A scorching white beam of light shot out from the flashlight, illuminating the trail of small, plum-blossom-shaped footprints on the ground.
Silas stood up and patted the Kangaskhan beside him, who was on high alert. "No need to be nervous. It's just a little cutie who loves being clean."
Minccino.
A Pokémon that adores cleanliness—it uses its tail as a broom to sweep dirty places spotlessly clean.
In other words, every Minccino has a serious case of germophobia.
"Kang~"
Hearing this, Kangaskhan withdrew her fierce aura, lowered her body, and rubbed her head against Silas's palm, letting out a comfortable, rumbling purr.
"Alright." Silas gently stroked Kangaskhan, then casually switched off the flashlight. "We've been running around all day. Let's sleep early—there's still work waiting for us tomorrow."
"Kang!"
Silas wrapped himself in his sleeping bag, while Kangaskhan obediently lay down beside him.
Falling asleep in the wilderness amid the chorus of insects, birds, and various Pokémon cries was a basic skill every Trainer needed. Silas had long since grown used to it.
Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
Inside a tree hollow somewhere in the forest near the ranch, a white chinchilla Pokémon curled up tightly, trembling with lingering fear.
That roar just now had nearly scared it to death.
Never again would it dare to get close… though the grilled fish really had been delicious.
Torn by indecision, the Minccino gradually drifted into slumber as well.
…
"Kangaskhan, don't rush, okay?"
With one hand flipping the tenderloin sizzling in the frying pan, Silas helplessly pushed away Kangaskhan with the other.
Honestly, who understands what it feels like when a three-hundred-pound big girl acts cute and clings to you?!
Tenderloin was one of the most delicious cuts of pork.
Kangaskhan stared unblinkingly at the steak.
As if afraid it might be stolen away the very next second.
Under the constant high heat, the fat beneath the crisp, golden-brown surface bubbled vigorously, gradually taking on an enticing, honey-like sheen.
Seeing this, Silas turned the heat down and continued frying slowly, while picking up the seasonings set aside and sprinkling them on layer by layer.
Gradually, a rich meaty aroma surged forth, mixed with the sharp bite of black pepper and a hint of caramelized sweetness.
Midway through, Silas glanced back.
At some point, Kangaskhan had crept right up beside him, lying prone on all fours like a greedy big dog, drool dripping from the corner of her mouth.
Silas couldn't help but chuckle, quickly estimating the timing in his head.
When it felt just right, he lifted out the two steaks and placed them onto a clean ceramic plate.
At the same time, information about the dish appeared before his eyes.
[Pan-Seared Steak (B): Made with carefully selected fresh and tender cuts of meat, expertly cooked at just the right heat and paired with simple seasonings. Every bite is a delight, continuously infusing Pokémon with abundant energy.
Dish Effect: Stamina Recovery (Large), Energy Boost (Large), Pokémon gains Fighting-type Insight for 60 minutes.]
"Huh? There's even a special additional effect?" Silas was slightly surprised.
Fighting-type Insight likely meant that applicable Pokémon would find it easier to comprehend Fighting-type moves during training.
Mm, a dish perfectly suited for Kangaskhan.
If there was any downside…
The duration was a bit too short.
Later on, he could think about whether there was a way to make the enhancement permanent.
As for now?
Better hurry up and eat—Kangaskhan's drool was practically flooding the ground.
The moment Silas placed the steak in front of Kangaskhan, she let out an excited growl and immediately dug in without hesitation.
Mmm!
One bite in, and it was so good it nearly brought tears to her eyes.
Kangaskhan hugged the plate and wolfed it down, licking every last trace of grease clean with her tongue.
"The taste really is pretty good, just a bit too greasy," Silas commented to himself after taking a bite.
Then he looked up and met Kangaskhan's eager gaze, locked firmly onto the steak still on his plate.
A long, silky tongue slid over him, leaving him sticky all over with saliva.
With visible disgust, Silas pushed her away and tapped her lightly. "Fine, fine, you can have it."
"Kang~"
Kangaskhan suddenly scooped Silas up in a hug, rubbing against him affectionately.
Then she happily resumed chewing on the other half of the steak.
The portion was generous. Half was enough to fill Silas up, so sharing the rest with Kangaskhan was no problem.
It was just that the lingering greasy feeling in his mouth made him uncomfortable.
After some thought, Silas picked up several Berries he had gathered along the road the previous evening on the way back.
Kangaskhan had even carried out a friendly negotiation with the Pinsir guarding the berry tree.
After washing the Berries clean with water, Silas picked up a knife, cut them into pieces, and arranged them neatly on a plate.
Then he drizzled honey and sweet-and-sour jam over the top.
Ta-da… a simple yet delicious fruit platter was complete.
[Fruit Platter (C): A simple and tasty platter made by cutting and combining several fresh Berries, topped with syrup and jam. It's said that adding MooMoo Milk can create an extraordinary flavor and effect.
Dish Effect: Increases a Pokémon's happiness and slightly boosts intimacy.]
"Adding MooMoo Milk, huh? I can try that once I'm done with this busy stretch," Silas mused curiously, spearing a honey-coated fruit piece and popping it into his mouth.
At this stage, restoring the ranch still had to be his top priority. Only after everything stabilized could he do other things.
Moreover, through his research over these past few days, he could be certain that any food made by his own hands would undergo varying degrees of mutation, producing completely different effects.
That discovery greatly fueled Silas's desire to explore.
Still, the ranch came first—after all, his golden finger was Harvest Moon, not CookingMoon.
Once Kangaskhan finished eating, Silas packed away the tableware, washed it clean, and set it somewhere dry.
He then changed into work clothes, put on a straw hat, picked up an axe, and called Kangaskhan over. One man and one Pokémon headed toward the forest near the lake, not far from the ranch house.
This entire area needed to be cut down to repair the ranch house.
If possible, the roots would be dug out as well.
They were excellent firewood, and clearing them would also make space for planting Berries—three benefits in one move.
Silas and Kangaskhan worked in perfect coordination, their logging progress swift and efficient.
First, Silas would hack a notch into the tree trunk with his axe.
Then Kangaskhan would gather Fighting-type energy into her palm, turning it into a blade and chopping fiercely into the notch.
With Kangaskhan's immense strength, a sharp crack rang out as a tree thick enough to take half a person's embrace toppled over.
Thanks to the guiding notch, the tree fell outward, causing no damage to the surrounding trees and making cleanup easier for Silas.
However, after felling several trees, something unexpected happened.
Kangaskhan let out a long growl, then turned and rushed toward a massive tree, wrapping both arms around its trunk.
At that moment, Fighting-type energy surged violently from within her body.
With a sudden burst of strength, an entire tree was ripped out roots and all, hurled high into the air, and then slammed heavily into the ground with a dull thud.
Even after that, Kangaskhan didn't stop. One tree after another was flung skyward, her movements growing increasingly fluid and practiced.
Standing far behind and witnessing the scene, Silas stared in stunned disbelief.
"Fighting-type move: Circle Throw!"
(End of Chapter)