"Meowrr~"
The Flame Orb hanging around Litten's neck flashed with a deep crimson gleam, and Litten opened its mouth, exhaling a controlled stream of heated air.
The warm current swept evenly across the malt that had been spread out flat, and the moisture within it evaporated almost instantly. In no time at all, the damp malt turned thoroughly dry.
Silas bent down and picked up a single grain between his fingers. With only a light rub, the tiny roots fell away easily, releasing a faint, pleasant aroma.
With Litten's help, the entire low-temperature baking stage that would normally be required had been completely skipped. The process could now proceed directly to the next step—removing the rootlets from the malt.
He grabbed two handfuls of malt and rubbed them firmly between his palms. The dried rootlets separated and fell away in clusters. The older brother Indeedee stepped forward to assist as well, using his psychic powers to swiftly and efficiently separate the malt from the loosened roots.
The cleaned malt was piled neatly to one side. Silas then beckoned to the eldest Mudsdale, who had been waiting patiently for quite some time.
"Mudsdale, step on it and walk around once to crush the malt. Just crack it—don't grind it into powder."
He did not forget to emphasize the last point, worried that Mudsdale might accidentally use too much force.
"Mud~"
Mudsdale gave a low sound of acknowledgment, nudging lightly as if to say it understood.
After Silas carefully washed Mudsdale's hooves clean, the large Pokémon stepped onto the malt and began to stomp back and forth, pressing down with steady, measured strength.
Under its tremendous power, the malt cracked apart easily. Within only a few minutes, Silas had obtained a full basin of crushed malt.
Brewing required crushed malt—not malt flour. Breaking it without pulverizing it ensured better saccharification, allowing the starches to convert more effectively and ultimately producing a smoother, more flavorful finished brew.
Next came the final stage of saccharification. Crushed malt was mixed with 70°C hot water in a ratio of 4:1.
During this process, the starch within the malt would gradually convert into fermentable sugars, eventually yielding a pot of cloudy wort filled with suspended impurities.
If malt flour had been used earlier, filtering at this stage would have been extremely difficult. Fortunately, the larger granules of crushed malt made separation simple; a strainer was all that was needed to divide the liquid wort from the spent grain.
The leftover grain was far too valuable to discard—it made excellent feed for the chickens. Silas instructed Cyclizar to deliver it to the flock.
Receiving the order, Cyclizar happily trotted off at once.
The remaining wort was brought to a vigorous boil. After roughly an hour, Silas added hops along with peach chunks that the younger sister Indeedee had carefully washed and cut earlier.
Adding fruit at this stage enhanced the fruity aroma and increased the sugar content, while also reducing the bitterness of the beer.
Approximately fifty minutes later, he added an equal portion once again.
A delicate fruity fragrance gradually filled the air, achieving exactly the effect Silas had hoped for.
Afterward, all that remained was to wait for the wort to cool. The hops and fruit pulp were skimmed out—these had already served their purpose and could no longer be used.
With the help of the Pokémon's abilities, the cooling process was sped up considerably. The liquid was then poured into the prepared wooden barrels, yeast was added, and the barrels were sealed for fermentation.
The fermentation process would take five to seven days to complete.
Silas prepared ten barrels in succession, each containing a different fruit flavor. He was so busy that he did not even have time to cook lunch.
Fortunately, the younger sister Indeedee stepped in to prepare the meal.
With the Indeedee siblings at the ranch, Silas truly saved himself a great deal of trouble. Under normal circumstances, he would have been so overwhelmed that he would hardly know which task to tackle first. It would have been impossible for him to sit peacefully at the dining table, happily sharing a meal with his Pokémon.
"Today we really have to thank the Indeedee siblings. Everyone, let's raise a cup to them."
Silas lifted his glass of fruit juice in appreciation.
Minccino followed suit, raising its own bottle of MooMoo Milk and gulping down more than half in one go.
Morpeko, of course, would never miss such an opportunity. It quickly drained its milk and juice in a single breath. Because it drank so wildly, milk stains were left all around its mouth.
The younger sister Indeedee gently wiped Morpeko's mouth with a handkerchief, though she completely ignored its request for another bottle. Its little trick was destined to fail.
Although she adored children, her affection was never indulgent. On the contrary, she could be quite strict when necessary.
For example, at this very moment, she forbade Morpeko from overeating and was actively supervising its weight control. Taking Morpeko's habits into account, she arranged for it to eat smaller portions more frequently to prevent its insatiable hunger mode from being triggered.
"Mor-pe~"
Morpeko shuffled forward on its short little legs and threw itself into Silas's arms, clinging to him with an expression that clearly said, Save me, save me!
"Nope."
Silas gently bounced the soft extra flesh on Morpeko's belly. It wobbled noticeably.
"You can't just eat without exercising anymore. Indeedee and I have made a personalized training plan just for you."
"Mor… peko…"
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck from a clear sky. Morpeko's eyes widened in disbelief, unable to imagine that Silas could be so 'cruel.'
"The training plan is very simple. I guarantee you can complete it. And as long as you stick to it, you'll have more than enough food every day."
Hearing the final sentence, Morpeko barely managed to muster a bit of spirit.
"Morpe?"
(What exactly is the training plan? Can it maybe be cut in half?)
"No." Silas shook his head firmly. "The plan is to complete 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run every day."
"Sounds simple, right?"
Pokémon possessed physiques far stronger than regular beings. This training plan was merely intended to prevent Morpeko from eating itself into a round ball and to help burn off excess energy.
"Mor-pe…"
(That's so much… It already sounds exhausting.)
Without hesitation, Morpeko collapsed limply, attempting to slack off before even beginning.
"Acting cute is ineffective. Throwing a tantrum is ineffective. After the lunch break ends this afternoon, you'll begin training. The younger sister Indeedee will supervise you—don't even think about sneaking off."
"Indee!"
The younger sister Indeedee walked over and picked Morpeko up into her arms. Her kind and gentle smile, however, looked like that of a demon in Morpeko's eyes. It lowered its head in resignation.
All it could do was comfort itself internally—finish the tasks, and there would be snacks waiting.
After the family finished lunch, the dishwashing duties were handed over to Minccino, the grand steward mouse.
Silas held Phione in his arms, draped a blanket over them, and prepared for a nap.
Having been busy all morning and deprived of sleep the previous night, he was already exhausted. It did not take long before he drifted into a deep slumber. At some point, Minccino quietly nestled into his embrace as well, though he did not even notice when it happened.
Seeing Silas begin to snore softly, the regular Meowth became extra careful while playing with its yarn ball.
The Indeedee siblings lightened their footsteps. Kangaskhan looked on at the sleeping human and Pokémon with motherly tenderness, while Cyclizar lay beside the sofa pretending to nap.
Everyone tried their best not to disturb Silas's midday rest. They all wanted him to sleep well.
The house grew exceptionally quiet. Only the soft hum of the air conditioner filled the room—a gentle sound that became the perfect lullaby for Silas.
Phione curled up in the crook of his inner arm, its tiny hand resting lightly on his chest, sleeping alongside him.
After finishing its chores, Minccino tiptoed over, slipped into Silas's arms, and used its fluffy tail as a pillow. Its movements were extremely gentle, afraid of waking him.
After an unknown amount of time, Silas slowly awoke. The nap had been extraordinarily comfortable.
The two little ones in his arms made soft murmuring sounds, occasionally smacking their lips as though dreaming of delicious food.
"Indee."
The older brother Indeedee handed him a glass of water, speaking in a voice as soft as possible.
"Thank you. I was just getting thirsty."
He drank more than half the cup in several gulps, then glanced at the time and checked the temperature outside.
He considered closing his eyes for a little while longer. Later, he would need to go collect the hops.
His gaze swept around the room. All the Pokémon were inside, enjoying their own naps.
Then let them sleep a bit longer. The little ones were still growing—more rest would only benefit them.
Oh! That's right—the Indeedee siblings too.
"Indeedee, you two should make sure to rest as well. Don't overwork yourselves."
(End of Chapter)