"Impressive." As a doting father, Allen supported every choice Nemo made one hundred percent. He patted her on the head, his expression turning slightly troubled. "In that case, we'll have to prepare your Starter Pokémon carefully."
"Should it be one of Paldea's Starter Pokémon? That's not very original. Oh, right! I happen to have Pokémon Eggs for a Gible and a Goomy that a friend gave me. How about one of those late bloomers?"
Nemo shook her head, resolute. "I want Sprigatito as my Starter Pokémon!"
Allen paused for a moment. Although he didn't quite understand his second daughter's thinking, he was ready to look for a suitable Sprigatito Egg. Smiling indulgently, he said, "Whatever you want."
Nemo excitedly threw her arms up in a cheer, then added, "Also, I want to wear my hair in a high ponytail from now on. It'll make me look more capable!"
"No problem."
Allen immediately instructed the maids to put Nemo's hair in a high ponytail from now on. It was a pity that he wouldn't get to see his adorable daughter with twin tails anymore.
But as long as Nemo didn't dye or perm her hair, she could do as she pleased.
One week later.
After seeing off the construction crew, Luo Mu looked over the land, which now looked just a little more like a farm, and nodded in satisfaction.
If he'd been back in his old world, this project would probably have cost even more. And he might've had to deal with petty annoyances or shoddy workmanship, too.
Setting aside the evil organizations and a few bad apples, most people in the Pokémon world were like people in a utopia—without much guile.
Luo Mu first visited the farming area. They'd simply divided it into sections and built a drainage system to prevent things like crops dying because their roots had been soaked in standing water.
The fields were still uncultivated, though. That would've cost extra.
In fact, the construction crew also offered services like adding irrigation channels to make watering easier.
Looking at his wallet, which was getting thinner by the day, Luo Mu decided to save money by using the labor he already had on hand—Swampert.
For watering, Swampert could just spray the fields with Water Gun, little by little.
Of course, he wasn't a demon.
Once the farmland expanded, he could have Swampert or Luxray take turns using Rain Dance when the crops needed watering, and have Serperior use Sunny Day when they needed sunshine.
In the Pokémon world, anything was possible!
Near the fields, the construction crew had also built a wooden shed for storing crops. They'd left a few iron farm tools outside, saying they were a gift.
A set of tools like that would've cost several hundred League currency at the town market. The foreman was a really good guy.
All in all, the farming area was pretty basic for now, but once he cleared away the weeds and rocks and reclaimed the wasteland, it'd be ready to use.
That was about the extent of Luo Mu's knowledge of farming. After all, he'd grown up in the city before transmigrating and had no idea how to farm.
Still, even though he had no clue what to do next, he'd already made a plan.
It had been half a month since he'd accepted President Poppy's invitation to become a teacher at Naranja Academy.
As one of the largest academies in Paldea, Naranja Academy's library was bound to have useful books and reference materials for him to look through.
He could borrow some to read after he started the job.
He could also follow some relevant bloggers online.
For example, Arven, the Gym Leader of Hearthome City in the Galar region, often posted videos and updates about Arven's Farm on his personal page.
Luo Mu wasn't in a hurry to start planting. He knew that haste made waste.
If he rushed in without knowing anything, he was far more likely to fail than succeed.
Next, Luo Mu inspected the Ranch Area and the Lake Area.
More than half of the 100,000 League currency had gone toward the wooden fencing around the Ranch Area. Considering that the animals or Pokémon he'd eventually raise there would probably be cows, sheep, horses, or the like, the expense made sense.
The Ranch Area took up almost a third of the land Luo Mu had bought.
The Lake Area took up another third, while the farming area was less than half the size of either one.
Like the farming area, the Ranch Area was covered with weeds and rocks and needed to be cleared. Luo Mu would first buy some suitable Grass Seeds and plant them. Only then would he consider bringing in animals or Pokémon.
The Lake Area was called a lake, but in reality, it was just another stretch of undeveloped land. When the time came, Luo Mu would have Swampert use its strength to carve out a lake here.
He felt bad for Swampert. A mainstay of a Champion's team, reduced to doing this sort of work.
After thinking it over, Luo Mu decided to clear the weeds and rubble from the farming and ranching areas today.
But the area was so vast that if he cleared it bit by bit with a hammer and hoe, he'd probably have to work nonstop for more than a month.
That was where his own near-max-level strength could come in handy.
Luo Mu looked all around but didn't spot anything. Then he glanced up at the sky. Besides the occasional Fletchling or Pidgey flying by, there was a much larger shadow that stood out.
"Taking another nap in the sky? Well, this works out." Luo Mu instantly recognized the shadow as his Dragonite and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Dragonite!"
After he called three or four times, the shadow descended from the sky. It was the adorable, drowsy Gyarados.
"Poom... woo?"
Dragonite rubbed its eyes in confusion. Its cry sounded a little soft, nothing like the fearsome pressure it gave off in battle.
"Could you go get Swampert for me? I need to ask it for a favor."
As he spoke, Luo Mu poked Dragonite's wonderfully soft belly, unable to resist indulging himself.
Dragonite's belly was incredibly soft. Compared to it, even the fanciest pillows didn't stand a chance.
Napping with his head on it was wonderfully comfortable. Unfortunately, Dragonite liked to float in the sky while it napped, and Luo Mu couldn't force it to stay with him all the time.
"Poom woo!"
Dragonite raised an arm in a salute, then scooped Luo Mu up for their daily hug. Afterward, it cheerfully swished its tail and flew into the sky, heading for one of Swampert's usual hangouts to tell it to come over.
Luo Mu watched Dragonite fly off, then found a large rock to sit on. He asked in his mind, "My friend, is there anything worth a fortune buried underground around here? Like Evolution Stones or one of Arceus's Plates?"
[...It's broad daylight. Don't dream, dear host.]
Luo Mu clicked his tongue dismissively and complained, "Ever since that Raw Terastal Orb and Dr. Jacq's experiment, you haven't done anything worthwhile."
[Are you sure you want to ask me that?]
[If you were willing to go out and explore, you'd have made a fortune by now. You spend every day cooped up on this tiny patch of land, so there's nowhere for me to put my talents to use!]
[Dear, there's a Tandemaus nest on the hillside not far to your right. If you really can't afford food, you could always go steal their provisions.]
"...What a sharp tongue." Luo Mu pursed his lips, wondering if the Hint System had grown a little twisted from being cooped up for too long.
Just as Luo Mu was wondering whether he should go wander through the nearby woods now and then, the phone in his pocket started vibrating and ringing.
Luo Mu took it out and looked.
Caller: Dr. Jacq.
Before you continue