Lucas' eyes lit up—he'd been waiting for this.
Rather than muddling through research or relying on bloggers from other regions with different climates, consulting a local expert was the best way.
Lucas said directly, "To be honest, I'm not sure what to plant for the farm's first batch of crops, so I ca to Jones Farm for advice."
Peter blinked, suddenly understanding why Lucas—a supposed fellow professional—had been looking at the fields with such curiosity. Turns out Lucas was half a layman.
Maybe he was another rich kid playing at farming. Peter didn't get the ntality of the wealthy.
Still, he smiled warmly and patted his chest. "You ca to the right person. When the boss was thinking about that abandoned land, I was sent to inspect it, so I know its soil is the sa as ours. Pretty much, whatever we can grow, you can grow."
Peter led Lucas, Arven, and Mabosstiff to an orchard, where the most common—and in-demand—Oran and Pecha Berries grew.
Arven, curious, got Peter's permission to join the farmhand in harvesting berries, enjoying the fun.
Lucas stroked the rough bark of the Oran and Pecha trees, looking up at a lush Oran tree with over a hundred berries hanging from its branches.
He rembered that a standard Oran Berry sold for about 20 league coins, and top-quality ones, after testing, could go up to 100 coins at most.
But he didn't know the price of Oran saplings or their growth and harvest cycles.
Lucas voiced his questions to Peter, waiting for an answer.
Peter pondered. Technically, he shouldn't reveal too much to a potential competitor, per the boss's instructions—just general knowledge.
But Lucas seed to be a rich kid just playing around, unlikely to threaten Jones Farm's business. Plus, this info could be found online, so he might as well make a good connection.
With a straight face and a smile, Peter explained, "Oran and Pecha saplings cost 1,000 league coins each. The harvest cycle depends on the variety, but most take between a month and a half to two and a half months."
"But you need to know: most berry trees need two months to mature before they start bearing fruit. So if you plant saplings, you'll need to wait at least three and a half months for berries."
"If you transplant mature trees, you don't have to wait, and you'll see fruit next month."
"That's because berries are rich in energy. Ordinary fruits and vegetables don't have such limits; they usually grow in a month or two."
Peter finished and looked at Lucas, watching his reaction.
He saw Lucas pull out a small notebook, jotting down Peter's points seriously.
He didn't seem concerned about money at all—just focused on learning.
Peter gave up on the idea of selling Lucas mature trees for commission.
The tour went smoothly. Lucas learned a lot of practical tips, making him more confident about setting up his farm.
On the way back with Arven and Mabosstiff, Lucas was already planning his initial planting:
First, standard crops like potatoes, tomatoes, and cabbage would be the main source of inco before the berry trees matured.
Second, berry trees. Given his limited experience, Lucas would start with the high-demand, easy-to-grow Oran and Pecha trees, rather than rarer, more finicky ones.
Lucas had also asked Peter about the price of mature, fruit-bearing berry trees, but Peter's quote of 3,000 league coins each was way out of his budget.
He only had 231,145 league coins in savings—no way he could splurge like that. Plus, he'd get paid by Naranja Academy soon.
Grass seed for the pasture wouldn't be cheap either, nor would edible fish for the lake. As for fish Pokémon, it'd be cheaper to catch them himself.
Best to stick to saplings—don't bite off more than you can chew. Slow and steady wins the race.
If they can grow potatoes in Siberia, then let's start with a small goal: successfully grow one potato, and that's a win!
Soon, Lucas, Arven, and Mabosstiff returned to the farm gate. Since Jones Farm and the lighthouse lab in South Area One were in opposite directions, Arven was going to return to the lab on his own.
Arven waved happily, "Brother Lucas, I had so much fun today, thanks for having ~"
Lucas patted his soft, light-brown hair. "Not staying for dinner?"
"No, Mom's making sothing delicious for ~" Arven thought of Professor Sada's promise that morning, and looked forward to a ho-cooked al.
It had been a long ti since he'd eaten Mom's food.
Lucas didn't insist, but suggested, "How about I have Dragonite give you a ride? It's fast, you might even get ho early to help Professor Sada cook—mother and son, cooking together."
Lucas thought, that if Arven could influence Sada through these little gestures, maybe he could change the tragic story that might otherwise unfold.
He'd rather see a complete family than just one.
Arven was excited by the idea and quickly agreed. He got on Dragonite's back, clutching a Pokéball with Mabosstiff inside.
The Pokéball was a gift from Lucas, who'd heard Mabosstiff was still wild and uncaught.
Once Arven was ready, Dragonite flapped its small wings and soared skyward, quickly vanishing into the distance.
Watching Dragonite disappear, Lucas stretched and muttered, "Now's the perfect ti to buy so seeds at the market."
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