……

Lazily lying on the bed, Stephen Clark's gaze rested on the ceiling.

Although the children earnestly tried to persuade him to stay, none of that would change his resolve.

Stephen Clark's steps, his heart, would not allow him to remain in this place.

Maybe he would fail, but who could say for sure what the future held?

Four years of hard work—Stephen Clark did not do it for nothing, and as for confidence, Stephen Clark certainly did not lack it!

“Hunting Beautifly…”

The beautiful Hunting Beautifly fluttered above Stephen Clark's head. At this moment, only it came to comfort Stephen Clark.

The world outside the window was spotless, all thanks to Hunting Beautifly. Some special skills, in its hands, could already be perfectly controlled, helping Stephen Clark clean the yard with meticulous care.

Hunting Beautifly was Stephen Clark's first partner, and also the very first little one Stephen Clark trained as a beginner.

Growing up listening to Grandma Allen's stories, Stephen Clark became very interested in the world of coordinators. Even the Wurmple longed for that dazzling stage.

But reality made Stephen Clark realize he had no advantage. After much consideration, Stephen Clark finally decided to become a breeder.

Becoming a breeder brought considerable benefits to Stephen Clark's current situation.

Pokémon breeders, like coordinators, are a type of trainer.

They raise a large variety of different Pokémon. Although their strength may be a bit weaker than that of professional trainers, their Pokémon usually form a complete team, and in terms of growth, health, and care, they are much better than ordinary trainers.

Most breeders make a living through the special job of running a daycare, and breeders are very well-suited to survive in this world.

Everywhere needs an outstanding breeder.

If Stephen Clark could pass the junior breeder's exam, his starting point would improve greatly, maybe even skyrocket.

After all, he was still so young.

Youth, combined with a mature mind—this was Stephen Clark's greatest advantage! With such a good start, even if the starting point was a bit low, after coming here, there were still many things Stephen Clark wanted to do.

“Knock~ knock~ knock~”

Staring at the ceiling, Stephen Clark heard the sound of knocking at the door.

“Come in.”

Without thinking much, Stephen Clark already knew that the person coming at this time was most likely Grandma Allen.

“The children are feeling very down.” As soon as she entered, Grandma Allen let out a sigh.

“I know,” Stephen Clark said.

“You child, your tone is always so firm. It's just going out on a journey, but you make it sound like a final farewell.”

Shaking her head, Grandma Allen looked at Stephen Clark, a bit puzzled and helpless.

“It’s not just a journey.”

“Grandma Allen, do you think if we always stay at Qinggu House, with your savings, how long could you support Qinggu House?”

“Do you really think these children can find the life they long for?”

Grandma Allen fell silent.

“So, for myself, and for Qinggu House, I can only choose to leave.”

Lying on the bed, Stephen Clark ignored Grandma Allen's shocked gaze and spoke to himself.

Stephen Clark understood that staying at Qinggu House might bring temporary peace and comfort, but he would miss out on his greatest advantage, and in the end, he would truly fail miserably!

So, Stephen Clark spoke these words quite naturally.

Perhaps, besides wanting to see the beauty of the world, Qinggu House was also a tie for Stephen Clark. Not wanting to see Qinggu House decline, Stephen Clark could only try to change it through his own efforts!

Chapter 3 The Wind of Beginning

“Sigh, you child, you really are hard to read…”

After a moment of silence and another sigh, Grandma Allen's thoughts drifted back to the day she adopted Stephen Clark. Stephen Clark was born in Cerulean City in the Kanto region. When he was six, his parents died in an accident. Because he did not meet the minimum standard of living, Stephen Clark soon became all alone. Even with the League's subsidy, it was very hard for him to live a normal life.

At that time, Allen happened to pass through Kanto. After getting Stephen Clark's consent, she applied to the League for a series of procedures and adopted him into this orphanage.

Children like Stephen Clark were not the first, nor would they be the last, at Qinggu House.

But Stephen Clark was indeed the most special child Allen had ever met.

From being silent and withdrawn at first, to later becoming mature, steady, and considerate—it was hard to imagine this was just a six-year-old child. And his obsession with books was so intense that it surprised even Allen. For those dull and tedious subjects that no other child his age would touch, Allen found that Stephen Clark could be completely absorbed, even analyzing them thoroughly and with great interest!

Serious, meticulous, mature—sometimes Allen almost forgot that Stephen Clark was also an orphan she had adopted. But in reality, it was Stephen Clark who was helping her take care of the other children.