Austin also wanted to learn cooking because of the special dishes that the system had not yet unlocked.
Anyway, with proficiency, all he had to do was grind.
Breeders and chefs are graded, and passing assessments earns them Alliance certification.
From lowest to highest, the ranks are: Novice, Intermediate, Senior, Elite, Master, and Grandmaster.
For chefs above the Master rank, Pokémon food made from specific ingredients—like precious resources or rare berries—can enhance a Pokémon's strength, almost like specialized training.
Kalos's Gym Leader Siebold is a Master ranked chef.
Grandpa Alex's culinary skills were at the Master level, while his breeding rank stood at Elite.
After Austin expressed his desire to learn from him, the old man's face became serious. The air around them seemed to solidify.
Agni, who had been happily slurping beef noodles, froze mid-bite. He began eating more cautiously before clutching his food bowl with his teeth and bolting off without looking back.
You sold out that fast?!
Austin had expected that.
When it came to breeding and cooking, Grandpa was always serious.
Because, to him, that was being responsible toward Pokémon.
A new side quest appeared on the system panel.
[Alexander Black's Wish]: The old man is troubled that his eldest son became a Pokémon Stylist instead of pursuing a breeding career, and that his second son, granddaughter, and grandson failed to inherit his skills.
Objective: Create a Pokémon food that satisfies Lien before the Breeding House opens.
Quest Reward: Random Specialty Dish ×1
Austin hadn't expected his grandfather to have such a dream, but thinking about it, it made sense.
His uncle, Hanson, had little interest in breeding and became a designer and tailor instead.
His cousin, Vera, was even more adventurous—she'd gone off to study ancient history and fossils.
Although his father, Leon, had walked the path of a Breeder and chef, the old man's evaluation of him was simple:
"Not as good as the best, but better than the worst."
Both breeding and cooking required talent.
For someone like Austin, whose Pokémon gained proficiency just by eating his food, it was almost like cheating.
Though Austin had always cooked for his Pokémon himself, he'd never thought about officially becoming a Breeder.
He originally thought training his own Pokémon was enough.
But now, with his parents opening a new Breeding House, Austin made a decision.
His parents had borrowed money from his uncle—he didn't want to be unproductive.
Even without the system quest, he was determined to help.
Grandpa looked at Austin seriously. "You're not kidding?"
Austin shook his head. "No, Mom and Dad are opening a new Breeding House, and I want to help them… and also try to embark on this path."
Austin's motto was simple: If you're going to do something, do it to the best of your ability.
The old man nodded slightly. "That's a legitimate reason. Actually, you have talent and you're persistent—unlike your cousin, who ran away."
Hearing that, Austin couldn't help but think back to his childhood.
He'd spent his days memorizing Pokémon breeding manuals or trying to make Pokémon food.
Whether or not his creations were edible didn't matter—Gengar would swallow them all anyway.
His cousin had run off early, but Austin had continued learning—until the day he received Ryu as a Riolu and began his journey.
Austin accepted the side quest [Alexander Black's Wish].
The old man pondered for a moment. "Breeding is more complex. Let's start with cooking. I'll test your knife skills first. You'll also need to get a breeding license."
Cooking and breeding shared many fundamentals, but breeding was indeed more intricate.
A Breeder had to understand countless Pokémon species, study individuals closely, tailor care for each one, and even manage fur health.
Although Austin's breeding proficiency was Intermediate, he had no official Alliance rank.
"Yes."
The old man snapped, " 'Yes' what? Go wash and cut the vegetables! Am I supposed to do it for you?"
"Alright!"
As Austin washed the vegetables, the old man called out toward the backyard, "Farfetch'd!"
"Fetch'd!"
(What do you want?!)
"You supervise him. Correct every mistake he makes."
Farfetch'd puffed out its chest proudly.
"Far! Farfetc'd!"
(Leave it to me! Instructor reporting for duty!)
The old man only had two Pokémon: Farfetch'd for helping with cooking and Gengar for eating the results.
Under the old man's tutelage, Farfetch'd's cooking was actually better than Austin's. Yes, even a duck was outpacing him.
The old man then turned toward the yard.
"Ryu, you explain to him what Farfetch'd says."
"Lucario." (Understood.)
Having given his orders, the old man left.
Austin glanced left at Farfetch'd, who adjusted its gold-rimmed glasses with a serious expression, and right at Ryu, who stood with arms crossed like a stern instructor.
From the front yard came the sound of the TV turning on.
…Was this part of your plan, too, Grandpa?
Austin couldn't help but suspect that the day Grandpa gave him that Riolu egg, he had already planned all of this.
...
"Far. Fetch'dfar~"
(First, julienne~)
Ryu relayed the information.
"Don't change your accent, hey!" said Austin, which earned a giggle from Ryu.
Under Farfetch'd's sharp supervision, Austin officially began his cooking journey.
Farfetch'd examined a finely sliced potato strip and nodded with approval. "Fer."
(Good. Now slice~)
"Farfetch'dfetch'd."
(Next, dice with a rolling cut~)
Whenever Austin's technique wasn't up to standard, Farfetch'd gave him a sharp poke with its trusty leek.
"Farfetch'd. Farfetch'd."
(The three sides of a rolling cut must be even. Watch carefully, I'll demonstrate.)
Ryu, standing at the side, translated every word with patient precision.
Before long, the kitchen was filled with the rhythmic sound of chopping and a steady stream of Farfetch'd instructions echoing like a strange culinary symphony.
There was a reason Austin's knife skills outpaced his seasoning and heat control—he'd learned knife work first, before running off on his travels.
Now, under the ever-demanding guidance of the Instructor Farfetch'd, Austin found himself reliving his childhood—surrounded by potatoes, cucumbers, and endless corrections.
But strangely enough, he was happy.
Over the next two hours, his cooking proficiency kept ticking upward: +1, +2…
By the end, the old man's verdict was short and blunt:
"Barely acceptable. Keep cutting. Ten days to half a month of practice—then we'll talk."
Austin sighed. "Grandpa, I have something to do tomorrow."
The old man narrowed his eyes. "You don't want to learn anymore?"
"It's not that. Rose's Berry fields have had Pokémon stealing berries lately. I want to help her figure out what's going on."
Hearing that, the old man frowned. "That girl... I just saw her two days ago. Why didn't she say anything?"
Austin shrugged. "You know, Rose—she never likes bothering anyone."
"Fine," the old man said after a pause. "But come back as soon as you're done."
"Got it."
The old man waved a hand dismissively. "Watch carefully. Tonight, I'm making garlic butter crab and braised prawns."
...
The next day, Austin set off with Ryu, Agni, and Metang toward Amanda's house.
Knock, knock—
The door opened, revealing Rose, her hair a little messy from the morning's work.
"Austin, Ryu! Come in quickly."
Her home was modest—just one bedroom and a living room—but it felt warm and lived-in. Austin glanced around.
"Where's Farfetch'd?"
"It's out guarding the Berry fields," Rose said, wiping her hands with a small towel.
"Did something happen?"
Under Austin and Ryu's gentle questioning, Amanda finally explained the situation—Pokémon had been sneaking into her Berry fields at night, taking the ripest fruit and vanishing without a trace.
Austin's eyes hardened with determination. "We'll help you find them."
"Ryu," he said.
"Rio."
(Leave it to me.)
...
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