"This is the most crucial step."

  Taking a deep breath, Samuel found an old, discarded jar and gave it a quick rinse with water.

  After cleaning it, he pced the jar under the sunlight. Then, he reached into his bag and pulled out some rotten Oran Berries, pcing them inside.

  Using a stick, he stirred and mashed the decayed berries into a pulp before adding a precise amount of water. Finally, he sealed the jar with a lid.

  He moved with practiced ease. Once he was finished, Samuel let out a soft sigh of relief and pced the jar back in the sun, staring at it in quiet contemption.

  He was doing this, of course, to make fertilizer. When Berries decompose and ferment, microbial activity releases various nutrients stored within them over time.

  With a properly concentrated nutrient solution, he could create specialized fertilizers.

  Different Berries produced fertilizers with different effects. By carefully mixing certain types in specific ratios, he could even make enhanced formus.

  For example, blending a precise amount of Occa Berries or Lum Berries with two other Berries could produce "Super Fertilizer."

  Since Oran Berries were rich in vitality and could help Pokémon recover stamina, fertilizer made from them was known as "Growth Fertilizer."

  "I wonder what Venusaur is doing right now…"

  "And Gardevoir… After realizing I suddenly vanished, they must be really worried."

  "No… maybe it's not just a disappearance. For all I know, the me in that world might already be dead. If that's the case, they must be devastated."

  With that thought, Samuel let out a deep sigh, memories of his time with his Pokémon surfacing in his mind.

  Venusaur was his first partner. He had learned how to make fertilizer during their travels together—it had been such a carefree time.

  "One day, I will return."

  "All I need to do is find Celebi, Palkia, or Dialga…"

  Samuel stood up, determination rekindled in his eyes. It wasn't an impossible goal.

  Turning back to the fermenting jar, he carefully inspected it before moving it to the windowsill.

  Under normal conditions, Oran Berries took about two months to fully ferment, but the right temperature could drastically reduce that time.

  With constant exposure to sunlight, the process should only take about two weeks. After that, he could refine it further into proper Growth Fertilizer.

  "The next step is figuring out how to profit from this."

  "This world has no real order. It's wless and brutal—I need to be prepared for any unexpected dangers."

  Returning to his makeshift bed, Samuel gnced at the torn and tattered ragdoll on the floor, his thoughts shifting.

  "…And the unknown threats lurking in the shadows."

  "I wonder how the officers' investigation is going."

  "As long as these disappearances remain unsolved, I won't feel at ease."

  "Hmm… And that so-called 'Most Benevolent' lord… She might be a good business partner."

  "As the ruler of a city, she must control vast nds. Growth Fertilizer would be just as valuable to her."

  Samuel thought about the widely praised city lord. As one of her subjects—and a skilled one at that—she had no reason to be hostile toward him.

  In fact, if he demonstrated his expertise in fertilizer production, he might even earn her favor, which could open up new opportunities.

  ...

  The following morning, Samuel once again accompanied Uncle Darby to Berlitz Farm.

  Since they had already finished weeding yesterday, today's workload was much lighter. The two split up to clear out any rotting fruit that had fallen in the orchard.

  The apple trees were already heavy with ripe, crimson fruit. Harvest time was fast approaching—but that had nothing to do with them.

  As Samuel made his rounds through the orchard, he naturally wandered toward the grove where the Cherubi and Petilil lived.

  Just as he reached the boundary between the fruit orchard and the Berry grove, a sudden gust of wind swept past him.

  Looking up, he saw the Starly from yesterday take flight, perching on a Berry tree. Its sharp eyes locked onto Samuel, holding a warning within their gaze.

  Samuel gave an awkward chuckle and took several steps back.

  Seeing this, Starly withdrew its piercing gaze and pecked at a Berry hanging from a branch.

  The Berry wobbled slightly, and as Starly pecked at it, half-eaten, it eventually broke loose, plummeting to the ground with a soft spt.

  Samuel's heart skipped a beat as he stared at the smashed Berry on the ground, pressing his lips together in thought.

  Unbothered, Starly hopped to another branch and continued pecking at more Berries. Once it was full, it spread its wings and took off, soaring over the orchard.

  Samuel observed for a while longer but chose not to step into the grove.

  As the sun rose higher, the Cherubi and Petilil came out to bask in the sunlight.

  He recognized them. However, compared to yesterday, a few of the Cherubi had lost their petals, and the Petilil's head was missing a leaf.

  The Petilil stretched its body under the warm sunlight before slowly making its way toward the fruit orchard.

  When it reached the boundary between the two areas, it suddenly stopped and gazed into the distant sky, motionless.

  From afar, Starly returned, perching on the wooden fence. It gnced at Petilil before nonchantly preening its feathers.

  Then, as a passing cloud obscured the sun, Petilil's hopeful gaze faded. It turned back toward the grove in silence.

  Samuel watched the scene unfold, deep in thought.

  Over the next few days, Samuel continued reporting to the orchard, clearing weeds and gathering rotten fruit. Occasionally, he managed to collect a few spoiled Berries to use for fertilizer.

  Beyond that, he frequently wandered around the Berry grove.

  Through careful observation, he confirmed that the grove was home to eight Cherubi, one Petilil, and a single Starly.

  Every time he visited, he saw the Petilil standing at the border, basking in the sunlight, staring longingly at the sky.

  It was lonely.

  Samuel quietly made his assessment. This Petilil reminded him of a caged bird yearning for the open skies.

  "You want to leave this pce, don't you?"

  Petilil flinched at the unexpected voice.

  It looked up at Samuel, the human who had been lingering around recently.

  Lowering its head again, Petilil remained silent. Instead of responding, it turned and walked back into the grove. At some point, a new leaf had already sprouted atop its head.

  "A Petilil that longs for freedom, huh?"

  "To keep that kind of spirit while living in a confined grove… I have to admit, I'm tempted."

  "Maybe I could help it… If Mr. Berlitz is willing to sell it to me."

  But at that thought, Samuel shook his head and sighed.

  "That's the problem… Will he even agree?"

  Over the past few days, he had been asking around about Cherubi and Petilil.

  At first, he thought they could be bought with enough money.

  But the deeper he looked into it, the more he realized that these Pokémon were incredibly rare—so rare that they weren't even avaible on the market.

  It was like certain rare delicacies from his past life—impossible to find in stores, only avaible through special channels… and a bit of luck.

  -----

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