“How are you feeling?”

  Standing on a small hill on the farm, Natsume g the Gardevoir beside him.

  “It’s a very nice pce,” Gardevoir responded early after a brief two-sed pause.

  It wasn’t just the enviro—it was the Pokémooo. Eae seemed happy, with something meaningful to do.

  The shiny Furret was busy training, while the Sandssh in the fields leisurely tehe crops, occasionally parting stalks to che the growth of the Wattmel Berries.

  On the sed floor of Natsume’s house, the recluse Corvisquire was absorbed in big shows, while Minmed a tune as it ed the windows.

  Meanwhile, Emolga perched on a Zigzagoon’s head, venturing across the farm, ahe ke, Mudkip trailed behind a Slowpoke, jogging ps around the water, as if w on their fitness.

  Every single one of them looked genuinely happy.

  By all ats, this was an excellent farm. Gardevoir thought life here would be very fortable, and her younger sisters would surely enjoy it too.

  “So, what’s your decision?”

  “Would you like to stay?”

  Without hesitation, Gardevoir pced her hand in Natsume’s outstretched one.

  “Thank you for having us, Natsume,” she said.

  As the deaker of her family, Gardevoir’s choice would naturally be accepted by everyone. And before this, her not-so-reliable elder bralde had already scouted the farm and proposed joining.

  In this rare instance, Gardevrudgingly aowledged Galde’s judgment. For a brief ten minutes, he truly seemed like a petent big brother.

  But only ten minutes. No more.

  Gardevoir knew very well her brother wasn’t the most dependable. Most of the time, it felt like he had dumped all his intelligence points into bat skills, leaving him woefully g in other areas.

  Even a zombie prying open his skull would walk away disappointed.

  Pulling out a Poké Ball, Natsume held it in front of Gardevoir. She extended a hand and lightly tapped the button.

  A beam of red light enveloped Gardevoir, and in the blink of an eye, she was drawn inside.

  The ball gave a token wobble before settling into stillness.

  “I’ve caught Gardevoir!”

  In that moment, even Natsume, who had already caught numerous Pokémon, couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

  After all, it was Gardevoir—a dream Pokémon!

  To be ho, Natsume had bee rather indifferent to the act of catg Pokémon. Many of the farm’s Pokémon weren’t even formally caught; they simply stayed.

  For example, the horde of bee under Vespiquen.

  On one hand, their sheer number was impractical, and oher, no typical trainer would be ied in bee anyway.

  But Gardevoir and Ralts? They were exceptions.

  Who could possibly resist these adorable, psychic powerhouses?

  The Poké Ball opened automatically, and Gardevoir reappeared before Natsume in a burst of red light.

  Most of the farm’s Poké Balls had been modified by Natsume to allow the Pokémon io enter a at will.

  The standard design locked the ball externally, preventing Pokémon from leaving on their own. Removing this meism was a on skill among traveling trainers, saving valuable time in emergencies.

  “Thank you,” Gardevoir said, nodding to Natsume. Her flowed faintly with psychiergy before she disappeared, telep away.

  She had goo fetch her brother and sisters.

  “Well, looks like I’ll o make some new kinds of Pokéblocks,” Natsume mused.

  Sihe farm had never housed Psychic-type Pokémon before, there hadn’t been ao prepare Pokéblocks tailored to them. While visiting challengers occasionally brought Psychic-types, Natsume hadn’t felt it necessary to craft special treats for tempuests.

  “Let’s see, Gardevoir and Ralts should be fih the same formu,” he muttered. “But Galde will need a separate batch.”

  Ralts, Kirlia, and Gardevoir were cssic mage archetypes—high special attad special defe g in physical stats.

  Galde, oher hand, was a dual-bde fighter with high physical and special attack but weaker defenses, essentially trading special defense points for attack power.

  “Galde!”

  “Ralts?”

  While Natsume pohe recipes and materials needed, Gardevoir returned, apanied by a Galde and four timid Ralts peeking out from behind their elder siblings.

  Though a bit shy, their curiosity got the better of them, and they couldn’t help but sneak g Natsume.

  “Is he really as nice as big brother said?”

  “Big sister said the same thing.”

  “He gives off such a warm and f vibe.”

  “I feel it too—it’s really nice.”

  The four little green “watermelon heads” huddled together, whispering, occasionally raising their ruby-red eyes to steal g Natsume.

  Their tiny, curious faces peeked through their green hair, their expressions a mix of curiosity, worry, aation.

  Clearly, the young Ralts were still a little uneasy about their new surroundings.

  “Hello there, Ralts,” Natsume greeted them warmly. “I’m Natsume, the owner of this farm.”

  Somehow, this opening line had bee his go-to phrase. Like an NP a game with fixed dialogue, it set the stage for what was to e.

  “Your siblings have probably already told you—soon, you’ll be joining the farm too. Simply put, we’ll be partners from now on.”

  Natsume chose his words carefully, avoiding phrases like “being family,” which felt too heavy and imposing.

  Imagiing someone for the first time and being told, “We’re family now.” The pressure would be immense.

  “Ralts?”

  “Ralts, Ralts!”

  The little Ralts exged gnces. Finally, one of them stepped forward bravely, looking Natsume in the eye aending a tiny hand.

  “Hello, Ralts,” Natsume said with a soft ugh, gently tapping its hand with his finger.

  Gcell