If dried hops were to be stored for a long time, they needed to be sealed properly in containers to prevent air and moisture from entering, thus avoiding mold and spoilage.
"Thanks for your help, Happy."
Silas took the wooden crate, assembled from sturdy planks, from Happy's hooves and gave the Mareep a firm rub on the head.
"Maa~"
Happy Mareep beamed happily, nuzzled against Silas, and then obediently sat beside him, curiously observing his every movement.
Opening the wooden crate, Silas poured the dried hops inside.
He shook the crate vigorously from side to side to reduce the air trapped within, then pressed the hops down firmly, compacting them into dense blocks.
He repeated this process again and again, packing the crate tightly until it was completely full, leaving not even the smallest gap.
By the time Silas finished, the first batch of fully dried hops had all been properly collected.
From here on, they simply needed to avoid direct sunlight and minimize frequent opening of the crate.
If stored correctly, the hops could last for several months—perhaps even up to a year.
"I'll have to trouble you for another trip, Happy!"
Silas patted the Mareep and handed over the crate.
"Maa~"
(Don't worry, leave it to me, Silas.)
Watching Happy depart, Silas brushed the bits of debris from his hands and went to inspect the remaining hops.
They hadn't quite reached the drying standard yet. With two more days of sun—today and tomorrow—they should be ready.
He reminded Burly Mareep and Warm Mareep to turn the hops frequently so they would dry evenly, then finally left "Sheep Village."
Lifting his wrist, he checked the time displayed on his communicator. It was almost Diancie's break period.
Silas quickened his pace back to the ranch cabin, stood for a moment beneath the air conditioner to cool off, and then beckoned to Minccino and Popplio.
"It's Diancie's break time now. Do you want to go see her?"
"Min!"
(I'm coming! I want to see Sister Diancie!)
"Lioo~"
Popplio clapped its flippers excitedly and bounced over to Silas's side.
Scooping both little ones into his arms, Silas headed briskly toward the cave. He called for a Carbink to guide them, and soon they arrived at the deepest part of the Diamond Kingdom.
The moment they saw Diancie, Minccino wriggled free from Silas's arms and ran toward her. Popplio followed closely behind, and soon the two little Pokémon were chattering away animatedly.
Silas glanced at them before turning to find the Carbink Minister and an elder Carbink to inquire about Diancie's recent training progress.
As for whether Diancie would agree to join the band, that would depend on whether Minccino could persuade her. Silas had no intention of interfering.
The three Pokémon conversed in a friendly and lively manner. From the side, Silas watched as Diancie's face lit up with delight at their visit.
After chatting for quite a while, Minccino finally explained their purpose.
They wanted to form a band. They were currently missing a lead vocalist and hoped to invite Sister Diancie to become their lead singer.
Diancie hesitated softly. "Can I really do it?"
"Min! Min~!"
(Of course you can! Sister Diancie has such a beLiootiful voice, and you're so pretty—so many people will definitely love you!)
"Lioo! Lioo!"
(That's right! I've never seen anyone more beautiful than Sister Diancie!)
The two little ones clung to Diancie's arms and acted adorably. It didn't take long before Diancie was moved.
She lifted her gaze toward Silas.
Noticing her look, Silas nodded reassuringly.
He had already spoken with the Carbink Minister earlier—band practice could count as part of Diancie's daily learning.
As the princess of their Diamond Kingdom, she couldn't remain underground forever. She needed to understand the outside world as well.
"Min! Min~!"
(Hooray! Sister Diancie, let's start rehearsing!)
Silas entrusted the two little Pokémon to the Carbink Minister for the time being, asking him to teach them some basic music theory along the way.
Carbink had extraordinarily long lifespans, and the Carbink Minister was knowledgeable in many skills. Teaching Minccino and Popplio some foundational knowledge would be more than manageable.
Silas stayed to watch for a while. Seeing how earnestly the three little ones were studying, he finally felt at ease enough to leave.
From now on, he would send Minccino and the others here daily to learn. It would also keep them from running about under the scorching sun.
After leaving the cave, Silas made his way toward the orchard.
There had been considerable changes here. A section of the grassy area nearby had been newly reclaimed.
He planned to plant some special berries in this area. What he lacked now were seeds—and a Pokémon capable of helping him care for the berry trees.
"Meow~"
The moment he appeared, Litten emerged from some unknown corner.
Silas reached out to catch it, pulling Litten into his arms and gently scratching beneath its chin and along its neck.
It seemed that most feline Pokémon enjoyed having their chins scratched. Even Alolan Meowth was no exception—let alone the especially clingy regular Meowth.
As he absentmindedly petted Litten, Silas strolled through the orchard. After the last harvest, it appeared much emptier. Only a few half-ripe fruits still hung sparsely from the trees.
He found two Butterfree and asked them to head to the wheat fields later to help with pollination.
"Meow!"
Litten let out a sharp, slightly fierce cry from Silas's arms. The Butterfree trembled and immediately flew off toward the wheat fields to begin working.
"Alright, alright. Butterfree are already very obedient. There's no need to be so fierce with them."
Silas gently stroked Litten's fur to calm it.
Litten rubbed against his palm and meowed, as if saying, "They were just moving too slowly."
Silas couldn't help but laugh. Who would have thought that the usually aloof and tsundere-seeming Litten had such a side? He scratched beneath its chin again.
"This isn't anything urgent. You can relax a little, Litten."
Litten didn't respond verbally. Instead, it huffily turned away, wrapping its tail around his wrist in quiet agreement.
After completing a full inspection of the orchard, Silas noticed several issues.
The berry trees needed pruning. Their branches had grown far too densely and irregularly, which could affect the next harvest.
Since he had the time now and he wasn't one to procrastinate, Silas immediately went to the silo to fetch a large pair of pruning shears designed specifically for trimming branches. He also called over one of the Mudsdale to assist.
For the higher branches, he would need to stand on Mudsdale's back to reach them.
Meanwhile, Litten helped drag the trimmed branches out of the orchard and piled them neatly to one side for Silas to handle later.
These were high-quality pieces of wood; throwing them away would be a waste. It was best to collect them—who knew when they might come in handy?
The coordination between one human and two Pokémon was surprisingly seamless. Before long, most of the tangled branches had been cleared.
"Look at this branch—it's growing too densely and stealing nutrients," Silas muttered while snipping away. "Once we finish pruning, next time the trees will bear even more fruit, and I'll be able to make more Poffin for you all."
"Meow!"
Litten's eyes lit up instantly. It even used its paw to nudge a crooked branch nearby, reminding him, "This one needs trimming too."
The little one was truly capable.
An hour later…
With the pruning complete, Silas leaned against one of the Mudsdale to rest. Litten immediately jumped back into his arms and curled into a tight ball, dozing off.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead, casting a warm glow upon Litten's beautiful white fur, making it shimmer as though it were glowing.
Ever since coming to the ranch, Silas had carefully maintained its coat. Litten had not experienced spontaneous combustion once.
Its white fur was in impeccable condition—silky, soft, and wonderful to the touch. Silas almost didn't want to let go.
The little Pokémon also clearly enjoyed the petting and the quiet time alone with him.
However, the peaceful moment was soon interrupted. In the distance, Cyclizar and Morpeko came looking for him, reminding him that it was time to prepare lunch.
Litten noticed them and instantly darted up a tree to hide.
Patting Mudsdale beneath him, Silas sat upright.
"Litten, remember to come to the house for lunch later."
(End of Chapter)