"All right, go back to your companions."
Aiven set the Petilil in his arms down on the ground.
Petilil was feeling conflicted. Leaving the warm embrace made it feel unexpectedly reluctant to go.
"Wait a moment. I have something to announce."
Just then, Aiven's voice rang out, making Petilil stop in its tracks.
It turned around and saw that Aiven had come up beside it. He crouched down and placed a hand on its head.
Is he going to pick the Healing Leaves from my head again...? Petilil sighed inwardly. It seemed it was about to return to the life it had led before.
But Aiven's next words left it utterly stunned.
"Don't worry. No one will pick the leaves from your body anymore."
"Grow up without worry. Then, beneath the sunlight, be reborn and become what you want to be."
Hearing Aiven's gentle voice, Petilil's round eyes widened in disbelief.
It had never imagined that this annoying guy would say something like that. Its eyes grew misty.
Mukkuru, perched on a branch nearby, glanced at Aiven in surprise, then flapped down to the ground. It wanted to see the human's face up close.
"Of course, that goes for you, too." Aiven smiled at Cherubi beside them.
As a Pokémon Breeder, he knew that Cherubi's greatest value had nothing to do with the fruit on its body.
Cherubi stored the nutrients it needed to evolve in its fruit. When the little fruit gradually shriveled, it was a sign that Cherubi was about to evolve.
After Cherubi evolved into Cherrim, its ability would change from Chlorophyll to Flower Gift.
Flower Gift increased its own and its allies' Attack and Special Defense in sunny weather.
That was an enormous boost for Pokémon. With Flower Gift, a close-combat Pokémon's fighting strength could increase by a full thirty percent!
Of course, that wasn't even the most important thing.
Cherrim was widely considered one of the Pokémon most compatible with the move Sunny Day.
With the right guidance, Cherrim could learn Sunny Day, one of the four major weather moves.
Sunny weather could greatly improve the growth of plants and dramatically increase the harvest of Berries.
In Aiven's eyes, that was the proper way to raise Cherubi!
Aiven murmured to himself, recalling the effects of sunny weather. His eyes grew bright with excitement.
For many transmigrators, technology was the primary productive force. But here, Pokémon were the primary productive force!
Inside the farmhouse.
The family sat around the dining table.
"Uncle Darby, Aunt Irene, from now on, we'll switch the farm over to selling potions."
Seeing how puzzled his uncle and aunt looked, Aiven smiled and explained.
"Selling potions?" Uncle Darby paused, then asked hesitantly, "Without Petilil's leaves, how will we make Healing Potions?"
"Of course we'll make them with Orange Fruit!" Aiven replied confidently.
In his memories, there was a kind of Healing Potion made from Orange Fruit.
It wasn't as potent as a Healing Potion, but its restorative effect was on par with that of ordinary Petilil leaves.
Hearing his nephew's words, Uncle Darby looked even more troubled. "If we hire an Apothecary to make the potions, the cost will be even higher. It won't be worth it."
What he didn't say was that Apothecaries held high status, and he wasn't sure he could even persuade one to help.
"We don't need to hire an Apothecary..." Aiven trailed off. Then, as the two stared at him in astonishment, he smiled and said, "Because I'm an Apothecary!"
The castle district of City of Ambition.
A statue stood in the middle of a vast square.
It was not very large, and its body was gray all over. Its face was blue, and a ruby was set into its forehead.
This was Uxie, one of the Three Lake Gods, the god said to represent willpower!
Uxie could give people the willpower to resolve to do good. That was why it was also known as the benevolent deity.
This was a city that worshipped Uxie. Only those with kind hearts could earn Uxie's approval and become the lord of City of Ambition.
Mila was the person Uxie had chosen in this generation. She was also known as the most benevolent lord.
At that moment, the atmosphere inside Lord's Castle was tense.
The nobles of City of Ambition sat around a massive table in the Council Hall.
"At the time, I was simply making my usual patrol of the Black Forest and driving away any monsters that had wandered in."
"But when I reached Guixu Cave, I unexpectedly saw mist spreading inside."
"Within the mist, I saw a dark figure. But I only took one look before I passed out."
Baron Reiser recounted how he had lost consciousness. The nobles listening all looked deeply troubled.
"It's only been five years since the mist last appeared in Guixu Cave. Why has it returned so soon?" one noble asked, his voice trembling.
Guixu Cave was the most mysterious place near City of Ambition. Whenever mist appeared, all kinds of monsters emerged from within the cave.
Surrounded by the mist, those monsters turned into savage beasts. The nobles still remembered all too clearly the stampede that had swept through the Black Forest five years ago!
"Prepare for battle."
Just then, Lord Mila, seated at the head of the table, spoke.
Her voice was resolute. This was her territory; she couldn't let those monsters rampage across the land!
"Based on past experience, there's still time between the mist appearing and the monsters emerging."
"That will give us plenty of time to prepare for battle. We'll also get the residents ready to evacuate, just as we did five years ago..."
After a long silence, the nobles each voiced their opinions. They were the nobles of City of Ambition, and they couldn't abandon it either!
"Don't worry. Uxie will protect us."
Seeing their concern, Mila closed her eyes and offered a prayer.
The nobles lowered their heads as well. This was a city under Uxie's protection!
Before you continue