The next morning, Naoki stood by the farmland, watching Dragonite water the crops, when Ivan suddenly rode in on his Cyclizar from a distance, calling out excitedly, "Naoki, the thing you asked me about last time has been sorted!"
Naoki was momentarily confused, trying to recall what he'd asked Ivan for. Then it clicked—he had asked Ivan to help him find a butler Pokémon during the spring horse race.
With excitement building, Naoki responded, "Tell me more!"
Ivan hopped off his Cyclizar and explained, "A few days ago, I got a letter asking me to deliver it to someone in Cascarrafa City. When I was there, I heard that the owner of a large manor was looking for someone to take care of two butler Pokémon!"
"I immediately thought of you, so I asked around. An elderly man, frail but kind, told me that he'd be willing to meet you and show you the two Pokémon."
Naoki was surprised. "Two Pokemon?"
Ivan nodded. "Yes, both have rich experience in serving, and the elderly man wants someone trustworthy to look after them."
Naoki, still puzzled, asked, "Why would this person offer such Pokémon?"
Ivan shrugged. "He didn't say much, except that his only request is for you to take good care of them. We can go visit whenever you're free."
"I'm free now!" Naoki said, heading into the house to change his clothes. "Where's the manor located?"
Ivan replied, "In Cascarrafa City, not far from here. We can get there in about two hours by riding our Cyclizar."
"Perfect," Naoki said, nodding. After changing his clothes and packing his bag, he instructed Koraidon to watch over the ranch while he was gone. "I'll be back in the afternoon. There's food in the fridge, so make sure everyone gets fed at noon."
Koraidon nodded obediently, showing no signs of jealousy. Naoki patted its head. "Be good, and I'll make something special for you later."
With that, Naoki hopped onto his Cyclizar, and the two set off towards Cascarrafa City.
As they rode, Naoki asked, "Aren't you supposed to be at work today?"
Ivan grinned, "It's the weekend! The post office is closed for two days, so no work today."
Naoki blinked in surprise. He had completely forgotten about the weekend. "Right," he muttered.
Ivan teased, "Have you been living alone for so long that you forgot what day it is?"
"No," Naoki replied truthfully. "I just didn't expect you to have two days off without any overtime. That's enviable."
Ivan chuckled. "Is the ranch work that tiring?"
"Not really," Naoki said. "With all the Pokémon helping out, things are pretty easy. I only get busy during planting and harvest seasons, and I spend a lot of time preparing food for everyone. It's tiring, but it's worth it seeing all the Pokémon happy and healthy."
Naoki sighed inwardly, reflecting on how different life in this world was compared to his previous one. Two days off a week and no overtime—luxuries that would have been unthinkable back then.
Not wanting to delve too deep into those thoughts, Naoki changed the subject. "I've never been to Cascarrafa City before."
Ivan smiled, happy to change the topic. "Cascarrafa City is much bigger than our Kosaji Town."
The town of Kosaji is located in the southern part of the map, while Cascarrafa City is located in the western part and is separated from Kosaji by a vast desert area.
Thinking of this, Naoki asked, "Do you want to go through the desert first?"
Ivan shook his head. "No, the desert is too dangerous. The Pokémon there are very aggressive, and the climate is extremely hot. Today, we'll take the main road. This road was built by the official Paldea Alliance, and there are no dangerous Pokémon along the way, so it's safe for travel."
Naoki nodded and said nothing more.
The two of them continued along the road.
Because of what Ivan had said, Naoki kept an eye on the Pokémon near the roadside and noticed they were just as Ivan described—small, gentle, and not particularly aggressive.
Besides them, they passed a few trucks, some backpackers camping in the fields, and trainers battling their Pokémon.
Time flew by, and as the sun rose higher, the air became hotter. Finally, the bustling, prosperous Cascarrafa City appeared in front of them.
"We're here!" Ivan exclaimed happily.
Naoki looked up and saw that Cascarrafa City was built on a cliff, with the entire city divided into three layers due to the terrain.
Beyond Cascarrafa City, steep cliffs could be seen in the distance, their peaks hidden by white clouds. Naoki squinted toward the horizon.
"That must be the Paldea Crater," Naoki thought.
Just from the outside, the crater looked magnificent and imposing. Naoki couldn't help but wonder what it looked like on the inside, though he wasn't sure if he'd be allowed to explore it.
They entered Cascarrafa City, and Naoki dismounted his Cyclizar which transformed into an upright form, walking beside him.
The streets were paved with blue and white tiles, and in the distance, a beautiful fountain park caught Naoki's eye. A huge, stunning waterfall flowed down from the top, connecting the different layers of the city.
People wearing summer outfits, some in bikinis or shorts, strolled leisurely around, giving the city a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
Ivan smiled and said, "Look at how full of energy this place is."
"Yeah," Naoki nodded. Cascarrafa City reminded him of a place like Venice, with water-themed architecture everywhere he looked.
However, they didn't have much time to admire the scenery. They took the elevator to the third floor, passed through the bustling city streets, and arrived at a grand manor.
Two guards stood at the entrance. Ivan explained why they were there, and after a moment, one of the guards looked Naoki over before respectfully stepping aside and opening the gate.
"The master has been waiting for you. Please, come in," the guard said.
Master? Naoki thought the title sounded odd but kept it to himself.
He followed Ivan into the manor, and the vast estate immediately struck him. 'This place is enormous!'
Ivan leaned over and whispered, "I was shocked the first time I came here too! But don't worry, the owner is really kind, not like the rich people you see on TV."
Naoki nodded as they continued walking, but soon enough, they found themselves lost within the sprawling grounds of the estate.
Ivan looked around the huge garden maze, scratching his head. "Strange, did I remember it wrong? Why isn't this the road?"
Naoki, starting to feel the unease of the situation, asked, "Didn't anyone lead you last time?"
Ivan, glancing around at the empty, eerie surroundings, replied, "Yes! Last time, there were plenty of people in the manor—gardeners trimming the hedges, butlers in tuxedos, maids watering the plants."
As Ivan spoke, a cold realization hit both of them. "Huh? Why is there no one here today?"
Naoki, sensing the odd atmosphere, jokingly asked, "Is this one of those haunted manors? You know, like in the movies, where all the people are ghosts, luring visitors in to, you know."
Just then, a cold gust of wind swept past them, as if something unseen was watching.
Ivan, wide-eyed with fear, stammered, "D-don't scare me like that!"
The two Cyclizar following behind them trembled nervously, letting out soft, frightened sounds: "Gaao."
Naoki chuckled awkwardly. "I was just kidding."
Ivan exhaled in relief, but before he could fully relax, Naoki added, "But, to be fair, ghosts do exist in this world."
Ivan and the two Cyclizar froze, their eyes wide with fear, as they hurriedly navigated through the garden maze. "Wait, what? Have you actually seen one?" Ivan asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
Naoki nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, once when I was traveling in the Galar region."
He went on to vividly describe how he had encountered a little ghost girl who asked him to deliver a letter to her old friend. When Naoki found the man, he was an old man in his seventies, who explained that the girl had been his childhood sweetheart. She had disappeared many years ago, and he hadn't seen her since.
Naoki paused. "Turns out the girl had died when she was a child. She became a ghost, wandering the streets, waiting for someone to deliver her message."
Ivan clutched his Cyclizar tightly, trembling as the story unfolded.
Naoki smiled and asked, "Is it really that scary?"
Ivan and his Cyclizar nodded furiously in unison.
Naoki turned to see his own Cyclizar also looking terrified. It let out a soft, fearful noise. "Gah."
He patted his Cyclizar on the shoulder, holding its paw to comfort it. "Don't be scared," Naoki reassured, and the Cyclizar seemed to calm down a bit.
As they continued walking, Naoki tried to lighten the mood. "You know, the ghost girl didn't have any bad intentions. Some people say the ghosts we fear are the ones others miss dearly, but will never see again."
He smiled, recalling the strange but memorable encounter. "After I delivered the letter for her, she left me a gift—an enchanted Spell Tag with spiritual power."
Naoki shrugged. "See? Not all ghosts are scary."
Ivan, calming down, thought about it. "Yeah, I guess that's one way to look at it."
Just as they were about to continue their conversation, the two finally emerged from the maze and were greeted by a beautiful fountain set on a large lawn.
Around the fountain, a group of Pokémon had gathered.
There was a Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, a Bounsweet, a pair of Pachirisu, and even a Greavard among them.
Naoki's eyes widened in surprise. These were starters Pokémon, some of them were from other regions. His amazement only grew when he saw the little creature they were all gathered around.
Ivan noticed it too. In the middle of the group was a small, Meowth.
To be precise, it was an injured Meowth.
"It's hurt!" Ivan exclaimed.
The group of Pokémon surrounding it noticed Naoki and Ivan, but instead of being scared, they simply turned their heads to look at the newcomers.
Seeing the situation, Naoki stepped forward and checked on the Meowth. It looked very weak, so Naoki took out a bottle of juice and milk from his backpack to restore its strength.
The juice and milk had originally been packed for his Cyclizar in case it got thirsty during their journey, but it was now coming in handy for the injured Meowth.
Meowth quickly drank the entire bottle of juice and milk, and within moments, its wounds started to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The surrounding Pokémon watched in surprise, casting curious glances at Naoki.
Meowth stood up energetically, letting out a soft "Meow~" in thanks.
Seeing the Meowth back to its energetic self, Naoki smiled. "Okay, take care of yourself and be more careful next time."
"Meow~" the Meowth purred, before it and the group of Pokémon—Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, and others—jumped and ran off into the garden maze, starting a game of hide-and-seek.
Watching this, Ivan once again marveled at the generosity of the manor's owner.
"Was this garden maze built just for these Pokémon to play hide-and-seek?" Ivan murmured in awe.
Naoki chuckled. "It seems that way."
He began to wonder if he should build a small maze back at his ranch for his Pokémon to enjoy.
Ivan sighed, "So rich."
Naoki smiled, turning his attention to the grand building in front of them. "Let's go. That should be our destination."
As they walked around the garden fountain, they finally spotted another person besides themselves. It was a maid in an apron, sweeping with a broom.
Naoki approached her politely, introducing himself and explaining the purpose of their visit.
The maid smiled and nodded, turning around and gesturing with her broom. "Please follow me! The master has been expecting you."
For some reason, Naoki couldn't shake a feeling that something felt slightly off. He glanced at Ivan, who seemed blissfully unaware.
They followed the maid into the grand villa.
Upon entering, Naoki's eyes fell on an elderly man sitting on a sofa in the living room. He was wearing a blue kimono, his hair silver with age, and his face lined with wrinkles. The man appeared tired as if burdened by time.
On either side of the old man stood two Pokémon that looked similar. Both had two horns on their heads, but one Pokémon's horn pointed upwards while the other's pointed downwards.
The Pokémon with the upward-pointing horn had a half-closed, expressionless eye, giving off an air of detachment. Meanwhile, the one with the downward-pointing horn had a gentle smile, with its eyes open wide and a warm, kind expression.
Naoki's mind flashed with recognition. These were Indeedee, the butler Pokémon—one male and one female, known for their contrasting expressions and roles in taking care of their trainers.
He quickly recalled the details about Indeedee. The male Indeedee tends to have a more stoic and reserved demeanor, while the female Indeedee is more nurturing and gentle, which explains their different expressions.
They stood respectfully beside the old man, eyeing the newcomers who had just entered. The Indeedee—both the male with a calm demeanor and the female with a gentle smile—watched quietly, their expressions reflecting their characteristic contrast.
"Are these the ones?" Naoki thought as he and Ivan were led by the maid to the elderly man sitting on the sofa.
The old man spoke after a moment. "You've finally arrived. Please, have a seat."
Naoki and Ivan nodded and sat on the sofa opposite him. "Hello," Naoki greeted politely. "I'm Naoki, and I run a ranch in Kosaji Town. This is my partner, Cyclizar."
The old man nodded slightly and murmured to himself, "A ranch owner." After a pause, he continued, "Just call me Sato. What do you think? Is he suitable?"
He turned to the two Indeedees beside him.
"Aiya," the male Indeedee on the left nodded calmly.
The female Indeedee on the right gave Naoki a warm, approving smile. "Ai-ah~"
Seeing their reactions, the old man laughed heartily. "That's good. I think he's a fine choice. He'll take good care of the children."
Naoki was caught off guard by the comment. "Excuse me, Mr. Sato, but what do you mean by this?"
Noticing Naoki's confused expression, the old man chuckled. "Ah, you must have thought I was referring to these two Pokemon. They've been with me for over 20 years; I can't bear to part with them. No, the ones I want you to care for are their children."
"Let me be clear, Naoki. When you arrived, I set a little test for you."
Naoki's mind flashed back to the injured Meowth by the fountain. He began to piece things together.
The old man smiled. "You showed great kindness in helping a Pokémon you didn't even know, saving it without hesitation. That was no coincidence."
He leaned forward slightly. "And that ghost story you told in the garden? It was wonderful. The line about ghosts being those who are missed but never seen again—so true!"
For a moment, the old man seemed lost in thought, but he quickly regained his focus. "But that's not the main point. The real test was when your Cyclizar was frightened. You comforted it immediately, holding its hand. That showed real patience and understanding."
Naoki felt a bit embarrassed at the old man's praise. He hadn't thought much about his actions at the time.
The old man, seeing Naoki's modest expression, laughed softly. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation. I heard from my servants that you accidentally wandered into the garden maze."
"Because many Pokémon usually play there, for their safety, I had surveillance cameras installed," the old man explained.
Naoki shook his head. "It doesn't matter."
"In that case, please follow me." The old man stood up, gesturing for them to follow.
Naoki and Ivan exchanged glances before following the old man down the hall until they reached a warmly decorated baby room.
There, Naoki saw two baby Indeedee, the children of the butlers. They were small as if they had just been born.
The old man smiled fondly. "These are their babies, just two weeks old—a brother and a sister. Would you like to meet them?"
Naoki nodded and approached the young Pokémon, crouching in front of them.
The baby Indeedee siblings noticed the newcomer. The sister, with wide eyes, gave Naoki an innocent smile, "Ah~!" She waved her little hands enthusiastically.
Her brother, on the other hand, had a much more serious demeanor. He glanced at his sister's eagerness and gave a disapproving look as if he were the mature one of the two.
Naoki smiled and reached into his backpack, taking out two bottles of juice milk and two lucky puddings.
He turned to the old man and asked, "Mr. Sato, is it alright if they have some snacks?"
The old man and the two adult Indeedee butlers nodded. "Of course."
With their permission, Naoki gently handed the juice milk, and pudding to the young Pokémon. The baby sister, sensing the milk's smell, immediately grabbed the bottle and began drinking it with no hesitation.
"Ah!" She took a big gulp and stopped, looking content.
Naoki then opened the package of lucky pudding and offered it to her. The sister eagerly took it and, after finishing the pudding, looked at Naoki with bright, happy eyes.
"Ah!" she waved her tiny arms, asking for a hug.
Naoki carefully picked her up, feeling her soft, fuzzy body in his hands. His movements became instinctively gentle as he cradled her.
He then glanced at the brother, who was still standing by with his usual stern look. "Don't you want to try?" Naoki asked.
The brother continued to glance disapprovingly at his sister, maintaining his mature posture.
Smiling, Naoki gently pushed the milk bottle closer to him. "How about a sip?"
The little butler blinked, smelling the milk. His expression softened slightly, and despite himself, he couldn't resist. After quietly swallowing, he took a cautious step forward and sipped from the bottle.
Seeing this, Naoki let out a soft laugh. "Quite cute."
However, upon hearing Naoki's laughter, the baby butler quickly blushed and turned away, pretending as if nothing had happened. His serious expression returned as if to say, "I wasn't enjoying that."
Naoki didn't press the matter, content to play with the baby sister for a while, cradling her gently.
The two adult Indeedees behind the old man watched the scene with gentle expressions, communicating softly with each other.
"Ai eh," murmured the male butler.
"Ai ah~," responded the female butler with a smile.
Hearing their conversation, the old man also smiled warmly. "It seems the brother and sister like him very much."
Turning to his two butlers, he asked once more, "Are you sure it's him?"
The Indeedee both nodded solemnly.
"Ai eh," they confirmed in unison.
...
After about ten more minutes of play, the baby sister grew tired and, along with her brother, drifted off to sleep. Being so young, they needed plenty of rest each day.
The group returned to the living room downstairs.
The old man spoke again, "If it's alright with you, I would prefer to wait until they are a bit more capable before handing them over to your care. During this time, we'll teach them basic housework, and I also believe it would be good for their parents to watch them grow a little more. That way, they can be at ease when the time comes."
Naoki nodded immediately, "Of course, no problem."
He, too, had grown fond of the two baby butlers, but he agreed it was important for them to stay with their parents during these crucial early stages of growth.
Seeing Naoki's agreement, the old man smiled, visibly pleased. "Then please give me your address. In two months at most, when they are ready, I will send them to your ranch."
Naoki understood. Pokémon, especially ones like the Indeedee, matured quickly.
"Okay," Naoki said, giving the old man the detailed address of his ranch. Before leaving, he asked, "Do I need to pay a deposit or anything?"
The old man shook his head gently. "That won't be necessary. We only have one request: take good care of the two little Pokemon."
...
We've hit 500 Power Stones! 🎉 As promised, here's the extra chapter! The next goal is 1000 Power Stones. When we reach it, I'll be dropping another bonus chapter! Let's keep the momentum going, everyone! 🚀