In recent times, new buildings have been constantly constructed in Petalburg City, and the most eye-catching was undoubtedly the Petalburg Gym.
A vast number of wealthy businessmen flocked here to invest, and all of it was because of Norman. The economic benefits brought by a League-certified gym were astonishing.
Over the past two days, Sieg was frequently dragged along by little May to visit the gym. Faced with the requests of an adorable three-year-old girl, Sieg couldn't bear to say no.
"Sieg, Sieg, look, this is the constant-temperature room that Daddy is preparing. It can simulate the jungle ecosystems found in the wild, which is perfect for the Vigoroth family."
May strolled along the gym's corridor, chatting away while pointing to the other side of a glass door.
The simulated jungle environment occupied a full third of the gym's area, replicating the wild habitats as closely as possible. Many Pokémon lived inside.
Most of them were Normal-types.
"Slakoth, Vigoroth, and even a Slaking!" Sieg said in surprise as he looked through the transparent glass at the many rare Pokémon.
The most attention-grabbing one was undoubtedly the Slaking!
Sieg thought to himself, "There's a rumor that Mr. Norman's ace is a Slaking that abandoned the Truant ability."
May keenly noticed the envy in her big brother's eyes and innocently said, "Sieg, do you want one of the Pokémon in there? I can ask Daddy to give you one."
Sieg was immediately startled by her words.
"No, no, I was just thinking that building such a constant-temperature room must have cost a lot."
Sieg quickly denied it. He didn't want Mr. Norman to mistakenly think he was some greedy person trying to get close to May for benefits.
"Sometimes, reputation really matters," Sieg thought to himself.
…
"What! Mr. Norman, you said you want to invest in me?"
Sieg rushed over in a hurry, only to hear something utterly shocking.
Norman said solemnly, "To be precise, it's the gym investing in you."
In this world, the families that have stood for decades or centuries aren't fools. They know that it's hard to carry on the family's glory by themselves.
So it's common to sponsor trainers with no family background.
These trainers are usually more than happy to accept such sponsorship, and in return, they may need to repay the favor later on when they become stronger.
"There's no need for pressure. It's just a normal exchange of interests, where you sell a small part of your future benefit for something that's very important to you today."
Norman's explanation revealed the truth behind investment.
Sieg glanced at the papers Norman was holding and thought, "That should be my assessment report."
Sure enough, after receiving the report from Norman, Sieg could clearly see his past written on it.
"Lady Metako really did a great job creating this identity. Even the gym couldn't find anything."
Sieg quickly scanned the evaluation report.
It recorded his background as the child of a League island guardian, and his evaluation was highly positive.
"Exceptional talent, quick-witted, and possesses some aptitude as a breeder," Sieg read silently.
The benefits of the investment were exciting. First, a fixed annual funding for breeding: 500,000 Pokédollars per year.
Although that might seem like a small amount, the essence of investment is to cast a wide net.
As long as Sieg continued to show value and potential, there would be further and larger investments.
Another benefit was access to some of Petalburg Gym's archives, including knowledge restricted by the League, and the right to choose a highly qualified Pokémon from the gym's breeding room.
Besides these three main benefits, there were also various smaller perks and rewards.
"However, there are quite a few responsibilities to fulfill. If I become famous, I'll need to promote the gym, and even represent it in some battles…"
Overall, the responsibilities were many, but most were future commitments, not immediate obligations.
Norman straightened up and said, "With your talent, you may attract investment from other factions in the future, but be sure not to overextend yourself."
"Ordinary trainers typically accept investment from no more than 2 or 3 factions, because these groups have their own rivalries and conflicts."
"If two of your investors hate each other, and a conflict arises, will you remain neutral or take a side?"
After hearing Norman's words, Sieg gradually made up his mind. What truly interested him wasn't the money, nor the high-potential Pokémon.
What he truly valued was the opportunity to freely explore the Petalburg Gym's library and the possibility of raising his League identity clearance.
Money could be earned, and Pokémon could be caught again, but this kind of knowledge, monopolized by powerful factions, if missed this time, might never be available again.
"Mr. Norman, thank you for your recognition. I'm willing to sign this investment contract and fulfill the associated responsibilities," Sieg said seriously.
Norman was very pleased to hear this and said, "Haha, great! Sieg, you're not only the first trainer to challenge this gym, but also the first to accept an investment. You're truly destined for Petalburg Gym."
Norman looked Sieg up and down with increasing fondness and affinity.
"Knows when to advance or retreat, makes wise decisions, has talent, and remains humble."
With years of experience, Norman could tell that Sieg was no ordinary Crawdaunt in a pond; he was a hidden dragon.
After securing the investment, Norman immediately called the gym staff to upgrade Sieg's trainer clearance level by one.
This allowed Sieg to enjoy better discounts when purchasing League items and some other perks in certain areas.
For example, a free cruise trip every three years, annual distributions of Pokémon food, and more.
While these benefits may seem small, they add up to significant value over time.
"This is the login code for Petalburg Gym's library database. Just enter it into your Pokédex to browse and borrow books," Norman said with a smile as he handed over a note.
Sieg's eyes lit up. He couldn't wait to enter the code into his Pokédex and access the Petalburg Gym's library. In an instant, his Pokédex even lagged slightly, as countless book entries streamed in.
Sieg was overjoyed. Most of the knowledge inside was completely new to him, things he had never encountered or even heard of before.
"Sieg, I know you're interested in the breeder field, but your grasp of battle timing is exceptional. You have real talent in Pokémon battles. I hope you make your choices wisely."
Norman offered this rare and sincere advice, which immediately woke Sieg up.
Lady Metako had said something similar before: you can't have your cake and eat it too.
"Being a breeder is just a tool for me to make money, a way to better raise Pokémon. Only by growing stronger can I reach the top!"
Sieg constantly reminded himself not to get lost in it and to balance the roles of breeder and trainer well.