Elf: Start your slow-paced life after becoming a farmer.

Realizing her lapse in composure, Gadriya quickly regained her composure. At this moment, she was staring at Karl with a hostile expression. If looks could kill, Karl would have been shattered into seventeen pieces by now.

“After all, I have a mission to protect Dr. Yamanashi in Padia, so I can’t just go with you as soon as I arrive, can I?” Zhu Lan said, smiling at Cattleya, “I think you can understand me, Lydia.”

“Well, of course, I understand you,” Gadriya replied reluctantly, then seemed to want to say something more.

Just then, Carl's phone on the table beeped with a message notification. Carl picked up the phone, glanced at it, and said to Zhulan, "Zhulan, Dr. Yamanashi's end is almost over. We can go over now."

"Okay, I understand." Zhu Lan stood up and turned to look at Jia Deliya, saying, "Lia, we're leaving now. See you this afternoon."

"Wait!" Cattleya jumped up from her seat. "I, I..."

Upon seeing Gadria's appearance, Zhu Lan immediately guessed what she was thinking and then glanced at Karl with some difficulty.

Seeing this, Karl smiled and said, "Since it's Zhulan's treat, I don't mind at all. However, a certain president might also like to come with me later, so let's talk about the specifics when we get there."

Upon hearing Karl utter the word "President," Zhu Lan's face revealed a knowing expression, while Gadriya, standing to the side, also had a somewhat strange expression, since it was her future boss who had told her that Zhu Lan was coming to Padia.

Yes, the news that Cynthia would arrive in Padia today was told to Cattleya by Yaji. Having conducted a background check on Cattleya, she knew that her future Elite Four member and the Sinnoh Regional Champion were good friends.

As for Ye Ci informing Gadriya of this news, it was merely a favor, and Gadriya's presence could act as a buffer between her and Zhu Lan, perhaps even helping to bring them closer.

However, Gadriya obviously hadn't thought that far ahead, since she only learned about the news this morning.

Upon learning that Zhulan was about to arrive in Padia, Cattleya quickly dressed up and left her villa on the outskirts of Niangguang City to rush to Niangguang City Airport.

Shi Lan, the butler responsible for analyzing information for Cattleya, was unaware of this. However, even if he had known, he most likely wouldn't have told Cattleya his speculation.

Knowing Gardner's personality well, Shi Lan was very aware that her young mistress valued the relationship between her and Zhu Lan highly, and she did not want anyone to take advantage of the relationship between them.

In other words, Cattleya wanted to maintain the "purity" of her friendship with Cynthia.

So the three of them left the Four Seasons Deer Café and headed toward the small meeting room prepared by the Padia Alliance.

About five minutes later, Karl, along with Orchid and Cattleya, found Aoki, who was waiting for them.

The moment Aoki saw Karl and the other two, he closed his dead fish eyes and put on a "peaceful" expression.

Why are these two troublemakers (referring to Karl and Gadriya) together? He clearly didn't see Gadriya at the scene just now.

Seeing Aoki's expression, Karl couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Brother Aoki, why are you making that face? Here, this is the iced Americano I bought for you, take it."

Aoki unceremoniously accepted the iced Americano Carl offered, inserted the straw, and took a big sip. Then, the fatigue on his face eased considerably: "Thanks. This rich, oily flavor must be from the specialty beans at Four Seasons Deer Coffee Shop, right?"

“That’s right.” Carl nodded, then, as if he had thought of something, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. “Speaking of coffee beans, how about I try growing some this summer?”

“Growing coffee beans? That’s a good option.” Aoki seemed more energetic after talking about food and drink. “Although the climate around Little Key Town is a bit too humid, it shouldn’t be a problem for you. But Carl, you need to be careful about choosing the right seeds. I can give you some advice when I have time in a while.”

Since all four of them were knowledgeable about coffee, they began to chat harmoniously.

Of course, there were other reasons involved, but overall, they had a very pleasant conversation.

Not long after, the sound of chairs being pushed and pulled came from next door. Aoki stopped talking after hearing the noise and led the three of them to another exit of the living room.

Just then, Yaji also led Dr. Yamanashi out of that exit, and the two sides met up.

"Doctor, it's been a long time!" Karl quickly walked up to Dr. Yamanashi and opened his arms to hug him.

Dr. Yamanashi returned the hug, then placed his hands on Carl's shoulders, looked Carl up and down, and said with a sigh, "You've gotten quite tanned, but you haven't lost any weight."

Upon hearing this, Carl laughed and said, "Doctor, don't you think about it? With Master Xiong's skills, how could I possibly lose weight? It's good enough that I haven't gained weight."

Since neither Carl nor Professor Yamanashi are particularly sentimental people, and Carl had only been away from the Sinnoh region for a short time, their reunion was temporarily over.

“This is Brother Aoki. He is the Gym Leader of the Normal-type in the Padilla region and also serves as the Elite Four member of the Padilla League. I have a good relationship with him,” Carl introduced to Professor Yamanashi.

"Hello, Dr. Yamanashi, I've heard so much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you." Aoki stepped forward, extending his hand to Dr. Yamanashi as he greeted him.

"Hello, Aoki-kun. My son must have gotten into a lot of trouble, right? I hope you'll be lenient with him in the future." Dr. Yamanashi smiled and shook hands with Aoki, then invited, "It just so happens that Takeran invited Karl and me to lunch. Why don't you and Miss Yaji join us?"

As Dr. Yamanashi spoke, he glanced at Takeran, who smiled and replied, "I just happened to run into Leah, and I was thinking of having a meal with Miss Yaji. Mr. Aoki, would you like to join us?"

“Since it was Miss Zhulan’s invitation, Aoki and I naturally agreed.” Yaji immediately chimed in, “Dr. Yamanashi, please rest assured, I have made all the arrangements for the researchers who came with you. They will arrive in Little Key Town with their research equipment in a few days.”

Dr. Yamanashi knew that Yaji was trying to show him goodwill, so he smiled and agreed, "In that case, thank you very much, Chairman Yaji."

In this joyful atmosphere, the group, led by staff, walked through a special passage to a parking area, boarded a pre-arranged van, and headed towards their destination.

On his way to the restaurant, Carl received another message from afar: "Brother Carl, thank you, Volcano has recovered."

Chapter 243 Karl: I think Cattleya would be perfect.

At the same time Carl received the message, in a villa in Woodtown, Unova, Aldak, dressed in a beige robe, was leaning against his initial companion.

It was a giant fire moth, with three pairs of wings behind it swirling with a faint red light, proof that it possessed abundant fire-attribute energy.

Adek gently stroked the soft white hairs on the Vulcan's neck, then picked up his phone and began typing, letter by letter.

For an "old-school" trainer like Alder, teaching him to use electronic devices is undoubtedly a very difficult task.

However, in order to communicate with Carl, Aldak eventually learned how to send and receive messages under the tutelage of the assistant assigned to him by the United States.

[Adek: Carl, if I remember correctly, you seemed to have plans to travel to the Unova region this summer? Please contact me then to repay your kindness.]

After sending this long message, Adek let out a long sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Typing is more tiring than playing a match."

On the other hand, after receiving Aldak's "good news," Carl smiled from the bottom of his heart. He was very happy that the secret seasoning could save Aldak's original partner.

This not only means that Carl has gained a favor from the United League champion, but also that the secret seasoning is indeed as legendary as it is said to have the power to bring the dead back to life.

[Karl: Congratulations, Uncle Aldeck.]

[Karl: I do plan to go to the Unova region this summer. I'll contact you then.]

[Karl: Also, could you send me a copy of the information about the secret seasoning?]

After receiving Carl's reply, Adek scratched his head and then began typing again with difficulty.

[Adeke: Information on the secret seasoning? I need to ask about it. I'll get back to you later.]

Carl: Okay, thank you for your help.

After replying to the message, Carl put his phone away. Then he noticed that Dr. Yamanashi, who was sitting next to him, was giving him an inquiring look.

Carl thought for a moment, and it seemed that the secret seasoning wasn't something he couldn't talk about, so he smiled and explained to Professor Yamanashi, "I was representing Orange Academy when I went to Blueberry Academy in the Unova region for an exchange, and I happened to run into Champion Alder who was there to watch the match."

After Carl uttered the name "Adek", both Zhu Lan and Ye Ci turned to look at Carl at the same time.

“At the time, Adeke’s initial partner had a problem and almost left him forever, so I provided him with the ‘secret seasoning’ that only exists in the legends of the Padia region.”

'Secret seasoning?' Ye Ci cast a questioning glance at Aoki beside him, but Aoki just silently shook his head.

“Just now, Champion Adeker told me that the secret seasoning successfully brought his partner back to life.” Carl leaned back in his chair and said with a smile, “Then he said that when I travel to the Unova region in a while, he will treat me well.”

After Carl briefly explained what had happened, Dr. Yamanashi didn't care that Carl was going on a trip soon, since in his mind Carl was a restless person.

However, when Professor Yamanashi heard that the secret seasoning could actually heal a dying Pokémon, a look of excitement unique to Pokémon scholars appeared on his face: "Secret seasoning? I've never heard of this herb before. Is it a special plant unique to the Padilla region?"

“Probably.” Karl glanced at Yeji and Aoki, who were openly “eavesdropping,” and said with a smile, “After all, the secret seasoning requires the use of Taijing fragments from the Padia region to accelerate ripening, and Taijing fragments are a special product of the Padia region.”

“Ahem, Karl, could we talk more about the secret seasoning?” Ye Ci stared intently at Karl. “Neither Aoki nor I know much about it.”

"In fact, I don't know much about the secret seasoning."

Upon hearing Karl's words, Zhu Lan's lips unconsciously curled up. This guy, who took me with him to search for the secret seasoning last time, is now saying that he doesn't know much about the secret seasoning.

Before Ye Ci could continue speaking, Karl, having finished organizing the information in his mind, continued, "The secret seasoning is divided into five types: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty. Each of these five seasonings has a special effect when used alone, but if they are used together, they can heal fatal wounds."

Ye Ci's eyes lit up slightly upon hearing this. She knew very well that a regional champion of a league could mobilize almost all the resources of the entire league. Even so, before Aldak met Carl, he had not found a way to cure his initial partner.

This means that the healing effects of the secret seasoning are among the best even on a global scale. Not to mention, the secret seasoning has unique effects when used alone, making it a "specialty" unique to the Padia Alliance.

Thinking of this, Ye Ci wanted to ask Karl where he got the secret seasoning, but then she noticed Karl's "meaningful" gaze and calmed down.

Ye Ci was well aware that with the incredible effects of the secret seasoning, it was a strategic resource for any alliance in any region.

While the secret seasoning does indeed originate from the Parthian region, currently only Karl knows the exact locations of all its ingredients, so...

After thinking everything through, Ye Ci began to consider what price she would pay to obtain the information about the secret seasoning.

Meanwhile, Zhu Lan hadn't expected that the strange plant Karl had brought her to obtain was so precious, so she gave Karl a strange look.

In fact, Karl had no intention of exchanging information about the secret seasoning for personal gain, since the secret seasoning was not his private property.

Therefore, seeing Yeci deep in thought, Karl knew that the other party had misunderstood: "President Yeci, am I as bad as you think? Would I try to exchange something that rightfully belongs to Padia for benefits?"

Upon hearing Karl's words, Cattleya, who had been very quiet, muttered softly, "Isn't that right?"

As soon as Gadriya finished speaking, the carriage fell silent. Zhu Lan reached out and tugged at her friend, then gave Karl an apologetic look.

Neither Ye Ci nor Aoki expected that their future colleague would have such low emotional intelligence. Apart from Professor Yamanashi, everyone in the carriage was a trainer with at least Champion-level strength. Who could not hear her "whispering"?

Carl didn't bother arguing with Cattleya and continued the previous topic: "I only transplanted a portion of each secret seasoning I found and brought it back to the farm. I'll mark the approximate locations of the five secret seasonings on the map later."

"However, each secret seasoning is guarded by a Pokémon that I have named 'Treasure Master,' so I suggest that you, Chairman Yaji, send out a 'powerful' trainer to collect them."

As Karl spoke, he looked at Cattleya and said with a smile, "I think Miss Cattleya is very suitable."

Chapter 244 Dr. Yamanashi's Memories

Carl considered himself a very magnanimous person, and his suggestion that Cattleya go to collect the secret seasoning had no intention of "getting revenge" on her.

Well, Karl might indeed have "a little" intention to "take revenge" on Cattleya, but only "a little".

Even if we take a step back and assume that having Cattleya, a future superstar, in charge of this matter would still be beneficial for her.

After all, as an outsider, if Gadria wants to establish herself in the Padia Alliance, she has to make some contributions to the alliance, right?

Karl just happened to give Gadriya such an opportunity, without even letting her thank him.

'Oh, I'm such a good person,' Carl thought to himself.

As the new Sinnoh League Champion, Cynthia obviously thought of this as well. Although she could see that Carl did have the idea of ​​taking revenge on Cattleya, from the result alone, collecting the secret seasoning was a good thing for Cattleya.

When Ye Ci heard Karl's "suggestion," she was quite tempted. After all, as the future King of Padia, she needed to arrange a job for Cattleya.

Instead of having Cattleya, that "gas tank," handle official business in the Alliance, sending her to collect secret seasonings might be a better option.

In a sense, Karl's suggestion was a win-win-win situation—Karl successfully retaliated against Cattleya, Cattleya was able to establish herself in the Padian Alliance with this achievement, and the Padian Alliance also obtained the precious strategic resource of the secret seasoning.

All Caitlia needs to do is run around the entire Padcia League under the scorching summer sun. With her strength, dealing with Master Pokémon is a piece of cake for her.

'Perhaps the next time I meet Cattleya, I'll be able to see the limited edition black version of Cattleya?' Karl thought wickedly to himself.

Of everyone present, only Gadriya couldn't understand this. After hearing Karl's "suggestion," she believed it was Karl's "revenge" against her.

But before Gadriya could react, Zhulan leaned close to Gadriya's ear and whispered an explanation.

Upon hearing Zhu Lan's explanation, Cattleya's beautiful brows furrowed: 'Zhu Lan, so I should thank that guy?'

As Cattleya's voice echoed in Zhu Lan's mind, Zhu Lan's expression froze slightly before she realized that her friend was communicating with her telepathically.

"Yes, Leah, this is a very rare opportunity. Although Karl's suggestion did have an element of revenge against you, in the end, collecting the secret seasoning is a good thing for you," said Zhulan.

In fact, after hearing Zhu Lan's explanation, Jia Deliya had already understood.

However, despite her understanding, Gadriya still felt some resistance to the matter. If she accepted the mission, wouldn't that mean she, Gadriya, was accepting Karl's "charity"?

Seeing the conflicted expression on Gadriya's face, Zhu Lan sighed inwardly. Knowing Gadriya well, she knew exactly what her friend was struggling with.

On the other hand, Ye Ci could tell from the expression on Gadria's face that she was unwilling, but for Ye Ci, collecting the secret seasonings was not something that Gadria had to do.

Thinking of this, Ye Ci turned her head slightly and focused her gaze on her number one "henchman," Aoki.

As the Flying-type Elite Four member, Aoki is the most mobile member under Yaji, which is the key reason why Yaji values ​​Aoki so highly.

Aoki, who was resting with his eyes closed and pretending to be invisible, suddenly trembled, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.

As soon as Aoki opened his eyes, he noticed the gaze that Yaji was giving him, and he realized that if Gadriya did not agree to this, then the job of collecting the secret seasoning would most likely fall to him.

Theoretically, Aoki had the power to refuse any work assigned to him by Yaji, but in reality, Aoki knew very well that there were many things he couldn't refuse.

Collecting secret seasonings, a strategic resource, is clearly one of "many things".

Meeting Yaji's gaze, Aoki, having thought everything through, peacefully closed his eyes. Even if Gadriya eventually accepted the job of collecting the secret seasonings, Aoki believed that Yaji would not let him be idle.

Since that's the case, he might as well take advantage of this time in the car to rest for a while, as he has other things to do in the afternoon.

After hesitating for a while, Gadriya finally cast a "resolute" look at Yeci.

Seeing this, Ye Ci smiled slightly, clearly very satisfied with the choice made by Gadriya. This meant that although Gadriya had personality flaws, she was still able to make the right choice when faced with important matters.

After resolving the issue of the secret seasoning, Yaji remembered Karl's earlier mention of "traveling to the Unova region in a while."

In fact, apart from Dr. Yamanashi, no one in the world can control Carl's schedule.

However, Ye Ci clearly sensed something unusual about this matter.

After all, when she asked Carl to lead the team to the United States, Carl specifically asked how long the trip would take, indicating that he clearly didn't want to be away from the farm for too long.