"Of course I want the money!"
Shiro stared at the laptop screen, the thought of all that research funding making him greedy.
A full hundred and thirty million Pokédollars!
However, he was still stuck in Galar. If he wanted the money, he'd have to go outside the region to claim it. Then again... maybe Professor Rowan could help with that.
The moment that idea crossed his mind, he started typing.
"Would it be possible for you to collect and hold it for me?"
It didn't take long for Rowan's reply to arrive.
"Thank you for your trust. I'll deposit the funds into the official account of our research institute and mark it under your name."
Shiro had just let out a breath of relief when a message popped up once more.
"May I ask... when will you be able to leave Galar?"
* * *
In the Pokémon Research Lab at Sandgem Town, Sinnoh, Professor Rowan sat in front of his monitor, a little tense. He was getting old, but still couldn't quite figure out the mysterious genius on the other end of the screen.
At first, he'd suspected this Corviknight guy might be one of Macro Cosmos' wanted fugitives. But after looking into it, that didn't seem to be the case.
Galar's criminals were mostly hiding in the Wild Area. Who would have the time or resources to waste on academic research there?
And if Corviknight was someone inside the company, he'd definitely be tied to their official research departments. Trying to publish something from there would've been nearly impossible, blocked by layers of corporate red tape. Not to mention, he only logged on after long gaps, which left Rowan constantly checking, waiting.
Good thing he'd set the guy's profile to priority alerts, kept the screen on 24/7, and made sure someone was always in the lab.
But still... who was this Corviknight, really?
Rowan couldn't stop wondering. More than anything, he wished he could meet this person face to face. After all, this mysterious figure had given him a second chance at academic life.
Too bad that wasn't happening.
* * *
Meanwhile, Shiro's fingers flew across the keyboard. "Not possible anytime soon. At least not for another six months."
If everything went smoothly, he'd leave Galar only after completing the gym challenge and the Champion Cup.
Rose's grand plan would be mostly finished, and he could use the opportunity to request departure from the region. No—if he placed high in the Champion Cup, he'd have official status as a rising star of the League. He'd earn the right to leave openly and legally, no questions asked.
* * *
Seeing the response, Professor Rowan couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.
The research on magnetic field evolution was basically complete, and it had already made waves in the academic world. Most importantly, Professor Oak himself had sent out an invitation.
The letter welcomed the theory's creator and Rowan, the one who carried out the experiments, to attend a conference at Oak's Lab in Pallet Town, Kanto. But if Corviknight couldn't show up... what would be the point of the meeting?
Still holding onto hope, Rowan sent another message.
"Professor Oak has invited us to Pallet Town for a conference. It's scheduled for three months from now. I wonder... what do you think?"
* * *
"Professor Oak? Even he had taken notice?" Shiro muttered.
In the world of Pokémon research, Oak was a towering figure. Not only was he highly respected across the Kanto League, but he also served as a primary consultant for the central League.
Getting his invitation meant the magnetic evolution theory really had made a significant impact.
Shiro truly wanted to go. Not just to show his face in the research world, but also to meet Oak and get a better understanding of what was happening in Kanto. Unfortunately, he still had the gym challenge and Champion Cup ahead of him. There was no way he could finish all of it in time, and leaving Galar early was impossible.
Unless he disappeared entirely or lost his match against Piers on purpose... which would probably make Rose so mad he'd send troops to hunt him down.
Yeah, definitely not worth it. Not just for some little conference.
Thinking for a few seconds, Shiro typed his answer.
"Sorry. I'm afraid I won't be able to attend."
* * *
On the other end, Professor Rowan was pulling at his hair in frustration, while the researchers gathered around let out a collective sigh.
If the main contributor, Corviknight, wasn't going to show up, then there was no point in the rest of them going either. Without him, the whole conference would fall apart.
Everyone had been hoping to make an impression in front of Professor Oak.
Helplessly, Rowan responded:
"Understood. May I ask what time you're usually available each day? Our communication has been really unstable."
Unstable was an understatement.
In truth, it was more like trying to contact someone lost at sea—only managing to get a message through once every couple of weeks, with no guarantees.
* * *
Shiro paused and thought about it. He had to admit, he hadn't given Professor Rowan's messages much attention lately. Most of his days were taken up by battles and training, and even finding a single rest day was rare.
Given that, he replied:
"I'm really sorry. Things are complicated on my end, and I don't have much free time. But I'll try to be available around 6 p.m. every day."
* * *
"Thank you so much!"
Rowan typed his final message, then looked at the hunched-over researchers peering over his shoulders and waved them off.
"Alright, enough gawking. If you've got work, go do it. If not, take a break."
As he spoke, he turned back to the computer. Opening his chat thread with Oak, he quickly began typing:
"Professor Oak, regarding the conference three months from now... I'm afraid Corviknight won't be able to attend."
He summarized the situation briefly. Not long after, Oak sent back a message.
"Then let's cancel the conference."
"Huh..." The researchers gathered around all drew a sharp breath, visibly flustered. They had been counting on this opportunity to show up at the conference. Even if they couldn't present much, just being there and networking would've been a huge boost to their careers.
Rowan glanced at his students and assistants, then sighed. He understood what they were hoping for, but Professor Oak's lab wasn't the kind of place you could walk into easily.
The core of this conference had always been the mysterious researcher who proposed the theory: Corviknight. If he wasn't going, then Oak had no reason to entertain the rest.
"What do we do now, Professor Rowan..." a tall researcher whined, rocking Rowan's chair in despair. Others started chiming in too.
"Professor! It's just a conference. Can't we still give our report?"
"Professor Oak isn't that heartless, is he? Maybe if we beg him a little..."
"Sigh..." Hearing their pleas, Rowan wavered. After a short hesitation, he typed another message:
"Professor Oak, would it be possible to simply postpone the magnetic evolution conference?"
A moment later, the reply came:
"Let's push it back nine months, to the annual research summit in January next year. Corviknight should be free by then, right? I'll arrange a separate presentation slot for you all during the summit."
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