The next morning, Angie once again brought Komala, Sobble, Espurr, Meowstic, and Ralts to Minchlax's Home.
It was a rare sunny day in the Azoth City. While the thick snow hadn't melted in the slightest, the sun shone brightly.
Of course, a sunny day didn't mean the temperature had risen; in fact, it felt even colder.
However, the kitchen at Mucnhlax's Home was warm and cozy. White steam curled up into the air as Angie and Sobble busied themselves with a flurry of activity.
Neither master nor apprentice noticed a pair of eyes watching them from the shadows of the corner. Those eyes were fixed on Angie's precise movements as he wrapped dumplings, as though trying to memorize every detail.
After the heavy snowfall had paused, Mucnhlax's Home suddenly saw a surge in customers. Everyone wanted to start their chilly morning with warm, steaming buns, paired with a hot bowl of porridge.
The taste was so comforting that it lifted their spirits and energized them for the entire day.
Thankfully, both Espurr and Ralts had come to help today; otherwise, Meowstic alone might have struggled to keep up with the demand.
At 10:00 sharp, Angie closed the shop and called Kimia.
"Your Highness?" Kimia's voice came through promptly on the other end of the line.
"Kimia, it's been a while since we've seen each other. Would you and Raleigh like to come to my place for lunch today?" Angie asked.
Although the crayfish caught yesterday had all been devoured by him and the Pokémon, there were still some crabs and grass shrimp left. It wasn't enough to feed all the Pokémon, so he figured he'd invite Kimia and Raleigh over for a meal instead.
Besides, the fish in the secret fortress's fifth level also needed to be dealt with soon—otherwise, they'd grow too skinny to eat.
Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since Angie last met Kimia and Raleigh.
Surprised and delighted, Kimia asked, "You're inviting us for lunch? You'll be cooking yourself?"
"That's right. I got some great ingredients yesterday and thought you might like to try them," Angie replied.
Without hesitation, Kimia agreed, "Of course! Raleigh and I will definitely come!"
"Great, I'll be waiting for you," Angie said with a smile. "Oh, and Edward and Flamel are welcome too."
"Flamel will certainly be thrilled," Kimia replied, fully aware of Flamel's insatiable appetite as her closest friend. "As for Father… I'll ask him."
"Alright," Angie said.
"By the way, should we go to Munchlax's Home?" Kimia asked.
Angie shook his head. "No, come to the Nebel Plateau."
"Got it. We'll head over soon," Kimia said.
After ending the call with Kimia, Angie brought the dumplings and buns he'd saved earlier to the same alley from before.
Reaching the wooden shack at the far end of the alley, Angie knocked gently on the roof. Instantly, six heads popped out—it was two Oddish, two Paras, and two Shroomish.
When Angie appeared, the Pokémon excitedly jumped out of the wooden shack. Angie had been feeding them frequently recently, and they had grown very familiar with him.
Feeding them not only brought Angie joy but also earned him happiness points, which were surprisingly high. Angie was more than happy to continue.
"Oddish~ Oddish~"
"Shroomish~ Shroomish~"
"Paras~ Paras~"
...
The six Pokémon bounced and jumped around Angie's feet.
Angie placed a plate of the buns in front of them. "Here, enjoy."
The six Pokémon immediately surrounded the plate and devoured the food ravenously. Before long, the plate was spotless.
After they finished eating, Angie took the plate back and said goodbye.
"See you tomorrow!"
"Oddish~"
See you tomorrow.
"Shroomish~"
See you tomorrow.
"Paras~"
See you tomorrow.
...
After Angie left, the six Pokémon didn't return to the wooden shack to stay warm. Instead, they cleared a patch of snow to make an open space and lay down to bask in the sun.
A sunny day was rare, and they had to make the most of it, or else they might end up growing moldy.
When Angie returned to Munchlax's Home, he immediately took Sobble, Komala, and the others back to the Nebel Plateau. He needed to hurry home to prepare lunch.
As soon as Angie and his group left, a Haunter floated out from the shadows. Like usual, it began cleaning Munchlax's Home from top to bottom. It arranged the tables and chairs neatly before heading to the kitchen.
Staring at the kitchen tools used by Angie and Sobble, Haunter zoned out for a moment. Then its eyes glowed blue, and suddenly, all the kitchen utensils floated into the air.
A knife started chopping imaginary vegetables on the cutting board with a rhythmic thud-thud-thud.
A spoon stirred an empty pot as though it contained porridge.
Haunter kneaded an invisible dough in its hands.
...
After playing for a while, Haunter abruptly stopped. Its expression turned melancholic as it carefully placed all the utensils back in their original positions. No matter how realistic its imitation was, it was still nothing but an illusion.
Feeling dejected, it shuffled over to the trash bin, rummaged around, and eventually found half a bun. Clutching it in its hands, Haunter slowly disappeared into the corner of the room.
Meanwhile, back at Angie's place, he called out as soon as he entered the house, "Munchlax, come help with the cooking! We've got guests coming over today!"
"Munchlax~~"
Coming, coming!
Munchlax dashed over like an eager puppy and trotted closely behind Angie.
Carrying Sobble, Angie led Munchlax into the kitchen. "Today, the three of us are going to show off our cooking skills!"
"Munchlax~"
Yes!
"Sobble~"
Yes!
Munchlax and Sobble clenched their fists and raised their hands in response, both brimming with energy.
Angie then began assigning tasks.
"Sobble, you handle the cold dishes: tomato salad, cucumber salad, spicy shredded potatoes. Then, make mapo tofu, stir-fried eggplant, and finally, cook a pot of black fish and red date soup."
Most of the fish caught from Nebel Lake were black fish, perfect for cooking a pot of black fish and red date soup—delicious, nourishing, and ideal for the winter.
Sobble saluted energetically.
"Sobble~"
Leave it to me!
Next, Angie turned to Munchlax. "Munchlax, you'll handle the braised pork, stir-fried pork with green peppers, garlic sautéed greens, meatballs, braised eggplant, fish-flavored shredded pork, dry-fried green beans, and twice-cooked pork."
"Munchlax~~"
No problem!
Munchlax pounded its chest in assurance and quickly fetched its small stool.
Seeing his two apprentices busily at work, Angie rolled up his sleeves and got to it as well.
He began by using the few grass shrimp caught the previous day to make a dry pot shrimp dish. Then, he prepared clay pot fish, boiled fish in spicy broth, and steamed fish.
Lastly, there were the hairy crabs.
Angie studied the lively, clawing crabs and swiftly contemplated the best preparation method.
The water quality in Nebel Lake was excellent, making the fish, shrimp, and crabs not only exceptionally fresh but also top-notch in texture and flavor.
Thus…
Angie decided on steaming them.
With premium ingredients, the simplest cooking method often brought out their purest flavors.
With that thought, he got to work.
He gathered the necessary seasonings: ginger, garlic cloves, scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.
Next, he filled the steamer with the right amount of water, brought it to a boil, and placed the cleaned, rope-bound crabs belly-up inside. He covered the pot with a lid.
While the crabs steamed, Angie prepared the dipping sauce.
In the kitchen, the trio worked in perfect harmony. The sound of sizzling oil filled the air, and a rich aroma wafted throughout the house.
Standing on its little stool, Munchlax tiptoed as it expertly flipped food in the wok, sending it flying high.
Though small, Sobble handled the spatula with ease, stir-frying like a seasoned chef.
Midway through their cooking, a flying vehicle landed outside Angie's house. It was Kimia and her group, and this time they encountered no Pokémon guarding or attacking them.
Kimia leaped agilely from the vehicle, followed closely by Raleigh.
"Is this… really His Highness's home?"
The siblings were momentarily stunned by the drastic changes to Angie's house.
Flamel disembarked next, extending a hand to help down a slightly chubby middle-aged man—none other than Edward, King of the Azoth Kingdom.
Edward wasn't wearing his royal attire today, opting instead for plain clothes. Kimia and Raleigh were similarly dressed in casual winter clothing.
"So, this is where His Highness lives? What a lovely place!" Edward remarked. Since it was his first visit, he wasn't aware of the house's original appearance and therefore wasn't as surprised as the others.
The four visitors had bundled up for the freezing weather of the Azoth capital, but upon arriving at the Nebel Plateau, the warmth made them quickly shed their outer layers.
Hearing the commotion outside, Diancie rushed out.
Upon seeing Edward, Diancie's face briefly registered surprise before it gracefully bowed to him, Kimia, and Raleigh.
"Your Majesty, Princess Kimia, Prince Raleigh, good afternoon. I'm delighted you've come to visit."
Edward, valuing the legendary Pokémon highly, returned the bow with refined courtesy. "Lady Diancie, it's a pleasure to see you again."
Diancie said, "Please, come inside."
Guided by Diancie, the four of them entered the house.
As soon as they stepped in, Raleigh's nose twitched incessantly. He inhaled deeply with a look of utter delight. "It smells amazing!"
Although Flamel regularly brought him and Kimia breakfast from Munchlax's Home, Raleigh deeply missed the dinner they had enjoyed at Angie's that one night.
"Hahaha! It seems we're in for a feast today!" Edward laughed heartily. "To eat a meal cooked by His Highness in my lifetime is truly an honor!"
Diancie invited them to sit. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. The meal should be ready soon."
The guests followed Diancie's lead, seating themselves around a table.
Edward was quite intrigued by the round table in front of him. The tables they usually dined at were rectangular, with everyone seated farther apart from one another.
Just then, Angie emerged from the kitchen, surprised to see Kimia and the others already there.
"You're here already? Perfect timing—we're ready to eat!" he exclaimed.
Raleigh cheered, "Fantastic! Let me help!"
At that moment, the Poké Ball on Raleigh's belt flashed red, releasing Slurpuff. Following closely behind Raleigh, the little Pokémon cried.
"Slurpuff~"
I'll help too!
Raleigh and Slurpuff were back to their old habits, jumping into action to assist.
Watching Raleigh's eager demeanor, Edward's face softened into a satisfied smile. "Raleigh has become so much more cheerful. Kimia, sending him to be with Prince Angie was the right decision."
Kimia smiled. "Honestly, I didn't expect such a big change either. It's all thanks to Angie's guidance."
Soon, the table was laden with a feast, filled to the brim.
Kimia stared, stunned. "So much food?!"
Angie chuckled. "It's not every day you visit, so of course, I went all out. Come on, dig in! These dishes are the result of hours of effort from me, Munchlax, and Sobble."
"Munchlax~ Munchlax~"
Munchlax enthusiastically chimed in, thumping its chest.
"Sobble~ Sobble~"
Sobble grinned proudly, clearly pleased with its contributions.
"Then I won't hold back!" Edward declared. Though the mouthwatering aroma had long been tempting him, he tried to maintain his regal composure—after all, even as a junior to Angie, he was still a king.
Angie gestured to the spread. "Go ahead, dig in. These fish, shrimp, and crabs are all specialties of Nebel Lake. They're so fresh, you'll want to swallow your tongue with them!"
As he spoke, Angie began introducing the dishes one by one, explaining how they should be eaten—especially the crabs.
Initially, Edward was determined to uphold his kingly image. But as soon as the first bite melted in his mouth, all notions of dignity flew out the window.
"Edward, how about a glass of wine?" Angie asked with a smile.
"Sure, just one glass," Edward replied.
Angie nodded and, with a quick exchange of Happiness Points at the system shop, procured a bottle of fine red wine. Pretending it came from the kitchen, he poured the wine into glasses for himself, Edward, and Komala.
Edward sipped from his glass, exclaiming, "What exquisite wine! I didn't know you had such treasures, Your Highness!"
Angie simply smiled and raised his glass, clinking it with Edward's and then with Komala's.
As laughter and conversation filled the room, the feast steadily dwindled until only one crab remained. Just as Edward and Raleigh reached for it simultaneously, their hands collided.
"Father, didn't your doctor tell you to cut down on fatty foods?" Raleigh teased.
"Raleigh, eating crab won't make you gain weight. Besides," Edward said with feigned seriousness, "Angie mentioned that crab is cooling by nature—not suitable for children."
"Father, I'm almost ten! I'm not a child anymore!" Raleigh argued indignantly.
"Almost ten is still not ten," Edward retorted, shaking his head.
Raleigh's frustration boiled over. "You always do this! Last time, you ate more than half of the spicy Salveyo Weed Angie gave me. Don't think I didn't notice!"
"You're making baseless accusations! I would never do such a thing!" Edward protested, though his guilty expression said otherwise. "I'm a king, after all!"
"Enough!" Kimia interjected, tapping both their hands with her chopsticks. They recoiled in pain, pulling their hands back quickly.
Kimia placed the last crab in front of Angie. "This last one is for Prince Angie. He went to so much effort to prepare this feast for us—he deserves it."
Father and son watched the crab disappear with equal parts disappointment and resignation, shooting Kimia reproachful looks but knowing better than to complain aloud.
Angie, however, laughed and gently pushed the crab toward Munchlax.
Munchlax, usually the most voracious eater, had held back out of consideration for the guests and hadn't had much crab. Seeing the crab suddenly placed before it, and then looking at Angie's kind smile, Munchlax was deeply moved.
"Munchlax~~"
Master...
"Go on, eat," Angie said warmly.
Munchlax carefully dismantled the crab, savoring every bite—it was a gesture of love from its master.
Angie turned back to Edward and Raleigh. "You can always visit again. Next time, I'll make more for you both. But remember, everything in moderation—even food."
Edward nodded thoughtfully. "Wise words, Your Highness."
"I'll follow Prince Angie's advice," Raleigh added earnestly.
After lunch, Edward and Kimia went for a short stroll nearby to digest before returning to their responsibilities in the Azoth Kingdom. They barely managed to spare time for the meal as it was.
As for Raleigh, he stayed behind.
Lately, Raleigh had been diligent with his studies, so Kimia decided to give him a break. After all, no one wanted him to become a bookworm again.