"Diancie, how do I turn this fur into a TM?" Lucas asked, puzzled.
Diancie replied, "Check the store; they should have a device for making Technical Machines. Just buy it with Happiness Points."
Hearing this, Lucas quickly opened the shop interface and scrolled through it, but couldn't locate the item. He resorted to using the search function, and sure enough, a strange-looking machine appeared.
He looked at the price—good heavens, 50,000 Happiness Points! He couldn't afford it even if he sold himself!
Lucas checked his current balance: 600 points. Gulpin had contributed 100, and Munchlax had added 500.
Diancie glanced at the price tag. "This is actually very reasonable because we're in the newbie period. It's a discounted price; after the newbie period ends, it will become even more expensive."
Lucas: ...
"I'll worry about TMs later. I don't need one right now anyway," Lucas said, putting Munchlax's fur into his system backpack.
"Lucas, I'm heading back out to attract more customers. We still need eight more to complete the mission," Diancie said.
"Diancie, you're working so hard," Lucas remarked, touched by her dedication.
Diancie gently hugged Lucas's arm. "It's not hard at all. I'm happy to help you."
Lucas felt even more moved and couldn't help but embrace Diancie warmly.
"Okay, I'm going now!"
Diancie pushed Lucas away with a shy expression and quickly ran out of the restaurant.
After Diancie departed, Lucas checked the taskbar:
Serve 10 Pokémon, Deadline: 3 days. (2/10)
Indeed, without Lucas—the human "nuisance"—the Pokémon of the Nebel Plateau showed a completely different attitude toward Diancie. They were friendly and enthusiastic.
Soon, three more Pokémon were brought to the restaurant by Diancie: a Scatterbug, an Espurr, and a Swirlix. Each of them left the establishment completely satisfied.
After Diancie saw Swirlix off, Lucas finally dared to emerge from the kitchen. He glanced at his system interface:
Serve 10 Pokémon, Deadline: 3 days. (5/10)
Happiness Points: 900.
Scatterbug, Espurr, and Swirlix had each contributed 100 Happiness Points. None of them had enjoyed Lucas's cooking with the same level of enthusiasm as Munchlax.
It seemed his culinary skills still needed improvement!
Being limited to making only steamed buns was constraining his potential. Unfortunately, if he prepared foods not specified by the system, they wouldn't generate Happiness Points from the Pokémon who consumed them. Otherwise, he could have experimented more freely.
He needed to work hard to get the system to unlock more recipes.
Lucas's motivation surged. For the first sixteen years of his life, he had been weak and sickly, unable to do almost anything. Now that he had regained his health, he was determined to live a fulfilling life. Having something to strive for was rare and precious to him.
"Diancie, let's keep it up!" Lucas said, raising his fist in determination.
"Let's do it!" Diancie caught Lucas's enthusiasm, raising her own tiny fist to bump against his, her spirits equally high.
"I'll head out again."
After their moment of shared encouragement, Diancie waved to Lucas as she walked toward the door.
Lucas waved back.
After Diancie left, Lucas returned to the kitchen to resume his position out of sight. But he hadn't been there long when he heard Diancie's voice outside again.
That was quick, Lucas thought, so he quietly peeked out to observe.
To his surprise, it was Gulpin who had returned.
Diancie had barely taken two steps outside when she encountered Gulpin, who had come looking for her.
Gulpin appeared somewhat downcast, but when its eyes fell on the bouquet of flowers in the vase on the counter, it paused momentarily.
Those were the flowers it had picked that morning.
Although it feared Lucas for being human, he had helped it nonetheless. Gulpin had wanted to express gratitude somehow, despite its limited abilities. The flowers were a small token of appreciation.
It had worried its gesture might be disregarded, but was surprised to see the bouquet treated with such care.
Gulpin hadn't studied flower arrangement and possessed limited aesthetic sense. In truth, the bouquet it had assembled was somewhat haphazard, lacking conventional beauty. Its only true qualities were naturalness and freshness.
Yet Lucas had found it pleasing to the eye.
For a moment, Gulpin didn't know quite how to process its feelings.
Diancie gently picked up Gulpin, placed it on the table, and asked, "Have you had breakfast? Would you like something to eat?"
"Gul-pin~ Gul-pin~"
Gulpin shook its head vigorously. It had already eaten.
Thinking of the morning's events, Gulpin felt a surge of emotion. It was for others' sake that it had cautiously returned.
"Gul-pin~ Gul-pin~"
Gulpin urgently explained to Diancie why it had come.
After breakfast that morning, Gulpin had accidentally observed Scraggy and Skitty digging in the grass. At first, it hadn't understood what they were doing, but after watching for a while, it realized they were searching for roots to eat.
Not only Scraggy and Skitty, but also Pancham had gone to the river just to drink water, its stomach still rumbling afterward. Litwick had retreated to the cave to sleep, but couldn't drift off due to hunger...
It turned out that everyone had let Gulpin have the food, while they themselves went hungry.
In that moment, Gulpin had felt overwhelming guilt. When it had consumed the food everyone had sacrificed for its sake, it hadn't realized they were starving themselves to welcome it.
Although the Nebel Plateau boasted lush vegetation and abundant greenery, food resources weren't actually plentiful. Most of the area consisted of flat grassland with few fruit-bearing plants.
Additionally, the relatively large population of Pokémon living there made obtaining food even more challenging.
In the past, fewer Pokémon had inhabited the Nebel Plateau, but because of its proximity to the Azoth Kingdom, Pokémon who had originally lived in the city and had to leave for various reasons gradually gathered there, settled down, and multiplied, increasing the population.
In truth, continuous mountains and dense forests surrounded the Nebel Plateau, areas that had no shortage of food.
But these Pokémon, having originally lived in the human world, harbored an inexplicable fear of wilder areas farther from human settlements. They didn't dare venture beyond the Nebel Plateau.
Watching its companions go hungry, Gulpin felt heartbroken. After consideration, it could only think of approaching Lucas for help.
It remembered Lucas telling it that if it was hungry, it could come to him.
"So you want to take some food back for your companions?" Diancie asked after hearing Gulpin's story.
But she felt somewhat conflicted. According to the restaurant's rules, food couldn't be taken out.
"Gul-pin~ Gul-pin~ Gul-pinpin~"
The Gulpin wore a pleading expression, indicating that while it couldn't repay the kindness immediately, it promised to do so when it grew stronger.
Just then, Lucas cautiously peered around the doorframe.
The Gulpin had seen him before, so he didn't hide completely, but he refrained from approaching too suddenly to avoid startling it.
"Diancie, come here for a moment," Lucas beckoned to her.
Though Gulpin still feared Lucas, thoughts of its hungry friends gave it courage. It bravely puffed out its chest and gazed steadily at Lucas.
Looking into Gulpin's shimmering eyes, Lucas felt momentarily captivated.
Since arriving at the Nebel Plateau, this was the first time a Pokémon other than Diancie had looked directly at him. (Komala didn't count, as its eyes remained closed constantly.)
At Lucas's summons, Diancie entered the kitchen and conveyed Gulpin's request.
Lucas didn't hesitate. He simply took a bowl, filled it with steamed buns, and said, "Give these to it." He handed the bowl to Diancie.
Diancie hesitated. "But the restaurant rules..."
Lucas dismissed her concern. "I'm the owner, doesn't that mean I make the rules?"
"Alright!" Diancie took the bowl and sighed helplessly. "You're such a willful fellow!"
"Hehe~" Lucas gently touched the diamond on Diancie's forehead.
Returning to the main hall, Diancie placed the steamed buns before Gulpin and said, "Our owner agreed." She didn't miss the opportunity to create a positive impression of Lucas. "According to our original policy, food can't be taken out, but our owner understands that you care about your companions, so he made an exception. Although he's human, he's different from those who abandoned you."
After interacting with Pokémon on the plateau, Diancie had learned why everyone feared Lucas, though she hadn't yet had a chance to explain it to him.
Thinking about everyone's attitude toward Lucas, Diancie felt indignant on his behalf. Her Lucas was the finest human in the world. Comparing him to those who had mistreated these Pokémon was simply outrageous!
Hearing Diancie's words, Gulpin was genuinely touched.
It quietly glanced toward the kitchen and caught sight of Lucas smiling at it. Flustered, Gulpin quickly averted its gaze.
"You can't carry so much food by yourself. I'll accompany you back," Diancie offered, also eager to meet Gulpin's companions. They were all potential customers!
"Gul-pin~ Gul-pin~"
The Gulpin hesitated momentarily, then nodded in agreement, expressing gratitude to Diancie.
"Lucas, I'm going out," Diancie called toward the kitchen.
"Got it. Come back soon," Lucas's voice replied from inside.
Diancie picked up the bowl of steamed buns and said to Gulpin, "Lead the way."
"Gul-pin~"
Gulpin jumped nimbly from the table and hopped ahead of Diancie to guide her.
Under Gulpin's direction, Diancie arrived at their residence. At that moment, Pancham was just returning from outside, and Gulpin quickly called out to it.
"Gul-pin~ Gul-pin~" I've brought plenty of food! Quickly, call everyone to come and eat!
Pancham looked puzzled. It glanced at the unfamiliar Diancie, then at the fragrant steamed buns in her arms. Saliva began to form at the corners of its mouth.
Having drunk too much water earlier, its stomach was now gurgling uncomfortably.
"Pan-cham~ Pan-cham~" Who is she? I've never seen her before, Pancham inquired.
Diancie explained, "Like Gulpin, I'm a newcomer to the Nebel Plateau. Gulpin mentioned you're short on food, so I brought some to share."
Though Pancham was constantly swallowing, it still asked, "If you give us your food, what will you eat?"
Diancie gently patted its head. "Don't worry, I have plenty of food."
Perhaps because she had cared for Lucas since she was young, Diancie sometimes unconsciously radiated a maternal warmth.
Pancham was straightforward and didn't question Diancie's words. It immediately jumped up happily.
"Really? That's wonderful!"
The Pokémon of the Nebel Plateau often helped one another, so Pancham didn't refuse Diancie's gift, already thinking that in the future, when it had extra food, it would share with Diancie as well.
"Pan-cham~ Pan-cham~" I'll call everyone back right away.
With that, Pancham ran off.
Before long, Litleo, Skitty, Scraggy, Stunky, Spritzee, Zigzagoon, Helioptile, Dedenne, and Litwick (who had been sleeping at home) gathered in the cave, surrounding the bowl of steamed buns and salivating eagerly.
Diancie repeated what she had told Pancham, and everyone gladly accepted her gift.
Pokémon were like this—frank, sincere, without pretense. They would honestly accept your help and unreservedly repay you when able.
Soon, the bowl of steamed buns was emptied by the hungry Pokémon.
Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, Lucas observed his Happiness Points balance increasing rapidly, his smile growing wider by the second.
+100
+100
+100
...
Finally, the balance settled at 1,800 points, an increase of 900.
Simultaneously, the taskbar on his system interface updated:
Serve 10 Pokémon, Deadline 3 days. (10/10) — Completed, reward pending collection.
Pancham lay on the ground, its round belly contentedly full.
"Pan-cham~ Pan-cham~" It's been ages since I've eaten so well!
The other Pokémon also reclined in various poses, occasionally letting out satisfied burps.
"Lit-leo~ Lit-leo~" That was delicious—the best thing I've ever tasted, Litleo declared.
"De-denne~ De-denne~" You speak as if you've eaten many delicious things, Dedenne teased, brushing Litleo with its tail.
Litleo seized the opportunity to hug Dedenne's fluffy tail and smiled contentedly. Everyone was amused by the exchange.
Indeed, they hadn't eaten well in quite some time.
Litwick approached Diancie and sincerely said, "Thank you."
Diancie shook her head. "You're welcome. Come to my home anytime you're hungry."
Litwick hesitated. "That wouldn't be right, would it?"
"Please come with confidence; it's perfectly fine," Diancie assured boldly. "Though you can only visit once per day." She added with a playful wink.
Diancie chatted with the Pokémon for a while, inquiring about aspects of life on the Nebel Plateau, before returning to the restaurant.
As soon as she entered the door, she saw Lucas running eagerly toward her.