Inside the cabin, a sweet aroma filled the air—something different from the usual. A group of Milcery floated around, forming a circle around Hatterene.
"Why did you bring a bunch of Milcery with you, Hatterene? Is there something you need?" Summer asked, setting down his piece of bread.
Instead of answering, Hatterene simply extended a hand. Immediately, the Milcery flew to the table, spreading a layer of sweet cream over the bread before motioning for him to try it.
Summer wasn't sure what Hatterene was planning, but seeing Rillaboom and Ogerpon happily munching on their cream-covered bread, their faces full of delight, he decided to take a bite as well.
"You can just ask me directly, you know? When have I ever turned you guys down?" he said between bites, then murmured, "Huh… this tastes different from before."
"Hmph~! I just wanted to show you how amazing my friends are!" Hatterene's voice echoed in Summer's mind, full of pride.
"Yeah, the flavor is really good," Summer admitted.
"Exactly~! That's why I want to help them evolve! As their friend—and as the guardian of their home—I have to look out for them, right?"
"Each of them produces delicious cream, but right now, they all taste the same. They want to evolve so they can develop unique flavors of their own~!"
Hearing this, Summer smiled warmly. Now that's the spirit of a true guardian.
Finishing his bread in a few quick bites, he stood up. "Well, you've come to the right person. I just happen to have a book about Milcery's evolution."
The Milcery cheered, clearly pleased with their decision to seek Summer's help.
"Give me a moment, I'll look up the details," he said, walking over to his bookshelf. He pulled out two books: The Art of Sweet Decorations and The Secrets of Spinning.
These were among the items he had collected during his time in Glimwood Tangle. He had even met their author in person—Mr. Simon, the founding father of Alcremie enthusiasts and the father of Opal, the Fairy-type Gym Leader.
Flipping open The Art of Sweet Decorations, Summer began reading.
For Milcery to evolve, they needed to hold a Sweet while spinning. These Sweets could be purchased from certain cafés in Galar, but only with an Alcremie Club membership.
With this many Milcery, getting a membership wouldn't be an issue.
But rather than buying them, Summer was more interested in Simon's method of making Sweets.
According to the book's introduction, there were no strict rules on the shape or color of Sweets—they could be designed however one liked.
However, there was one absolute requirement: they had to be cute.
And more importantly, the Milcery holding them had to like them.
If a Milcery adored its Sweet, its evolved form would produce even more delicious cream.
The book then delved into the history of Sweets.
Originally, ancient texts suggested that the very first Alcremie evolved by holding a Leppa Berry.
Later, passionate Alcremie enthusiasts began experimenting—mixing Leppa Berry juice with syrup to create heart-shaped candy. To their delight, Milcery could use these candies to evolve!
With this discovery, the Alcremie community started crafting a variety of Sweets. After countless trials and refinements, they developed the modern method of making them.
The recipe required Leppa Berry juice and three types of natural sweet syrups.
Scanning the ingredient list, Summer immediately recognized three items that could be found in Sunset Forest: Combee's honey, Tsareena's nectar, and Appletun's syrup.
Though Sunset Forest had no Appletun, Summer suspected that Skwovet's syrup could serve as a superior substitute. It was both sweeter and thicker than Appletun's.
For natural food coloring, the book listed various berry juices. It even included precise measurements for balancing flavors with sugar.
Finally, the process itself was simple: mix the ingredients, heat to a precise temperature, pour into molds, let cool, and remove.
Summer closed the book with a newfound appreciation. It looks easy, but this process carries the dedication of generations of Alcremie lovers.
Setting The Art of Sweet Decorations aside, he picked up The Secrets of Spinning.
This book explained how an Alcremie's flavor was determined by three factors: the time of day they evolved, the direction they spun, and the duration of the spin.
So far, Simon had documented nine different flavors of Alcremie.
He had tested every possible combination, yet at the end of the book, he encouraged trainers to keep experimenting.
There are surely more flavors yet to be discovered. Ten, twenty, or even a hundred!
"Mr. Simon was really passionate about Alcremie, huh?" Summer muttered in admiration.
Closing the book, he turned to the waiting Milcery and grinned.
"Alright! Let's gather the ingredients while we patrol. Since you guys live in Sunset Forest, your Sweets should come from here too!"
The collection process was smooth.
With Summer's reputation—and the sheer cuteness of the Milcery—it didn't take much convincing.
Vespiquen, Skwovet, and Tsareena all agreed without hesitation.
For food coloring, Sunset Forest had no shortage of berries. Yache Berries provided blue, Figy Berries gave yellow, and there were many more options.
As for the candy molds, Summer carved them himself. Using Hatterene's telepathy, he asked each Milcery for their preferred design. The results? A witch hat, a tangerine, a feather, and many other creative shapes.
It was impressive how imaginative they were—some designs even made the Pokémon they were based on laugh out loud.
For the actual candy-making, Summer turned to Gideon.
Since these were rare ingredients, he didn't want to mess them up.
As expected, the old man's skills were top-tier. After a single demonstration, he produced flawless batches of Sweets.
…Though he spent the entire time grumbling.
Apparently, seeing the candy reminded him of someone particularly annoying.
With a full jar of freshly made Sweets, Summer returned to Sunset Forest, handing out the custom treats to each Milcery. Then, he explained the conditions they needed to meet for their desired flavors.
From that moment on, bursts of light constantly flickered across the Dreamwood.
Milcery after Milcery began to spin, each cradling its chosen Sweet, evolving into a dazzling variety of Alcremie.
The next morning, when Summer checked back, the entire Dreamwood was filled with Alcremie of all flavors.
Even the other Pokémon had started lining up—eager to try the new cream flavors.
When they spotted Summer, the Alcremie all turned to greet him. Then, unable to contain their excitement, they rushed over, eager to share their new cream with him.
After all, Summer was the one who helped them evolve.
Their benefactor.
"Alright, I won't turn you down," Summer chuckled.
Then, glancing toward the trees, he smirked.
"Come on, Hatterene. You can stop hiding now. Join us."
Hatterene grinned and floated over.
"Oh my~ I guess I can't refuse, can I? Fine, I'll have a little taste~!"