Chapter 188: Parallel-World Celebrity Series, Episode Three—Complete!
The video continued playing.
Faced with her parents’ explanations—one shamelessly passing the blame and the other desperately trying to smooth things over—Miori took a deep breath, as though she had suddenly achieved enlightenment about life itself.
"Oh. Then... you two continue? I’ll go see if there’s anything to eat in the kitchen. I’m kind of hungry."
With that, she actually turned around and reached for the door.
"Wait!"
Asher and Elesa shouted at the same time.
Asher’s face had already returned to its usual lazy, faintly amused expression.
He walked over and ruffled his daughter’s hair.
"So, how’s being Champion treating you? You haven’t embarrassed your old man, have you?"
Elesa came over as well and gently smoothed the loose strands of hair across Miori’s forehead.
"You’ve gotten thinner... and stronger."
"You did wonderfully, Mio."
At last, a genuinely warm smile spread across Miori’s face.
There was a daughter’s dependence and contentment within that smile.
"Mm. I’m home, Dad. Mom."
The family of three—
Was finally reunited.
The time that followed was filled with warmth and laughter.
Asher personally went into the kitchen and prepared an extraordinarily lavish meal.
Elesa sat beside Miori on the sofa, gently asking about the details of her journey.
And just like any ordinary child returning home, Miori eagerly told them about the funny things she had encountered, the dangers she had faced, and every one of the partners she had met along the way.
At that moment—
The glory of becoming Champion, the hardships of her journey, and the challenges awaiting her in the future all seemed to fade temporarily into the distance.
Only the warmth of home remained—
Genuinely embracing every member of the family.
[Parallel-World Celebrity Series, Episode Three—Emperor of Ideals: Miori—Complete!]
[The key characters will receive rewards!]
[Elesa has obtained her parallel-world memories!]
[Asher has obtained his parallel-world memories!]
[Miori has obtained One-Way Worldline Access!]
[Note]: Miori’s worldline has already merged with this worldline. In other words, Miori’s birth has now become an inevitable event in this world’s future. It will happen and can no longer be changed!
[Parallel-World Celebrity Series, Part Four will begin in seven days!]
[VIP Chat Group]
[Diantha]: Oho, it’s finally here! @Elesa, did the memories arrive yet? Hurry up and tell us what it feels like!
[Skyla]: She’s still processing them. She’s staring at the screen without moving. I poked her twice and she didn’t even react.
[Diantha]: That’s the initial reaction. Next, she’ll probably go through six stages: silence, blushing, covering her face, attempting to resist with logic, failing to resist, and finally falling completely.
[Lorelei]: ...Diantha, when exactly did you become a fortune-teller?
[Diantha]: I’m not a fortune-teller. I speak from experience. Of course, I owe it all to my wonderful best friend for providing such valuable research material!
[Cynthia]: ...
[Violet]: All right, let Elesa adjust for a while first. @Asher, what do you have to say, brother-in-law?
[Asher]: Ahem. Well, about that—
[Misty]: @Asher, think carefully before you answer.
[Cynthia]: Misty is right. Think carefully before you answer.
[Asher]: ...When did the two of you form an alliance?
[Misty]: The moment your memories arrived.
[Daisy]: Oh my~ Misty’s answer really does have the bearing of the first wife!
Unova region, Nimbasa City
Elesa’s apartment.
Elesa sat hugging a cushion, staring blankly at the screen.
"Elesa?"
Skyla waved a hand in front of her face.
"Hello? Are you still in there, or has your soul already flown away?"
Elesa abruptly snapped back to reality and instinctively pressed the back of her hand against her cheek.
It was burning hot.
"...I’m fine."
Her voice was slightly quieter than usual.
"It’s just... a lot of information to process."
"A lot of information?"
Skyla leaned closer with a teasing smile.
"What kind of information are we talking about?"
"Skyla!"
"All right, all right. I’ll stop teasing you."
Skyla waved her hands, though the smile at the corners of her mouth refused to disappear.
"But seriously, what are you planning to do now?"
"Misty and Cynthia have already moved into Asher’s house. Are you going to—"
Elesa bit her lip.
She stared silently at the screen for a moment before turning toward Skyla.
"Help me buy a ticket."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Skyla]: Breaking news! Elesa has officially announced her surrender! She is formally joining Asher’s big family! We’re booking the ticket right now!
[Valerie]: Congratulations! Congratulations! Has Elesa already left?
[Skyla]: Not yet. She asked me to get her a ticket for today, but everything tonight is sold out. She’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
[Steven]: Leave it to me, leave it to me, leave it to me! If this concerns Brother Asher, then as his brother, I’m obligated to give him my full support! My private jet will pick up Sister-in-law immediately!
[Elesa]: Thank you.
[Steven]: Now you’re just being too polite, Sister-in-law. Brother Asher’s business is my business.
[Misty]: @Elesa, do you want me to come pick you up?
[Elesa]: Mm. Sorry to trouble you.
[Misty]: It’s no trouble. It’s not my first time doing this anyway.
[Cynthia]: Welcome.
[Elesa]: Thank you.
[Iris]: I’m already looking forward to the next episode! I wonder who the fourth one will be!
[Dawn]: After watching three of these, I’m not picky anymore. Anyone is fine as long as she’s another member of Asher’s family! I could watch this family drama forever!
[Steven]: Come to think of it, now that the worldlines of Brother Asher’s three daughters have connected to ours, doesn’t that mean three different regions could eventually have Champions from Brother Asher’s family?
[Lance]: ...That genuinely might happen.
[Leon]: And all three of them are around the same age. There could eventually be a World Championships where all three of Asher’s daughters compete at the same time.
[Raihan]: What would everyone else even compete for at that point? They might as well surrender immediately.
[Alder]: Personally, I would very much like to see that. Three of Asher’s daughters competing on the same stage... Just imagining it sounds exciting.
[Ash]: What about me?! My parallel-world self is a Champion too! If I ever get the opportunity, I want to challenge all three of them!
[Pikachu]: Pika, pika! (I’m fired up!)
[Gary]: Try becoming Champion in the real world first.
Unova region, Nimbasa City.
The private jet Steven had sent was already parked outside Nimbasa Gym.
A man dressed in a black suit stood at the cabin entrance.
The moment he saw Elesa and Skyla approaching, he immediately stood at attention and bowed.
"Miss Elesa, Miss Skyla. Our employer instructed us that today’s flight is exclusively for the two of you."
"Breakfast and refreshments have already been prepared inside the cabin. The flight will take approximately two hours. If you require anything during the journey, please use the service bell at any time."
Elesa politely nodded.
Skyla, meanwhile, looked around the cabin in amazement, examining the leather seats and crystal chandelier.
"I think I finally understand why Asher is still willing to call Steven his brother after getting dragged into so much nonsense by him in the livestream."
"This level of extravagance really is something else."
Once the two women had taken their seats, the plane soon took off.
Outside the window, the clouds stretched endlessly beneath them like a white ocean.
Skyla sat opposite Elesa, munching on a cookie as she spoke through a mouthful of crumbs.
"Come to think of it, what does receiving those memories actually feel like? Can you describe it?"
"It’s difficult to explain."
"It’s like years and years of memories suddenly appeared inside my head, and they all feel as though I personally lived through them."
Elesa leaned back in her seat and covered her eyes with one hand.
"Skyla... Right now, I just want to see him as soon as possible."
Skyla looked at her for a moment.
Then she stood up, moved from the opposite seat to the one beside Elesa, and gently patted her shoulder.
"It won’t be long. You’ll be there in two hours."