After bidding farewell to Hain and taking the five little lambs with him, Silas did not rush back to the ranch.
He first glanced at the time, then directed Cyclizar toward Pyroar's territory.
The moment they stepped into Pyroar's domain, they saw Pyroar standing atop the highest cliff within its territory, gazing out in their direction.
At the same time, three little Litleo came running toward Silas, tugging at his pant legs as they begged for something tasty.
The Litleo's fur was soft, and the sensation of petting them felt especially nice.
"Sorry!" Silas said with a smile as he stroked them. "I didn't bring any treats for you today."
Seeing that there was nothing to eat, the Litleo didn't hesitate at all. They broke free from Silas's clutches and ran back toward Pyroar, chasing and roughhousing around it.
Pyroar lifted a paw and casually swatted, sending the three Litleo tumbling head over heels in clear disdain, before turning away without a second glance and walking toward Silas.
As for the three Litleo, they didn't mind at all. Spitting out the grass from their mouths, they seemed to think Pyroar was just playing with them.
Excitedly, they chased after it again, biting and gnawing at Pyroar's body.
He almost forgot.
In Pyroar prides, the male Pyroar serves as the leader, and coupled with its lazy, slow-paced personality, it often ends up taking care of the cubs.
The female Pyroar, on the other hand, are responsible for hunting and feeding the pride.
"Roar~"
Pyroar stopped beside Silas. As it questioned him, it casually kicked away one Litleo clinging to its thigh.
Silas told Pyroar about his need for items rich in Dragon-type energy, explaining that he could trade with items they might need in return.
After a brief moment of consideration, Pyroar readily agreed.
It told him that once it found such items, it would deliver them to the ranch.
With this final matter settled, Silas finally headed back.
Once home, he would have plenty to do—he needed to build proper houses for the Mareep.
Silas planned to fence off all the grassland beside the stable and create a dedicated "Sheep Village" just for them.
As he pondered this, Cyclizar crossed the main road, turned onto a mountain path, and came to a steady stop beside the ranch gate.
Home at last!!
Minccino and Morpeko leapt out of Silas's arms one after the other, squeezing through the ranch entrance ahead of him with their small bodies and making a beeline straight for the ranch house.
They were almost going to miss the cartoon's airing time!
No matter how Silas called out from behind, the two little troublemakers completely ignored him.
He smiled helplessly. At that moment, Kangaskhan, Mudsdale brothers, and the others gathered around to welcome them back.
"Still, Kangaskhan is the best—so considerate."
The next instant, Silas was lifted straight into Kangaskhan's arms.
After telling the Pokémon about the gains from this trip, Silas took out the five Luxury Balls from his waist.
All the Pokémon immediately cast curious looks his way, eagerly anticipating the arrival of new companions.
Meeting their curious gazes, Silas didn't keep them in suspense. He forcefully threw the Luxury Balls.
"Everyone, come out. We're home."
Five flashes of light appeared, and five uniquely distinctive Mareep emerged around Silas, greeted by pairs of curious eyes.
"Mud~?"
Mudsdale, the eldest, stepped forward and shared its favorite mud biscuits with the new family members.
The other Pokémon followed suit. The five Flabébé delivered a small flower to each Mareep, each blossom filled with the nectar they had painstakingly gathered.
Seeing this, the three Noibat quickly flew back to their cave and brought out the fruits they had collected the night before to share with the lambs.
After nearly two months of growth, the earliest planted orchard had already produced a small amount of early-ripening berry.
The main ingredients Silas now used for making fruit platters all came from the Noibat's harvests.
Kangaskhan went thump thump thump back to the house and brought out the snacks Silas had made for them.
Cyclizar even delivered eggs—freshly laid by the hens, still warm.
The four Mareep all turned their heads toward Silas at the same time, seeking his approval.
Silas smiled at them, nodded, and said, "Go ahead and accept them. Everyone is welcoming you."
At that moment, a series of excited cries came from the poop-head lamb nearby, its mouth stuffed completely full.
Everything everyone offered was delicious—it simply couldn't stop eating.
Well… not quite everything.
Except for the mud biscuits from the Mudsdale brothers.
Even the gluttonous poop-head Mareep found those hard to swallow. After taking one bite, it promptly returned it.
As for the food given by the other Pokémon, every last bit was devoured by the poop-head lamb.
With its belly round and bulging, it collapsed onto the grass and fell fast asleep.
There was not the slightest hint of nervousness or fear from arriving in a new place—just eat until full, then sleep.
Not bothering with this particularly unique little lamb, Silas introduced the other four Mareep to the rest of the ranch Pokémon.
He then called Minccino out from the house and took the Mareep flock on a tour around the ranch, helping them become familiar with their new environment as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, Silas called over Cyclizar, Mudsdale, and Kangaskhan to build houses and a living area exclusively for the Mareep.
"Mudsdale, Cyclizar—please move all the timber over here."
"Kangaskhan, help me make the fences. Let's fence off a living area for the Mareep first."
After scanning the surroundings and forming a rough plan in his mind, Silas began directing the Pokémon.
"Mud~" ×3
"Cyc!"
"Kang~"
The Pokémon responded in unison and began working according to his arrangements.
Before long, logs were transformed into fences one by one, enclosing the entire stretch of grassland beside the stable.
The area was about half the size of a standard soccer field—more than enough for the Mareep's daily needs.
Once the living area was fenced off, it was time to prepare individual houses for the little Mareep.
Looking at the materials Mudsdale and the others had transported over, Silas opened his system interface.
[Sheep Cottage]
League Coins: 3,000
Wood: 100
Stone: 30
Description: A relatively ordinary small house. The interior space can be freely arranged according to the Pokémon's preferences.
Five sheep cottages, plus the cost of purchasing the Mareep, meant that Silas had spent nearly thirty thousand League Coins in a single day. The money he had earned from selling coffee beans not long ago was completely gone.
If this had been during the difficult early days when the ranch was first established, Silas would never have dared to spend thirty thousand League Coins all at once.
But things were different now. It wouldn't take long before he earned it back.
The wool produced by the Mareep also had considerable economic value—this investment was absolutely worth it.
As Silas issued the command, buildings rose up from the ground one after another.
The sight instantly drew the attention of all the Pokémon on the ranch.
Minccino excitedly pointed at the scene, introducing it to the five Mareep as Silas's magic—super amazing!
The four little lambs all looked over with faces full of admiration.
Silas chuckled, waved them over, and gently stroked their smooth, tingling wool.
"You arrived just in time. The sheep cottages are finished—you can each choose one."
"Maa!"
The four lambs bleated happily, rubbing against Silas one by one to show their affection before returning to the sheep enclosure to pick their own cottages.
The remaining one naturally belonged to the poop-head lamb—that little guy was still snoring away in front of the ranch house.
While the Mareep were choosing their personal cottages, Silas called Kangaskhan over and planned to decorate the main entrance.
A signature sheep-head emblem was a must—and they also needed a name.
Hehehe!
(End of Chapter)