Lucas, with a vacant look in his eyes, headed downstairs with Gengar. Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy were sitting in the lounge area; Officer Jenny was holding Shauna in her arms while chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Fujino.
Seeing Lucas come down, Nurse Joy looked at the grinning Gengar and then at the vacant-eyed Lucas, asking with a smile, "Did Lucas do something to annoy Gengar again?"
Gengar nodded with a pitiful expression.
"What do you mean, Sister Joy? I was clearly the one being bullied, okay? And Gengar, what are you acting so aggrieved for? You're the one who used Lick to paralyze me!"
Lucas was full of indignation.
"Gengar gargar!!"
Wasn't it because you made me lose? We clearly could have won.
"The occasional mistake is excusable, right!"
"Gengar gargar!"
Was that a mistake?!
"Gengar gargar!"
Out of a hundred ways to win, you just had to find the one way to lose!
"I already said it was a mistake."
"Gengar gargar"
I'm not listening, I'm not listening, like a turtle reciting sutras.
Listening to Lucas and Gengar bickering, everyone and Pokémon present had already become accustomed to it.
Officer Jenny and the others sat in the lounge area, ignoring Lucas's interference, and continued their conversation.
Gothitelle and Mime Jr. came out and announced that dinner was ready.
This completely ended Lucas and Gengar's bickering.
Everyone sat at the dining table and enjoyed dinner. After the meal, they returned to the lounge area to chat.
Lucas pulled out a brush and began grooming the fur of the Ninetales lying at his feet.
"By the way, Lucas."
Lucas looked up at Officer Jenny, but the work in his hands didn't stop as he continued grooming Ninetales.
"It's really thanks to you this time that they were able to return safe and Lilli."
Officer Jenny didn't give Lucas a chance to be modest and continued, "I've reported the situation to the League. The League is very grateful to you, because this isn't just a matter for our Sinnoh region; there were Trainers from various regions on that ship."
"So, based on the previous fever incident and this recent event, the League intends to commend you and issue a reward. Currently, the League is selecting a suitable reward for you."
"A reward?"
Lucas asked with interest, "What exactly will it be?"
Officer Jenny shook her head. "I don't know, the League selects it themselves. However, given that you are the owner of a Breeding House, the reward should be related to the Breeding House, right? For example, a rare pokémon egg, or something else."
Lucas nodded after hearing this. If it were a rare pokémon egg, it would be perfectly acceptable. If they gave him a few Pseudo-legendary pokémon eggs, he would make a huge profit.
Lucas had been to Sinnoh's largest city, Veilstone City, and had gone with Cynthia to see the Breeding House there. They sold Pseudo-legendary pokémon eggs, and the prices were astronomical.
However, he couldn't have too many Pseudo-legendary pokémon eggs. Otherwise, given the location of his Breeding House, not many people would be able to afford them.
Usually, having a few as shop treasures would be enough. For the rest, it would be best to have some popular yet relatively rare pokémon eggs.
For instance, he also really liked Starter Pokemon, Glimmora, Amoonguss, and Toxapex.
If——
"Lucas!"
Lucas snapped out of it and found Officer Jenny looking at him crossly. He was stunned for a moment and quickly said, "Ah? Sister Reese, what did you just say?"
Officer Jenny sighed. "I said, if there are any pokémon eggs you want, you can tell me first. I can mention it to the League and see if I can secure them for you."
"I don't even know what you were thinking about just now, grinning like an idiot, almost drooling."
Lucas didn't hear Officer Jenny's last sentence clearly. As soon as he heard the first part about what pokémon eggs he wanted, he had already asked Gengar to hand him a notebook and pen, and he was burying his head in writing frantically.
Finally, he tore the page out and handed it to Officer Jenny. She took it and read it aloud.
"Dratini, Gible——"
Officer Jenny only read a few before folding the paper away.
"You really dare to ask for anything,"
Officer Jenny said.
Lucas gave a sheepish laugh. Was it perhaps a bit excessive?
"Maybe I should change it?"
After saying that, he reached out to take the paper back.
Officer Jenny dodged Lucas's hand and tucked the paper into her pocket, saying, "No need, I'll go try to get them. While I'm at it, I'll ask them to send more manpower to Twinleaf Town."
She sighed again. "If they don't send more people, Reese and I are going to drop dead from overwork."
She stood up and said, "If there's nothing else, Reese and I will head back first. We have the night shift tonight, it's so annoying."
Reese also stood up upon hearing this, straightened her pink hair, and let out a similar sigh.
"We'll be going now. You guys should get some rest early. I'll bring up your request to the League in a bit."
Lucas nodded and escorted Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy to the door. Watching their figures depart on the back of Arcanine, he suddenly thought of something and shouted toward their retreating backs, "By the way, Sister Reese, I also want Pokémon that can help with cooking, like Indeedee or Meowstic!"
After Lucas finished shouting, he called out to Staraptor and Gliscor.
Staraptor and Gliscor then followed after their retreating figures.
They didn't return to the Breeding House until they had seen them safely to Twinleaf Town.
Lucas closed the door of the Breeding House, murmuring to himself.
"Strange, why did it look like Sister Reese was about to fall off Arcanine just now?"
"Gengar gargar"
I thought so too.
"It's fine, Staraptor and Gliscor are following behind them."
Lucas shook his head and stopped worrying about it. Checking the time, he said, "I feel like something is missing."
Lucas thought hard, and finally his eyes lit up. "I know what's missing."
"Gengar, is the hot spring in the forest still usable?"
Gengar also looked bewildered. "Gengar gargar——"
I don't know either——
This Gengar, how did he pick up an accent when he talks?
"Gothitelle."
It's usable.
Gothitelle answered Lucas's question.
"That's right then. Gengar, go ask the Pokémon in the forest if we can use the hot spring tonight?"
Gengar nodded, then phased through the wall into the backyard and floated toward the forest.
"After a hard day's work, how can one not go for a soak in a hot spring?"
Lucas said, then looked at Shauna and Mr. and Mrs. Fujino. "Shauna, do you and your mom and dad want to come along?"
Shauna shook her head. "Shauna isn't going. Shauna already had a bath. Mom, Dad, are you going?"
Mr. and Mrs. Fujino also shook their heads, choosing to leave this wonderful time to Lucas and the Breeding House's Pokémon.
Lucas nodded, and then noticed Lilligant bringing down the clothes he needed to change into.
"Thank you, Lilligant."
Lilligant slightly lifted her skirt. "Lilli～"
You're very welcome～
At this moment, some text popped up in front of Lucas.
[Going for a soak in a hot spring after work is indeed a great choice. Especially in winter when it's snowing heavily, I like it too — Great-Grandmother]
[Received a small gift from Great-Grandmother: Automatic Filtration of the Forest Hot Spring]
[The forest hot spring seems to have been influenced by some strange power; the water in the hot spring will now automatically change every day.]
Seeing this, Lucas's mood lightened.
It really is a practical little gift.
"Then let me ask you, where did the old spring water go?"
[————]
[Vroom————]
"Stop, shut up!"
[————]
Once Gengar returned, Lucas gave a grand wave of his hand. "Well then, let's go, everyone! We're going to the hot spring~"
As soon as they heard about the hot spring, Snorunt had long since vanished.
I don't like soaking in hot springs; it would be the death of a Snorunt. Cold, icy snow is much better.
Snorunt lay on the back of the younger Lapras sister and said to her.
"buuu～"
That's true～