After a brief chat with Sieg, Officer Jenny found herself even more impressed by this young man. Deep down, she was already toying with the idea of drawing him into investment opportunities.
Of course, this wasn't the right time or place to bring it up, so she continued making rounds through the camp, calming the nerves of those still shaken.
At the same time, the president of Devon Corporation, Mr. Stone, was recounting the origins of the incident.
"Yes, Tabitha and Shelly had been embedded in our company for a long time, plotting in secret. Not only did they steal our earliest research data, they also got their hands on detailed maps of the Verdant Cavern!"
Mr. Stone wore an expression of deep sorrow as he denounced the crimes of the criminal organizations. If someone unfamiliar had seen him, they might have mistaken him for a frail old man who had been unfairly wronged.
But the League corps commander standing nearby felt a bit awkward hearing this.
Who didn't know that Mr. Stone was a formidable Elite Four-tier powerhouse?
He was hailed as the core pillar of the Stone family, the savior of the Devon Corporation, the architect of a commercial empire.
Roxanne suddenly raised a question. "That's strange. If they already stole the data, why didn't they just escape immediately? Why bother stirring up trouble in Verdant Cavern?"
She had recalled the miniature devices retrieved from the battlefield and couldn't help but ask.
The others looked awkward at her directness, silently thinking, Why does this little girl ask questions so bluntly?
Mr. Stone waved off the question with vague words. "That area used to be one of our family's Pokémon rearing facilities, a survival zone where we released young Pokémon... but it was abandoned long ago."
He claimed he didn't know why the two organizations would suddenly launch an assault on Verdant Cavern.
"The attackers this time were Team Aqua and Team Magma. According to intel gathered just now, it seems the two groups have entered a temporary alliance!"
The League corps commander received the report through his earpiece and quickly relayed it to the high-ranking officials present.
Roxanne, still as blunt as before, continued speaking without filter.
Her youthful frankness clashed sharply with the seasoned and cunning officials, and her remarks often left them speechless.
"Miss Roxanne," one of the elders said, "the League corps will handle things here. Why don't you go reassure the people? After all, you're the Gym Leader of Rustboro."
Everyone here was over forty and well-versed in the ways of the world.
So they quickly found a pretense to send the out-of-place Roxanne away.
She sensed the rejection, her delicate face turning red with frustration. Unconsciously, her mind drifted to Sieg's calm and commanding presence during the entire incident.
Depressed, she left the cavern's upper levels and returned to the field camp nestled in the forest. Just as she was about to check on the League Trainers who had fought in the battle.
She caught sight of a familiar silhouette among the crowd.
"Sieg?"
Her eyes widened in shock.
But she quickly recovered when she noticed that Officer Jenny was right beside him, chatting and laughing with him as if they were close friends.
Somehow, an unexplainable frustration welled up in her chest.
She walked straight over, wanting to confront Sieg.
...
After the League's emergency conscription mission ended, everyone gave their statements and was then allowed to move freely.
Sieg was just about to leave when someone suddenly stepped in his path.
"Roxanne?"
"Sieg, you were here too? I didn't even notice earlier."
She had come over intending to question him, but suddenly remembered that her relationship with Sieg wasn't that close. They were only acquaintances at best.
So, when she stood in front of him, her words caught in her throat, and for a moment she didn't know what to say. All she could manage was an awkward smile.
Still, she hadn't forgotten her original intention, and with a roundabout approach, she asked, "Officer Jenny is so valiant and charming! I wish I could be like her someday."
Hearing this, Sieg's hairs stood on end. He glanced at her with surprise.
He could clearly sense her feelings, so he played along with a teasing smile. "But Roxanne, you were the one who drove off the enemy's commanders. From where I stand, you're the true hero of this battle!"
Roxanne had heard her fair share of compliments before, but most people only praised her status.
Yet when she looked into Sieg's sincere and clear eyes, especially hearing his praise just now, she felt a subtle, uncontrollable joy blossom inside her.
The two chatted enthusiastically and ended up leaving the Verdant Cavern together, heading back into the city.
Meanwhile, Officer Jenny, who had been planning to see Sieg off, watched them from behind and thought to herself, I didn't expect Sieg and Gym Leader Roxanne to be this close. I'll need to update his information again.
After returning to Rustboro, Sieg parted ways with Roxanne and ran straight toward the Pokémon Center.
The moment he entered his room, he collapsed on his bed.
"I just wanted to train my Pokémon a little... how did things get so complicated?"
He stared up at the ceiling, stretching his hands toward the air as if trying to grasp something.
The buried skeletons beneath the Verdant Cavern.
The betrayal of that cunning old man.
The rarity of the Pokémon and the preciousness of the geothermal stone.
The sudden interference of Team Aqua and Team Magma.
The League's emergency conscription mission.
All these events flooded back to him. So much had happened in just a few short days, and he hadn't even gotten proper rest while exploring the tunnel.
Now that he finally lay down, his body fully relaxed. Before long, he had fallen into a deep sleep.
The next morning, when Sieg awoke, he looked at the headline plastered across the Pokédex network, a peculiar emotion rising within him.
[Criminal Organizations Attack Key League Outpost! League Forces and Trainers Unite to Repel Them!]
The entire article was filled with praise for the League's victory and glory, and harsh condemnation for the Team Magma and Aqua.
But not a single word mentioned the number of trainers who had died in the emergency conscription mission.
Sieg chuckled bitterly and swiped the page away.
Opening his spatial backpack, he was just about to sort through the loot and harvests from this trip when-
Knock knock.
He heard someone knock on his door.
Sieg quickly shoved everything back into his spatial backpack. Only after ensuring no personal items were left out did he open the door.
Standing outside was none other than Officer Jenny from the day before.
Why could Sieg tell it was her, when all Officer Jennies looked the same?
He didn't have Brock's narrowe-eyed beauty radar, but he noticed the badge number on her uniform: 001.
As she stepped inside, Officer Jenny instinctively glanced around the room, then quickly retracted her gaze.
Sieg noticed the motion, subtle as it was, and stepped aside to let her in.
"Sorry about that. I've been to too many crime scenes. It's just a reflex..." she said awkwardly.
Sieg quickly waved it off. "It's fine, really."
Officer Jenny took his word for it, and confidently walked right in.
Perhaps because she was so used to the admiration and reverence of those around her, Officer Jenny had developed the habit of assuming she was the center of every room.