Black Crest Jubilife Breeding House
Not long after Lily arrived at the Breeding House, her assistant, Nami, hurried over as well.
"President, seriously—how many times have I told you? You can't just disappear and leave me behind every time you feel like wandering off!"
Dressed neatly in a professional suit, Nami's expression was full of frustration.
"Haha…"
Lily laughed awkwardly, clearly guilty.
"I told you the address, didn't I?"
Nami planted her hands on her hips.
"That's only because I called you to ask!"
That morning, Nami had woken up to what felt like a personal disaster—her boss, who had been staying at the hotel, had vanished without a word.
Seeing this, Amanda stepped in smoothly to defuse the situation.
"Alright, alright, don't be angry," Amanda said warmly. "If you don't have anything urgent, why don't you stay and have lunch with us?"
Lily looked a little surprised.
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble? Aren't you still recruiting staff?"
Amanda shook her head.
"Recruitment starts in the afternoon. It's fine."
"Then stay," Lily agreed easily.
"Come on—let's go see how Austin is taking care of Delcatty."
The three of them walked down the corridor toward the building on the left.
Just in time, they saw Delcatty standing proudly in front of a mirror, preening herself as her long, slender tail swayed gently back and forth.
Her smooth fur shimmered under the lights.
"You're so adorable, Delcatty!"
Lily appeared beside her in an instant—so fast that Austin didn't even see her move—rubbing her cheek enthusiastically against Delcatty's face. The Pokémon had her paw patting Lily's head, comforting her, which made for a funny scene.
Ding!
[Lily is satisfied with Delcatty's fur management.]
[Task Progress: 2/100]
Delcatty, finally having enough, calmly pushed Lily's face away, her expression full of helpless dignity.
"Del."
"I want more, Delcatty!" Lily protested.
Amanda raised her index finger and explained patiently,
"A freshly bathed and groomed Delcatty doesn't like her fur being disturbed. Plus, she gave you enough hugs."
Austin silently complained in his head: She's already being very polite by not scratching you.
He picked up the comb and carefully smoothed Delcatty's fur again.
Nami had met Austin before, but they weren't particularly close. Still, watching his calm, practiced movements sparked something in her.
Gathering her courage, Nami took out a Poké Ball.
"Um… excuse me. Could you also help manage my Glameow's fur?"
Austin nodded.
"Sure. Go ahead and let her out."
Glameow appeared on the floor, her large ears twitching. Her spring-like tail coiled naturally behind her, her mostly blue fur accented by a white mouth and paws.
"Your Glameow's been raised very well," Austin said after a glance.
He could tell she was in a good mood.
Nami scratched her cheek shyly.
"It's thanks to the President. I can't really do it properly myself."
Lily wrapped an arm around the slightly flushed Nami and smiled.
"She's excellent at work—but she's still learning when it comes to Pokémon care."
Encouraged, Nami asked,
"May I watch how you groom Glameow's fur?"
"Of course," Austin replied.
"The steps are mostly the same as with Delcatty," he explained, "but Glameow has one prerequisite."
He looked up.
"Does she have any dietary restrictions?"
Delcatty tended to flail when her fur got messy, while Glameow became irritable when she was hungry.
Nami thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"No restrictions. She just likes sweet things."
Austin went into the adjacent room and returned with two bowls.
He filled them with a small amount of Pecha Berry Energy Cubes—one portion drizzled with sweet honey, the other soaked in standard Moo Moo Milk.
The honey-coated cubes were especially sweet.
These were Energy Cubes Austin had rushed to make the previous night. He had prepared several flavors specifically for situations like this.
His Energy Cube skill had already reached Advanced level.
As long as the berries met the standard, any successful batch was guaranteed to be high-quality.
As a former Pokémon Coordinator Trainer, Lily immediately recognized their quality.
That judgment was reinforced by Glameow's obvious drooling—and by Delcatty impatiently tugging at Austin's pant leg.
"Were these made by Leon?" Lily asked.
Amanda shook her head.
"No, my dad never makes Energy Cubes."
The old man had never touched Energy Cube crafting—Austin had learned it on his own.
Austin set the bowls down and smiled.
"I made them."
Ding!
[Energy Cube proficiency +777]
Ding!
[Energy Cube proficiency +888]
It was obvious they had rarely eaten Energy Cubes like these before—the proficiency gains were unusually high.
A strange light flashed in Lily's eyes.
"You can already make high-quality Energy Cubes?"
Even eating one a day would be a serious monthly expense.
Austin Black nodded slightly.
Amanda Black, on the other hand, was already thinking several steps ahead—about selling Energy Cubes.
A business license will be necessary…
As a senior breeder, Amanda had a solid understanding of the Energy Cube market. She knew very well how steeply priced high-quality Energy Cubes were.
Lily reminded her gently, "Amanda, even if you only sell Energy Cubes, your family won't lose money. You should start preparing the paperwork as soon as possible."
Amanda smiled faintly. "I was thinking the same thing."
As the family's financial brain and natural business strategist, she had already gone further—mentally planning berry cultivation, supply chains, and long-term output.
"Start by brushing the fur. Keep the water temperature around forty degrees," Austin explained calmly. "Different Pokémon sense heat differently, so always let them test it first."
"Use a hairdryer on the lowest setting and keep it at a distance. And remember—never blow directly into the ears."
As he spoke, Austin carefully tended to Glameow's fur, instructing Nami step by step.
Nami recorded everything using her Pokégear.
"…Your focus seems off."
Lily glanced over and immediately spotted the problem.
The camera wasn't on Glameow's fur at all.
It was locked squarely on Austin's face.
Where was the demonstration?
"Ah—sorry! I didn't even realize…"
Nami panicked and fumbled with her Pokégear, instantly flustered and red-faced.
Being the center of attention—Master Level—was something Austin had long since grown used to.
Ding!
[Glameow is satisfied with your skill.]
[Task progress: (3/100).]
Glameow suddenly flipped into a series of energetic somersaults, looking almost like it was performing a gymnastics routine.
Nami laughed softly. "I think I've got the basics. I'll teach her properly when we get back."
Lily and Nami spent most of their time in Celestic Town, or traveling for business like this. They couldn't stay in Jubilife City long-term.
Even though their relationship was good, Lily and Austin's uncle were in the same line of work. Staying in the same city would only turn into direct competition.
"Could you send me the video?" Austin asked.
There were already surveillance cameras in the room, and with Nami's recording, there were two usable angles.
Austin immediately recognized it as a perfect opportunity to cut together a short tutorial clip—
…Wait.
Why am I already planning the second short video?
Austin felt a little helpless.
"No problem. I'll send it right now," Nami said quickly.
Austin smiled. "Thanks."
Clearly, Nami was also pleased with how the fur grooming had turned out.
[Task progress updated: (4/100).]
. . .
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