Chapter 38:
"You..."
"What's wrong? Am I not capable enough?" Takagi Megumi straightened her chest. She knew that Hayashi Kaede would definitely be short on manpower in the near future.
In that case,
Why hire someone else when he could hire her?
"Okay, then you'll be the cashier. You'll start work at six in the morning, and finish whenever the day's stock is sold—no later than four in the afternoon. Meals are included, but there's no accommodation."
The reason for no accommodation was simple: there were no spare rooms.
Mewtwo had already taken up his parents' room.
"Okay~ Thank you, brother Kaede."
Takagi Megumi immediately beamed with joy.
"Is this what it means to experience ordinary life?"
Mewtwo asked, looking confused.
"How would you know if you don't try?" Hayashi Kaede said ambiguously.
"...Hmph."
Mewtwo chuckled—half amused, half annoyed.
Then again, it was powerful. If it didn't like something, it could simply destroy it.
"Brother Kaede, I'm heading back now~"
Takagi Megumi, thrilled by the new job, seemed to have forgotten what she originally came to say. She skipped away in high spirits.
"Wait," Hayashi Kaede stopped her and tossed over a key. "Don't forget to be here by six sharp tomorrow morning."
"Got it!"
Takagi Megumi caught the key, humming happily under the orange-red sunset as she walked away.
After standing quietly for a while, Hayashi Kaede turned to Mewtwo. "Come in."
Mewtwo followed him silently.
"Name and home address—just those two."
Hayashi Kaede sounded all business.
"...Mewtwo. From New Island, Kanto Region."
"Mewtwo? What a strange name. It's pretty rare for a trainer from Kanto to cross the ocean and come all the way here."
Hayashi Kaede chatted casually as he jotted the info down. He didn't act the slightest bit surprised that this "trainer" was at King-level strength.
"Come with me."
Treating Mewtwo like an ordinary assistant, Hayashi Kaede led him to the plantation.
He plucked a ripe spicy tomato berry.
"See all these ripe berries and vegetables? Your job is to harvest them daily and store them in the ball. I might also have you help with some planting."
Mewtwo, still in humanoid form, raised an eyebrow. Its immense psychic power surged out and formed invisible hands, instantly gathering all the ripe spicy tomatoes berry in the area and levitating them neatly in the air. "Like this?"
Hayashi Kaede was briefly stunned.
"I'm a Psychic-type," Mewtwo said flatly.
"Even better. I'll double your salary."
Hayashi Kaede didn't seem fazed at all.
He just felt even more certain: he really did need a Psychic-type Pokémon!
Most Psychic-types couldn't achieve that kind of precise control. They'd crush the berries or burst them by accident.
Only a truly powerful one like this could handle it.
"Well..."
Mewtwo didn't care about money in the human world. But what intrigued it more was...
Within just a few minutes of arriving in this small town, its once-angry heart felt... soothed?
Why?
"It's getting late. I'll prep a room for you after dinner."
Saying this, Hayashi Kaede waved at the pine tree.
The Pidgeotto perched there flapped down in confusion.
This bird was still new to the team. Hayashi Kaede believed in having Pokémon eat with him when possible. Sharing meals meant sharing bonds.
Eating alone was for the lonely.
"Pidgeotto ?"
"Come eat…"
Hayashi Kaede reached out, letting the bird rest on his arm. He felt the sharp claws touch him—but without pain—and smiled at the novelty.
"Pidgeotto ..."
Pidgeotto was a predator, not prey, after all.
After placing the energy cube in the reservoir for Milotic, Hayashi Kaede led the Servine and Pidgeot into the breeding house.
Mewtwo hesitated… then followed.
Back inside, Servine sat on a chair with elegant posture, waiting patiently to be served.
Pidgeotto looked uneasy. The ceiling above its head made it uncomfortable.
But Servine quickly noticed and used Vine Whip to pull open the floor-to-ceiling curtains. The soft sunset spilled inside.
Pidgeotto relaxed visibly and glanced gratefully at Servine
Mewtwo stood off to the side, feeling like an outsider.
Yet something stirred inside its heart—something it hadn't felt before.
Only when it heard the rhythmic chopping from the kitchen did it follow the sound.
Hayashi Kaede was cutting steak.
Of course, it was ordinary steak, bought from HappyMart the day before.
Veggies were great, but you couldn't go without meat.
Thanks to his God-tier chef skill from the system, Hayashi Kaede moved skillfully. He sliced the steak, cleaned it with flour water, dried it, and portioned it precisely.
Then he heated some rapeseed oil in a pan and began searing the meat.
While waiting, he lit a second burner, chopped a large white radish, cut ribs into chunks, added ginger and seasonings, then filled a casserole with water.
"How's your Physhic control?"
Mewtwo paused—then nodded. "...Very good."
"Great, help me control the heat."
Mewtwo: ???
Hayashi Kaede lit the second stove without waiting for a reply.
Mewtwo: ...
It felt like it had just been tricked, but still obeyed, raising the flame with its psychic power.
Soon, the steak was nearly done. Hayashi Kaede seasoned it with sea salt and rosemary.
For sauce, he used a simple spicy tomato blend.
[Grilled Steak – B-rank delicacy. Effect: Reduces incoming Ice-type damage by 10% temporarily.]
He fried a few vegetable sides, plated everything, and called out, "All done."
Then he uncovered the soup pot.
[Steak Soup – B-rank delicacy. Effect: Deep, soothing aroma. Drinking it grants calmness.
System Evaluation: A hot bowl of soup is the best way to warm your heart.]
"You can stop now."
Mewtwo eased off its psychic control.
The kitchen was still filled with mouthwatering aromas.
And all Mewtwo could think was:
So good...
Smells too good...
Unseen in that cozy room, a glowing green thread gently connected Hayashi Kaede to Mewtwo—
The calming force of Viridian Power, still quietly at work.