Since the late-night snack Angie was preparing wasn't very complicated, he didn't let his Pokémon disciples help. Instead, he asked them to sit in the dining room and wait to eat.
Once in the kitchen, he started preparing all the ingredients he needed: warm water, rock salt, soy sauce, Dolliv oil, and, most importantly, the Chansey egg.
That's right—Angie was planning to make steamed egg custard.
The Chansey eggs he had bought in Mesagoza City had been sitting untouched in his pantry because he hadn't had the heart to use them. But tonight, to comfort his dejected disciples, he finally decided to break them out!
Chansey eggs were enormous, about the size of ostrich eggs from Angie's previous life. He only used three out of the five he had, leaving the other two for another time.
After all, it was a late-night snack—not a full meal.
Even three eggs were a lot, more than enough to make plenty of custard. However, given that Munchlax was a big eater and Pawmi was a shameless foodie, this amount could only barely suffice.
With the ingredients ready, Angie rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
First came the task of beating the eggs.
Gently tapping the thick shell of a Chansey egg, Angie cracked it open and poured its contents into a bowl. Just one egg nearly filled an entire large soup bowl.
He picked up a pair of chopsticks and began stirring the egg liquid, breaking up the yolks and whites while adding a pinch of rock salt.
The key to beating the eggs was to keep the motion steady and moderate—overmixing could create air bubbles, resulting in a less smooth custard with a compromised texture and appearance.
Once the egg mixture was ready, it was time for step two: adding warm water.
The ideal ratio of warm water to egg liquid was either 1:1 or 1:1.5. It was crucial to use warm water, not cold water or boiling water—especially not boiling water.
Angie stirred the mixture thoroughly, ensuring the water and egg blended seamlessly.
Next came step three: straining the egg mixture.
Using a fine mesh strainer, he filtered the mixture into another bowl. This step removed any unbroken bits of egg white or stray air bubbles, resulting in a smoother, silkier custard after steaming.
Of course, if someone wanted to skip this step, they could. It wouldn't ruin the dish entirely, though it might slightly affect the texture.
But Angie wasn't one to cut corners when it came to cooking, so this step was non-negotiable for him.
After processing the egg mixture, Angie poured it into individual porcelain cups. Into each cup, he added a small drizzle of Dolliv oil, a few drops of soy sauce, and other seasonings.
Finally, he placed lids on the cups and neatly arranged them inside a steamer.
The reason for covering the cups was to prevent condensation from the steamer dripping into the porcelain cups and affecting the custard's texture.
The porcelain cups were items Angie had purchased from the system store. They were pure white, adorned with blue designs of cranes and swirling clouds, exuding elegance and a touch of antiquity. Angie was quite fond of them.
Inside the steamer, water bubbled and churned, sending wisps of steam curling upward. Angie waited quietly.
At that moment, he felt something latch onto him. Looking down, he saw that it was Pawmi.
"Didn't I tell you to wait in the dining room? Why are you in here?"
"Pawmi~"
Pawmi clung to Angie's leg like a koala, craning its neck to peek at the stove, curious about what delicious dish Angie was making.
Angie bent down to pick it up and said helplessly, "Why are you such a little foodie?"
About 15 minutes later, the custards were done. Angie opened the steamer, removed the lids from the porcelain cups, and sprinkled either black sesame seeds or finely chopped scallions on top. This way, the Pokémon could choose according to their preferences—sesame or scallion.
After finishing the final touches, Angie grabbed a tray, put on gloves, and carefully lifted the porcelain cups from the steamer, placing them on the tray one by one. He carried the tray into the dining room and announced loudly, "Late-night snack is ready!"
Pawmi immediately dashed out after Angie.
When the Pokémon saw Angie coming out of the kitchen, Diancie and the others stood up, ready to help carry the dishes. But Angie quickly waved them off. "Sit down, sit down! I've got it covered."
Hearing this, Diancie and the others reluctantly returned to their seats.
Angie placed a cup of custard in front of each Pokémon: Munchlax, Diancie, Drizzile, Komala, and Metagross.
Inside the cups, the golden-yellow custard gleamed with a layer of rich, fragrant oil, dotted with black sesame seeds or vibrant green scallions. It was a feast for the eyes.
A gentle aroma wafted up with the steam, slowly filling the dining room. The Pokémon instinctively swallowed their saliva.
The freshly placed custards quivered slightly from the movement, wobbling delicately. Just looking at them, one could imagine how silky and smooth they were.
Pawmi scampered onto the chair next to Metagross, standing on its hind legs and stretching its little paws to the table, eagerly awaiting Angie.
Too short to reach, it clambered directly onto the table.
As soon as Angie placed the cup in front of it, Pawmi immediately reached out to grab it. Angie quickly warned, "Be careful, it's hot!"
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Before Angie could finish speaking, Pawmi had already burned its paw and hastily pulled back, blowing on it to cool it down.
Angie scolded, "See? You burned yourself! Why are you always so impatient? Look around—does anyone else act like you?"
Pawmi grinned sheepishly at Angie and, having learned its lesson, picked up a spoon to eat instead of grabbing the cup with its paws.
Watching Pawmi's antics reminded Angie of Munchlax when it first arrived. Back then, the mere mention of food would make it as impatient as Pawmi, unable to wait even a second.
But after living in the household and enjoying plenty of delicious meals, Munchlax, though still a big eater, had grown much calmer.
Look at it now—gently blowing on the custard in its cup, then carefully scooping up a piece with its spoon, savoring it slowly.
The smooth custard melted in its mouth, the creamy texture and delicate flavor spreading gently across its palate. The subtle aroma danced in its mouth like a graceful waltz, silky and refreshing, with a perfectly balanced fragrance—neither overpowering nor bland.
Perfect!
Munchlax closed its eyes in bliss, cupping its cheeks in its hands. The look of contentment on its face made Angie's heart melt.
Diancie, Komala, Drizzile, and Metagross were also eagerly tasting their custards, each quickly falling under its spell.
Angie sat down as well, placing one of the cups in front of himself. Picking up a spoon, he scooped up a piece and put it in his mouth.
The moment it touched his tongue, he was amazed.
The custard was delicious—Angie had always liked custard in his previous life—but he hadn't expected it to taste this good!
Was this really just a simple custard?
Ah, of course! This wasn't ordinary custard. Though the recipe was simple, its main ingredient was the rich and nutritious egg of a Chansey. Combined with the savory enhancement of Stonjourner's rock salt and the fragrant touch of Dolliv oil, the flavor was elevated to an entirely new level.
What Angie had before him was an explosion of flavor in the form of custard!
As the saying goes, "With top-quality ingredients, the simplest cooking methods yield the best results."
And how true that was!
Unconsciously, Angie quickened his pace as he ate the egg custard.
"Munchlax~"
More, please!
"Pawmi~"
More! More!
At that moment, Munchlax and Pawmi had already finished their portions and were holding the brightly licked porcelain bowls, shouting eagerly at Angie.
"All right, all right!"
With a doting smile, Angie returned to the kitchen to bring them each another serving.
Not long after, Diancie also finished her portion. She elegantly dabbed the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief.
"This is delicious; I like it," she told Angie.
Angie helplessly replied, "As much as we like it, we can't have this every day. These premium ingredients are rare and hard to come by."
"True enough," Diancie nodded in agreement.
"Would you like another serving?" Angie asked.
"No, one bowl is enough," Diancie shook her head. Unlike Munchlax and the others, even if she enjoyed the dish, she wouldn't indulge too much late at night. That wouldn't align with her royal, ladylike demeanor.
Angie didn't push her further, especially since he himself had also stopped at just one bowl.
"Haunter~"
I want more too!
Haunter floated over, holding an empty bowl high.
Hearing this, Diancie stood up from her chair. "I'll get it for you," she said, heading into the kitchen.
Before long, the dozen or so bowls of egg custard Angie had steamed were completely devoured. Munchlax ate the most, followed by Pawmi, then Drizzile, Metagross, Haunter, and Komala, with Angie and Diancie eating the least.
If only Pawmi's stomach were bigger, Angie suspected it might have even outdone Munchlax.
The delicious meal worked its magic—Munchlax, Drizzile, and Haunter visibly perked up, their moods brightened considerably.
After washing all the dishes, everyone headed to their rooms for the night.
...
The next morning, warm sunlight bathed the Nebel Plateau, marking the start of a new day.
The Swablu family and the Fletchinder family spread their wings and soared toward the eastern and western edges of the plateau. Today marked their official inauguration as the Sky Patrol Team, and they were all brimming with excitement.
"Fletchinder~ Fletchinder~~"
Fletchinder flapped its wings rapidly, cutting through the sky, followed closely by Talonflame and Staraptor.
"Swablu~ Swablu~"
Swablu sang melodiously as they ascended into the clouds. The two Altaria flapped their cloud-like wings, climbing high into the heavens.
From their aerial vantage point, they gazed down upon the Nebel Plateau. Below, they could see sprawling orchards, neatly arranged wooden houses, Angie jogging on his morning run, and the Pokémon bustling about with their tasks.
In the secret base's fifth level, a line of Veluza, as swift as arrows, leaped into the waterways one by one, surging upstream toward Nebel Lake, alongside Goldeen, Seaking, Magikarp, and Feebas as they approached the grand waterfall.
The day's challenges were about to begin!
Diancie had already come early to feed them breakfast.
Meanwhile, Poliwrath, along with Poliwag, Poliwhirl, and Azurill, were only just waking up after the Veluza had long departed. They leisurely made their way to Diancie's cafeteria for breakfast before heading to their work at the fishery.
Poliwhirl perched on lily pads, eyes fixed intently on the lake's surface.
Poliwag swam back and forth, inspecting the growth of the fish.
Poliwrath stood like a sentinel on iron stakes, watching over Poliwhirl and Poliwag, ensuring their safety.
After breakfast, Croconaw, Buneary, Pachirisu, Deerling, and Bunnelby also set off to their respective jobs.
Deerling and Bunnelby went to the chicken coop, scattering millet into the feed troughs. The chicks scurried over in a frenzy, pecking eagerly.
Recalling Metagross's instructions, they knew not to overfeed the chicks. If allowed, the chicks would eat continuously until they overate, sometimes to the point of fatal bloating.
Once the millet was gone, the two Pokémon gave the chicks water and then opened the chicken run, preparing to lead the flock out for a stroll.
However, these little chicks seemed a bit dazed. Even after Bunnelby opened the door, they showed no sign of coming out.
"Are they just full and want to lie down and sleep?" Bunnelby thought to itself. It recalled how, after eating its fill, it often felt like finding a burrow to nap in. Could the chicks feel the same?
But it couldn't let them sleep now.
"Bunnelby! Bunnelby!"
Buneary called out to Deerling.
Deerling understood instantly. With a graceful leap, it jumped over the fence and landed inside the chicken coop. Startled, the chicks panicked and scattered, running outside in a flurry of chirping chaos.
As soon as the chicks were out, Bunnelby rushed to herd them, with Deerling bounding out of the coop and quickly joining in the chase.
Being their first time herding chicks, the two Pokémon were inexperienced, and the dozens of chicks fled in all directions. Thankfully, Espathra happened to pass by. With its long legs and incredible speed, it swiftly rounded up the scattered chicks and corralled them into a single area.
"Bunnelby! Bunnelby!"
"Deerling! Deerling!"
Bunnelby and Deerling expressed their gratitude to Espathra before continuing to herd the chicks, now roaming around the grassy plains.
After some time, they began to gain experience, and herding became much less chaotic than it had been initially.
In comparison, Buneary herding the calves and Pachirisu herding the lambs had a much easier time.
Buneary, having watched plenty of television, crafted a small straw hat to wear, dressing up as a herding rabbit. It even fashioned a tiny whip out of vines.
When the calves were let out, they moved slowly, peacefully searching for lush grass to graze on without running amok.
Buneary climbed onto one of the calves, lounging comfortably on its back. If any calf tried to wander off, it would flick its little whip, and the calves would immediately behave and stay in line.
Pachirisu had an even easier time. Sitting atop a lamb, it kept watch. If any lamb dared to stray, it would zap it with a quick jolt of electricity. The lambs immediately fell in line, obediently following Pachirisu wherever it directed.
Seeing this, Buneary felt a pang of envy. It glanced at its little whip and pondered seriously: Should I learn some Electric-type moves from Pachirisu?
Of course, the unluckiest one of all was Croconaw.
After feeding the piglets, it let them out of their pen. Metagross had emphasized that the piglets needed plenty of exercise to ensure their meat would be tender and delicious.
But the piglets were overly energetic. As soon as they were released, they bolted at full speed. Croconaw gave chase, running for a solid two miles before the piglets finally stopped.
After exerting tremendous effort to round them up, Croconaw led the piglets to a mud pit. The piglets eagerly jumped in, rolling around and splashing mud everywhere, completely covering Croconaw in the process.
Croconaw: When can I transfer to being a guard instead?
Once the piglets were done playing in the mud, Croconaw herded them out and brought them to the river for a bath. But it ended up getting itself covered in mud all over again.
In the end, Croconaw joined the piglets in the river to wash off. At one point, a piglet nearly wandered into the deep water and drowned, but Croconaw acted quickly to pull it back to safety.
Raising pigs is truly no easy task!