"After a full sleep in the spring cottage, the sun lingers slowly outside the window."
Takashi snuggled with Xerneas for a night, and when he woke up the next day, it was almost noon.
He washed up, then opened the store to begin business.
He had come to Mondstadt City in Teyvat for only a month. From initially haggling with Captain Jean of the Knights of Favonius to get official approval to open his shop, it had taken a full twenty days.
The main reason wasn't that Jean was too verbose, but rather the stubbornness of some nobles.
Except for the Ice Queen Eula, they were all old-fashioned folks.
In the end, it was through the two votes of the tycoon Lord Diluc and Captain Jean that they forcibly passed the motion, allowing Takashi to open a Pokémon shop in Mondstadt City.
Takashi went to the neighboring restaurant, ordered a plate of Flaming Meat Sauce Noodles and Dandelion Seafood Soup to fill his stomach. Then he prepared some spicy-flavored Pokéblocks for Xerneas and reclined on the sofa to watch shows on his tablet.
Usually, there wasn't much business. After all, there weren't many walking wallets like Lord Diluc in Mondstadt City; more were sightseeing adventurers and trading merchants.
Takashi looked at the task given by the system today: **[Within 7 days, achieve a cumulative turnover of 20 million Mora, starting from today.]**
Unless he could persuade Lord Diluc to buy a few more pseudo-legendary Pokémon from him, it would be difficult to achieve in the short term.
Moreover, the probability of drawing a pseudo-legendary Pokémon was just over one in a thousand. Although Lord Diluc was wealthy, he wouldn't squander money to such an extent.
He had just sold him a Bagon, which had great potential and would keep him occupied for a while.
Therefore, in the short term, he decided to dismiss the idea of hoping for big customers.
Now in Mondstadt City, and even the entire Teyvat, Pokémon had appeared, coexisting with those Hilichurls and Abyss Mages.
Just the original monsters were already giving the Knights of Favonius headaches, and now there was a bunch of Pokémon.
One could imagine their immense pressure.
Perhaps, from this angle, he could go to the Knights of Favonius to promote some Pokémon—small profits but quick turnover.
Mineral water, iced tea, Youlemei (a popular milk tea brand)—don't they all use this tactic?
However, while the method of popularization could be flexible, the principle couldn't change. The choice must be mutual; only if the Pokémon agreed.
Just as Takashi was lost in thought, a lively blonde girl stood at the door observing. A cute little creature floating in the air, with her hands on her hips, shook her little head haughtily, looking like a flying small sunsettia.
Takashi recognized them.
"Emergency food " he said with a smirk.^(1)
Paimon pouted, " that was not my name, My name is Paimon, hmph!"
Lumine politely said, "I'm Lumine."
Takashi warmly chatted with them for a few moments. "By the way, how come you have time to visit my shop today? I don't sell ingredients here."
Paimon covered her little mouth and smiled mischievously. "I heard you tricked Justice Man out of 30 million Mora yesterday."
"Paimon," Lumine interrupted her, "we're here to see the Pokémon and bring you a message. Dawn Winery's Diluc hopes you can make some Poké Balls and send them to his winery."
"Poké Balls?"
Takashi suddenly realized that he hadn't started selling these yet. After all, he'd just signed a big order yesterday and hadn't had time to manufacture them.
The ones on the shelf were all system-provided Poké Balls with Pokémon residing inside.
Technically, as a novice trainer, he should give out a Pokédex and Pokémon, and also include six Poké Balls.
"Let us have a look," Paimon couldn't contain her excitement. Just thinking of the Magikarp they fished up by the lake yesterday made her grin from ear to ear.
Just to have a look; whether they'd buy or not was another matter. Lumine didn't seem to be a wealthy miser, and she was accompanied by Paimon, this little glutton.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be working everywhere to earn money every day.
Takashi took out the Pokédex and generously handed it to Lumine. "Try to draw your own partner Pokémon."
"Let Paimon do it." Paimon laughed, eager to try.
"You think your luck is better than mine?" Lumine teased but still handed the Pokédex to Paimon.
"I heard Justice Man said his Bagon is a pseudo-legendary. Maybe Paimon can help you draw a legendary Pokémon."
"Hopefully it's not as big as Dvalin." Lumine gestured with her hands.
"Yikes..." Paimon recalled Dvalin flying around recklessly in the sky, her face turning pale. "Are legendary Pokémon that scary?"
"Of course," Takashi spread his arms and continued to tease her. "It's said that when a legendary Pokémon appears, the earth splits, and the heavens pour down torrential rain."
Paimon was so scared that her eyes turned into spirals. "Traveler, you'd better do it."
Lumine put her hands on her hips. "Can't do anything with you."
She took the Pokédex, pressed the draw button, and countless Pokémon silhouettes flashed across the screen. Takashi remembered his early days when he kept drawing low-tier Pokémon.
That so-called "Guaranteed SSR in ten draws" was too stingy—only getting common ones—leaving him crying without tears...
The screen slowly settled on a bird.
Its feathers were white, with blue patterns on the tail and wings. The beak and claws were orange-yellow, the tip of the beak dark gray. The long beak was very suitable for carrying food.
"Wingull." Paimon put her little hand over her mouth and subconsciously thought of Timmy, the boy outside Mondstadt who raises pigeons. Every time they passed by, they'd secretly catch a few pigeons to get fowl meat. "Traveler, we can take it to exchange for fowl meat with Timmy."
Lumine and Takashi covered their foreheads.
Lumine said seriously, "Shopkeeper, can I see this Pokémon?"
Takashi went to the shelf, found Wingull's Poké Ball, and released it.
"Wingull~"
Wingull flapped its wings and chirped spiritedly.
Lumine approached, staring at it carefully with her golden eyes, and touched its clean feathers with her hand—very smooth, even smoother than her own hair.
That sharp beak looked quite formidable. In the future, when resting in the wild, she could send it nearby as a bodyguard to scare away those troublesome Hilichurls.
"Wingull~"
Wingull called gently, seeming to enjoy Lumine's touch.
Paimon quickly came over. "Paimon wants to pet it too."
"Hehe..." Seeing Wingull squinting and enjoying itself, Paimon giggled. "This little thing is so adorable."
"So are you," Takashi folded his arms and complimented her.
Lumine and Paimon discussed, "We can take it with us on our travels in the future."
"Hmm, of course, Paimon doesn't mind having more companions," Paimon said pompously.
With Paimon's agreement, Lumine picked up Wingull. "Shopkeeper, how much is it? I'll buy it."
"Two million Mora."
"Ah, so expensive! How many servings of Sweet Madame could that buy?" Paimon touched her little head, seriously contemplating this question.
Lumine asked embarrassedly, "Shopkeeper, can I pay in installments?"