Not Being a Trainer This Time

Chapter 88: Chapter 72: Poffin Effects

The poffin recipe isn’t limited to just one or two kinds. There are many berries, and there are many combinations when you mix them together. You can develop your own unique poffin flavors based on your Pokémon’s preferences.

After a delightful baking session, Lily said this to Naoki.

Work on the ranch is extremely busy, and Naoki didn’t have much time to stay there. So after learning the method, he hurried back to the ranch to prepare lunch for the Pokémon.

There’s no oven at home, nor a pot for simmering berries. Naoki wanted to make them, but without the tools, he had to temporarily postpone developing poffins.

He looked around at the video phone, the projection TV, and the double-door refrigerator.

Unconsciously, as the number of things increased, the house became more and more crowded.

Seeing this, Naoki began to ponder in his heart.

Once the Pokémon house is built and the Miltanks are bought, I’ll have to start saving money to expand the house.

He must first have a bigger kitchen to fit all the cookware.

Like the oven, rice cooker, frying pan, juicer, microwave, and so on.

With these, he can start developing and making more dishes and desserts.

For example, the ”green grass cake.”

After lunch, Naoki shared the poffins he brought back from the Sweet Alcremie Dessert Shop with the Pokémon at home.

Because there were so many Pokémon, each Pokémon only got a piece.

After eating the poffins, the ”Good Friend” effect was triggered, causing the Pokémon, led by Alcremie and Smoliv, to follow Naoki closely.

Wherever he went, this group of Pokémon followed.

Naoki was about to go outside to check the growth status of the crops when Keri, who was building the Pokémon house, noticed the little tails following behind him and was quite surprised.

”Are you guys playing a game of tag?”

Naoki: ”...”

The group of Pokémon following him.

”Moo!”

”Marma~”

”Fuuu~”

”Salt salt~”

”Awoo!”

”...”

Naoki’s head was buzzing from the chatter, thinking he shouldn’t have fed them those poffins with such effects.

He turned to Alcremie, the leader, and said, ”Go play by yourselves for a while, I need to start working.”

However, the group of Pokémon playfully indicated they just wanted to stay with him now.

Alcremie even showed a pitiful expression.

Naoki: ”...”

Alright, alright!

Holding this group of clingy followers made it impossible to work properly; reluctantly, Naoki had to take them to a patch of grass to enjoy the beautiful afternoon.

Naoki, surrounded by a group of Pokémon, left. Watching this, Keri couldn’t help but giggle, thinking their relationship was really enviable!

The Pokémon went crazy, and Naoki was ”forced” to join in.

He lifted Pawmi, saying, ”Little Pawmi is naturally meant to be eaten by humans,” while pressing it to his face, taking a deep sniff of its fluffy, fragrant belly.

The Dragonite, which he usually didn’t have a good opportunity to touch, was also seized and thoroughly petted by Naoki.

He hugged Dragonite’s chubby paws and pressed his face against its big belly—so soft!

Alcremie was fragrant and soft, exuding a caramel cream aroma. Naoki really wanted to take a lick, but that would be too strange. After thinking it through, he decided against it.

Koraidon, watching this scene, became jealous, letting out an ”Argghhh,” and forcefully squeezed its big head in.

Naoki gave it a good petting, which finally satisfied Koraidon.

After a while, Naoki lay exhausted on the grass, looking up at the sky, wondering if this ”Good Friend” effect was a bit too overwhelming?

But then he remembered Lily’s story about wild Pokémon following trainers because they liked eating poffins, and he thought it wasn’t so bad after all.

————

League Calendar, February 15th.

Today is the opening day at Orange Academy.

Early in the morning, Naoki saw the news on TV about new students flooding into Orange Academy.

Looking at the screen showing a burly middle-aged man with a backpack, about forty years old, Naoki raised an eyebrow.

A forty-year-old man can attend Orange Academy too?!

But then he realized, Orange Academy seemingly didn’t have any age restrictions for enrollment.

Which is why, in the game, players could see all kinds of students in the academy.

After breakfast, Naoki cleaned the dishes and headed outside.

The morning dew remained on the grass, and beside the fields, Dragonite was standing, controlling the wind and rain.

Under its control, a cloud gathered right above the field.

Then, drizzling rain began to fall, nourishing the crops below.

In just a few days, the Pokémon house was completed. Naoki arrived at the new building on the ranch, pushed the door open, and entered the empty room.

The Pokémon house was built with a lot of wood and stones, and inside was a new layer of wooden flooring. Along the wall were feeding troughs and water troughs, and in the corners were piles of hay to serve as beds.

This would be where the Miltanks resided. Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough funds right now to buy them.

During this period, although he sold some goat milk and rock salt, the first thing Naoki did with his earnings was buy a bed, strictly forbidding Koraidon from jumping on it again.

A single Miltank costs 20,000 PokéDollars, which sounds expensive at first—twice the price of a Nacli—but when you consider the import fees and transportation costs, the price is quite reasonable.

Unlike Skiddo, Miltanks are natural milk producers, capable of producing 20 liters of rich milk daily.

If the Rancher doesn’t milk them daily, the Miltank won’t feel well.

Miltank milk tastes sweet and is loved by both adults and children. Those who aren’t fond of milk also enjoy it as yogurt.

For the elderly and the sick, this nutritious milk is the best drink.

There’s a saying that goes around everywhere:

”Kids raised on Miltank milk grow up healthy and strong.”

On the market, a 500ml bottle of ordinary MooMoo Milk costs 300 PokéDollars. If the milk’s quality is slightly better, it can even sell for 500 PokéDollars.

He has a milk porridge that can improve fresh milk quality.

If calculated at the highest price, a single Miltank producing 20 liters daily could earn 20,000 PokéDollars, making a monthly total of 600,000.

If he raises ten of them...

A vision of wealth flashed before Naoki’s eyes, with PokéDollars floating past him.

Riches!

If he had ten Miltanks, building a mansion in two months would no longer be a dream!