Chapter 43:
Not far away, a staff mber carrying a Pokémon Egg lost their balance and slipped.
The egg teetered in their hands—about to fall.
For a second, ti seed to freeze. A jolt of dread surged through the caretaker’s chest.
But just as the egg was about to hit the floor, a hand reached out and caught it firmly at the base.
"Phew... that was close." Hayashi Kaede exhaled and looked down at the egg in his arms with curiosity.
It shimred with a cool, ice-blue hue. Snowflake patterns spiraled across the surface, and when his fingers brushed against it, a subtle chill tingled through his skin.
This one was nearly ready to hatch.
Pokémon eggs nearing hatching naturally began to leak tiny amounts of energy—and the strength of this aura was unmistakable.
[Pokémon: Vulpix (Alolan Form)]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Snow Warning]
[Aptitude: Red]
[Stats: HP (24), Atk (25), SpA (31), Def (27), SpD (25), Spd (31)]
[Level: 0]
[Moves: Hypnosis, Moonblast, Tail Whip, Freeze-Dry]
[Intimacy: 10 (It can sense your presence)]
[Happiness: 50 (I want to break through this shell!)]
[Hatching Ti: Within 60 minutes]
"What happened? How could you be so careless?" ca a scolding voice.
Ikeoka Shō approached, frowning at the staffer, but quickly turned to Hayashi Kaede with a wide smile. "Thank you, Kaede. If you hadn’t reacted so quickly, this Alolan Vulpix might’ve been a goner."
At the sa ti, he was inwardly stunned.
They had just been standing and chatting together, and in the blink of an eye, Hayashi Kaede had crossed more than ten ters and caught the egg perfectly?
Is this what trainer reflexes are like...?
"There are even Alolan Pokémon here?" Kaede murmured with surprise, admiring the icy egg in his hands. "That’s impressive."
Custors at the Breeding House always raved about the Energy Cubes—great flavor, great results, affordable price. But...
It was just too hot inside.
Even with the recent rainfall cooling the air a little, the store still felt like a stear most days.
Kaede had been planning to install an air conditioner.
Now? With an Ice-type Vulpix like this...
He might not need to.
And it wasn’t just any Vulpix—it had Red Aptitude.
This luck is too good to be true.
He looked up. "Can I pick this one?"
Ikeoka Shō blinked, then gave a thoughtful smile.
Alolan Vulpix wasn’t technically more valuable than a Starter Pokémon—but it was far rarer in the Alliance. That rarity alone added a premium.
Plus, Hayashi Kaede was a high-level breeder. Gifting him a Vulpix could pay off down the line.
After only a few seconds of thinking, Ikeoka’s smile deepened. "Of course. Alolan Vulpix are just a bit rarer. Their value is slightly below that of the Starter Eggs."
"Thank you." Kaede nodded, holding the egg more fondly than ever.
Alolan Vulpix... cool to the touch, soft and fluffy. Perfect for hugging during sumr.
And once it evolved into Alolan Ninetales?
Even better—as a living, icy pillow.
After completing the registration, Kaede didn’t head straight ho. He used his store card to buy so MooMoo Milk and a bottle of sweet pink perfu from the Secret Shop in the Pokémon section, then hurried back to the Breeding House.
Ti was ticking. The egg would hatch within the hour.
He didn’t even greet Takagi gumi when he returned—just rushed straight out to the plantation.
There, under a shaded awning, he set the egg down gently as it glowed faintly with chilly light. He poured the MooMoo Milk into a bowl, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and began stirring it while slowly sprinkling in the perfu.
The pink, sugary scent had a mild hypnotic effect. When mixed with MooMoo Milk, it enhanced the flavor and made newborn Pokémon more cheerful—and more likely to bond with the trainer they first saw.
But that wasn’t all.
Because food Kaede prepared himself always carried a bonus effect:
[C-Rank MooMoo Milk – enhanced with a touch of pink perfu. Though the technique is a bit rough, the flavor is fully awakened.]
[Effect: Increases early-stage energy gain by 25%. Slightly numbs pain.]
"Servineee~?"
Servine crept closer, drawn by the rich aroma. Its pink tongue flicked out as it eyed the milk hungrily.
"You want so?" Kaede asked with a chuckle. "Sorry, this one’s for the baby."
Servine gave a tiny huff and turned away in mock offense—then glanced back toward the egg, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Clearly, it was excited to et the new arrival.
Kaede smiled. "This batch is for Vulpix. I’ll make more later. Maybe I’ll take a trip to Magnolia Village and grab a few big jugs of milk. Then we’ll always have plenty."
Honestly, the scent was so good even he was tempted to try it.
But the glow from the egg suddenly flared—almost as if to protest.
Nope. Not for you.
With a soft crack, the shell split.
First ca a damp little paw... then a pair of ice-blue eyes, wide and watchful, peeking out through the broken shell.
The newborn Alolan Vulpix blinked at the world for the first ti—and saw Hayashi Kaede smiling down at her.
A warm, gentle presence radiated from him—an aura almost impossible for any newborn Pokémon to resist.
Tentatively, she reached out one paw toward him... then paused.
Kaede dipped his finger into the milk and wiggled it in front of her.
Everything changed.
Eyes sparkling, the Vulpix burst out of the shell and leapt straight into his arms. She grabbed his finger and started suckling it greedily, tail wagging and eyes half-closed in bliss.
"No, no... there’s more in the bowl."
Laughing softly, Kaede offered the milk. The newborn didn’t hesitate—despite still being damp, she practically dove into the bowl, licking eagerly.
Her entire little body trembled with joy.
At that mont, her happiness and intimacy soared.
[Congratulations to the host for raising Alolan Vulpix’s happiness from 50% to 88%. Reward: ...]
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