The owner of the estate was evidently extremely wealthy, as the entire property covered an area roughly comparable to the entirety of Herb Village.
The buildings within the estate were luxurious and magnificent, dazzling to behold.
The estate was situated right at the center of three patches of herbs with distinct colors: the bright red Powerful Herbs were located at the northern end, the pink-and-white White Herbs on the western side, and the blue-and-white Mental Herbs on the eastern side.
These three triangular herb patches combined to form an even larger triangular herbal expanse.
From within the thickets of herbs, Ange could faintly spot various Pokémon, either frogging around, playing, or sleeping and resting.
For instance, there were Sprigatito, which could only be seen in the Paldea Region, gathered in groups of two or three, rolling about and playing hide-and-seek among the herbs.
There were also Hatenna and Impidimp, creatures native only to the Galar Region.
An Impidimp attempted to prank a Hatenna, only to end up chased relentlessly by the latter until its head was covered in bruised bumps.
Additionally, there were Morelull and Shiinotic, species unique to the Alola Region. Because they were nocturnal Pokémon, they remained hidden quietly sleeping within the herbal thickets during the day.
Had it not been for Ange's exceptional eyesight, he likely would have failed to notice them entirely.
What a wonderful place, Ange couldn't help silently marveling.
He guided Salamence down to land right at the estate's entrance, where an elderly gentleman dressed in a black tailcoat, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and sporting gray hair was already standing and waiting.
Seeing Ange land, the elderly man hurried forward and asked, "Are you Ange?"
Ange nodded in response. "It's me. Are you Mr. Bernard?"
Bernard was precisely Grandma Yulian's younger brother.
Hearing this, Bernard chuckled, "Drop the 'Mr. Bernard' business, just call me Bernard!"
Ange thought for a moment before replying, "Then I'll call you Grandpa Bernard!"
"Agreed!" Bernard said with a warm smile.
Following a brief exchange of pleasantries, Bernard stated, "I've already informed my young lady about your matter, and she has agreed to see you. Follow me!"
In truth, the estate's owner had originally not intended to meet Ange, but she agreed out of consideration for Bernard.
Delighted, Ange said, "That's wonderful! Thank you so much, Grandpa Bernard!"
As Bernard led Ange deeper into the estate, he chatted cheerfully, "It's a rarity for my older sister to ask me for a favor, so naturally I had to see it through properly.
However, even though the young lady agreed to meet you, whether you can persuade her to sell the herbs to you depends entirely on your own capability. She can be rather difficult to talk to, so you should prepare yourself mentally."
Ange nodded. "I understand."
After navigating several winding turns, Ange arrived at a patch of grassy ground, where he saw two Pokémon locked in an intense battle from afar.
One of them was the Mach Speed Pokémon Garchomp, which flapped its twin fins to soar through the air as it launched a diving assault toward another Pokémon below.
Enduring Garchomp's onslaught was the Celestial Pokémon Gothitelle.
The exact instant Garchomp's Dragon Dive crashed into Gothitelle, the latter erected a barrier for defense—a Reflect capable of weakening physical attacks.
Boom!
Accompanied by a deafening crash, Garchomp slammed directly into the Reflect. The resulting shockwave blew outward with such force that Ange and Bernard instinctively raised their arms to shield their eyes.
Crack, crack~~ Following a brief standoff, Gothitelle's Reflect developed web-like cracks under Garchomp's overwhelming offensive.
Just as the Reflect was on the verge of shattering, two swirling vortexes abruptly appeared in the sky, from which a pair of rings of light shot out one after the other, striking Garchomp in succession.
This was the Psychic-type move Future Sight.
Garchomp emitted a muffled grunt as it plummeted to the ground, blasting a large crater into the earth. Nevertheless, it immediately unleashed a Dragon Claw attack and surged toward Gothitelle.
Gothitelle attempted to dodge, but they were simply too close. Before Gothitelle could react, Garchomp had already closed the distance and delivered a heavy blow with its claw straight to its abdomen.
Gothitelle let out a miserable cry as it was sent flying backward, instantly losing consciousness.
Seeing this, Gothitelle's Trainer let out a sigh and said to Garchomp's Trainer, "I suppose I still can't beat you!"
With that, she retrieved a Poké Ball and recalled Gothitelle.
Garchomp's Trainer recalled her own Pokémon while smiling, "That's because you didn't use your psychic powers to assist Gothitelle. Otherwise, I wouldn't have won nearly so easily."
Gothitelle's Trainer countered, "Stop trying to console me. I didn't use them because I knew I wouldn't win against you even if I did."
Ange stared in astonishment at the two individuals engaged in conversation. He never imagined the owner of this estate would turn out to be them!
Gothitelle's Trainer wore a pink-and-white round hat and a pink dress, her shoulder-length pale-golden hair fluttering wildly and uncontrollably in the air.
She was none of other than Caitlin, one of the Elite Four of the Unova Region.
Caitlin was not only a formidable Trainer but also a special psychic powerhouse. Her wildly fluttering hair was a direct result of her psychic powers.
Meanwhile, Garchomp's Trainer wore a black long coat, black trousers, and possessed golden hair far more radiant than Caitlin's, standing noticeably taller than Caitlin as well.
She was none other than the Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia, one of the most beloved women in the Pokémon world!
Caitlin and Cynthia were good friends, and the owner of this estate happened to be Caitlin.
Because it sat extremely close to Dendemille Town and the Frost Cavern, this estate remained remarkably cool even during the scorching heat of summer, prompting Caitlin to spend a short period living here every year.
This time, she had intentionally invited Cynthia, who was currently on vacation.
As Ange and Bernard drew closer, Caitlin and Cynthia noticed them as well.
Cynthia smiled and remarked, "Our guest has arrived!"
Caitlin gazed at Ange with an arrogant expression and demanded, "Are you the one wanting to buy herbs?"
Ange nodded. "Yes, Ms. Caitlin. My name is Ange, and I am a chef hailing from the Azoth Kingdom."
Caitlin felt no surprise that Ange recognized her name; as an Elite Four member of a region, being recognized was entirely normal.
"Ange... a chef... Azoth..." Hearing the self-introduction, Cynthia muttered to herself before exclaiming in pleasant surprise, "You're the owner of the Munchlax Home?"
Ange and Caitlin both blinked in unison.
"Ms. Cynthia knows me?"
"You know him? Is he famous?"
They spoke at the exact same time.
Cynthia explained to Caitlin, "The Munchlax Home is currently one of the most highly praised restaurants in the Kalos Region. Ever since I arrived in the Kalos Region, I've had it on my itinerary to go try it!
And its owner happens to be Mr. Ange standing right here.
Furthermore, Mr. Ange is also a member of the Azoth Kingdom's royal family!"
Whenever Cynthia traveled to a new place, she made a point of trying the local delicacies, and her trip to the Kalos Region was naturally no exception.
Through prior research, she had already memorized the famous culinary spots across the Kalos Region.
Upon hearing Cynthia's explanation, Caitlin looked at Ange with newfound surprise. She hadn't cared about Ange being a chef, even if his restaurant was renowned.
However, his status as a member of the Azoth royal family caused her to look at him with slightly more seriousness.
Of course, it was merely slightly.
While Azoth was called a kingdom, its standing within the League was roughly equivalent to a single "city," merely possessing a greater degree of autonomy.
Never mind the fact that Ange was only a member of the royal family; even if Ange were the king himself, he would still carry little weight before Caitlin.
Unlike Caitlin's haughty demeanor, Cynthia was far more affable.
After finishing introducing Ange's background to Caitlin, she turned her smiling gaze back to Ange. "It's wonderful to meet you, Mr. Ange!"
Ange replied, "The pleasure is mine, Ms. Cynthia."
He paused for a moment before adding, "And Ms. Caitlin as well."
Hmph~ Caitlin cast a dissatisfied sideways glance at Ange.
Cynthia walked over to Ange's side and inquired curiously, "Mr. Ange, are you buying herbs to cook something delicious?"
Ange answered, "No, it's for something to drink. I want to use them to roast and process tea leaves."
Cynthia's interest was piqued. "Herbs can be used to make tea leaves too?"
Ange replied, "I'm not sure if others can do it, but I certainly can."
Hearing this, Cynthia immediately turned to Caitlin and urged, "Riya, hurry up and sell the herbs to Mr. Ange!"
She very much wanted to taste this special variety of tea, but felt slightly hesitant to make the request to Ange directly.
Caitlin was currently handing Gothitelle and Garchomp's Poké Balls over to Butler Bernard, instructing him to take them for treatment.
Hearing Cynthia's words, she didn't even turn her head as she replied, "Why should I sell them? If I sell the herbs, won't the surroundings of the estate become completely bare and ugly? I refuse!"
She wasn't short on money, so she had no interest in doing such a thing.
Cynthia pressed on, "Not even for my sake?"
"Not selling!" Caitlin turned around and walked toward the villa without looking back.
"Riya, wait for me, let's talk about this more!" Seeing this, Cynthia hurried after her, not forgetting to wave at Ange to signal him to follow along.
Cynthia continued trying to persuade Caitlin.
"Riya, just sell them to Mr. Ange. You aren't uprooting the entire plant, so it won't become bare!"
Caitlin maintained an uncompromising tone as she replied, "No means no."
"Then sell a portion of them, selling a portion is fine too!" Cynthia thought for a moment before suggesting this alternative.
Once Mr. Ange finished processing the tea leaves, she could simply ask him if she could buy some to taste.
Caitlin suddenly halted in her tracks and spoke in a disgruntled tone, "Why do you keep speaking up on his behalf!"
Cynthia: ...
She certainly couldn't admit that she was simply craving good food...
At that moment, Caitlin suddenly noticed Servine, Floette, and Flabebe, who were quietly following behind Ange.
"It wouldn't be completely out of the question for me to sell the herbs to you," she abruptly stated.
Ange asked with pleasant surprise, "Really?"
"Yes!" Caitlin nodded, her tone shifting as she added, "But you have to agree to one condition of mine!"
"What condition?" Cynthia and Ange asked simultaneously.
Caitlin glanced sideways at the two of them, feeling a slight twinge of annoyance. Why were the two of them so synchronized!
"You'll have a Pokémon battle with me. If you beat me, I'll sell the herbs to you!" Caitlin looked straight at Ange as she spoke.
Before Ange could even reply, Cynthia chimed in, "Riya, you're going too far."
Cynthia felt that for Caitlin, an Elite Four Trainer, to propose such an impossible demand was simply making things difficult for someone.
"Hmph~ I don't care, if he doesn't agree, I'm not selling!" Caitlin said, lifting her chin.
Just as Cynthia prepared to say more, Ange spoke up, "Alright, I accept Ms. Caitlin's condition!"
Caitlin stared at Ange in astonishment, completely caught off guard by his immediate agreement.
She had indeed intended to make things difficult for Ange so he would back down out of frustration, making his response entirely unexpected.
She finally began to look at Ange with true regard. "You certainly have some nerve."
Ange smiled. "Since Ms. Caitlin is willing to give me an opportunity, wouldn't I be ungrateful if I refused?"
Caitlin: ...
"Mr. Ange, you..." Cynthia was likewise immensely surprised by his acceptance.
She wanted to tell Ange to ignore Caitlin's unreasonable demand since she could help persuade her otherwise, but seeing Ange shoot her a reassuring look, she swallowed the words back down.
Ange: "Then Ms. Caitlin, let's begin right now!"
Ange's prompt acceptance actually made Caitlin feel a bit uneasy instead.
"Are you really going to battle me?"
"Yes!" Ange nodded. "Wasn't this your own condition, Ms. Caitlin?"
Caitlin tilted her head and warned, "If you lose, I'm going to kick you straight out of the estate, you know!"
Ange chuckled. "There's no need for Ms. Caitlin to kick me out, I'll leave on my own."
Caitlin: "Very well, then follow me!"
With that, she turned and headed in a different direction.
Cynthia sighed before telling Ange, "Let's go!" She genuinely failed to understand why Ange had agreed.
Ange nodded, leading Servine, Floette, and Flabebe as they followed along.
Guided by Caitlin, Ange arrived at a designated battle arena.
This was a facility built specifically within the estate for Pokémon battles, boasting performance capabilities that matched any official tournament battleground.
Not only could it simulate various environments such as forests, rivers, and rocky shores, but it also featured exceptional defense mechanisms to prevent internal Pokémon battles from affecting the surrounding grounds.
The previous clash between Caitlin and Cynthia had been an impromptu spar, which was why they hadn't bothered coming here.
Cynthia offered, "I'll act as the referee!" With that, she walked over to the referee's stand.
After exchanging nods with Ange and Cynthia, Caitlin walked over to the opposite side of the field.
"Riya, what battle format would you prefer?" Cynthia asked.
Caitlin considered it before answering, "Let's keep it simple with a three-on-three. Whichever side's Pokémon all lose their ability to battle first loses, and the one called Ange is free to substitute his Pokémon at will."
Cynthia nodded. "Alright, then both of you send out your first Pokémon!"
As Cynthia's words fell, the previously barren arena suddenly began shifting, transforming into a lush, tree-filled forest in the blink of an eye.
As expected of a wealthy individual, what an advanced battle arena, Ange thought to himself.
He and Caitlin simultaneously reached for their Poké Balls.
With two flashes of red light, both trainers' Pokémon materialized onto the field.
To ensure his victory against Caitlin, Ange's opening Pokémon was the reliable Komala.
As for Caitlin...