Chapter 437:
"Serperior... Leafeon, Steenee, you're all here~"
Before Kaede even made his way through the Berry grove, his voice arrived first.
The Pecha Berry tree under which Serperior was currently resting was the very one it had cultivated—the infinitely growing Pecha Berry tree. Among all the Pecha trees, it stood out remarkably, despite being planted last.
The Pecha Berries it bore now weren't vastly different from other trees, just a bit larger—about 1.5 times the size of a regular Pecha Berry.
Moreover, after surpassing the typical Pecha Berry size, its growth rate seemed to have slowed, even though Kaede had been applying top-grade Fertilizer.
It was similar to Pidgeot; the changes they underwent seemed to be of the same type.
Though Pidgeot's size was still increasing, the rate had noticeably slowed.
Now, after a month, it only grew about 0.15m taller.
Still pretty astonishing, though.
"Serperior?"
"Leafeon~"
"Steenee~"
Kaede's voice, several Pokémon turned their heads.
"Hehe, the newly brewed Pecha Berry Wine is ready. Here, try some."
Because this particular Pecha tree had grown so large, Kaede worried other trees might later compete for its nutrients. So, he had simply cut down several Pecha trees nearby.
That's why there was now such a bright, open space under this tree.
A pity for those other Pecha trees—they were cut down before producing many berries.
Hearing this, the Pokémon all gathered around.
Kaede took out a picnic cloth from his storage capsule, spread it on the ground, then brought out cups, bowls, and the Pecha Berry Wine. The light, fragrant wine paired with the scent of pink Pecha blossoms created a perfect atmosphere.
Butterfree and Leafeon descended from the branches. Serperior silently slithered over and came to a stop behind Kaede. Steenee also took small steps to Kaede's side, looking at him expectantly.
It even asked, "Steenee?"
"No need, no need. Let's drink first."
Kaede declined Steenee's suggestion to call over the Dragon-type Pokémon and Blaziken. He poured wine for all the Pokémon present. "Drink up..."
None of the Pokémon hesitated. Even the Furret in the trees peeked out.
Unfortunately, he had been in a hurry when he came out, only thinking Serperior would love this wine, so he hadn't brought much. After pouring for each Pokémon, there was almost none left.
Seeing Furret's hopeful gaze, Kaede could only offer an apologetic look.
"Fur-ret..."
Though disappointed, Furret soon left.
Turning back, seeing all the Pokémon waiting for him to take the first sip, Kaede smiled. This time, he didn't urge them, but directly picked up his cup of Pecha Berry Wine and took a small taste.
"Mmm?"
A clear, smooth sensation spread in his mouth before sliding down his throat.
Kaede couldn't help but make a sound of surprise.
Unlike Grepa Berry Wine, this Pecha Berry Wine had a cleaner, sweeter taste with a finer, smoother texture—less heavy. Its alcohol content was also noticeably lower than Grepa Berry Wine, even lower than Rice Wine.
That meant even Serperior could drink a bit more.
This thought flashed through his mind. The other Pokémon also began drinking their wine. Just as Kaede was about to ask how they liked the taste...
A strange emotion suddenly welled up in his heart.
This emotion made his already good mood feel even lighter, as if floating on clouds.
He felt his vision brighten. The already beautiful surroundings now seemed even more vivid in his eyes. The grass under the fruit trees looked greener, the pink petals drifting around him seemed even more lovely.
Closest to him was Leafeon, lying on the picnic cloth. It twitched its leaf-like ears, movements graceful, its fur swaying softly in the breeze—a sight that brought instant peace to the heart.
Then there was Butterfree flying in the air, its pink wings shimmering in the light.
What was going on?
Before Kaede could process it, he saw Leafeon, who had just been beside him, get up, walk in front of him, and quietly curl up on his lap.
Its voice also softened, and Kaede could hear a deeply comforting emotion in it.
o(〃＾▽＾〃)o: "Lea-Leafeon~"
"Leafeon?"
He just greeted it, puzzled.
But things didn't seem to stop there. The Butterfree that had been flying now landed near his hand. And Steenee, usually so sensible and obedient, rarely making requests, now rubbed its little hands together, stepped onto the picnic cloth, and carefully looked at Kaede. With small, shuffling steps, it came to his other side and gently leaned against his shoulder.
(＠＾０＾): "Steenee~" (*I like Kaede the most~*)
By now, Kaede understood.
The mental calmness, the heightened perception of the surroundings—this was all due to the "Sweet heart" mood brought by the Pecha Berry Wine.
So, the Pokémon would proactively seek closeness to him at this time, and he would feel serene.
The former was because they felt happiest when near him. His own sense of peace and happiness came simply from being with Pokémon!
Realizing this effect, Kaede was even more pleased with the Pecha Berry Wine.
He rested a hand on Leafeon's head, but his eyes turned toward the coiled Serperior across from him.
That brought up another question.
What would make Serperior feel that sweet happiness?
Kaede felt a stir of anticipation.
And just as his gaze landed there, Serperior's crimson eyes met his. The lily adorned-like frills around its neck lifted slightly, its verdant tail swayed gently beside it, its gaze lowered. Upon noticing his look, Serperior seemed to fluster momentarily, its head instinctively starting to turn away. But it quickly controlled the motion, actively meeting Kaede's eyes instead.