Just before Cain entered the Battle Chateau, he saw a familiar figure.

And that person also saw Cain.

"Lance?"

"Cain?"

Both stared at each other in confusion, unsure why they would meet here.

"Weren't you investigating the Lysandre Labs in Lumiose City? What are you doing here?" Cain asked.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Did you also come to the Battle Chateau?" Lance replied, a slight stiffness on his face as he quickly changed the subject.

That stiffness didn't go unnoticed by Cain, but he didn't mention it.

He had probably gotten into some kind of trouble.

"I'm training in the Kalos region and just happened to arrive at the Battle Chateau," said Cain with a shrug, indicating it wasn't planned.

Upon hearing that, Lance's eyes lit up slightly.

"Then you're planning to participate in battles here at the Battle Chateau?"

Cain nodded without denying it.

"Then we might have the chance to battle here," Lance said with a smile, pulling out his nobility rank badge.

Count!

With Lance's level of strength, he should already hold the title of Marquis, but since he was an investigator for the League, he couldn't stay at the castle fighting every day.

One of the purposes of his visit this time was precisely to be promoted to Marquis.

"A Count, huh... I don't even have a title yet," Cain said with a smile. "But with your strength, doesn't that rank seem a little low?"

There was a teasing tone on Cain's face.

Lance had already reached the Quasi-Elite level a few months ago, and by now he had likely reached Elite level.

Once he finished his mission in Kalos, he would probably return and take the position of Chief-Level Investigator in Kanto, and after gaining more experience, he could aim to become one of the Kanto Elite Four.

And gradually, he would climb from the weakest member of the Elite Four to the strongest... and eventually challenge the Champion's throne.

That was his plan.

But on that path, he would face his lifelong nemesis.

Cain held a moment of silence in his heart for Lance, and then the two entered the Battle Chateau.

The Battle Chateau operated 24 hours a day. It truly was a coincidence to meet Lance at the entrance.

As they walked around the castle's exterior, Lance began explaining why he was there.

Originally, he was investigating the Lysandre Labs in Lumiose City, and everything went smoothly at first—after all, Lance was far from weak.

Thanks to his abilities, he quickly found key and sensitive parts of the lab.

But then things became complicated.

Some of the darker areas of the lab revealed themselves to him, and at the same time, he faced heavy resistance from the Lysandre Labs. Trainers capable of going head-to-head with him appeared—and not just one.

That resistance didn't discourage him; instead, it made him even more determined.

In the end, he discovered something very important: the director of Lysandre Labs had once had a very close relationship with a certain person. Though they were no longer in contact, this person was still of great interest to Lance.

Upon learning that she was at the Battle Chateau, he headed there immediately.

Lance had already visited the castle on his first trip to Kalos and already held the title of Count, so the place wasn't unfamiliar to him.

Cain slowly nodded after hearing the explanation.

As for the person mentioned, Cain already had a suspicion.

It was probably Diantha, the future Champion of Kalos.

She would also be the only Grand Duchess of the Battle Chateau.

Cain had interacted with her during the Sinnoh Tournament, mainly due to her Fairy-type Pokémon.

Although she wasn't very lucky in the tournament—running into Lorelei, who countered her style, and finishing in the top eight—her strength was truly formidable.

At the very least, Cain wasn't confident he could beat her.

After all, she would become the future Champion of Kalos.

Although she was an actress whose career was ruined by becoming a trainer, there was no denying that both her talent and strength were top-tier.

Cain also shared some recent experiences, and he agreed with Lance that once he finished his visit to the Battle Chateau, he would accompany him in investigating the Lysandre Labs in Lumiose City.

Lance had already investigated most of the lab, but the critical zones were guarded by very powerful trainers, and he couldn't achieve results on his own. With Cain's help, they might be able to face them and complete the mission.

While chatting, they entered the castle's lobby.

The number of people there made it clear how popular the Battle Chateau was. Not only local Kalos trainers came, but also trainers from other regions.

Just as Cain was preparing to register in the castle's system, he saw two familiar faces.

They were Diantha, the person Lance was looking for, and Drasna, a Dragon-type specialist with whom Cain had interacted before.

They also saw Cain and Lance.

At that moment, they were seated in a quiet corner of the lobby, sipping coffee and eating cake, chatting about something.

Upon seeing Cain, Diantha smiled and waved, inviting him to join their table.

The Battle Chateau occupied a large area, and the lobby was its main space. Sitting in a corner really helped avoid the bustle.

"Cain, what a surprise to see you here. What an incredible coincidence. Sit down, try the castle's coffee and pastries. They were made by a famous pastry chef. I can never resist," said Diantha with a smile as she offered coffee and cake to both him and Lance.

Diantha wasn't just a trainer and actress—she also couldn't resist sweets like pastries.

She always joked that she was a gourmet whose acting career was ruined by becoming a trainer. But her greatest success was still as a trainer.

After Cain and Lance sat down, Drasna smiled and nodded at Cain.

Drasna didn't talk much but had a kind demeanor that made anyone feel at ease. Even when Cain had done some tests with her Dragon-type Pokémon, she hadn't taken it badly.

"Cain, and he is...?" Diantha and Drasna turned their attention to Lance.

Lance hadn't been able to participate in the Sinnoh Tournament due to his age, but just by his appearance and presence, it was clear he wasn't an ordinary person.

"Let me introduce him..." Cain said.