Chapter 96: 73. Apprentice(Part 2)
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No need to go to the orphanage.
Well, you don't even need Aunt Jenn and the others to cook—just let these Pokémon handle it.
Not a bad idea.
Evan made a decision on this matter directly.
After sending away a few Pokémon, Evan continued to stay busy.
Gallade, observing the situation, looked bored.
"It seems there's going to be a new role to fill in the future—a chef," Gallade thought to itself with a sigh.
It was simply outrageous to imagine that a Champion-level Pokémon would become a chef! Shaking its head, Gallade decided not to dwell on it any longer.
Meanwhile, Lurantis and the others continued battling wild Pokémon in the area. For the rest of the day, they kept at it without stopping, not even as the sun began to set.
During this time, many wild Pokémon appeared in the vicinity, leading to numerous skirmishes.
The Pokémon in Evan's breeding house all got involved at some point.
At the same time, Gardevoir took the initiative to establish peace with the wild Pokémon. Gardevoir promised to help maintain their territory, ensuring that no foreign Pokémon would invade. If any unfamiliar Pokémon approached, the local wild Pokémon would either drive them off or warn them to leave.
Of course, this effort wouldn't go unrewarded. If the wild Pokémon ran out of food, they could come to Evan for help, and Gardevoir would ensure they received what they needed. Injured Pokémon could also visit for healing, effectively making Evan's breeding house a rescue center.
Gardevoir didn't feel the need to consult Evan about these arrangements; it trusted that Evan would agree wholeheartedly.
The wild Pokémon had no objections to Gardevoir's proposal. After all, they were already accustomed to defending their territory. Driving away outsiders wasn't just a chore—it was something they did naturally. More Pokémon coming into the area would only mean fewer resources, which was unacceptable in a forest where food was already scarce.
Now, with Gardevoir's promise of assistance, things would be different. Wild Pokémon wouldn't have to go hungry or suffer from injuries without hope of treatment.
This arrangement particularly thrilled the wild Pokémon because healing was rare in the wild. Healing berries were limited, and fights over them often caused even more injuries. With Gardevoir offering healing services, those problems could finally be avoided.
Once the agreement was settled, Gardevoir distributed the remaining energy cubes to the wild Pokémon, ensuring even those who hadn't participated in the battles received some. Although the cubes wouldn't enhance their abilities, they were excellent for nourishment.
For the smaller Pokémon, even one or two cubes were enough to fill them up—like eating a compressed biscuit.
By the end of the day, nearly all the wild Pokémon were full and content. Many of them left satisfied, heading back to their respective territories. Those who hadn't come to the gathering would likely feel regretful when they heard about what they'd missed.
As the wild Pokémon dispersed, Pikachu was gently carried back to the breeding house by the children from the orphanage.
Pikachu and Charmeleon were completely exhausted and covered in dirt.
When Evan came out of the workshop and saw their condition, he immediately spoke up:
"Tiger, you go back and eat first. I'll take care of Pikachu and get him cleaned up—he's a mess."
Hearing Evan's words, Tiger nodded. "Okay, got it."
"Then we'll head back now. I'll ask Aunt Jenn to save some food for you."
With that, he instructed Luna and the others to gently put down Pikachu and the other Pokémon before taking his sisters back to the orphanage.
Evan called the Pokémon over to the bathroom and carefully began washing them.
When Isla and the others noticed what Evan was doing, they joined in to help, with some of them washing the Pokémon directly in the yard.
Once everyone was clean, Evan said to the group:
"Alright, go eat now. Make sure to rest well after your meal."
He added, "I'll head over to eat now, too. Gardevoir, Gallade, I'm leaving the breeding house in your hands."
As he spoke, Evan brought out the energy cubes he had prepared earlier in the afternoon.
He also instructed Lucario, "These energy cubes are for all of you. In the future, feel free to take them whenever you need."
Lucario nodded in understanding, then shared the cubes with the others, who eagerly began to eat.
Watching them, Evan couldn't help but smile.
After making these arrangements, he returned to the orphanage for his own meal. Aunt Jenn and the others had saved portions for him and the others.
While eating, Aunt Jenn said, "Evan, the energy cubes in the store are sold out. We'll need to restock soon. Once I give you the money, you can arrange for someone to deliver them tomorrow."
Evan nodded in response. "No problem. I'll have Sophia take care of it."
Then, he added with a hint of surprise, "It seems like the store's business is doing really well."
Aunt Jenn's face lit up. "It really is! Lately, more Trainers have been passing through here. They always stop by to restock supplies, which has boosted business significantly."
She continued, "By the way, Evan, I was thinking of expanding the items we sell in the store. What do you think? Some Trainers have been asking for more than just energy cubes—things like berries, ingredients, drinks, and snacks. I think we should give it a try."
Evan raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. After considering for a moment, he replied, "Is the orphanage big enough for that? It seems like we're already tight on space."
The orphanage wasn't particularly large, and expanding the store would require extra room for refrigerators and other equipment. The location was in the suburbs, with no nearby shops, so the current setup was already a decent solution. However, adding more items to sell could attract even more Trainers, which would be good for business.
Aunt Jenn nodded in agreement. "You're right. I was thinking we could use the main hall as a store. That way, we won't run out of space."
The hall was normally a play area for the children, but now that they were spending most of their time with Evan at the breeding house, it wasn't being used much.
Evan considered this suggestion for a moment before offering a bold alternative.
"Here's what we'll do. Find out if the house at the intersection is for sale. If it is, we'll buy it. While we're at it, we'll buy this whole area leading up to the orphanage. Then we'll demolish the orphanage and rebuild it, making it bigger and better."
He added with conviction, "It's old anyway, even though we repaired it before. We've got the funds now, so let's not hold back."
The room fell silent as everyone processed what Evan had just said.
"What?"
"You just wanted to use the lobby for a store, and now you're planning to expand the entire orphanage?"
The sheer scale of Evan's suggestion left everyone stunned.