Chapter 98: Being Jing He's Pokemon Must Be Too Blissful, Right?
Chapter 98: Being Jing He's Pokemon Must Be Too Blissful, Right?
"Skull!"
Come in!
Jing He had gradually gotten used to Gastly's habit of drilling through the door to open it.
Just don't open other people's doors, though.
"This is where you live?"
Cynthia stepped in, curiously looking around the small but cozy house.
Though the house was small, it was well-equipped and spotlessly clean, exuding a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
"The place is small, but don't mind it. Feel free to sit down."
"I won't."
Jing He took off his coat and hung it on the wall, then unslung his small backpack and took out the Pokemon egg incubator, placing it back in its usual spot.
The progress bar on the incubator was very close to the critical point.
"A Pokemon egg?"
Cynthia was a bit surprised. She didn't know that Jing He carried a Pokemon egg with him all the time.
"It's almost hatched. I was worried about leaving the little one alone, so I brought it with me."
"What Pokemon is it?" she asked.
"I have no idea."
Jing He shrugged, feeling a bit helpless. "It was a gift from Zorua's CEO, but even he doesn't know what Pokemon it is. He said he found it by chance during one of his outings."
"Hmm."
Cynthia's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she, along with Vulpix and Gastly, perched on the table, eagerly watching the slightly trembling egg.
She smiled gently.
"You're about to have a new companion."
And another mouth to feed, Jing He muttered to himself.
He walked into the kitchen with the ingredients.
"Skull!"
Gastly wagged its tongue and laughed, "Skull, skull, skull," indicating that it would take good care of and teach the new companion, making it as strong as them!
"Ooh!"
Vulpix chimed in.
Cynthia nodded in approval.
"You two will do a great job."
Unfortunately, Jing He, who was already in the kitchen washing the ingredients, didn't hear this concern.
But his voice soon followed.
"Gastly, Vulpix, don't just sit there. Get something to eat and drink for Cynthia, and show her some hospitality."
At that, Gastly and Vulpix sprang into action.
One floated up to the ceiling and retrieved some of its favorite snacks, while the other ran to the cabinet by the door and brought back a few bottles of Moo Milk.
"Thank you."
Cynthia didn't mind, especially since Gastly's hidden snacks were actually quite tasty, and Moo Milk was a popular drink in the Pokemon world.
"Can I take a look around?"
Cynthia, with a straw in her mouth, approached the kitchen entrance and asked curiously.
Jing He, wearing an apron, pointed to a sign on the door.
It read—
Gastly and other miscellaneous personnel, not allowed to enter.
Cynthia couldn't help but laugh. The word "Gastly" was clearly added later, with a special emphasis.
It seemed Gastly really had a penchant for sucking gas.
"Skull!"
Gastly, floating nearby, stuck out its tongue at the kitchen.
As if it cared.
I'll still come in whenever I want when you're asleep, old man.
Though the kitchen was off-limits, there were no restrictions on the rest of the house.
Cynthia's attention was soon drawn to the "Berry Blender."
"He really does make energy blocks, doesn't he?"
"Ooh!"
Vulpix nodded vigorously.
They're delicious.
So, Jing He wasn't just a Pokemon psychology mentor, an excellent trainer, and a brilliant tactician; he was also a breeder?
And it seemed he had a good understanding of history as well.
How could one person be so proficient in so many things?
Then, Cynthia noticed the neatly arranged "Cheri Berries," "Pecha Berries," and "Oran Berries" on the bedside table.
She couldn't help but giggle, remembering the morning when Jing He was woken up by Gastly's "Lick" and Vulpix's freezing breath.
"Such a warm and amusing scene."
Next, she moved to the desk.
She saw a lot of Jing He's notes.
They included his breeding plans and schedules for Gastly and Vulpix, drafts of his papers, records of various Pokemon psychological cases, and energy block recipes.
The writing was neat and organized.
"Hmm."
Cynthia politely glanced over the notes but didn't read them in detail. Her eyes landed on a report on the desk.
It was a mentor report from the Kanaz Pokemon Academy.
The report outlined that the academy would evaluate the capabilities of its teachers.
This included battle matches for battle mentors, breeding skill assessments for breeding mentors, and a variety of other evaluations for history, psychology, and other subjects.
As the largest and most famous Pokemon academy in the Hoenn region, the Kanaz Pokemon Academy placed great importance on its faculty.
If a teacher's performance was unsatisfactory, they might be dismissed or reassigned to another position.
However, if they excelled, they could be promoted and receive a raise.
The raise was substantial.
At the same time, the academy also offered generous rewards to teachers who excelled in evaluations, including League coins, items, and even Pokemon.
This wasn't just a policy at the Kanaz Pokemon Academy; it was common across most academies in the Pokemon world. The goal was to help teachers provide the best possible education to their students.
Unlike students, who have multiple exams throughout the year, teachers are typically evaluated only once a year.
According to the report, the next evaluation was coming up soon.
"Kak~~"
Gastly pointed at the "Battle Trainer Qualification Exam" section of the report and grinned mischievously.
There were only a few Pokemon psychology mentors at the Kanaz Pokemon Academy, and with Jing He's expertise, passing the exam would be no problem, so he hadn't given it much thought.
But Gastly had been eyeing this "Battle Trainer Qualification Exam" for a while. It was said that the greater the improvement in a teacher's performance, the more generous the rewards.
Moreover, the Kanaz Pokemon Academy's evaluation system wasn't limited to a single subject. The academy encouraged mentors to be versatile.
"Do you want to participate?" Cynthia asked.
"Kak~~"
Gastly pointed at Weavile.
They both had their eyes on it.
"What about Jing He?"
Cynthia glanced at the kitchen, where a delicious aroma was wafting out.
Gastly shrugged.
"Kak~~"
He didn't object, but he didn't agree either. He just said they should wait and see, no rush.
Cynthia smiled.
"Then you should all ask him together. If you show strong interest, I believe he'll agree."
Gastly and Weavile exchanged a glance.
That made sense!
"Dinner's ready."
Jing He emerged from the kitchen, holding a platter.
Gastly and Weavile immediately perked up and dragged Cynthia to the bathroom to wash their hands. Then they eagerly took their seats at the table.
"Kak! ψ(｀)ψ"
Gastly picked up his fork and knife.
"Oo! (˙o˙)"
Weavile tied on an apron.
They were ready for dinner!
The sizzling, aromatic lamb chops were seasoned with cumin and chili.
On the side were small dishes of tart "Pomeg Berries," sour "Kelpsy Berries," and sweet "Cheri Berry" jam, tailored to Cynthia, Gastly, and Weavile's tastes.
A bowl of seafood stew, made with kelp, Mu Tree Fish, sake, and water, featured shrimp, fish, and clams, garnished with shiso leaves for extra flavor.
There was also a portion of eel rice, with thick, sweet sauce and white sesame seeds sprinkled over the eel, which was laid on a bed of rice and topped with a touch of mint to cut the richness.
And, of course, a simple plate of tempura vegetables.
Cynthia's vanilla mille-feuille and Weavile's cheese pancakes were also on the table.
Even Cynthia couldn't help but lick her lips, her eyes widening in surprise.
She had thought Jing He was just a good cook, but this was beyond her expectations!
"Don't just stare. Eat up. If you're too slow, Gastly and Weavile will eat everything."
Jing He waved his hand in front of Cynthia.
"Oh, oh."
Cynthia snapped out of her daze.
Seeing Gastly gnawing on a lamb chop, his mouth dripping with oil, and the usually quiet Weavile now taking big bites, Cynthia's appetite was also whetted.
She picked up a piece of eel and took a small bite, her eyes instantly closing in delight.
At that moment, she had only one thought.
Being Jing He's Pokemon must be incredibly fortunate.
She then tried the crispy tempura vegetables, the bright seafood stew, and the perfectly cooked lamb chops. Before long, her mouth was also coated with a thin layer of oil.
"Looks like it tastes pretty good?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Cynthia nodded.
Seeing her enjoying her meal so much, Jing He smiled. Getting Cynthia to lose her composure over food was a high compliment.
Maybe he could open a restaurant in the future. But if he had to choose, he'd prefer a cafe.
As everyone was immersed in their meal, Weavile's ears suddenly twitched. She licked her oily lips and looked to the side.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing her movement, Jing He asked, following her gaze.
He saw the Poke Egg in the incubator shaking visibly.
The "tap-tap-tap" sound grew clearer.
"Is it... about to hatch?" Cynthia asked slowly.
Jing He couldn't focus on eating anymore. He quickly brought the incubator to the table and carefully removed the shaking egg.
Crack!
A clear, audible crack.
A visible crack appeared on the egg's surface.
The two Pokemon stopped what they were doing and looked at each other.
Cynthia stood up and took a step back.
Pokemon have a special bond with the first person they see when they hatch.
Tap-tap-tap—
The cracking sound grew louder.
The cracks spread wider.
(End of Chapter)
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