Pokémon Court

Chapter 8: Top-level Master

“Anything else? Not really, I was just curious seeing such a young kid like you,” the old man named Victor observed Beautifly once again, expressing his admiration.

“What are you curious about?” Terrance asked.

“A ten-year-old participating in the Breeder Examination, isn’t it worth being curious about?” the old man asked in reply.

“True,” Terrance nodded.

Seeing that Terrance didn’t deny the guess about his age, the old man was somewhat surprised.

“Since you claim to be a Breeder, then is this Beautifly the one you’ve raised?” the old man asked again when he saw no response from Terrance.

“More or less.”

Although Terrance had the help of everyone at the Old Green House, he was the one who was mainly responsible for taking care of Beautifly.

“Impressive,” the old man commented.

“…”

Terrance still couldn’t grasp the old man’s intentions. The old man’s words only served to confuse Terrance even more.

“Don’t be nervous, relax. Just treat it as a normal conversation.”

The old man chuckled, as he hadn’t seen such an interesting youngster in a long time.

Despite the seemingly crude way the Beautifly was raised, if such an accomplishment was attributed to Terrance, it would indeed be quite remarkable.

If Terrance was being given the praise of “good breeding,” it would indicate that he had at least reached the level of a Junior Breeder, and Terrance was just a teenager.

“Besides Little June, I’ve never seen such an outstanding youngster before. I must be getting old,” the old man sighed when Terrance remained unresponsive.

“Little June? Is she also a Breeder?”

Realizing that the old man simply wanted to have a chat, Terrance decided to relax and go along with it. Since he has some free time on his hands, it would be a good way to pass the time.

What about not talking with strangers? To hell with it.

“If you are ten years old… that would be similar to Little June. Impressive! Little June is also preparing to take the Breeder Examination. Who knows, maybe you two will become competitors,” the old man sighed.

“….Is she also on this ship?” Terrance was somewhat speechless. Was it really such a coincidence?

“She’s still having dinner. I came out for some fresh air after finishing mine,” the old man said naturally, then he pointed and smiled, “Look, she has come out too.”

Upon hearing this, Terrance instinctively looked in the direction the old man was pointing.

Soon after, a girl with pink hair appeared in front of Terrance. But before he could say anything, the girl exclaimed in surprise, “It’s you!”

“Me?” Terrance was genuinely confused, not understanding what the girl meant.

“Do you know each other?” The old man was also very surprised.

“Teacher,” the girl called Little June respectfully greeted the old man. “He’s the person I told you about.”

“Are you the kid who found the mistake in her medicine?” The old man was also amazed, never expecting such a coincidence.

Listening to the conversation between the two, Terrance finally understood, and it suddenly dawned on him, “So it’s you.”

At that time in Slateport City, the girl had her face and hair covered by a hat, so Terrance didn’t immediately recognize her. But now, hearing her voice, it was indeed very similar.

“Nice to meet you again. I’m June Joy,” she extended her hand, playfully winking at Terrance.

“Terrance.” Without hesitation, Terrance also extended his hand, and the two of them reintroduced themselves.

However, the surname “Joy” caught Terrance’s attention. Pokemon Centers in various populated regions were monopolized by the Joy family, and the girl in front of him had the surname Joy. It made him ponder.

The histories of the Joy and Jenny families can be traced back to the establishment of the Pokémon League.

At this moment, Terrance also became curious about June Joy’s address to the old man as “teacher.” It was not a term used casually. According to the old man, June Joy was also preparing to take the Breeder Examination in Lilycove City. A ten-year-old Breeder, combined with the background of the Joy surname, made him start to suspect the true identity of the old man.

Perhaps this old man is also a formidable Breeder… This also explains his reaction when he heard that I am going to take the Breeder Examination.

“Who exactly are you?” Terrance looked at the old man and spoke again. Not knowing the other person’s identity, there is a possibility that some misunderstandings might arise.

“Oh, me? Didn’t I say it before? I’m Victor, and I am also a Breeder.” The old man chuckled, nonchalantly responding.

Upon hearing the old man’s explanation, June Joy, who was standing beside them, showed a helpless expression and added for Terrance, “Teacher is also a Breeder and holds the highest title among Breeders.”

A top-level Breeder!

Receiving this information, it was within reason, yet also unexpected. Terrance was surprised.  Aren’t top-level Breeders considered as a group of people with distinguished status in this world?

What this status represents. How could he not know? Who is capable of carrying the title of a master?

Elite Four members, as well as regional Champions, renowned professors in various regions, and even the Pokémon Contest Masters above Top Coordinators. Apart from them, there were also the top-level Breeders.

Being addressed in the same manner as those individuals, the status of a top-level Breeder was self-evident.

Even a single comment from a top-level Breeder regarding a Pokémon is considered extremely valuable and hard to come by.

“My apologies, Master Victor!” Terrance expressed his regret for his earlier rudeness. Any master deserves respect, and especially so since he had misunderstood the old man.

The old man’s curiosity should have just been a concern for a younger generation…

“Haha, it’s no big deal. So, you’re the child Little June mentioned. No wonder it seemed so coincidental to keep encountering talented juniors like you. If you can make Little June admit defeat, it seems you have some skills too.” Master Victor teased. 

“It was just luck.” Terrance spoke the truth.

However, in the old man’s ears, these words came across as modest and composed.

“I have already sought Teacher’s appraisal, and it was indeed my mistake,” June Joy openly admitted her mistake without trying to hide it.

“There are still many areas where I have a lot to learn from June. Many of the medicines she made, I still haven’t figured out the principles behind them.” Terrance shook his head. His past life’s experiences have taught him to be low-key in such situations.

“Hahaha, that’s only natural. Little June has me as her teacher, plus her talent is pretty good. That’s how she reached the level of a Junior Breeder at the age of ten. But, you know, that’s what makes you stand out, young man.”

The comments from a top-level Breeder allowed Terrance to have a clear understanding of himself. His four years of diligent studying must not have been in vain. A ten-year-old Breeder could truly be considered a miracle.

After all, Terrance had spent over a decade as a student in his previous life. Learning and analyzing comes naturally to him, which is deeply ingrained in his bones. This was a tremendous advantage for any child under the age of ten.

What could other kids of the same age, who were still playing with the mud balls or hide-and-seek, use to compete with someone who had undergone more than a decade of exam-oriented education?

Therefore, Terrance was at a loss.