Elf: Start your slow-paced life after becoming a farmer.

"Sigh, but my current level is near the bottom of the class. I don't want to fail in your class, Karl," Piper said with a worried look.

"Don't worry, as long as you perform normally, you definitely won't die." Karl poked the Dratini's big nose with his finger, then put it down and waved for it to go to Serperior to collect its dessert for the day.

"So, Karl, why did you suddenly call me over here?" Piper finally steered the conversation back on track. "And you only called me? Are you going to give me special treatment again?"

“No, you haven’t fully digested the tactics I taught you yet, so there’s absolutely no need for any special training.” Karl rolled his eyes at Piper, then looked up at the clock on the wall. “It should be about time; they should be back soon.”

“Them?” Piper noticed Carl’s choice of words, then he recalled the topic Carl had brought up with him recently. “Carl, you wouldn’t happen to be…”

"Peng!"

Before Piper could finish speaking, the farmhouse door was opened from the outside. He turned his head and saw two large lizards, one blue and one red, walking in from outside.

The moment their eyes met, Number One Gullton and Number One Millerton immediately stopped in their tracks. They looked at each other and saw the word "guilt" in each other's eyes.

“It really is you guys.” Piper looked at Guleton and Milton who walked into the house with a complicated expression, a thousand words stuck in his throat.

Piper wanted to know if his parents, the two humans who had summoned them to this era, were doing well. What had happened to keep them away from home for so long?

He also wanted to ask, "You two gluttons have been gone for so long, are you still fighting each other in the Paddy Pit?"

Kopipa said nothing, just watched them quietly.

The mastiff godfather at Pipa's feet seemed to sense Pipa's turbulent state of mind. It first turned its head to look at the two large lizards, one red and one blue, standing by the gate.

In the Godfather's memory, these two big guys had caused Pipa a lot of trouble, and even though they were taken away by Pipa's parents, it made Pipa sad for a long time.

However, for the Mastiff Godfather, Pipa was the most important person. It nimbly jumped onto the sofa, gently rubbed its head against Pipa's hand, then stuck out its tongue and licked Pipa's face, finally looking at its little master with worried eyes.

"Waaah—"

Piper looked at his Mastiff Godfather beside him, the Pokémon who had been with him longer than his own parents, and his heart suddenly felt at ease.

Even if he had nothing, the Mastiff Godfather would still be by his side, wouldn't he? Besides, he still had his cousin Karl by his side.

He, Pipa, was no unwanted child.

Thinking of this, Pipana's tense expression finally relaxed. He then turned to Karl and said, "Brother Karl, did you call me here just to let me see them?"

"Yes and no." Carl considered his next words carefully, after all, what he was about to tell Pipa was not good news.

“I think so too.” Piper nodded. In his opinion, if it was just a matter of letting him meet Guleton and Milton, he could simply call Nemo and Shinji together.

Therefore, Piper already had a vague premonition about what Carl would talk about next.

“Papa, this time when I entered the Padia Pit, I found some clues about your parents…”

"What clue?" Piper asked, suppressing his excitement.

"They may have already perished..."

Chapter 214 Pipa: Let's Make a Promise

"You know, I have a superpower that allows me to communicate directly with Pokémon."

Carl said to Piper in a somewhat dry tone, "And I learned from Guleton and Milton that an accident occurred at the research institute deep in Sector Zero a few months ago."

"Although they don't know what happened that day, they haven't seen their uncle and aunt since then."

Carl's statement was entirely accurate; it was indeed information he had received from Guleton and Milton.

However, as a transmigrator who knew the plot, Karl knew from the beginning that Orin and Dr. Fortu had perished in the Zero Zone Research Institute.

The reason Karl is only telling Pipa this fact now is not only because he couldn't explain the source of this information before, but also because before meeting Karl, Pipa was just a spoiled kid who grew up alone.

If Carl had told Piper this news from the beginning, given Piper's somewhat troubled mental state at the time, he would most likely have found it difficult to accept.

After spending time together, although Pipa's personality is still a bit awkward, with Carl and Nemo by her side, Pipa is now more courageous to accept this fact than she was when she lived alone.

Upon hearing Carl's words, Piper lowered his head slightly, making it difficult for Carl to see the expression on his face. However, Carl could tell from his slightly trembling body that Piper was not at peace with himself.

In fact, Piper had anticipated this fact when his parents hadn't sent him any letters for more than half a year, but at that time he was unwilling to believe it.

If Pipa hadn't encountered Karl, he would most likely have already been planning to sneak into the Padia Pit to search for his parents.

Piper's reckless behavior ultimately leads to the serious injury of his godfather, the mastiff who raised him, thus prompting Piper to embark on the journey in the original story to find the secret seasoning.

However, Carl's arrival created a butterfly effect that prematurely ended the "tragedy" in the original plot, and with Carl's help, Pipa has begun to break free from the shadows of her childhood and embark on a different path.

Carl didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, after all, he didn't know if Pipa would have missed a period of growth without that "tragedy".

Karl didn’t think Piper should suffer that “tragedy”. After all, life doesn’t have to be about suffering. If you keep suffering, you’ll only suffer endlessly.

“However, this is just my speculation.” Karl forced a smile. “After all, I haven’t reached the research institute deep within Sector Zero, so…”

Upon hearing this, Piper looked up at Karl and said, "Brother Karl, I understand what you mean."

Looking into Piper's gray-blue eyes, glistening with tears, Karl sighed inwardly.

Compared to the other members of the main characters in "Seven or Purple", Pipa is undoubtedly the one with the most tragic background. Nemo goes without saying. Even after encountering Peony at level 80, she can always return to the Galar region and be reunited with her parents.

As Piper's cousin and his only relative in the world, Carl has the obligation and responsibility to take care of this poor child.

“Pippa, there’s only one thing you need to do now, and that is to improve your strength. Once you meet my requirements, I will definitely take you to the depths of Sector Zero to find the truth,” Karl assured Pipa again.

In fact, with Karl's current strength, taking Piper to the Zero Zone Research Institute would be no problem at all, but he didn't want to do so.

Because in Carl's view, the "road home" was of great significance to Pipa, as it was the only way for him to reconcile with himself, and Carl did not want to interfere directly if possible.

However, besides directly taking Piper Sutton with him, Carl can provide him with all the necessary assistance, whether it's teaching him to improve his strength or giving him financial help.

"Besides this matter, there is another thing I would like to ask for your opinion on today."

As Carl spoke, he beckoned to Guleton and Milton, who were standing silently to the side, and Guleton and Milton immediately came to their side.

“I brought these two out of the Padia Pit for some reason, but they’d rather stay with you than on my farm,” Carl explained to Pipa. “However, if you don’t want to take care of them, you can just tell me. Whether you keep them or not is up to you.”

After listening to Carl's words, Piper looked at the two large lizards, one red and one blue, with a complicated expression.

Piper knew that Karl's purpose in going to the Padia Pit was to subdue these two guys, and now, these two guys actually wanted to stay by his side.

In fact, Piper's feelings toward these two big guys are extremely complicated. On the one hand, they are one of the few "legacy" items left by his parents, and they can be said to represent the "ideal" that his parents pursued throughout their lives.

On the other hand, these two guys are, to some extent, the "culprits" behind Piper becoming the "Padia Batman".

Even though Piper knew perfectly well that his parents would still leave him for their ideals even without these two, seeing them would remind him of the difficult time before he met Carl.

After careful consideration, Pipa looked sincerely at the two large lizards, one red and one blue, in front of him: "Guleton, Milton, to be honest, for a long time I really, really, really hated you, because I always thought you were the 'culprits' who took my parents away."

Upon hearing this, Leighton and Millardon lowered their heads with dejected expressions.

According to Guleton and Milton, Pipa's parents, as the humans who brought them to this era, were the only ones who could give them a sense of belonging in this era.

But judging from Pipa's words now, he doesn't seem to want them anymore.

“However, I know this is not your fault.” Piper’s next words rekindled the hope in the hearts of Guleton and Milton.

"However, I can't even take care of myself right now, so I'm not sure if I can take care of you all. So let's make a promise."

Piper stood up, walked to Guleton and Milton, looked up at them, and said seriously, "When I meet Kargo's requirements and set off for the Padia Abyss, I will take you with me, if you are still willing to stay by my side then."

After speaking, Piper extended his hands to Gullardon and Milton. Gullardon and Milton looked at each other and then simultaneously placed their hands on Piper's hands.

“Until that day comes, you can stay with Karl. I'll come to see you from time to time.” Pipa said, turning to Karl. “Karl, is that alright?”

"Of course, it's just raising a couple more Pokémon, I can afford it."

Chapter 215 Interview

After making the agreement with Gullardon and Milton, Piper's expression immediately relaxed considerably.

For Pipa, making this promise was, in a sense, a way of reconciling with his past self who was all alone.

As Carl watched this scene, a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

'Pippa has grown up,' he thought.

……

The following day, at the Padiya League headquarters in Table City.

Wearing a white lace dress, Cattleya was being led by alliance staff into a reception room inside the Padia Alliance headquarters.

Although Gadriya caused a big commotion with Karl as soon as she landed yesterday, her strength and background still earned her a chance to be tested by Ye Ci.

For Ye Ci, who has become so ruthless as to want an eight-year-old child to serve as one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Padia Alliance, she would not let go of any "cows and horses" that might be brought under her control unless absolutely necessary.

Of course, if Ye Ci really had to choose between Karl and Cattleya, she would definitely choose Karl without hesitation, even if Karl stated that he would never join the Padia Alliance.

She believes that if this question were presented to any Pokémon League president, they would make the same decision as her.

After all, there are many choices for the Elite Four, but it is very rare to find a trainer who can capture a legendary Pokémon and whose own strength is enough to become a regional champion, not to mention that this trainer is only eighteen years old.

However, judging from Aoki's report yesterday, Karl doesn't seem to care whether Cattleya can serve as one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Padia League.

Ye Ci could understand why Karl was so indifferent. After all, although Gadriya was an unstable bomb, given her proud personality, she was unlikely to target Karl specifically.

Moreover, judging from the "people-reading skills" that Ye Ci has honed over the years as the president of the Padia Alliance, Cattleya's nature is not bad, and Ye Ci is confident that he can control her.

After all, no matter how bad Cattleya is, she shouldn't be worse than an eight-year-old child, right?

Hmm... probably not?

After entering the room specially prepared for today's assessment, Cattleya gracefully sat down at a long table that had been prepared for her.

At the other end of the room, Ye Ci was also sitting at a long table, with Xin Li and Qing Mu sitting on either side of her.

Having learned about the current main members of the Padiya League, Cattleya realized how much importance the Padiya League attached to this assessment after seeing the lineup of interviewers.

With the current manpower of the Padiya League, being able to send the league president and two superstars is already the highest level of configuration.

Following her secretary's prompting, Xin Li smiled and addressed Cattleya, who was sitting directly opposite her: "Ms. Cattleya, before the assessment begins, please allow me to formally explain the specific procedures for this interview..."

In general, this interview was divided into three parts. The first part was a written test, which mainly assessed the interviewee's basic qualities, including but not limited to data processing, official document writing, and other related content.

This first part is both the least important and the most important part of the entire assessment.

It's not important because most interviewees can pass this stage with some preparation, but it's important because whether or not you pass this stage determines whether you're a qualified "workhorse".

What the Padilla League needs most right now is an Elite Four member who can both fight and handle official duties, such as some unknown Normal-type Gym Leader.

The second part of the assessment is a practical test. Most of the trainers who come to participate in the Elite Four assessment are not necessarily very strong, but at least they have enough confidence in their own strength. Even if they fail the Elite Four assessment, the interviewees will be included in the talent reserve list of the Padilla League.

Of course, the reason why the four kings of the Padiya League are currently vacant is not because the assessment is too strict, but because no one has applied for the position of king of the Padiya League.

Although many outstanding graduates of Orange Academy have chosen to join the Padilla League in recent years, no trainer has emerged who can take on the role of Elite Four member.

Even though the quality of Orange Academy's seedlings has been good in recent years, most of them are still in the growth stage, except for Nemo.

This is one of the reasons why, despite being eager to recruit talented individuals, the local people of Padiya were unable to do so.

The third and final part of the assessment is the interview.

This stage is mainly to assess the interviewee's psychological qualities and personality, which is also the part that Ye Ci cares about the most.

For Ye Ci, any trainer who can reach this point has already stepped into the Elite Four, and this interview is to solidify the interviewee's "loyalty".

Whether it's making empty promises or trying to build connections, as long as the interviewee doesn't say anything that undermines team cohesion during this stage, they'll likely pass.

After Xin Li finished explaining all the procedures for the assessment, the staff member standing to the side placed a test paper in front of Jia Deliya.

Cattleya glanced at the exam paper casually and found that it wasn't too difficult for her.

Although Cattleya spends most of her time secluded deep within the Battle Castle, she hasn't missed a single class.

Superpowered individuals are among the most intelligent people in the world; having developed their brains, they possess exceptional learning and analytical abilities.

Therefore, Gadriya completed the questionnaire in less than half an hour. Of course, the short time was also due to Gadriya using her telekinesis to control two pens at the same time to answer the questions.

According to Gadriya, the most difficult question on the exam was not the data analysis questions, but an open-ended short-answer question: "How do you view the current development of the Parthian League?"

For Gadriya, who was unfamiliar with the current situation in the Parthian region, she could only answer based on what she had seen and heard over the past day, combined with her own reflections.

After the first round of activities, Gadriya was given a ten-minute break, during which time Ye Ci and the other two took a look at Gadriya's answer sheet.

Among the three interviewers, Aoki is good at program planning, Xinli is good at data analysis, and Yeci is better at macro-level planning, which corresponds to the three types of questions in the test paper.

"Hmm... As expected of a superpowered individual, Miss Cattleya's data analysis skills are truly terrifying." Xin Li looked at the exam paper and clicked her tongue in amazement. "At least in my opinion, there are no problems with the data analysis part of the exam paper."

“However, her planning skills are rather average. You can tell from her answers that this young lady probably doesn’t have much practical experience.” Aoki thought for a moment and then added, “Most of her answers were too presumptuous.”

“This Miss Cattleya doesn’t seem to know much about the current state of the Padia Alliance,” Ye Ci said, stroking his chin. “However, her analysis is quite logical.”

"Let's move on to the next step."

Chapter 216 Ye Ci: Sigh, Cattleya

After battling with Gadalia for nearly half an hour, Xin Li, the examiner in charge of Gadalia's practical test, nodded in satisfaction and loudly announced that Gadalia had passed the practical test.