Chapter 315: A Joyful Farewell

After retrieving the Taillow eggs, Rex didn't linger in the orchard. He quickly made his way back toward the flower field, accompanied by Hiro, Chimchar, and Bagon.

As they passed by the artificial lake, Politoed had returned. Spotting Rex, it jumped right into his path, clearly wanting him to witness the latest rehearsal of its grand group chorus.

To spare his ears, Rex gave Politoed a few exaggerated compliments, then briskly quickened his pace to flee the area.

Even from a distance, the loud, off-pitch sounds reached them. Rex could still hear the headache-inducing chorus echoing behind him, though thankfully it wasn't as painful at this range.

However, Hiro wasn't so lucky. It was his first time hearing Politoed's full-on choir, and his face contorted in agony. With his hands occupied holding the Taillow egg, he couldn't cover his ears, so he simply bolted toward the flower field.

"Hiro, slow down! Don't trip!" Rex called out, surprised that the noise was still affecting the kid this much—proof of how truly awful it was.

"Yuri, I'm back. Everything go alright here?"

Back at the flower field, Rex walked over to Yuri and asked.

"Don't worry, everything's fine. The kids are having a great time," Yuri said as she watched the children running and playing in the field, her tone tinged with gentle envy.

She too once had a carefree, happy childhood—until a sudden accident took her parents. Though Grandma Nieno at the orphanage gave her a sense of home, she could never forget the joy of her early family days. Seeing the kids laugh and play brought back those memories, and filled her heart with warmth.

"Big brother, is that egg for me?"

While Rex and Yuri chatted, Seria ran over with two other little girls, eyes sparkling as she looked at the Taillow egg he was holding.

"Yep, this is the Taillow egg you wanted," Rex said with a smile.

"It's so pretty! Big brother, can I hold it? I'll be super careful, I promise!"

Now that Rex had confirmed it was for her, Seria made her request without hesitation. Her two friends leaned in too, fascinated by the egg's delicate markings.

"Alright, here you go—but don't drop it!" Rex handed over the incubator holding the egg.

Seria cradled it like a treasure, beaming with joy as she walked to the side with her friends to admire it up close.

Hiro was similarly swarmed. Several kids surrounded him, marveling at the egg in his arms. For children their age, anything related to Pokémon sparked intense curiosity—and admiration. Most of them dreamed of becoming trainers someday.

At that moment, Hiro and Seria had become the coolest kids at the kindergarten. The envy in their classmates' eyes said it all.

"By the way, where are Yui and Karen?"

Rex looked around, not spotting them nearby.

"They took a group of kids into the flower field. I could tell they were really enjoying themselves."

Yuri gave him a knowing smile.

"As long as they're having fun."

Rex turned to look out over the flower field. He paused—he thought he saw something hiding in the blooms.

After a closer look, he realized it was Shaymin in its hedgehog form, peeking out from the flowers and observing the children with curiosity. When Shaymin noticed Rex watching, it stuck out its tongue and made a playful face.

Though completely hidden, Shaymin's presence was undetectable to the children who ran past it, oblivious. Only Rex, with whom Shaymin had built a deep bond, was able to sense it.

This connection let Rex see what others couldn't. Even Yuri and the others, as close as they were, couldn't perceive Shaymin when it was in stealth mode.

Later that afternoon, with Shaymin's permission, Rex led the group to the Gracidea garden.

The dazzling blossoms immediately captured everyone's attention. Compared to ordinary flowers, Gracidea were rare, vibrant, and simply breathtaking.

This area also served as the primary nectar source for the Combee. They buzzed from bloom to bloom, tirelessly collecting honey and filling the terraced garden with life.

"Rex, I can't believe you've kept this gem hidden here on the farm. I'm honestly jealous," Remi said, awestruck.

Before settling down in Fallarbor to work in education, Remi had traveled extensively. She'd seen countless natural wonders—but the Gracidea terraces still took her breath away. That something so beautiful existed on a quiet farm elevated her opinion of Rex immensely.

"It's not just my doing. This is a team effort—we all built this place together."

Rex accepted the praise modestly.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing games with the kids. Time slipped by unnoticed, until the golden rays of sunset reminded them that the day was drawing to a close.

The children didn't want to leave—they were enchanted by the day's adventures.

But all good things come to an end. Under Remi and Nurse Joy's guidance, the children reluctantly boarded the bus back to town.

Rex, Yuri, and the others stood at the farm's entrance, watching the school bus roll off into the distance. They remained there for a while, lost in the moment, before turning and heading back toward the farmhouse.

"Today was amazing. I hope we get to do this again sometime," Yui said wistfully as she sank into the soft couch.

Rex and Yuri exchanged a smile. They too felt the joy of the day lingering in their hearts—it had been an unforgettable experience.

(End of Chapter)