Diancie sat demurely on the dining chair, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.
Xiaozhi was devouring it aside.
Daigo put his hand on the side of his face and asked: "So, Princess Dianxi, are you going to the Forest of Oruans?"
"Yes, as long as you can see Xerneas, you can master the power of gathering real diamonds. That's what the Diamond Minister said." Dianxi replied.
Yurika put a rat on her head and held her face in her hands: "Dianxi really has the temperament of a princess."
"Thank you, Yulijia." Dianxi curled her eyes.
"I'm going to get some Pavlova, is there anyone with me?" Serena said.
"Then, please let me go with you." Diancie jumped off the dining chair and followed Serena.
Lu Ye glanced at Gengar who was destroying a plate of cakes in one bite: "Koujie~(￣~￣)"
Then he looked at the tall homeless man holding a spoon and keeping silent.
Lu Ye said slowly: "King AZ..."
"Cough, cough!" AZ choked suddenly, raised his eyes and said, "How did you know?"
Daiwu said dumbly: "Just judging from your height is enough, Your Majesty the King."
AZ fell into silence and said: "I am not a king... I am just a criminal now, so there is no need to ask anymore."
Lu Ye had come into contact with many kings, including King Portlandis, who was condemned by the Phoenix King, Damos of Midina, and Queen Irene of Orudlan City.
AZ's achievement is the most dazzling among this group of people. Damos gained the friendship of Arceus, but AZ made the god of life and death work for himself.
"So...why did you go with Dianxi?" Lu Ye asked.
AZ took a deep look at the black-haired young man.
This messenger of Arceus has the aura of many gods in his body. He has never met him before, but he seems to know everything.
"I..." AZ said hesitantly, "I want to go to the Forest of Oruans, and the same goes for Dianxi."
Later, no matter whether Rikuye or Daigo asked about the reason for going there, AZ just scooped up the spoon in silence.
His outfit was of some vintage, with a green scarf and a red hat, all in tatters and exuding a rotten smell.
Dawu expressed that he wanted to take him to a fashion store, but AZ strongly resisted.
Teacher Lu thought that he might have to travel with AZ in the future, he looked strange and said:
"Then go to the bathhouse, King AZ...otherwise you'd better do it alone."
AZ looked up blankly: "Bathhouse?"
…
"That's it."
Lu Ye crossed his arms, raised his head and said, "Meet you at the Elf Center later."
AZ looked up at the bathhouse shrouded in white mist and mumbled: "I always use the public restroom..."
"Stop blabbering, just swipe this card and let Master Haoli rub your back, otherwise I'll take you to the barber shop!" Lu Ye threatened.
Dawu: "..."
That seems to be the card I was asked to take away just now...
Don't blame Teacher Lu for his harsh tone, the taste is really too strong.
In the plot, King AZ has been wandering for three thousand years... Even if he has the habit of keeping clean, he is not much better.
As for the possibility of AZ going berserk
Luye had some knowledge of the fighting power in ancient times, and Midina's national master was probably at the level of a heavenly king.
The King of AZ who has been wandering in pain for thousands of years cannot have the strength to "fight the legend".
"I am the body of redemption." AZ said hoarsely.
Lu Ye: "Modern prisons also allow hot baths, and you can leave and return quickly."
AZ fell into silence. Since he is the messenger of Arceus, he has his own reasons for doing so.
He had heard that some messengers of gods had various taboos.
It is impossible for me to take Diancie away, traveling together is the best choice.
What's more, the day I will be liberated won't be too far away...
AZ closed his eyes lightly.
Unlike Diancie, he went to the Forest of Oruanth because of Yveltal.
The 'God of Death' Yveltal fell into a deep sleep three thousand years ago and is about to wake up. In order to free himself from the pain, AZ wandered for three thousand years.
With a dying belief, AZ stepped into the bathhouse.
"How does this feel like going to the execution ground?" Lu Ye muttered.
"Do you really want to go with AZ, Teacher Lu?"
Daigo frowned and said, "I'm worried that something unexpected will happen."
In the process of communicating with Dian Xi, Lu Ye already understood the cause and effect of her relationship with King AZ.
"Let's get AZ together."
Lu Ye whispered: "For the king... Dianxi may be his only remaining friend."
Dawu nodded slightly.
One hour later.
AZ, a tall man with a stooped back, came to the entrance of the Elf Center.
Dianxi glanced at AZ in surprise, covered her mouth and smiled: "You look very good, AZ."
AZ showed a rare hint of embarrassment. This emotion appeared for the first time in a century.
He glanced at the leader, Teacher Lu, and said in a deep voice:
"Then, please allow me to come with you, the messenger of Arceus..."
Lu Ye said that the decision rests with Dianxi.
"I give you permission to set off with me, AZ."
Princess Dianxi smiled slightly and turned around: "There are also Xiaozhi, Dawu, Lu Ye..."
Diancie called everyone present by name accurately, which was also a part of etiquette.
"Are you leaving tonight?" Serena asked.
"Camping, camping!" Yurika cheered.
"Starting tonight, it will take about half a day to drive there, and you can transfer to the ferry tomorrow morning to reach the destination." Dawu said with a smile.
Lu Ye thought of the trio forgotten in the attic.
Forget it...the three of them should be able to figure it out on their own.
Night falls.
The large rented pickup truck drove out of the town of Bienecke, its headlights piercing the night haze and moving forward on the highway.
AZ was sitting in the open back seat, hands on his knees, looking unconsciously in the night.
The orange streetlights on the highway formed a line, the countryside on both sides was quiet, the wind blew in from the wilderness, and the nocturnal monsters rustled out.
AZ missed the night three thousand years ago very much. Even though the night was full of dangers and the monsters were violent, Huayedi was still by his side at that time, and the two of them kept watch in the sentry tower until dawn.
"Messenger of Arceus..."
AZ said hoarsely: "What exactly is the trainer you are talking about?"
"Trainer..."
Lu Ye sat in the back row and stared at AZ, holding his face in profile, his black hair swaying in the night wind, and replied lazily:
"A group of humans who use Pokémon battles to demonstrate their beliefs, form bonds with Pokémon, and trust each other."
"Warcraft are slaves of humans, aren't they?" AZ's eyes were terrifyingly bright in the night.
"There is a guy from Hezhong who thinks he is a Pokémon, not a human."
Lu Ye laughed and said: "What's more, you don't think so at all, King AZ."
The black-haired young man's eyes were bright and he crossed his fingers: "Do you think Pokémon are your friends, or even... your relatives?"
An indescribable sadness welled up in AZ's chest.
"Yeah...but she has left me now and can never forgive me."
"No."
Lu Ye stretched out, "Because trainers and Pokémon have a relationship of mutual trust."
"When you get over sadness, your Pokémon will trust you again."
"Kou Jie~" Geng Gui responded and emerged from the dark night, baring his teeth in a smile.
AZ was silent for a long time and then changed the subject: "...They all call you teacher, the messenger of Arceus."
"Was there a profession like a teacher in your time?" Lu Ye asked curiously.
"have."
AZ nodded affirmatively: "And he is respected by the king."
"I have been to your era...an era of strife and war, where Pokémon were called 'Warcraft'." Lu Ye recalled.
It was the time of Midina... Dialga led Teacher Lu through time and space to seek Arceus' forgiveness.
AZ looked at Lu Ye in surprise.
"But even in that era, there was the hero Aro and his Lucario, King AZ... and his Hanayidi."
Lu Ye's eyes were bright: "In today's terms... they are trainers."
"Really...the so-called trainer." AZ repeated blankly, "I also...was a trainer."
"Let's fight after the journey is over, AZ."
Lu Ye smiled and stretched out his fist.
"If your opponent is a trainer, you will be able to understand who he is and what his beliefs are after a decisive battle. Then you will be able to fully understand without the need for words!"
AZ's cloudy eyes flickered, and he slowly stretched out his fist and touched Lu Ye lightly.
"...very philosophical words, Lu... Lu Ye."
"Haha, because my wife said it, and everything she said is very philosophical." Lu Ye said cheerfully.
AZ's wrinkled face evoked a slight arc.
This is the happiest day in AZ's memory in thousands of years.
He met Diancie, took a hot bath, and roughly understood the meaning of a trainer.
As long as he sees Yveltal, he will be completely free...
The vehicle stopped in a green area adjacent to a stream.
“Just camp here!”
Dawu got out of the car, put his hand on the car door, and said with a smile: "Tomorrow morning, I will transfer to the ship and we will reach our destination."
"Great, let's go camping~" Youli raised her head and said, "I want to sleep with Dianxi!"
"Okay, Yurika." Dianxi smiled slightly and said, "This is the first time I know about camping."
"Then, Teacher Lu and I will go together." Xiaozhi scratched his head.
"Reject, you can get into the sleeping bag by yourself, or sleep with King AZ." Lu Ye said calmly.
"Eh!?" Xiaozhi slumped his shoulders.
AZ looked at Xiaozhi with a crumpled smile on his face.
"Hey!" Xiaozhi's expression froze and he ran to help set up the tent.
Lu Ye looked at AZ in surprise: "Did you just scare him on purpose?"
AZ was noncommittal.
I didn’t expect AZ to have such an active side.
Lu Ye sent Gengar, and the shadow clone skillfully set up the tent.
Serena said in surprise: "A giant Gengar-shaped tent? So cute!"
"Brother, I want to sleep with Teacher Lu!" Youlijia's eyes lit up.
Lu Ye: "Ahem, no!"
"Hmm... Then tonight is the ghost story session. Does Serena want to join us?"
"What is a ghost story?" Diancie asked.
"A ghost story is a scary story about a group of ghost-type Pokémon." Serena smiled.
"Koujie!" Gengar appeared faintly behind Serena, with will-o'-the-wisps floating around her.
"Hey!" Serena felt the chill and her face turned pale.
"Haha, Gengar is so cute~" Yulijia was not only not afraid, but actually laughed out loud.
"Kou Jie~" Gengar scratched his head.
With a smile on his face and a suit draped over his arms, Dawu stood by the stream blowing the evening breeze.
"Did you not bring a tent?" Lu Ye stepped forward.
"As for me, a sleeping bag will do." Dawu replied.
"Share a tent with me, my tent is big." Lu Ye said.
Dawu was surprised, then nodded and said: "...I'm sorry."
At two o'clock in the morning, the forest was dark, and the silver light shone on the cobblestones.
AZ leaned against the cold boulder and his eyes flashed slightly when he saw Diancie jumping out of the tent.
"You haven't rested yet, AZ?"
"What about you?" AZ asked hoarsely.
"It's hard for me to sleep when I think about meeting Xerneas tomorrow." Dianxi shook her head gently.
AZ smiled silently: "Me too."
"AZ also wants to find Xerneas?"
"……yes."
AZ murmured, "You can definitely master the power of making diamonds and save the country...Princess Diancie, you can definitely do it."
"Thank you, AZ~" Dianxi smiled lightly.
The moonlight shone down, and AZ and Diancie looked up silently.
Inside the tent.
Lu Ye stroked Fairy Eevee, who was lying on his side, leaning on one arm and lost in thought.
"Wait until you meet Xerneas and ask about the whereabouts of the Elf Slate..."