https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-26-Butterscotch-Cream-Fruit-Cake/12537007/
Chapter 25: The Ranch Starts to Liven Up
Chapter 25: The Ranch Starts to Liven Up
Naoki scattered feed into the trough in the chicken coop.
Three hens and a rooster, attracted by the scent, sauntered over to the trough and began to eat.
"Looks like they've settled in nicely," remarked the girl, a smile playing on her lips as she observed the chickens. "Well then, Mr. Naoki, I'll be taking my leave. If you need anything, you can call the store. Our number is 9573868."
"I... haven't gotten around to buying a phone yet," Naoki admitted.
The girl froze, clearly taken aback by this revelation. "Ah?"
Naoki chuckled and asked, "I could always drop by the store if I need anything, right?"
She nodded vigorously. "Of course!"
After going over a few more things to keep in mind, the girl donned her straw hat and rode off on her small tricycle, leaving the ranch.
Naoki stood in the chicken coop, watching the chickens.
While hens could lay unfertilized eggs without the presence of a rooster, those eggs couldn't hatch. Only eggs resulting from mating with a rooster could bring forth new life.
This was precisely why Naoki had made sure to purchase a rooster along with the hens.
The three hens were healthy adults, ready to start laying eggs.
This meant that starting tomorrow, he could expect a minimum of three eggs a day.
"Hmm, eggs don't sell for much," Naoki mused to himself. "The best option is to use all three for hatching."
That way, by the time the crops outside matured, the ranch would have three new additions to its family.
The newly built chicken coop was a bit disheveled, so Naoki picked up a pitchfork and tidied up the hay piled by the door, moving it to a corner.
As he finished this task, Naoki found himself glancing down at his attire.
The brown overalls, coupled with the pitchfork slung over his shoulder, gave him the appearance of a bona fide country farmer.
Setting aside the pitchfork, Naoki exited the chicken coop, making sure to close the door behind him to prevent the hens from wandering off.
On his way back to the wooden house, Naoki pondered the girl's earlier words. "Aside from Pokemon and crops, I'll need to work on completing the basic facilities on the ranch."
Things like a telephone, television, record player, and computer came to mind.
A telephone would allow him to stay in touch with people in town.
Television would keep him informed about news and events beyond the ranch.
A record player, on the other hand, would provide a means of cultural enrichment, and playing a serene nocturne on rainy days when outdoor work wasn't feasible could be a pleasant form of entertainment.
As for a computer...
It would enable Naoki to swiftly look up necessary information, and it would also facilitate communication with online friends from far-off regions like Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Alola.
However, based on the original owner's memories, these items didn't come cheap. For now, addressing his own basic needs and those of his Pokemon took precedence over building entertainment amenities.
Regardless, he was determined to forge ahead toward a brighter tomorrow.
Naoki's heart swelled with motivation.
Back at the wooden house, Gouleston and Motostoke had returned.
Across from them, Cremnant and Minicorn trembled in fear.
Upon spotting Naoki, the two smaller Pokemon scurried behind him, each clinging to one of his legs and peeking out from behind with half their heads visible.
Naoki stood there, unsure what to say.
Gouleston, looking perplexed, let out a confused "Graw?"
Apparently, they were intimidated by it. But what was so scary about him? Gouleston glanced down at his body and then at the docile Motostoke by his side. It's just a slight change in appearance...
Naoki crouched down and gave Cremnant and Minicorn a reassuring pat on their heads. "Relax, it won't hurt you. Gouleston is a friend."
Gouleston stood there, allowing them to inspect him.
After a long while, Cremnant and Minicorn exchanged a glance.
"Mama..."
"Fufu..."
It seemed they were truly not going to be eaten?
Upon seeing this, Gouleston, in a very human-like gesture, patted his chest with his large claw.
"Graaw! Graar!"
See? See?
The fear in Cremnant and Minicorn's eyes vanished, replaced by innocent and pure smiles.
"Mama~"
"Fufu~"
Naoki had no idea what these Pokemon were saying.
But seeing their expressions, he could tell that they weren't as afraid of Gouleston anymore. He picked them up, one on each side, and brought them into the wooden house.
"This will be our home from now on!" Naoki surveyed their new surroundings and asked, "Where would you like to stay?"
He was giving them the choice to decide for themselves.
Cremnant and Minicorn understood Naoki's intention and began to look around, inspecting their new home while also choosing a suitable place to settle down.
Soon enough, Minicorn made her choice—the windowsill above Naoki's desk.
The spot was within the range of sunlight, and a gentle breeze occasionally blew in from outside, making it the perfect place for a Grass-type Pokemon that relied on photosynthesis to sustain its energy.
Naoki nodded and placed Minicorn on the windowsill, then turned to Cremnant.
"What about you?"
Cremnant's eyes landed on the cabinets in the kitchen area, and they shone with anticipation. "Ma!"
"The cabinets?" Naoki raised an eyebrow and walked over with Cremnant. He opened the cabinet, revealing the stored berries and various spices within.
Cremnant jumped in and tucked herself into a small space in the corner of the cabinet.
"Ma!" This was it!
"Er... alright." Initially, Naoki thought the space was a bit too small for Cremnant.
But after considering her natural habitat, he realized there might not be a better place for her than this.
Perhaps due to her fear of being eaten by Pokemon with a sweet tooth, Cremnant instinctively preferred small spaces, as they gave her a sense of security.
"Not a bad choice."
Naoki nodded, inhaling the faintly sweet aroma that hung in the air. He guessed that the cream produced by this particular Cremnant would likely have a caramel flavor.
It had been a while since Naoki last had any sweets, and now, smelling this aroma, a terrible idea popped into his head—he wanted to lick Cremnant.
He quickly shook the thought away and, after settling Cremnant in, turned to check on Minicorn.
Looking at the somewhat empty windowsill, Naoki fell into thought.
Something was missing…
Grass-type Pokemon needed soil and water in addition to sunlight.
That's it! A flowerpot!
Naoki recalled seeing an empty flowerpot in the storeroom behind the wooden house!
He immediately headed there and retrieved the dusty flowerpot, washing it clean under the tap before filling it with soft soil he dug up from the farm.
Naoki placed the flowerpot in front of Minicorn.
Minicorn's face lit up with delight.
She jumped into the flowerpot, burying her tiny feet in the soil, and basked in the sunshine, looking utterly content.
"You certainly know how to enjoy life."
Naoki chuckled softly, placing the flowerpot on the windowsill and opening the window to let the gentle breeze blow in.
(End of Chapter)
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