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After everyone was seated, Diancie served them each a glass of her freshly squeezed juice, along with plates of sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.
"There isn't much in the house to entertain guests with, so I hope this will suffice," Diancie said apologetically.
Lucas smiled warmly. "The juice is made from berries that the Pokémon on the plateau bring me, and the cucumbers and tomatoes are from our own garden. Please, try them."
"Your Highness even grows your own vegetables!" Kimia exclaimed in surprise.
"Of course!" Lucas laughed. "Otherwise, where do you think I get the cabbage, radishes, and chives for my steamed buns?"
"Then I simply must try them!" Kimia said eagerly.
"Me too!" Raleigh added, raising his hand enthusiastically.
The royal siblings picked up their forks and each took a piece of cucumber and tomato, savoring them with obvious delight.
"Mmm~ Delicious!"
As soon as the vegetables touched their palates, the siblings could instantly tell these were different from ordinary produce.
The cucumbers from Lucas's garden were exceptionally crisp and tender. With each bite came a satisfying "snap," and the sweet juice felt like a cool summer breeze dancing across the tongue.
The tomatoes were equally impressive. Their flesh was plump and delicate, and each bite released a perfect balance of sweet and tangy juice that intensely stimulated the taste buds. The flavor was reminiscent of the sweetness and excitement of first love, leaving one craving more.
The vegetables grown from the system's seeds were naturally extraordinary, beloved by both humans and Pokémon alike.
Flamel, observing the princess and prince enjoying themselves, silently picked up her fork and began eating piece after piece. Soon, her plate was completely empty.
"Burp~"
Having eaten a bit too quickly, she couldn't suppress a small burp. Though mortified, she maintained her composure admirably.
As long as I don't acknowledge my embarrassment, the embarrassment belongs to others, she thought to herself.
Sylveon was also eating with evident enjoyment.
While enjoying the vegetables, Raleigh picked up his glass of juice and took a generous gulp, only to shiver violently after swallowing.
"Hiss~~ So sour, so sour!"
He exclaimed, scrunching his shoulders and squeezing his eyes shut.
"Hahaha~~" Lucas laughed heartily. "This juice comes from wild berries, so it's not as sweet as cultivated varieties. But it's quite good if you sip it slowly. Gulping it down like that won't let you appreciate the flavor."
Heeding this advice, Kimia and Flamel picked up their glasses and took small, careful sips of the juice. Sure enough, while an initial tartness lingered briefly in their mouths, causing them to shiver involuntarily, a pleasant sweetness followed, creating a unique flavor profile that enticed them to drink more.
Wild berries couldn't compare to carefully cultivated ones in sweetness, but they offered a distinctive taste that made for an interesting occasional treat.
Lucas frequently received wild berries from the plateau Pokémon, though he only ate them occasionally. Most were incorporated into his cooking, as he discovered the berry juice served as an excellent seasoning to eliminate unwanted odors from various ingredients.
After sampling the juice, Kimia said, "Your Highness, we came to see you today not just for a social visit, but also regarding another matter."
Flamel and Raleigh nodded in agreement.
Kimia withdrew a card from her pocket and slid it across the table to Lucas.
"This card contains one million Alliance Credits—your allowance for the coming year. The royal family will deposit funds into it annually."
Lucas looked surprised. "There's such a benefit?"
Kimia didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. "You're a member of the royal family. This is completely standard! Raleigh and I receive the same.
Additionally, the royal family will cover your Pokémon's food expenses from now on. We've already brought a year's supply of Pokémon food for Diancie, Munchlax, and Komala on the airship. These are all premium products specially formulated by the royal family's breeders and aren't available to the general public."
Lucas graciously accepted the bank card. "Since everyone receives this, I won't refuse."
"There's one more thing," Kimia continued.
"What is it?" Lucas inquired.
"The ministers strongly object to you operating a street stall daily, but you've been resistant to their concerns..." Kimia said awkwardly. "So the king and ministers have discussed it and reached a compromise."
Lucas tilted his head questioningly. What kind of compromise?
"Please log in to your resident identity network and take a look," Kimia suggested.
With curiosity, Lucas took out his phone and logged into the Alliance resident network. He was immediately stunned to discover additional property information under his name—a shop.
Simultaneously, he seemed to faintly hear a system notification that a task had been completed.
Lucas looked at Kimia, who understood his confusion and explained, "The ministers recognize they can't prevent you from running your business, so for the sake of the royal family's reputation, funds have been allocated to purchase you a proper shop. This way, you can continue selling your steamed buns and dumplings without being seen in public, which avoids any perceived damage to the royal family's image."
Lucas hadn't expected that reconnecting with the royal family would come with so many advantages!
"I understand. This arrangement works for me," he decided. He certainly wasn't foolish enough to decline such an offer.
Looking at the bank card in his hand, a sudden idea occurred to him. He slid the card back toward Kimia.
"Your Highness, you're..." Kimia regarded Lucas with puzzlement.
"I have a proposal," Lucas said. "I want to use my allowance to purchase the Nebel Plateau."
Unlike in Lucas's previous life, land in this Pokémon world could be bought and sold, though this was limited to certain territories. Royal city land, for instance, was not available for private purchase.
But the remote Nebel Plateau could be acquired.
"One million credits is certainly insufficient," Lucas continued. "I'm referring to all my future allowances. Because of my bond with Diancie, it's reasonable to expect I'll have an extremely long lifespan. Rather than the royal family providing me an allowance every year, it would be more practical to grant me ownership of the Nebel Plateau."
"This..." Kimia was taken aback. She hadn't anticipated such a proposal from Lucas. "I can't make that decision myself."
Lucas smiled. "Of course not. Please discuss it with Edward first, so he can consult with the ministers before reaching a decision. I'll await your response."
"Very well," Kimia nodded, though clearly bewildered. "What use could you possibly have for this barren Nebel Plateau?"
Although the Nebel Plateau enjoyed spring-like conditions year-round, its elevated terrain made it unsuitable for traditional agriculture. And while it could support some animal husbandry, the area wasn't large enough to make it economically viable. From any practical perspective, it didn't seem worth purchasing.
"I've simply grown to love it here!" Lucas replied with a genuine smile.
"Let's go bring your supplies from the airship," Kimia suggested, moving on from the topic.
"Certainly," Lucas nodded.
The group returned to the airship and carried numerous boxes back to Lucas's home. These containers were filled with various flavors of Pokémon food, including energy cubes and Pokémon cookies, which they stacked in one of the rooms.
After everything had been moved, Lucas noticed Munchlax couldn't wait to open one of the boxes. The eager Pokémon removed a can of Pokémon cookies and poured some directly into his mouth.
Munch~ Munch~
After chewing briefly, Munchlax disappointedly set aside the half-eaten cookie.
"Munch~lax! Munch~!" No, no, this isn't as good as the food Master and I make.
Diancie, who understood Munchlax's words, didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
Munchlax hadn't always been so particular about food. Previously, he would happily eat almost anything—not just Pokémon cookies, but even plain leaves with enthusiasm.
Lucas had thoroughly spoiled the Pokémon's palate.
After resting briefly, Kimia said, "Your Highness, would you show us around your property?"
"With pleasure," Lucas readily agreed.
He first took Kimia and the others to visit the small building adjacent to his home.
Kimia observed, "Your Highness, this place is decorated like a restaurant. Do you receive guests here?"
Lucas replied with a smile, "Indeed I do—the Pokémon of the plateau are my guests!"
Kimia assumed Lucas was merely joking and didn't take his comment seriously. After all, Pokémon had no money. Surely operating a restaurant exclusively for Pokémon would be financially ruinous.
When they visited the flower garden, Raleigh exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness Lucas, are you growing Gracidea flowers here?"
"Raleigh, you recognize them? I'm impressed by your knowledge at such a young age!" Lucas praised.
"Hehe~" Raleigh scratched his head bashfully. "I saw them in a book once."
"He often spends hours in his room reading all sorts of books," Kimia commented. Though her words sounded like criticism of her younger brother, the pride in her tone was unmistakable. Everyone noticed but tactfully remained silent.
Finally, Lucas led them to his vegetable garden.
Observing the thriving plants, Kimia asked with widened eyes, "Did Your Highness plant all of these yourself?"
Looking at the neatly arranged rows of chives, cabbage, vivid red tomatoes, eggplants bending their stems, beans covering their vines, and plump radishes... Even Kimia and Flamel, who had never tended a garden, couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the sight.
Lucas smiled modestly. "I can't take all the credit—the Pokémon helped significantly."
The Dugtrio brothers, hidden in the shade cast by the lush vegetables, heard the approaching visitors and slowly poked their heads out to greet Lucas. Upon noticing the strangers surrounding him, however, they immediately withdrew in alarm.
Lucas smiled and explained to his guests, "The Dugtrio brothers are the primary caretakers of this garden, but they're rather shy, so I won't force them to make an appearance."
Kimia and the others nodded understandingly.
When Lucas and his visitors had walked a fair distance away, the Dugtrio brothers cautiously extended their heads again and looked in their direction. They were clearly pleased by Lucas's acknowledgment of their efforts.
"Trio~!"
"Trio~!"
The two brothers exchanged glances, their eyes crinkling with happiness.
Having one's hard work recognized by the boss was indeed something to feel proud about.
When everyone returned from their tour, Lucas noticed the time and said, "Let's start preparing dinner."
He suggested eating earlier than usual so that Kimia and the others wouldn't have to return too late.
"Munch~! Munch~!"
Munchlax spun around excitedly at this announcement.
"Your Highness, would you like our assistance?" Kimia offered.
"No need, just relax. Munchlax and I will handle everything—dinner will be ready soon," Lucas assured her with a wave.
"Then we'll look forward to a feast," Kimia replied with a smile.
"I can hardly wait!" Raleigh added happily.
After entering the kitchen, Lucas turned to Munchlax. "Munchlax, you've been learning from me for quite some time now. How about you prepare the dishes today?"
"Munch~! Munch~!"
Munchlax confidently patted his chest, indicating he was more than capable.
"I'll leave it to you, then—I have complete faith in your abilities!" Lucas encouraged.
"Munch~! Munch~!"
Munchlax's confidence visibly grew. He tiptoed to the refrigerator to retrieve an assortment of vegetables, then positioned his beloved stepping stool to reach the stove comfortably.
"Munch~! Munch~!"
He unconsciously imitated Lucas by humming a cheerful tune while working.
Seeing that Munchlax was managing well, Lucas removed the bucket of Gogoat milk from his system inventory and began his own preparation.
First, he spent Happiness Points to purchase a sterilization unit from the system store, poured the Gogoat milk into a large bowl, and placed it inside the machine.
After the milk was properly sterilized, Lucas began measuring flour and kneading dough.
The method for making milk-infused steamed buns wasn't significantly different from standard buns. The primary difference was incorporating Gogoat milk during the kneading process before allowing the dough to ferment.
As the steamed buns began cooking, a rich, creamy aroma quickly permeated the kitchen.
It smells amazing! Is it really this fragrant?
Even Lucas himself was surprised. He hadn't expected that simply adding Gogoat milk would enhance the aroma of the steamed buns so dramatically.
"Your Highness, is it ready? My stomach is already grumbling," Raleigh called, poking his head into the kitchen.
As he spent more time with Lucas, Raleigh had gradually shed some of his initial shyness.
To be precise, introverted people typically only display their reserve around strangers. Once they become comfortable with someone, their true, often lively personality emerges.
"You'll need to wait a bit longer—patience," Lucas advised.
"Alright," Raleigh replied, withdrawing his head with visible disappointment.
A few minutes later, the steamed buns were finally ready. Lucas eagerly opened the steamer and removed one to taste.
Huff~ Huff~
The freshly steamed bun was too hot to eat immediately. Lucas blew on it repeatedly, sending small wisps of steam spiraling upward.
"Munch~! Munch~!" Master...
Munchlax approached expectantly, looking up at Lucas with pleading eyes.
Lucas smiled and broke the steamed bun in half, offering one portion to Munchlax.
"Munch~!" Thank you, Master!
( ￣ ▽ ￣ ) ~ Munchlax held his half of the bun with both paws, eyes narrowing with delight.
"Munch~!"
Munchlax devoured his portion in a single bite, then cupped his cheeks as he chewed thoughtfully.
The soft, fluffy texture of the steamed bun felt like smooth silk passing through his mouth, causing him to shiver with pleasure.
After swallowing, an unexpected sensation spread throughout his body—like countless gentle fingers massaging him, reminiscent of a mother's soothing touch when comforting a child to sleep.
Even as simple-minded as he sometimes was, Munchlax immediately noticed the significant improvement from regular steamed buns to these milk-infused creations.
"Munch~! Munch~!"
He excitedly tried to communicate his feelings to Lucas, speaking animatedly with his mouth still partially full.
Lucas, who had also tasted the bun, noticed it was delicious but didn't experience the same powerful effect. Unable to understand Munchlax's excited chatter, he simply smiled.
"Okay, okay, I know they're delicious. Don't worry—you'll get plenty more when dinner is served."
Lucas assumed Munchlax was simply expressing his usual enthusiasm for food.