"Rhyyy!"
Rhydon scratched its head clumsily, looking utterly puzzled at the three training Pokémon. To it, this whole business of illusions felt far too mysterious and abstract. It still preferred the straightforward simplicity of solving things with its fists.
Seeing there was nothing else to do for now, it turned its bulky frame and lumbered off toward the blacksmith's forge, intending to hammer some iron to warm itself up. The weather really was getting colder by the day.
"It's nearly noon already. I should prepare food for my Pokémon," Aven murmured.
"Now that Mismagius has joined the team, I'll have to make some meals suitable for Ghost-types too."
Fortunately, because of Froslass, he had anticipated this need long ago. He had already stocked up on ingredients used for crafting Ghost-type Pokémon food, even including the Mago Berry.
Casting a glance over the training Pokémon, Aven turned back toward the castle, heading straight into the kitchen and busying himself at once.
At present, aside from correcting the paperwork for his territory, most of his daily time was still spent in two pursuits: cultivating his Pokémon and preparing their food.
For a qualified breeder, meals were never merely about filling stomachs. Each dish could subtly enhance a Pokémon's strength, making nutrition an essential and irreplaceable aspect of training.
Before long, a faint fragrance drifted out from the kitchen, wafting through the corridors. The scent quickly drew a group of Oddish, who happily gathered around, for there was always a share for them in the Pokémon meals too.
"Alright, don't be impatient," Aven said with a laugh. "Take these portions to the backyard."
"This one's for Petilil, this one's for Rhydon, and this one's for Kirlia. And of course, I haven't forgotten about yours either."
Smiling, he carefully placed bowls of food upon the broad leaves on the Oddish's heads, letting them carry the meals to the backyard.
Then he picked up a bowl himself and followed behind them, quickly arriving in the backyard. Calling out to the training Pokémon, he summoned them over to eat.
"Maaa, maa~?"
Mismagius floated quietly behind Froslass and Kirlia.
Food? Eating…? The thought ran through its mind. The word felt strange, unfamiliar.
Still, when it looked at Froslass and Kirlia's bright, eager expressions, it concluded that it must be something good.
In moments, the other Pokémon had already gathered around, each naturally moving to the bowls prepared for them.
Mismagius's gaze swept across the scene, noting that every Pokémon had found its share of food. Yet aside from those, there were no bowls left.
A faint pang of disappointment welled up in its chest. Though it didn't even fully understand what these so-called "Pokémon meals" were, it couldn't help but feel a little left out.
"Mismagius, your food is here."
Just then, Aven's voice suddenly rang out, startling it.
Turning its head, Mismagius saw Aven still holding a bowl brimming with food.
He gently placed the bowl beside Froslass. "Well? What are you standing there for? Come and try it. I'm not sure if it will suit your taste, but give it a try."
"Rhy~?"
The sight of the bowl instantly caught Rhydon's attention. Other than training, food was what it cared about most. It was extremely curious about what kind of food Aven had prepared for Mismagius.
Glancing at Mismagius, then back at the bowl, it shuffled closer with heavy steps and gave it a sniff.
Almost immediately, dizziness washed over it. A nauseous churn twisted in its stomach, forcing it to frown and back away in haste.
Aven chuckled softly. "No need to sniff. This recipe was tailored specifically for Mismagius. If any of you tried to eat it, you'd only upset your stomachs."
As he said this, his gaze returned to Mismagius.
"Maaa, maa~"
Mismagius trembled slightly at his words. A ripple stirred in its heart.
So, this food had been prepared especially for it?
After a moment of hesitation, it drifted closer. As soon as it neared, a rich, enticing fragrance enveloped its senses.
Its eyes lit up with surprise. Hovering over the bowl, it cautiously lowered its mouth and took a small bite.
The instant the food touched its tongue, a tide of delicious flavor surged into its mind, carrying with it pure Ghost-type energy that wrapped warmly around its spirit.
It was… unbelievably delicious. Even the spectral energies it had absorbed back in the Ghost World couldn't compare to this. None of them had ever possessed such exquisite taste.
The other Pokémon watched quietly, and when they noticed the subtle shift in Mismagius's expression, they couldn't help smiling knowingly.
They had all experienced this same moment themselves—the instant Aven's food had utterly conquered their palates.
Now, just like them, Mismagius would never again be satisfied with any food not prepared by Aven. Slowly but surely, it too would grow inseparably bound to him.
"Maaa, maa!"
Mismagius nodded wildly, filled with excitement. Yet beneath that joy lingered confusion.
This food looked so ordinary—how could it contain such dense, pure Ghost-type energy?
"This meal is made using Mago Berries," Aven explained gently, smiling. "If you like it, I'll make this kind of food for you from now on."
"Maaa…"
Mismagius froze.
After a brief silence, it lowered its head and nodded firmly, its expression unusually serious.
If before it had stayed only for Froslass's sake, now, for the very first time, it had truly accepted Aven as its trainer from the depths of its heart.
After a few more mouthfuls, joy bubbled over. Its body whirled swiftly through the air, circling Aven once in exuberance, expressing its delight.
"Lass~ lass~"
Froslass, watching, was sincerely happy for it.
Now that they had eaten together, from this moment on, they were truly companions.
The other Pokémon also approached one after another, greeting Mismagius warmly. The hostility in their eyes finally dissolved completely.
"Maaa, maa!"
Mismagius nodded heavily, as if bowing. Please take care of me from now on!
"Mhm." Aven smiled faintly. "Alright, then enjoy your food slowly. I still have another little one to look after."
His gaze fell on the Pokémon Egg resting on the table. He intended to prepare a special nutrient solution for it. After so long under his care, the lifeforce within had grown stronger and stronger.
It wouldn't be long now before the small life inside finished developing, and then he could begin to bond with it.
"Lil… lil~"
By this time, Petilil had quickly finished her food.
She floated to the egg's side, ready to nurture it with her own life energy.
Since the nutrient solution contained toxins, Aven didn't prepare it in the kitchen. Instead, he entered the laboratory chamber designed for brewing potions.
Sludge, poisonous swamp water, Oran Berries, Lum Berries—he skillfully combined the ingredients one after another into a vial, energies fusing together steadily.
Before long, the nutrient solution was complete. Pouring it into a specially prepared incubation box, Aven carried it carefully into the backyard.
Seeing him return, the Pokémon—having finished their meals—gathered around. During their rest, they were eager to take a look at the egg. They were all deeply curious what Pokémon lay inside.
"Kir~lia~"
Kirlia floated in mid-air, eyes gleaming. In the next moment, the crystal encasing the Pokémon Egg lifted slowly, guided by her psychic move.
With a soft motion, she lowered it into the nutrient bath. At once, the egg began greedily absorbing the energy.
"Absorb well, little one, and grow quickly," Aven said, his face full of anticipation.
As if responding, the egg suddenly trembled.
At the same time, Petilil sensed a strong wave of life pulsing from within. The vitality was powerful, as though undergoing some kind of transformation!
"Kir~lia!"
Kirlia shivered in shock. Through her psychic senses, she suddenly felt clear waves of emotion from within the egg!
It was no longer the faint, barely-there consciousness of before. This was a true emotional resonance belonging to life itself.
Aven froze for a moment. "Could it be? Is the Pokémon inside the Egg about to hatch?"
Under their nervous gazes, the dark-purple Pokémon Egg suddenly seemed to come alive.
Its color shifted, turning pure white, and lines of golden patterns appeared, spreading rapidly across the shell!
As the life inside completed its formation, the egg itself began to reveal characteristics of the Pokémon within—clues by which one could guess its species.
Just like how Chansey's egg had been pink with features resembling it, allowing Aven to recognize it instantly.
"There it is—the Pokémon Egg's unique trait," Aven exclaimed in surprise.
But when he looked closer, his expression froze.
He had never seen an egg like this before.
White in color, with golden patterns… he racked his brain, searching through every Pokémon he knew with such traits, but none matched.
"What's going on? Could it be a mysterious Pokémon never before discovered?" Aven murmured, astonished.
Though the modern world had already discovered most Pokémon, every so often new ones were still found.
Considering the extraordinary aura this egg radiated, perhaps this truly was an undiscovered Pokémon. Maybe he was about to witness the birth of a new species.
In his past life, this would have shocked the entire world. But here, in ancient times, most humans had not even fully catalogued existing Pokémon, so they would not grasp the significance.
As Aven pondered, the egg's transformation reached completion. Waves of life force and emotional energy pulsed outward, filling the air.
"Lil… lil~"
Petilil focused all her attention, marveling at the wondrous moment of life's birth.
In her eyes, thoughtful light flickered—the miracle clearly moved her deeply.
"Kir~lia~!"
Kirlia's face lit up with joy. She tried to reach out with her psychic power to communicate with the newborn life.
But the presence within was like a blank sheet of paper—capable only of expressing the most basic emotions, unable yet to converse.
Aven's face showed a hint of regret. If they could communicate, he might have learned in advance what kind of Pokémon this egg held.
(End of Chapter)