When Elder Diamond returned with a large pile of Berries after learning from the mutating Carbink about everything that had happened outside—
The first thing it saw was Chen Shi running around while holding a white Pokémon above his head, followed by a huge crowd of Carbink.
"Th-This... what exactly is going on?"
"Naa-naa~"
The mutating Carbink stared blankly at the scene as well, completely unable to understand what had happened.
They had only been gone for a short while.
How had Lord Chen Shi already become best friends with its entire clan?
After playing for a while, Chen Shi finally stopped, breathing heavily as he set Togekiss back down.
"No more, no more. I'm exhausted."
"Hehe, Lord Chen Shi, please come sit down and rest for a bit."
Elder Diamond walked over with a smile.
From the mutating Carbink, it had learned that when they were in danger, it was Chen Shi who had rescued them and personally escorted them all the way back to the Diamond Kingdom.
More importantly, the mutating Carbink had told it that they had even encountered Lord Zygarde before returning.
And Chen Shi seemed to know a great deal about Zygarde.
After learning all this, Elder Diamond felt not only gratitude toward Chen Shi, but also deep respect.
Chen Shi wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat down beside Cynthia.
"Elder, you're back."
"Lord Chen Shi, our conditions here are humble. I hope you won't mind."
As it spoke, several Carbink behind Elder Diamond stepped forward carrying diamond trays.
They carefully placed them on the ground.
Chen Shi glanced over them.
The trays contained nothing more than ordinary Oran Berries, though they had clearly been carefully washed and prepared.
It was obvious Elder Diamond had put genuine effort into it.
"Thank you."
Chen Shi picked up an Oran Berry and took a bite.
The juice was fresh and plentiful.
It was a very good Oran Berry.
Steven, Cynthia, and Diantha each politely took one as well.
Elder Diamond smiled.
"If anyone should be thanking someone, it should be me thanking you. Without your help, my people likely never would have returned home."
Chen Shi waved dismissively.
"It was nothing. I just couldn't stand what those people were doing."
Even if the victims hadn't been Carbink, he still would have gone after Hunter J.
The only difference was that he probably wouldn't have personally escorted them all the way home.
Afterward, Elder Diamond spent quite a while exchanging pleasantries with Chen Shi.
It chatted endlessly about this and that, saying plenty while saying very little.
Eventually, Chen Shi couldn't take it anymore.
"Elder, if you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to keep dancing around the topic."
Elder Diamond chuckled awkwardly before becoming serious.
"Lord Chen Shi, it's like this. Her Highness told me that you seem to know a great deal about our kind."
"You want to ask about Diancie, don't you?"
Seeing it continue circling around the issue, Chen Shi glanced at it helplessly.
Did all old people have this habit?
Couldn't they just get to the point?
"What's Diancie?"
Steven suddenly interrupted.
"Go play somewhere else. This has nothing to do with you."
Steven: "..."
Elder Diamond remained silent for two seconds before speaking.
"You're correct. I believe you've already noticed that Her Highness has reached the final stage of her mutation."
"But she has been stuck at this last step for two years now. No matter what we try, she cannot become Diancie."
"I wanted to ask whether you might have any unique insights."
Chen Shi looked at it with a faint smile.
"Logically speaking, you should know more about Diancie than anyone."
"And yet now you're asking me if I have any ideas?"
"But I truly have no other options left."
Elder Diamond's voice was filled with helplessness.
For two entire years, it had tried every method it could think of.
Yet the princess remained unable to take the final step.
Asking Chen Shi was nothing more than a desperate attempt to find a miracle.
Just as Chen Shi was about to shake his head and say he didn't know—
Mew's voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
[That Carbink lacks the proper high-level Fairy energy. That's why it hasn't been able to complete its mutation into Diancie.]
Outwardly, Chen Shi maintained a thoughtful expression while communicating through telepathy.
[What exactly do you mean by proper high-level Fairy energy?]
Mew's voice sounded again.
[It's complicated to explain. You only need to know that the Xerneas horn fragment I gave you before can help her complete the mutation.]
Chen Shi's face darkened.
As if he didn't already know that.
Of course he knew a Xerneas horn could help Carbink complete its transformation.
The problem was that he only had one fragment.
If he gave it away, what about Lady Florges?
Mew sensed the condition of the Sacred Diamond deep within the Diamond Kingdom.
After a moment of hesitation, it gritted its teeth and spoke through telepathy.
[I still have another Xerneas horn fragment. Give it to them for me.]
Chen Shi's eyes widened.
Good grief.
The little black-hearted cat actually had spare stock?
Looks like he'd negotiated far too cheaply before.
He immediately made a mental note to squeeze more treasures out of Mew in the future.
Then he continued their telepathic conversation.
[Since when are you this kind-hearted? Knowing you, shouldn't you be hiding every treasure you own?]
Mew puffed out its cheeks angrily.
[The first Diancie was one of my best friends!]
[Besides, it's only a horn fragment. It doesn't do anything for me anyway.]
[If it's useless, then why did you pick it up in the first place?]
[Because I wanted to! What's it to you?]
[Fine, fine. I'm not arguing with you. Hand it over and I'll deliver it for you.]
Mew snorted.
A trace of reluctance flashed through its eyes.
It was true that Xerneas fragments were useless to it.
But that didn't matter.
Mew simply loved collecting things.
A collector's obsession was not something ordinary people could understand.
Back when Xerneas and Yveltal had fought, it had only managed to gather three fragments.
One had already been given to Chen Shi.
Now another was about to be given away.
That would leave only one.
Meanwhile, Elder Diamond assumed Chen Shi's silence meant he had no solution.
It wasn't disappointed.
After all, asking Chen Shi had never been anything more than a last desperate attempt.
Then suddenly—
Chen Shi spoke.
"Elder, I do have a way to help Carbink successfully evolve into Diancie."
Elder Diamond.
The mutating Carbink.
And all the surrounding Carbink.
Every one of them stared at Chen Shi with wide eyes.
If they had heard correctly—
Chen Shi had just said he knew how to help their princess become Diancie.
"L-Lord Chen Shi..."
Elder Diamond's voice trembled.
Its ancient eyes had already begun turning red.
"Are you... telling the truth?"
"Of course."
Chen Shi let out a soft sigh.
Then he revealed the Xerneas horn fragment that Mew had secretly transferred into his hand through unknown means.
He held it up for all the Carbink to see.
"Th-This is...!!!"
Elder Diamond stared at the fragment in disbelief.
"What is it?"
"Naa-naa?"
(Lord Chen Shi, what is this?)
The mutating Carbink could feel an incredibly strong attraction coming from the fragment, yet it had no idea what it was.
Chen Shi smiled.
"This is a fragment of the horn of the God of Life—Xerneas."
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