"The basic ingredients for Pokéblocks are Berries and water."
"Depending on the flavor of the Berries added, the flavor of the resulting Pokéblock will also vary."
"For example, a Pokéblock made with Oran Berries will be sweet, while one made with Cheri Berries will be spicy... First, you need to choose your Berry recipe based on your Pokémon's favorite flavor."
"I see."
Faced with Ms. Roxanne's patient explanation, Hakuya nodded in sudden realization.
After some inquiry, he also learned what flavors Floragato and the others preferred.
The jealous Floragato indicated that she preferred eating sour things.
Latias's preferred flavor was surprisingly similar to her contrary, tsundere personality. Despite her adorable appearance, her taste leaned toward a spiciness so intense it would make someone want to breathe fire after a single bite.
As for the soft, sweet Milcery, her favorite flavor was undoubtedly sweet.
"The next steps are dicing the Berries, putting them in the pot, igniting the fire, and adjusting the cooking heat."
Unlike ordinary cooking pots, the special pot used for making Pokéblocks and similar foods featured a flame that would change color. It started white, and as time passed, the flame would gradually turn from white to red, then yellow, and finally blue.
"Floragato, could you use Leafage, please?"
"Meowha~"
Accompanied by a soft cry from the large cat, dozens of emerald leaves sliced through the air like streaks of light. Spinning at high speeds and trailing crescent-white afterimages, they expertly diced the various Berries laid out on the cutting board.
Following Roxanne's previous instructions, Hakuya added water to the pot. As time passed, the color of the flame gradually began to shift.
"Ms. Roxanne, the flame has turned bright red now," Hakuya said, picking up the glass stirring rod he had set aside earlier.
Hearing Hakuya's words, Roxanne shifted her gaze to the cooking pot, her expression instantly turning serious again.
As a former top student and current teacher, she held incredibly high standards for everything she did.
"Mr. Hakuya, this is the most critical stage of making Pokéblocks. Your technique right now will have a massive impact on the final quality of the product. The slightest mistake will result in an immediate failure."
Gone was her usual gentle, flower-like smile. Having entered teaching mode, Roxanne's stern face possessed a different, serious kind of cuteness.
Being stared at by those beautiful, ruby-like eyes, Hakuya had a strange, inexplicable feeling.
If he raised his hand to interrupt her right now, this serious Ms. Roxanne would definitely reach out and rap her knuckles hard against his head in dissatisfaction.
"At this point, the batter boiled from the Berries is very thin. If you stir too fast, it will spill over; if you stir too slow, it will burn. The maker needs to constantly adjust their stirring speed based on the batter's condition. There is absolutely no room for carelessness."
"You need to firmly memorize the exact force and timing of the stirring, Hakuya..."
Seemingly completely absorbed in her 'teacher' persona, Roxanne dropped the honorifics and addressed him directly by his name.
As she spoke, she stepped forward on those plump, pale, slender legs and moved right behind Hakuya.
Slender, tender arms, white as fresh bamboo shoots, reached out. Soft, warm hands slowly extended from both sides, firmly grasping Hakuya's wrists. Her slender, full, and alluring body naturally pressed close against Hakuya's back.
Worried that Hakuya wouldn't be able to grasp the proper force and timing for stirring, resulting in another failed batch, Roxanne, her teacher instincts fully engaged, didn't think twice before initiating a hands-on, body-to-body lesson.
Despite her petite, girlish figure, she currently exuded the dominating aura of a mature woman in complete control.
Floragato: "...Meowha?"
Latias: "La-woo?!"
Milcery: "Nai~"
"Ahem, Mr. Hakuya, the specific steps are just like that."
A few minutes later, even the normally calm and rock-steady Ms. Roxanne felt a faint blush creeping across her face.
The casual first-name basis from moments ago had reverted back to the more respectful 'Mr. Hakuya'.
She coughed lightly twice, releasing her fair, slender hands from Hakuya's wrists. She then used the movement to tuck a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear, which was already flushed crimson, feeling her face growing inexplicably hot.
It wasn't until the hands-on lesson ended that she realized her actions just now might have been a bit inappropriate.
He wasn't one of the little kids in her class; Mr. Hakuya was an adult man around her own age...
Roxanne instinctively took several steps back. Her pretty face, already tinted with a rosy hue, was now flushed deeply, as if she were intoxicated.
Because they had been pressed so closely together just moments ago, Hakuya could even catch a faint, sweet scent coming from the beautiful teacher, resembling the fragrance of peach-colored azalea flowers.
It wasn't the lingering smell of body wash or shampoo, but rather her natural, authentic body scent. It made one sigh in admiration, thinking she truly lived up to her name—a flower in both name and essence.
As for her figure... Compared to a certain someone who called herself the 'Cerulean Mermaid', Roxanne definitely belonged to the 'highly promising future' category.
However, right at this moment, a sound of dissatisfaction from a certain jealous cat completely shattered the distracting, romantic thoughts in Hakuya's mind.
"Meow, ha—"
Floragato, wearing a cold expression and a face full of displeasure, stepped forward and grabbed her Trainer's hand as well.
The willful, jealous large cat made it very clear: Whatever that thieving two-legged cat just did, I'm doing it too.
Compared to Roxanne, Floragato's actions also carried an undeniable, irresistible, and inescapable implication. But after forcefully grabbing her Trainer's hand and holding it for a while, she took the opportunity to secretly rub her cheek against his.
"Uh... Floragato, it's really hard for me to cook when you're doing this..."
Forced to make another batch while being clung to by the large cat, Hakuya felt utterly helpless. But as he looked down at the perfectly shaped Pokéblocks in the mold, noting their significantly higher quality compared to his first attempt, he couldn't help but offer a sincere thank you to the young teacher nearby.
"Thank you so much for your guidance just now, Ms. Roxanne."
Although he had been slightly surprised by Roxanne's sudden hands-on teaching, considering his experience interacting with the beautiful teacher over the past few days, it seemed somewhat reasonable.
—Ms. Roxanne was strict about everything, dignified and calm on the outside but gentle and kind on the inside. Worried that he would mess up at the critical moment and fail again, her teacher instincts simply took over. The hands-on lesson wasn't that strange in that context.
And compared to that, the fact that he had actually learned how to make Pokémon food was far more important.
Unlike eating single Berries, Pokéblocks made from a mixture of various Berries were not only more filling but also significantly higher in nutritional value. Not only would this effectively reduce his future food expenses, but it would also provide much better nourishment for Floragato and the others.
The adorable Ms. Roxanne truly is an incredibly wonderful person—