Black Crest Jubilife Breeding House.
Early in the morning, before the lessons, Blue went straight to Austin.
"I have a request," Blue said. "Can you make Smoked Round Citrus Juice tonight?"
Austin looked up from sorting ingredients. "Tonight? Sure. It just takes time. We'll have to start after dinner."
"That works."
Austin wiped his hands and added, "High heat for forty minutes, then at least two hours on low heat. The two batches get blended twice. It's not complicated, just long."
Blue nodded. He remembered the tutorial on PokéStream. The process had looked simple on screen, but the timing was strict.
…
After the day's lessons ended, Austin brought Blue into the kitchen.
"In the daytime you're the instructor," Austin said lightly. "At night, I get my turn."
Blue smiled. "Fair enough."
Austin set a clay pot on the stove.
"There are two things you cannot mess up," he explained. "The quality of the smoked oran berries, and your heat control. Everything else is secondary."
He poured in the prepared ingredients, added water, and turned the flame up to maximum.
"High heat first. Let it reach a boil. Keep stirring, steady and continuous. Don't overthink the rhythm. Just don't let it stick."
He stirred with his left hand for twenty minutes, then switched to his right without slowing down.
Blue watched for a while before commenting, "You make this look easy. It's actually exhausting."
Austin laughed. "Wait until you drink it. You'll forget the arm workout."
For him, the motion was smooth and controlled. No wasted movement.
"When we switch to low heat, it's more about observation," Austin continued. "You don't stir constantly, but you watch the flame. Too strong and the bitterness spikes. Too weak and it loses depth."
The kitchen gradually filled with a faint citrus aroma.
"Last step," Austin said after lowering the heat. "Add osmanthus, rose petals, rock sugar, and another spoon of honey. Adjust to your taste. This part is personal."
Two hours later, he lifted the lid.
A wave of fragrance spread through the room. Smoky oran berry came first, then a gentle floral sweetness underneath.
Blue's expression changed.
He had expected it to smell good. He had not expected layers. The scent unfolded in stages, almost like top, middle, and base notes in perfume.
Austin paused as well. Even he sensed the difference.
This batch felt… refined.
He glanced at his reflection in the window, then back at the pot. "This one turned out better than usual."
Blue stepped closer. "Better how?"
"Cleaner finish. The bitterness is controlled, and the smoke isn't overpowering."
Blue inhaled again. "You're right. It's more balanced."
Austin nodded. "It'll taste even better after chilling overnight."
Blue had already found a spoon.
"I'm not waiting until tomorrow."
"Careful. It's still hot."
Blue poured himself a bowl, blew on a spoonful, and took a sip.
His reaction was immediate.
He froze.
This was not ordinary Oran Berry Juice.
It was layered, deep, balanced. The smoky warmth arrived first, then the round citrus sweetness spread across his palate. By the time he swallowed, a soft trace of rose lingered, followed by a faint note of osmanthus.
It was like lying in a bed of flowers with the sun sending down its warm rays.
Comforting was the word.
Blue lowered the bowl slowly.
He looked at Austin as if reassessing him entirely.
"You cannot stay in Sinnoh forever."
Austin waved away the compliment. "That's dramatic."
"I'm serious," Blue continued. "You should be in Viridian City. Or Pallet Town. This level shouldn't be limited to one region."
As someone born and raised in Kanto, Blue had grown up drinking Oran Berry Juice imported from Johto. He had tasted enough of it to fill Professor Oak's entire backyard.
Standard Oran Berry Juice was dependable. Sweet, slightly bitter, good for stamina recovery.
This was different.
It was refined.
Blue said quietly. "This is good craft."
Austin, who had been skeptical of the earlier praise, lifted a bowl for himself.
He took a sip.
Then paused.
He took another sip, slower this time.
"As expected from the smell and look. It's better than usual."
But he had not expected it to reach this level.
Blue, no longer concerned about the heat, finished the entire bowl in one go.
After a full day of lessons and nearly three hours waiting in the kitchen, he was tired. Now the fatigue felt distant, as if washed away.
"I could battle Red ten times right now," he said, half serious.
A beat later, he added, "If my Pokémon survive."
"Nine!"
Agni burst into the kitchen at full speed.
Let go of that bowl. Give it to me.
"You smelled it too?" Austin laughed. "Relax. There's enough."
He poured a portion into a separate bowl for Agni.
Ryu stepped in more calmly, observing with interest. Zenith did not appear. He was likely still immersed in calculations somewhere, unaffected by culinary events.
Austin prepared another cup and carried it outside to Daniella, who was sitting near the pond speaking softly with Feebas.
On a cold day, the warmth from the cup fogged lightly in the air.
Daniella took a careful sip.
Her eyes widened, and her voice wavered. "Thank you, Austin. This is amazing."
Austin smiled. "Drink slowly. It's still hot."
He placed the remaining juice into chilled storage. The flavor profile sharpened after cooling.
As he cleaned the kitchen, he reflected.
Nothing unusual had changed in the recipe. The ingredients were fresh, and his cooking control had improved. That was all.
Which meant he could replicate this quality consistently.
"If I opened a beverage shop," Austin muttered, "I could earn a lot of money. Hmm, food for thought."
…
Over the next few days, Austin continued learning breeding knowledge from Blue at Black Crest Jubilife Breeding House.
Blue deserved his reputation as Professor Oak's grandson. His practical experience was strong, but his theoretical foundation was even stronger. He cited research, referenced case studies, and explained underlying principles clearly.
He also welcomed observers. As long as order was maintained, he encouraged questions.
Austin absorbed everything methodically. One attribute at a time, one type at a time. Theory in the morning, application in the afternoon, and two hours of independent study every night without exception.
Seven days passed quickly.
By the end of the week, his breeding proficiency advanced to a new level.
On his personal panel:
Breeding (Advanced): You have fully mastered foundational knowledge of most Pokémon and can accurately assess their condition.
[Progress, 11,542/100,000]
The first stage of upgrading Black Crest Jubilife Breeding House was nearly complete. Satisfied customers had reached ninety-one out of one hundred.
On the final day, Blue prepared to leave.
"I should head back," he said. "I'm still the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym."
He seemed relaxed, satisfied with the week.
"I've eaten better here than I averagely do in Kanto," he added. "That alone made the trip worthwhile."
He did not speak like a teacher giving formal farewell advice. He spoke like someone leaving a friend's place.
"If you ever have time, come visit Pallet Town or Viridian City."
Austin nodded. "I will."
Blue extended a hand. Austin shook it firmly.
As Blue walked away, a notification appeared quietly in Austin's view.
Ding!
Blue's Recognition has been completed, reward...
. . .
Please do leave a review and powerstones, which helps with the book's exposure.
Feel like joining a Patreon for free and subscribing to 30+ advanced chapters?
Visit the link:
[email protected]/GRANDMAESTA_30
Change @ to a