He knows Pokémon better than me.

Seeing Sonia pursing her lips as she cut her steak, Ash gave a dry laugh, trying to ease the tension.

"By the way, Sonia, you mentioned going to Hammerlocke to see the murals, right? Did you come to any new conclusions about the mythology of the Galar region?"

Sonia's eyes lit up at the mention of this.

"Ash, I was just about to tell you. Now I'm almost certain that the myths and legends of our Galar region have been deliberately altered!"

She lowered her voice; it wasn't appropriate to say such things in public right now.

"It was altered?"

Beside him, Magua looked puzzled but said matter-of-factly:
"I remember the myth of Galar is about a hero who wielded a sword and shield, solved a calamity, and finally saved the world to become a king, right?"

It's a very cliché story, and almost everyone in the Galar knows it.

The most obvious example is the presence of huge hero sculptures at the entrances of large hotels, famous city landmarks, and even gyms.

However, they didn't have a battle arena, since when it was being renovated, the gym leader only had her mother, who didn't agree with the myth.

Xiao Zhi nodded; this was the version he had heard the most so far.

Sonia quickly pulled out a tablet and tried to explain using words.

"That's right, this is the most mainstream and popular version in the Galar region. I've labeled it Version One."

This version features only one hero, wielding a sword and shield alone, who single-handedly resolves the calamity, embodying absolute human heroism.

Then, Sonia added the words "Version Two".

"Then there were the clues I found in other hidden places, including information that came from combining the tapestries from Hammerlocke City with this place."

"The conclusion is that there were two heroes, each wielding a sword and a shield. Together they resolved the calamity and, in the end, buried the sword and shield together."

This version is also pure human heroism, but the ending is somewhat sad.

Sonia glanced at the tapestry beside her; the two heroes on it looked somewhat like they were mourning and repenting.
Ash and Maga exchanged a glance. The two versions seemed to be very similar, except for the difference between one person and two people.

At this point, Sonia wrote "Version Three"—

"The third version is what I and Xiaozhi saw after the rock wall collapsed behind the town of Suden Town."

"Besides the two human heroes, there are also two wolfhound-type Pokémon. And even the sword and shield we've been seeing all along are being wielded by these two Pokémon, not by the two humans."

This version, naturally, is a story about humans and Pokémon working together to solve a calamity.

Of course, this is also the myth that Sonia currently believes is most likely—

After all, if ancient calamities were truly that severe, what could two humans possibly accomplish?
Even the most powerful superhumans in the world today would have very limited abilities in the face of disaster, right?

As soon as he finished speaking, Magua crossed his arms and frowned.

This statement undoubtedly refreshed his worldview, which he had developed since childhood.

"It seems that's indeed the case."

As an outsider, Xiao Zhi accepted it very smoothly.

Indeed, if there is a large-scale disaster in a region, without Pokémon, even if you have Aura and Bond Power, it seems that throwing them out together won't be of much use.
"Then why are there these three versions?"

Xiao Zhi scratched the back of his head and couldn't help but ask.

And it might not necessarily be intentional alteration. It's possible that the various versions that have been passed down are inherently chaotic.
"Well, I couldn't figure it out either."

Sonia pondered for a moment and tried to give an answer: "But ever since I met those two upper-class nobles in Suchuan Town, I think I've understood."

"Upper-class aristocracy?"

Xiao Zhi blinked, and two strangely styled men in suits, both with extremely nasty and arrogant personalities, instantly flashed into his mind.

Sonia nodded.

If these two people aren't lying, and their ancestors also had this kind of personality, then the case is solved.

Only by completely eliminating the contributions of Pokémon can we guarantee the uniqueness of human greatness.

Or rather, the greatness of those two brave kings!

"Perhaps those two monarchs did not do that."

Sonia pointed to the fifth tapestry mural beside her, which depicted two monarchs seemingly mourning the "sword" and the "shield"—

This is to mourn the two wolfhound-type Pokémon that made a huge contribution.

In terms of personality, these two monarchs were probably not that wicked.

It is more likely that their descendants created these five consecutive murals.

However, if the goal is to establish the authority of the royal family, the first four murals are sufficient, and the fifth mural, "The Mourning of the Warrior," seems somewhat superfluous, so it's best to discard it.
After many twists and turns, it finally ended up in the treasure hunting market in Suchuan Town.

"Reasonable."

Xiao Zhi nodded. If the personalities of those two upper-class nobles were hereditary, then it made perfect sense!

"As for the evolution from version 2 to version 1, that's even easier to explain."

Two kings, one wielding a sword and the other a shield, work together.

A king, sword in his left hand and shield in his right, soloing the battle.

In contrast, the latter is clearly more mythical and can greatly enhance the divinity and majesty of the royal family!

Xiao Zhi nodded again, "That makes sense too."

It seems they've deduced something extraordinary from this simple conversation!

"As descendants of royalty, they would naturally dedicate themselves to maintaining and spreading myths that could expand their influence, even if they were false, in order to consolidate their glorious status."

Motivation then naturally emerges.

These royal descendants spread false myths generation after generation to expand their influence.
Therefore, the vast majority of Galatians now believe in the "Version One" myth.

That is, a brave king, wielding a sword and shield, single-handedly resolved the calamity and saved the Galar region.

"It seems that saying that isn't impossible."

Magua lowered his head and fell into deep thought. After hearing what Sonia said, it seemed that there was some truth to it.

Even Sonia herself was so excited, her face flushed with pride, that many of her points were things she had just come up with and blurted out.

Now she longs to pull out her notebook and, like writing a novel, immediately type out a 10,000-word research paper!
Arguments, motives, and physical evidence—it has it all!
However, thinking about it this way raises several more perplexing questions—

For example, what exactly was the great catastrophe that occurred in the ancient Galar region?
And where are those two wolf-shaped Pokémon wielding swords and shields now?

A Pokémon capable of resolving a regional-level disaster must be a legendary Pokémon; she didn't believe it could be simply buried in the ground. (End of Chapter)