Pokemon: Farm Story-Chapter 157: Little Cakes and Trending News

"Ding-ling~"

"Welcome!"

As the door swung open, the Chingling perched on the shelf by the entrance was startled awake from its half-asleep state. It turned its head and let out a soft chime towards the counter.

Behind the counter, a young female clerk, who had been busy with something, suddenly fumbled in a slight panic before straightening up and flashing Natsume a polite but slightly embarrassed smile.

Natsume figured the embarrassment was either due to the dollop of cream on her face or the fact that she had just been slacking off on her phone.

On the bar counter, a tiny Emolga was struggling to hold up a piping bag that was much larger than its own body. Perhaps startled by the girl's sudden movements, the little Pokémon wobbled precariously, struggling to keep its balance.

"Yimo!"

"Ah!"

Just as the unsteady Emolga teetered at the edge of the counter, about to fall, it was caught mid-air by a large hand.

"Careful now."

The Emolga, now resting safely in Natsume's palm, blinked blankly at the unfamiliar man.

Even though it had never seen him before...

It felt so warm and comforting, like soaking in a hot spring.

Snapping out of its daze, the Emolga quickly leaped back onto the counter.

"Yimo!"

Thank you!

It swiftly shoved the oversized piping bag into the girl's hands before turning to Natsume and giving him a full 90-degree bow, its tiny paws clasped behind its back—an undeniably adorable sight.

"Ah, thank you so much, sir!"

The girl, a beat slow in reacting, finally processed what had happened and hurriedly expressed her gratitude.

After all, this little Emolga was one of the key employees responsible for making the shop's cakes! If anything had happened to it, the café's entire dessert production would have come to a screeching halt.

From a nearby shelf, a bewildered Rowlet groggily opened its eyes.

Huh? What just happened?

"No worries."

Now that he had a moment, Natsume took the opportunity to properly look around the café.

The interior was decorated in warm tones, featuring wooden furniture paired with soft, fabric-covered sofas. Each table had a small vase of fresh flowers or an elegant little potted plant.

Gentle lighting cascaded from vintage hanging lamps, creating a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere.

Every little corner showcased thoughtful and unique design choices.

It was evident that the owner had put a lot of heart into decorating the place.

Well, it made sense—this was her dream, after all.

Apart from the girl, the café was entirely run by Pokémon.

The curious Chingling peeking in from the entrance, the Emolga on the counter complaining softly to the girl, the Rowlet just waking up from its nap on a shelf...

And a Quaxwell dressed in a work uniform emerging from the storage room.

"Quaa?"

What's going on here?

Scratching its head, the Quaxwell cast a glance at its rather unreliable human.

Originally, the girl had aspired to become a top-tier Pokémon Trainer.

However, after repeated defeats and setbacks, she eventually gave up on that dream and chose to return home to open this little café.

She never abandoned her Pokémon partners, though. Instead, she recruited them as her café's staff.

Well, "recruited" might not be the best word—it was more like giving them free food and lodging in exchange for their help.

And just like that, the girl had transitioned from being a Trainer to becoming the dedicated caretaker of her Pokémon.

Her daily routine now revolved around running the café and looking after her team.

Strictly speaking, business was slow. Other than the occasional curious visitor like Natsume, the café didn't see many customers.

To keep things afloat, the girl had long abandoned the idea of running a traditional café. Now, as long as you paid, she was willing to make just about anything.

Cakes, pastries—heck, even a simple glass of lemonade if the price was right.

The variety of cakes displayed in the glass case was proof of that.

"How much is this cake?" Natsume asked, pointing at a small, round cake.

There was nothing particularly special about it at first glance. The top was covered in colorful patterns, resembling the messy doodles of a child just learning to draw.

But Ogerpon liked it.

Ever since they had stepped into the café, Ogerpon's gaze had been fixed on that little cake.

Maybe its frequency just matched that of the cake's creator?

Sometimes, kids have these inexplicable connections.

In Natsume's eyes, Ogerpon was no different from a child.

Curious, playful, and full of wonder.

Even their sizes were about the same.

Taking care of it felt just like looking after a kid.

The only difference? If Ogerpon ever threw a tantrum, its destructive power would make a pack of rampaging Arcanine look tame in comparison.

"That one? It's fifteen yen," the girl replied. "It was handmade by our head chef."

Seeing Natsume's curiosity, she quickly explained.

At the same time, she gestured toward the Emolga beside her.

Puffing out its chest proudly, the tiny Pokémon met Natsume's gaze head-on.

That's right!

I made it!

Its confidence was undeniable.

Well... Natsume had no comment on that.

Looking at the entire row of cakes, he couldn't say they were particularly appealing by his standards.

But perhaps they suited a Pokémon's taste?

After all, Ogerpon seemed to love them.

"Alright, I'll take one."

Hearing the price, Natsume made the decision without hesitation.

Since Ogerpon was interested, why not give it a try?

The taste was a mystery, and there was a chance Ogerpon might find it unappetizing.

But that didn't really matter to Natsume.

At the end of the day, it was just a small cake. Buying one wouldn't break the bank.

Natsume never liked denying his Pokémon's small, reasonable requests.

Nor did he believe in so-called "tough love" or "strict discipline" methods.

If you're not going to buy it, then just say no.

But if you do buy it, don't make a fuss about it.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

"Got it! I'll wrap it up for you. Would you like to eat it here or take it to go?"

"We'll eat it here. And..."

Natsume's eyes scanned the menu behind the girl.

After a brief moment of deliberation—

"Two cups of hot milk, please."

Drinking hot milk in a café.

In a way, that took a certain kind of courage.

But neither Natsume nor the girl found it strange.

Natsume didn't drink coffee. It just wasn't his thing.

"How about drinking something you actually like?"

Previously, Natsume had ordered hot milk from a café's takeout menu.

He had to admit—he rather liked the smooth, velvety texture of warmed milk.

As for the girl...

Now's really not the time to overthink things.

As long as you pay up, she'd probably even praise a customer's "innovative taste" if they crumbled up cake and soaked it in coffee. She might even ask if they wanted some side dishes to go with it.

Business was rough these days—there was no room to be picky.

If only she had some actual talent for making cakes.

She had considered tapping into the otaku market with some anime-themed pastries.

Like, a round, pastel-pink cake with white whipped cream ribbons, branding it as a "Magical Girl Madoka-style" cake.

Switch the café's music playlist to pure anime—everything from Hana no Tō to Devil's Child.

That would definitely draw in a swarm of nerdy customers!

Unfortunately, while she had plenty of ideas, she lacked both the ability and the courage to execute them.

For now, it was best to focus on simply keeping the shop running.

At least she wouldn't starve—at least, not yet. Probably.

"Here's your cake. The hot milk will be ready in just a moment."

"Mm-ma!"

Taking the small cake, Ogerpon's eyes sparkled as it gazed at the rather flamboyantly decorated dessert.

Natsume had almost forgotten—Ogerpon had a habit of collecting shiny things.

Ever since Natsume had set up a personal storage room for it, Ogerpon's collection had rarely been on display.

Natsume didn't check it often, either. He only ever went in when invited, listening as Ogerpon proudly showcased its latest acquisitions.

"Mmm—"

Using a tiny fork, Ogerpon carefully picked up a bite-sized piece and placed it into its mouth. Its eyes immediately narrowed in delight.

Seems like the cake was very much to Ogerpon's liking.

"Mm-ma?"

Holding up the plate, Ogerpon gestured toward Natsume, offering to share.

Natsume politely declined.

Ogerpon didn't seem too bothered and continued happily munching on its cake, its little feet swinging back and forth in the air.

Natsume's Pokéblocks and treats were delicious, but once in a while, it was nice to have something different.

"Quaxwell, come here for a sec."

Taking advantage of the moment while the girl was busy at the counter, Natsume gestured for Quaxwell to come over.

"Quaa?" What's up?

"Listen to me..."

Leaning in close, Natsume whispered a few words into Quaxwell's ear.

After glancing at the girl and nodding in understanding, Quaxwell quickly made its way over to where she was preparing the hot milk.

A moment later, from behind the counter, Natsume heard a small yelp.

Two minutes later—

"Here you go, two cups of hot milk."

The girl, now freshly cleaned up after realizing she had cream on her face, placed two mugs on a wooden tray.

Instead of the tiny, decorative teacups some cafés used, these were full-sized drinking mugs.

Not bad. At least it was better than those places that prioritized aesthetics over actual portion sizes.

Maybe it was just his practical mindset, but Natsume never bothered taking photos of his food.

So, presentation and ambiance weren't exactly high on his list of priorities.

"Here, Ogerpon."

"Whoom-ma!"

Accepting the warm milk from Natsume, Ogerpon eagerly took a big gulp.

Delicious!

Sure, it wasn't the usual Moomoo Milk, but it still tasted pretty good.

What? You're saying the nutritional value isn't even close?

Come on—who eats junk food for health benefits?

If you're already indulging in instant noodles and fried chicken, don't start talking to me about nutrition now.

"Tastes good?"

"Mm-ma, mm-ma!"

Judging by Ogerpon's reaction, it was thoroughly enjoying both the cake and the milk.

As Natsume watched Ogerpon savoring its treat, his thoughts began drifting elsewhere.

Right now, the farm had berries, Wooloo, and Mareep herds.

It was probably time to start thinking about something else.

Like the garden he had been planning for a while now.

A while back, he had started raising an Oddish on the farm, which had since evolved into a Gloom.

Before long, he could evolve it into a Bellossom.

That way, it could help manage the garden for the time being.

And then there were the Pokémon that could actually produce crops.

Like Arboliva, Garganacl, and Alcremie.

They'd all be worth considering.

Not that he necessarily needed them—but Natsume liked them.

He figured having more Pokémon like that would make the farm feel more complete.

Oh, right—Tropius, too.

Tropius grew rings of fruit around its neck.

That was another one to keep in mind.

"Whoom-ma!"

Finishing off the cake, Ogerpon patted its belly in satisfaction.

That hit the spot.

"Boss, pack up a few more of those cakes."

Seeing Ogerpon's happy expression, Natsume chuckled and turned toward the girl behind the counter.

"Got it!"

Hearing those words, the girl immediately perked up.

Finally!

A paying customer!

Lately, business had been slow for reasons she couldn't quite figure out.

She had been so worried.

Sure, this one customer wasn't going to make her rich, but it was still a good start.

Gotta stay motivated!

Things would definitely start improving from here!

But first, she needed to focus on providing the best service to her current customer...

"I'll take all of them."

"Σヽ(?Д ?)ﾉ!!!"

What?!

All of them?!

For a moment, the girl just stood there, staring blankly at Natsume.

"What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing! I'll pack them up right away!"

Snapping back to reality, she quickly called over Quaxwell and Emolga to help with the packing.

This was the biggest sale since she'd opened the shop!

"Yimo!"

Standing proudly atop the counter, Emolga puffed out its chest.

See? I knew my cakes were amazing!

"Um, let me help you with that..."

"No need, I've got it."

Carefully loading the packed cakes into his backpack, Natsume took Ogerpon by the hand and left the café.

So far, the place had left a pretty good impression on him.

He'd probably come back regularly.

Once Natsume found a place he liked, he tended to frequent it for a long time—sometimes ordering the exact same thing every time.

Simply because he had no idea what else to try.

"Take care~"

"By the way... that guy seemed kinda familiar."

After Natsume left, the girl furrowed her brows in thought.

To be honest, the moment he walked in, she had felt like she'd seen him somewhere before.

Same with that slightly unfamiliar Pokémon.

But she just couldn't quite place where she'd seen them before.

"Could he be some kind of celebrity?"

Tilting her head, the girl pondered.

Setting everything else aside, she had to admit—she was quite fond of Natsume's looks.

He wasn't the kind of stunningly handsome guy that turned heads everywhere he went, but he had a certain charm. The kind of appearance that grew on you, becoming more and more appealing the longer you looked.

"Yimo!"

Beside her, the Emolga lifted its phone, displaying something on the screen for the girl to see.

"Hmm? What's this...?"

She took the phone, finally getting a proper look at the news article she had only skimmed earlier.

As she read, her expression slowly froze.

"Wait... that guy just now... is the new Gym Leader?!"

On the screen was a photo of Natsume, the headline boldly declaring:

"A 19-Year-Old Prodigy Passes Gym Assessment—Officially Becomes a Gym Leader!"

And beneath it, the subheading read:

"No Need to Look to the Future—He's Already Here!"

In just the short time she had been zoning out, the news had already climbed the trending charts.

***************************

Read advanced Chapters ahead of everyone else on my P@treon.

P@treon/GodDragcell