The next day, Ange got up early to get busy. It was the grand opening of the new shop, so he had to start the preparations early.
Even Meowstic arrived at Ange's house early.
Before leaving, Ange handed a set of clothes to Meowstic. "Here, Meowstic, let's put on the new clothes."
Not only did Meowstic change into them, but Ange did too. He also prepared sets for Romeo and Slurpuff.
After they finished changing, Ange pulled Meowstic in front of the mirror. "How does it look? Do we look good?"
Meowstic had a dark blue headscarf tied on its head. Two Munchlax ears were printed on the headscarf.
On its upper body was a dark blue short jacket. It was the same color as Munchlax's fur. Under the jacket was a yellow shirt. The lower half of its body wore shorts of the same color as the jacket. A yellow apron, the same color as the shirt, was tied around its waist.
Ange and Meowstic were dressed identically. However, Ange wore loose long pants on his lower body.
This would be the uniform for the Munchlax Home from now on. Ange had spent a long time choosing it from the System Store. It matched the shop's decor very well.
However, this Chinese-style attire actually clashed a little with Ange's appearance. There was nothing he could do. Ange had brilliant blonde hair and deep facial features. He did not look Chinese at all.
But that was how it was. Looks were natural.
Meowstic looked at itself in the mirror with curiosity. It even turned around once.
It thought it looked very handsome.
"Alright, let's go," Ange said. He bent down and patted Meowstic's shoulder.
"Meow~~"
Meowstic nodded.
Ange, Meowstic, and Komala then set off.
***
When they arrived at the Munchlax Home, Ange did not rush to open the door. He first kneaded the dough in the kitchen. He made Mantou and steamed buns. Meowstic, on the other hand, diligently used its psychic power to control several dusters and rags. It swept and wiped the hall.
After the cleaning was done, it placed side dishes, bowls, and plates on each dining table, one by one.
Not long after, Romeo arrived with Slurpuff.
They came through the back door using a spare key Ange had given him.
They changed into their shop uniforms and immediately came down to help.
With Romeo and Slurpuff helping, Ange's speed was much faster.
He checked the time. It was exactly 7:00 AM when Ange opened the door, right on time.
From then on, the fixed business hours for the Munchlax Home would be 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Once the time was up, Ange would close the shop, even if the King came.
"Meowstic, open the door and welcome the guests." Ange's voice came from the kitchen.
"Meow meow~~" Yes, Boss!
Meowstic responded. It put down the duster and rag. Then it opened the shop door.
The moment the door opened, a crowd of people rushed in.
"That's great. It's finally open. I thought I got the date wrong."
"This is the Little Boss's new shop. The decor is so unique!"
"Luckily, I didn't go to the wrong place. Since it wasn't open, I almost doubted if I had remembered the location incorrectly."
"Meowstic, good morning!"
...
The ones arriving were all familiar customers so Meowstic quickly greeted everyone and invited them to sit down.
It then began taking their orders while Romeo hurried out of the kitchen to help.
"Meowstic, Prince Romeo, your outfits are so unique!"
"Meowstic, please get me one Mantou, one chive bun, one turnip bun, and one cabbage bun."
"Meowstic, two Mantou and two turnip buns for this table!"
"Your Highness Romeo, six Mantou, two turnip buns, two chive buns, and two cabbage buns, please."
...
Orders kept coming, and thankfully, Meowstic's memory was excellent, so no matter how many people ordered simultaneously, it could still accurately remember who ordered what.
Romeo was slightly less capable. But he had the menu, where he carefully wrote down what everyone ordered with a pen. He made sure that no mistakes were made.
As time passed, cage after cage of buns and Mantou were sold. Batch after batch of customers left satisfied.
Ange was exhausted. He thought, Should I consider taking on another apprentice?
Making buns and Mantou at this rate was too tiring. If his physical fitness had not improved, he probably would not have been able to handle it.
At this time, Ange did not know that another major event was happening outside, which caused a large number of new customers to rush to his shop.
***
At that moment, on the electronic screens of all the tall buildings in the Azoth Royal Capital, Ange's photo was scrolling back and forth. At the same time, the banner read, "Royal Family Member: Ange Azoth."
Clearly, the Royal Family had officially announced Ange's existence to the outside world. The photos used were the ones Lila had accompanied Ange to take earlier.
Ange wore the Azoth Royal Family's special uniform. His handsome face shone brightly on the screen. He was incredibly good-looking.
People who did not know Ange asked, "When did the Royal Family get this new Prince?"
Those in the know quickly explained, "You are out of the loop! This is Queen Anna's twin brother from five hundred years ago!"
"Five hundred years ago?" That person's jaw dropped.
"Let me tell you, this matter has to start with the pride of Azoth, Lord Eliphas..."
As word spread among the citizens, Ange's reputation quickly grew, and a large number of citizens began to flock to his shop. They all wanted to see this Prince from five hundred years ago.
Siebold, one of the Kalos Elite Four, was attracted by this as well.
He arrived at the entrance of the Munchlax Home and looked up at the sign. He muttered, "This is the shop opened by that Prince?"
Siebold was not only the Water-type Elite Four of the Kalos League. He was also a very famous chef. He had his own restaurant. So when he heard of Ange's reputation, he could not wait to come and see for himself.
"Sobb Sobb~~"
A Sobble was perched on Siebold's shoulder.
This Sobble was the descendant of his grandfather's Pokémon.
His grandfather was also a very skilled chef, so Sobble followed Siebold's grandfather to learn cooking from birth.
Siebold's grandfather originally intended to hand Sobble over to Siebold for training. This was because Siebold also liked cooking, just like Sobble.
However, Sobble refused Siebold. It felt that the food Siebold made lacked a soul. Its Trainer should be a more powerful person.
So, every time Siebold went out, Sobble would volunteer to follow him. When he arrived somewhere, he would visit the local famous restaurants or eateries for a taste. That way, Sobble could also take the opportunity to meet more chefs. Maybe one day, it would meet its destined Trainer.
This time was no exception.
"Let's go inside and try the cooking of this Prince of Azoth," Siebold said.
"Sobb Sobb~~"
Sobble nodded.
Siebold walked in. He saw a uniquely dressed Meowstic greet him.
"Meow meow~" Welcome.
Meowstic politely guided Siebold and Sobble to an empty seat. The shop was packed with customers at the moment. Only this one spot was vacant.
"Meow meow~" What would you like to eat?
Meowstic pointed to the menu hanging on the wall as it asked.
Siebold quickly scanned it. Then he said to Meowstic, "Two Mantou, please. And two of each kind of stuffed bun."
Steamed buns and Mantou... I've never seen or heard of these foods, Siebold thought as he ordered. Could they be popular delicacies from five hundred years ago?
"Meow meow~~" Please wait a moment, customer.
Meowstic noted the order. It immediately ran to the kitchen and soon returned, using its psychic power to carry four plates.
"Meow meow~~" Please enjoy your meal, customer.
Meowstic set the buns and Mantou on the table. It then rushed off to attend to other customers.
Siebold and Sobble both swallowed at the sight of the steaming buns and Mantou in front of them.
So fragrant!
Are these buns and Mantou? Such white, beautiful food!
Thinking this, Siebold reached for a piece of Mantou. The soft touch made him feel as if he was touching a baby's delicate skin.
So soft! he exclaimed inwardly. He had never seen such food. Even the bread he meticulously baked was not as soft as a cloud.
Then Siebold noticed the three small dishes placed in the center of the table. A slip of paper was attached to each dish. They read: Pickled Radish Cubes, Sour Cowpea, and Spicy Kimchi.
The three small dishes were placed side by side. A card stood behind them. It read:
It tastes even better with the Mantou! Please take only what you will eat and don't waste any!
Siebold took a small plate from the side. He took some Spicy Kimchi from the large dish. Then he tore off a small piece of Mantou and ate it with the Spicy Kimchi.
In an instant, the soft Mantou and the sour, refreshing Spicy Kimchi mixed together. The unique texture was simply irresistible.
"Sobble, come on, you try some too!"
Siebold quickly brought a piece of Mantou wrapped with Spicy Kimchi to Sobble's mouth.
"Awuu~~"
Sobble opened its mouth and swallowed the Mantou. Its cheeks were puffed up as it ate.
The moment the Mantou entered its mouth, Sobble knew it had finally found the Trainer it admired.
The reason Sobble had always refused to acknowledge Siebold was that it felt the food Siebold made gave a feeling of being superior, as if it were very far away from ordinary people.
That was not what it wanted.
Now, tasting the bun Ange made, it felt the warmth of home. This was something Siebold's cooking lacked.
Next, Siebold and Sobble tried the Mantou with Pickled Radish Cubes and Sour Cowpea separately. Each had its own unique flavor, but they liked every single one.
There were also the stuffed buns. They offered a different kind of deliciousness from the Mantou.
Siebold finished the buns and Mantou in one go. He then elegantly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his lips before letting out a loud burp.
It was a little less elegant.
"Sobb Sobb~~"
Sobble also burped.
"I didn't expect this Prince Ange to be so capable. No wonder the business is booming here!" Siebold said.
At that moment, Sobble darted in front of Siebold. It kept gesturing, pointing toward the kitchen.
"Sobb Sobb Sobb Sobb~"
Siebold was stunned. "You want to see Prince Ange?"
"Sobb Sobb Sobb Sobb~"
Sobble nodded.
"This day finally came," Siebold said. "But don't rush. How about we observe for a few more days? Let's get to know this Prince better first. Anyway, we will be staying in the Azoth Kingdom for a while."
Sobble thought that was reasonable. So, it nodded and agreed.
"Sobb Sobb Sobb Sobb~" Alright.
"But I'm warning you in advance!" Siebold added. "You have the right to choose your Trainer, but the Trainer also has the right to choose you. If he is unwilling to accept you, you are not allowed to cause a scene!"
Sobble was stunned. No way. I'm so cute. Will someone really reject me?
Although it thought it was impossible, Sobble still obediently nodded.
Because there were too many customers in the shop, Siebold and Sobble left after eating. They did not want to occupy the seats.
***
In the kitchen, Ange asked Romeo, who came to pick up the orders, "Romeo, why do I feel like I'm getting busier? Are there a lot of customers?"
Romeo nodded. "Yes, it seems to be getting more and more crowded."
Ange was puzzled. That shouldn't be right!
Soon, the time reached ten o'clock. Ange quickly instructed Meowstic to go to the shop entrance and hang up the "Rest" sign. As soon as the customers in the shop finished eating, he would immediately close up and rest.
Too tired!
The number of buns and Mantou sold was not much more than usual. Why was he so tired?
As soon as the "Rest" sign was hung up, many customers who had come because of the shop's fame left disappointed.
"Huh? They're closing for a rest already? It's only ten o'clock!"
Someone peeked into the shop and, after seeing that all the seats were occupied, said, "The business is too good. No wonder they close early. They probably don't have enough to sell."
"It smells so good. We came too late. Miscalculation!"
A young couple who had come together saw that they missed it, and the girlfriend complained to her boyfriend, "I told you to hurry up, but you said we had plenty of time, now look!"
The boyfriend was helpless. "Who would have thought they'd close at ten! How about we come again tomorrow?"
"You'd better come early tomorrow. If you drag your feet again, I'll hit you!"
***
After seeing off the last customer, Ange, Romeo, and Meowstic finally sighed in relief.
At the same time, in a dark alley not far from the Munchlax Home.
A Haunter was surrounded by a Houndoom, a Banette, and a Glalie.
The three Pokémon snarled at the Haunter.
Daoka and Isabel slowly stepped out of the darkness.
"Haunter, you've been running for so long. It's time for you to surrender obediently," Daoka said. "Otherwise, we won't be polite."
"Haunt~"
Haunter looked at Daoka and Isabel, both angry and stubborn.
"It seems you won't be obedient until you suffer a little!" Daoka commanded his Pokémon. "Everyone, teach Haunter a lesson."
Hearing Daoka's command, the four Pokémon rushed at Haunter all at once.
Haunter's eyes flashed with light. It first used Psyshock to grab Glalie. It then threw it at Houndoom.
After knocking back Houndoom and Glalie, it dodged Banette's attack before hitting it with a Shadow Ball.
Finding an opportunity, it turned and ran.
"Useless things," Daoka angrily cursed at the three Pokémon.
"Quickly chase it. Don't let it escape!" Isabel said.
Houndoom roared. It immediately followed the scent. It led Daoka and the others to track Haunter.