**Vermilion City, villa district**
"You're telling me this is your house?"
"Yes, this is my home."
"Just started renovations?"
"Mm, yes."
"Excuse me, make way." A worker directed a Machamp carrying materials past them.
Natsume: "If you want me to meet your father, you don't need to come up with excuses. Just say it directly."
Giselle froze, startled as though he had seen through her, and once again showed stress.
"Ah—mm, okay."
So it wasn't necessary to buy a house as an excuse after all.
"Alright, take me to your father."
Natsume looked at Giselle. Her expression hardened, she clapped her hands, and a black luxury car pulled up not far away.
Soon, the two were taken to a grand hotel.
Giselle, clearly familiar with the place, led Natsume to the top floor.
"Mr. Natsume, Miss Giselle, please come in."
Natsume followed her inside. The suite was lavish, a faint incense drifting in the air.
By the floor-to-ceiling window sat a slightly plump middle-aged man with a kindly face.
"Papa." Giselle went up and hugged him.
"Hahaha, so you're Natsume. Just call me Reginald," he said, extending his hand.
"Giselle, what exactly do you see in him?" Reginald teased.
Immediately, Giselle tensed up.
"Maybe it's because I'm handsome," Natsume said, rubbing his nose.
At that, Giselle's flushed face stiffened as she covered it with her hands. Reginald's smile froze for a moment—this guy's skin was thick.
But on closer look, Natsume's sharp features did carry a trace of his own youthful self. With that confidence, it wasn't so surprising.
"Papa, did you bring it?" Giselle asked.
"Of course I did!"
Reginald produced a Luxury Ball. A flash of red light revealed a Rotom before Natsume.
This Rotom had outstanding potential—almost on par with the one the system had given him.
Natsume raised an eyebrow.
"Mr. Natsume, I asked Papa to prepare a Rotom for you, so we could—"
"You've been thoughtful."
The Luxury Ball, still in Reginald's hand a second ago, was already tucked away in Natsume's pocket.
Giselle's words—*so we could raise it together*—were cut off, stuck in her throat.
Reginald turned a bewildered face toward Giselle.
*This researcher you're following… did he used to work for Team Rocket?*
Click. Just then, the sound of a door opening softly came.
"Lord Wilfred, please enter," came the attendant's voice.
Natsume turned, curiously eyeing Reginald's other guest.
The man had gray-blue curled hair slicked back in a retro style. Behind silver-rimmed glasses, his sharp eyes glinted. He carried an ivory cane, and a pocket watch chain with a clover engraving hung from his chest pocket. Each step landed like the tap of a noble's code of conduct.
Seeing that familiar face, Natsume froze.
Wasn't this James's father?
"Reginald, long time no see." The man first greeted the host, then turned his gaze to Natsume.
"Hello, Mr. Natsume. I'm Wilfred.."
"Alright, Uncle Wilfred, could you settle your son's tab? He owes me one billion."
As he spoke, Natsume had his Rotom Phone play a video.
"Oh? So you know my good-for-nothing son? That makes things easier." Wilfred seemed pleasantly surprised, cheerfully handing Natsume a card.
"There's two billion in here."
Natsume's assets doubled once again, reaching the four-billion mark.
Natsume held the black card embossed with a Master Ball, his expression strange.
He hadn't expected them to be so generous—adding an extra billion on top.
"Giselle, go order us some drinks."
Reginald gave her a pointed look.
Giselle froze, then immediately realized they were trying to send her away.
Hmph, what could they possibly say that she couldn't hear?
Pouting, Giselle stormed off.
*Bang!* The door shut. Natsume flopped down onto the sofa.
"So, what do you two want with me?" he asked bluntly.
"Mr. Natsume, I've heard the League is preparing some big moves these days," Wilfred said, eyes narrowing as he probed.
"Yes. About Dynamax." Natsume said it outright.
With these two, it was clear they'd already caught wind of things from the League.
Getting confirmation from him, both men's eyes lit up.
"We don't know when Dynamax will start rolling out, so we'd like to prepare in advance," Reginald said.
Natsume fell silent.
When nothing more came, Reginald and Wilfred exchanged glances.
"Mr. Natsume, I'm willing to trade one percent of Kanto Pharmaceuticals' shares in exchange for the details of the Dynamax system's development," Reginald offered.
"I manage many industries, but I'm willing to give you one percent of my companies' annual profits at year's end," Wilfred followed up.
Only then did Natsume nod slightly, as though he had expected this all along. He handed each of them a USB drive.
"Leave me your contact information. I'll notify you the moment I get updates."
Their assets were immense—just one percent meant tens of billions a year.
And Natsume had already checked: both men only held about 25% of their companies' stock each. For them to cut out a slice and give it to him showed real sincerity.
He also knew why they were willing to pay so much for Dynamax research updates.
Any industry tied to Pokémon—aside from Pokémon Centers, which bled money—was pure profit.
And now, with a new battle system about to be launched in Kanto…
Dynamax-related items would need to be manufactured.
Trainers' Dynamax gear would need to be produced.
Special arenas and Dynamax energy wells would need League contracts.
Each one was an endless goldmine.
For Kanto's corporations, being the first to seize information about the rollout was priceless.
Natsume had no plans to start a company himself. Rather than sit on information until it lost value, he might as well sell it now.
"Hahaha, Mr. Natsume, you truly are remarkable for your age!"
In the end, Wilfred stopped Natsume as he was about to leave and slipped him a card.
"There's fifty billion here," he said, glancing around before lowering his voice.
"Mr. Reginald is my assistant's father. You'll have to pay extra," Natsume whispered back.
Wilfred: "…"
"No, not that. Actually my son, James..." As he spoke, Wilfred actually pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes.
"That boy… Mr. Natsume, if you come across him out there, please look after him. Don't let him get bullied."
"Do you have any of your butler's uniforms?" Natsume suddenly asked.
"What do you want those for?" Wilfred looked baffled.
"Don't worry about it. Just prepare me a few sets."
"Very well. I'll have some custom-made immediately and delivered tonight!"
By the time Natsume and Giselle reached the Vermilion Gym, it was nearly evening.
On the way, Natsume roughly calculated: with just two percent profit shares, he'd be pulling in nearly a hundred billion a year.
*How high must their original profits be?!*
*Tsk tsk… vile capitalists.*
Fortunately, this world had Pokémon. With productivity so high, most people's needs could be met.
Otherwise, workers' uprisings would've broken out countless times by now.
You can read more (around 80+ free chapters) of Natsume's adventure ad-free at [https ://ravenarchives .com/book/pokemon-who-let-him-leave-pallet-town]. Bulk uploads is a mess here, so updates here might be irregular.