"A wild Pokémon getting caught by the officers is definitely trouble."

  Samuel’s heart felt heavy at the thought, and he couldn't help but curse inwardly, What a dark and brutal world.

  He wondered when Pokémon and humans would finally be able to coexist in harmony… The thought weighed on him.

  "You need to be extra careful," Uncle Darby said solemnly. "If you're really going to raise Monsters, you absolutely can't let anyone find out."

  Seeing Samuel’s hesitation, Darby had already guessed most of what was on his mind. Having some real strength was indeed the best way to survive in this world.

  "I understand. I'll be careful," Samuel nodded, gncing around warily. Thankfully, Petilil had just finished its training, and no one else had noticed.

  Right now, Petilil's entire body was enveloped in a green glow.

  Even though it had only recently learned Absorb, after a few attempts, it could already use the move proficiently.

  Of course, a big reason for this was the process of absorbing nutrients from growth fertilizer, which had helped it build experience in drawing energy to replenish itself.

  Its ability to grasp Absorb so quickly was directly linked to its constant exposure to the energy from the growth fertilizer.

  Bathed in the green light, Petilil could feel streams of energy rising from the soil beneath it.

  The energy felt familiar yet slightly different—lower in quality compared to the growth fertilizer, but abundant in quantity.

  "So Berries that decompose underground naturally ferment into organic fertilizer."

  Seeing this, Samuel felt a surge of excitement. This meant Petilil could train its Absorb move freely.

  By drawing energy from the soil’s nutrients, Petilil wouldn’t be depleting its own potential. In fact, the process would help replenish it.

  ...

  Ambition City, Castle District.

  After half a day of working through paperwork, Mira finally finished her tasks and stretched zily.

  "Finally, I can take a break."

  "I’m definitely getting some chilled pudding from the kitchen ter as a reward."

  She walked to the study's entrance and opened the door, letting sunlight stream into the room.

  But in the next moment, she caught sight of Knight Kevin hurrying toward her, and an uneasy feeling crept into her heart.

  Not again… Honestly, she was starting to dread seeing Kevin tely.

  "Your Highness, Mr. Jobb has gone missing."

  As expected, the knight's next words confirmed her suspicions.

  "Come inside," Mira said in a low voice, then turned back toward her study, sighing inwardly.

  Following the lord into the study, Kevin quickly detailed the circumstances of Jobb’s disappearance.

  Mr. Jobb was a well-known merchant in Ambition City, responsible for a significant portion of the region’s tax revenue through his grain trade.

  It was easy to imagine that news of his disappearance would cause an uproar in the city.

  "He was st seen three days ago."

  "It wasn’t until this afternoon that his wife, realizing he still hadn’t returned, reported it to us and asked for help."

  Hearing Kevin’s report, Mira’s brows furrowed slightly. She murmured, "Three days ago… Wasn’t that the same day Uncle Reiser fell unconscious?"

  The knight nodded, confirming her suspicion. "Do you think there’s a connection between Baron Reiser’s condition and Mr. Jobb’s disappearance?"

  Mira nodded. The timing was too much of a coincidence. But what puzzled her was why Baron Reiser had merely fallen unconscious, while Jobb had vanished entirely.

  "But Lady Jobb insists her husband never left their estate," Kevin said, frowning.

  If Jobb had gone missing from inside his own home, things were far more complicated. His estate was well-guarded, with several Monster Tamers as bodyguards.

  As a family, the Jobbs were even more powerful than some lesser nobles. If someone had taken Mr. Jobb from inside his own estate, who could have done it?

  A Monster… and a powerful one at that… Mira concluded. The thought immediately reminded her of the recent disappearances in the slums.

  Could all these missing persons cases be connected? And if so, did Baron Reiser’s colpse py a part in the bigger picture?

  She couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister was lurking beneath Ambition City’s surface.

  "Combine these three incidents into one investigation. See if you can find any connections," she ordered after some thought.

  Though the case was growing increasingly complex, it was also an opportunity. She refused to believe that a merchant as prominent as Jobb could simply vanish without a trace.

  In a dark room somewhere.

  Two hooded figures sat across from each other at a table.

  "Baron Reiser has woken up?"

  "That wasn’t part of the pn… Luckily, his memory was erased."

  One of the figures, cd in bck robes, lifted a steaming cup of tea to his lips, exhaling slowly before speaking in an unhurried tone.

  "I didn’t expect it either."

  "That apothecary named Samuel managed to concoct a special awakening potion using Murkrow feathers."

  On the other side of the table, a white-robed figure raised a hand adorned with a crimson gemstone ring. Lifting a cup of an unidentifiable green liquid, he took a slow sip, looking pleased.

  "An apothecary? How skilled is he?" the bck-robed figure asked, setting down his teacup with interest.

  The white-robed man tapped his chin with the gemstone-adorned finger, recalling the details. "Hard to say, but judging by his technique, he’s quite competent."

  "A skilled apothecary… now that’s interesting." The bck-robed figure nodded slightly before continuing, "Is there a way to bring him here? I happen to have a formu I need tested."

  "That shouldn’t be too difficult. He’s just a commoner, with no significant background."

  "However, we’ve already drawn the attention of that so-called ‘benevolent’ lord. And this apothecary seems to have gained her favor as well. Plus, there’s likely another, more powerful apothecary backing him."

  "I’ll need time to prepare. Finding the right moment to take him without leaving a trace is crucial."

  The white-robed man nodded confidently. Everything was under control—just like every other time. No one had ever caught him.

  That ‘benevolent lord’… The bck-robed figure hesitated. She’s probably searching for us as we speak. Right now, we’re not strong enough to confront her directly.

  After a moment of thought, he spoke again: "Don’t take unnecessary risks. If it becomes too difficult, kill him. Our pn is nearly complete. Nothing is more important than that."

  With those words, he traced a circle over his chest and murmured an incantation under his breath.

  The white-robed man followed suit, mimicking the gesture with a knowing smirk.

  -----

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