"Yes. Our region only opened up to the rest recently - there has been a vast cultural exchange going on in the past few years."

He indicates the general area around them before turning his attention to the Absol. Back in Hwanshu he has been good at reading and communicating with Pokemon, but this was a Dark-type and the Pokemon's body language might be influenced by cultural differences.

So he just pets her on the side of the head a few times. Hopefully that works.