Lucas, lying in his armchair, was unaware of all this.
Gothorita looked at Lucas, who was sprawled on the chair, a little helpless.
Lilligant on the counter covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
Roselia was lost in thought, wandering in the clouds.
Gengar, watching a cartoon nearby, turned down the volume.
Gothorita picked up the book that had fallen to the floor, then took the blanket Lilligant handed her from under the counter, and covered Lucas with it.
Gengar swallowed the snack in his mouth and saw Gothorita carefully clearing the tea set from the table next to Lucas.
"Gen geng— · (super quiet)"
Gothorita looked over and saw Gengar pointing to the table next to him with his chubby little hand.
I want some too.
Gothorita brought the tea set over.
Gengar watched him with a grin.
Gothorita ignored him, placed the tea set there, and then walked towards the backyard.
You're not Lucas, and you expect me to make tea for you? Dream on.
However, before leaving, he still filled Gengar's teacup.
It just wouldn't be like with Lucas, standing by his side, refilling his cup when he finished, and replacing the tea when its flavor became weak.
He had already mastered the tea-making skills he learned from Lucas.
However, apart from Lucas, it seemed no one else in the Nursery could enjoy his attentive tea service.
Although he was the Pokémon in the Nursery who most often talked back to Lucas.
Gengar's face immediately fell; no more grinning.
Then he drank all the tea in the cup, opened the lid, and found there was no water inside.
He ran to the kitchen himself to get a pot of hot water.
He brewed himself another pot of tea.
He happily drank his tea, though he was watching cartoons.
He felt as if something wasn't quite right.
Gengar thought for a while, then suddenly understood.
He floated to the room on the upper floor, picked up the beads Lucas had carved for him, returned downstairs, and while drinking tea, he rubbed the beads with his small, chubby hand, all while watching cartoons.
Gengar picked up the teacup with his hand and took a sip of hot tea.
"Gen geng!"
That's the taste.
Lucas scratched his butt, changed direction, opened his eyes, noticed Gengar's actions, then closed his eyes and continued to sleep.
The autumn afternoon thus slipped through Lucas's fingers.
Lucas opened his eyes, his soul wandering in the clouds.
He threw off the blanket and sat up.
He saw a guest sitting in the lounge area, and Lilligant was holding the Nursery's list, introducing him to the services.
Gengar was brewing tea for him nearby.
The service was very thoughtful.
Seeing Lucas awake, the guest stood up and politely greeted Lucas.
Lucas remembered him, the third-place winner of the Breeding Cup.
"Shopkeeper."
Lucas rubbed his eyes, motioned for him to sit down, as he didn't want to stand up again.
He took the teacup Gengar handed him and took a sip.
It wasn't as good as the tea Gothorita made personally.
Lucas only dared to say this quietly in his heart.
Otherwise, with Gengar's jealous personality, he would have to appease him for a long time.
After thanking Gengar, Lucas looked at the Trainer.
His name seemed to be Alak.
"Let me introduce you to our services."
"No need, Shopkeeper, Lilligant, Gengar, and Roselia have already explained everything very clearly to me."
Lucas nodded, then turned to look at Lilligant and the others.
He gestured that they had done well, then looked at Alak.
"So, have you decided which service to choose?"
"I want to lay an egg in your Nursery."
Lucas: ?!.
Seeing Lucas's shocked expression.
Alak knew he had misunderstood and quickly waved his hands.
"It's my Pokémon. I want them to lay an egg in the Nursery. It's like this: my Pokémon and my childhood friend's Pokémon have developed feelings for each other. We originally planned to come together, but she suddenly had something to do today, so I came alone."
Alak scratched the back of his head and said:
"She's a Coordinator in Contest Spectaculars. Some time ago, she met a child who couldn't become a Trainer due to health reasons. She seems to really like my Swampert, so I was thinking if we could lay an egg and then give the egg to her."
"My childhood friend and I discussed it and decided to come and take a look."
Lucas nodded.
Although it was another childhood friend story.
But there was nothing to be done; in the Pokémon world, there was no shortage of anything but childhood friends.
However, they were quite kind-hearted.
"No problem. Your Pokémon are Swampert and—"
"Oh, and Quagsire."
After Alak finished speaking, he released Swampert and Quagsire.
According to the Pokémon egg-laying maternal principle, Swampert was female.
"And I heard that Pokémon who lay eggs in your Nursery will have good luck and bring good luck to their Trainers."
"?!"
"Where did you hear that from?"
Lucas was a little confused; he didn't even know there was such a saying.
"That's what everyone outside is saying."
Looking at Alak's matter-of-fact expression, Lucas stood up.
"These are all metaphysics. Come with me, I'll show you the situation in our Nursery, and you'll understand."
Alak nodded and followed behind Lucas.
Arriving in the backyard, Shauna was playing on a seesaw with Mime Jr. and the others.
A Vespiquen was whispering to a Staravia on a tree, their heads bowed.
A Shinny Rapidash was leisurely lying on the grass, chatting with a Luxray.
Walking along, they arrived at the Lake area.
A group of Marill, Psyduck, and some other swimming Pokémon were lining up, one by one, jumping into the water from the diving platform in various different postures.
Splash, splash.
The entire backyard was filled with laughter and joy.
The more Alak saw, the more satisfied he became.
No wonder they said it brought good luck.
He took a berry given to him by a Pachirisu, took a bite, and said inwardly.
He also glanced at Swampert and Quagsire's expressions and found that they were also very satisfied.
He was relieved.
He caught up with Lucas and said a few words.
Lucas nodded, then led him back to the front to register the information.
Finally, after leaving Swampert and Quagsire, he left the Nursery.
Lucas personally took Swampert and Quagsire to the Lake area.
Originally, they were a little scared, fearing that they wouldn't be welcomed by the Pokémon in the Lake area.
However, the opposite was true.
The Golduck family and the Azumarill family expressed the warmest welcome to the arrival of Swampert and Quagsire.
Especially, they even let Swampert climb onto the diving platform.
Its huge body leaped down.
Splash!
Lucas cleverly hid behind Gengar.
Gengar: ?
Wiping the water from his face, Gengar turned his head and found that Lucas had already run off.
"Gen geng!"
You stop right there!
Gengar, with his Lickitung extended, chased relentlessly from behind.
The Rapidash and Luxray on the grass shifted position and lay back down.
And the Vespiquen on the tree was unfazed, while the Staravia watched Lucas and Gengar fighting with great interest.
Indeed, he had already fallen in love with this kind of life.
Staravia smiled softly.