Even knowing the two Shuckle' fermented medicinal liquids would likely differ in quality, Lucas still decided to give two portions of the Sour Herba to the shiny Shuckle sister for fermentation, and the remaining portion to the sensitive Shuckle brother.
This wasn't just to care for the brother's mental health and gradually guide him to be confident and cheerful.
It was also to create comparative samples for reference.
Of the three medicinal liquids, Lucas planned to keep one of the sister's batches refrigerated at the ranch, and have Alder send someone to pick up the other two.
While treating Volcarona, they could leverage that cutting-edge medical research facility Adler used for Volcarona to analyze the exact effects of the Herba Mystica medicine and determine whether the two batches differed.
Only with that information could Lucas prescribe correctly and resolve the hidden risk of the brother's sensitivity.
As for the formula being leaked—leaving aside the fact that this half-baked amateur's recipe might not be worth much—just the raw material, Herba Mystica, is something almost impossible to reproduce.
With the three Sour Herbas accounted for, Lucas looked again at the eleven peat blocks he'd arranged neatly on the floor.
These were the miraculous items Terry had mentioned—able to let Pokémon that couldn't evolve, evolve. He didn't know where Terry got the info, but as said, peat blocks can help Ursaring evolve into Ursaluna.
Ursaluna, once evolved, is the very picture of power. If his Ground-type slot weren't already occupied by his new ace, Mega Swampert, he would have raised one as a mainstay no matter what.
Do you even understand the gold content of Flame Orb + Guts + Belly Drum + Tera-Normal Headlong Rush.JPG
Even Arceus wouldn't survive that world-ending blow with a hundred thousand lives.
But while the "main Ursaluna" plan was shelved, the "Ursaluna treasure-hunting" plan could go on!
Ursaluna lives in the Hisui wetlands and forges a sturdy body from peat.
Its hands have five claws, and it's even better at digging than the Sandslash at the ranch. It also has a sensitive nose for sniffing out treasure and often digs up buried items and valuables in the games.
In Hisui, Ursaluna even received special, mysterious protection from the great Sinnoh deity Arceus, and is widely revered there.
As a Ground-type, Ursaluna can't learn the move Rototiller, but helping Mudsdale with some soil-loosening is no problem.
The ranch's cultivated area keeps expanding, and Mudsdale often has to work half a day to finish daily tilling.
Lucas wasn't a devil who exploited Pokémon, so recruiting another Ground-type to share Mudsdale's workload had to be put on the agenda.
He could even ride it around the Paldea wilds for a true treasure-hunting adventure.
Having decided to raise a Teddiursa or Ursaring and then evolve it into Ursaluna, Lucas remembered the brash young Ursaring he'd met in Mt. Silver and slightly regretted not having lured it away back then.
Even though it was already late at night, Lucas still pestered the system to help him pick a well-formed peat block rich in Ground-type energy, and put it away carefully.
But then another problem arose.
What to do with the remaining peat blocks?
He couldn't very well catch ten Ursaring and use them all.
As for selling the peat blocks, he hadn't even considered it.
They're priceless in theory, and once used, there's one less—why sell them for money when he wasn't exactly short on cash, and fame wasn't out of reach either?
These items that appeared in Asado Desert for unknown reasons deserved a more meaningful use.
"…Right, I can use them as rewards."
Murmuring, Lucas's eyes shone bright even under the lamp.
Besides being a retired trainer and a rancher, he was also a part-time teacher.
Maybe he wasn't as good as the famous instructors, but he wouldn't mislead students, and he could provide solid advice and resources.
Nemona's second Pokémon was a Teddiursa they'd caught together; with a peat block, it could evolve into Ursaluna and grow stronger.
Future student Paul also had an Ursaring, if he remembered right, which could evolve with a peat block as well.
However, even if their Pokémon could become Ursaluna, Lucas didn't plan to give the peat blocks for free.
"Let's make them rewards for achieving certain milestones."
Like an achievement system in a game: when you complete something significant, you get various rewards. Those rewards then motivate you to go even further.
For example, if Nemona clears the next few gyms in Paldea and collects all eight badges, Lucas would give her a peat block as a reward.
When students hit an important milestone, he could add the finishing touch by awarding them.
Maybe one day, trainers known for having Ursaluna will all be people Lucas once taught—that notion could lodge itself in trainers' minds around the world.
It was a bit exaggerated, but the logic stood.
He'd also planned that once the ranch expanded further, his students could come choose from the "second generation" of ranch Pokémon—the offspring of the current residents—to entrust to them.
That would be his contribution to the benevolent development of Paldea.
Maybe one day, a group of students running teams like Ursaluna, Garganacl, Amoonguss, Blissey, Ferrothorn, and Incineroar would become famous worldwide?
Of course, there might be plenty of peat blocks buried underground in Sinnoh as well, and people elsewhere might also have Ursaluna.
But daydreams aren't illegal. While imagining the future, Lucas put away the other peat blocks and picked up his phone to message "Perrin."
It was late at night, but last time Perrin mentioned she was heading to Kitakami to investigate a Pokémon called Ogerpon.
According to her, Kitakami had at least a 12-hour time difference from Paldea.
So while it was night in Paldea, it should still be daytime for Perrin. Perfect chance to learn about cameras from her and prepare a camera for his Delibird to photograph scenery along its routes.
That way, he could sightsee the world without leaving home.
...
The next day.
Opening his window, Lucas found the weather oppressively muggy. Dark clouds blanketed the sky; rain looked imminent.
He'd chatted with Perrin for about half an hour last night.
Along with advice on choosing cameras, he learned she had already arrived in Kitakami to start investigating Ogerpon's background.
After that, unable to sleep, Lucas messaged Oranguru to come over and hit him with a Hypnosis so he could finally doze off.
And it worked—after one Hypnosis, he slept incredibly well and woke up without any of the soreness and "everything feels off" he'd had after yesterday's nap.
If Oranguru's sleep-aid Hypnosis existed back before he transmigrated, many insomniacs would have flocked to it.
"…That makes things tricky. I still have to go into town today to ask Nurse Joy about making medicine."
Lucas frowned. He really didn't like rainy weather.
The ground always fills with puddles; even with an umbrella, a few steps get your toes and cuffs splashed with grimy rainwater. For someone slightly germ-averse like Lucas, it felt like ants crawling all over him.
But he had to go—his schedule for the next few days was packed. He had to check the Corviknight courier team's training, sign for the Miltank automatic milker, and prep for the town's Pokémon marathon.
Busy, to say the least.
With a light sigh, he finished washing up, grabbed an umbrella by the door, and, without bringing any Pokémon, headed to town alone.
Not long after Lucas left—
Mimikyu shuffled to the door. Today it had arranged to test Politoed's close-quarters ability.
But the moment it arrived, Mimikyu noticed the shoes by the door were gone.
That meant Lucas had already gone out.
Mimikyu recalled Oranguru mentioning Lucas would go to town to learn something today.
Before it could think further, thunder boomed across the sky, and in the next moment, the patter of raindrops landing outside filled the air.
Passing through the little flap under the door that Lucas had installed for small Pokémon—though it could slip into shadows or even through walls, Mimikyu preferred using the door its trainer had made; it made it feel cherished—it stepped outside and saw Politoed waiting at the door, holding two lotus leaves overhead.
In an instant, Mimikyu recalled Politoed's ability.
Drizzle.
Mimikyu: "…"
Even though it knew today's downpour wasn't summoned by Politoed, the scene still stirred an inexplicable urge to snark.