[LV0 Ranch Cabin → LV1 Ranch Cabin]
Poké Dollars: 10,000 / 30,000
Wood: 450 / 500
[Requirements met. Spend 10,000 Poké Dollars and 450 logs to repair the Ranch Cabin?]
"Yes!"
[Countdown begins… 19, 18, 17, 16…]
"Kangaskhan , no peeking!" +_
"If you look, the magic won't work. You two aren't allowed to secretly open your eyes."
"Cinccino~"
Cinccino curled its large ears downward just enough to cover its eyes. It even used its tail to block Kangaskhan's eyes.
It was worried Kangaskhan might peek and ruin Hayato 's magic trick.
[5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Ranch Cabin repairs complete. Please select decorations.
(Note: Once chosen, they cannot be changed.)]
"Wait, I can even choose decorations?"
Surprised, Hayato tapped the translucent screen floating before him.
Just as he had expected, the available decoration options were very limited.
That made sense. A Level 1 Ranch Cabin only used a small amount of resources. The fact that it could even be built already showed how powerful his system ability was.
After a quick glance through the options, Hayato made his decision.
He was already eager to see Kangaskhan and Cinccino's surprised expressions.
"Cinccino~"
Its ears twitched as Cinccino asked if it could open its eyes yet.
Hearing the sound, Hayato finally looked away from the brand-new ranch cabin standing before him.
"You can open them now!"
Whoosh—
Cinccino and Kangaskhan opened their eyes almost at the same time.
In the next instant, Kangaskhan's eyes widened in shock, its hands awkwardly frozen in place.
Where did that big, old, broken house go?
In its place stood a warm and fully equipped brand-new Ranch Cabin.
"Hahaha! Pretty amazing, right?"
"Cinccino!"
Cinccino leaped onto Hayato 's shoulder, nodding vigorously. It was already impatient to go inside and explore.
To Cinccino, Hayato was practically all-powerful.
He could cook delicious food and even perform magic.
The only downside was that sometimes when they slept at night, Hayato hugged it too tightly—it could barely breathe.
Still…
His embrace was warm.
"Come on," Hayato said with a smile. "Let's go see our new home."
He stepped forward, excitement written all over his face.
After more than a week of effort—with plenty of help from his system—he had finally built a new home on the abandoned ranch.
His ranch life was finally getting on track.
Opening the door revealed a large and spacious living room.
For now, there wasn't a single piece of furniture.
The wooden floors and walls were painted a warm light yellow, giving the room a cozy atmosphere.
"Oh, right!" Hayato turned to the two Pokémon with a grin.
"I've also prepared gifts for you inside the cabin."
"Kangaskhan~!"
"Cinccino!"
Gifts!!!
The moment they heard that, Kangaskhan and Cinccino immediately scattered, searching the cabin.
A Level 1 Ranch Cabin only had three rooms plus a bathroom.
The middle area was the living room. Following Hayato 's request, a fireplace had been installed along the wall on the right side near the bedroom.
Since the cabin would be his long-term home, proper heating during winter was essential.
As for the empty space beside the fireplace, Hayato already had plans.
He wanted to buy a sofa for that spot.
And preferably a television too.
Then he could sit there with Cinccino in his arms, munching on nuts harvested in autumn.
Now that would be the perfect life.
The kitchen was located on the left side.
When Hayato walked over, he saw Cinccino happily swinging a feather duster with its tail, cleaning dust that didn't even exist.
Walking up to it, Hayato picked Cinccino up and rubbed his cheek against it.
"Do you like it?"
"Cinccino!"
Cinccino's face turned slightly red as it nodded enthusiastically.
With this tool, it could clean dust and stains in high places.
For a neat freak like Cinccino, that was extremely important.
"As long as you like it." Hayato chuckled, giving its ear a gentle squeeze before letting it go.
"Then I'll leave the cabin's cleaning to you from now on, Cinccino."
Thump thump.
Cinccino patted its chest proudly and lifted its head, as if saying:
"Leave it to me, Trainer!"
Next, Hayato headed to the leftmost bedroom.
The large room contained only one piece of furniture.
Placed in the western corner against the wall was a large double bed.
Well… calling it a bed wasn't entirely accurate.
It was actually a heated stone kang bed that Hayato had specifically requested.
It would make heating easier in winter.
More importantly, only something like this could support Kangaskhan's weight without collapsing in the middle of the night.
For example—
Right now Kangaskhan was cautiously testing the bed.
It slowly leaned its body onto it.
The stone kang didn't budge at all. Supporting Kangaskhan's weight was effortless.
Instantly, Kangaskhan became delighted.
From now on, it could sleep together with Hayato .
Seeing Kangaskhan's actions and expressions clearly, Hayato pretended not to notice.
Instead, he picked up the book placed by the bedside and handed it over.
Six bold words were printed clearly on the cover.
"Parenting Guide (Kangaskhan Edition)"
This was the real gift Hayato had prepared.
With Kangaskhan about to give birth, it had been suffering from prenatal anxiety.
If that stress continued, it could affect both Kangaskhan and the baby in its pouch.
The best way to ease anxiety was knowledge.
Fear was often born from the unknown.
And this parenting guide was the perfect remedy.
"Kangaskhan…"
Kangaskhan nodded repeatedly, deeply moved.
Hayato had been incredibly thoughtful.
It had been worried about this issue for a long time.
Now that there was a solution, it could finally sleep peacefully.
Kangaskhan spread its arms and pulled Hayato into a huge bear hug, lifting him off the ground.
"Alright, alright—put me down," Hayato laughed.
"Today's our housewarming day. We still need to move everything from the campsite inside."
He was genuinely happy for Kangaskhan .
Helping Pokémon solve their worries—wasn't that exactly what being a Trainer was about?
Trainers and Pokémon could be comrades, friends, and partners.
But more importantly—
They were family.
Family who lived together and shared their lives closely.
While Cinccino cleaned the cabin, Hayato and Kangaskhan returned to the camp outside the ranch house.
After living outdoors for a week, they could finally move into a proper home.
It hadn't been an easy journey.
"Kangaskhan , come help!"
Rolling up his sleeves, Hayato called out.
"The sooner we finish, the sooner we can enjoy the housewarming feast!"
"Kangaskhanaa!"
Shouting excitedly, Kangaskhan wrapped its arms around an entire shelf and followed behind Hayato .
Back and forth they went—more than a dozen trips—until the campsite was completely cleared and everything had been moved into the cabin.
The once-empty house now felt lively and full of life.
Since tonight was their housewarming banquet, the food had to be special.
Hayato had bought ingredients the day before.
Now, using the brand-new stove and tying on his apron, he couldn't help but hum a little tune.
Life like this…
wasn't bad at all.
Soon, the dining table was filled with dishes:
Braised Sea Bass (C)Stir-Fried Chicken (C+)Green Beans with Scrambled Eggs (C-)Spicy Clams (C+)And the star dish: Chinese Cabbage with Dried Shrimp (B)
When the five dishes were combined, a special culinary effect appeared once again.
Cooking Effect – Housewarming Blessing
Five dishes representing special meanings, eaten on a special day.
Slightly increases luck for a short time.