"It's like this; in two days, the palace will host a dinner party. Do you have time to attend?" Lila asked over the phone.
"A dinner party? What kind of dinner party?" Ange asked, feeling puzzled.
Lila explained, "We have a partnership with a research team from the Paldea region. They recently came here for an exchange of research, so Father decided to hold a banquet to entertain them. You haven't appeared in an official setting since you woke up, so Father wanted to invite you to participate, if you have time."
Ange thought about it and decided it would be good to make an appearance. Therefore, he agreed, "That works. What time is the dinner party specifically?"
Lila said happily, "It's at 7:00 p.m. You can just arrive before it starts."
"Alright, I will definitely attend on time," Ange said.
"Then we will see you then."
"See you then."
After ending the call with Lila, Ange took Drizzile and the others back to Nebel Plateau. Because the riverbank had already been cleared, this afternoon was once again time for the Pokémon to plant trees for Ange.
After lunch, Ange and the Pokémon went to the riverbank together. The two Farfetch'd who had recently joined Nebel Plateau came along as well. Each of them carried the small iron shovels Ange had given them, looking quite spirited.
Because they had experience from previous tree planting, the Pokémon hardly needed Ange's guidance this time. They busied themselves spontaneously with a clear division of labor: some dug holes, others applied fertilizer... The two Farfetch'd used the shovels in their hands with great speed.
Ange took out the pre-purchased fruit trees from his system backpack. Truth be told, he felt a bit ashamed; because his Happiness Points were insufficient, he could only buy a portion for now. Currently, the Happiness Points he earned daily were only enough to buy the trees needed for that day's planting, making it impossible to buy them all at once.
Actually, he could spend money to buy fruit trees from outside to plant. Speaking of which, while Ange lacked Happiness Points, he had saved up quite a lot of Pokédollars. However, he always felt that fruit trees bought outside definitely wouldn't be as good as those in the System Store, so he didn't want to settle.
Take it slow, he thought, there's no rush anyway.
He estimated the area of the riverbank; by the time everything was planted, this winter would be just about over. Ange's first batch of fruit trees were Pecha Berries and Mellon Berries, and he bought 200 seedlings of each kind. The riverbank area was limited, and since he wanted to plant many types of berries, he didn't plan to plant too many of each.
Pecha Berries and Mellon Berries were relatively common berries, so the seedlings weren't expensive. They sold for 15 Happiness Points each in the System Store. Berry seedlings were more expensive than ordinary fruit tree seedlings.
After entrusting the fruit trees to the Pokémon, Ange shouted to Diancie, "Diancie, I'll leave this to you. I have something to do and need to head back!"
Diancie waved and nodded to Ange from a distance, indicating that it understood. Only then did Ange turn to walk back.
"Munch~"
Seeing that its teacher was leaving, Munchlax quickly threw away the dirt in its hands, patted its palms, and ran swiftly to its teacher's side.
"Do you want to go home with me?" Ange asked with a smile.
"Munch munch~" With Teacher, together.
Munchlax nodded.
"Then let's go together." Ange rubbed the top of its head dotingly.
(≧≦) Munchlax squinted its eyes in total enjoyment.
Drizzile, who was with the Water-type Pokémon, saw Teacher taking Munchlax away and quickly ran while shouting:
"Driz driz, driz driz~" Wait for me! Wait for me!
Hearing the sound, Ange and Munchlax stopped immediately and waited for Drizzile.
After the three of them returned home, Ange led them to the Secret Fortress and found the waste disposal area inside the fortress. It turned out there was a small mezzanine below the fifth floor of the Secret Fortress where the waste disposal area was located. If he hadn't asked Diancie, Ange really wouldn't have known.
Mainly, he hadn't needed to know before, so Diancie hadn't mentioned it because it found the place quite repulsive. All the waste produced by Ange and the others living on Nebel Plateau was discharged here, then decomposed into non-polluting substances and released into the soil of Nebel Plateau to become nutrients for the land, including the Pokémon's droppings.
The main ingredient Ange needed to manufacture fertilizer was precisely the Pokémon's droppings. He could buy other materials, but he couldn't buy Pokémon droppings.
In the waste disposal area, Ange saw several machines resembling large furnaces. Different types of waste would be thrown into different furnaces for decomposition. The Pokémon's droppings were thrown into the one right in the middle.
"Munch~"
"Driz~"
When Munchlax and Drizzile learned that the furnace contained droppings, they immediately backed away with scrunched-up faces, looking thoroughly disgusted. This was even though the furnace was sealed and couldn't emit even a hint of a smell.
Ange quickly found the control device for the waste disposal area. He turned off the decomposition setting for the middle furnace so that the Pokémon's droppings wouldn't be directly decomposed anymore. After this, Ange just had to put the other materials into the furnace and let them ferment together with the droppings, and he would soon have a special fertilizer.
After some input at the console, Ange set the operation of the middle furnace to "Fermentation" and "Fertilizer Production," then said to his two disciples:
"Alright, let's go."
Hearing this, the two Pokémon immediately followed Ange out of the waste disposal area.
Back on the surface, Ange dialed Fiona's number.
"Hello, your highness. Is something wrong?" Fiona's voice came from the other side of the phone.
"Fiona, I want to order a batch of materials," Ange said to Fiona.
For the fertilizer materials, Ange planned to buy them from outside using Pokédollars since Happiness Points were in short supply.
"Please go ahead, your highness. I will help you contact them," Fiona said.
So Ange told Fiona the materials he needed. After noting down the things Ange wanted, Fiona said, "The materials your highness wants all seem to be related to fertilizer and crops."
Ange said admiringly, "You even know about this?"
Fiona replied, "Actually, both my parents are farmers. I did farm work in my hometown when I was a child."
Ange realized, "No wonder."
Fiona thought for a moment and said, "How about this; I'll contact a farm owner from my hometown for you. He should have all these things you want."
Ange said gratefully, "Then I'll have to trouble you."
"It's no trouble," Fiona replied.
With the matter settled, Ange was in a good mood, so he said to Munchlax and Drizzile, "Come on, let's go do some work."
"Munch munch~" What work?
Munchlax looked puzzled. Drizzile also looked at Ange with confusion.
Ange called over Robert 1 and took his two disciples all the way to the warehouse. In a corner of the warehouse, there was a pile of neatly stacked wood.
"Munch munch~" What are we doing here?
Munchlax asked.
Ange explained, "I plan to build houses for the Gogoat and Skiddo, so we need to turn this wood into planks first."
The Gogoat and Skiddo didn't live in the Secret Fortress. Ange had invited them, but they had refused because they didn't like living underground. Compared to the Secret Fortress, they preferred to sleep in the open and have closer contact with nature.
A while ago, Ange had thought about raising some cattle and sheep, so he had the idea of building cow sheds and sheep pens. Then it suddenly occurred to him: if that was the case, why didn't he build log cabins on the surface for the Gogoat and Skiddo?
He had obtained so much timber from clearing the riverbank; wouldn't it be perfect for building log cabins?!
So he went to consult the Gogoat and Skiddo again. Sure enough, they didn't object this time. If it were log cabins built on the grass, they would be very happy to move in. Actually, they were also envious in their hearts that other Pokémon had places to shelter from the wind and rain.
After Ange told Munchlax and Drizzile his plan, the two Pokémon were eager to help.
Ange then said to Robert 1, "Robert 1, can you please cut this timber into planks like this?" As he spoke, he handed the blueprints he had prepared in advance to Robert 1.
Although Ange had studied log cabin construction beforehand, when it came to the actual work, he still had to rely on Robert 1.
Robert 1 took the blueprints, and its two eyes emitted a blue light, scanning the blueprints into its brain. It then looked at Ange and replied:
"No. Prob. Lem!"
As soon as it finished speaking, Ange saw its hands retract into its wrists, replaced by a circular saw and a blade.
Soon, pieces of planks were cut out by Robert 1, while Ange, Munchlax, and Drizzile could only help with some auxiliary work.
Fortunately, Robert 1 was there. It might be a bit stiff, but its work was truly efficient. Without it, Ange, Munchlax, and Drizzile probably could have only stared at each other today.
Soon, the afternoon passed. Planks of various shapes and different thicknesses were processed by Ange and the others, and were piled high in a corner of the warehouse.
Seeing that it was getting late, Ange said to Munchlax and Drizzile, "Alright, that's enough for today. Let's go back and cook. It's getting late."
"Munch~"
"Driz driz~"
The two Pokémon nodded in agreement.
Ange patted the top of Drizzile's head and said, "You worked hard today."
"Munch munch~" Not hard, I like working with Teacher.
Munchlax grinned.
"Driz driz, driz driz~" I, amazing, not afraid of hardship!
Drizzile gave a thumbs up to praise itself.
Ange then turned to Robert 1 and said, "You worked hard too."
However, Robert 1 only looked at Ange with its blank, large eyes and gave no response at all.
Truly a block of iron... Ange shook his head helplessly.
After leaving the warehouse, Ange and the others went home to cook dinner. Before long, the Pokémon who were planting trees returned, and a pleasant dinner time began.
During dinner, as the family of five sat around the table, Ange suddenly said, "By the way, the palace invited me to attend a dinner party in two days. Do you want to go?"
"Munch~" Dinner party? What's that?
Munchlax quickly swallowed the food stuffed in its mouth and asked in confusion.
"Driz driz, driz driz~" I know! I know!
Drizzile raised its hand impatiently and said.
Ange smiled and said, "Alright, then let's have Drizzile introduce what a dinner party is to everyone."
Drizzile was instantly satisfied. It stood up on its chair, cleared its throat, and explained with a serious expression, "Driz driz, driz driz, driz driz~" A dinner party is a banquet held in the evening. Many people will gather there, and there will be lots of delicious food...
Munchlax was very good at catching the main point. When Drizzile mentioned "there will be lots of delicious food," its ears moved quickly, and it tugged at Ange.
"Munch munch~" Really lots of delicious food?
Ange hesitated for a moment and then nodded. "There is, indeed..."
Munchlax's eyes instantly lit up.
"Munch munch~" Teacher, I'll go, take me there!
Ange pinched its cheek and said dotingly, "Alright, I'll take you."
Hearing this, Munchlax was immediately delighted, its eyes squinting into two slits.
"Driz driz, driz driz~" I'll go too, I'll go too.
Drizzile said quickly.
Ange looked at Diancie and said, "Diancie, how about you?"
Diancie replied, "Since everyone is going, then of course I'm going too!"
Ange said, "Alright, then we'll all go together."
"Driz~" Yay!
Drizzile cheered.
As for Komala, no one consulted its opinion; silence represented agreement.
The next day at noon, after returning to eat lunch with everyone, Ange said to Diancie and the others, "Since we're going to a dinner party, shouldn't we go get some formal wear?"
In the past, the clothes Ange wore were bought directly from the System Store, but he was currently short on Happiness Points, so he decided to go shopping in the Azoth Royal Capital.
"Munch~" Formal wear?
Munchlax tilted its head with a puzzled look.
"It means nice-looking clothes," Ange explained.
Munchlax realized, "Munch~" Do I have to wear them too?
Ange said, "You can wear them if you want to!"
"Munch munch~" Then I want to wear the same clothes as Teacher.
Munchlax said excitedly.
Ange patted its head and said, "Alright, then we'll buy the same ones."
Drizzile heard this and immediately became upset, "Driz driz, driz driz~" I want them too! I want them too!
Ange quickly said, "You'll have them too. Diancie and Komala will have them too."
Drizzile was instantly satisfied, and a smile also appeared on Diancie's face.
"Then let's pack up our things and set off immediately. We still have to work when we get back," Ange said.
"Munch~"
"Driz~"
Munchlax and Drizzile gave a cheer and quickly ran upstairs, while Diancie stayed behind to help Ange clear the dishes.
After packing their things, Ange's family of five went to the Azoth Royal Capital through the space portal. This was the first time the five of them had gone out together.
Stepping out of Munchlax Home, Diancie asked, "Where are we going to buy clothes?"
Ange took out his phone and said, "Let me see!" As he spoke, he began to look up information online.
"Found it, let's go to this one!" After a while, Ange showed Diancie the place he had found. "This is a brand-name store with a good reputation. They specialize in formal wear. Let's go to this one."
Diancie took a look, and since it didn't understand much, it could only listen to Ange. "Then let's go to that one."
"Munch munch~" Let me see too, let me see too!
"Driz driz, driz driz~" Me too!
Munchlax and Drizzile also crowded over.
Ange lowered his phone a bit for them to see, even though they couldn't really understand it.