Chapter 7: The Betting Agreement
When Arthur expressed his desire to become a trainer, Eleanor Vance couldn't help but frown.
They did not agree with Arthur's choice.
"Given your current persona's strengths, we strongly suggest you develop in the direction of a breeder or Pokémon conservationist, creating a warm persona of someone 'raised by Pokémon, who now nurtures and repays them.'"
Eleanor Vance and her team provided many similar viewpoints and reasons.
For example, Suicune was known as a gentle and approachable mythical beast, and a trainer's overly aggressive fighting style didn't fit his current "Son of Suicune" persona.
Additionally, the investment for trainers was too large and the barrier to entry too high, making it a very risky path.
Of course, there were many unsaid reasons, namely that the breeder path would be faster for monetization.
They had already contacted several brands of Pokémon feed and energy blocks before approaching Arthur, waiting for him to gain some fame to promote these brands.
After all, internet celebrities were just businesses in the end.
However, Arthur only asked one question: "Is there a way to obtain Alliance merit as a breeder?"
Eleanor Vance hesitated, "It's quite difficult, but theoretically possible."
Arthur understood the implication.
He stated firmly, "Then I still want to pursue the trainer path. If you agree, I can sign now; otherwise, forget it."
As a former Heavenly King, he had his own pride.
Moreover, in this completely unfamiliar time and space, he didn't have many attachments. He didn't particularly care about money or fame. His biggest obsession was finding out what had happened to his former Pokémon partners by obtaining merit.
So, on this point, he wouldn't compromise.
Seeing his stubbornness, Eleanor Vance was somewhat perplexed.
She couldn't understand why, after just one night, this kid seemed like a completely different person.
"We need to discuss this. Please wait a moment."
Eleanor Vance took her two colleagues outside for a discussion.
The two colleagues had opposing views.
One argued, "This kid is very popular right now. Let's sign him first, and we can mold him later. I think he doesn't understand the joy of having money yet. Once he learns how to make more money, he'll change his mind."
The other countered, "Internet celebrities have a shelf life. By the time he changes his mind, who knows if his popularity will still be there? We can't indulge him like this!"
They agreed that Arthur becoming a trainer was a waste.
However, Eleanor Vance had a different idea.
"What if we let him try to be a trainer? Could it have additional benefits?"
Eleanor Vance's two colleagues exchanged glances and said in unison, "Don't kid yourself, Eleanor!"
"You know how fierce the competition is for trainers these days? How easy do you think it is to achieve results? This kid barely knows any general knowledge; he probably doesn't understand type matchups, Pokémon abilities, or move effects."
The other agreed, "Exactly. It's not easy to stand out as a trainer these days. After a few losses, his popularity will be gone. How will we manage him then?"
With their shared opinions, Eleanor Vance was in a dilemma.
Finally, she decided to seek guidance from her superiors.
After hanging up and waiting for almost ten minutes, she received a reply.
The gist was: sign him first, we'll discuss the rest later.
Returning to the room, Eleanor Vance sat down and gave Arthur an affirmative answer. She then took out the contract, and they began carefully reviewing the terms.
During this process, Arthur asked many questions, repeatedly inquiring about anything he didn't understand.
Although it took a lot of time, it unexpectedly made Eleanor Vance look at him with new respect.
Eleanor was a little surprised: this kid, who looked only fifteen and was clueless about many things yesterday, actually had such a clear and meticulous mind.
He wasn't easy to fool.
At the end of the contract discussion, Arthur asked again how they planned to make him a trainer.
Her two colleagues wanted to brush it off, but this time, Eleanor Vance was unusually bold.
The young man didn't seem to be acting on a whim. Instead, every question and demand of his exuded extraordinary calmness and confidence.
She felt like she wasn't facing a naive fifteen-year-old but a mature and reliable adult.
So, she decided to give him a chance.
Also, she didn't think she could deceive him with her colleagues' approach.
She said, "I can authorize a half-year salary advance for you to purchase your first Pokémon. I'll take care of your trainer registration. But as a condition, if you fail the trainer selection, you must fully comply with the company's requirements for the rest of your contract."
Her two colleagues were signaling her frantically, but she ignored them.
"Okay," Arthur replied simply.
With this betting agreement in place, they officially signed the contract.
As they left, the colleagues complained to Eleanor Vance.
"Eleanor, are you crazy? The internet changes so fast. By the time he fails, how much popularity will he have left? He'll be an outdated celebrity, and any restrictions we add won't be worth anything."
Eleanor Vance, now wearing sunglasses, adjusted her frames and said, "But what if he succeeds?"
Her colleagues retorted without thinking, "That's impossible!"
Eleanor Vance just smiled. "What if? The company has so many internet celebrities; we won't go under if we lose one. Let's gamble. High risk, high return."
However, her colleagues completely disagreed with her gamble.
Arthur had heard the first part of their conversation in the room but didn't care.
He was past the age of being competitive and wasn't trying to prove anything. He didn't need to assert himself with harsh words.
His colleagues' warning about how difficult it was to stand out as a trainer didn't scare him. Instead, it made him feel eager to try.
He considered himself quite knowledgeable in the field of training.
After all, he was one of the seven who once stood at the top of their era.
He was even starting to wonder what the new era's trainers were like.