Black Crest Jubilife Breeding House
"Happy Opening!"
Austin Black stood downstairs with his parents, his Aunt-in-law and Uncle, Joy, and a group of Pokémon as they took a commemorative photo to celebrate the opening of the Breeding Center.
Afterward, Joy left with Chansey.
"Then we'll head back to work now."
"Chans~"
Saying they were going back to work was really just a polite way of saying they were moving from the main gate into the Pokémon Center inside the base.
"Brother," Leon said quietly, his usual optimism nowhere to be found, "the Mayor said he'd support us and help spread the word… but do you think it might just be empty talk?"
With the debt hanging over them and the future still uncertain, even Leon couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Hanson adjusted his glasses and chuckled.
"Why are you suddenly stuck like this? Austin, you know the answer, don't you?"
Austin nodded.
"Let me explain."
He pointed toward Joy's retreating figure.
"Dad, tell me—who was that just now?"
Leon blinked. "Joy. And Chansey."
"And where do they work?"
"At the Pokémon Center right next to us."
Austin nodded slightly.
"That Pokémon Center will inevitably attract Trainers—and wild Pokémon too. That is the Mayor's support. Whether we can turn it into real success… that part depends on us."
Leon froze for a moment, then his expression lit up as everything clicked.
"That's my son for you!"
Austin sighed helplessly.
"So you really didn't understand it before? I honestly thought you already knew."
How could his father be this naive?
Amanda nodded in agreement.
"I thought he understood, too."
Hanson patted Leon on the shoulder and laughed.
"We're heading back to the city center. Just focus on doing your job well."
Anabella added gently, "If any of my students need breeding services, I'll recommend this place. Don't worry."
She was a teacher at the Jubilife City Pokémon Trainer School.
. . .
Austin remained optimistic about the Breeding House's future.
The first-stage reward for his side quest [I Really Didn't Want to Be a Creator] included a small increase in the Breeding House's popularity.
His system profile had also been updated to [Black Crest Jublife Breeding Center], complete with the detailed address and contact information for both his parents and himself.
The quest, however, was only completed at midnight, so Austin didn't expect visitors to arrive so quickly.
And while there were still no Trainer guests, wild Pokémon had already begun wandering into the area.
A Luxray family.
A lone Floatzel.
A Bidoof family.
A green Burmy nesting in the trees.
Schools of Magikarp swam lazily in the lake and the river beside the flagstone path.
These were the wild Pokémon Austin had observed so far.
Over the past few days, Ryu and Metang had already demonstrated their strength. Because of that, both sides coexisted peacefully.
While Austin was training with Ryu, the Breeding Center welcomed its very first guest.
A tall, elegant woman with long purple hair tied up neatly removed her sunglasses and smiled.
"Long time no see, Austin."
"Welcome, Lily."
"Rio!"
Lily was from Celestic Town and was a well-known Pokémon-style designer, with her boutique there.
When Austin had returned to Celestic Town earlier, Lily hadn't been around.
She had even designed outfits for Wallace.
Though younger than his Uncle, she was already thirty—her long hair full and glossy, flowing naturally over her shoulders.
That small town, Celestic, had produced two famous style designers—Hanson Black and Lily Argent—as well as Champion Cynthia.
A truly remarkable place.
Even Drasna, the Dragon-type Elite Four member of Kalos, had grandparents from Celestic Town.
Looking at it that way… as someone from Celestic Town, I can't fall behind either.
Austin had no interest in becoming the Sinnoh Champion himself.
Lily's eyes sparkled as she looked at the Metang beside him.
"Is this your new Metang? It's silver—stunning."
Austin nodded.
"I got a new partner not long ago."
"Why are you in Jubilife City?" he asked.
"I saw Amanda's message," Lily replied. "I happened to be nearby, so I came to take a look."
Lily was very familiar with Austin's family—even his grandfather.
"I'm leaving my Delcatty with you," Lily said. "Please help manage her fur."
A four-legged Pokémon stepped onto the grass—cream-colored body, purple ears and tail, and a soft purple shawl wrapped around her neck.
Delcatty was a famously vain Pokémon, usually either sleeping or grooming herself.
"Del~."
After greeting them, Delcatty immediately began tidying her fur.
"My parents are in the living room, discussing hiring," Austin said. "Middle building."
Lily nodded lightly before giving a goodbye peck on Austin's cheek.
"Don't worry about me. I'll go find them myself."
Austin was left in a blushing mess, which drew snickers from his Pokémon.
He cleared his throat before directing his attention towards them.
"You all continue training."
Ryu, Agni, and Metang responded with more laughs as they left.
Austin shook his head in exasperation, although he was happy that Metang had settled in well enough to partake in jokes.
He directed his attention to Delcatty.
Delcatty Pokémon were known to be both vain and clean freaks, so Austin led her toward one of the designated grooming rooms to manage her fur properly.
"Delcatty, come with me."
"Cat~"
The two were already familiar with each other. Delcatty followed closely behind Austin without hesitation.
The building to the left of the main entrance housed facilities specifically designed for bathing and fur care.
Through the transparent glass walls, Delcatty looked around curiously. After confirming that everything was spotless, she nodded in satisfaction.
"Would you like a bath first?" Austin asked.
"Catty!"
The sharp, cheerful tone made her intentions very clear.
January in the Sinnoh region was bitterly cold, but the indoor heating was already running.
The Breeding House's electricity came from a combination of wind power and an Electivire-based generator, so there was no concern about energy costs. The Electivire itself belonged to the League—the House only needed to provide food.
He began by carefully combing Delcatty's fur to ensure there were no hidden tangles.
"Your fur's incredibly soft," Austin said with a small smile. "You take really good care of it."
With his right hand, he gently combed through her coat. With his left, he lightly scratched under her chin—mixing technique with praise.
Both physical comfort and emotional reassurance.
Delcatty relaxed completely, resting her chin in his palm as a low purring sound escaped her throat.
(So comfortable… mhmm.)
Thanks to Delcatty's habit of constant grooming, her fur was already in excellent condition.
Austin adjusted the water temperature to 40 °C, filled a small basin, and said,
"Test the temperature first."
"Del~"
Seeing her approval, Austin carefully lifted her into the bathtub and slowly soaked her fur.
He applied Pokémon-specific shampoo—starting with her back, then her sides, belly, and finally her tail.
Austin's movements were practiced and confident. Delcatty, for her part, trusted him completely.
The bath went smoothly, transitioning naturally into the drying stage.
Drying had to be done with a specialized Pokémon dryer.
Delcatty's hearing was extremely sensitive, so a regular hairdryer was out of the question. Austin selected the lowest-noise setting, which would dry her fur thoroughly in about thirty minutes.
The final step of fur management followed: re-combing and trimming.
"Done."
A completely refreshed Delcatty stood proudly before the mirror.
"Delcatttyy~."
Ding!
[Your technique has satisfied Delcatty.]
[Quest Progress: 1/100]
. . .
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