https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-198-The-Glass-Greenhouse-and-the-Cellphone-Rotom/12537229/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-200-I-Like-Gurdurr-and-Everyone-Else-Too/12537231/
Chapter 199: A Tea Party in the Secret Garden
Chapter 199: A Tea Party in the Secret Garden
After seeing off the three inexperienced trainers, Naoki turned his attention to building a glass greenhouse.
Upon much consideration, he decided to adopt a dual approach.
Not only would he construct a flower rack, but he also planned to build a separate, insulated glass greenhouse.
The flower rack was intended for people, while the glass greenhouse would be specifically for Combee and Butterfree.
During the frigid winter months, when snow blanketed the land, even the hardiest of grasses struggled to grow, let alone delicate flowers.
This season posed a significant challenge for Combee and Butterfree.
Dependent on nectar for their survival, finding food during this time would be impossible.
Naoki had no idea how wild Combee and Butterfree coped with this predicament.
But now that he was here, he certainly wasn't going to stand idly by and let them suffer.
And so, he prepared to build a glass greenhouse.
Come winter, he could relocate the Combee hives and Butterfree cases into the warm confines of the greenhouse.
There, he would place potted plants and flowers, along with special honey purchased from town, ensuring the Pokemon could comfortably weather the harsh season.
Naoki was adept with his hands.
That very afternoon, he sawed and assembled several wooden planks, crafting a large flower rack.
The flower field was now a vibrant tapestry of hues, boasting hydrangeas, roses, monthlies, lilies, and orchid-like Pokemon flowers with unpronounceable names, which Naoki had bought purely for their aesthetic appeal.
The next step was figuring out how to move the flower rack into the field.
Naoki strolled alongside Brother Ai Guanshi at the edge of the flower field, contemplating potential solutions while explaining his thoughts to his perplexed companion.
"...I want to create a garden where I can sip tea and admire the flowers," he mused. "A place to relax during my leisure time."
"Ai Yi?"
At these words, Brother Ai Guanshi suddenly recalled a similar spot back at the manor.
It piped up excitedly, "Ai Yi!"
"Hmm?" Naoki turned towards it. "Do you have an idea?"
"Ai Yi," Brother Ai Guanshi nodded affirmatively.
It gazed contemplatively at the lush flower field before speaking, "Ai Yi... Ai Yi."
Noticing the telltale signs of inflammation on his mouth, Naoki fished out a piece of translated melon seed cake from his pocket and popped it into his mouth.
Brother Ai Guanshi repeated, "Ai Yi... Ai Yi." (First, move the flowers out of the way, then bring in the flower rack, and finally, lay a path of gravel.)
"Gravel?" Naoki nodded thoughtfully. "That's a great idea. Thank you, Ai Guanshi."
Brother Ai Guanshi nodded modestly, not one to boast.
Now that they had a plan, the next step was to relocate the flowers.
Conveniently, Naoki intended to build a greenhouse, providing the perfect new home for the displaced flowers.
After a moment's thought, Naoki called over to the curious Gorebyss and Crawdaunt, who had been observing from a distance. He instructed them to fetch empty flower pots from the storage room, and soon, he began carefully digging up the flowers.
The Butterfree and Combee, busy collecting nectar, paid little mind to this activity, trusting that Naoki meant them no harm.
Brother Ai Guanshi stood by, watching for a while before silently turning and leaving.
Back in the house, he quietly conferred with his sister, who was busy baking Pokeblocks.
Sister Ai Guanshi blinked, then paused her work to retrieve several green Lecan Berries from the tree fruit storage.
These berries possessed the remarkable ability to cure any status condition.
She skillfully juiced the berries and poured the vibrant green liquid into a cup, which she then handed to her brother.
And so, when Naoki, covered in dirt from head to toe from transplanting the flowers, returned to the grassy area outside, he found a cup of freshly squeezed juice waiting for him on the small table where he had previously enjoyed his tea.
He knew exactly who to thank for this thoughtful gesture.
Since the Ai Guanshi siblings had joined him, these little acts of kindness and pleasant surprises had become a regular occurrence.
Gratefully, he drank the juice, then headed back inside to place a call to Cli. Using the video phone, he ordered a batch of gravel and mortar for paving.
Cli happened to be free that day, so she promptly delivered the supplies after receiving Naoki's order.
Moreover, upon learning of his plans, she stayed to offer guidance and assistance.
By 5 p.m., the construction in the flower field was complete.
A large section had been cleared from the center of the formerly square flower field, and Brother Ai Guanshi, using telekinetic powers, had effortlessly positioned the massive flower rack in the newly created space.
When that day came, the gravel path and flower rack would be concealed by lush vines and vibrant blooms, creating a natural secret garden.
Naoki couldn't help but anticipate this beautiful scene, and he expressed his gratitude to Cli, "I really have to thank you for this!"
Cli smiled gently, "No need to thank me. Besides, you've already paid me."
"..." Naoki trailed off.
Remembering the glass greenhouse, he added, "Oh, by the way, I also plan to build a glass greenhouse on the ranch, one with heating."
"A glass greenhouse?" Cli pondered for a moment before responding, "That's possible, but we're out of glass construction materials at the store. The next batch is on its way and should arrive by mid-month. If you can wait, I'll deliver them to you then."
"Sure," Naoki nodded. "As long as it's ready before winter sets in."
His gaze shifted to the nearby Heracross and Combee in the distance.
Cli followed his gaze and quickly guessed what he was thinking.
"Of course," she smiled softly. Waving goodbye, she added, "Well, it's getting late. We should be off! See you later!"
"See you later!" Naoki called out.
No sooner had Cli left than Zack arrived at the ranch in his truck.
Naoki loaded several large buckets of cow and sheep milk, along with bags of rock salt, into the truck. Glancing at the carriage filled with golden pumpkins, he remarked,
"Looks like you had a great harvest today!"
Zack laughed heartily, "Yes! This autumn, the crops in all of Soothing Town are thriving! We've had favorable weather and no natural disasters. It's all thanks to the blessing of the Lurking King!"
As he spoke, Zack's expression turned mysterious, "Hey, did you hear about the neighboring town? Their harvest this year isn't doing so well. Remember those heavy rainstorms last summer? Their fields were flooded!"
"It's strange, just a few kilometers away, and we didn't get nearly as much rain."
"... " Naoki turned his head silently to look at the Haxorus and Salamence in the distance. He couldn't help but wonder if the legends were true—were they really beings that could control the weather?
Was it because of the Haxorus and Salamence that Soothing Town had been spared from flooding?
Zack's eyes widened as if he'd just thought of something, and he asked in amazement, "Could it be that the Lurking King is protecting us?"
In Zack's mind, the Lurking King was brought here by Naoki, and everyone followed his lead in worshipping it. Perhaps no one knew more about the Lurking King than Naoki.
Naoki offered a polite smile, "To be honest, I'm not sure either. I've never actually seen the Lurking King myself; I've only heard the legends. All I know is that it's supposed to be an incredibly powerful Pokemon."
"I see." Zack thought for a moment, then added, "I have to share this with the other farmers! They need to know about the Lurking King's blessings."
Go for it! The Lurking King would probably appreciate your efforts in spreading its word, Naoki thought.
The Lurking King blesses the harvest, and the Haxorus and Salamence ensure favorable weather. They make an excellent farming duo!
Zack, always full of energy, rushed over and left just as hastily, eager to share the Lurking King with the farmers in the neighboring town, hoping they would worship the King of Abundance and receive its blessings as well.
As Naoki watched Zack's departing figure until it disappeared from view, he made his way to the lake's edge, where several Haxorus were soaking in the water. "Is it you who brings fair weather to the ranch?" he asked.
"Hmm?"
The Haxorus looked at him with puzzled expressions, seeming unsure of what he was asking.
Naoki smiled as he patted their heads gently, "If people knew about this, they would be incredibly grateful. Not only that, but they might even offer you their crops and food as thanks."
Just like in the stories, where people worshipping Haxorus would toss offerings into the lakes where they dwell.
The Haxorus, however, seemed unsure about all this, as they hadn't really done anything.
"Hmm," Naoki mused, thinking to himself, "Maybe it's because of the unique auras of the five Haxorus and the three Salamence gathered here?"
Perhaps those auras were influencing the weather in the surrounding area...
Just like in the manga, the Dragon's Sanctuary of the Yulong Family, where flowers bloomed in all four seasons due to the influence of the Dragon's power of the sanctuary's guardian Salamence.
Dinner that evening was once again prepared by Ai Guanshi, who had spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen baking Pokeblocks.
The diligent Ai Guanshi had made not one, but two large boxes of Pokeblocks, which it then shared with the Pokemon on the ranch, especially the two wild Haxorus and the five Hakuron.
Feeling the gratitude and happiness of the Pokemon, Ai Guanshi was delighted and promised to make more Pokeblocks whenever they wanted.
Watching this exchange, Naoki was at a loss for words.
He swore he wasn't intentionally exploiting Ai Guanshi to have it bake Pokeblocks to feed the two wild Haxorus!
The wild Haxorus, overjoyed with their favorite treat, happily carried the Pokeblocks and set off with the five Hakuron to return to Dragon Island.
Seeing this, Naoki was perplexed and quickly called out to stop the departing Pokemon, asking, "Why are you leaving so soon?"
The wild Haxorus blinked and replied, "Roar!"
Naoki popped a translation melon seed into his mouth and heard the Haxorus say:
"We promised the Hakuron and Dratini on the island that we would return every evening with food so they wouldn't worry!"
The other wild Haxorus added, "Those Dratini said that when they grow up, they want to come over here too!"
Once they returned and shared today's events with the other Hakuron and Dratini, they would probably want to come to the ranch to work as well.
Naoki: "..."
"Alright then, be careful on your way back!"
Seeing that they wanted to share the Pokeblocks with the other dragons, Naoki brought out two Pokeblock boxes filled to the brim and handed them over:
"From now on, these boxes are your paychecks. After each day's work, you'll receive a full box of Pokeblocks."
Hearing this, the eyes of the two wild Haxorus lit up.
They hugged the Pokeblock boxes close and set off on their journey back, filled with anticipation for the future.
Naoki wasn't worried, as with the Haxorus' speed, they could return to Dragon Island in just over ten minutes if they flew at their fastest.
As for why it took him longer to get to Dragon Island, it was because flying at such high speeds on a Haxorus made him feel nauseous.
After dinner, it was time for the pub to open for business.
Naoki didn't go over this time, opting to stay home and watch TV with Gorebyss instead.
He had been snacking on a lot of melon seed cakes lately, and feeling a bit overheated, he decided to control his intake. Even if he went to the pub, he wouldn't be able to understand the Pokemon's conversations anyway.
However, midway through the evening, he heard the sound of a police siren outside.
Naoki's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly got up to investigate.
To his surprise, he saw the familiar figure of Miss Junsha riding her motorcycle with her Growlithe in tow, arriving at the pub.
However, today, the Growlithe didn't go inside the pub but remained by Miss Junsha's side, seemingly intending to accompany her on a task.
"Sorry for the disturbance!" Miss Junsha greeted Naoki and then explained, "I'll park my bike here for now, and then I'll bring Growlithe over to the pub for a drink later."
Naoki immediately thought of the villains in anime who stole others' Pokemon, and his heart skipped a beat. "Are there any Pokemon hunters around?"
Miss Junsha paused, realizing what he was implying, and then laughed, shaking her head. "No, nothing like that. Soothing Town is known for its excellent security. There aren't any Pokemon hunters here. We're actually heading out to patrol the mountains today."
Hearing this response, Naoki breathed a sigh of relief. "Patrol?"
"Yes!" Miss Junsha nodded gently. "It's autumn now, and there are a lot of dry leaves in the mountains. Some trainers occasionally camp there, and there are also wild Fire-type Pokemon. They might accidentally start a wildfire if they're not careful."
"So, I go on patrols in the mountains every evening during this season to prevent any fires from breaking out."
Naoki thought of the scenes of forest fires and nodded. "That makes sense. Thank you for your hard work."
"As long as that doesn't happen, everything will be fine," Miss Junsha said softly, her expression turning serious.
"Winter is almost here, and if a fire breaks out, not only will Pokemon be in danger, but the fire will also destroy the food sources in the mountains. Even if the Pokemon survive, they will have a difficult time getting through the winter without food, so this task is extremely important."
Growlithe nodded solemnly, letting out a determined "Woof!"
(End of Chapter)
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