After his shower, Victor came downstairs, just as Gothita was bringing out breakfast.
"Thank you, Gothita. It's so nice having you here."
Hearing Victor's sweet words, Gothita smiled sweetly.
"I wonder if I might have the honor of joining your tea party," Victor said.
Gothita pretended to think for a moment.
Just then, Lilligant and Roselia walked out.
Gothita placed the breakfast on the counter and shrugged.
"Goth~"
(I'd love to let you join, but unfortunately, it's already over.)
Looking at the mischievous Gothita, Victor could only feign disappointment.
"That's a real shame. You have to let me join next time."
Gothita covered its mouth, giggled, and then nodded.
Nearby, Lilligant and Roselia opened the main door of the Breeding House, hung out the sign, and returned to Victor's side, wondering what he and Gothita were talking about.
Gothita explained the situation to them.
Lilligant also covered her mouth and giggled, then looked at Victor and shook her head.
"Lili~"
I'm afraid not. This is girls' talk.
Looking at the adorable Lilligant, Victor sighed inwardly.
It's true. A daughter grows up and leaves you.
Seeing Victor's mock-sad expression, Lilligant, Gothita, and Roselia all burst into laughter.
Victor took a bite of his youtiao, which he had dipped in soy milk. "So, can anyone tell me why I woke up in my bed last night? Weren't we all eating dinner?"
Hearing this, Lilligant tried to sneak away, but was frozen in place by Victor's stare.
She finally pouted and came to his side.
After the Pokémon explained with gestures, Victor finally understood.
Lilligant had accidentally used Sleep Powder and put everyone, humans and Pokémon, to sleep. When Gothita and Gengar woke up, she had them help her move everyone back to their rooms.
Looking at the apologetic Lilligant, Victor finished his soy milk and patted her head, signaling that it was fine and he wasn't angry.
He then turned to look at Gengar, who was happily munching away.
After all, the real culprit was Gengar.
Gengar, seeing Victor and Lilligant looking at it, paused.
"Gengar?"
Me again?
"Well, who else?" Victor retorted.
Gengar huffed, turned its back on him, and refused to look at him.
Victor reached out to grab another youtiao, but his hand met an empty plate.
He looked down.
Everything was gone.
Including what was on his own plate.
"Gengar!"
"Gengar—"
I'm mad. I'm not talking to you.
"Where's my youtiao?"
Just as he said it, he saw Gengar's little hands stuffing something into its mouth.
He spun it around.
Its cheeks were puffed out.
Gengar looked at Victor and grinned sheepishly.
"Gengar—" Hehe.
The tip of a youtiao was sticking out of its mouth. It quickly shoved it back in and chewed furiously.
"I was wondering why you weren't arguing back this time. It's because you stole my youtiao!"
Gengar's face began to turn a purplish-blue.
It took the glass of soy milk Victor handed it, drank it all in one go, and swallowed.
"Gengar."
I was just afraid you wouldn't be able to finish it.
Victor pulled at the corners of its mouth. "Eat slower next time. It's not like I said you couldn't have any."
"Gen... gar..." Gengar's mouth was stretched by Victor's hands, and it mumbled with difficulty.
But it tastes best when you steal it.
Gengar didn't say that part out loud.
Lilligant and the others watched them bicker and laughed.
After a bit of roughhousing, Victor went back to the kitchen to prepare the day's herbal tea delivery.
When it was brewed and bottled, he called for Shana.
A moment later, she came running in.
"Is Shana going to deliver the tea today?" Victor asked, seeing her face covered in sweat and panting.
Shana nodded.
Victor took out a tissue and wiped her forehead. "Then go take a shower first and change your clothes."
Her little dress was covered in sand.
Shana took the honey water Gengar handed her, drank it all, and then ran upstairs with her Tinkerbell to take a shower.
Gothita followed behind her.
Gothita was getting better and better at its job as the Breeding House's housekeeper.
Ever since Gothita had arrived, with the help of Lilligant, Roselia, and Mime Jr., Victor barely had to worry about household chores anymore.
Shana came running back down, wearing a red dress, her hair down.
Victor was busy attaching the delivery bags to the Rapidash, testing if its flames would burn them.
Seeing that they wouldn't, he confidently loaded the tea.
He looked at Shana, who was hugging his leg and giggling. He picked her up, took the hairdryer from Gothita, and dried her hair, tying it into two pigtails.
He personally put the Breeding House work hat on her, which was perfect for her pigtails, and handed her the small shoulder bag.
Looking at the familiar outfit, Victor suddenly realized it had been a long time since he'd seen her dressed like this.
When Shana wasn't around, Gengar was usually the one who made the deliveries.
"Alright then, I'm counting on you today, Shana."
"Yes, sir! Shana promises to complete the mission!"
Shana stood at attention and saluted. Her voice was young, but filled with determination.
Victor was stunned.
Gengar, at his side, also saluted.
"Gengar—"
(Gengar, roger! Let's move out, Corporal Shana!)
So she learned this from Gengar...
Shaking his head, Victor stood up straight and put his own heels together.
"Then I'm counting on you, Corporal Shana!"
"Roger that!"
Shana, her face set in a serious expression, mounted the Rapidash and set off for Twinleaf Town.
Victor and Gengar exchanged a look, then both burst into laughter.
...
Guided by Shana, the Rapidash arrived in Twinleaf Town.
Its speed was incredible; it took almost no time at all.
Following the most optimal route, Shana arrived at the first house.
She climbed down from the Rapidash, took the correct bottle of tea from the bag, and also grabbed an order form.
She ran over on her short legs and rang the doorbell.
"Hello, Breeding House herbal tea!"
This was a line she had come up with herself.
She had seen other delivery people announce who they were, so she had learned from them and made up her own.
Her voice was crisp and clear.
A moment later, the door opened, and a middle-aged woman appeared.
She was a bit surprised to see that the delivery person was a little girl.
"Hello, Breeding House herbal tea," Shana said again, handing the woman the bottle and the order form.
"This is the list of herbal teas our Breeding House sells. The effects are written on it. You can take a look."
The woman had been worried at first, but then she saw Gary on his Arcanine not far away and relaxed. Oh, this must be from last time.
...Wait, no. (Victor's Note: The author seems to have made a mistake in the text, referencing Gary/Arcanine. Based on the context of this chapter, she is with the Rapidash. The translation will follow the intent that she is being supervised, even if the text has a continuity error.)
It's fine as long as she has an adult with her.
"You're doing a great job, little one. Wait here a moment, I'll go get the money," the woman said with a smile, then went back inside.
Shana stood at the door, whispering to the Tinkerbell on her shoulder.
"Tinkerbell, I think we're getting better and better at this."
"Ching~"
"See? We're not as scared to talk to people anymore."
"Ching~"
"If we were scared, we wouldn't be able to help uncle deliver the tea."
"Ching~"
"Right. So we have to work even harder and get even better."
"Ching~"
...
Shana took the money from the woman, counted it twice, and seeing that it was correct, she then accepted the candy the woman offered her.
"Thank you, ma'am. I have to go now. Goodbye, ma'am," Shana said clearly, tucking the money into her small pouch.
She then turned and ran back to the Rapidash.
The woman watched her go, her heart melting.
Back on the Rapidash, Shana tore a piece of candy for herself, popped it in her mouth, and put the wrapper in her pocket.
After she had finished all her deliveries, just as Victor had expected, the bag he had given her for snacks was completely full.
Shana, the darling of all the aunts, uncles, grandpas, and grandmas, truly lived up to her reputation.
...
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