Chapter 72: Master of Time and Space (Bonus - Because I Need Suggestions)
The light screen illuminated once again. Several days had passed since the end of the first episode.
With only one hour remaining on the countdown, viewers began pouring into the chat groups.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: Seven days! It’s been seven whole days! Do any of you know how I survived this past week?!
[Pikachu]: Pika, pika! (He dragged me into special training until midnight every day. I’m the one who suffered the most)
[Gary]: Why are you so impatient? It isn’t as though you’ll be the protagonist.
[Ash]: You never know! My parallel-world counterpart is a Champion, remember?!
[Gary]: Even you acknowledge that it was your parallel-world counterpart.
[Ash]: Gary, did you come here today specifically to ruin everything I say?!
[Brock]: Can the two of you settle down for a moment? The video hasn’t even started, and you’re already arguing.
[Steven]: Sigh~
[Wallace]: Steven, what has caused you to sigh?
[Steven]: I can’t help it. Now that Brother Asher has a wife, he no longer pays any attention to his good brother.
[Wallace]: ...It has only been seven days. What’s wrong with letting them enjoy some time alone together?
[Iris]: Come to think of it, does this mean Asher and Misty have officially announced their relationship? Everyone in the VIP seats knows about it, after all.
[Steven]: It isn’t limited to the VIP seats. The regular-seat viewers saw everything too. The entire world now knows that Brother Asher has a wife.
[Ash]: Asher and Misty are together? When did that happen?!
[Paul]: ...
[Gary]: He’s so oblivious that I’m beginning to doubt he’s human...
[Asher]: Steven, are you itching for another beating?
[Steven]: Oh, Brother Asher, you finally responded! By the way, where are the two of you living now? Cerulean Gym?
[Misty]: He’s temporarily staying at my house. I have a spare room.
[Daisy]: A spare room? Misty, would you really make our brother-in-law sleep in a spare room?
[Misty]: It is a spare room! Do you have a problem with that?!
[Violet]: No problem at all. If you say it’s a spare room, then it’s definitely a spare room.
Kanto region, Cerulean City.
Asher emerged from Misty’s bedroom with a yawn. Several strands of his hair stuck up messily, and he wore a wrinkled T-shirt.
Still half-asleep, he wandered into the kitchen and discovered Misty preparing breakfast.
He quietly approached from behind, wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned close to her ear.
"Morning."
Misty froze with the spatula suspended in midair when Asher embraced her from behind.
"Let go. The eggs are going to burn."
"They won’t."
Asher rested his chin atop her head.
"I have complete faith in your ability to fry an egg."
Misty gently nudged him with her elbow.
"Then go toast the bread. There’s butter in the refrigerator."
"As you command, Lady Gym Leader."
"Don’t call me Lady Gym Leader!"
"Then what should I call you? The mother of my child?"
"Asher!!!"
...
A little while later, Misty walked over carrying two cups of cocoa.
"Is it about to begin?"
Asher sat on the sofa, watching the countdown displayed on the light screen.
"Mm. There are only a few dozen seconds left."
Hearing that, Misty sat beside him, intending to watch the next episode together.
The final second disappeared from the countdown.
The system notification sounded.
[Ding!]
[Parallel-World Celebrity Series, Episode Two will now begin.]
The text on the light screen settled into place, forming a striking title.
[Parallel-World Celebrity Series, Episode Two]
[Master of Time and Space]
[Featured Protagonist: Tiana]
[Special Ability: Dragon Force]
[Father: Asher Winter]
[Mother: Cynthia]
[First Pokémon: Gible]
[Ace Pokémon: Garchomp, Salamence, Tyranitar, Dragonite, Altaria, Togekiss]
[Legendary Pokémon: Dialga, Palkia]
[Journey Duration: Three Years]
[Achievements: Sinnoh Champion, World Champion, Master of Time and Space]
[VIP Chat Group]
[Lance]: ?
[Wallace]: ?
[Lorelei]: ?
[Diantha]: ?
[Brock]: ??? @Asher, why is it you again?!!!
[Steven]: Brother Asher is simply too capable!!!
[Ash]: Wait, wait, wait—the protagonist of the second episode is another one of Asher’s daughters?!
[Dawn]: And her mother is Champion Cynthia...
[Asher]: Wait! Everyone, pay attention! This is a parallel world! A parallel world!!
Asher finally lost his composure.
Why did this damned livestream insist on targeting him alone?
The new information didn’t merely cause an uproar among the VIP viewers. It also created an enormous commotion in the regular seats.
The first episode had been connected to Asher, and now he was involved in the second episode too?
[VIP Chat Group]
[Diantha]: @Asher, are you certain you know nothing about the other parallel worlds? Confess, and you may receive leniency. Resist, and you will be punished severely!!
[Asher]: I really don’t know anything!
[Misty]: Then explain this.
[Asher]: ...
[Lance]: It appears my suspicions were correct. Mr. Asher truly is no ordinary person...
[Viola]: The hidden mastermind lurking behind everything!
[Valerie]: The great villain manipulating every event from the shadows!
[Elesa]: The ultimate criminal plotting to conquer the world!
[Asher]: ???
[Asher]: Please spare me! I genuinely want nothing more than to live as an honest man!!
[Steven]: Unfortunately, the moment this episode began, you lost that opportunity.
[May]: Whoa, the image appeared! Is this Tiana? She’s so beautiful!
At the center of the image stood a young woman with a calm expression. Illusory figures of Dialga and Palkia appeared on either side of her, their blue and pink divine radiance intertwining with the bands of golden light surrounding her body.
Beneath her short black hair, golden highlights were lifted by the flowing ribbons of light. Within her mismatched golden and purple eyes were reflected the trails of power that traversed time and space.
[Cynthia]: ...
[Diantha]: Cynthia, are you all right?
[Cynthia]: I’m processing it.
[Diantha]: Processing what?
[Cynthia]: The fact that I apparently have a daughter.
Sinnoh region, Celestic Town.
Cynthia stood before the window of the historical research institute, staring blankly at the light screen.
She had even forgotten about the ice cream in her hand, leaving a smear of cream at the corner of her mouth.
The research assistants exchanged glances before quietly tiptoeing out of the room.
The moment the door closed, Cynthia lowered her head and slowly covered her face with her free hand.
The tips of her ears peeked through the gaps in her blond hair, as red as cooked lobsters.
...
Cerulean Gym, living room.
Misty sat on the sofa with her arms crossed over her chest, a perfectly polite smile on her face.
"Master of Time and Space."
She read the title displayed on the screen aloud.
"Tiana. That’s a lovely name."
Asher sat at the opposite end of the sofa with both hands resting on his knees, his back perfectly straight.
"Darling, let me explain."
"Explain what?"
Misty tilted her head toward him, her voice terrifyingly gentle.
"Explain how you suddenly have another daughter?"
"Darling, that happened in a parallel world..."
"I know it was a parallel world."
Misty placed down her cup.
"The first episode also took place in a parallel world. So while the parallel-world version of you was married to me, you were also with Cynthia—"
"Wait, wait, wait! It wasn’t at the same time!"
Asher raised his hands in surrender.
"They were different parallel worlds! The timelines were completely separate!"
Misty kept her arms crossed and glanced back at the screen.
"Really?"
Asher nodded furiously.
"Of course!"
"Then tell me—which one of us is prettier, Cynthia or me?"
Asher’s emotions became rather complicated.
Why did women always enjoy asking questions like this?
However, preserving his life was currently the highest priority.
Asher revealed another smile.
"My wife is obviously prettier~"
The corners of Misty’s mouth immediately rose when she heard his answer. She stopped questioning him and turned back toward the screen.
"That’s more like it. Now let’s continue watching"
...
TL: What do you guys think about "Dragon-Taming Power"? It’s a direct translation, but it feels a bit meh to me. I considered "Dragon Force," but that’s like a completely different thing in canon. Maybe "Dragon Mastery"? Or should I just keep it as "Dragon-Taming Power"?
Edit: "Dragon-Taming Power" will now be translated to as "Dragon Force." If the actual "Dragon Force" appears later, I’ll likely translate it as "Dragon Pulse" (from the Japanese translation) or something similar like "Dragon Leylines."