It started to rain.
This was the first rain since Silas arrived at the ranch.
A continuous, fine drizzle fell softly, raindrops pattering against the roof, gathering into streams along the slope, dripping steadily from the eaves.
"Looks like we can only stay inside today."
Feeling the damp air drifting in through the window, Silas picked up Minccino and let the little one take a look outside.
"Min…"
Minccino let out a disappointed whimper and snuggled closer into Silas's arms.
The plan to pick flowers and present a bouquet to Silas could only be put on hold for now.
On the windowsill, the flowers in the vase had already wilted—petals falling, their fragrance gone.
After gently soothing Minccino for a moment, Silas handed it over to Kangaskhan to watch over.
He put on his clothes and headed straight to the kitchen.
On a rainy day like this, there was no question—hot soup and rice were a must to warm the body.
He took out the pork ribs he had bought last time in Shalour City and chopped them into small sections.
Water went into the pot, followed by the ribs, along with cooking wine and ginger to remove the gamy smell.
Asking Kangaskhan to keep an eye on things, Silas threw on a raincoat.
Under the eaves outside the cabin, he found Chatot and called it inside.
After a spring rain fell, the temperature dropped sharply.
Even with Pokémon physiques, catching a cold was still possible—and that would be bad.
"Cha-tot~!"
"Don't move, don't move. Let me dry you off first."
Wrapping Chatot in a dry towel, Silas used both hands to rub it down thoroughly.
Chatot's colorful feathers quickly became a mess.
After letting Chatot enter the room, Silas leaned out to observe the sky.
The heavens were a dull gray—the rain wouldn't be stopping anytime soon.
Tightening his raincoat, Silas lowered his head and dashed through the rain toward the Mudbray shed.
Pushing open the door, he saw the three Mudbray huddled together.
When they noticed Silas, they all rushed over at once, surrounding him and using their bodies to chase away the chill clinging to him.
"Still a bit cold, huh?" Silas gently stroked each of them and said softly, "Come into the house and warm up together. The others are all inside."
"Mud~ Mud~"
The Mudbray shook their heads. With Silas here, they weren't cold at all.
Silas grabbed some dry hay and covered the Mudbray with it, then led them back through the curtain of rain to the ranch house.
When the door opened, orange-red flames roared within the fireplace, instantly driving away the cold.
After drying the rainwater from the Mudbray, Silas had them lie down beside the hearth together with Chatot to warm up.
He himself hurried back to the kitchen.
The water was already boiling, and the ribs had been blanched.
He rinsed them once with cold water, then transferred them to another pot and brought it to a rolling boil over high heat.
Necessary seasonings and side ingredients were indispensable.
Corn and carrots were the perfect companions for braised pork ribs.
Once the water boiled, he turned the heat down low and let it simmer slowly.
Silas sat in front of the fireplace as Minccino obediently hopped onto him, using its body to keep him warm.
The other Pokémon gathered around as well, clustering close to Silas.
"This—this is life," Silas couldn't help but sigh.
A group of Pokémon gathered together, centered around you, liking you.
Leaning against Kangaskhan, Silas picked up The Complete Guide to Farming and began to read.
The Pokémon each played on their own, living together in harmony.
The book recorded spring crops, summer crops, and autumn crops, while winter was described as a rare season of leisure for ranch owners.
Each crop had its planting methods and solutions to common problems carefully documented.
What caught Silas's interest was one of the summer crops—hops.
A crop that could be used to brew beer.
The only troublesome part was the need for a cellar.
Silas opened the ranch house panel.
[Ranch House Lv. 1 → Ranch House Lv. 2]
League Coins: 100,000
Wood: 1,000
Stone: 500
Description: Further expand your ranch house, gaining more rooms and facilities. After completion, you may freely choose one special bonus.
Current Effect: Stamina Recovery LV1
One hundred thousand League Coins, one thousand units of wood, five hundred units of stone—those were the materials required for a single upgrade.
According to the description, more rooms and facilities meant the option of a basement.
If he wanted to brew alcohol, the ranch would have to be upgraded again.
Then that would be the goal—save up one hundred thousand League Coins before summer arrived.
A faint fragrance drifted in from the kitchen. The Pokémon all lifted their heads at once. For big eaters like Kangaskhan, their stomachs betrayed them with loud growls, and the smaller ones weren't doing much better.
"It should be ready. I'll go check."
With that, Silas stood up and hurried into the kitchen, lifting the pot lid.
Steam rushed out, carrying with it the aroma of meat and a gentle sweetness—the scent released when tender corn was fully cooked.
The ribs had been stewed until soft and tender. The corn and carrots had absorbed the broth, taking on a light amber hue.
[Pork Rib and Corn Soup (B): The ribs are soft and delicious, the corn sweet and flavorful, the broth rich and mellow, a classic warming dish. Because the chef infused it with emotion during cooking, it underwent a wondrous transformation.
Dish Effect: Warm Breeze Blows.]
[Warm Breeze Blows: After consumption, Pokémon can feel the emotions of the creator and will no longer fear the cold.]
A fine dish—perfectly suited to Silas's needs at this moment.
"One bowl each first, alright? Warm yourselves up. If it's not enough, there's more in the pot."
In front of the fireplace, the Pokémon sat neatly in a row, bowls placed before them, filled with meat and corn.
For Kangaskhan, there was naturally more meat in its bowl.
Mudbray and Minccino only had one or two pieces, with more corn and carrots instead.
Silas lifted his own bowl and gestured to the Pokémon. "Dig in!"
Kangaskhan couldn't wait, grabbing a rib and crunching through meat and bone alike.
A warmth spread from its stomach, flowing throughout its entire body, driving away the cold.
Kangaskhan: Delicious~!(≧▽≦)
Mudbray, Chatot, and Minccino all reacted differently.
Their eyes lit up instantly, followed by mouthful after mouthful of earnest eating.
Silas had just finished gnawing on a piece of corn and taken a sip of soup when he looked up to see six completely empty bowls.
"Is it that good?"
Mm-hmm!
All the Pokémon nodded in unison.
Thankfully, Silas had made plenty—refilling each Pokémon's bowl was no problem at all.
Seeing how much Kangaskhan and the others loved the food he cooked, Silas felt happy as a trainer too, a sense of motivation born from being recognized filling his entire body.
One hundred thousand League Coins—no problem at all.
With a bowl of rib soup in their bellies, the chill of the rainy day was completely dispelled.
Minccino took the initiative to handle the cleanup. Silas leaned against Kangaskhan, flipping through the book.
Mudbray lay comfortably on the floor, yawning lazily, while Chatot gazed through the window at the endless curtain of rain.
For a while, the only sounds inside the cabin were the soft rustle rustle of turning pages and Mudbray's gentle snores.
Trapped indoors for an entire day, time instead seemed to pass unusually quickly.
Before he knew it, darkness fell. Silas leaned against Kangaskhan and slowly closed his eyes. At some point, Minccino curled up in his arms, its fluffy tail swaying unconsciously.
Just like that, Silas drifted into sleep, resting deeply and peacefully.
Outside the window, the rain continued to fall—drip by drip—for an entire day and night, neither heavier nor lighter.
It only stopped the next morning, when the sun finally rose.
Chatot was the first to let out an excited, spirited cry.
(End of Chapter)