Chapter 78: Ono's Cake Shop

Chapter 78: Ono's Cake Shop

If one were to ask what Rio missed the most after coming to the Pokémon world and becoming a Pokémon, it would definitely be the various delicacies from his previous life.

Especially since in his past life, he had lived in a country known as a food paradise. From all sorts of cuisines, grand imperial banquets to humble street-side snacks, there was always a favorite for everyone among the dazzling array of foods.

But after coming to this world, Rio's diet consisted of only Berries.

There was no helping it. He had been living in the forest before, and the most common and easiest things to gather were the various Berries that grew abundantly in Newmoon Forest. While the Berries were indeed delicious and very nutritious, with different flavors—some like honeydew melon, some like apples, and some odd ones with a peanut-like flavor from his memory—no matter how delicious they were, he couldn't stand having Berries for all three meals, every single day.

It wasn't that there weren't other creatures in the forest to eat. But one time, when Rio caught two fish and excitedly ran back to the valley wanting to have grilled fish, the resentful expression on the face of a passing Goldeen directly made him feel that eating fish was a heinous crime against heaven and earth.

And the most recent experience of eating delicious food had to be traced back to the cup of instant noodles he ate at Takuma's house, which made his mouth water and tears stream down.

Hmm? Why is Rio suddenly complaining so much about food, you ask?

Because at this moment, he was hiding in a dark alley, staring intently at a cake shop across the street. His eyes were fixed on the various exquisite cakes displayed in the transparent window, and his nose was smelling that rich, sweet aroma. Tell me, which descendant of the earth could endure this?

Rio's uncooperative tears once again streamed down from the corners of his mouth.

…

Besides the Pokémon Ecological Reserve and the Pokémon Gym, the two most famous buildings in Verdant Leaf City, there were also many unique shops. And next to the Pokémon Center at the town's entrance, a dessert shop named "Ono's Cake Shop" was especially beloved by tourists from all over. Many tourists, after getting rather tired from visiting the Pokémon Ecological Reserve, loved to go to this not-so-large cake shop, order a delicious piece of cake, plus a cup of fragrant milk tea, and happily enjoy their leisure time.

And across from the cake shop, a certain Pokémon was facing a difficult choice.

"No, you have to resist. As an heir to five thousand years of Chinese civilization, what great storms have you not weathered? How can you expose your whereabouts just to eat a piece of cake? If bad guys notice you, who knows how much trouble there will be."

This was Angel Riolu advising in Rio's head.

Beside it, a Devil Riolu with a demon's tail pushed the Angel Riolu aside with a fork and said unceremoniously, "How is that possible? It's just eating a cake; how could you be so unlucky as to be noticed right away? Besides, think about it, how long has it been since you've eaten something so delicious? For us who grew up in a nation of gourmet food, how can we wrong our own stomachs?"

Indeed, the scales in Rio's heart tilted towards the Devil Riolu's side.

"No, no, no, wake up! Don't listen to this guy's temptation. Besides, you need money to eat things. Do you have any money on you?"

Angel Riolu continued to persuade, but it inadvertently reminded Rio. Yes, you could find all sorts of things in the forest, but money was never one of them. In human society, it was indeed impossible to move an inch without money.

"Sigh~" Rio hung his head, deciding to give up on the idea of eating cake.

Devil Riolu became anxious, its pointed demon tail incessantly poking Rio's head.

"You have so many Berries on you, and they're all specialties of Newmoon Forest. Go and barter with the shopkeeper! Maybe the shopkeeper will be very kind and trade with you. Besides, you know [Quick Attack] anyway. If it really comes down to it, just snatch one and run! They won't be able to catch you in the heat of the moment."

"No! How could I, a adult human from earth, commit an act like theft or robbery!" Rio righteously rejected Devil Riolu's proposal, but then couldn't help but slurp down some saliva. "However, trying to trade with Berries is an option."

"Alright, it's decided then."

Angel Riolu, seeing Rio had made up his mind, disappeared with some worry. Devil Riolu, on the other hand, muttered, "What the heck, aren't these all just your own thoughts..." and also disappeared.

And so, Rio squatted pitifully in the alley, waiting for a time when there were fewer people.

He waited with great difficulty until evening. After the tourists had eaten and drunk their fill and left the cake shop satisfied, Rio sneakily ran to the cake shop's entrance and gently pushed open the door.

As soon as he entered, that unique fragrance of cream and pastries rushed towards him, making Rio involuntarily take a deep breath.

After reveling in it for a moment, Rio turned his attention to the glass display case below the counter.

Perhaps because business was particularly good today, the once fully stocked glass case now had only two cakes left.

Just as Rio was drooling while leaning on the glass case, a slightly aged but considerably stern voice sounded.

"What are you doing?"

Startled, Rio jumped and quickly stood up, looking towards the source of the voice.

An old man dressed in a pastry chef's uniform walked out from the back kitchen. His face was grim, and he was holding a rolling pin.

However, upon seeing that it was just a Pokémon like Rio and not the thief he had imagined, the old man's stern face relaxed slightly.

Only then did Rio remember his purpose. He carefully held up the Berry in his hand, which was larger than his head, and passed it upwards, while his free hand pointed at the remaining cake in the glass case.

Looking at Rio's hopeful eyes and the Berry he was struggling to hand over on tiptoe, the old man snorted, took the Berry, then put away the rolling pin and, without a word, turned and walked back into the kitchen.

"Sure enough, after becoming a Pokémon, many things are really inconvenient. Sigh."

"And I even lost a Berry..."

Rio sighed deeply in his heart, then, with his head drooping in disappointment and dejection, he walked towards the shop's exit.

Just as Rio reached the shop's entrance, the old man's voice came from the back kitchen.

"Hmph, where are you going? Find a seat and wait."

"!"

The sudden surprise made Rio somewhat disbelieving. Then, he happily trotted over to find a corner seat away from the window, against the wall, and waited with great anticipation.

…

"Ding-ling-ling—"

The sound of the wind chime from the shop door being pushed open rang out. A long-haired girl wearing a Poké Ball hat and carrying a yellow crossbody bag walked in.

"Luckily, I still have some spare change I randomly put in my bag. Whatever, I'll eat something nice first to comfort myself."

It was the unlucky girl who had been scammed and had her wallet stolen—Ming Rizhao. By the time she finished giving her statement at the police station, it was already nearing dusk.

"I didn't do anything all day, just waited around at the police station. So unlucky."

Ming Rizhao sighed at the heavens, then walked to the glass counter.

"Ah, why are there only two kinds of cake left? The most delicious ones written about in the travel guide are gone! Ah, my Strawberry Mango Mille Crepe, my Caramel Panna Cotta, my Chocolate Snowball..."

The girl, on the verge of tears, finally squeezed out three words.

"So unlucky..."

"Oh my, a customer has arrived. Welcome."

Just then, another person walked out from the back kitchen. It wasn't the stern-faced old man from before, but another old lady with a kind smile.

The old lady smiled at Ming Rizhao and said, "Little customer, what kind of cake would you like?"

Although her favorite cakes were gone, Ming Rizhao didn't want to leave just like that.

"I'll have this one, the Chocolate Lava Cake."

Painfully taking out a portion of her remaining meager assets and giving it to the old lady, the girl found a seat by the window and sat down to wait.

The moment Ming Rizhao sat down, a Pokémon impatiently leaped out of its Poké Ball and hopped onto the chair opposite her, sitting down properly.