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"Okay, all dressed up now, ugh Little Platinum is just too beautiful"
Inside the room, Iono hugged Platinum, refusing to let go.
"Mmm~ Alright, Iono, you're beautiful too."
Platinum patted Iono's hand helplessly, looking into the full-length mirror.
She was wearing a beautiful and luxurious pearl-white kimono, adorned with small pearl patterns.
Iono was also wearing a pink kimono, her beautiful long hair styled up, making her look less energetic and more gracefully gentle.
The Mask Festival is a traditional event in Kitakami that has been passed down since ancient times, and for such a gala, wearing vintage clothing is naturally the most suitable.
So, normally, both men and women wear kimonos.
"Let's go, the party must have started already. Mammon and Sister Caitlin are waiting for us."
When the two women walked out of the room, they indeed saw Caitlin and Mammon at the door.
"Are you ready? Hmm~ You both look beautiful."
Mammon, wearing a black, wide-sleeved robe, smiled and praised the two women.
Beside Mammon, Caitlin was wearing a black kimono with gold patterns, looking dignified, elegant, and noble.
"Hehe Of course, we are super invincible beautiful girls"
Iono proudly lifted her head, holding Platinum's arm.
"To be honest, it's been a really long time since I last wore a kimono. I only remember wearing it a few times when I was little."
Platinum shyly lowered her head, stroking her temple hair.
"But it truly is beautiful," Mammon said with a smile.
"Hey~ Let's take a picture together. It's not often we get to dress up for such a formal occasion."
Iono's eyes lit up, and she happily suggested.
"Alright," Mammon did not refuse.
Mammon stood in the center, Platinum and Caitlin stood on either side, while Iono leaned against Platinum, tilting her body slightly into a playful pose.
Rotom Phone captured this moment.
"Hehe~ We really are photogenic!" Iono loved the photo and couldn't stop smiling.
"Let's go, we're off."
The Mask Festival is held at the Kitakami Center, which is a shrine area and thus quite large.
"Wow~ It's super lively."
Upon arriving at the Kitakami Center, it was already brightly lit, with people everywhere wearing masks and kimonos.
Bonfires blazed, and many people were performing.
Iono continuously filmed these scenes; she had never seen such a spectacle in Levincia.
"Mammon~!"
At this moment, four people approached, and a girl wearing a pink mask that covered half her face waved and greeted Mammon.
"Lacey, how did you recognize us?"
Mammon pushed up his Hearthflame Mask and curiously asked Lacey.
"A girl's intuition is very accurate, you know," Lacey winked at Mammon.
"What intuition? Isn't it because I told you Ms. Caitlin and Little Platinum were over there that you knew?" Drayton complained endlessly.
After all, Caitlin's golden hair, Platinum's blue hair, and Iono's highly recognizable blue-pink hair were quite easy to spot.
Mammon's black hair, however, was not as conspicuous.
"Shut up!" Under Lacey's fierce gaze, Drayton shrugged and didn't bother to continue being annoying.
"Mammon, the Ogre Ousting Festival over there is about to begin. Do you want to go watch?"
Kieran pointed to a distant spot and asked Mammon.
"What's the Ogre Ousting Festival?" Iono asked curiously.
"It's an event held during the Mask Festival, a kind of competition, quite interesting," Carmine explained.
"But this year's Ogre Ousting Festival was delayed for a while; it should have started by now. They say three masks sealed in the shrine were stolen."
"Masks sealed in the shrine were stolen?"
Iono was stunned.
Mammon touched the Hearthflame Mask on his face and smiled without a word; he had used his ability to subtly hide the mask's glow, so outsiders couldn't tell.
"Ah~ Yes, they are very old treasure masks," Carmine's brows, hidden beneath her mask, furrowed slightly, but she still replied.
"I heard that the Ogre Ousting Festival event was inspired by the legend of the Loyal Three's battle with Ogerpon."
As everyone headed towards the Ogre Ousting Festival event area, Mammon spoke with a smile.
"That's right, it is indeed so," Carmine nodded.
"The legendary Loyal Three? Oh, right, the heroes who protected Kitakami, correct?"
Iono recalled what she had seen and heard in Kitakami these past two days; she had even seen statues of the Loyal Three.
"The story is told that way… but the truth is actually not like that."
At this moment, Kieran said this.
"Yesterday, our grandpa told us the truth. The real history is the opposite. Ogerpon is not the 'ogre,' and the Loyal Three are not heroes. The Loyal Three are the bandits!"
Kieran spoke earnestly.
"Eh? How so?"
Iono immediately became interested. Could it be that Kitakami's history was wrong?
"A long time ago, a man from a foreign land and Ogerpon got lost and arrived in Kitakami. However, the villagers, frightened by their different appearance, did not allow them to approach the village."
"The man and Ogerpon were saddened by not being welcomed, but being kind, they believed that being together was enough happiness. So, they lived a simple life in a cave in the back mountains."
Kieran recounted the true history he had learned from his grandfather.
"The village's mask craftsman felt sorry for them, so he made several masks for them. The masks were decorated with sparkling gems the man had brought from his foreign land."
"By wearing the masks, they could cover their faces and get along with the villagers. The man and Ogerpon were delighted and grateful for the mask craftsman's kindness."
"From then on, the man and Ogerpon would secretly wear their masks to attend village festivals. The mysterious combination of their exquisite masks quickly became highly praised, and news even spread to many distant lands."
"Perhaps hearing rumors of these rare and shining masks, Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti came to Kitakami. They secretly infiltrated the man and Ogerpon's dwelling, attempting to steal the masks."
"But the man happened to return and clashed with them, barely managing to save one mask."
"Several hours later, Ogerpon returned to the cave and discovered the traces of the struggle and a green mask. Ogerpon donned the green mask, descended the mountain, and then defeated Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti."
"The unsuspecting villagers, however, only saw the ogre in a furious rage and were terrified, believing that those three Pokémon had protected the village from the ogre's clutches."
"So the villagers affectionately called them the Loyal Three and gave them a grand burial. The injured Ogerpon, immersed in sadness, returned alone to the cave in the back mountains."
Kieran's tone was very complex.
"This…"
Iono listened, somewhat captivated. Was this true?
"How foolish the villagers are," Caitlin said bluntly, without holding back.
"Poor Ogerpon," Platinum felt sorry for Ogerpon in the story. She was clearly a victim, yet was branded as an 'ogre,' and the story was even passed down that way.
"Then why not tell the villagers the truth?"
Iono wrinkled her small face, looking at the distant Ogre Ousting Festival. Ogre Ousting Festival…
"It's no use. Our ancestor, the mask craftsman, actually told the villagers the true situation at the time."
Carmine shook her head and sighed.
"But not only did no one listen, he was instead branded a heretic and cruelly persecuted. To protect his descendants, our ancestor preserved the truth and ensured that his descendants would continue to pass down the true history."
"That's going too far!"
Lacey was very angry. The people here were truly too ignorant.
"Tsk~ Hearing is one thing, seeing is another. But to stubbornly believe only the partial things one sees without even understanding the full truth, that's truly beyond foolish."
Drayton clicked his tongue, sarcastically expressing his displeasure.
"Speaking of which, I also heard a story. This story isn't widely known in Kitakami, but it's related to Ogerpon's story. Would you like to hear it?"
Mammon chuckled softly and spoke to the group.
"Please tell us, Mammon."
"Several hundred years ago, in a certain place, lived an old couple. Childless, they cherished the timid Pokémon Pecharunt as their own, loving it like a biological child."
Mammon slowly narrated.
Pecharunt?
No one had heard of this Pokémon.
"To gain more affection, Pecharunt kneaded the poison from its body into delicious Malignant Chains and gave them to the old couple to eat. The old couple couldn't resist the deliciousness of the Malignant Chains and quickly became Pecharunt's captives."
"And this mochi seemed to make those who ate it have their desires swell infinitely. The old couple, therefore, became greedy and insatiable, constantly demanding various things from Pecharunt."
This… was not right.
Hearing this, Iono and the others immediately understood that the outcome would surely not be good.
"And fulfilling every request was the secret to gaining more affection. Pecharunt then demanded that Okidogi, who was already addicted to the Malignant Chains, bring the new clothes, the mythical Pecha Berry, and various other things the old couple desired. Naturally, the old couple cherished Pecharunt even more."
"Until one day, the old couple, having heard rumors from who knows where, demanded from Pecharunt the exquisite and beautiful masks said to exist in Kitakami."
It connected!!
Kieran and the others felt a jolt. Okidogi and the masks existing in Kitakami—it all connected!
"Pecharunt naturally agreed and embarked on a journey. Pecharunt brought along Okidogi, whom it had enthralled with Malignant Chains, and along the way, it captured Munkidori, who was said to be able to see a glimpse of the future, and Fezandipiti, who could charm opponents with pheromones. The four Pokémon traveled together and finally arrived in Kitakami."
"Amidst the lively crowds of the Mask Festival, Pecharunt and its companions discovered the masked man and Ogerpon, confirming the truth of the rumors."
"On a full moon night, Okidogi and its companions infiltrated the cave, snatched the masks, and returned to Pecharunt. Pecharunt was delighted, but then the enraged Ogerpon, wearing the Teal Mask, arrived."
"Ogerpon defeated Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti, and finally, with a high Splash, knocked Pecharunt away. Pecharunt, with its last bit of strength, hid in its shell, rolled into the forest, and disappeared, never to be seen again."
At this point, Mammon looked at Kieran and the others.
"So, the three Loyal Three were just accomplices?" Carmine pondered, but then became righteously indignant.
"To achieve its own happiness, it destroyed the happiness of others. What a despicable Pecharunt!"
"This is the story of the mythical Pokémon Pecharunt. Actually, before this, I wasn't sure if it was true, but now it seems it must be true," Mammon explained with a shrug.
"Whether it's Pecharunt or Ogerpon, neither ultimately got what they wanted. How pitiful."
Lacey has strong empathy. After hearing these two stories, she felt quite unwell.
Following this, Kieran and the others didn't have much enthusiasm to watch the Ogre Ousting Festival. Mammon followed behind Caitlin and the three women, but…
"Bonny?"
A very soft Growl reached Mammon's ears. Mammon raised an eyebrow, turned his head, and saw a small green creature hiding behind a tree, cautiously and curiously looking at him.
Or rather, looking at the Hearthflame Mask on his face.
Mammon pushed up his Hearthflame Mask and smiled at the little creature.
Ogerpon, a lonely little widow who feared solitude.