"No, doing so might be a bit disrespectful to the Calyrex..."
Naoki hurriedly shook his head, tossing that bold idea out of his mind.
However, he couldn't help but glance at the huge dark green bud on top of Calyrex's head, resembling a crown.
Below the enormous crown was a delicate, slender body alike a rabbit's.
Calyrex had a pair of majestic blue eyes, beneath which were a small blue nose and mouth.
Behind it were wings that resembled a cape, and beneath them was its grayish-white body and slender, pure white legs.
Calyrex quietly levitated over the snowy ground, gazing in this direction.
From its mouth came sounds humans couldn't understand:
"Caly... mooji ji..."
Naoki: "?"
At this moment, an uncle wearing a furry hat and carrying a hoe came over, ready to work in the fields.
Upon seeing Naoki and Koraidon standing in a daze, he was about to ask where this guy came from but then saw a mysterious glowing Pokemon levitating in the snow not far away.
The uncle, with a face full of shock, couldn't help but exclaim: "Such... such a big head!"
Naoki: "..."
Good gracious, someone just said what was on his mind!
Calyrex was also drawn to the sudden arrival of the human.
A blue light flashed in its eyes, and then its entire body flickered to appear before the stunned uncle.
The uncle hadn't reacted yet when he felt his body losing control, his consciousness gradually becoming blurry. His feet floated off the ground, and his body became enveloped in the same faint glow as Calyrex.
Calyrex levitated beside this human, then turned to look at its little devotee, using its spiritual power to manipulate the human's body to speak:
"My devotee, you have finally arrived. I have been waiting for you here for a lengthy period."
Naoki glanced at the poor uncle being used as a mouthpiece by Calyrex and couldn't help but say, "Actually, we could have a better way to communicate."
"Oh?" A hint of doubt flashed in Calyrex's eyes.
Naoki took out a big package of Translation Nuts Cake from his backpack.
Calyrex's gaze was drawn to it, asking, "What is that?"
Naoki explained, "A piece of human cuisine endowed with magical effects, eating it allows you to communicate with Pokemon."
Calyrex had never heard of such a thing.
In its curious yet majestic gaze, Naoki chomped on several pieces and then said, "Alright, now I can understand what you're saying."
Upon hearing this, Calyrex ceased controlling the uncle.
Perhaps it didn't want humans to notice it had been here, so Calyrex used Teleport, leaving a message for Naoki before disappearing.
"I will be waiting for you at the cliff over there."
With those words, Calyrex disappeared from its spot.
Freed from control, the uncle slowly landed, looking around in bewilderment, scratching the back of his head:
"What happened? Why am I here, ouch... my body feels so cold! Oh wait, who are you? How did you end up in the village? Are you a tourist from elsewhere?"
Naoki casually cooperated, saying, "That's right, I'm here to observe the Pokemon ecology in the Crown Tundra."
The uncle looked enlightened: "I see!"
After saying this, the man shouldered his hoe and left.
Naoki then looked at the Swablu on his shoulder, telling it, "You should head back first, we have something to do."
The temperature outside felt even colder than when it was snowing, and Swablu huddled in its fluffy feathers, pathetically nodding.
"Chirp chirp!" (I'll be off; you guys have to be careful! Don't get lost again!)
Naoki chuckled, nodding, "Don't worry!"
Only then did Swablu turn and flew towards home.
After watching its figure leave, Naoki rode Koraidon and flew to the cliff pointed out by Calyrex.
When they arrived, Calyrex was already waiting there.
It levitated on the snow-covered precipice, overlooking Freezington Village below, like a king standing on a castle gazing at his subjects.
Hearing the sound, Calyrex turned around.
Gazing at this devotee who held it in high reverence, it solemnly expressed its gratitude:
"I have felt your dedication; everything you've done for me on that land, I have seen it all."
Upon hearing these words, Naoki felt somewhat embarrassed; his original goal seemed just to be for Calyrex's two steeds?
But saying such things at a time like this would ruin the atmosphere.
Thus, Naoki earnestly said, "That's what I'm supposed to do, the people of the Paldea Region are very grateful for your power."
Thinking of those who crafted statues and established festivals in gratitude for it, a touch of emotion surfaced in Calyrex's eyes.
Its voice became gentle: "I know all of it... because of your presence, I was able to recover some strength."
Yet, comparatively, its subjects were entirely different.
Though unaware of external happenings, Calyrex could sense through its weakening power that it was losing human faith.
To this, the former King of Galar felt an internal sadness.
Scenes from the past floated in its mind.