"Okay, just a sed." Naoki grabbed a cup and started p the juice.

  He wasn't worried about his earlier expnation raising suspis. After all, the theory did exist in this world. Besides ordinary Evolution Stohere were also various type-specific gems. These gems tained a rge amount of energy that, when absorbed by Pokémon, enhahe power of their corresponding type moves and occasionally led to learning new moves.

  Secret seasonings also existed. They grew in Area Zero aer brought out and guarded by powerful Trainers. After all, this was an important storyline in the games.

  In parison, was it so unreasohat food could enable Pokémon to learn moves? It seemed perfectly logical!

  Naoki hahe Pecha Berry juid steamed eggs to the girl and her Sprigatito. Then, he looked up and noticed that Rid Litleo had already left.

  For Pokémon that weren't Fire-type, the boiled pork slices were just ordinary food, and the effects of the juid steamed eggs were unremarkable. So, Naoki wasn't ed about causing any strange side effects.

  As time passed, the crowd in the cherry orchard grew, and Naoki became busy. Koraidon and Cyclizar, uanding his needs, also helped out.

  During this time, Mayor Thomas Cvell came by to che things. But seeing Naoki busy, he didn't interrupt, instead standing quietly at a distand .

  Witnessing this se, he was genuinely happy for Naoki. It was good hat the long-abandoned ranch erational again, and it was heartwarming to see that the young man had emerged from the shadow of losing his parents.

  ...

  Pecha Berry juice, steamed eggs, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes were very mu lih the tastes of the Paldean people. The popurity of these three dishes exceeded Naoki's expectations, and they sold out quickly.

  In the end, only a few servings of boiled pork slices remained.

  Gradually, evening approached, and the Cherry Blossom Festival drew to a close. The visitors began to leave oer another.

  Seeing that there weren't many people around, Naoki sat down and ted the profits from the m.

  "Ohousand, two thousand, three thousand... twelve thousand... eighteen thousand three hundred. Wow, the profit is a bit beyond my expectation." Naoki leasantly surprised.

  Even after dedug the costs, there was still a profit of 14,000 Pokédolrs.

  Cooking really did make money!

  Naoki even sidered opening a restaurant in town. But after careful thought, he decided against it. Running a restaurant required stig to a strict schedule, uhe freedom of being a rancher, where he could wake up whenever he wanted and do as he pleased after pleting his daily chores. Naoki usually used this free time to py with the Pokémon on the ranch.

  "Thank you all for your hard work!" Naoki put away the staoney and looked at the Pokémon around him with a smile.

  After pying for most of the day, the Nacli, Alcremie, and Smoliv were a bit tired and even starting to doze off. Seeing this, Naoki returhem to their Poké Balls so they could rest.

  Only Koraidon remained outside.

  Naoki started pag up, preparing to return to the ranch.

  Just then, Elisio, the owner of the cherry orchard, approached with a bottle of wine. "Hey, Naoki, thank you so much for ing to the Cherry Blossom Festival today. This is the fruit wine we made from the cherries in the orchard. Take it bad enjoy it!"

  "Oh?" Naoki was slightly taken abad subsciously wao refuse.

  But Elisio spoke first, "Please don't refuse. This is a gift from me. You have no idea hoy I was when I heard from Mayor that the ranch was reopened. Please take care of me iure!"

  "Mr. Elisio, this is a dish I made myself. Please, have a taste!" Naoki offered a portion of the boiled pork slices.

  Elisio, with his bold and generous personality, just like his rugged beard, readily accepted. He opehe tainer, picked up a pieeat, and popped it into his mouth.

  A moment ter, he gave a thumbs up and excimed, "Delicious!"

  Naoki smiled in response.

  As Elisio left, another elderly man with white hair approached.

  He held a bag of cheese and said to Naoki, "Hello, I'm Matsuda, the rancher from Three Rivers Ranch. This cheese is a specialty of our ranch. Could I trade it for one of your dishes.?"

  He had smelled the spicy aroma from afar, and Matsuda, a lover of spicy food, had been salivating ever since.

  "Of course," Naoki nodded with a smile, uanding the man's iion.

  He turned and saw an old woman at the stall across from him. After a moment's thought, he took out another dish and ha over. After all, the cheese Matsuda offered was quite rge, far exceeding the value of a single dish.

  Matsuda happily accepted, and the two exged their goods. Naoki kept the cheese and, seeing that there were still three servings of boiled pork slices left, decided to share them with the remaining stall owners.

  o him was a girl selling desserts.

  When Naoki shared the food with her, the girl handed him a yellow box with a smile. Her voice leasant as she said, "These are Poké Puffs from our dessert shop."

  "Poké Puffs?" Naoki inquired.

  The girl nodded. "It's a snack that Pokémon really love! Just feed this to your partner Pokémon, and they'll happily go on adventures with you. I'm giving them to you! I saw you have many Pokémon around, so you must hem!"

  Naoki turned and looked at Koraidon beside him, then smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

  The girl chuckled and said, "I own a dessert shop in town. If you ever want to buy some snacks for your Pokémon, you fihere!"

  Snacks? Naoki thought about his newfound ability. What would happen if he made Poké Puffs himself?

  The girl tinued, "Also, if you ever want to make snacks for your Pokémon yourself, feel free to e to my shop."

  Naoki's i iqued, and he nodded in agreement. "Okay."

  , he shared the st tws of boiled pork slices with the remaining stall owners, receiving a bag of handmade cookies and a Pikachu mask from each of them.

  In the evening, the setting sun paihe sky a vibrant red. Naoki, wearing the Pikachu mask, asked Koraidon, "How's this? Look cool?"

  Koraidon: "Gaah."

  Naoki also felt that the Pikachu mask wasly "cool," but he put it away anyway.

  Theuro the ranch with the items he had exged from other stall owners: a bottle of cherry wine, a piece of cheese, a box of Poké Puffs, a bag of cookies, and the Pikachu mask.

  By the time Koraidon nded in the pasture, it was almost dark.

  Naoki put his things away, stood up, and checked on the ranch. Before leaving, he had filled the Skiddo's trough with grass dumplings and feed, and there was still some left. Remembering their voracious appetites, Naoki added more dumplings to the trough.

  After that, he went to the chi coop, fed the hens, and refilled their water trough.

  Once everything was taken care of, Naoki returo the , had a simple dinner, and then colpsed into his bed. He reached out to turn off the light, petting Koraidon's rge head as it nuzzled close.

  What a fulfilling day. Time for bed!