After catching Dratini and saying his goodbyes to Kaiser and Dragonair, August didn't linger in the Safari Zone.

  Although he had told Officer Jenny that he felt reluctant to leave the nature reserve, that was more of a sentimental sigh than a real regret.

  If given the choice to stay, he would definitely refuse.

  Being a ranger was a thankless job.

  Anyone who had done it would understand!

  Two and a half years in the job, over a thousand poachers arrested, and yet—

  His total sary + bonuses weren't even enough to buy a one-bedroom apartment in Saffron City.

  And spending so much time in the wilderness, with no one around except Officer Jenny, had left him so starved for human interaction that even Gardevoir was starting to look a little too attractive.

  So, despite his fondness for the Pokémon in the reserve, when the chance to transfer to International Police came up—

  He jumped at it without hesitation.

  "Farewell, Nature Reserve!"

  With one final gnce at the forest behind him, August turned away—Burying the past behind him.

  The International Police entrance interview was held at the Indigo Pteau, inside the Pokémon League Headquarters.

  According to the staff member who had informed him, this was just a routine interview, so August wasn't particurly nervous.

  But when he knocked on the office door and walked inside—

  He was met with a completely unexpected sight.

  "Come in."

  Pushing open the door, he expected to see some high-ranking officer from International Police.

  Instead, he saw a man in a cape—

  Kanto's Dragon-type Elite Four, Lance!

  What the hell? August thought to himself.

  Still, he sat down opposite Lance as the man gestured for him to do so.

  "You must be August," Lance confirmed.

  "That's me, Elite Four Lance," August replied cautiously, unsure what Lance's presence meant.

  Lance chuckled. "No need to be so tense. Due to some unexpected circumstances, I'll be filling in as your interviewer today."

  "If you're ready, let's begin the interview."

  August wasn't sure what was going on, but since he had no reason to refuse, he nodded.

  "Go ahead."

  "First question—" Lance flipped through the resume in his hands.

  "What motivated you to accept this transfer?"

  Lance had already reviewed August's file beforehand.

  Clean background. Simple social ties. Outstanding performance.

  Frankly speaking—

  August was the ideal candidate for International Police.

  They could have skipped the interview entirely and just let him in.

  But Lance still wanted to hear his personal reasons.

  Higher sary, better reimbursement rates, and a fat pension.

  A string of practical answers fshed through August's mind—

  But he obviously couldn't say that out loud.

  So, instead, he put on a serious expression and said,

  "…A sense of justice."

  Lance blinked.

  "…A sense of justice?"

  He looked genuinely surprised.

  Not that it was a bad answer, but—it was just too generic.

  Normally, if someone said that, Lance wouldn't believe them.

  But then he gnced down at the thick stack of reports in his hands.

  And he had to admit—

  With this record, August's words carried far more weight than anyone else's.

  After all, in just two and a half years, he had single-handedly arrested over a thousand poachers.

  If he didn't have an unwavering love for Pokémon and a strong sense of conviction, there was no way he could have achieved that.

  It makes sense.

  With that kind of dedication, he's indeed well-suited for International Police.

  Even though Lance had already made up his mind, his expression remained unchanged.

  He continued,

  "I should remind you—if you choose to become an International Police officer, your enemies will no longer be mere poachers."

  "You'll be facing cross-regional criminals—and rge organizations like Team Rocket."

  "You may get injured. You may even face life-threatening danger."

  "In the past, many Trainers couldn't handle this kind of lifestyle and chose to quit."

  "So tell me—"

  "Are you still willing to become an International Police officer?"

  Lance's sharp gaze locked onto August.

  Seriously? The atmosphere is already this intense—how could I back out now?

  "Of course," August answered firmly.

  Hearing this, Lance's expression softened, and he reached out his hand.

  "Well then—congratutions."

  "From this moment on—"

  "You are now a fully-fledged International Police officer."

  Lance emphasized the word "fully-fledged."

  August rexed slightly, shaking Lance's hand.

  But something about that wording made him pause.

  "Wait… 'fully-fledged'?"

  "Didn't my transfer notice say I'd start as a trainee?"

  If he remembered correctly, he was supposed to go through a six-month probation period before officially joining.

  Was Lance so impressed that he waived the trainee period?

  Lance chuckled.

  "Well… the truth is, International Police's Kanto division is… severely understaffed."

  "Previously, for confidentiality reasons, we didn't inform you—"

  "But your predecessor—along with your direct superior—went missing during a cssified investigation into Team Rocket."

  "For now, I'm temporarily overseeing International Police's Kanto branch."

  "…???"

  Hold on.

  His superior had ALREADY gone missing?

  That did not sound good.

  "Uh… Mr. Lance… just how many International Police officers are left in Kanto right now?"

  Lance didn't answer.

  Instead, he raised his hand—

  Holding up five fingers.

  "Oh, five? That's not too—"

  Before August could finish his thought, Lance shook his head—

  And then lowered all his fingers.

  Then, he patted August's shoulder.

  "…Not five."

  "I meant that you're the only one left."

  "Good luck."

  August: "..."

  Shit.

  I've been scammed.

  No wonder the interview was so damn easy!

  Can I quit now?

  It took him half a day to recover from the shock Lance had given him.

  Rubbing his face, August leaned back in his chair, staring bnkly at the ceiling.

  No wonder the League official who called him sounded so excited when he agreed to transfer.

  No wonder this interview was so simple.

  Turns out—

  It was a complete dumpster fire!

  Still, August didn't quit.

  For two reasons:

  If he backed out now, right after decring his commitment to International Police, it would be embarrassing.

  Lance actually had some good news.

  Since he was currently the only officer, and Lance had other responsibilities, no specific assignments had been given to him.

  Meaning—

  Until International Police's Kanto branch was rebuilt, he was free to decide his own work.

  According to Lance, he could:

  Do desk work in the office.

  Gather intel on the streets.

  Go undercover in the bck market.

  Or, if he wanted a challenge, he could investigate Team Rocket directly…

  But ultimately—he had no immediate responsibilities.

  Which, in August's mind, transted to—

  So basically… I can get paid… while scking off?

  A stable government job, with no actual work to do?

  As a hardworking young man, he had no choice but to accept this tragic fate.

  Absolutely devastating.

  ---

  T/N: what a tragic fate, i shall bear his burdens instead!