"Brother, cheer up. You're not someone who can be easily defeated. We still have to take revenge on Dante." After comforting Asher, Jacob returned to his room.
After hesitating for a long time, he picked up his phone and dialed his sister-in-law's number.
"Hello." A cheerful female voice answered. "Jacob, what can I do for you?"
"Sis..." Jacob lowered his voice and quietly told his sister-in-law Addison about what had happened to Asher in the secret realm.
"Sis, that's what happened today. My brother is in really bad shape right now. I thought you might know how to help him," Jacob explained.
"I'll be there right away." Addison was Asher's childhood sweetheart. Although she was just an ordinary Pokémon breeder and her parents were average people, it didn't affect their relationship at all. When Addison heard about Asher's experience, she immediately said she would rush over. "Try to keep your brother calm until I get there. Don't let him do anything rash."
"Okay. Come quickly. When you arrive, don't knock on the door. Call me instead, and I'll let you in quietly."
"Got it."
...
Fifteen minutes later, Jacob's phone rang, and he immediately opened the door for Addison.
Despite coming in a hurry, Addison still wore light makeup and carried several boxes. "Jacob, these are Dragon and Flying energy blocks. I heard from your brother that you caught a Noibat, so I brought these for you. And here's some honey and Moomoo Milk I bought for your mom, for skincare. This is a gift for your dad..."
Even in her rush, Addison had brought something for everyone in the family. Her thoughtfulness was impeccable. Jacob couldn't help but think how fortunate his brother was to have found such a wonderful partner in Addison.
"Sis, we're all family. You didn't need to bring all this. Go see Asher now."
"Right." Addison was visibly anxious. "I'll leave these on the table. You can give them to your parents later."
"Sure. Go ahead."
Addison knocked on Asher's door, and his voice came from inside: "Jacob, what is it now?"
The door opened, and Asher looked surprised to see Addison standing there. The fatigue on his face momentarily vanished. "Why are you here?"
"You didn't even tell me about something this serious? Jacob had to call me." Addison's gently scolding tone immediately seemed to affect Asher.
"I just didn't want you to worry," Asher replied.
"Do you want me to stand out here while Jacob laughs at us?" Addison said.
"Fine, fine, come in."
Jacob couldn't hear their conversation after that. He didn't have a habit of eavesdropping on couples' private conversations, so he quietly returned to his own room.
Jacob took the opportunity to check if there were any new replies to his post seeking to purchase various evolutionary stones. The Key Stone he had ordered was still being delivered. Given the current situation in Starlight City, no external couriers could make deliveries for the time being, so he would have to wait a few more days.
After browsing through his private messages, he found they were mostly useless—either scams about fake stones, illegal advertisements, or people looking to make "friends" in the same city. Jacob didn't believe any of them. With his looks, he certainly didn't need those kinds of services, so he closed the post immediately.
Jacob, who had barely slept the previous night, was feeling tired. He lay down on his bed and quickly fell asleep. He didn't wake until dinner time.
"Jacob, time to eat!"
"Coming!"
It was Addison's voice. She was wearing an apron and cooking alongside Jacob's mother. The two women were chatting and laughing, discussing which skincare products were good and which clothing stores had discounts.
The table full of delicious dishes made Jacob, who was already starving, begin to salivate.
After talking with Addison, although Asher still looked somewhat haggard, his mental state was noticeably improved.
Dad opened a bottle of wine and poured glasses for himself and Asher. "After everything that happened today, we could all use a drink."
"Let's eat."
Addison and Jacob's mother were excellent cooks. Jacob focused on eating, occasionally joining the family conversation. After finishing a small glass of wine, his mother prevented him from having any more.
"Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you." When everyone had nearly finished eating, Asher suddenly picked up his wine glass and stood, holding Addison's hand. "Addison and I have been together for twelve years, and now I want to marry her."
"That's wonderful news!" Mother's face lit up with a bright smile. Her eldest son was already 28 years old, and it was time for him to get married.
Rory was quite satisfied with Addison as a daughter-in-law. He could find no fault with her except that her family background was modest. But now that the family's standing had drastically declined, he had actually hoped Asher might marry someone from a more influential family, to help them through this difficult period.
However, Rory wasn't a shallow person. While he had to consider his family's welfare, when it came to the final decision, he respected Asher's wishes. He wanted his children to live happy lives. Besides, as the saying goes, "marry a virtuous woman." Someone like Addison, who knew her place, was intelligent and virtuous, was indeed suitable to be Asher's wife. Rory smiled at the couple. "Now that you've made your decision, go ahead with the proposal. We'll arrange a meal with Addison's family soon and settle this matter quickly."
"Thank you, Dad and Mom."
"We're family—there's no need for thanks. If you want to thank someone, thank Jacob. He was thinking of you when others weren't."
...
The family, which had been depressed earlier, became cheerful again because of Asher's sudden marriage announcement.
Three days later, the secret realm had stabilized, with its entrance permanently fixed in the eastern part of Starlight City. The Pokémon Association assigned guards to watch over it 24 hours a day. At the same time, large-scale construction began around the entrance. Numerous Grass-type and Bug-type Pokémon were transported to the secret realm, preparing to transform it into a specialized habitat. Simultaneously, a breeding facility was established. The Grass-type and Bug-type energies in the secret realm were abundant, which greatly enhanced the development of these Pokémon types. The breeding operation alone could generate significant annual revenue.
The emergence of the secret realm was excellent news for Starlight City's development. The tax revenue alone would be substantial. Additionally, the Pokémon Association would send a high-ranking trainer to guard the realm. Rory was exempt from participating in this year's Gym Leader ranking competition because of his outstanding contribution. This was disappointing news for Bug-type trainers in Frosthollow Province. If they wanted to become Gym Leaders, they would have to wait another three years. During that time, Rory would continue to serve as the Bug-type Gym Leader in Starlight City.
As for Asher, because his strength no longer met the requirements, he was released from his position as the Fire Gym Leader of Olivine City. However, due to his commendable service, he was rewarded with two opportunities to select Pokémon from any official breeding facility in Frosthollow Province, excluding pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
Finally, the Pokémon Association estimated the value of the secret realm. The Rory family could initially invest in 20% of the shares, enjoy dividends after development was complete, and have priority selection of Pokémon from the realm during the first two years. Starting in the third year, there would be an annual quota for capturing Pokémon in the secret realm, and this quota could be sold or transferred.
Meanwhile, deliveries to Starlight City resumed normal operation, and Jacob received his package—a genuine Key Stone.
During these few days, Asher visited Addison's house to formally propose. The two families met and agreed on a wedding date: October 1st, just two months away.