Chapter 16: Lilyroot Doll, New Member of the Workshop?

Generally, inter-regional logistics doesn’t include free shipping, but to attract new customers, I have to cover this cost. No—this expense I must pay myself!

Free shipping? Fine. She bought twenty at once; the shipping fee is negligible compared to the price—I sell each talisman for 8,000!

The talismans sold out instantly, netting 160,000, but the money won’t reach my account until the goods arrive in Hoenn through the Alliance platform.

Looks like I’ll have to work overtime and make more talismans to restock.

But this person bought twenty at once—does she plan to fight a powerful ghost to the death? Is she using them as throwing darts?

An archaeologist? Hmph, probably a tomb raider.

Guang Tai muttered inwardly, put on his clothes, slung on a large storage backpack, filled it with a shovel, lighter, carving tools, instant food, and some berries, then watched as Dujianshao hover above him as he opened the door.

Today I’m heading to the Shendu Ruins to collect ruin stones, but before leaving, I should check on the field first.

Tian Zhong’s seeds have sprouted. Normally, seeds take three to ten days to sprout, faster in warm regions. Techniques like soaking, scarifying, or applying germination agents can speed growth, but Shendu’s climate is still chilly—not the warm, humid environment of Hoenn—so sprouting is slower than in warmer zones.

Still, with my “Grower” knowledge and loose soil, the sprouting speed is extremely fast.

The tiny seedlings greedily breathed the air, waiting in the soil for the day they’d grow— and that day would come soon.

“Huh?”

Guang Tai spotted a large patch in the area where he’d planted Revival Grass—it was no longer a sprout, but nearly mature leaves!

What’s going on? Everyone’s still sprouting, but you skipped straight to growth?

And right beside those leaves were the newly replanted Revival Grass.

“Weeds growing beside Revival Grass?”

Guang Tai froze—he’d never considered this. The Grower knowledge accelerates growth of crops, herbs, and fruit trees, but if wild seeds mixed in during planting, were those weeds now considered his cultivated plants?

Wild weeds grow fast anyway—let alone with my knowledge boosting them!

“Revival Grass is vital medicine—I can’t let weeds steal its nutrients.” Guang Tai shook his head, crouched down, and began pulling weeds. But as he grabbed the three leaves, a strange cry came from beneath them!

Weeds that cry? How could I dream this? No—I wasn’t dreaming!

“Bulbasaur?!”

Guang Tai had a bad feeling. Though he’d been startled by the cry and let go, it was clear now: something beneath was a Pokémon.

This won’t do!

Bulbasaur is a Pokémon shaped like a small plant. Its head resembles a dark blue, spherical bulb with two round feet and two slender legs.

This common Grass-type Pokémon appears everywhere. By day, it burrows into cool underground soil to avoid sunlight, roots planted motionless.

Bulbasaur also greedily absorbs nutrients from the soil, and at night, it walks while scattering seeds—if it finds fertile ground, it buries itself whole.

So if you mistake it for ordinary grass and try to pull it up, it cries out!

“Bulbasaur interferes with herb growth—it steals soil nutrients needed by medicinal plants.”

“Sorry, could you find another place to sleep?”

Guang Tai pulled out his shovel, found the right angle, and dug up the entire patch of soil.

“Ba!”

A green, bulb-shaped object swayed its leaves as Guang Tai lifted it from the earth—and only then did he see its true form!

Hmm… not Bulbasaur?

The herb-killer he’d imagined didn’t appear!

Before Guang Tai now stood a Pokémon with a round, onion-like head, a white face lacking nose or mouth, only two slender, brown, vertically oval eyes, a body like a tiny skirt, and on its head—three oval leaves, but these were clearly smaller than normal.

“Lilyroot Doll!”

Lilyroot Doll isn’t native to Kanto, but it’s found in neighboring Sinnoh, where it once thrived widely during the Washio era.

This Pokémon migrates habitats, favoring moist, nutrient-rich soil. Where Lilyroot Doll dwells, crops flourish—but if the environment degrades, it moves elsewhere.

Also, as a social Pokémon, Lilyroot Doll rarely appears alone.

“Ba~(︵)”

Lilyroot Doll jumped from Guang Tai’s palm, bounced twice on the ground, then turned to stare at him.

Though her tiny eyes revealed no clear emotion—anger or fear—her refusal to flee suggested… she wasn’t afraid of him?

Guang Tai noticed marks on Lilyroot Doll’s body—not just on her form, but also on her onion-like head, strange scar-like impressions.

Combined with her small, newly grown leaves…

The three leaves on her head represent vitality: when strong, they regrow instantly even if fallen, and they’re special medicine—bitter enough to make you dizzy, but one bite restores energy. Dried and boiled, they instantly revive stamina.

“A walking herb!”

Though it sounds impolite—it’s the truth.

“So that’s why…!” Guang Tai understood why this Lilyroot Doll appeared here: he’d planted Revival Grass, and this Pokémon was injured. Her instincts drew her to fertile land—especially fertile land with medicinal herbs!

She’d healed gradually by symbiosis with the Revival Grass; her head leaves were likely plucked by wild Pokémon, forcing regrowth—or perhaps she’d plucked them herself.

And this soil had the “Grower” boost, accelerating her vitality recovery.

But this Lilyroot Doll’s personality was odd.

This Pokémon is very weak—normally, it flees at danger, rarely fights back. If one doesn’t fear enemies, its ability must be “Own Tempo.”

Pokémon with this ability never fall into confusion.

“Hmm, since it’s not Bulbasaur, no need to worry. Lilyroot Doll’s natural traits are the opposite—she enriches the soil.”

Guang Tai muttered to himself. Lilyroot Doll watched his actions, occasionally glancing at the Revival Grass.

“Want this? Not yet. This is vital medicine—if I use it, I can’t grow more Revival Grass.”

“I need the Revival Grass to grow fast, strengthen its roots, multiply them.”

Guang Tai explained—these Pokémon understand human speech.

Lilyroot Doll made no sound, only stared at the Revival Grass, seeming reluctant.

“(︿)”

Seeing her expression, Guang Tai told her to wait, then returned indoors and fetched a Healing Herb he’d bought from the apothecary.

“I cut the Healing Herb’s stem into small pieces. Its effect isn’t as strong as Revival Grass, but it works well on external wounds.”

“And this—you seem injured.”

Guang Tai pulled out a topical ointment, nearly identical in effect to a spray.

Lilyroot Doll didn’t move. She sensed Guang Tai meant no harm—perhaps after realizing he hadn’t mistaken her for Bulbasaur?

Hmm… this “human” seems worried I’ll steal his soil.

Lilyroot Doll thought, but as Guang Tai tried to apply the ointment, she herself reached out and smeared some of it onto her body, then began rubbing it over her wounds.

“Ah, right—no one knows their own injuries better than themselves. Apply more where it hurts most.”

Guang Tai held out his hand, letting Lilyroot Doll use every last bit of ointment. Then she glanced once more at the Revival Grass, jumped in front of him, and let out a grateful cry.

“Ba~()”

She stopped jumping—then one leaf on her head suddenly grew, reached full size, and fell off.

Lilyroot Doll placed the fallen leaf in Guang Tai’s hand, snatched the cut stem of the Healing Herb, and without looking back, hopped away toward the distant forest.

“The leaf—Lilyroot Doll’s leaf is premium medicine. She traded it for the ointment?”

“A lone Lilyroot Doll, severely injured—did she fight wild Pokémon? But if she came out of the forest, she lost… yet still returns to fight again.”

“Lost her habitat, yet refuses to leave… a stubborn Lilyroot Doll?”

Guang Tai stared at the deep, dark forest ahead, lost in thought.

Perhaps this Lilyroot Doll will return.

Thoughts surged through his mind:

【Rare Material: Lilyroot Doll’s leaf.】

【Lilyroot Doll’s head leaves are extremely bitter but restore exhausted vitality. These leaves open or close depending on her mood—open when happy, closed when sad.】

【Knowledge gained: 1】

【Herb Compatibility: When Grass-type Pokémon use herbs, their recovery effect increases slightly.】

“Let’s go, Dujianshao—we’re off to the Shendu Ruins!”

“Yoo~!”

(End of Chapter)