Pokemon: Lord of Fear

Gastly, Haunter, Drifloon, and Misdreavus.

A group of Ghost-type Pokémon stared at Edward and the old butler with wary eyes, their gazes a mix of hesitation and reluctance.

Wild Pokémon, aside from certain species like Slowpoke or Psyduck, generally weren't unintelligent. These Pokémon clearly understood that they were occupying a human house. If no humans came, they could continue their happy lives here. But now that humans had arrived, they would have to leave their home.

Edward scratched his head. Among these Ghost-types, only Gastly and Haunter sparked his interest in capturing. However, he soon dismissed the idea, feeling that none of them particularly resonated with him.

There was no need to rush when it came to capturing Pokémon.

"Oh?" Just as Edward was about to step inside, he noticed a ceiling lamp. It appeared ordinary, yet something felt off—this mansion had no electricity or running water, so how could the lamp still be lit?

A Chandelure.

Edward recognized the Pokémon immediately, which surprised him. After all, Chandelure wasn't commonly seen in the Hoenn region. Its evolution requirements were quite unique, so naturally evolved Chandelure were rare.

"Master Edward, should we clear the area?" the old butler asked nonchalantly. He paid little attention to the Pokémon inside. Although there were many of them, dealing with them was just a matter of using a few moves. Moreover, they were now the rightful owners of this mansion, so they had every right to remove the uninvited guests.

In fact, even if they didn't act, the Pokémon League would assist in clearing the place. Otherwise, old properties like these wouldn't sell.

"No need," Edward shook his head, a thought forming in his mind.

The Petalburg Woods wasn't particularly suitable for permanent residence—it had too many mosquitoes and was far from the city, making it inconvenient for Edward. However, this mansion could serve another purpose.

In his previous life, popular movies often turned certain locations into tourist hotspots. For instance, the staircase where the Joker danced in Joker attracted countless visitors who wanted to take photos or even recreate the dance. Even after the initial hype, such locations retained a degree of fame.

Edward was confident in his film. This confidence, admittedly, stemmed from the poor state of horror films in the Pokémon world.

Without a doubt, his movie would become a landmark piece in Pokémon cinematic history.

When Dead Silence aired, it would certainly draw horror enthusiasts. As the main setting for Mary Shaw's theater and the most expensive shooting location in the film, this mansion was bound to gain popularity. At that point, opening the mansion as a tourist spot would generate profits while resolving the issue with the Ghost Pokémon.

After all, animating the puppets for Mary Shaw's theater scene wouldn't be particularly difficult using mechanisms. However, Edward wanted to give the puppets more freedom.

A puppet that moves mechanically versus one animated with its own consciousness to frighten people creates vastly different effects. The number of Ghost Pokémon here could help achieve the effect Edward envisioned.

Moreover, with these Ghost-types, the puppet theater could continue operating in the future. Visitors would pay for tickets, the Ghost Pokémon would gain a safe haven, and they'd even get to enjoy the visitors' fear—a win-win situation.

A steady stream of visitors would also promote the film. Even if someone hadn't seen Dead Silence, a visit to the puppet theater might pique their curiosity about the movie's filming location, leading to more views for Dead Silence.

"Master Edward, your idea is truly imaginative," the old butler remarked, surprised. "As expected of the Stone family—so young yet already so business-savvy."

Edward chuckled, gently stroking the eager-to-battle Q in his arms to calm it.

"Would you be willing to cooperate with me?" Edward asked, smiling as he cast his bait. He hadn't lowered his voice when explaining his idea earlier, deliberately speaking normally.

Surely, some of these Pokémon understood him.

Soon, a Mismagius floated forward, eyeing Edward curiously before shifting its gaze to Q in his arms.

Edward was surprised. While Misdreavus was common, wild Mismagius were rare since their evolution required special items. Was this a coincidence or something more?

The Pokémon began chattering in their own language, which Edward couldn't understand. However, when Mismagius used dust to form a piece of paper and a pen in front of him, Edward understood.

These little ones wanted to draft a contract.

"That's no problem," Edward agreed. "But you'll need to cooperate with my filming work and not cause trouble."

Signing a contract wasn't an issue—he had no intention of pulling tricks or using deceptive terms.

Although this mansion was nice, Edward had no intention of living here. Otherwise, he'd constantly be bothered by a Gengar obsessed with playing rock-paper-scissors. That Totem Pokémon had an intense fixation on the game.

Mismagius nodded. As the leader here, it could manage the others.

With the old butler's assistance, the contract was quickly drafted and sent over. Edward signed his name, while Mismagius carefully examined the document. Edward watched it curiously.

He wondered whether Pokémon could understand human contracts. After all, signing a document without proper scrutiny could lead to falling into traps that were difficult to escape.

Any document requiring a signature should be approached with extreme caution—an old lesson Edward had learned from his previous life as an overworked office worker.

Mismagius hesitated, and Edward saw the doubt in its eyes—it didn't understand the contract.

Edward wasn't in a hurry. Timing was everything.

"Is this where notarization is needed?" At that moment, a young woman knocked on the door.

Edward turned to see a girl in League uniform with a sweet smile.

"Master Edward, this is the League official responsible for notarizing Pokémon employment contracts," the old butler explained softly. His arrangements were meticulous.

Edward nodded. With the notary present, the contract would be valid.

(End of Chapter)