Chapter 146: Housekeeper Pokemon

Chapter 146: Housekeeper Pokemon

The next morning, Naoki stood by the fields, watching a Dragonite watering the crops, when Evan suddenly rode into view on his Motocycle.

From a distance, he excitedly shouted to Naoki, "Naoki, I've got news about what you asked me to do the other day!"

Naoki was taken aback for a moment, wondering what task Evan could be referring to.

Then he remembered that during the Spring Horse Racing event, he had asked Evan to help him look for a housekeeper Pokemon.

Housekeeper Pokemon...

Intrigued, Naoki urged, "Tell me more!"

Evan jumped off his Motocycle and explained, "Here's the thing. A few days ago, I received a letter asking me to deliver it to someone in the neighboring city of Seafoam."

"The sender lives in a huge mansion, and when I was there, I heard that the owner of the mansion is looking for someone suitable to take care of two Pokebutlers!"

"I immediately thought of your need for a housekeeper Pokemon! So I specifically asked about it. An elderly gentleman, looking rather frail, received me and inquired about you. He then invited us to come and visit when we have the time."

Pokebutlers? And two of them?

Naoki's face lit up with surprise. "Two?"

Evan nodded. "Yes, two Pokebutlers with extensive housekeeping experience!"

Naoki was puzzled. "Why would someone give away such capable Pokemon?"

Evan shook his head. "I don't know about that. The only requirement he mentioned was that they be well taken care of. Whenever you have the time, we can go and take a look."

"I'm free right now," Naoki said as he turned back towards the house to change his clothes. "Which city did you say it was?"

"Seafoam City," Evan replied. "It's quite close to our place. We can get there within two hours riding on the Motocyles."

"Alright," Naoki nodded.

He went back inside, changed his clothes, grabbed some spare change and his backpack, and left instructions for Corleton to take care of the ranch while he was away. He wouldn't be back until the afternoon, but he assured them there was food in the fridge for lunch.

Corleton nodded obediently, not showing any signs of jealousy.

"Be a good boy," Naoki patted its head. "I'll make something tasty for you later."

He then mounted his Motocycle, just like Evan, and they set off towards their destination.

Along the way, Naoki asked curiously, "Don't you have work today?"

Evan looked confused. "It's the weekend! The post office is closed for two days, so no work!"

Naoki: "..."

He had completely forgotten about that.

Evan laughed. "Have you been living alone for so long that you've forgotten the dates?"

"No," Naoki replied honestly. "I just didn't expect you to get two days off at once, and no overtime either. It's really enviable."

Evan was speechless. "Is ranch work that tiring?"

"Not really," Naoki said.

With so many Pokemon helping out, his daily tasks were quite relaxed. It only got busier during planting and harvesting seasons, and of course, there was the constant task of preparing large quantities of food.

Although it was tiring, seeing all the Pokemon living happily on the ranch brought him a sense of fulfillment.

He just felt that this world was so much more relaxed than his previous life—no overtime, a two-day weekend, things a corporate slave in his previous life could only dream of, unless they were in a specific line of work.

But he couldn't very well explain that to Evan, so he changed the subject. "I've never been to Seafoam City before!"

Evan didn't think much of it and just smiled at the comment. "Seafoam City is much bigger than our Dewford Town! It's a famous water city, also known as the Land of Water."

Naoki recalled the map of the Hoenn region in his mind.

Dewford Town was located in the northwestern part of the map, while Seafoam City sat right in the central region, next to the massive Meteor Falls, with a vast desert separating it from Dewford Town.

With that in mind, Naoki asked, "Do we need to go through the Scorched Desert?"

Evan shook his head. "No need. The desert is too dangerous, with aggressive Pokemon and a harsh climate. We'll take the main road; it was built by the Pokemon League, so there aren't any threatening Pokemon, and it's safe to travel on."

Naoki nodded and left it at that.

The two rode along the main road.

Because of Evan's earlier comment, Naoki paid closer attention to the roadside Pokemon and found, just as Evan had said, that they were mostly small in size, gentle, and non-aggressive.

Occasionally, they passed by trucks, backpackers camping in the fields, or trainers engaging in Pokemon battles.

When riding at full speed, the Motocyle's velocity was comparable to that of a real motorcycle, reaching up to 120 km/h.

Time passed, the sun rose higher, and the air grew warmer. Finally, a bustling city came into view.

"We're here!" Evan exclaimed happily.

Naoki looked up and saw that Seafoam City was perched on a cliff, and due to the terrain, the city was divided into three layers.

Indeed, even from a distance, the grandeur and majesty of the Pyre Trench were evident, and he wondered what it would be like inside.

Naoki was curious to explore it, but he doubted he would be permitted to do so.

The two companions entered Pacifidlog Town, and Naoki dismounted from his Motizard, which transformed into its bipedal form to accompany him as they strolled through the streets.

The roads were paved with blue and white tiles, and at intervals, they passed beautiful fountain parks, with massive water displays connecting the different levels of the city.

People in revealing bikinis and shorts casually strolled about, enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Evan smiled as he took in the scene, "Look, isn't it vibrant?"

"Yeah!"

Naoki nodded in agreement. Pacifidlog Town gave him the impression of being in a water-themed city like Venice, with water features everywhere.

However, they didn't have much time to admire the scenery. Taking the elevator to the third level, Evan turned a corner and navigated through the bustling downtown area until they reached a luxurious mansion.

Two guards stood at the entrance, and as the pair approached, Evan explained the purpose of their visit.

Upon hearing this, the guard on the left gave Naoki a brief glance before stepping aside and opening the gate. He respectfully said, "The master has been expecting you for a long time. Please come in."

'Master'... what an unusual title, Naoki thought to himself.

He followed Evan into the mansion, and his first impression of the place was that it was enormous.

Evan whispered, "I was startled the first time I came here too! But don't worry, the owner here is very kind and doesn't have the airs of a wealthy snob like you see on TV."

Naoki nodded and continued on, but soon they found themselves lost in the vast estate.

Evan: "Hmm, that's odd. Did I remember the way wrong? This doesn't look familiar."

As they stood amidst the sprawling garden maze, Naoki finally realized something was amiss.

He asked, "Didn't you have a guide the last time you came here?"

Indeed, they hadn't encountered a single person during their walk.

Evan: "Yes, there were quite a few people here last time! Gardeners trimming the hedges, butlers in black tailcoats, maids watering the plants..."

As he spoke, a realization suddenly struck him: "Wait, why isn't there anyone here today?"

Naoki's mind drifted to movie plots, and he asked, "Could this be a ghost mansion? Like in those films where everyone is a ghost luring people in to kill them."

Just then, a chilly wind blew past, as if something unseen was watching them from the shadows.

Evan shuddered in fear, "Don't scare me like that!"

Even the two Motizards behind them seemed spooked, trembling as they muttered, "Roar..."

Naoki: "I'm just joking..."

Evan sighed in relief.

Naoki continued, "But ghosts do exist in this world."

Evan and the two Motizards widened their eyes, their curiosity battling with their fear as they wandered through the garden maze.

"Have you seen one?" Evan asked.

Naoki nodded, "Yes, when I was traveling in the Galar region."

He then proceeded to recount a tale of how he had encountered a ghost girl and helped deliver a letter to an old friend, only to discover that the friend was now a senior citizen in their sixties or seventies.

The elderly man had shared that the ghost girl was his childhood sweetheart, whom he hadn't seen since they were young.

Naoki explained, "This suggests that the girl had died when she was still a child, and her ghost continued to wander the streets."

Upon hearing this story, Evan hugged his Motizard tightly, spooked by the tale.

Naoki found it amusing, "Is it that scary?"

Evan and his Motizard nodded simultaneously.

Naoki was about to say something more, but as he turned, he noticed that his own Motizard also looked frightened.

"Roar..."

"Don't be scared!"

Naoki patted the Motizard's shoulder and held its claw, comforting it in this unusual way.

Seeing that his Motizard had calmed down, he continued walking while saying, "Actually, that ghost girl didn't have any malicious intentions. They say the ghosts you fear are those of people you desperately miss but can never see again."

"And after I delivered the letter for her, she even gave me a gift—a spirit cloth with incredible power."

"So, when you think about it like that, it's not so scary, right?" Naoki shrugged, although he knew these were just experiences from his time in the game.

Evan felt a little better after hearing this, and as he pondered these words, he nodded, "True."

As he was about to say something more, the two of them finally made their way through the garden maze and reached a beautiful fountain on a lawn in front of them.

Naoki was surprised to see these rare Pokemon, but his attention soon turned to the small creature they were surrounding.

Aiden spotted it too - it was a Meowth.

To be precise, an injured Meowth.

"It's hurt!" Aiden exclaimed.

The group of Pokemon turned their heads, their curiosity piqued, but they didn't seem afraid of the strangers.

Naoki approached cautiously and inspected the Meowth's injuries. Finding it weak, he pulled out a bottle of restorative juice from his backpack, originally meant for his Motostoke Pokedex but now put to better use.

The Meowth guzzled the juice, and its wounds healed at a visible rate.

The surrounding Pokemon watched in awe, their gazes turning to the humans with curiosity.

Meowth stood up and meowed.

Seeing its newfound energy, Naoki smiled and said, "All better. Just be more careful next time, okay?"

"Meowth!"

The group of Pokemon scampered off, disappearing into the garden maze to play a game of hide-and-seek.

Watching this heartwarming scene, Aiden once again felt the extravagance of the ranch owner:

"This entire garden maze must be for these Pokemon to play in, right?"

Naoki nodded, "It would seem so."

He made a mental note to consider building a small maze on his own ranch for similar fun activities.

Aiden mumbled, "This place is something else!"

Naoki smiled and looked up at the building ahead, "Let's go. That should be our destination."

As they rounded the fountain, they finally spotted a third person aside from themselves.

It was a maid, wearing an apron and holding a broom as she swept the area.

Naoki approached and politely introduced himself and the purpose of their visit.

The maid smiled and nodded, turning with her broom, "Please follow me. The master has been expecting you."

Something about her statement struck Naoki as odd, and he glanced at Aiden, but the latter seemed oblivious.

The two followed the maid into the grand villa.

As they entered, Naoki spotted an elderly man sitting on a sofa in the villa's grand foyer. He wore a blue kimono, his hair was white, and his face was etched with wrinkles, giving him a weary look. On either side of him stood a pair of similar-looking Pokemon.

These Pokemon had two horns on their heads, one pointing upward and the other downward.

The one with upward-pointing horns had its eyes half-lidded, expressionless, while its counterpart had a gentle expression, a slight upward tilt to its mouth, and a smile that exuded warmth and likability.

Wobbuffets...

Naoki recognized the Pokemon, one male and one female.

They stood respectfully by the elderly man's side, their eyes on the newcomers.

"Are those the ones?" Naoki wondered silently.

Led by the maid, they approached the old man.

"You're finally here," the old man said, gesturing for them to sit.

They nodded and took a seat on the sofa opposite him.

"Hello," Naoki greeted politely. "I'm Naoki, and I run a ranch in Bruswood Town. This is my partner and assistant, Aiden."

The old man, Sato, nodded slightly, murmuring, "A ranch owner..."

After a moment's pause, he continued, "Just call me Sato. What do you think? Is he up for it?"

He turned to the Wobbuffets and asked for their opinion.

The male Wobbuffet on the left nodded calmly.

The female Wobbuffet on the right looked at Naoki and offered him a gentle smile, "Wob!"

Seeing their reaction, Sato laughed, "Good, good. I think he'll do a fine job of taking care of those two."

"Hmm?" Naoki was confused by the statement, "Pardon me, Mr. Sato, but what do you mean by that?"

Sato understood the source of his confusion and laughed, shaking his head, "They've been with me for over twenty years. I could never part with them, but the ones I want to give up for adoption are their children."

"To be blunt, Naoki, when you arrived, I set a little test for you, and you passed."

Naoki was taken aback, immediately thinking of the injured Meowth by the fountain.

Sato smiled, "Your willingness to help a stranger's Pokemon shows your kindness and compassion."

"And the ghost story you told in the garden was quite captivating... The ghosts you fear are those you once cherished deeply but can never see again. How true!"

Sato trailed off, lost in thought for a moment, before continuing,

"Of course, what's more important is how you comforted Aiden when he was scared. You were patient and reassuring, and that's what these Pokemon need."

"Since many Pokemon like to play there, I had surveillance cameras installed for their safety."

Naoki shook his head. "It's alright."

"In that case, please follow me!" The elderly man stood up and led the way.

Naoki and Evan exchanged glances before following him, eventually arriving in a very cozy nursery.

There, Naoki saw two Pokebutlers playing with toys.

They were tiny, appearing to have been born not long ago.

The elderly man introduced them, "These are their children, born just two weeks ago. They're a brother and sister pair. Would you like to come and greet them?"

Naoki nodded and immediately crouched down in front of the two Pokebutlers.

The siblings sensed the unfamiliar aura and turned to look at the stranger.

The female Pokebutler widened her eyes and then flashed a naive smile. "Nya~!"

Her brother, though still young, had an expression that resembled a miniature adult. Seeing his sister's enthusiastic reaction to the stranger, he wore a disapproving look.

Naoki took out two bottles of juice milk and two Lucky Pudding treats from his backpack.

Instead of feeding them right away, he turned to ask, "Mr. Sato, may I give them some snacks?"

The elderly man and the two adult Pokebutlers stood by, watching his interaction with the young Pokemon, and nodded in response. "Of course."

With their permission, Naoki fed the juice milk and Lucky Pudding to the young Pokemon.

He inserted a straw, and the female Pokebutler, scenting the delicious milk, reached out to hold the bottle, intuitively sucking on it.

"Nya~!" She took a big gulp before pausing.

Naoki then opened the packaging of the Lucky Pudding and fed it to her.

The female Pokebutler happily accepted it and, after devouring the entire pudding, her gaze softened as she looked at him.

"Nya! Nya!"

The female Pokebutler waved her hands, asking for a hug.

Naoki reached out and picked her up, feeling the soft and fluffy texture in his hands, and his movements naturally became very gentle.

"Don't you want some?" Naoki looked at the male Pokebutler.

The male Pokebutler had his eyes half-closed, still wearing a disapproving expression as he looked at his sister.

Naoki pushed the bottle towards him with his other hand. "Try some?"

Seeing the milk bottle so close, the male Pokebutler hesitated, smelling the milk wafting from it.

"Glurp!"

He quietly swallowed his saliva, and eventually, he couldn't resist taking a sip.

Witnessing this, Naoki burst into cheerful laughter.

They were quite adorable.

However, upon hearing his laughter, the male Pokebutler immediately reverted to his miniature adult expression, blushing as he turned away, pretending nothing had happened.

Naoki didn't say anything further and simply played with the female Pokebutler for a while.

The two adult Pokebutlers standing behind them looked on with gentle gazes, whispering softly to each other.

"Aye."

"Aye~"

Hearing their exchange, a gentle smile appeared on the elderly man's face as well. "It seems the siblings really like him."

He turned to the two Pokebutlers and asked again, "Are you sure? Is it him?"

The two Pokebutlers nodded seriously.

"Aye."

---

After playing for about ten minutes, the female Pokebutler grew tired and fell asleep alongside her brother.

They were still very young and needed ample rest every day.

The group returned to the living room downstairs.

The elderly man spoke, "If possible, I'd like to wait until they are old enough to do chores before handing them over to you. Firstly, we will teach them household tasks during this time, and secondly, I want the adult Pokebutlers to watch over the children as they grow up, so they can be at ease."

"Of course, no problem." Naoki readily agreed without hesitation.

He also liked the two young Pokebutlers, but letting them grow up with their parents was essential for the siblings.

Seeing his willingness, the elderly man was delighted. "Then, please give me your address, and when they are grown, I will send them to your ranch within two months at most."

Pokemon grew up quickly, and in the case of Pokebutlers, they could go from a small to a regular size within three months.

"Alright." Naoki had no objections and provided the detailed address of his ranch. Finally, he asked, "Do I need to pay a deposit or anything?"

"That won't be necessary." The elderly man gently shook his head. "We only have one request: take good care of the two young Pokebutlers."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end