Successfully Subdued

"I will give you the freedom to choose."

Aiven took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the Petilil.

If this Petilil refused him, he would look for other targets.

To nurture a powerful Spirit, besides the corresponding methods and resources, the Spirit itself was also very important.

If a Spirit lacked the determination to become stronger, it would be difficult for it to become a powerful Spirit!

Seeing someone approach, the Petilil became nervous, but upon seeing it was Aiven, it relaxed and let him come closer.

The Petilil had complicated feelings for Aiven; it often recalled the words Aiven had spoken to them during this time.

Ever since that day, no one had come to pick the fruits and leaves from them, which filled it with trust in Aiven.

"Petilil..."

Aiven arrived in front of the Petilil and paused.

What was this feeling, like a confession... Suddenly, Aiven felt a sense of confessing to the girl he loved.

He paused, took a deep breath, and said, "Petilil, will you be my partner?"

Hearing Aiven's words, the Petilil froze. It hadn't expected Aiven to say something like this to it.

"Mm, like Uncle Darby and Luxray, that kind of partner." Aiven explained further, fearing the Petilil might not understand.

Then, he saw the Petilil nod without any hesitation, appearing as if it had already fallen for him.

Uh, it succeeded... Aiven hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. This was his first confession, and it wasn't as difficult as he had imagined.

So what should he do now? Should he take the Petilil away directly?

Aiven stood there thinking. According to the plot from his past life, he should have thrown a Poké Ball at it now.

But since there were no Poké Balls in this world, he felt awkward.

However, he quickly reacted, crouched down in front of the Petilil, and smiled, "Then please guide me in the future."

The Petilil nodded happily, and at the same time, it added in its heart, Please guide me in the future...

In the evening, Aiven brought the Petilil back home.

"Whoa, Petilil... Brother Aiven, why did you bring it here?" little Andy said excitedly.

Aiven smiled and patted Andy's head, reintroducing, "From now on, Petilil will be my partner, just like Uncle Darby and Luxray."

Hearing this, Andy exclaimed, then said enviously, "I really want to become partners with Mukkuru too, but it just won't agree."

"Then you have to take good care of Petilil."

Speaking of himself and Luxray, Uncle Darby smiled, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

At his feet, Luxray looked up at its trainer, its lips curling up unconsciously, before lying down again and closing its eyes to rest.

Aunt Irene happened to bring the food from the kitchen. She glanced at the Petilil and hesitated, "I wonder what Petilil eats."

"Aunt Irene, I've already prepared food for Petilil," Aiven explained with a smile. The fermentation of the Orange Fruit should be almost done.

After a hearty dinner, Aiven took the Petilil to the backyard.

Half a month had passed now. Under the scorching sun, the wooden barrel looked much older.

As the lid was opened, a faint fruity aroma wafted out. The rotten Orange Fruit had completely dissolved into the water.

With a gentle shake, the nutrient solution filling the barrel rippled, and a special fragrance emanated from it.

"The nutrient solution after fermenting the Orange Fruit is ready!"

After examining the nutrient solution in his hand, Aiven nodded with satisfaction. The next step was to turn this nutrient solution into growth fertilizer.

Thinking this, Aiven untied the bag he had brought back, which was filled with soil.

This soil was dug up by him from the orchard and contained the basic nutrients required for the growth of Orange Fruit.

Normal fertilizer would require mixing the soil with the nutrient solution from the fermented Orange Fruit and then undergoing composting and other subsequent processes.

However, composting and other procedures were for further processing into fertilizer suitable for tree fruits to absorb. If it were for a Grass-type Spirit to absorb, this step would suffice.

"Next is training time."

In the room, Aiven said excitedly to the little creature in front of him.

Today was the first time he would let the Petilil absorb the fertilizer, and he wasn't sure how effective it would be.

"Doll." The Petilil nodded happily, showing an expectant expression.

The current Petilil was completely different from before. After gaining the freedom it desired, it seemed to have found itself again, its facial expressions becoming much richer.

This is how a Grass-type Spirit should be... Aiven thought happily. Grass-type Spirits were always cheerful.

"Originally, training shouldn't be conducted in a place like this."

"But time is very tight, and for the sake of secrecy, I can only ask you to bear with it for now."

Seeing the Petilil look at him with confusion, Aiven smiled sheepishly and moved a worn-out flowerpot out from under the bed.

If fertilizer was compared to food, its appearance was indeed quite unappetizing.

"Doll." The Petilil shook its head dismissively and tiptoed into the flowerpot.

I feel like a dad... Aiven chuckled inwardly, then picked up the Petilil and said with a smile, "Just a moment, I'll set things up for you first."

He took out the prepared growth fertilizer and spread it in the flowerpot.

The Petilil watched quietly from the side, its eyes suddenly curving into crescent moons.

At this moment, its heart was filled with contentment.

After gaining the freedom it desired, it felt its life would continue to be as ordinary as ever.

But the person who gave it freedom was offering it a completely different choice: to become a true Magical Beast, a powerful Magical Beast!

To become strong and live as it pleased—was there anything freer than that...? The words Aiven had spoken to it flashed through its mind.

Therefore, it chose to become stronger without any hesitation, just like the time it made what it believed to be the most correct decision of its life.

"Alright, try going in," Aiven said after laying down the fertilized soil. He picked up the Petilil and carefully placed it inside the flowerpot.

Lying in the flowerpot, the Petilil instinctively used its body to support the soil beneath it, burying itself in the earth. Instantly, it felt a sense of peace.

The next moment, it suddenly froze, sensing a very comfortable energy within the soil.

Relaxing, it stretched lazily, the two leaves on its head swaying slightly. It was completely immersed in this comfortable energy.