September 28th, Year 198 of the League Calendar, the third-to-last day of autumn.
This day carried a special meaning in Kalos, and celebrations were being held everywhere. Among them, the Coumarine City Festival in Coumarine City was the most famous, attracting visitors from all over the world.
For Silas, today was also an extremely important day.
He woke up early in the morning and put on the suit that Diantha had helped him buy a few days ago. Even his leather shoes had been polished to a brilliant shine the day before using the natural oil secreted by Cinccino's fur.
He even took the rare step of tidying himself up in front of the mirror, although in reality, it was just applying a bit of cold cream and nothing more.
"Kang~"
Baby Kangaskhan chirped softly, commenting that Silas smelled nice.
Silas casually dabbed a bit on the little one as well. After all, they would need its help today too.
In an instant, Phione, Cinccino, Jigglypuff, and the others crowded around, all asking for some fragrance as well.
Once they were done, each of them began competing to look into the mirror, admiring themselves endlessly, and no one knew where they had picked up such habits.
Silas snatched the mirror back and took a look at himself from different angles.
Honestly, with his looks, was it not enough to charm countless young women? It really was a bargain for Diantha now.
"Cin!"
Cinccino stomped its foot heavily. How could Silas accuse them of being narcissistic when he was clearly the most narcissistic one here?
Brionne, Jigglypuff, and the others nodded in agreement, all thinking the same thing.
"Alright, alright, the mirror's yours."
Pinching Cinccino's soft cheeks, Silas handed the mirror back. The little Pokémon immediately held it up and spun around in delight, admiring itself again.
After reminding them not to take too long, Silas left ahead of them.
Outside in the yard, Dragonite, Kangaskhan, and the others were already prepared, waiting to depart.
"Kang!"
"Not so fast, not so fast. We'll head to the Coumarine Gym first."
Silas patted Kangaskhan as he responded.
Before setting off, he made a call to Diantha to confirm she was already in Coumarine City. Originally, she had planned to visit the ranch for a couple of days, but work had kept her tied up, and she had only arrived in the city the previous night.
Even the one who answered the call had been her assistant, since Diantha herself was still asleep.
Perfect. While she was catching up on rest, he could finish the final arrangements with his Pokémon.
Taking out his Poké Balls, Silas recalled all his Pokémon, then climbed onto Dragonite, holding shiny Charcadet in his arms.
Resting his hands on it, he could feel its body warmth, like a small portable heater.
With it by his side in winter, he would not even need a hand warmer.
"Charca!"
After more than a week together, shiny Charcadet had grown used to Silas's presence and no longer felt shy even when being touched.
The morning breeze carried a hint of autumn chill as Dragonite carried them forward through the sky. Soon, the outline of Coumarine City came into view.
The streets were already decorated for the festival, with colorful balloons floating in the air, creating a lively atmosphere.
At the city center stood the Pledging Tree, a symbol of deep meaning, now dressed in red ribbons that replaced its leaves.
"The Gym is over there."
Silas pointed, and Dragonite flapped its wings, flying past the Pledging Tree before landing steadily at the elevated Coumarine Gym.
Having already arranged things with Gym Leader Ramos, Silas headed straight to the backyard.
Releasing his Pokémon, he did not even need to give instructions. Each of them began preparing on their own.
"Go on, Silas. We've got everything handled here."
"Alright, I'm counting on you all."
Silas nodded and led a few of the smaller Pokémon away, heading toward the Pledging Tree in the city center for a final rehearsal to ensure everything went perfectly.
"Indeedee, take them back to the Gym first. Come back when it gets close to evening."
"Indee!"
After parting with his Pokémon for the time being, Silas went to the hotel where Diantha was staying.
He did not have to wait long before she appeared in the lobby, dressed in a soft pink dress.
She looked around briefly, and the moment she spotted Silas, she ran toward him. The white floral embroidery on her skirt swayed gently with each step.
Stopping in front of him, she caught her breath lightly and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.
When she saw his outfit, her eyes lit up with delight. She circled around him once, nodding in satisfaction, then reached out her hand.
"Hold my hand."
"Alright."
Their hands naturally intertwined, and at the same time, Silas produced a small flower from behind his back and handed it to her.
"Thank you!"
Diantha accepted it with a surprised smile, lifting it to her nose to take a gentle sniff, her heart filled with sweetness.
"Let's walk around first. I heard the Coumarine City Festival has a lot of interesting events."
Hand in hand, they left together, just like an ordinary couple, enjoying the festive atmosphere, playing games, and wandering through the food streets.
Before they knew it, evening had arrived.
They returned to the Pledging Tree in the city center.
By coincidence, a young couple was confessing their love just ahead of them.
Diantha stood on tiptoe to watch, her eyes filled with envy as she gently scratched Silas's palm with her fingers.
Silas tightened his grip slightly and led her beneath the Pledging Tree.
"I heard that any wish made under this tree will come true. Do you want to try?"
"Of course."
Diantha did not hesitate. She wrote her wish on a small wooden plaque and hung it on the tree.
"Silas, I've finished my wish…"
As she turned around, she was instantly stunned, covering her mouth in surprise at the sight before her.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes."
She nodded, deeply moved, as she accepted the large bouquet of flowers he handed her.
"There's more."
Silas clapped his hands, and behind him, Cinccino and the other Pokémon stepped forward together, each presenting a bouquet of flowers to Diantha.
"So many! Thank you, thank you all."
"Cin!"
Under Cinccino's urging, Baby Kangaskhan and Phione hurried forward, presenting two rings.
They were exquisite diamond rings, each set with a small pink gemstone at the top.
"Diantha, I want to be with you forever…"
Silas took the woman's ring and held it out, waiting for her answer.
Her eyes reddened as tears of happiness slipped down her cheeks. She extended her left hand.
"I'm willing. I've been waiting for this for a long time."
Silas carefully slid the ring onto her ring finger, then stood up and pulled her into his arms.
After a moment, Diantha wiped her tears, took the other ring, and placed it on Silas's right ring finger before interlocking their fingers tightly.
Looking up into his eyes, she said seriously, "You belong to me now."
"And you belong to me."
Silas smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and gesturing for her to look up.
At that moment, a firework shot into the night sky with a sharp whistle, followed by a dazzling explosion of color.
From where they stood, the fireworks bloomed directly behind the Pledging Tree.
For a brief instant, as the sky lit up, the fireworks and the tree seemed to merge into one, transforming the once barren tree into a vision of vibrant blossoms.
Diantha's pupils widened, reflecting the breathtaking sight.
She leaned closer into Silas's embrace, then lifted her head and rose onto her toes.
Silas lowered his head in response.
Under the warm golden lights, their shadows stretched long and merged together, lingering in that moment for a long time before finally parting.
(End of Chapter)