I'm the Owner of the Pokémon Day Care In the World of Pokémon

Chapter 1219: Infiltration

Speaking of drinking, Kageyama Jun led Yuga into a tavern. This tavern, however, was tucked away in a rather secluded spot. Yuga had no idea how many twists and turns they had taken before finally arriving.

"Welcome! Oh, it's Mr. Kageyama! Please, come in," the server greeted warmly.

The tavern staff seemed very familiar with Kageyama Jun and happily led him and Yuga to a seat inside. After they were settled, the server asked, "The usual for you, Mr. Kageyama? And for this gentleman?"

"Yes, the usual for me," Kageyama replied casually, then glanced at Yuga. "He'll have the same as me. Just bring a couple of snacks to go with the drinks."

The server jotted down the order. "Understood. Please wait a moment."

While Kageyama Jun placed the order, Yuga took the opportunity to survey the tavern's interior. It had a traditional Japanese aesthetic, with simple and elegant decor. However, there weren't many customers, just a handful scattered around.

"Don't be fooled by the lack of people here," Kageyama Jun said, noticing Yuga's curious gaze. "The drinks are top-notch, and it's not a place just anyone can find."

Yuga withdrew his gaze and looked at Kageyama Jun. "Are you always this outgoing? Just pulling someone off the street to drink with you?"

Kageyama Jun burst into laughter. "Of course not! I just happened to run into you, didn't I? You're a Hall of Fame-level Trainer in the League—how could I pass up the chance to get to know you?"

Yuga: ...So blunt, huh?

Before long, the server returned with their drinks. Kageyama Jun poured Yuga a glass. "Try it! I promise you'll love it."

Yuga cast him a doubtful glance. He wasn't one to drink, but out of courtesy, he picked up the glass and prepared to take a sip.

As soon as the glass neared his lips, a fragrant aroma wafted over. Although there was a distinct scent of alcohol, it wasn't sharp or overpowering.

He took a light sip, and immediately his senses were overwhelmed. A tingling sensation rushed to his head, and as the liquid slid down his throat, it felt like a warm current flowing into his stomach.

If all alcohol tasted this good, Yuga could understand why so many people were addicted to it.

"Well? Pretty unique, isn't it?" Kageyama Jun asked with a grin.

Yuga snapped out of his thoughts and nodded slightly.

"I knew you'd like it," Kageyama Jun said smugly, taking a sip from his own glass. His eyes narrowed with satisfaction. "I only found this place by accident. Not many people know about it."

The tavern's owner was originally from Johto, and they didn't open the place for profit—just out of a love for fine drinks. Otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen such a remote location.

When the snacks arrived, Yuga took a bite and was immediately impressed. Delicious—truly delicious. It was even better than Audino's cooking.

After they were full, Kageyama Jun leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "Want to do something fun later?"

"What kind of fun?" Yuga asked, puzzled.

Kageyama Jun feigned mystery. "I'll keep it a surprise for now. You'll see when we get there."

Hearing this, Yuga didn't press further. After leaving the tavern, Kageyama Jun led him to the outskirts of Slateport City.

Hidden within the canopy of a large tree, Kageyama Jun pointed to a grand mansion not far away. "See that place? Tonight, we're sneaking in there."

Peering through the gaps in the leaves, Yuga caught sight of the mansion. "That's your idea of fun? Whoever lives there must be someone important. Why are we going in?"

"We're going in to rescue someone," Kageyama Jun said, his expression suddenly turning serious. "My colleague is trapped inside, and I need to get them out."

"So, you're recruiting me for backup?" Yuga said flatly, clearly unimpressed.

By now, Yuga had pieced together who Kageyama Jun was—a journalist-turned-member of the League's Investigation Bureau and currently ranked 97th on the Hoenn Elite Four candidate list.

"Pretty much. I really need your help," Kageyama admitted, scratching his nose awkwardly.

"Alright..." Yuga thought it over and agreed.

The two climbed down from the tree and quietly approached the back of the mansion. The property was surrounded by a tall electric fence, buzzing with a lethal current strong enough to kill any person or Pokémon that dared to touch it.

"How are we getting in?" Yuga asked. If his Dragonite were here, he might have a way to deal with the fence, but unfortunately, Dragonite wasn't with him. Flying in wasn't an option either, as it would likely alert the guards.

"Leave that to me," Kageyama Jun said confidently, patting his chest. "But once we're inside, you'll need to handle the Mightyena pack. I can't deal with them."

It was clear that Kageyama Jun had done some reconnaissance beforehand.

"Fine," Yuga nodded.

Pleased with the response, Kageyama Jun released a Manectric from its Poké Ball. Not only was Manectric an Electric-type Pokémon, but its ability was Lightning Rod, rendering it immune to the high voltage coursing through the fence.

The sturdy-looking wire mesh was no match for Manectric, which tore open a passage easily, creating an opening just large enough for them to slip through.

Once inside, Kageyama whispered, "The Mightyena are all yours. You need to take them out in one go. If they get the chance to sound the alarm, my colleague will be taken hostage."

Yuga nodded. At some point, Florges had appeared by his side. After giving her a few instructions, Florges responded with a nod of understanding.

By now, they had infiltrated the mansion's courtyard, where Mightyena patrolled the area in a disciplined formation. Kageyama held his breath, not daring to make the slightest sound for fear of being discovered.

While Kageyama wasn't afraid of fighting the Mightyena head-on, doing so would undoubtedly alert the mansion's owner, putting his colleague's life at risk.

As the Mightyena prowled proudly, vines suddenly erupted from the ground, wrapping around their necks with lightning speed. The Mightyena didn't even have time to cry out before their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed unconscious.

The vines then dragged the unconscious Mightyena away, piling them at Florges' feet.

Seeing this, Kageyama gave Yuga a discreet thumbs-up but couldn't help thinking to himself: Good thing it's Florges with this power and not a Victreebel—otherwise, those Mightyena would've been turned into dinner by now.

With the Mightyena dealt with, the two easily made their way inside the mansion.

"Do you have any idea where your colleague is being held?" Yuga asked Kageyama.

"No clue. We'll have to search for them," Kageyama admitted, shaking his head.

At that moment, a few maids passed by not far from them.

"What will the master eat today?" one of the maids asked.

"Probably pan-fried Slowpoke tails. The master mentioned wanting them a few days ago," another maid replied.

"Then hurry up and get them ready. If it's not prepared in time, watch out—you'll all suffer."

"I wonder what Slowpoke tails taste like. I've never tried them before..."

"You? Eat a Slowpoke tail? Keep dreaming!"

The maids' voices faded as they walked away. Kageyama Jun stepped out of hiding and spat on the ground. "That damn old scoundrel! He even has maids waiting on him!"

Yuga was speechless. Is that really the point?

"Let's follow those maids and see where the master of the house is." This mansion had heavy security, and they couldn't afford to wander around aimlessly like headless flies.

Hearing this, Kageyama Jun nodded, and the two of them quietly tailed the maids.

The maids headed to the kitchen, and as they had mentioned earlier, the mansion's master was indeed having Slowpoke tails for dinner that evening.

However, instead of using pre-prepared ingredients, they were about to cut fresh Slowpoke tails.

Inside the kitchen, a cage held over ten trembling Slowpoke. The chef brandished a sharp knife, sizing up the unfortunate creatures with a cruel smile.

In the market, pre-cut Slowpoke tails were available, sourced from legitimate farms that followed strict regulations.

Only a select few farms were licensed to breed Slowpoke and harvest their tails for food, and these operations were tightly monitored by the League. As a result, Slowpoke tails remained an expensive delicacy.

But this illegal harvesting of Slowpoke tails was a clear violation of the law. If such practices were widespread, Slowpoke populations would have long been decimated.

Although they sympathized with the Slowpoke, Yuga and Kageyama Jun didn't act. It wasn't the right moment yet. Acting recklessly could endanger the Slowpoke even further.

Slowpoke were naturally slow to react. When their tails were cut, it took them a while to emit faint, mournful whimpers.

At legitimate farms, only the very tip of a Slowpoke tail would be carefully harvested, a process similar to humans cutting hair or trimming nails—painless for the Slowpoke.

But this chef sliced off nearly half of each tail, leaving the Slowpoke in agony. Although the tails would regenerate, the pain was undeniable.

Yuga didn't know the chef's background, but Kageyama Jun was well aware. This chef wasn't an ordinary person.

Years ago, he had been a wanted criminal. Unlike typical chefs, he had a penchant for using Pokémon as ingredients and had a sadistic streak, taking pleasure in watching Pokémon writhe in pain under his hands.

The chef had disappeared suddenly back then, and no one expected him to have been hired by the mansion's master.

With his culinary skills, the chef quickly prepared the Slowpoke tails.

Although he had cut off a large portion of each tail, he only used the tender tip for cooking.

Despite their hatred for the despicable chef, Yuga and Kageyama Jun had to admit his cooking skills were exceptional. The tantalizing aroma had them both swallowing hard. No wonder someone would harbor a fugitive like him—his cooking was extraordinary.

Once the dish was ready, the maids carried the food out of the kitchen. Seeing this, Yuga and Kageyama Jun quickly followed.

The mansion was enormous, and after winding through several hallways, the maids finally arrived at the door of a room.

The head maid knocked on the door and asked, "Master, dinner is ready. May we come in?"

After a long pause, an elderly voice replied from within, "Come in."

With permission granted, the maids respectfully opened the door and entered one by one, carrying the food.

Yuga and Kageyama Jun had no way of entering the room. Kageyama Jun was sweating anxiously, but Yuga patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to stay calm. Then, Yuga summoned Mimikyu and instructed it to slip inside to scout the situation.

Watching Mimikyu disappear through the wall, Kageyama Jun gave Yuga a thumbs-up again. He thought to himself that it was a good thing he had the foresight to bring Yuga along—otherwise, who knew how much more trouble this mission would have taken?

Soon, the meal was over. The maids cleaned up the dishes and exited the room one by one, but the "Master" inside remained silent and unmoving.

After some time, a well-dressed, silver-haired elderly man finally opened the door and stepped out. When Yuga saw his face, he gasped sharply. No way... isn't this the mayor of Slateport City?

Kageyama Jun, being a key member of the League's Investigation Bureau, knew that he and his colleagues were secretly investigating the Slateport City mayor. That clearly indicated the man had committed serious crimes.

After the elderly man exited, Mimikyu followed close behind. Kageyama Jun quickly asked in a low voice, "Well? Did you find anything?"

Mimikyu exchanged information with Yuga, who nodded at Kageyama Jun and motioned for him to follow.

The two of them snuck into the room where the mayor had dined. It was a large, lavishly decorated dining hall. However, knowing that the only person eating here was the old mayor himself, they couldn't help but feel speechless.

What's the point of making it so big and fancy for just one person?

As far as Yuga knew, the old mayor of Slateport City had no family living with him. His son and daughter-in-law had been soldiers in the League's frontier expansion forces and had died in service many years ago, leaving no children. His daughter had passed away from illness, and although she had left behind a granddaughter, the girl lived with her father elsewhere and wasn't in Slateport City.

Under Mimikyu's guidance, the two focused their attention on an unused fireplace.

Mimikyu moved a brick from the fireplace, revealing a keypad hidden behind it. Yuga, having learned the password from Mimikyu, successfully unlocked the mechanism concealed within the fireplace.

Seeing how capable Mimikyu was, Kageyama Jun couldn't help but feel envious and jealous. As expected of a Ghost-type Pokémon, they really excel at these kinds of tasks.

Although Ghost-type Trainers were rare in the League, Kageyama Jun had to admit that each one was an elite. If only I had a Ghost-type Trainer on my team, then...

"You know," he suddenly said, "how about joining me in intelligence work? I think we'd make a great team."

"What?"

Kageyama Jun's sudden suggestion left Yuga stunned.

Thinking it over, Kageyama Jun shook his head. "Uh... never mind. Forget I said anything." After all, being a Gym Leader was far more prestigious than being a low-ranking investigation bureau officer. He must have been out of his mind just now.

Behind the fireplace was a hidden room, or more accurately, a prison cell. As expected, Kageyama Jun found his colleague inside.

However, his colleague was unconscious and badly injured, clearly having been interrogated. Judging by the situation, he hadn't divulged anything; otherwise, the old mayor would have been alerted by now.

Kageyama Jun's colleague had infiltrated the mansion as an undercover agent, but the old mayor was too cunning and quickly realized something was amiss, capturing the agent. Thankfully, the colleague had managed to transmit a message in time.

Yuga asked Kageyama Jun if they should rescue him now, but Kageyama Jun shook his head and declined. Instead, they withdrew from the hidden room together.

Before leaving, Yuga had Bellossom provide basic treatment to the injured colleague to prevent life-threatening complications. However, he made sure not to heal the agent too much—otherwise, the old mayor might notice something was off.

After leaving the mansion, Kageyama Jun began planning how to coordinate the arrest of the old mayor. He had nearly all the evidence he needed to take action.