Without disturbing the little one, Silas entered the house.
Baby Kangaskhan, Minccino, and the others were all gathered in front of the television, staring at the animated show inside without blinking.
This was the only time they could stay quiet for a while. Normally each and every one of them was mischievous beyond measure.
Silas walked straight into the kitchen, where the younger sister Indeedee greeted him with a sweet smile.
"Are all the ingredients prepared?" He casually rested his palm on her feelers, allowing his positive emotions to be absorbed and turned into nourishment for her.
"Indee~!" (Everything is ready. Shall we start making lunch now?)
"You should join in too."
After helping her tie on a smaller apron, one human and one Pokémon began bustling about in the kitchen, preparing lunch together.
The younger sister Indeedee had already processed all the ingredients, saving Silas an unknown amount of time. All he needed to do was turn them into proper dishes.
Today's lunch was simple. A standard four dishes and one soup, plus grilled fish that the cat like Pokémon loved, along with the daily berry platter and Poffins.
The soup was loofah soup. The weather had been unusually hot today, so something light was needed to cool things down.
Loofah soup was easy to make. The main ingredients were loofah and beaten egg. If available, adding some garlic and chicken seasoning was enough.
Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium low. Pour in the egg mixture and wait for it to solidify into delicate egg ribbons. Adjust the seasoning slightly, sprinkle a handful of chopped scallions, and it was ready to serve.
At the same time, a system panel popped up before Silas's eyes, and information slowly appeared.
[Loofah Soup (C): A homestyle dish that does not require complicated steps. Refreshing in taste and simple to prepare, suitable for light daily meals.
Dish Effect: Reduces internal heat, restores stamina slightly.]
"Not bad." Silas took a sip. The flavor was light, with a faint natural sweetness.
After placing the last bowl of soup on the table, it was time to eat.
He called the little ones away from the television, but each of them seemed welded to the screen.
In the end, he had no choice but to turn off the TV first. Whoever finished eating first could go back to watching.
The afternoon was just as busy.
Now that the Florges had moved out, the greenhouse was empty.
It was the perfect opportunity for him to plant the special crops that had been born from the ranch.
One was Silver Chaluce Tulips, and the other was the Devil Chili Pepper Tree. Both were continuing to grow steadily.
There would be more special crops in the future, so setting aside space in advance was necessary.
Even so, there was still a large area left unused. After thinking it over, Silas decided to plant off season fruits and vegetables there.
For a moment, he could not decide what to choose.
He called over the Pokémon and asked what fruits they wanted to eat.
Whenever food was mentioned, Morpeko was always the first to respond. It immediately raised its little paw.
"Morpeko! Morpe!" (Watermelon. I want watermelon.)
"Watermelon? That is a great choice."
Staying indoors during winter, watching shows while eating watermelon did sound enjoyable.
Silas agreed.
After that came strawberries, blueberries, starfruit, grapes. The Pokémon each gave different answers, and Silas selected the ones that were mentioned most often.
"Cyclizar, come with me to buy seeds."
Silas looked around and found Cyclizar in a corner. It was sitting in its nest counting its little red flowers.
He walked over and patted it, and only then did Cyclizar snap back to attention.
"How many little red flowers do you have now?"
"Cyc!" (Just two more to go!)
Over the past few days it had earned several little red flowers bit by bit. It was almost enough.
Cyclizar carefully hid the flowers away, then rammed its head straight into Silas's chest.
Catching its large head, Silas gently pushed Cyclizar down. Baby Kangaskhan immediately ran over and hugged it.
For some reason, the little Kangaskhan loved playing with Cyclizar the most. Perhaps it was because it could ride on Cyclizar's back for a spin.
After playing for a while, Silas handed the child back to Kangaskhan, then mounted Cyclizar and quickly headed toward Coumarine City.
He first went to the seed shop and bought small packets of seeds for five different fruits.
Then he did not forget to visit the department store to buy Psyduck watering cans for the two Psyduck in the garden.
He also stocked up on ingredients until Cyclizar's hands were filled with shopping bags. Only then did Silas stop.
After leaving the department store, he stored everything in his spatial shoulder bag, and Cyclizar let out a long sigh of relief.
With everything taken care of, they returned to the ranch.
He called over the Meowth to help plant the seeds, had Phione assist with watering, and then took the two Psyduck watering cans to the garden across the river.
The first thing he saw upon arriving was two large yellow ducks sleeping back to back under the shade of a tree, bubbles inflating and deflating from their nostrils.
They were sleeping so soundly that Silas even lightened his footsteps, afraid of waking them.
However, as he approached, one of the Psyduck's nose twitched, and it slowly woke up on its own.
"Psy~!"
(It is the human who brings delicious food every day!)
One cried out, waking the other. Silas watched as the two ducks excitedly ran toward him, colliding halfway and falling over, yet not minding at all.
"Psyduck! Psyduck!"
They surrounded him. One clumsily pecked at his waist pouch, since that was where the food always came from.
Seeing their actions, Silas's smile stiffened.
So that was it. He thought they were welcoming him. It turned out they were only after food.
Speechless, he lightly smacked them and chose to ignore their antics.
Nearby, White Flower Florges covered her mouth and laughed softly. She guided Silas on a tour of the newly established garden. Throughout the entire process, the two Psyduck trailed behind, pumping their short legs to keep up.
"You have planned this very thoughtfully." Silas nodded approvingly and pointed toward the center of the garden. "Are you planning to plant Gracidea flowers here?"
"Flor!"
(Yes, Silas. It can also serve as a home for Shaymin.)
"Follow your plan. I hope to see a sea of flowers soon."
"Florges!"
Florges nodded firmly, indicating that they would work hard and not keep Silas waiting long.
"You will need many more flowers. You can search the back mountain, or tell me and I will help buy them."
After finishing the garden inspection, Silas stopped and turned around.
The Psyduck following closely behind could not brake in time and slammed into his legs with a loud thud. The two ducks stacked together and collapsed into a flattened pile.
Helplessly, Silas bent down and helped the two silly ducks up. "I told you not to follow so closely. Did that hurt?"
"Psy~"
Shaking their heads, the Psyduck tilted them to the side and grinned foolishly as always.
"If you want to eat, that is not impossible." Silas took out the Psyduck watering cans and placed them on top of their heads. "Whoever learns to use the watering can skillfully first will get a whole Oran Berry. The slower duck will only get half."
With food as motivation, the Psyduck showed a hint of intelligence.
After only ten demonstrations, the one with the bump on its head mastered it first.
Considering that Psyduck constantly held its head, Silas had reason to suspect that the hammer strike earlier had made this one just a tiny bit smarter than the others of its kind.
With their new tools, the two Psyduck balanced the watering cans on their heads at all times, never parting with them whether eating or sleeping.
After making a quick round of the ranch, Silas had just returned when Minccino rushed over and hugged his leg, tilting its head up with an indignant expression.
"Min! Min!"
"You want to see your evolved form? Of course."
(End of Chapter)