Evan watched the aunties riding by on electric scooters, smiled faintly, and paid no further attention to them.
Instead, he returned to the Pokémon breeding house and got back to work.
He pulled out his phone and contacted the berry suppliers in his network.
After arranging a visit to their location for the next day, Evan focused on training Ralts.
The next step was clear: this little one needed to become stronger.
Evan's goal was for Ralts to evolve into Gardevoir, but there was still much to do.
Among the remaining energy cubes, the ones Sophia had expressed concern about were those intended for Absol.
"I'll find the materials for those tomorrow," Evan thought.
With some free time, he decided to train Ralts.
Evan's training method was simple: let Ralts engage in battles.
He paired Ralts against Pikachu for a series of practice skirmishes.
This approach had a dual benefit—it allowed both Pikachu and Ralts to improve, making it an efficient solution.
Evan didn't interfere in the battles, offering no specific commands. He stood between them as a referee.
The matches continued until both Pokémon collapsed from exhaustion. At that point, Evan carefully gathered them up for treatment.
He returned them to their Poké Balls, placed the balls in the healing machine, applied some medicine, and activated it. After a few minutes, both Pokémon were fully restored.
As they reappeared, Evan spoke to them.
"You two, think back to the battle you just had.
"Where did things go wrong? You know best."
"Analyze your mistakes and learn from them."
"Pikachu, next time, focus on learning Iron Tail.
"You can't even master Iron Tail, yet you keep relying on close combat? Seriously?"
Evan didn't hold back his critique.
Pikachu had repeatedly charged at Ralts, only to be repelled by its Confusion attack.
This cycle repeated several times before Pikachu finally managed to close the distance.
But then what? Nuzzle?
Ralts had countered with a simple slap.
Pikachu's attempt to paralyze Ralts had failed, and it ended up being tossed aside again.
"If you'd used Iron Tail or a similar move at that moment, wouldn't the outcome have been different?" Evan remarked. "If that wasn't an option, why not just use Thunderbolt?"
To make matters worse, both Pokémon ended up fainting simultaneously.
This happened because, as Ralts' final Psychic attack landed, Pikachu retaliated with Thunderbolt, knocking out Ralts but fainting in the process.
"What a mess," Evan muttered.
Pikachu hung its head, visibly disheartened. Evan's sharp words had left an impression, and Pikachu resolved to do better next time.
"Alright," Evan sighed, softening his tone.
"You two, take a break for now.
"I won't nag anymore, but be more mindful in battles, okay?
"Also, work on learning new moves.
"There are plenty of Pokémon in the mountains—I'm sure I can find someone to help teach you.
"But for now, it's up to you. Make it count."
"Come on," Evan said, pausing briefly after speaking.
Hearing this, Pikachu perked up, realizing Evan was directing the advice at it specifically.
After all, Ralts was more like a guest here.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu exclaimed enthusiastically before darting off toward the back mountains.
It had taken Evan's words to heart—it needed to work harder.
"Ralts~!"
Ralts chimed in softly, glancing at Evan before teleporting away to follow Pikachu.
The two Pokémon headed straight for the back mountain together.
Seeing this, Evan smiled with satisfaction, then turned his attention to the orchard.
The orchard's growth was progressing well. The trees were healthy, and their berries ripened beautifully under the sunlight.
As he inspected the orchard, Evan noticed wild Pokémon scurrying about. Some were busy weeding or driving away pests.
The sight filled him with pride. "These little helpers are doing a great job," he thought with satisfaction.
After ensuring everything was in order, Evan returned to the breeding house, pondering its future development.
With the funds he had saved, it was time to plan some upgrades.
"Should I bring in a new batch of Pokémon?" he wondered.
The idea of legally selling well-raised, trained Pokémon seemed promising.
After some thought, he settled on a plan: purchase a batch of Pokémon eggs and hatch them.
From these eggs, there might be Pokémon perfectly suited for their environment or specific tasks.
Feeling optimistic, Evan made up his mind. Since he was going shopping tomorrow, he'd add this to his priorities.
Back at the breeding house, Evan checked the time. Realizing it was nearly feeding time, he instructed the assistants to bring out the energy cubes.
Together, they began feeding the Pokémon, ensuring every one of them was well cared for.
It didn't take long for the Pokémon to hear the noise and gather in the yard.
Watching the eager Pokémon crowding around, Evan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Feeding them like this every time isn't practical," he murmured to himself.
He quickly devised a solution. "I'll hire someone to build a warehouse tomorrow. It'll be stocked with energy cubes and set up to dispense food automatically. That way, the Pokémon can feed themselves when they're hungry."
The idea of self-service feeding would save time and increase convenience.
"The warehouse shouldn't be here, though," Evan mused. "It would be better to build it near the orchard."
With a clear plan forming, he jotted it down in his notebook.
He remembered Sophia had once introduced him to reliable construction teams, and he still had their contact information. The timing was perfect—he'd contact them tomorrow.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Evan continued distributing the energy cubes to the Pokémon.
Just as he finished, a voice called from outside, inviting him to dinner.
Hearing the invitation, Evan set aside his tasks. Gathering the staff, he led them to the orphanage, where they joined the others for the meal.
The Pokémon playing in the breeding house were nowhere to be seen.
Evan didn't have to guess—they had already rushed ahead to the orphanage, eager for their dinner.
Sure enough, when Evan arrived, the Pokémon were seated around the dinner table, their eyes fixed on the food.
Tonight's meal was especially abundant. Seeing the feast, many of the Pokémon were practically drooling with anticipation.
"Evan, hurry up!" a young girl at the table called out, her voice full of excitement.
Evan chuckled warmly at her enthusiasm.
"You don't have to wait for me," he said kindly. "Go ahead and start eating."
But the suggestion was met with a unanimous protest from everyone at the table.
It wasn't until Evan took his seat that the meal officially began.
As they ate, Aunt Jenn and the others finally broached the topic of Evan's earnings.
When Aunt Jenn heard her daughter mention the figure, her jaw dropped in disbelief.
"One hundred million?" she repeated, her voice a mix of shock and astonishment. "Is… raising Pokémon really this expensive?"
The sheer amount left her stunned.
"This is just for a few months' worth of energy cubes?" she asked incredulously. "Are you raising Pokémon or feeding gold-eating beasts?"
The revelation completely overturned the aunties' understanding.
It wasn't until Evan and the others patiently explained the details of Pokémon breeding and care that they began to grasp the situation.
By the end of the explanation, the astonishment in Aunt Jenn's expression softened.
"So that's why it costs so much," she murmured, finally accepting the high expenses.