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After confirming he was an ally, Liam followed Miyamoto into the Viridian Gym. The two guards standing at the entrance watched him with an inexplicable sense of admiration as he stepped inside.
The gym looked exactly the same as before: a massive battlefield in the center, flanked by spectator stands. Nothing in the layout had changed.
"Liam, come with me. I'll take you to see Giovanni."
Miyamoto led the way across the battlefield, with Jessie in tow. She leaned down and whispered something to the little girl before letting her run off to play elsewhere. Once Jessie was out of sight, she turned to Liam.
"Thanks for the trouble, Sister Miyamoto," Liam said with a polite nod.
"Heh, there's no need to be so formal. We're practically family," Miyamoto chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully. "Come on, I'm sure Giovanni will be very happy to see you."
She then turned and led him deeper into the gym, with Liam following closely behind.
As they walked, Liam got a true sense of what it meant for a place to have "hidden depths."
The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The outer gym and the interior seemed like two completely different worlds. The walls were reinforced steel, and security cameras lined the corridors at regular intervals.
There were even guards stationed at the corners. Every time they passed by, the guards would straighten up at the sight of Miyamoto but remained silent. However, their eyes were sharp, watching Liam closely—had Miyamoto not been leading him, they might have attacked on sight.
"Ahem... Is all this really necessary? Feels like I walked into a prison," Liam muttered uncomfortably.
"This level of security is essential," Miyamoto replied seriously. "The organization is still in its early stages, but nothing matters more than the boss's safety. As the captain of his personal guard, it's my duty to ensure that."
Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Liam remained silent for a moment before shrugging it off. It wasn't his business, so why concern himself with it?
They continued down the winding corridors until they reached the very end. In front of them stood a massive set of doors, clearly built for maximum security. If not for their color, Liam might have mistaken them for a prison gate.
Knock, knock, knock…
"What is it?"
"Boss Giovanni, Liam is here."
"Let him in."
"Understood."
Miyamoto knocked on the door, producing a crisp metallic sound. A voice came through the communicator on the door—it was Giovanni. After confirming Liam's arrival, Miyamoto turned back to him with a smile.
"Go on in. I won't interrupt your reunion. I've got other matters to handle, so I'll leave you to it."
"Thanks, Sister Miyamoto. Don't let me keep you from your work."
Liam nodded in appreciation before stepping inside. As soon as he was through, the door shut behind him with a sharp clank.
Liam: "…"
Giovanni: "…"
Liam: "Looks like you're having a tough time… Sister Miyamoto keeps a pretty tight leash on you, huh?"
Giovanni: …'Did you have to say that out loud? Some things are better left unsaid.'
Liam scanned the legendary office of Giovanni—the very place he had once dreamed of seeing. It was just as he remembered: dimly lit, with a large aquatic wall at the front where exotic fish swam under the soft glow of hidden lights.
Giovanni sat behind his desk, one leg crossed over the other. Beside his chair, a sleek, well-groomed Persian stretched lazily, letting out a yawn.
The man's face bore a sly, almost wicked smile—at first glance, he was the very image of a scheming mastermind. Dressed in an orange suit with matching trousers, his well-groomed shoulder-length hair shimmered smoothly under the lights.
"I saw you on the security feed long before you got here," Giovanni remarked, his smirk deepening. "So? What brings you back? I thought you'd already forgotten about us. Looks like you still remember where 'home' is."
Liam clicked his tongue. "Tch, tch, tch…"
Then, with an equally mischievous smirk, he shot back, "Say, Sister Miyamoto seems pretty interested in you. She sure cares a lot about your affairs, huh?"
"PFFT!!COUGH COUGH COUGH!! YOU BASTARD!! COUGH COUGH!!"
Giovanni nearly choked on his own saliva, his face turning red—whether from coughing or embarrassment, Liam wasn't sure. Glaring at Liam, he sputtered out a curse between coughs.
"Whoa! Calm down! You don't have to react like this just because I hit the nail on the head. It's no big deal! Sister Miyamoto is beautiful, strong, and capable. Plus, she doesn't even mind your… well, rather intimidating persona. And hey, Jessie is adorable! Gaining an extra cute daughter out of nowhere? That's a jackpot!"
Liam rambled on, completely ignoring the increasingly dark expression on Giovanni's face.
"Enough!! Stop talking about this!!" Giovanni finally snapped, slamming his hand against the desk with a resounding bang. His sudden outburst startled Persian, who leaped up in alarm, blinking in confusion at its owner.
Liam's teasing smirk froze as he took in Giovanni's reaction. The man's hands were clenched into fists, his shoulders trembling slightly. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
Liam hesitated, feeling a bit guilty for pushing too far. Scratching his nose awkwardly, he stepped closer, about to offer some words of comfort—only for Giovanni to suddenly grab him by the shoulders.
His face was flushed, his usual cold and calculating eyes now flickering with unease.
"I… didn't say anything just now. And you… heard nothing. Got it?" Giovanni muttered, his voice strangely firm.
Liam was speechless. He had initially assumed Giovanni was angry, but it turned out the guy had just embarrassed himself. Realizing this, Liam grinned.
"Don't worry. I got your back. You can count on me."
'As if!'
"Ahem. Back to business. The Indigo League Conference is coming up soon. What brings you here? Just catching up?"
After being thoroughly "persuaded" (threatened) by Giovanni to drop the previous topic, Liam let the matter rest. Straightening his suit, Giovanni regained his usual composed, domineering air and sat back in his chair.
"I'm just passing through on my way to register at the main stadium," Liam explained with a grin. "Figured I'd stop by and check in on how things are going. How's Team Rocket doing? Need any help?"
Giovanni arched an eyebrow at Liam's words, seemingly recalling something important.
"Hmm… Now that you mention it, there is something you might be able to help with."
"Wait, seriously? I was just being polite! I'm actually really busy, y'know!"
"…"