Chapter 89:

Before Cain could say anything, Whitney leaped to his defense. "Grandpa!!" she cried out, her voice echoing in the room. "That's rude! Cain's my friend, and you can't question him like that!"

Whitney's grandpa remained silent, his eyes fixed on Cain, waiting for an answer.

Cain met his gaze without flinching, his eyes devoid of any emotion. This was the downside of being a civilian trainer; in the face of powerful families, they had no equal status. Even an intermediate breeder like him was still considered beneath them.

In a cold, measured tone, Cain spoke up. "I developed it myself."

The old man stared at him, as if trying to memorize every detail about him. Cain could feel the weight of his gaze, but he refused to back down.

Then, as if the old man was suddenly struck by a moment of clarity, his wrinkled features softened into a warm smile,

"Ha ha ha, I'm sorry," the old man chuckled, transforming before Cain's very eyes from a fierce warrior to a gentle grandfather. "I'm old and I like to ask stupid questions. Young man, please don't mind."

Cain sneered inwardly, but he didn't let it show. The old man had apologized, but he knew what the old man really wanted.

"Ahem, ahem. Well, my name is Havard," the old man introduced himself, his voice raspy with age. "I'm the current Gym Leader in Goldenrod City. I'm Whitney's grandpa."

Havard cleared his throat a few times, trying to ease the awkwardness that hung between them like a heavy cloud. He was an old man who had seen it all, and he knew how to navigate tricky situations.

"I know about the deal between Whitney and you," Havard continued, his eyes twinkling with shrewdness. "I've also seen the Intermediate Pokéblock. It's indeed very suitable for our Miltanks. After eating it, our Miltank's milk output has increased by 30%."

Havard was impressed, even if he didn't show it. He had never heard of a Pokéblock that could specifically target a Pokémon's milk production.

"I'd like to ask if you're willing to sell your formula," Havard said, getting straight to the point. "I'm willing to buy it for 30 million Pokédollars!"

For the civilian trainers who had never ventured beyond their hometown, 30 million Pokédollars was an incomprehensibly large sum of money. It was the kind of money that could transform a regular trainer into an elite master, if they were willing to put all their efforts into training just one Pokemon. But not many dared to dream that big.

If they were brave enough to take on some missions for the Association, they might be able to change their fate and ascend to the coveted ranks of direct members. But the vast majority of trainers never got that far. The odds were stacked against them.

Cain shook his head, unimpressed. He knew that if he kept working hard and making smart investments, he would earn far more than 30 million Pokédollars.

Havard was taken aback by Cain's quick rejection. 30 million Pokédollars was a staggering amount for most civilians, and he had expected Cain to at least consider his offer.

But there was no use trying to strong-arm Cain into selling his formula. They had enemies enough as it was, and they couldn't afford to make more by stooping to dirty tricks. They were powerful in Goldenrod City, but they were not the Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny Clans, who held sway over the entire Association.

Havard pondered for a moment before coming up with a new proposal. "How about this, young man? We'll buy every Pokéblock you make in the future. In exchange, we'll pay you 120 Pokédollars per Pokéblock."

They say that some of the finest Miltanks in the world had a discerning palate. They had to eat the best Pokéblocks, day in and day out, if they wanted to produce milk that was truly worth its weight in gold. It was a luxury item, reserved only for the most exclusive of customers. The milk that was commonly available on the market was produced by regular Miltanks that grazed on grass. It was nothing special, not in terms of nutritional value or taste.

But the profits to be made from selling premium Miltank milk were staggering. It was a lucrative business, and Havard knew how to work it.

"I want a copy of your Miltank training manual," Cain said, surprising Havard with his boldness. No one in the world knew how to train Miltanks better than their family. They had done extensive research on every aspect of the process. Although they were unlikely to share their most closely guarded secrets, even the most basic training techniques would be valuable to Cain.

Originally, Cain didn't intend to ask for the manual outright. But since Havard wanted to make a deal with him, Cain saw no harm in putting his cards on the table.

The big families were always cautious. Even if they had the power to crush someone beneath their boot heel, they often preferred to solve problems with diplomacy rather than violence. As long as their fundamental interests weren't at stake, they would do what they could to avoid confrontation.

"Okay," Havard agreed readily. It was just a simple training manual, after all. He didn't think Cain would ask for anything too sensitive.

But before they could finalize the deal, Whitney intervened, her voice sharp and impatient. "Are you done? Are you happy? Are you done talking? Cain, let's go!"

Cain didn't put up a fight as he trailed behind Whitney, his mind racing with suspicion. He saw right through the old man's genial facade. There were countless people like him in the Association, a veritable plague of parasites that had infested every corner of the organization. They were the reason why the Association was so corrupt, so rotten to the core.

As Whitney and Cain made their way out of the study, Uncle Li walked in and approached Havard with a quiet question. "Master, is this all right?"

Havard maintained his smile as he produced a thick file from his desk drawer. This was the complete dossier on Cain's Association background, the result of a thorough investigation that had taken less than a day to complete.

"It's just a small sum of money," Havard mused aloud. "But this kid is something else. The young people in the Association are getting more and more impressive. There's that Dragon Tamer clan boy. And now, we have this young man. He's hiding something, I can feel it. But with our resources, we can't seem to uncover the truth. We must be careful not to overstep our bounds."

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A/N:

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