Chapter 285:
According to the Indeedee sister, the Growlithe was just delivered by Mayor Grandpa, so not every Pokémon in the plantation has met it yet.
But this little fellow, after seeing Kaede, started following closely behind him, trailing him all the way to the kitchen.
Kaede couldn't help but check its stats.
[Pokémon: Growlithe]
[Gender: Male]
[Ability: Flash Fire]
[Potential: Blue]
[IVs: HP (25) Attack (18) Sp. Atk (24) Defense (16) Sp. Def (18) Speed (19)]
[Strength: Lv. 5–7]
[Moves: Leer, Ember, Howl, Bite, Flame Wheel, Morning Sun.]
[Friendship: 75 (So this is my future...)]
[Pleasure Value: 60 (Woof...)]
"Huh? It even inherited the move Morning Sun? Looks like its father was an Espeon?" Kaede was a bit surprised when he saw the moves.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
Because even after entering the kitchen, this Growlithe stayed right at his heels, never more than twenty centimeters away.
When Kaede stopped, it also sat down obediently on the floor.
"Are you hungry?" Looking at the still rather small Growlithe, Kaede took a bottle of Moomoo Milk from the refrigerator.
"Woof~ Woof~" (Not hungry, not hungry~)
But then its stomach emitted a loud "gurgle" sound.
"...Woof... Woof..."
"Let me warm up some milk for you." Kaede chuckled.
He turned on the stove, heated some water, then placed the glass bottle in the hot water to warm it indirectly. After about two or three minutes, the Moomoo Milk was nicely warmed.
He found a bowl for the Growlithe and poured the still steaming milk into it.
Visibly, the Growlithe's eyes lit up, staring unblinkingly at the Moomoo Milk in Kaede's hand.
But even after Kaede placed the bowl on the floor, it didn't start drinking immediately. Instead, it looked at Kaede with eager eyes.
"Alright, go ahead, drink up..." Only after Kaede gave permission did the Growlithe cheer, wagging its tail as it started lapping up the milk.
Watching this, Kaede couldn't help but nod.
It has to be said, Growlithe truly lives up to being the Pokémon carefully selected by the Officer Jenny family.
Once it recognizes its Trainer, even at a very young age and without being taught, it already has a sense of "obeying commands and knowing its limits."
While the Growlithe was drinking its milk,
Kaede didn't idle either. He took out the Blissey egg he had just acquired.
Although he got fifteen, his plan remained the same: only cook one for Serperior.
Making tea eggs is even simpler.
First, boil the Blissey egg in the freshly boiled water. Then, gently crack the shell to create fissures. Add spices, soy sauce, salt, Sichuan peppercorns, bay leaves, and leaves from the World Tree.
Simmer on low heat for ten minutes, then let it steep for a while.
To allow the flavors to penetrate fully, Kaede chose to let it steep for three hours.
After finishing that, he hurried to another kitchen to start making Energy Cubes for the breeding house for the next few days, along with Gardevoir.
Growlithe, having just finished its milk, trotted along closely behind Kaede.
Along the way, many Pokémon cast curious glances at the trotting Growlithe.
The Growlithe wasn't shy either, barking at them in a fierce yet puppy-like manner.
Among them were Alolan Ninetails and the Eevee squad.
"Ninetails?" Alolan Ninetails, who had just been getting used to its newly evolved body, returned to find a new Growlithe at home.
They quickly surrounded the Growlithe.
While Growlithe, although seeing that Alolan Ninetails and the Eevees were all bigger than it, thinking Kaede was right behind it, didn't back down at all. It directly barked back at them.
"Woof! Woof!"
"Ninetails?"
Alolan Ninetails walked up to the little dog.
Right now, it saw everyone as small in size.
It was a novel perspective shift.
"Woof... Woof..." The Growlithe couldn't really explain why; it just barked at Alolan Ninetails.
Seeing this, Kaede didn't interrupt them and headed towards the kitchen.
Alolan Ninetails, looking at this fierce little Growlithe, and seeing that Kaede had already walked away, its eyes lit up. "Ninetails..."
Instantly, the three Eevee surrounding it closed in on the Growlithe. Judging by its slightly fading barks and increasingly bewildered expression, it clearly had no idea what was about to happen.
It anxiously looked back towards where Kaede had been, trying to seek "support."
But when it turned its head, Kaede was nowhere to be seen.
Thus, the clearly very young Growlithe was herded by the Eevee squad towards the garden.
Watching from a distance, Kaede couldn't help but shake his head.
Poor Growlithe was probably undergoing the "initiation interrogation."
It was the same for Sprigatito back then.
But Alolan Ninetails had good judgment in this regard. After Sprigatito refused, although disappointed, it didn't disturb the quiet-loving Sprigatito.
Kaede didn't disturb Alolan Ninetails either and turned to enter the breeding house.
He went back into the kitchen and started making Energy Cubes for the breeding house for the next few days with Gardevoir.
After finishing that, he hurriedly ran to the kitchen in the garden.
Lifting the pot lid, a tea-infused Blissey egg with a light yellow hue was ready!
[Mythical-Grade Dish – Lucky Tea Egg: A tea egg boiled using leaves from the World Tree and Chansey eggs. After consumption by a Pokémon recognized by the World Tree, it will inherit the will of nature.]
[Culinary Effect 1: Luck and Fortune – Upon first consumption, receives the blessing of good fortune, increasing Luck by 50%.]
[Culinary Effect 2: Will of Nature – After consumption, inherits the legacy of the World Tree, allowing the user to borrow the natural power of the World Tree. Note: Only creatures recognized by the World Tree can gain this effect after consumption.]
"Huh?"
When he saw the first effect, Kaede found it quite normal.
Because the luck effect had been demonstrated before.
Moreover, Kaede didn't think Serperior, even with a 50% increase, could surpass Alcremie's luck.
But this second effect...
Kaede was stunned after reading it.
Inherit the legacy of the World Tree, borrow the life force of the World Tree... doesn't that mean symbiosis with the World Tree?
This... Kaede immediately thought of Mew.
It's the classic example of symbiosis with the World Tree.
But soon, Kaede noticed the difference.
Because this culinary effect talks about *borrowing* natural power, not sharing it.
Does that mean Serperior could borrow its power without any responsibility?
"No, no, can't think like that." Kaede shook his head, dismissing that line of thought.
Borrowing the World Tree's power so recklessly might be fine in the short term; the World Tree might not mind. But over time, it would surely become unwilling.