They Are Too Lonely

Soon after, Angie and Jeremy began loading baskets of berries onto the truck.

At that moment, Angie suddenly remembered that the two Golett were still inside their Poké Balls, which he had been carrying with him.

He took out the Poké Balls and released the two Golett, intending to have them help with moving the berries.

Darkrai was also with Angie, but releasing Darkrai wouldn't be very convenient.

Once the two Golett emerged, they cautiously looked at Angie, afraid that he was still angry with them.

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and move the berries onto the truck!" Angie said angrily.

The two Golett immediately ran over and obediently began working, not daring to say a word.

Jeremy, who was busy moving berries, glanced at the two Golett in surprise.

His Highness Angie had always been gentle with Pokémon; this was the first time Jeremy had seen him so stern.

Could the two Golett have made a serious mistake?

In order to please Angie, the two Golett worked extremely efficiently and soon finished loading all the berries onto the truck.

Once they were done, they circled around Angie like two little puppies. If they had tails, Angie suspected they would be wagging them vigorously at him.

In the end, Angie couldn't hold back and was amused by their antics.

Now that he understood the situation, Angie knew the root of the problem lay with Darkrai; the two Golett had merely followed orders.

For the naive and inexperienced Golett, they couldn't possibly refuse Darkrai's commands.

"Your Highness, I'll be off now!" Jeremy, who was already in the truck, stuck his head out of the window and called to Angie.

"Go ahead!" Angie waved at him.

Once Jeremy left, Angie paid Mr. Eck for the berries.

After settling the payment, he planned to visit Mrs. Hadaly's residence.

According to the address Ike provided, Mrs. Hadaly didn't live in the city but in the Mango Village outside the city.

After bidding Ike farewell, Angie walked out of the berry market.

The two Golett watched Angie's back, unsure whether they should follow him or not.

What should they do? Did Angie not want them anymore? The Golett looked miserable.

Just then, Angie suddenly turned around and sternly said, "Why are you still standing there? Do I have to invite you personally?"

"Golett~"

"Golett~"

Hearing this, the two Golett exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with bright smiles as they quickly ran after Angie with joyful steps.

After leaving the berry market, Angie and the two Golett took the cable lift out of the city and soon arrived at the city gate.

Mango Village wasn't far from the city. As soon as they stepped out of the gate, Angie could already see the outline of the village in the distance, so he decided to walk there with the Golett.

On the way, the two Golett kept sneaking glances at Angie from time to time, looking like guilty thieves.

Angie glanced at them and said coldly, "If you have something to say, say it."

"Golett~ Golett~"

Angie, are you still angry?

One of the Golett asked timidly.

Angie replied, "Shouldn't I be?"

Seeing Angie's expression that seemed like he might get angry again, the two Golett immediately panicked.

Watching them, Angie felt his anger dissipate once more.

Honestly, why was he even arguing with these two children?

Still, some things needed to be made clear in advance.

"Tell me, ever since you came to the Nebel Plateau, have I treated you well?" Angie asked.

"Golett~"

Yes, well!

"Golett~"

Very well!

The two Golett nodded their heads simultaneously.

Angie continued, "Even though I haven't said it outright, I've already considered you as part of the Nebel Plateau."

Upon hearing this, the two Pokémon were filled with emotion.

"But how did you repay me?" Angie's tone suddenly became stern.

"Golett~ Golett~"

But... but... it was Lord Darkrai's order.

The Golett were on the verge of tears.

Angie kept a cold face and said, "Just because Darkrai tells you to do something, you do it?"

"Golett~"

But it's Lord Darkrai!

One of the Golett responded.

"Even if it's Darkrai, you can't," Angie said loudly. "You must always remember one thing: never harm your companions."

The two Golett nodded repeatedly.

"Next time Darkrai asks you to do something, will you do it?" Angie's tone finally softened.

The two Golett shook their heads vigorously.

"That's my good kids." Angie smiled and patted their heads.

"Golett~ Golett~"

Angie... are you still mad?

The Golett asked the same question again.

Angie smiled and said, "As long as you behave, I won't be mad."

"Golett~ Golett~"

We'll behave, we'll behave!

"Golett~ Golett~"

I'll behave the best!

The two Golett immediately jumped up and down with joy.

Now that they had Angie's forgiveness, the two Pokémon returned to their cheerful selves, making the journey much more pleasant.

They happily chased after a Vivillon in the bushes one moment and picked wildflowers on a hill the next.

Before they knew it, Angie and the Golett had arrived at the entrance of Mango Village.

At the village entrance, a group of children were playing. They formed a circle, with two children in the center each commanding a Clauncher and a Bergmite in battle.

The other children were excitedly cheering for the Pokémon they supported.

Angie walked over for a look just as the Bergmite was knocked out by Clauncher's Water Gun.

The children supporting Clauncher cheered in excitement.

Noticing Angie, one of the kids curiously asked, "Big brother, are you a Trainer? Do you want to battle us?"

Angie shook his head, "I'm not a Trainer, and I'm not here to battle. I'm looking for someone."

"Looking for someone?" one of the kids asked. "Who?"

"Mrs. Hadaly. Can any of you take me to her?" Angie asked.

The children exchanged glances before the tallest and strongest boy stepped forward and said, "Big brother, if you battle us and win, I'll take you there."

He was getting tired of battling the same kids in the village every day.

Angie sighed helplessly, "I already said, I'm not a Trainer."

The boy didn't believe him. "Big brother, stop pretending! You have two Pokémon with you, and you say you're not a Trainer?"

He pointed at the Golett with a knowing expression.

Angie: ...

Suddenly, the boy seemed to have thought of something and smirked mischievously.

"Big brother... could it be that you're not up for it?"

Angie: (−"-− angry)

"Fine, fine, I'll humor you kids today and show you what I'm made of. Who's up first?"

The sturdy boy eagerly stepped forward, "Of course it's me!"

He took out a Poké Ball and released a Hawlucha.

"Whoa, a Hawlucha! Not bad," Angie said.

Compared to the other kids whose Pokémon hadn't evolved yet, Hawlucha had an advantage.

The boy puffed out his chest proudly, "Of course! Hawlucha is my best partner!"

"Hawlucha~"

Hawlucha proudly puffed out its chest, mirroring the boy's expression perfectly.

Angie beckoned them over, "Come on."

The boy hesitated, "Big brother, where's your Pokémon?"

Angie smugly wagged his finger, "I don't need Pokémon to deal with kids."

The boy got angry, "Big brother, are you looking down on me?"

Angie shook his head, "No, I'm just telling the truth."

The boy got even angrier and immediately commanded, "Hawlucha, show him what we're made of!"

"Hawlucha~"

Hawlucha let out a loud cry, raising a glowing claw to strike at Angie.

It was using the Fighting-type move, Karate Chop.

However, Angie slightly tilted his body, nimbly dodging Hawlucha's attack, and swiftly grabbed its wrist.

With an over-the-shoulder throw, Hawlucha crashed to the ground, motionless.

The children were all stunned.

"Anyone else?" Angie asked, hands on his hips.

Having spent so much time with Pokémon, Angie had become quite playful.

Hehehe~ Bullying little kids felt great!

"Me, me, me!"

"I'll go, I'll go!"

...

In no time, all the children wanted to duel with Angie.

Ten minutes later, each child was holding their fainted Pokémon, looking dejected. Angie had taken them down with a single punch each, and it never took more than a minute.

"Come, come, come~~" Angie took out some Moomoo Milk and fed it to each of the children's Pokémon. Before long, all the Pokémon had regained consciousness. "Now, can you take me to see Mrs. Hadaly?"

"Alright, follow me." The sturdy boy said as he walked toward the village.

"Bye, big brother!"

As Angie was about to leave, the children all waved goodbye.

Upon entering the village, the villagers, noticing Angie's unfamiliar face, curiously asked the sturdy boy:

"Penny, who's that handsome young man? Is he a relative of yours?"

The sturdy boy, Penny, replied, "No way! He came looking for Grandma Hadaly. I'm taking him there."

"I see. Well, hurry along then!"

Under Penny's guidance, Angie arrived at the westernmost part of the village. There were no other houses in the area, only a small courtyard.

At the entrance to the courtyard was a flowerbed, filled with a variety of blooming flowers that were clearly well cared for.

Above the flowerbed, two Vivillon were flitting about—one with a Garden Pattern and the other with an Elegant Pattern.

Before Angie could approach the courtyard, Penny stopped and pointed toward it, saying:

"Look~ Big brother, that's Grandma Hadaly's house. She doesn't like people getting too close, so you're on your own now!"

With that, he ran off with his Hawlucha.

It turned out that Hadaly was a rather reclusive elderly woman who generally didn't like interacting with people. Apart from a few old friends like Ike, she mostly lived alone with her Pokémon.

She had neither a partner nor children.

Some might think she led a lonely and difficult life, but she never felt that way. With her Pokémon by her side, she found happiness in each day.

Besides, she wasn't short on money.

The courtyard gate was open, and Angie could hear laughter coming from inside.

Peeking in, he saw an elderly woman playing with a Vileplume and a Bellossom in the yard.

As Angie approached, the Vivillon in the flowerbed quickly flew into the courtyard, eyeing him warily.

"Um... Mrs. Hadaly?" Angie called out.

Startled by the sudden voice, Hadaly's smile instantly disappeared.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Hadaly asked with a cold expression.

"My name is Angie. I came from the azoth city," he introduced himself before adding, "I'm here to buy some Sweet Honey, and Mr. Eck recommended me to come here."

Hearing Eck's name, Hadaly's expression softened.

She couldn't be blamed for her caution—as a woman living alone, the last thing she wanted was trouble.

However, with her Pokémon protecting her, she wasn't too afraid of bad people.

"That Eck... Doesn't he know I never sell my Sweet Honey?" Hadaly complained, glancing at Angie. "Come inside."

"Thank you," Angie said, stepping into the courtyard with his two Golett.

The Golett quickly started playing with the Vivillon, getting along as if they had known each other forever.

After inviting Angie into the house, Hadaly said, "Take a seat."

Angie nodded, sat at the table, and quietly observed the room's decor.

The furnishings were simple, but the balcony was filled with flower pots containing many plants he didn't recognize.

Even the vases inside were filled with beautifully arranged flowers, showing Hadaly's skill in floral arrangements.

Although she lived alone, the decorations in her house reflected a deep love for life. She did not let solitude affect her quality of living.

"Would you like something to drink?" Hadaly asked.

Angie shook his head. "No need to trouble yourself."

Hadaly ignored him and made a cup of floral tea, placing it in front of him before sitting across from him.

While gently stroking Bellossom's petals, she asked, "Did you know I never sell my Sweet Honey?"

Angie nodded. "I know. Mr. Eck told me, but I still wanted to try my luck."

"Hmph~ Stubborn boy." Hadaly snorted.

After pondering for a moment, she suddenly said, "It's not impossible for me to sell you some Sweet Honey..."

Hearing this, Angie's face lit up with joy. "What are your conditions? Please tell me."

Hadaly replied, "My Combee have been having a poor appetite lately, so they're in low spirits. If you can make them happy, I'll sell it to you."

Angie asked, "Do you know the reason?"

Hadaly let out a deep sigh. "Every year, when spring comes, this happens."

It turned out that Hadaly's Combee were all male, with no females, let alone a Vespiquen. Every spring, the male Combee would feel very lonely, which led to their loss of appetite, making them unwilling to gather flowers or produce Sweet Honey.

"I see..."

Angie felt helpless. There was nothing he could do about that—he couldn't possibly bring his female Combee over to keep Hadaly's company. That was out of the question.

But since it was a problem of appetite... maybe he could make some food to stimulate the Combee's hunger!

After some thought, Angie decided to try making the Honey Pomeg Tea that he had recently been rewarded by the system.

The only question was whether Hadaly would be willing to advance him some Sweet Honey.

After thinking it over, Angie decided to ask.

"Mrs. Hadaly, could you advance me a little Sweet Honey?"

Hadaly asked, "You want to use Sweet Honey to solve the Combee's appetite problem?"

After all, their usual food was the Sweet Honey they produced themselves.

Angie nodded and said, "That's right. I'm a chef, so I want to try addressing the issue through food."

Since it was for her own Combee, Hadaly had no objections. She got up and went into the storage room, returning shortly with a small jar in her arms.

She placed the jar in front of Angie and said, "Here, is this enough?"

"Yes, yes!" Angie nodded repeatedly, then asked, "Could I also borrow your kitchen for a while?"

"Follow me," Hadaly said.

Angie followed Hadaly, carrying the jar of Sweet Honey in his arms.

Upon entering the kitchen, Hadaly said, "Feel free to use it, just clean up afterward."

"Thank you," Angie replied, looking around. The kitchen was spotless and well-organized.

Hadaly nodded and left the room.

Left alone in the kitchen, Angie put down the jar and began taking out the ingredients he had prepared earlier for the Honey Pomeg Tea.

Other than the Sweet Honey, he had already prepared all the necessary ingredients.

Angie first washed the newly bought Pomeg Berry thoroughly.

Before sending the Pomeg Berry to the Munchlax Home, Jeremy had set aside a portion and stored it in the system backpack.

After washing them, Angie used a knife to peel the fruit carefully.

During the peeling process, he didn't forget to use his Aura power to balance the Pomeg Berry's Aura.

Once peeled, he chopped the Pomeg Berry into small pieces—keeping them small to ensure they would cook properly.

After cutting the Pomeg Berry, he took out an earthenware pot, added water and rock sugar, and turned on the heat.

Once the water boiled and the sugar melted completely, he added the chopped Pomeg Berry.

Using chopsticks, he gently stirred the pot to ensure the mixture was even. He brought it to a boil on high heat before turning it down to simmer.

During the simmering process, Angie kept stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pot while also using his Aura power to maintain a balance in the ingredients' Aura, ensuring they retained their harmony even under high temperatures.

After about an hour of simmering, the Pomeg Tea turned crystal clear.

During this time, Angie made a call to Inteleon, realizing he wouldn't make it home for lunch. He told Inteleon and the others to go home without waiting for him.

As the tea simmered, a faint fruity aroma began wafting through the kitchen.

Hadaly, who had been outside playing with her Pokémon, couldn't help but notice the sweet scent drifting to her nose, causing her to subconsciously swallow.

"That kid's got some skills!"

In the kitchen, once the Pomeg Tea was ready, Angie let it cool before adding the Sweet Honey and stirring it thoroughly.

The moment he opened the jar of Sweet Honey, he saw the amber-colored honey inside and couldn't resist taking a small taste with a spoon.

His eyes lit up after tasting it—this was indeed a top-tier ingredient, premium Sweet Honey! It was the best honey he had ever tasted!

The honey he had in his previous life couldn't compare to this Sweet Honey at all.

Once the honey was thoroughly mixed with the Pomeg Tea, the Honey Pomeg Tea was complete.

The Honey Pomeg Tea could be used both as a beverage when mixed with water and as a jam spread on bread.

When Angie used his Eye of Observation to inspect the freshly made Honey Pomeg Tea, he was pleasantly surprised to find that he had created a Top-grade delicacy!