"Boss, could you introduce these two new members to me?" Yuli asked hastily after seeing Machop and Torchic.
At this moment, they were sitting around the dining table, enjoying a sumptuous lunch. Due to Rex's return, Yuli had prepared a few extra dishes, much more lavish than when she ate alone.
"As for Torchic, you should already know—it hatched from one of the starter Pokémon eggs I received from Professor Birch. Machop, on the other hand, I happened to capture in Professor Birch's backyard. They are both great companions!" Rex smiled as he replied.
"Machop and Torchic, this is Yuli, the worker of Rex Farm. You should get along well with her from now on!" Rex addressed Machop and Torchic, who were busy devouring their food.
Upon hearing the trainer's words, Machop and Torchic temporarily stopped eating, then nodded in agreement. They thought the girl cooking in front of them was too good at it—much better than the food they had yesterday. They felt it was necessary to build a good relationship with her.
"Now that lunch is finished, Yuli, could you update me on the current situation?" Rex asked urgently after quickly finishing his meal.
"Boss, no need to worry. Actually, nothing major happened. The day after you left, a company called Devon Company came and offered 600,000 Alliance Coins to buy the land where the orphanage was located. They claimed it would undergo major development in the future, hence the high price," Yuli explained.
"And then? Did Grandma Nieno agree?" Rex continued to inquire.
"Initially, Grandma Nieno didn't want to sell. However, Devon Company offered a condition she couldn't refuse," Yuli paused for a moment, selling a bit of suspense.
But seeing the increasingly gloomy expression on her boss's face, she quickly continued:
"They promised to sponsor a few enrollment slots in the new Trainer School in town for the orphanage each year. That was the main reason Grandma Nieno agreed to sell the land to them. She hopes the children can attend school; previously, there was no such opportunity, and the director could only teach us some basic knowledge, leaving us to self-study," Yuli concluded, feeling a bit emotional.
Previously, the survival of their orphanage had been quite challenging. Yuli had to rely on self-study to learn basic knowledge about Pokémon breeding. But she knew that attending school would allow them to learn more effectively and systematically about what they were interested in.
"Where are the people from the orphanage staying now?" Rex asked, voicing his biggest concern.
"After selling the land, Grandma Nieno felt she now had the means to give the children the life they wanted. Plus, she thought she had caused you enough trouble and didn't want to burden you further with responsibilities that weren't yours. So, she bought a new house closer to the Trainer School, and they moved there a few days ago," Yuli explained cautiously.
She was afraid that her boss would be angry about this turn of events, especially since they had agreed to let the orphanage residents live at Rex Farm. Now there was a change.
"This is a good thing. Don't worry too much. I didn't plan carefully enough before. If Grandma Nieno thinks they have a good place to go, I'm more than happy!" Rex said with a smile.
After hearing Yuli's explanation, Rex was initially a bit upset. After all, they had made arrangements earlier, and now there was a sudden change without consulting him.
But upon reflection, when Grandma Nieno brought the orphanage residents to Rex Farm to live, it was also a forced move. The only house had been burnt down, and although the Pokémon League compensated them with 100,000 Alliance Coins afterward, that money didn't go far in building a new house.
In consideration of the children's future, Grandma Nieno decided to build the new orphanage within Rex Farm, hoping that Rex could provide some assistance.
However, now that they unexpectedly received a large sum from the demolition compensation, she certainly couldn't accept continued support from Rex, who was an orphan himself at the age of twelve.
Having figured out the cause and effect, Rex felt he had nothing to complain about.
Moreover, he had been overly eager to help before, going beyond a certain limit and making both sides uncomfortable.
This might also have a lot to do with his arrival in this world alone, wanting the company of a family to fill the void within himself.
Now that Rex had figured it out, he could provide assistance to the orphanage, but there was no need to go to the same extent as before.
Besides, he was no longer alone; he had many Pokémon partners he could rely on, and Yuli was a friend he could confide in.
"Oh, by the way, Boss, there's one more thing that's a bit embarrassing to mention. Yuta's Swellow , which you gave him as a farm employee benefit, is now deeply familiar with him. Since he's leaving the farm early, Yuta wants to compensate you for Swellow through purchase. After all, he and Swellow have formed a strong bond and don't want to lose their companionship," Yuli blushed a bit. After all, Yuta had gained the farm benefit early, and now, without consulting the boss, had decided to leave for the Trainer School. Also, he didn't want to give up his initial Pokémon, Swellow.
"No need. Swellow can be a gift for his journey to the Trainer School. But I hope he treats Swellow well!" Rex had initially given Yuta an opportunity to work at Rex Farm out of respect for Yuli's recommendation, hoping to guide him onto the path of becoming a Trainer. Now that Yuta didn't need it and wasn't eager for benefits, there was no need to push it.
As for Swellow, its bond with Yuta was already too strong. Bringing it back wouldn't serve any purpose, so it was better to be generous.
Of course, if Yuta encountered any problems in the future or got into trouble, he shouldn't expect Rex's help.
He wasn't a pushover. If Yuta had waited until Rex returned to discuss this matter, would he have refused his request to go to the Trainer School?
Now he had made an early decision, with Yuli doing the talking for him afterward, clearly intending to turn the matter into an established fact, giving Rex no reason to oppose his leaving.
"Thank you very much, Boss. I will work hard in the future to make up for your losses," Yuli said, feeling grateful as Rex didn't intend to reclaim Swellow.
End of Chapter