"You're awake. Do you want a sandwich? How about sweet & spicy and spicy flavors?"
Before the two drowsy Charcadet could even make a decision, two sandwiches had already been handed to them.
"Charca?"
The shiny Charcadet let out a confused little sound.
"No need to be polite with me."
Seeing this, the two Charcadet accepted the sandwiches. The human in front of them was indeed someone they could trust.
Perhaps because of their personalities, the way they ate was completely different.
The shiny Charcadet held the sweet and spicy sandwich in both hands and nibbled at it slowly. Even though the spiciness was mild, it still made the flame at the back of its head flare up with a soft puff.
Compared to the normal Charcadet, however, it was just a small flicker.
The normal Charcadet, on the other hand, was panting nonstop, "huff huff," as flames surged across its entire head.
Even so, it refused to let go, the more it burned, the more it wanted to eat.
Seeing how much they liked it, Silas smiled in satisfaction. His effort had not been wasted.
At his feet, Cyclizar boldly stepped forward, pointing its claws at their sandwiches.
"Cyc?!"
The shiny Charcadet froze for a moment, then happily broke off a piece and shared it.
Cyclizar grinned and took a bite, but the taste was not something it liked very much.
Its eyes then drifted toward the normal Charcadet's sandwich. Before Silas could stop it, Cyclizar swallowed a bite.
The spicy flavor exploded in its mouth instantly.
Cyclizar's eyes widened in shock as it let out a distorted cry, jumping up in pain.
Switching into its battle stance, it stood upright, frantically pawing at its mouth, sticking out its tongue while gasping repeatedly.
Its green body visibly flushed with red, and it hopped around wildly from the overwhelming heat.
For the normal Charcadet, the spice level was just right, but for Cyclizar, which could not handle spice, it was practically devastating.
"… "
Silas covered his face with one hand, speechless. Curiosity had truly harmed the dragon.
"Cyc! Cyc!" (Silas, help me! It's too spicy!)
Cyclizar turned around and clung to Silas, begging for help.
Up close, even its breath felt hot and burning.
"Don't panic. Drink some MooMoo Milk. Milk helps with spiciness."
As he spoke, Silas handed over a bottle.
Cyclizar immediately snatched it and gulped it down in big swallows, draining the bottle in seconds.
The burning sensation lessened, but it was still not enough.
Only after chugging three bottles in a row did it finally stop, completely unable to drink any more.
It collapsed flat on the grass, mouth slightly open as it panted to cool down the lingering heat.
Sitting beside it, Silas could not help but laugh at Cyclizar's "survivor of disaster" appearance.
"Cyc…" (Silas…)
Cyclizar swished its tail in annoyance, lightly smacking Silas, then turned its head away in a huff. But within seconds, it quietly scooted back closer to him.
"My fault, my fault. I shouldn't have laughed at you."
Hearing the apology, Cyclizar naturally leaned against him again. Silas rested a hand on its head.
This scene made the Charcadet watching nearby feel a little envious.
"Teacher Silas, I made another sandwich. Come and taste it!"
Arven shouted excitedly, holding up a sandwich high above his head.
Since Silas had taught him cooking, being called "Teacher" was not an exaggeration.
"Let's go. There's more food over there."
Bringing the three Pokémon along, everyone gathered together, happily enjoying the meal.
The Toedscool trio seemed to really like dried fruit. The small amount of cranberry dried fruit Silas had brought was completely eaten by the three of them.
"You really like this?"
Silas took out the last handful of dried fruit.
"When we get back to the ranch, I'll make you more candied fruits."
"Scool?"
"You're asking what candied fruit is?" Silas thought for a moment before explaining. "There are many types. Dried fruit is one of them. There are also preserved fruits, sugar-coated candied fruits, and syrup-soaked candied fruits…"
Their tiny brains could not process so much information at once, so Silas simplified it.
"Preserved fruits are slightly sticky dried fruits. Sugar-coated ones have a layer of crystallized sugar. Syrup-soaked ones are fruits soaked in sugar syrup."
With that explanation, the Toedscool finally understood.
Every type sounded delicious.
"Charca! Charca!"
Just as Silas was explaining, a shout came from above the charred fruit tree. The normal Charcadet leaped high into the air, its small fist wrapped in swirling flames as it attacked.
"Don't hit Rotom! Don't hit Rotom!"
Looking up, they saw the Charcadet chasing a Rotom. The Rotom fled while pleading, then quickly hid behind Professor Sada when it spotted her.
The Charcadet had no choice but to stop, staring at it intensely.
"Rotom, why are you here? Where is Turo?"
"The professor sent me to find you. He has made an important discovery, Rotom."
"What discovery?" Professor Sada asked immediately.
"Never mind. Lead the way. Let's hurry over."
Seeing this, Arven pouted slightly.
"Mr. Silas, please help take care of Arven for a moment. I'll be back soon."
"No, I want to go with Mom."
Arven shook his head firmly and climbed onto Mabosstiff.
"Mabosstiff will protect me. I won't cause trouble."
"Then let's go together. If anything happens, I can help protect you."
So everyone quickly packed up.
Silas stuffed everything into his satchel, then reminded the Toedscool before leaving.
"Wait here for a bit. I'll come back to pick you up."
"Scool~"
The Toedscool waved their tentacles, indicating no problem.
Nearby, the two Charcadet watched with envious eyes. They also wanted to go to the ranch.
The idea of having endless food was very tempting, and the human treated them so kindly. They liked him.
Silas did not yet know what they were thinking. If he did, he would definitely bring them along.
For now, Rotom floated ahead, leading the way, while the three humans rode their Pokémon behind it.
It was worth mentioning that Rotom served as a research assistant for the two professors.
Its plasma-based body allowed it to enter various machines, making it extremely useful for research.
Rotom and Porygon were among the most favored Pokémon by researchers. With a bit of training, each could become a highly capable assistant.
Following Rotom, they passed along Dalizapa Passage and arrived at the boundary between the forest and the snowy mountain.
"Rotom! It's just ahead!"
Hearing this, everyone quickened their pace.
Climbing up a section of snowy terrain, they soon saw Professor Turo standing ahead.
"Oh? Silas, you're here too."
Turo showed only slight surprise, his attention completely focused on his new discovery.
Everyone climbed up to his position and followed his gaze.
On the cliff of the snowy mountain ahead, a glowing pillar stood embedded, as if it were suppressing something.
What was that?
(End of Chapter)