"Diancie!" Silas called out toward the Pokémon who were practicing in the living room.
When Diancie lifted her head, Silas smiled and stepped slightly aside to reveal Steven behind him, introducing him with a teasing tone. "This is Steven. He is actually your loyal fan."
"F-fan!?"
Diancie's ruby red eyes widened into perfect circles, her face filled with a flattered and overwhelmed expression. Her small hands instinctively rose to cover her mouth.
She took two small steps backward, her voice trembling with disbelief. "R-really?"
"Of course." Steven stepped forward, suppressing the surge of excitement in his heart, and extended his hand with a gentle smile.
A Diancie who truly existed. The attraction this held for a stone enthusiast was beyond words. Calling Steven Diancie's fan was not an exaggeration at all.
"Then I will give you an autograph!" Diancie clasped her little hands together, hesitating for a moment before making the suggestion.
She had heard from little sister Minccino that fans who meet their idols always want an autograph as a keepsake.
"Really? Is that allowed?" Steven had not expected such a delightful surprise. He quickly took out a pen and paper and handed them to Diancie.
With bold and flowing strokes, Diancie drew a small portrait of herself and wrote the date neatly in one corner.
"Here you are, my very first fan. I hope you will continue to support me."
Steven accepted the autograph as though he were holding a priceless treasure and carefully stored it away. Hearing her words, he immediately felt the urge to make a phone call.
However, Silas stopped him and shook his head gently.
It was the little ones' first performance. If the scale became too grand, they would be frightened out of their wits. It was better not to make a spectacle of it just yet.
"All right, I understand. When the Diamond Princess becomes a big star, then I will…"
Silas invited Steven to sit on the sofa and asked Cyclizar to fetch pastries and snacks from the refrigerator.
The two sat and chatted casually, though their gazes occasionally drifted toward Diancie, who was being surrounded and admired by Minccino and Popplio.
The two little ones let out one exclamation after another. Big Sister Diancie had not even performed yet, and she already had a fan.
How enviable for a little mouse and a little sea lion.
"Silas, your place has developed quite nicely. It is very suitable for a vacation."
After observing for a while, Steven gave his approval.
"You are welcome anytime. I will waive your rent, but remember to bring gifts for the little ones."
"I will still pay the rent. Let me reserve it for a month first."
Steven had no shortage of money. If something could be solved with money, it was never a problem.
Choosing gifts, on the other hand, was far more difficult.
"Do you want to visit the underground Diamond Domain later?" Silas asked with a sly smile, extending another invitation.
This time, the purpose was not anything else but simple pride.
"The Diamond Domain? Can Diancie produce an Heart Diamond now?"
Steven had read research about Pokémon like Diancie. One of the defining traits was whether they could create the Heart Diamond that sustained the Diamond Domain.
"Not yet." Silas shook his head and explained further. "The current Diamond Domain was established voluntarily by the Carbink. For now, it is managed by two elder Carbink."
Steven leaned forward, excitement shining in his eyes. "So you are saying there are many Carbink right beneath our feet. What are we waiting for? Take me there."
Carbink lived deep underground.
Within their nests, one could often discover rare minerals, sometimes even previously undiscovered ones.
Not to mention that the one beneath them was a Diamond Domain with a Diancie.
The probability of discovering new minerals was extremely high. For a stone enthusiast, that was an immense honor.
After informing the Indeedee siblings and asking them to prepare ingredients for lunch, Silas led Steven toward the Diamond Domain. Diancie, Minccino, and the others insisted on coming along.
They first arrived at the entrance. Today, the three Noivern were not fighting.
In the bright daylight outside, they lay sprawled within their respective nests, sleeping soundly.
When they saw Silas, they merely lazily lifted their chins in acknowledgment.
"This…" Steven was stunned once again.
Even while lying down, the three Noivern were still intimidating in size.
"Silas, your Pokémon training has not declined at all. The Noivern have grown this large."
"No wonder the Diamond Domain could be established even without a Heart Diamond. With the three of them guarding the entrance, no foolish Sableye would dare come looking for trouble."
Silas chuckled. To a certain extent, the Noivern had fulfilled a replacement role. Whether this behavior would continue through their species over generations would depend on time.
"This way. The entrance is over here."
Diancie stood at the opening and waved toward the two of them.
"We are coming."
The two quickened their pace and followed her into the depths of the Diamond Domain.
"Quartz, tear crystals, earth crystals… these are relatively common minerals."
"Min?"
Minccino pointed at a stone and asked softly.
"That is citrine," Steven answered confidently. "The one beside it is red crystal."
Having spent years mining in caves across various regions, Steven possessed extensive knowledge in this field.
He could identify and name ninety nine percent of stones with a single glance.
As they continued downward, Steven kept explaining along the way.
After descending a bit further, the gemstones embedded in the cave walls changed again.
Emeralds, aquamarines, rubies. The overall quality of the minerals had risen another level.
There were even some minerals that he had only heard of but never personally unearthed.
When they finally arrived at the Diamond Domain where the Carbink lived, Steven's attention was immediately drawn to several stones casually discarded in a corner.
This was a mineral the League had never discovered before. Steven was certain it did not exist in his mental catalog.
"What is it?"
Seeing him suddenly freeze in place, staring intently at the corner, Silas could not help but pat his shoulder.
Steven raised his hand and pointed toward the corner, struggling to suppress his excitement. "That mineral. I have never seen it before."
"Does Mister Steven want it?" Diancie stepped closer, tilting her head as she looked at the stones. "The Carbink said that kind of mineral tastes terrible."
As if to prove her point, Diancie called over a Carbink to ask.
Surprised that the Princess had personally inquired, the Carbink still brought out its favorite food.
It was a mineral the Carbink had named Lemon Stone. It was delicious whether eaten as it was or ground into powder.
There was not a single Carbink in the colony who did not love it. This stone had only appeared after Princess Diancie was born.
It was a rare mineral formed under the Princess's influence.
Another unknown stone.
Steven pressed a hand to his chest, his face flushed red.
This place was truly paradise for a stone enthusiast.
He almost wished he could live here forever and never leave. Rare stones and unknown stones were all gathered within the Diamond Domain.
After touring the area, Steven selected several pieces of the unknown stones to take with him before they left.
They would become prized items in his collection room, second only to Diancie's autograph.
He could almost picture his father's face when he come back to Devon, a fellow stone enthusiast, pressing his face against the glass to sneak a look.
Just imagining it made him laugh out loud.
Silas had given him such an extraordinary gift. Steven began thinking about giving something in return.
He planned to probe subtly and find out what Silas might like, while preserving a sense of surprise in the gift.
(End of Chapter)