Hundreds of millions in funding. Even if all of it were spent on rescuing Pokémon that had gone astray, they still would not be able to use up even a tenth of it in a year!
Hearing this, Birch finally raised his head. There was a hint of hesitation on his face.
Shiro didn't waste time slowly leading him into the conversation with questions. Instead, he directly used his psychic powers.
Mind reading!
Psychic mind reading wasn't as simple as hearing whatever the other person was thinking. It was more like reading memories. With a psychic's stronger mental power, they could forcibly view fragments of memories that the other person still remembered.
After several important fragments flashed before him, he could basically understand what had happened.
Inside the room, psychic energy flickered faintly. One scene after another passed through Shiro's mind in quick succession, almost as if he had experienced them himself.
The moment he finished viewing the memories, he asked in surprise, "Professor Birch, don't tell me you used all your funding to help other people with their research?"
Birch froze for a moment. He stared blankly before stammering, "You… you figured it out?"
Shiro's expression turned serious. "Now I'm completely sure. At the previous Academic Summit, Alden was just an ordinary researcher, yet he had the funding and ability to study the two legendary Pokémon of Hoenn. He even achieved some impressive results. You were supporting him from behind the scenes, weren't you?"
"When Alden was able to enter the ancient ruins, I initially thought Professor Oak had helped him. I didn't expect that you were the one who helped him obtain permission. You applied for it on his behalf using your status as a professor, right?"
"Professor, you helped him build a research institute and even gave him research funding. Why exactly did you do all this?"
If Birch hadn't been helping Alden, he could have easily had a decent research institute by now, along with a group of researchers working under him. No matter how badly a professor's circumstances were, there would always be people willing to become assistants or junior researchers. After all, working under a professor was an excellent addition to one's resume.
But if the work was dangerous and demanding without even a salary, then things were different.
Shiro looked directly into Birch's evasive eyes.
With a somewhat dejected sigh, Birch said, "Is it really that obvious? I thought there was no way anyone would find out. Alden... Alden is an outstanding and courageous young man. He deserves to be helped."
"That isn't a reason for you to go this far. But if you don't want to talk about it, I won't bring it up again."
Shiro waved his hand.
Psychic mind reading was not all-powerful. With his strength, he could only see those particular memories. He hadn't searched through every part of Birch's mind.
A complete mind reading would be more like searching the brain from beginning to end. That could have some effect on Birch and would also make it much easier for him to notice.
It was just like when Shiro searched Matt's memories during the day. Matt's brain couldn't withstand the impact of his psychic power and he had passed out.
More importantly, Shiro wasn't particularly curious about the real reason.
He already had plenty of things to deal with. At most, he wanted to discuss some Pokémon-related topics with Birch. He had no interest in getting involved in the love and grudges of Hoenn's researchers.
After a few moments of silence, Shiro stood up. "Let's go, Professor. Mrs. Soyln should have dinner ready by now."
Birch looked confused. "Hmm? Soyln will call..."
Before he could finish, Shiro had already opened the door.
At that exact moment, Soyln poked her head out from the corner of the stairs on the first floor.
"Birch!"
* * *
Dinner was soon finished.
After their conversation upstairs, Birch had also lost the enthusiasm he had shown earlier about going out to conduct research.
There was no way someone who had become a professor could fail to understand that studying Pokémon environments like this wouldn't produce any worthwhile results. Yet he continued wasting his time on it as usual. Perhaps this was also because of his own passion and persistence.
Shiro guessed that this so-called field research was mostly an excuse to avoid Soyln and hide his true purpose.
Perhaps Birch wanted to train an outstanding student like Alden and use the fact that his student could also become a professor to prove himself?
Whatever his reason was, Birch Research Institute had almost ceased to exist.
A large amount of funding was being used for questionable purposes every year. The research institute failed to meet the required standards, and there were very few research results to show for it. As a result, the Hoenn League had been reducing his research funding year after year.
Or rather, the League was simply following Birch's true wishes and directly transferring most of that funding to Alden's research institute.
Shiro found it hard to imagine that Soyln had never gotten into a serious argument with Birch over this. She seemed to be merely angry and dissatisfied about the matter concerning Sapphire.
"The life we have now is pretty good."
In the kitchen, Soyln's voice came through the sound of running water and clattering dishes. "Birch, I don't want Sapphire to leave home again because of research. She doesn't want to leave either. Even if it's for that Academic Summit or whatever, what's the point?"
Shiro sat quietly on the sofa in the living room and looked at Birch across from him.
Birch finally explained with some reluctance, "Soyln, that's the Academic Summit. Do you know how many researchers dream of getting in there just to take a look?"
"As long as you've participated in the summit, even at Oak Research Institute, you can skip the basic assessment and directly become an intern researcher."
At other research institutes, someone with experience at the Academic Summit could basically join as a researcher with ease. They could even ask a professor to let them lead their own research project, which meant they would have the foundation needed to eventually become a professor.
"Soyln, I'm doing this for Sapphire's sake..."
The moment Birch finished speaking, Soyln's voice became even sharper as she shot back, "I don't need you to become some famous professor, and Sapphire doesn't need to become a researcher either! Does she want to leave home herself? Does she want to attend that summit?"
"You always think you know what's best. You never care about what other people want."
After saying this, Birch sat in the living room and covered his forehead in pain. He couldn't understand why she couldn't understand his intentions, so he could only explain it to her one point at a time.
"The League isn't a utopia now, and it never was! Being a researcher is the safest career there is!"
"Do you know how dangerous being a trainer is?"
"Sapphire can't spend every day working part-time in the city, and she can't stay here planting berries either. All those jobs are exhausting and leave people with little freedom. They're not exactly safe either."
A loud crash came from the kitchen as Soyln forcefully dropped the dishes into the sink. The sound of splashing water was unusually clear.
Soyln stomped heavily across the floor, looking as if she was about to come out with a kitchen knife and start cutting someone down. Fortunately, she did not. She merely glared fiercely at Birch from outside the kitchen, making him immediately shut his mouth.
"You two!" Shiro stood up helplessly and raised both hands in surrender. "It's already very late. Can you take me to my room?"
He really didn't want to have finally arrived at Birch's place only to end up camping outside in the middle of the night.
At that point, he might as well have stayed in Fortree City, right next to his half-finished research institute.
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