The quiet undercurrents troubling the Xianzhou High Commission remained far removed from the daily lives of ordinary citizens.
Natasha and Serval—the latter having joined her in traveling to the world-ship to study at the Master Craftsmans Commission while Natasha trained at the Alchemy Commission—felt no sense of impending crisis.
aIn her spare time, Natasha walked the open districts, observing local administrative policies and building a grounded perspective on Xianzhou society.
It quickly became clear that Julian's assessment was spot on. While Jarilo-VI wasn't in a position to form a peer partnership with a galactic superpower like the Xianzhou Alliance, opening trade lines with them offered the absolute best chance for her homeworld to reconnect with broader galactic society and accelerate its rebuilding efforts.
They could even send technical cohorts to study advanced fields, placing Belobog on a fast track toward modernization.
However, the cost of living on the world-ship was significantly higher than back home. While the Xianzhou commissions taught advanced techniques without charging tuition—only requiring students to assist with general lab tasks—living expenses, personal housing, and learning materials had to be covered out of pocket.
Of the 200,000 credits Julian had provided, Natasha still had a comfortable cushion left since her medical studies required few physical consumables. Serval, on the other hand, had burned through her supply of raw engineering materials in short order, quickly forcing her to balance a part-time job alongside her studies.
This was even with Julian stepping in to cover their initial lodging fees; without his help, their financial strain would have been far worse.
Fortunately, both women possessed exceptional talent. Recognizing their sharp minds, senior staff at both the Alchemy Commission and the Master Craftsmans Commission quickly hired them internally to handle specialized tasks, paying them handsome stipends that far exceeded typical entry-level work outside.
The income was more than enough to cover their daily needs. As for advanced learning costs, both agreed to save up as their studies progressed so they could fund higher-level coursework.
Then there was the issue of long-distance transit; it remained to be seen whether the long-abandoned vessels left behind by Belobog's original Architects could be restored, or if the government would eventually need to purchase new Star Skiffs directly from the Alliance.
Meanwhile, the Pokémon Contest platform successfully completed two more weekly qualifier tournaments.
The victor of the second week was none other than Argenti—a result that was surprising to Julian at first glance, yet entirely logical upon second thought. As a devout Knight of Beauty, it would have been stranger if he hadn't entered a global competition designed to celebrate aesthetic grace.
Argenti was far from the only follower of Beauty in the bracket; several other Knights and devotees of Idri'la had entered the preliminary rounds as well. Yet, when the scores were tallied, Argenti stood head and shoulders above his peers.
He titled his performance simply: "Dedicated to Idri'la."
Taking the stage alongside a Feebas, a Roselia, and a Butterfree, Argenti delivered a short narrative performance structured like a classic stage play. Framed by a drifting cascade of floral petals created by Roselia, the knight and his three Pokémon moved as one, using their individual presence to project their unwavering devotion to the path of Pure Beauty.
Through the narrative, Argenti displayed nobility, chivalry, a steadfast defense of honor, and a deep, soul-stirring interpretation of aesthetic grace.
With the help of Butterfree's Confusion, his Feebas swam freely through the air, suspended as if in a crystal lake. Supported by Roselia's Helping Hand, the small fish was draped in delicate flower crowns—a visual metaphor showing that even a creature with a humble, plain exterior could pursue the heights of beauty with unyielding passion.
The Butterfree in his story began lost in self-doubt, unable to find its place in the world, until it met Argenti and fought at his side—proving that true beauty lay in a brave, selfless spirit willing to sacrifice for others.
Roselia acted as the court gentleman, gracefully stepping in to assist its companions with quiet, humble poise.
The story itself was straightforward, but the emotional delivery—interwoven with sparkling moves and falling petals—left the audience utterly entranced. It was more than a visual spectacle; it was a spiritual experience that touched upon the inner dignity of every living soul, taking a path no Coordinator had ever attempted before.
The true climax arrived at the conclusion of the performance. As Argenti and his three partners offered their hearts and spirits in dedication to Idri'la, the Feebas seemed to tap into a profound emotional resonance. Surrounded by a blinding pillar of light, it evolved on the spot into a majestic Milotic!
Because Stephen had been splitting his time between gaming and programming, the community had yet to figure out the exact evolution method for Feebas. Millions of players across the galaxy had been waiting for the famous "Fruit Shop Part-Timer" leak account to drop a hint, making the live, unscripted evolution a mind-blowing spectacle for the entire audience.
"That was breathtaking," the Head of Animation praised, leaning into his microphone with a look of pure satisfaction. "The choreography, the fluidity of the moves, and the way you used Roselia's petals to build dynamic chain reactions were absolute perfection."
"You embodied elegance to the extreme. That sudden evolution at the end elevated the entire piece into a true work of art. I am honored to have witnessed it. Full marks!"
"The stage arrangement wasn't overly flashy, yet it felt remarkably harmonious, balanced, and serene," the Head of Art added, nodding in warm approval. "You managed to showcase both physical grace and inner spiritual beauty—a rare combination. I look forward to your future work. Full marks from me as well!"
Cai Xing smiled, taking his turn to speak. "I won't critique the artistic direction; I want to talk about that evolution at the end."
"To be completely frank, our studio staff knows the exact mechanics required to evolve Feebas into Milotic. But because we know the code, what you just pulled off is even more astounding to us."
"We programmed multiple developmental paths for Feebas. The specific route you unlocked was a theoretical trigger Julian added right before launch to stress-test the emotional processing capabilities of our latest AI framework."
"It requires the Pokémon to genuinely internalize a sense of beauty from the inside out, completely shedding its self-doubt."
Cai Xing shook his head in wonder. "At the time, we thought it was just a fun experiment by our founder that no player would ever trigger. We never imagined anyone could actually achieve it. The Contest was created to highlight a Trainer's ability to nurture both the physical and spiritual growth of their Pokémon. For that alone, you deserve a perfect score."
Argenti bowed deeply, accepting the judges' praise with humble gratitude, clearly moved that his devotion to Idri'la had resonated so strongly.
Interestingly, while all three human judges awarded him maximum points, the automated system score sat at 90, bringing his final combined average to 95. The minor discrepancy highlighted the subtle difference between machine algorithms and human emotion; certain forms of spiritual beauty simply transcended digital metrics.
When the tournament moved into the battle phase, Argenti secured a decisive victory, claiming his bracket title with effortless, chivalric grace.
Among the contestants in that second weekly tournament was another familiar face: Asta.
Her routine, themed "The Girl Who Chased the Stars," earned a stellar performance score that placed her second overall right behind Argenti. Though she eventually fell to the Knight of Beauty during their final Pokémon Battle, missing out on the weekly ticket to the Grand Festival, the experience proved invaluable. With a bit more refinement, she was all but guaranteed to secure her pass in the coming weeks.
Then came the third weekly qualifier. After spending a full week refining her routine and consulting with Julian, March 7th finally stepped up to take the stage.
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