Because he had successfully captured Dolliv, Angie was in an exceptionally good mood on his way back.
After ascending from the middle layer to the upper layer, he instructed Espartha to slow down, taking a leisurely pace while enjoying the scenery of Area Zero.
Ahead of him, the two Oinkologne were leading the way, accompanied by Charcadet and Dolliv who are curiously exploring their surroundings. Occasionally, they would dig up some interesting objects from the ground.
For the two Dolliv, such an experience was entirely new. They found it fascinating and chattered away with the Oinkologne and Charcadet, their tones filled with wonder and amazement, which helped them dispel much of the melancholy from parting ways with their former lives.
As Angie and his group passed a slope, the two Oinkologne suddenly rushed toward him in excitement.
"Oinkologne~"
"Oinkologne~"
They called out energetically.
Having spent so much time with them, Angie could instantly tell from their calls that they had found something.
He nimbly jumped off the Espartha's back. "Found some new ingredients again?"
"Oinkologne~"
"Oinkologne~"
The two Oinkologne nodded their heads vigorously, bouncing up and down with joy. Discovering new ingredients meant Angie would cook something delicious for them!
At that moment, the two Dolliv and two Charcadet approached, struggling under the weight of items that are almost as large as themselves.
"Dolliv~"
"Charcadet~"
They raised the objects in their arms as if seeking Angie's approval.
Angie squatted down and pulled a piece from Charcadet's arms, exclaiming in surprise, "Aren't these asparagus?"
Asparagus are young shoots of stone shoots, typically only available during mild spring weather. Angie hadn't expected that Area Zero, at this time of year, would have them growing.
What a magical place.
Standing up, Angie raised his arm and shouted, "Let's go harvest asparagus! We'll have a feast tonight!"
"Oinkologne~"
"Charcadet~"
Having tasted Angie's cooking before, the Oinkologne and Charcadet cheered enthusiastically.
Although the Dolliv didn't fully understand, seeing the Oinkologne and Charcadet so excited, they also raised their arms and cheered along.
Following the Oinkologne to the asparagus field, Angie immediately got everyone involved in picking them.
As he harvested, he explained to everyone, "Pick the tender ones, don't bother with the old ones—they're not as tasty."
Many of the asparagus the Charcadet and Dolliv had picked earlier were already too old.
"Brother Angie, is this one okay?" Arven approached, holding a freshly picked asparagus for Angie to inspect.
Having become familiar with Angie, Arven now called him "Brother Angie" instead of "Your Highness."
Angie pinched the stalk, finding it fresh and juicy. "It's good."
Hearing his approval, Arven beamed with joy and held onto the asparagus tightly.
Seeing this, the Dolliv and Charcadet also rushed over and presenting their freshly picked asparagus to Angie.
"Dolliv~"
Look at mine!
"Charcadet~"
And mine too!
After inspecting them, Angie said, "These are good too. Great job, Dolliv and Charcadet!"
"Dolliv~"
"Charcadet~"
The Charcadet and Dolliv beamed with pride, tucking the asparagus under their arms. Being small in size, this was the only way they could carry them.
It was actually Angie's first time harvesting asparagus himself. In his past life, the asparagus he ate was all store-bought, typically cultivated.
"Pick the ones that are crisp and snap easily; if it's hard to break, leave it!" Angie shouted to everyone.
Arven: "Got it!"
"Charcadet~"
Understood!
"Dolliv~"
I got it!
The slope was covered in a vibrant green sea of asparagus, each stalk standing straight and tall.
Snap, snap, snap!
One stalk after another was harvested by Angie and the group. Since they would turn fibrous if left unpicked, Angie quickly purchased a basket from the system store. Before long, they had filled it to the brim.
Store more asparagus in the system's inventory to let the Pokémon at home try it later.
The asparagus grew in abundance here, far too much to harvest in one go. By evening, Angie and the group had filled a large basket, but even that didn't make a dent in the supply.
Angie straightened up, stretching his aching knees, then clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone, it's getting late—we should head back!"
"Oinkologne~"
"Charcadet~"
"Dolliv~"
Hearing Angie's call, the Pokémon all ran back, each carrying bundles of asparagus. The two Dolliv were flushed from the hard work, sweat trickling down their foreheads.
Arven arrived shortly after with Mabosstiff in tow, his jacket stuffed full of asparagus.
Seeing Arven's equally red face, Angie chuckled and asked, "Tired?"
Arven shook his head. "Not at all!" Even if he was tired, the thought of a delicious dinner later made it all worthwhile. Besides, he was eager to continue learning cooking skills from Angie.
After loading all the asparagus into the basket and storing it in the system's inventory, Angie turned to the group and said, "Let's head back!"
With that, the two of them led the large group of Pokémon back to Research Station No. 1.
The station was quiet as usual, with the researchers and the professor still engrossed in their work. Only the occasional Pokémon cry broke the silence.
Angie summoned Munchlax, Diancie, and Drizzile from home.
"Have the Pokémon at home eaten dinner yet?" Angie asked.
"Drizzile~"
Drizzile gave Angie a thumbs-up, indicating everyone had already eaten.
Since Angie wasn't home, breakfast was usually just standard Pokémon food, but Munchlax and Drizzile still prepared dinner, earning Angie happiness points.
"Great," Angie said. "Let's make dinner for ourselves now."
They set up tables and chairs on the grassy field outside and began preparing for dinner.
The area was well-lit, so darkness wasn't an issue.
Angie took out the light cod fillets leftover from the day before and asked his apprentices, "Munchlax, Drizzile, can I trouble you to make fish balls and a fish ball soup?"
"Mucnhlax~"
Leave it to me, Master!
"Drizzile~"
No problem!
The two Pokémon responded in unison.
Angie then turned to Arven. "Arven, can you handle cooking the rice?"
Arven hesitated. "Can I really do it?"
Angie nodded encouragingly. "You definitely can. Didn't Munchlax teach you earlier today? Be confident. Cooking rice isn't hard, and if you have questions, ask me anytime."
With Angie's encouragement, Arven felt more confident. He nodded vigorously and began recalling Munchlax's cooking steps from earlier, carefully starting the process.
Behind him, Mabosstiff watched the energetic Arven with a kind smile.
Mabosstiff had been given to Arven by the two professors. It had been with Arven since its still a Maschiff, essentially raising him.
Due to their busy schedules, the professors couldn't spend much time with Arven, but Mabosstiff always stayed by his side, from when he was a toddler to now as a young teen.
Unable to help with the cooking, Mabosstiff lay down on the grass, resting its head on its front paws while watching Arven bustle about, its mouth curling into a contented smile.
Meanwhile, Angie started preparing the asparagus.
Remembering some fresh shrimp stored in the system's inventory, he decided to make stir-fried asparagus with shrimp.
After cleaning the asparagus and setting it aside, Angie prepared the shrimp by removing the shells and veins, leaving only the flesh, then washing it thoroughly.
The shrimp, caught in Nebel Lake, was fresh and translucent, with no fishy smell—truly top-quality.
Step one: marinate the shrimp.
Angie placed the shrimp in a bowl and added a pinch of salt, cooking wine, and white pepper powder. After mixing it evenly, he set it aside to marinate.
Step two: blanch the asparagus.
"Charcadet, I'm counting on you." Angie addressed the weepy Charcadet.
"Charcadet~"
The Charcadet responded promptly, squatting under the pot stand. Its body ignited, and in no time, the water start to get boiling.
While waiting for the water to boil, Angie had already sliced the tender asparagus diagonally.
On the table, the two Dolliv watched him cook with curiosity. Angie gently reminded them, "Don't stand too close—you might get splashed by hot water."
"Dolliv~"
"Dolliv~"
The two Dolliv quickly stepped back as they heard the warning.
Angie nodded in satisfaction and placed the asparagus into the boiling water, adding a pinch of salt.
Blanching the asparagus would enhance its vibrant green color, improve its crisp texture, and amplify its freshness. However, Angie knew that blanching it for too long would compromise its texture and flavor.
After draining the blanched asparagus and setting it aside, Angie prepared for the stir-frying stage. He took a small bowl and placed it in front of one of the Dolliv.
"Dolliv, can you give me some oil?"
"Dolliv~"
The Dolliv nodded excitedly. It tilted its head, and a stream of golden oil flowed into the bowl. A fragrant aroma instantly filled the air.
"That's enough! That's enough!"
As the bowl filled quickly, Angie stopped the Dolliv just in time.
Setting the bowl aside, Angie brought out an oil container and placed it in front of the two Dolliv.
"You can pour the stored oil into this bottle."
Dolliv's oil was a product of photosynthesis. They used it as an energy reserve during food shortages. Now that they were following Angie, they wouldn't have to worry about hunger anymore. This meant they could release their stored oil and continue producing more through photosynthesis. If they didn't release the oil, their production cycle would stagnate, resulting in waste.
"Dolliv~"
"Dolliv~"
The two Dolliv nodded and moved aside with the bottle, diligently transferring their stored oil.
Turning his attention away from the Dolliv, Angie looked at the teary-eyed Charcadet and said, "I need your help again!"
"Charcadet~"
Charcadet quickly sprang into action, positioning itself under another pot. In no time, it had the pot heated up and ready for cooking.
Angie poured the Dolliv's oil into the hot pan. As it heated, the distinctive aroma of the oil grew richer, captivating everyone around. The smells wafted toward the Oinkologne, Espartha, Mabosstiff, and even Diancie, who was setting up the table.
No wonder Dolliv oil was so highly praised in the outside world—it truly lived up to its reputation! If Dolliv oil was already this fragrant, Angie could only imagine how incredible the oil from an Arboliva would be.
He eagerly looked forward to the day when the Dolliv would evolve into Arboliva.
As the oil sizzled, Angie added minced garlic and ginger to the pan. The sound of sizzling filled the air, and the aroma intensified, becoming nearly overpowering in its deliciousness.
Dolliv oil had a remarkable ability to enhance the fragrance of other ingredients, far surpassing ordinary cooking oils.
Once the seasonings were ready, Angie added the marinated shrimp to the pan and asked, "Charcadet, could you turn up the heat a bit?"
Shrimp required high heat for stir-frying.
"Charcadet~"
Charcadet responded with an enthusiastic nod, intensifying the flames around it. The pan hissed and crackled as Angie quickly stirred the shrimp. Once they turned pink, he added the blanched asparagus and continued to mix everything together.
Finally, Angie seasoned the dish with soy sauce and a pinch of MSG. The shrimp and asparagus stir-fry filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma.
"Charcadet, you can come out now!" Angie called.
Charcadet obediently stepped aside as Angie picked up a piece of asparagus with his chopsticks and held it out.
"Here, try it for me."
"Ahhh~"
Charcadet opened its mouth wide, eagerly devouring the asparagus. Crunching on it, the flavors burst forth, leaving Charcadet craving more.
(ˊ〇ˋ*) It opened its mouth again, hoping for another bite. Angie chuckled, gently patting its head. "You can have more during dinner."
Charcadet slumped in disappointment but didn't argue.
At that moment, the two Dolliv waddled over, carrying a now-full oil bottle. They looked up at Angie with expectant eyes.
"Thank you both for your hard work!" Angie said, accepting the bottle and setting it aside. To reward them, he picked up pieces of the freshly made dish and fed each Dolliv.
It was the first time the Dolliv had tasted human food. The intense flavors overwhelmed their senses, sending shivers through their bodies. Their taste buds felt like they were having a dance party, completely enthralled by the new experience.
"Dolliv~"
"Dolliv~"
The two Dolliv excitedly held hands, running and spinning in circles on the table.
"Is it delicious?" Angie asked with a smile.
"Dolliv~"
"Dollivi~"
The two Dolliv squinted their eyes, holding their cheeks with both hands, and nodded enthusiastically.
Angie said, "I'm glad you like it. There will be plenty more opportunities for you to enjoy delicious food in the future."
The two Dolliv gleefully held hands again, spinning in circles.
After finishing the asparagus stir-fry, Angie and his two apprentices prepared more dishes, including scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried pork, smashed cucumbers, soy-sauce-seasoned cabbage, steamed cod with chopped chili, and chicken with mushrooms in a creamy sauce.
Along with the fish ball soup made earlier by Drizzile, dinner for the evening was ready.
Just as Angie and his team brought the dishes to the table, the aroma had already lured the professors out of their workspaces.
Professor Sada exclaimed, "I knew it! Angie must be the one who is cooking."
Professor Turo hurried over to the table, taking a deep breath and saying, "This smells absolutely amazing!"
Other researchers gathered around as well, drawn by the enticing fragrance.
Angie smiled and said, "You all came at the perfect time. Take a seat and enjoy the meal."
One of the researchers eagerly said, "Great! I've been starving for ages."
His colleague teased him, "Starving? I saw you working non-stop without blinking earlier. Were you really that hungry?"
Hearing this, everyone burst out laughing.
The researcher playfully punched his colleague and said, "I think you just want to hog all of His Highness's cooking for yourself!"
"Oh no, you caught me!"
Their banter made the laughter even louder.
Raleigh squeezed into the seat next to Angie, saying, "Your Highness, I'll sit next to you."
"Munchlax~"
Munchlax protested, pawing at Raleigh. The seat beside its master was its rightful spot.
Angie, caught between amusement and exasperation, said, "Alright, alright, I have two sides. You can each sit on one."
Diancie chimed in: What about me?
Angie replied: You can sit across from me.
Soon, the table was packed with people. Everyone was moving their chopsticks so quickly that they barely had time for conversation.
After eating to their hearts' content, they all sprawled out on the grass, chatting leisurely. The professors and researchers discussed topics so advanced that neither Angie nor Arven could contribute. Instead, they played with the Pokémon nearby.
Only Raleigh listened intently, he even pulled out a small notebook to jot down notes as he listened.
Before long, the deliveryman, Ata, arrived again. Seeing the table full of empty plates and bowls, he immediately understood that the professors and researchers had already enjoyed their meal.
Following the professors' instructions, Ata left the food he had brought and then flew off on his Corviknight.
After some more chatting, the professors and researchers helped Angie and the others clean up the tableware before heading off.
The professors still had work to do, and no one could say when they'd be finished.