The bell rang, signaling the end of the first exam. After a short break, Victor was led into the second examination room.
This part of the test involved observing a designated Pokémon, analyzing its condition, and diagnosing its situation and any ailments it might have.
A variety of herbs, berries, and mixing tools were laid out for the candidates to prepare a suitable remedy based on their diagnosis.
Victor was assigned a Buneary. It resembled an upright rabbit, mostly brown with cream-colored feet and fluffy tufts of fur, and looked very cute.
Both of its long ears were currently rolled up tightly. Seeing Victor approach, it let out a weak cry.
Victor looked at the Buneary. It was adorable. He reached out and gently touched it; its fur was incredibly soft.
[Buneary]
[Type: Normal]
[Ability: Run Away]
[Known Moves: Pound, Defense Curl, Baby-Doll Eyes, Quick Attack, Double Kick, Charm.]
[Mood: Gloomy]
[Status: Scared, Worried]
[Friendship: -10 (In a state of fear)]
[Introduction: So scared. Is he going to yell at me like the last person did?]
Reading the introduction in the status window, Victor looked at the Buneary again and noticed it was trembling in his hand.
He knew the Buneary was distressed and needed gentle care. Victor began to slowly comfort it, stroking its ears until one of them unfurled. Only then did he set the Buneary down and use the nearby herbs and berries to mix a calming juice for it.
After watching it drink the juice, he carefully picked the Buneary up and walked over to the examiner.
The examiner was a man in his sixties. Victor approached him, holding the Buneary, and explained his findings:
"A Buneary expresses its emotions through its ears. Normally, one ear is rolled up while the other is extended to protect itself. When both ears are rolled up, it means the Buneary is in a state of fear. I believe this was caused by the previous examinee scolding it. Therefore, what it needs is gentle care and comfort..."
Victor explained at length, and the old man nodded as he listened.
Finally, Victor added, "I don't think it's appropriate for this Buneary to continue being used for the examination."
The old man looked at Victor and reached out to take the Buneary. "You're right," he said. "This was indeed an oversight on our part."
"The most important skill for a Breeder is the ability to observe a Pokémon's emotional changes. You did very well in that regard, and your method of resolving the issue was also excellent. Your name is Victor, isn't it? The one who got a perfect score on the first exam. I hereby declare that you have passed this examination. Someone will take you to get your Breeder's license processed shortly."
The old man patted Victor's shoulder. "We will remove this Buneary from the examination rotation. Don't you worry."
Victor smiled and said, "Thank you."
"Your knowledge is extensive, and you have a real talent for breeding. Would you like to try for a higher-level Breeder certification and become a more advanced Breeder?"
Hearing the old man's offer, Victor thought for a moment. He had only taken the exam to get a discount on Pokémon Eggs for his Breeding House and to get the system's reward. A preliminary license was enough.
"I don't have any plans for that at the moment. The preliminary level should be sufficient. I still have a Breeding House to run."
Victor declined the old man's suggestion.
"What a shame. Well, how about this? If you change your mind, come find me. Here is my contact information."
The old man gave Victor his contact details and then had another staff member take him to the Breeder's Association center to process his license.
While waiting for his license to be printed, Victor stared blankly at the text floating before his eyes.
[Achievement Unlocked: "Pokémon Breeder" — A Breeder is one who nurtures Pokémon. You, after enduring countless hardships, have finally become a qualified Breeder and fulfilled your great-aunt's wish.]
Me?! Endured countless hardships?! Since when?!
[Received Great-Aunt's Gift 1: Breeding House Recipe Book]
[Received Great-Aunt's Gift 2: Breeding House Item List]
[Breeding House Recipe Book: Your great-aunt had a lifelong passion for good food. This is the recipe book she developed over her entire life, containing a wide variety of dishes. Upon acquiring this recipe book, you will receive your great-aunt's blessing. The food you make will be more easily liked by Pokémon and will have a chance to trigger a "Culinary Crit," keeping Pokémon happy and joyful, which may lead to unexpected effects.]
[Breeding House Item List: Your great-aunt had a lifelong passion for making small toys for Pokémon to play with. This is the list of items she designed over her entire life, containing numerous small toys. Upon acquiring this item list, you will receive your great-aunt's blessing. The toys you make will quickly become favorites among Pokémon, commonly triggering an "Affection Crit." Every small toy you create will have a minor, unexpected effect.]
Staring at what was truly a rich reward, Victor was speechless for a long time.
Finally, he whispered, "Thank you... Grandma."
Just then, a staff member brought over his license. Seeing Victor's gentle smile, he asked, "Is... something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong," Victor said.
"Oh. Well, here is your Breeder's license."
The staff member handed him the license. It recorded his information and had a single, prominent line:
Preliminary Pokémon Breeder.
"Thank you."
After thanking the staff member, Victor said his goodbyes and went to find Officer Jenny.
"How did it go?" Jenny asked as she saw him approaching from a distance.
Victor didn't say a word. He just held up the license in his hand and then showed it to her.
"Not bad! You passed on your first try," Jenny said, returning the license and giving his shoulder a light punch.
They then passed by the Pokémon Center, and Victor told Nurse Joy the good news, receiving her congratulations as well.
He also took a moment to snap a picture and send it to Laura.
Laura: I knew I wasn't wrong about you. Atta boy.
After going to the market with Jenny to buy a large pile of groceries, she gave Victor a ride back to the Breeding House.
Just as Jenny was about to leave, she suddenly said:
"Oh, right, I almost forgot. The Sinnoh League said that as long as you passed the Breeder's exam, you'll get a 50% discount when purchasing Pokémon Eggs from them. On top of that, since you're the only Breeding House between Twinleaf and Sandgem Town, they'll give you an additional 30% off."
Victor did the math in his head. "So that means I only pay 20% of the price?" he asked, astonished.
"To be precise, it's 10%," Jenny said with a smile. "I managed to negotiate a little extra for you."
Ten percent? What's the difference between that and getting them for free?
"Thank you so much, Jenny," Victor said with sincere gratitude. These sisters he had only recently met had truly helped him a lot.
"Also, if Joy or I find any Pokémon Eggs in the wild, we'll bring them to you. And if anyone in Twinleaf Town needs to sell a Pokémon or consign an Egg, I'll recommend you. I'll get in touch with my cousins over in Sandgem Town, too."
"One more thing. Since your Breeding House is just starting out, I took the liberty of applying for thirty Pokémon Eggs for you. You're not mad, are you?" Jenny said teasingly.
Victor listened quietly, and when he heard this, he couldn't help but smile.
"How could I ever be mad at you, Jenny?"
"Good. Alright, you should head inside. I have to get back to work."
With that, Jenny sped off on her police motorcycle.
Victor watched until her figure disappeared from view before turning around and heading back into the Breeding House.
Just then, Gengar floated down from the ceiling, rubbing its eyes.