Pokémon: My Parallel World Daughters Revealed

The video continued playing.

Miori pushed open the doors of Nimbasa Gym with a look of utter hopelessness, and the familiar interior entered her sight.

When she left this place, she had still been looking forward to sunshine, beaches, and delicious food.

Yet less than two days later, she had already been deported back home.

Miori was in a terrible mood.

Fortunately, at least she no longer had to be the Gym Leader.

At that thought, Miori planted both hands on her hips and announced to the empty Gym:

"I, Miori, hereby resign from my position as Gym Leader effective today! I’ll shoulder the hero’s mission, but before setting out, I’m sleeping for three days and three nights!"

Emolga immediately raised both paws.

It supported this proposal with all four limbs.

"You agree too, right? Then let’s go back to my room now."

With that, Miori lifted her foot and prepared to head toward her bedroom.

The next second, however, a hand reached out from behind and grabbed her directly by the back of her collar.

"Stop dreaming. You’re leaving right now."

Elesa held Miori by the collar, leaving her dangling like a kitten seized by the scruff of fate. Even so, Miori’s expression retained its final trace of defiance.

"Mom, am I actually your biological daughter?"

"That’s an excellent question."

Elesa stroked her chin with her free hand and pretended to think deeply.

"When I returned to the maternity ward after giving birth, the nurse brought in three babies, so I picked the prettiest one and kept her."

"Mom, you’re making up stories for little kids! Dad already told me I was born at our family’s private hospital. Where would the other two babies have come from?"

"Oh, you caught me."

Elesa released her and clapped her hands.

"My Miori is so clever~"

Miori took a deep breath.

She genuinely had no way to deal with this woman.

"Fine. I’ll leave. But I’m allowed to return to my room and pack first, right?"

"Oh~ There’s no need to pack."

Elesa produced a backpack from behind her and held it out to Miori.

"Mommy has already prepared everything for you."

Looking at the pathetically small amount of luggage, Miori felt even more hopeless.

"Mom, are you serious? This backpack is tiny."

"Oh, don’t worry. There’s definitely enough inside!"

As she spoke, Elesa helped Miori put on the backpack.

Miori slowly raised her head and stared at the ceiling with an exceptionally tragic expression.

"...Can I choose not to be this hero?"

"You’ll have to ask the Dragon of Ideals whether it agrees."

"...It isn’t even here. How is it supposed to answer?"

"It didn’t appear to object, so that counts as agreement."

"Mom, who taught you that kind of logic?"

"Your father."

Elesa answered with complete confidence.

Miori clutched her chest and fell backward, her voice sounding as though every ounce of strength had been drained from her body.

"I should have known. I’m the only person in this family carrying the burden and moving forward. Right now, I’m like an apple that’s been completely squeezed dry. There isn’t any juice left inside me—only pulp!"

Elesa patted her head.

"That’s all right. The pulp can still be squeezed again."

"Squeezing pulp only gives you more pulp."

"Then you can be pulp. Either way, you’re leaving."

Miori was pushed out of the Gym.

She silently gazed up at the sky.

"I must have destroyed the world in my previous life. That’s the only explanation for why I have to save the world in this life while also enduring parents like these."

[VIP Chat Group]

[Skyla]: Hahahahahaha! "The pulp can still be squeezed again!" Elesa is even more ruthless than a heartless corporation!

[Bertha]: It’s good for young people to endure some hardship, though Miori’s hardships are certainly arriving rather frequently.

[Gary]: I don’t think this counts as enduring hardship. Her biological parents are simply tormenting her nonstop.

[Steven]: Brother Asher calls this strategic development! None of you understand!

[Wallace]: Steven, whenever you defend Asher, I can never tell whether you genuinely mean it or are secretly insulting him.

[Gary]: Silence means agreement. Failing to object means agreement. Not appearing means agreement. As long as someone doesn’t explicitly refuse, it counts as agreement. Asher’s system of logic is becoming more comprehensive by the day.

[Steven]: Brother Asher ignores me every time I tag him. According to this logic, doesn’t that mean he has long since agreed that I’m his best brother?!

[Asher]: ?

[Wallace]: Steven, you truly are talented. You’ve already learned how to apply someone else’s teachings to your own advantage.

[Steven]: Of course. That’s called learning through practical application!

The video continued playing.

Miori pulled a map from her backpack and stared at it for an entire thirty seconds.

She turned it upside down, flipped it back again, and finally lowered it slowly.

"Who drew this map? Why is the northern side marked with signs pointing south?"

Emolga leaned closer for a look and used its tail to point toward a line of extremely small text in the bottom-right corner:

"This map was kindly provided by Galar Champion Leon. Sense of direction may vary between individuals. The provider accepts no responsibility for anyone becoming lost."

Miori crumpled the map into a ball and took a deep breath.

"It doesn’t matter. I can travel without a map. A hero never asks where someone came from—and never asks for directions!"

She strode toward Nimbasa City’s eastern exit, her back radiating the imposing determination of someone willing to advance even against an army of thousands.

Route 4.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, and one or two curious wild Pokémon occasionally poked their heads out of the roadside grass.

After walking for some time, Miori suddenly noticed a fork in the road ahead.

Two people—a man and a woman—stood beside it. They wore matching uniforms with a Z-shaped emblem printed across their chests.

Upon seeing them, Miori crouched behind a bush and lowered her voice.

"That emblem is identical to the one we found in the industrial district!"

Emolga raised its ears as a small burst of electricity crackled from its cheeks.

Miori reached out and held it back.

"Don’t rush in. Let’s see what they’re doing first."

The two people had established a roadside booth.

A stack of promotional leaflets covered the table, while a flag hanging beside it displayed a large line of text:

[Chapter OF TRUTH RECRUITMENT BOOTH]

Another line had been printed in smaller letters in the bottom-right corner:

"Present a promotional leaflet to receive one complimentary bottle of Moomoo Milk. Limited quantities available. First come, first served."

Miori stared silently at the smaller text for a moment.

"So they’re recruiting people by handing out flyers beside the road. This is actually an excellent opportunity!"

Miori put on a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap as a simple disguise. She then rose from behind the bush and walked toward the recruitment booth.

Upon reaching the table, Miori picked up one of the promotional leaflets.

It read:

"Our organization strictly complies with all Unova labor laws. New employees receive full benefits from their first day, including all five social insurance programs and housing-fund contributions. Salaries are paid punctually on the eighth of every month and are never delayed."

"You seem surprisingly legitimate."

Miori spoke without thinking.

"Of course!"

The male member adjusted his glasses, his voice carrying an inexplicable sense of pride.

"The insurance and housing benefits are only the basics. We also provide paid annual leave, hot-weather allowances, birthday cash bonuses, and performance-based year-end bonuses!"

The female member organizing the leaflets added without looking up:

"Outstanding employees also receive a company-funded vacation, including three days of free accommodation and meals."

Miori fell silent for two seconds.

"What exactly does your organization do?"

The female member raised her head and smiled.

"My apologies, but the specific nature of the work can only be disclosed after you pass the interview. We’re a legitimate organization, so all employees must sign a confidentiality agreement."

Miori accepted the application form and quickly looked through it.

The form consisted of three pages.

The first requested basic personal information, the second asked about skills and specialties, and the third contained a psychological assessment.

She briefly filled out the first two pages before turning to the third.

The psychological assessment contained only one question:

"If you encounter an injured Pokémon in a forest, what would you do?"

A. Treat it and release it back into the wild.

B. Contact a Pokémon Center.

C. Ignore it.

...