Chapter 91: Chosen by the Gods?
The video continued playing.
The birthday party in the courtyard was still underway.
Several elders had gathered around Professor Carolina. Their conversation gradually shifted from "Tiana’s extraordinary talent" to "How is Asher’s work going?", "Is Cynthia busy?", and "Will Tiana inherit the family legacy or pursue a career with the League?"
"Our family has no shortage of scholars," a gray-haired great-uncle said leisurely while holding a cup of tea. "But with talent like Tiana’s, it would be a waste for her to devote herself solely to academic research."
"Her mother is already a Champion, and her father is a League Special Advisor. In the future, she can freely choose between the League and academia," another elder said while counting the possibilities on his fingers.
"Her Salamence and Gabite both appear exceptionally talented. She could also become a League investigator someday."
"Good bloodlines make all the difference."
Tiana listened to the adults discussing her from nearby, then reached toward the table and stuffed another small cookie into her mouth.
Professor Carolina suddenly pulled her over.
Startled, Tiana hurriedly shoved the entire cookie into her mouth.
"Tiana, tell everyone what you want to do when you grow up."
Tiana finished chewing, wiped her mouth, and puffed out her chest proudly.
"I’m going to catch Dialga and Palkia!"
Her great-uncle froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Wonderful! That’s the spirit of our family! Such ambition! That is exactly the attitude of someone destined to accomplish great things!"
"Tiana is still young and speaking without understanding what she’s saying."
Cynthia had just emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of freshly sliced Berries.
"She doesn’t understand how difficult that would be, so please don’t take her seriously."
"The level of difficulty may differ, but ambition remains ambition."
Professor Carolina patted Tiana’s head.
"Tiana, don’t listen to your mother. Great-Grandma supports you."
Tiana looked up at Professor Carolina, her mismatched eyes shining brilliantly.
"Thank you, Great-Grandma!"
Cynthia turned toward Asher, who was speaking with Professor Rowan in a corner.
Asher sensed her gaze. After nodding to Professor Rowan, he walked over.
Cynthia took a deep breath.
"Honey."
"Mm?"
"Tiana said she intends to catch Dialga and Palkia. Did you hear her?"
"I did."
Asher raised his teacup and took a sip.
"It’s a good goal. Having a goal gives her motivation."
"Don’t you think that goal is too ambitious?"
"Is it?"
Asher put down his cup.
"I think it’s reasonable. It isn’t as though she plans to catch them today."
Cynthia stared at him for three seconds.
"Are you hiding something from me?"
Asher rubbed his nose without answering directly.
"It isn’t anything particularly important."
"Go on."
"It’s simply that... I think we should support Tiana’s desire to catch Dialga and Palkia."
Cynthia took another deep breath.
"So you already have a plan."
"I wouldn’t say I have a complete plan."
Asher picked up his teacup and took another sip.
"It’s more of a general direction."
"What direction?"
"Once Tiana sets out on her journey, we’ll find an opportunity to visit Mt. Coronet."
Cynthia remained silent for a long time.
"Mt. Coronet," she finally said quietly. "Do you know how many years the space-time rifts deep inside that mountain have remained active? The League’s investigation teams have entered three times, and every expedition was forced to stop at the outer regions."
"I know."
"And you still intend to let Tiana go there?"
"I’m not sending her there. I’ll accompany her."
Asher put down his teacup.
"Besides..."
He paused.
"The year Tiana was born, apparitions of Dialga and Palkia appeared above Celestic Town. Do you remember?"
Cynthia’s fingers tightened slightly.
She remembered.
"Their appearance wasn’t a random phenomenon," Asher continued calmly. "They came looking for her."
Cynthia’s voice became slightly hoarse.
"How long have you known?"
"Since the day Tiana was born," Asher answered. "The moment she opened her eyes, I knew she could see things that the rest of us couldn’t."
Cynthia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Lance]: Apparitions of both dragons of time and space appearing before an infant... An omen of that magnitude is practically unheard of.
[Professor Oak]: If Dialga and Palkia both reacted to a newborn child, then her constitution may involve far more than an ordinary manifestation of Dragon Force.
[Professor Rowan]: Dialga and Palkia stand at the heart of Sinnoh’s creation myths. A human whom they actively marked would have been regarded in ancient times as someone chosen by the gods.
[Cynthia]: ...
[Diantha]: Cynthia, what’s wrong?
[Cynthia]: The instant Asher said, "They came looking for her," I felt something unusual.
[Diantha]: What kind of feeling?
[Cynthia]: I should have been shocked, yet part of me felt as though this was how things were always supposed to be—as though I had already expected it.
[Misty]: I’m familiar with that feeling.
[Misty]: Asher behaved exactly the same way during Raina’s episode. He concealed everything until the final moment before revealing it.
[Lily]: Misty, are you trying to comfort Cynthia?
[Misty]: I’m not comforting her. I’m stating a fact. When you live with Asher, you eventually have to become accustomed to these sudden revelations.
[Daisy]: You’re talking as though you’ve already lived with him for years.
[Misty]: I possess the memories of an entire lifetime. In a sense, I really did spend several decades with him.
[Violet]: Full marks for that boast.
[Lily]: So you pretended to be stating facts when you were actually showing off?
[Daisy]: When did Misty become so calculating?
[Cynthia]: ...
[Wallace]: Ahem. Personally, I’m not particularly surprised. After everything I’ve learned about Asher, nothing that comes out of that man’s mouth could astonish me anymore.
[Steven]: Brother Asher is as dependable as ever. Tiana wants the dragons of time and space, so he immediately begins planning how to obtain them for her.
[Wallace]: Steven, you’re starting again.
[Gary]: Hmm? Why has Asher stopped talking again?
[Brock]: Those two women are already subtly competing with each other. Of course Asher is going to play dead. Damn it! I know I should condemn such behavior, so why can’t I suppress the envy rising inside me...?
[Gary]: ...I don’t even know what to say to you anymore.
...
Damn, translating 20 advanced Chapters was harder than I thought. I was working like a dog—day and night! Well, at least from now on I only need to translate bonus Chapters from stones milestones and a couple of Chapters a day.