Life soon returned to normal, though that was no excuse for slacking off.
The very next morning, Lucas rose early.
Though most people prefer something light for breakfast, it doesn't hurt to have something higher in calories once in a while.
"Come on, aim carefully at the bowl!"
Under the Pokémon's direction, Lucas bent down with an empty bowl, while Dolliv, eyes a little nervous, tried to aim the olive on its head at the bowl, letting out a soft "Dolli~!"
A stream of fresh, fragrant olive oil landed perfectly in the bowl.
Lucas inspected it carefully. The clear oil sparkled in the sunlight, its fresh aroma invigorating. There was no doubt—it was first-class olive oil.
If he tried to buy this at the market, it would probably be expensive—and might not even be this good.
Lucas gave a big thumbs-up, smiling. "That's some excellent olive oil!"
Encouraged, Dolliv eagerly emptied the olive oil stored in its olives into Lucas's bowl, filling it almost to the brim.
This was a few days' worth of Dolliv's oil. To make more would consume the nutrients it needed to grow, and Lucas would never overwork his Pokémon.
Once Dolliv evolved into Arboliva, the oil yield and nutrition would increase greatly. Throwing away the future for a little extra now would be foolish.
With olive oil in hand, Lucas took out ingredients leftover from last night's welcome party for the new Sawbuck and Dragonair, and assembled breakfast.
Meat-loving Pokémon got olive oil-fried patties in their sandwiches, while veggie lovers got olive oil-fried mushrooms and other vegetables.
Freshly made, the sandwiches filled the air with an irresistible aroma, making Lucas's mouth water.
Breakfast confirmed it: every Pokémon showered the olive oil sandwiches with praise. Suddenly, the once-overlooked Dolliv became the center of attention on the farm.
The two Sawbuck nibbled their sandwiches, exchanging excited glances.
A safe environment, strong and passionate protectors, fertile grass, and delicious food.
They'd made the right choice leaving with Lucas!
The shiny Dragonair used its tail to lift a steaming sandwich to its mouth, savoring a flavor it had never known before. Back at Casseroya Lake, their food consisted of quick-breeding fish and shrimp, or the occasional berry from the woods.
These sandwiches weren't just food—they were cuisine, the kind that satisfied the soul. The three Dragonair quietly wiped away a few tears, their hearts full of gratitude.
Wherever their Dragonite leader was, its child was living well and had even brought them to enjoy the good life.
After breakfast came the usual farm chores.
Fertilizing had been done recently, so that wasn't needed for a while. All that was required was regular watering and maintaining the Grassy Terrain and sunny weather over the fields.
But first, watering.
Crops get their nutrients from soil, water, and fertilizer. Watering wasn't needed every day, but it was essential.
Usually, Poliwhirl and the Poliwag handled this, but today was different—with Dragonair now on the farm.
Temporarily unemployed, Poliwhirl and its three little brothers sat by the irrigation ditch, staring blankly at the Dragonair rising into the sky.
With their light, ethereal calls, the Dragonair summoned clouds, and soon, a gentle rain began to fall—just the right amount.
Even better, unlike Swampert and Dragonite, who could only summon rain over a fixed area, the three Dragonair could move the rain clouds, precisely watering every inch of the fields.
Such weather control—no wonder Dragonair were worshipped as rain gods in ancient times.
But Dragonair weren't just rain gods—they could play sun god, too.
Excess water was drained away, and next up was the Grassy Terrain team: Comfey and Eldegoss, while Dragonair summoned sunlight to bathe the crops.
The foreman, working on the fence, paused and stared blankly at the scene.
Rain one moment, sunshine the next, mysterious green light bathing the land—so this was how Lucas ran his farm?
No wonder he didn't need to hire many people. With all these powerful Pokémon and their amazing abilities, the farm practically ran itself.
"Heavens, three Dragonair… what kind of family is this?"
The worker, whose dream had once been to become a Dragon-type master, tipped his hat and gawked, his mouth wide enough to fit an egg.
With so many rare and powerful Pokémon, why wasn't this farm owner challenging the Paldea League? Why use them to farm?
He just couldn't understand!
He looked at the wooden fence in his hands, then at the magical scene in the distance, and sighed at the difference between people.
"The wheat's heading already—growing fast."
Lucas strolled through a green sea of wheat, spotting the heads forming on the stalks. It wouldn't be long before they were ready for harvest.
Once harvested, he could mill flour, maybe try brewing some beer—he'd planted a lot of wheat, after all.
He'd learned to be content: the farm's crops would feed his twenty-some Pokémon first, then he'd think about selling any surplus.
"Woof woof woof!"
Suddenly, the wheat swayed, and two Pokémon burst into view—Dachsbun and Growlithe.
Although Dachsbun had evolved, it was still smaller than Growlithe. Once Growlithe evolved into Hisuian Arcanine, the size gap would only grow.