After lunch, Steven didn't take the morning's events lightly and directly handed Cain an official contract.
Both signed their names, and Cain became a formal employee of Devon Corporation, holding a semi-executive position.
Since Cain's position was quite high-ranking, someone was assigned to take his measurements for a custom-made work uniform—a formal suit.
One of the perks of being a high-level employee at Devon Corporation is that all work attire for the year is covered by the company.
Additionally, the secretary handed Cain the keys to a car.
This vehicle was part of the benefits for the company's higher-ups. As long as Cain worked for Devon, the car was practically his.
It wasn't an overly expensive car, costing around fifty to sixty thousand Pokédollars.
What does it mean to be truly prosperous and generous?
This is being prosperous and generous!
Cain, who hadn't even purchased a car yet, received his first official vehicle.
Though he probably wouldn't use it much.
Thus, Cain officially became a member of Devon Corporation.
He now had the right to enter Steven's office directly.
Later, riding in Steven's luxurious limousine, Cain and Steven headed to the famous Stone Mine.
The mine was a private property of Steven's family, where many Steel- and Rock-type Pokémon were raised. It was also one of the Stone family's most valuable assets.
While Devon Corporation was massive, it only represented a portion of the Stone family's wealth.
How could a power respected even by the League be limited to a single company? Without its own combat team, it would be difficult to fend off invasions from underground forces—or even the League itself.
These combat teams were primarily based at this mine.
This mine was one of the Stone family's main industries. Many of the metals used by Devon Corporation to manufacture Pokéballs and other items came from here.
The success of Devon Corporation, which started as a small company and grew to rival Kanto's Silph Co., was largely due to this mine.
Steven's car clearly didn't need a thorough inspection. After showing identification, the vehicle drove straight into the mine.
However, much of the terrain consisted of rocks, so the car could only go so far before they had to continue on foot.
"Come on, Cain. From here on, we'll have to walk. There are plenty of Pokémon around," Steven said as he stepped out of the car with Cain.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it, future president," Cain teased with a grin.
After all, he was now a Devon employee, directly under Steven's supervision.
"You're impossible," Steven replied with a resigned smile.
Since Cain signed the contract, he hadn't stopped joking with Steven, claiming he'd signed an "indentured servant contract" and that Steven had to provide him with better resources.
While Steven had given Cain a high-ranking position and salary and allowed him access to the Stone family's private mine to choose a Pokémon, these decisions weren't solely his.
It was likely that some elders of the Stone family, along with Steven's father—the current head of the family and president of the company—were involved in the decision.
Cain wasn't just a talented trainer; he also excelled as a Pokémon breeder. Now that he had been accepted as a disciple by the renowned breeder Matsuda Takashi, his future within the League was bright.
The Stone family, with their sharp foresight, had already recognized that the League would have an increasing presence in the Hoenn region and that collaboration between Devon Corporation and the League would benefit both parties.
Cain was a key starting point for establishing a strong relationship between Devon Corporation and the League.
Over time, Cain would become an important link between the two organizations.
Steven, though aware of the situation, didn't want to complicate his relationship with Cain, preferring to keep their friendship pure and free of ulterior motives.
Cain, on the other hand, was also aware of these nuances. After some thought, he decided to accept the position.
While Steven's friendship was genuine, Cain initially approached him with the intent of leveraging his position and connections.
The two walked across the rugged terrain of the mine, with the uneven path posing no issue for them.
As they ventured further, various Pokémon began to appear.
The Stone family's mine wasn't just vast; it had clearly been meticulously managed over time.
There were not only Pokémon native to Hoenn but also ones from Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, and Unova, among other regions.
Some of these Pokémon had even formed small groups.
Steven, a frequent visitor to the mine, was warmly received by the Pokémon rather than being shunned.
The mine was primarily filled with Geodude, with this Pokémon being the most common, along with Graveler.
Cain also spotted other Pokémon such as Sandshrew, Diglett, Magnemite, Onix, Skarmory, Rhyhorn, Nosepass, and others.
There were even some Pokémon of other types, making the mine's Pokémon population comparable to that of a safari zone.
"With so many Pokémon not part of a food chain, how do you maintain balance and avoid species collapse?" Cain asked curiously.
"When the population of a species reaches a certain number, they undergo quality testing by specialized staff. Those that don't meet the standards are released back into the wild."
"Those that stay, as they reproduce, improve the genetic quality of the population. Some of the higher-quality Pokémon are allocated to our family's young trainers or to guards who've performed well," Steven explained.
The Stone family is one of Hoenn's most prominent, and many of their young trainers obtain their starter Pokémon here.
Of course, some also choose one of the starter Pokémon distributed by the League.
Steven's starter Pokémon, the shiny Beldum, was found here in this mine.
Do you really think there are that many shiny Beldum?
In reality, most of them are bred here in the mine by the Stone family.
It's likely the mine has more Beldum than exist in the wild worldwide.
This Pokémon is one of the Stone family's most prized treasures.
Only the most outstanding family members have the opportunity to receive a Beldum as a reward.
"Come on, I'll take you to the area where the Aron are. That area is even more impressive, but you should be prepared—it won't be easy to catch one," Steven said with a smile as he guided Cain deeper into the mine.