another update is coming soon!