Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Misty, Delia, and Aimi enjoyed a sumptuous feast.
In an effort to win over the popular contestant Roy, the hotel took meticulous care of his family members as well.
The three were invited into a VIP private room in the hotel, where a large round table was laden with all kinds of delicacies.
Roast beef, lobster, sashimi platters, tempura, stews, salads...
As dish after dish was served, Misty's eyes lit up.
"Wow! This is too lavish!"
She swallowed hard, her hands already gripping chopsticks and a spoon.
Delia looked at the table full of food, also somewhat surprised.
"This is so much; can the three of us finish it all?"
Aimi said flatly from the side, "Don't worry, with Misty here, it'll be finished."
Misty didn't even have time to talk; she stuffed a piece of roast beef into her mouth, and her eyes instantly narrowed into crescents.
"Mmm mmm mmm! Delicious! This beef is so good!"
She mumbled while chewing, her cheeks puffing out like a hamster's.
The Pokémon on the side also had their own exclusive meals.
A plate of special Pokémon food was set before Pikachu, mixed with berries, grains, and special nutritional supplements.
Pikachu sniffed it, then let out a couple of "Pika Pika" Sounds and began to eat happily.
Eevee had its own portion too; it ate more elegantly, taking small, dainty sips and nibbles.
A fruit about the size of its own head was placed in front of Psyduck.
It tilted its head to look at the fruit, then tilted its head to think.
Then, it opened its mouth.
One big gulp.
Quack! Quack! Quack!
The fruit got stuck in its throat, and Psyduck's neck instantly thickened by a whole circle.
Its eyes widened, and its flippers kicked wildly in the air as it let out "Quack quack quack" cries.
Pikachu, who was gnawing on a tomato, looked up at the noise; seeing Psyduck's state, the entire mouse froze.
The tomato in its mouth almost fell out.
Then it sighed, put down the tomato, and walked behind Psyduck.
Its tail glowed with a white light.
Pika!
Smack!
Its tail precisely whipped Psyduck's back.
Psyduck was whipped so hard it spun in place several times like a top.
After three rotations, the fruit finally flew out of its mouth, landing on the floor with a "thud" and rolling into a corner.
Psyduck gasped for air, tears nearly welling up from the strain.
Quack... quack...
It looked at Pikachu with a grateful gaze.
Pikachu flicked its tail, turned around, and went back to gnawing on its tomato.
Its expression seemed to say: Don't eat like that next time, it's embarrassing.
Eevee watched this scene from the side, laughing with a "Bui bui" as it covered its mouth with a small paw.
On Misty's side, she had completely let herself go.
She had a lobster in her left hand, a steak in her right, and a mouthful of sashimi stuffed inside.
"Misty, eat slower, don't choke." Delia handed over a glass of water, looking at her with some concern.
"Mmm mmm, it's fine, it's fine!" Misty waved her hand, swallowed the food, and took a gulp of water.
"It's so delicious! Sister Delia, you eat too!"
Delia smiled and put a piece of sashimi in her mouth; it was indeed very fresh.
Aimi sat nearby, eating more politely, but she didn't hold back with her chopsticks either.
She hadn't had a proper meal in a long time.
Sitting here now, eating delicious food with company, her mood finally managed to relax.
Halfway through the meal, the door to the private room was gently pushed open.
The Beautiful Manager who had upgraded Roy's room during the day appeared again.
She held a tray with three exquisite glass cups and a bottle of light pink wine on it.
"Ladies, this is our hotel's own specialty fruit wine, brought specifically for you to taste."
She placed the tray on the table, her movements as elegant as a performance.
"Fruit wine?" Delia looked at the bottle, somewhat hesitant.
She didn't usually drink, and since Roy had a match tomorrow, she didn't want to drink too much and make a fool of herself.
"Is it too strong?" she asked.
The Beautiful Manager smiled and shook her head: "No, it's our own brew, the alcohol content is very low."
Misty looked at the bottle of fruit wine, her eyes shining like light bulbs.
At home, her three older sisters strictly controlled her diet.
Snacks? Limited.
Desserts? Limited.
Alcohol? Not allowed to touch it at all!
Later, while traveling with Roy, although he wasn't as strict, he only let her have a tiny sip occasionally.
Today!
The sisters aren't here.
Roy isn't here.
Hehehe...
Misty's grin spread from ear to ear.
"Okay! I'll have a taste!"
The Beautiful Manager smiled as she poured the wine for them.
The light pink liquid poured into the glasses, emitting a sweet fruity aroma with a few petals floating inside; it looked delicious.
Misty picked up the cup and brought it to her lips for a small sip.
As the liquid slid over the tip of her tongue, a burst of sweet fruit flavor exploded in her mouth, carrying a faint, subtle hint of wine.
It wasn't strong or bitter; the mouthfeel was very soft.
"Delicious!" Misty's eyes narrowed into crescents.
She tilted her head and took another large gulp; this time she drank more, and a warm sensation slid down her throat.
"It's really good! Sister Delia, try some!"
Delia hesitated for a moment, then also picked up her cup and took a small sip.
Sure enough, the taste was excellent.
Sweet with a hint of tartness, it was a bit like fruit juice but with a layer of mellow richness that juice lacks.
Aimi also took a sip, a hint of surprise appearing on her face.
"It is indeed quite good."
Having received validation, Misty became even more enthusiastic.
One sip of wine, one bite of meat—she ate with absolute gusto.
Roast beef dipped in sauce, paired with a sip of fruit wine—the flavor was simply divine.
The lobster meat was fresh and springy; one bite sent juices flying, followed by a gulp of wine that made her hum with delight.
The salmon in the sashimi platter was so rich it melted in her mouth; she stuffed piece after piece into her mouth, unable to stop.
Delia watched her like this, a bit worried.
"Misty, don't drink like that; it is alcohol, after all."
She reached out to take Misty's cup, but Misty nimbly dodged.
"It's fine, Sister Delia!" Misty waved her hand, her cheeks already slightly flushed.
"This tastes just like water, I won't get drunk!"
She took another gulp and let out a small hiccup.
"And... and Roy has his final tomorrow, I'm... I'm celebrating for him in advance!"
She spoke with conviction, but her tongue was already starting to trip.
Delia and Aimi glanced at each other, smiled, and continued eating...
However, after a bout of wild eating and drinking, Misty was like a piece of jelly melted by the sun, slumped limply in her chair. Her face was as red as a cooked shrimp, a trace of wine hung from the corner of her mouth, and her gaze was so scattered she couldn't find a focus.
"One... one more cup..." she mumbled, her hands grasping randomly in the air before she slumped to the side, her head landing directly on Delia's shoulder.
Snoring Sounds even started to emerge.
Delia stiffened for a moment when she leaned on her, then smiled helplessly.
"This girl..."
She reached out to support Misty's shoulder, preventing her from sliding down.
Sitting opposite, Aimi watched Misty's state, her lip twitching.
"Didn't she say the alcohol content was low? How did she get this drunk?"
She picked up her own glass of fruit wine, looked at the remaining half-cup of liquid, then looked at Misty's empty glass, and fell into silence.
Five cups.
Misty had drunk five cups, and every single one was downed in large gulps like she was drinking water.
Delia sighed and gently patted Misty's cheek.
"Misty? Misty, wake up, we should go back."
Her response was a string of mumbled sleep-talking.
"Roy... good luck... I... I still want to eat meat..."
Delia and Aimi looked at each other, both seeing a mix of amusement and exasperation in the other's eyes.
"Help me out." Delia supported the wobbling Misty as she prepared to stand up.
Aimi stood up, walked to the other side, and propped up Misty's other arm.
The two of them, one on each side, hoisted Misty from the chair like they were carrying a sack.
Misty's legs were as soft as noodles and couldn't support her at all; she hung between Delia and Aimi, her head drooping, her mouth still mumbling non-stop.
"Ugh... so dizzy... the ceiling is spinning..."
"That's what you get for drinking so much," Aimi said crossly, though her movements remained very careful for fear of hurting her.
The three of them—or rather, two people carrying one—staggered out of the private room.
In the hotel corridor, several servers saw this and quickly ran over to help.
"Do you need assistance?"
"No, no, we can manage," Delia smiled and shook her head. "Just please help us open the door."
A server hurried ahead and opened the door to Misty's room for them.
The room was large and very cozily decorated.
A large bed sat in the center, the sheets and bedding were high-quality and felt smooth to the touch.
A bouquet of flowers on the nightstand emitted a faint fragrance. Outside the floor-to-ceiling window was the city's night view, brilliantly lit and as beautiful as a painting.
The two of them laid Misty on the bed.
As soon as Misty's body touched the bed, it was as if she were drawn by a Magnet; she sank directly into the soft bedding.
She rolled over, hugged a pillow, and mumbled once more.
"Roy... tomorrow... you have to win..."
Then, she went completely still.
The Sound of even breathing followed.
Delia stood by the bed, looking at Misty's sleeping face, and reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"You know you can't drink, yet you still drank so much."
Delia then turned to look at Aimi.
"You go ahead and do your own thing; I'll stay here and look after her."
Aimi hesitated.
"Are you sure you're okay on your own?"
"No problem at all." Delia smiled. "She's just drunk, not sick; I'll just watch over her. Why don't you go soak in the hot springs? You've been exhausted these past few days too."
Aimi opened her mouth to say something, but finally nodded.
"Then... sorry to trouble you."
"It's no trouble, go on, go on."
Delia waved her off, then sat by the bed and picked up the towel from the nightstand to wipe the sweat from Misty's forehead.
Aimi turned and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind her.
Standing in the corridor, she let out a long breath.
She was indeed tired.
Too many things had happened these past few days.
Her father's stubbornness, the Gym's crisis, and... Roy.
At the thought of Roy, Aimi's heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought.
Forget it, I won't think about it.
I'll just go soak in the hot spring and relax.
She turned and headed toward the hot spring area.
The hotel's hot spring area was on the second floor, decorated with great style.
Green plants lined the corridor, pebbles covered the floor, and warm yellow paper lanterns hung overhead. The air was filled with a faint scent of sulfur and the fresh aroma of wood and herbs.
Aimi went to the front desk and gave her room number.
The receptionist checked the system, then looked up with a beaming smile.
"Miss Aimi, is it? Your hot spring has already been arranged. Please follow me."
Aimi followed the server down a long corridor, feeling increasingly that something was off.
This direction... why were they heading toward the VIP area?
"Um..." she spoke up, "is this the wrong way? I'm just a regular guest..."
The server turned back, her smile still professional.
"It's not wrong, Miss Aimi. As a family member of Mr. Roy, the hotel has specially arranged a private hot spring pool for you all."
Aimi was stunned.
"Private?"
"Yes." The server nodded. "Mr. Roy is a VIP of our hotel, so we prepared an independent private large pool for him. As his girlfriend, you are naturally entitled to use it as well."
Aimi's footsteps faltered.
I... girlfriend...
Her heart suddenly accelerated.
But on second thought, hadn't Roy gone to train? He shouldn't be back yet.
She might as well soak for a bit by herself.
Aimi took a deep breath, calmed her nerves, and continued following the server.
"We're here."
The server stopped before a wooden door and slid it open; a wave of warm steam rushed out.
Inside was a large outdoor hot spring pool, the water crystal clear and emitting wisps of steam.
The pool was surrounded by a bamboo fence, the starry sky was visible above, and several stone lanterns were scattered around the pool's edge, providing soft, warm light.
"Would you like me to prepare towels and toiletries for you?"
"No need, I'll do it myself."
The server bowed and turned to leave.
Aimi stood at the entrance, hesitating for a few seconds, then walked in.
She closed the door behind her and began to undress.
T-shirt, jeans, underwear...
She took them off one by one, folded them, and placed them in the bamboo basket nearby.
Her body appeared exceptionally fair under the warm yellow light, with delicate collarbones, a slender waist, and long, straight legs.
Although she hadn't specifically exercised while busy with the Gym, she maintained a good figure—curvy where she should be and slim where she should be.
Aimi picked up a bath towel, wrapped it around herself, and then walked barefoot on the wooden floor toward the hot spring pool.
The steam was getting heavier, and her vision was a bit blurred.
She walked past a small screen, went around a bamboo shelf, and then, she froze completely.
There was someone in the hot spring pool.
By the edge of the pool, a man was leaning back against the wall, his head tilted back on the rim.
A white towel was draped over his eyes, covering most of his face, but that silhouette... that chin... the curve of those shoulders...
Aimi's brain exploded with a "buzz."
It was Roy.
Why was he here? Hadn't he gone to train?
***********************************
Thoughts on where the plot is heading? Let me know in the comments! If you're enjoying the ride, please leave a quick review and toss a few Power Stones my way. Every bit of support means the world! 🙌