"Chatot, this is your payment. I'll be counting on you from here on out."
"Cha-tot!"
The Chatot, its face swollen and bruised, feathers in complete disarray, flapped its wings twice in a sloppy manner. Yet its eyes were exceptionally clear and bright, confidently conveying that everything could be left to it—after all, there was nowhere nearby that it wasn't familiar with. One could only say that it truly lived up to its reputation as the Pokémon world's equivalent of the village gossip auntie; when it came to social connections, Chatot had things firmly under control.
Unable to wait any longer, Chatot eagerly pecked at the delicious honey pancake, first savoring it carefully, then gulping it down in huge bites. Crystalline tears shimmered in the corners of its eyes. For a Pokémon that usually survived on tree fruits and seeds, this was its first time truly understanding what "so delicious it makes you cry" meant.
Waaah! So this is the kind of food that Pokémon owned by humans get to eat?
It was way too good—so good it made Bird Grandpa unbearably jealous.
Near Shalour City, Route 12 didn't have just the one ranch Silas had purchased. Ranches were scattered along both sides of the road. Most of them raised Skiddo and Gogoat, classic ranch Pokémon, producing goat milk every day to supply Shalour City. It could be said that this massive city—with a permanent population of over a million and a floating population of several hundred thousand—was essentially supported by the ranches along Route 12.
The surroundings weren't desolate at all; on the contrary, they were lively and bustling.
Silas hadn't had a chance before, but now, using the opportunity to return the Miltank, he could also visit other ranch owners.
After traversing a rugged mountain path, Silas and his group finally reached the main road. Now one could understand why Silas had been able to buy such a large ranch for only 100,000 League Coins—the location was simply too remote, inaccessible by vehicles. Transportation was the number one bottleneck restricting a ranch's development.
Chatot circled at low altitude, leading the way while chattering nonstop. The three Miltank followed behind, each wearing a pained expression as they covered their ears.
Silas sat on Kangaskhan's shoulder, gazing into the distance from his elevated vantage point. Not far ahead, he could faintly make out traces of buildings.
"Chatot, how much farther?" Silas asked.
"Just ahead, Cha-tot!"
They continued along the road for more than ten minutes. From time to time, cargo trucks sped past, their rear compartments either completely empty or filled to the brim with various agricultural products. Silas watched with envy—when would his own ranch's produce be able to fill an entire truck like that? He believed that day wouldn't be far off.
"It's right up ahead. I heard from the Dwebble that they ran off from over there. Cha-tot!"
Following Chatot's guidance, Silas saw a repaired section of fencing to one side. Turning his gaze to the three Miltank, now back in familiar territory, he saw them mooing nonstop, their excitement visible to the naked eye. They wouldn't have to go hungry anymore.
"Kang~"
Kangaskhan let out a low growl toward the ranch, alerting Silas that a group of Pokémon was approaching.
They were Skiddo.
A vast green swath surged across the fields planted with pasture grass, the Skiddo running and playing freely, brimming with carefree joy. Beside them stood a larger, similar-looking Pokémon with a more imposing build—its long, curving horns radiated an intimidating presence. Gogoat, the evolved form of Skiddo.
"Goo~"
Sensing the presence of unfamiliar Pokémon, the Gogoat bleated loudly toward the herd. The Skiddo gathered around it in small groups, their eyes filled with curiosity as they glanced around.
"Mil! Tank!"
Leaning against the fence, the three Miltank waved energetically at the Skiddo herd, as if saying, "It's us! We're back!"
Seeing familiar Pokémon, the wary herd gradually relaxed. The Skiddo returned to their carefree state, frolicking in clusters once more.
"Woof woof woof~"
Just as the Miltank were sharing their adventures beyond the ranch fence with the Skiddo, a figure came charging down from a distant hill. A Pokémon entirely covered in fur, with a beard nearly as long as its body, appeared—Stoutland, a common herding dog Pokémon widely found on ranches throughout the League. Together with the Growlithe line, the Yamper line, and the Rockruff line, it was collectively known as one of the "Big Three Herding Dogs." Of course, everyone knew the joke—how could the "Big Three" actually be four?
Silas's gaze wasn't on the Stoutland, but on the person riding on its back. Dark-skinned and powerfully built, he looked like someone perfectly suited for farm work.
Meeting the other party's wary gaze, Silas introduced himself first to dispel any concerns. "Hello, my name is Silas. I'm the ranch owner of the seaside ranch." He pointed at the three Miltank. "I happened to run into them on the back mountain. After seeing their ID tags, I returned them with Chatot's help."
Hearing that Silas was also a ranch owner, the man's guarded expression turned into a smile. "So you're the one who bought that abandoned ranch! I was planning to visit you myself. Who knew these three would delay me until now?" He apologized sincerely. "I'm really sorry about that. My name's John Belmond, the owner of this ranch."
After exchanging names, Silas accepted John's warm invitation and entered the ranch. Unlike Silas's ranch, which was still largely abandoned, this place was thriving with vitality. Vast farmland was neatly divided into plots, filled with various crops—most of them strawberries. The green, unripe fruits weighed down the branches, promising a bountiful harvest in the near future.
"Brother, you grew all these strawberries yourself? They look amazing," Silas said sincerely, knowing he still had much to learn about farming.
"Hahaha!" John's dark face broke into a grin. Praise from a fellow ranch owner was the best recognition of his hard work. "Growing strawberries isn't difficult. I'll explain it to you in detail later. I also have some leftover strawberry seeds, I'll give them to you."
"They're too valuable," Silas said quickly, waving his hands. He remembered that even a small bag of strawberry seeds cost 100 League Coins.
"No need to be polite. You helped return my Miltank—how could I not thank you? These seeds are just extras anyway."
"Well then… I'll shamelessly accept them," Silas said, knowing further refusal would be impolite. He decided he'd bring some sea fish as a return gift in a few days.
They walked to the ranch house, where a brown-haired middle-aged woman approached. "Silas, this is my wife. She runs the ranch with me." John introduced her. "Hello, Silas. You can call me Penny. Thank you for bringing the Miltank back. John and I were really worried. If you ever have questions about raising Pokémon, feel free to come to me."
"Hahaha~ Penny's also a certified Junior Breeder! Any Pokémon-related issues, you can ask her."
A Junior Breeder!
Silas's eyes lit up instantly. No wonder this ranch raised so many ranch Pokémon—Rapidash, Rhyhorn, Tauros, Dodrio—all present in large numbers.
Becoming a League-certified Junior Breeder was as difficult as becoming a Senior Trainer, with millions applying every year and a pass rate of only about one percent. It was comparable to Silas's past life civil service exams—a true battle of countless contenders crossing a single narrow bridge.
(End of Chapter)
TN: Not sure yet if Senior Trainer is same as Elite Trainer.