Salphy Restaurant was one of the most renowned dining establishments in Lavanny City, famous for its specialty Pokémon cuisine.
Unlike the widely used energy cubes, Salphy's dishes were crafted from a variety of fruits, meats, vegetables, and expert cooking techniques.
It was common knowledge that if Pokémon ate human food regularly, it could cause various health issues, much like how humans suffer from consuming excessive fats and sugars.
Therefore, professional Trainers rarely fed their Pokémon human food.
However, since human food was often more flavorful than energy cubes or standard Pokémon food, restaurants like Salphy emerged, catering specifically to Pokémon.
Today, Ashborn had brought his team, including Metagross, to this famous restaurant.
If not for the influence of the Zovic family name, it would have taken half a year just to secure a reservation.
"Welcome, Young Master Zovic," greeted the waiter at the entrance as soon as Ashborn arrived.
The restaurant staff had clearly been informed that an important guest from the Zovic family was expected today.
"Your VIP room is ready, sir," the waiter said, leading Ashborn inside.
Ashborn nodded and glanced around the restaurant's bustling hall, which was already filled with Trainers dining alongside their Pokémon.
The seating arrangements in the hall were compact, making it unsuitable for larger Pokémon. As a result, only smaller Pokémon were seen enjoying their meals here.
However, the VIP room was a different story. It housed a single, grand table in a space as large as the entire main hall, making it spacious enough to fit ten Steelixes if needed.
The décor was elegant rather than extravagant, creating a serene atmosphere.
The waiter handed over a thin menu, which contained only twenty dishes.
But each one came with a price tag so high that ordinary people could hardly afford a single meal even on a month's salary.
"Everything," Ashborn said calmly, handing the menu back.
The waiter froze momentarily, unsure if he had understood correctly. Then, realizing what Ashborn meant, he nodded quickly.
"Understood, Young Master Zovic. I'll bring everything right away." He gently closed the door and left.
Ashborn released his Pokémon one by one: Metagross, Lucario, Meltan, Dragonair, Aron, and Steelix.
Counting Slowking, who was still in the capital, Ashborn currently had seven Pokémon.
Luckily, Slowking was staying with his Auntie, because according to the Xorros Country Trainer Association's regulations, Trainers below the pseudo-Elite level could only carry six Pokémon.
Pseudo-Elites could carry up to eight, and there were no restrictions for Elite-level Trainers. With Steelix at level 66, Ashborn had already reached the pseudo-Elite rank.
Though Ashborn had collected 400 Meltan candies, he hadn't yet evolved Meltan.
Even though he had rushed to collect the candies earlier, now that he had them, there was no hurry.
As usual, Meltan immediately settled onto Aron's back as soon as it was released, occasionally licking the armored plating.
Aron, used to Meltan's antics, simply accepted it, knowing that resisting was futile, especially given that Meltan's level was higher than its own.
"You should hide if someone else enters," Ashborn instructed Meltan.
Meltan nodded, liquefying its body and covering Aron's back, camouflaging itself perfectly. Unless someone looked closely, they wouldn't notice it.
A short while later, there was a knock at the door. Meltan quickly slid behind Steelix to hide. The waiter entered, carrying a tray of drinks.
"These are fruit-based drinks, matched to each Pokémon's attribute," the waiter explained, placing the cups in front of Ashborn's Pokémon.
The cups were marked with symbols for Steel, Dragon, and Fighting Types, matching the attributes of Ashborn's team.
The waiter seemed puzzled for a moment. He had counted five Pokémon but noticed six drinks and dishes ordered.
However, upon seeing Steelix's massive size, he quickly assumed that two servings were needed for the large Pokémon. Mystery solved.
Most fruits discovered so far were primarily suitable for Pokémon, with some even causing adverse effects for humans.
For instance, consuming them could result in hiccups or worse.
Ashborn himself was served a blend of wild apple and Oran Berry juice. The balance between the sour apple and sweet Oran Berry, combined with a mint leaf, created a refreshing flavor that made his mouth water and sparked hunger.
Watching his Pokémon happily enjoying their drinks, Ashborn could tell the flavors were well-matched.
Steelix, however, was visibly dissatisfied with the small size of its cup. For a Pokémon its size, the portion barely quenched its thirst.
Steelix eyed Meltan with envy as it submerged itself in its glass. It reminisced about its days as an Onix, back when such things wouldn't have been possible.
Then, the food arrived.
"Fried Platter, Waterside Herbs, Moo Moo Cheese, Pidgey Toast, Onion Stick Thin Bone, Mushroom Sausage," the waiter announced, bringing six dishes at a time.
Just like the drinks, the dishes were tailored to the attributes of Ashborn's team.
Even though some dishes looked the same, slight adjustments in ingredients were made based on the Pokémon's type.
While each dish was delicious on its own, sharing was not always a good idea. Aron learned this the hard way.
After finishing its own portion of Waterside Herbs, it set its sights on Dragonair's unfinished serving. Dragonair, noticing Aron's gaze, hurriedly ate the rest, but Aron managed to steal a bite.
Immediately, Aron regretted its decision and spat out the food in disgust.
Aron: "What the heck?!"
Before Aron could react further, Dragonair smacked it against the wall in retaliation. Looking at the cracked wall,
Ashborn sighed. Not only would he be paying for the meal today, but also for repairs.
Ashborn shook his head at the scene of the now-dazed Aron.
"Why would you eat Dragonair's food? It's a Dragon Type; the taste is completely different from yours.
It's like someone who enjoys mild hotpot suddenly trying extra spicy hotpot—you can't handle it."
Ashborn glanced at Lucario, suggesting Aron might have been better off trying Lucario's dish.
After all, Lucario's secondary type was Steel, so the flavor would have been more bearable.
But Aron had already given up. Lucario was too fast an eater, leaving no room for Aron to sneak a bite.
Just as Aron was about to give up, its energy surged when the waiter entered with another round of dishes. The feast wasn't over yet.
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Adios