Chapter 389: The Fragrance Sister

Road 113.

The Green House.

A renowned Pokémon fragrance therapy institute and clinic.

Established sixty years ago, it houses the vast majority of fragrance samples on the market and possesses the most advanced Pokémon fragrance research technology.

On regular days, it helps traveling Trainers heal their injured Pokémon, or follows Grandma's tradition in treating injured wild Pokémon in the forest.

Thus, its clientele is never scarce.

But today, The Green House welcomed a rather special guest.

"Excuse me! Is anyone here? My Salamence has a cold—do you have a specialized fragrance spray for Dragon-type Pokémon?"

Baimu stood at the entrance of the grand garden, beside him a Happiny holding a Salamence with its three heads drooping, occasionally lifting them to sniff the air, its breath heavy with congestion.

"Sshhh… snff…"

It whimpered weakly, its pitiful state utterly at odds with its fearsome appearance, drawing the attention of many Grass-type Pokémon, who peered curiously from all sides.

"Happy~" Happiny gently patted its head, scolding it for refusing to rest inside its Poké Ball.

Illness differs from injury—it cannot be cured by healing moves—but appropriate treatments still exist. After preliminary diagnosis, Salamence's condition was not severe; after taking the Pokémon cold medicine, its state gradually stabilized.

Most people would find it hard to imagine that a powerful, high-level Dragon-type Pokémon could catch such a minor illness, yet the reality is that as long as it remains a living being, injury and illness are inevitable.

Even Ice-type Snorunt can develop fevers.

It can only be said that Salamence has always been cared for too well by Baimu, to the point that yesterday, after playing in water, getting frozen, then having the snow on its body melted by fire, it lacked the awareness to protect itself and dry off promptly. It seemed fine in the morning, but after taking off and flying too high with Baimu, the high-altitude wind suddenly hit it hard.

Fortunately, as long as the right medicine is administered, Pokémon recover quickly. The anime has shown this repeatedly—feverish Pokémon recovering rapidly after treatment, truly "medicine at hand, illness gone."

"Coming~"

A black-haired woman in a white lab coat appeared, wearing a warm smile reminiscent of Nurse Joy.

Upon seeing the listless Salamence, she hurried forward; as she neared, she paused briefly, her nose twitching slightly before continuing to assess its condition, "Oh my, it has a cold? But the condition isn't serious—please don't worry. Come with me to the clinic."

"Thank you very much, Young Lady Arisa."

Baimu murmured his thanks, and Happiny tugged Salamence along like pulling a balloon.

As expected, this was the granddaughter of the Fragrance Sister—Arisa, the current manager of The Green House and one of Juniper's dream goddesses.

She resembled the archived photos of the Fragrance Sister by about eighty percent.

Following Arisa into the manor, the first thing visible upon entering the main door was a row of neatly arranged shelves, filled with countless bottles and jars; the labels indicated they contained flower pollen or bodily fluids of various Grass-type Pokémon.

A bit further inside were numerous potted medicinal herbs, vibrant in color, their complex scents blending into a peculiar, enchanting aroma throughout the hall.

"Such a complete collection of raw materials."

Baimu gazed longingly at everything around him; Happiny looked equally awestruck.

Arisa smiled and asked, "I detect the scent of a refreshing, decongestant fragrance on you—are you also an enthusiast of handmade fragrances?"

"Yes, I've long admired The Green House and planned to visit. I didn't expect my Pokémon to catch a cold along the way."

He nodded, "Call me Baimu, Young Lady Arisa."

"Of course."

Arisa's gaze toward him grew warmer.

Soon, they arrived at a room resembling a fragrance blending chamber. She conducted a thorough examination of Salamence, then began crafting a fragrance using various raw materials—

The crafting method was identical to Baimu's: entirely hand-mixed, no professional instruments used, slightly "primitive."

He instinctively averted his gaze.

"Ah, it's fine—this isn't a secret formula."

Arisa smiled carelessly, "My grandmother never believed that fragrances, which benefit the public, should be kept hidden. But due to various reasons, some formulas remain restricted by economic contracts and cannot be widely distributed."

As she spoke, she worked swiftly, and soon a vial of cold-curing fragrance was complete.

"This is the Health-Warming Fragrance, Dragon-type Pokémon special edition."

The blue-purple liquid shimmered with a gorgeous and dreamlike hue under the light.

They moved next door to the aromatherapy room. Guided by Happiny, Salamence lay comfortably on a soft bed. Arisa poured the fragrance into a double-gourd bottle and pressed the top sphere.

Patak.

Blue-purple mist surged out, quickly filling the entire treatment room. Salamence's nose twitched slightly; its congested breathing soon turned smooth and clear.

Truly immediate—more effective than the cold pills it had taken earlier.

Happiny checked its health status, exhaled softly, and began singing a soothing lullaby.

A while later.

Salamence slept peacefully.

Seeing this, Baimu and Happiny thanked Arisa once more; she nodded and smiled, "Would you like to take a tour? I can show you around The Green House."

"Won't that be too much trouble for you?"

"Of course not! I'm usually very free!"

"Then I won't refuse your kindness."

He was granted a tour of the clinic he had only ever dreamed of.

To be honest, many areas inside felt strangely familiar—he suspected the Fragrance Sister had passed through them during her research, and he had subconsciously retained the memories.

To avoid unconsciously walking toward a place he remembered without Arisa's guidance, Baimu deliberately lagged half a step behind.

Thanks to Arisa's fully open explanations, he learned far more about fragrance varieties and the many unique products derived from them.

From healthcare and pest control to battle enhancement, beauty, cuisine, and even breeding.

One particularly tangible product—the incense, already present in the games—can boost the power of specific-type moves and enable certain Pokémon to breed 【Baby Pokémon】.

What is a Baby Pokémon?

Small Pokémon that cannot directly breed with others, such as Pichu, Cleffa, Igglybuff, and Riolu.

Inside the clinic, a pair of Poison Ivy were just beginning to incubate their Pokémon Eggs, though their thirty-centimeter height was nearly identical to the size of the Eggs themselves.

Another pair, a Chansey and a Blissey, had already successfully hatched a Babydoll, whose balloon-like pink form bounced about in a delightfully clueless manner that made onlookers envious.

But Baimu did not enter the breeding room to disturb them; he merely glanced through the window twice.

Next was the Pokémon Material Collection Room.

Essential oils primarily rely on pollen, scale dust, bodily fluids, and partial leaf or stem tissues from Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon.

Occasionally, there are exceptions.

"Flareon!"

Baimu hadn't expected to encounter an Alolan-region Pokémon in the Hoenn region.

And when the Flareon spotted a sudden male human before it, it struck a seductive pose and winked at him, releasing a strange odor.

"Don't tease the guest."

Alisha gently tapped the Flareon's head, and the strange odor vanished instantly.

She turned and said, "The Flareon's toxic gas contains massive amounts of pheromones, which can be directly used to make perfumes or mood-enhancing incense—extremely popular among the young."

"Oh, I see."

Baimu nodded to show he understood.

"Actually, it's not just the Flareon—theoretically, any Pokémon that can learn Sweet Scent has materials worth collecting," Alisha revealed something that surprised him greatly.

"Just learning Sweet Scent is enough?"

"Yes."

"What about Jigglypuff? Which part should be collected? What kind of essential oil can it make?"

Baimu pulled out a notebook from his pocket.

Alisha apologized softly, "I'm sorry—I'm still researching this. The theory was proposed by my grandmother before she passed away, and it hasn't been fully confirmed yet."

The Scent Sister proposed it.

"Alright."

He reluctantly tucked the notebook back, having just felt a flicker of excitement—yesterday he'd learned Sweet Scent and had no idea how to use it, and today there was already a lead.

And finally,

Alisha led him into the Essential Oil Blending Room. "Interested in trying to blend some yourself? I've got all the raw materials I mentioned here, and here's the recipe book—you can browse freely."

"Hmm."

Baimu stared at the thick volume before him; the familiar handwriting stirred his memories.

If he remembered correctly, this was the Scent Sister's handwritten recipe book. He hadn't expected it to have been passed down to Alisha—and expanded so much. The slightly faded ink proved it was indeed the same one from his memory.

He had always regretted that, in his memories, the Scent Sister had never flipped past the "Awaken and Soothe" section.

Now he could flip through it freely…

Was Alisha too trusting?

"It's fine to browse freely—all these recipes are non-commercial," Alisha said softly, assuming he was concerned about that.

"Alright."

He rolled up his sleeves, opened the recipe book, and searched for the "Health-Boosting and Cold-Repelling Essential Oil." If he could learn recipes, he certainly needed to learn those for healing and attribute enhancement—these essential oils produced tangible effects and were more important.

After confirming the recipe came the actual operation.

Baimu selected the surrounding raw materials and, with flawless familiarity, dropped them into beakers and test tubes, stirred them with a glass rod, and shook them.

Alisha, watching from the side, had initially kept a smile—but as she watched, her expression froze, then softened. She rubbed her eyes, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

It wasn't that Baimu's technique was astonishing or unbelievable.

It was that, looking at his back, Alisha suddenly remembered her grandmother.

Though their clothing and hair differed, and their heights were vastly different, their movements seemed stamped from the same mold—the angle of their arms, the number of stirs, the fluid motion of pouring.

Even the crisp, delicate sound of the glass rod accidentally tapping the beaker's rim—others might frown or sneer, calling it a beginner's mistake—but to Alisha, it was the most beautiful sound imaginable.

It was her childhood.

A precious memory.

Since her grandmother's death, how many times had she woken from dreams startled by that crisp tap, only to find her pillow soaked with tears?

The woman who had once smiled gently at her, taught her to make essential oils, and told her what to hold onto—what truly mattered—was gone.

Alisha took a shallow breath and realized her breathing was trembling. Hot tears slid down her cheeks; her vision blurred as if she had returned to the past.

Against the sepia-toned background of an old photograph, her grandmother turned slightly, her face filled with a tender smile.

"Alisha…"

"Grandma, I'm here."

She whispered back, trembling—and suddenly, a clearer voice rang in her ear.

"Young Lady? Young Lady!"

"Ah!"

She snapped back to reality, seeing Baimu watching her with concern. She quickly wiped her tears. "I'm fine—I just remembered my grandmother. Sorry. What's wrong? Did you run into trouble?"

"No trouble—I've finished blending it. I'd like your feedback on any shortcomings."

Baimu's eyes subtly shifted away from Alisha's reddened eyes and handed her the result.

Honestly, he'd been so focused on blending that her sudden sobbing had nearly made him drop the test tube—he had no idea what was happening.

Remembered her grandmother?

What did that mean?

Wait—

Could it be… a habit?

All Baimu froze for a moment — because watching various memories always came from a first-person perspective and was completely beyond his control, it inevitably left him with some of the simulated subjects' habits.

An ordinary person definitely wouldn't be able to tell, but Alisa was Fragrance Sister's granddaughter!

Of course.

No need to pay it too much mind either — a person with a normal train of thought wouldn't associate it with anything supernatural, let alone anything like a golden finger.

"Mm… you did wonderfully. Practice a bit more and I believe the quality will be even higher."

Alisa set down the test tube in her hand and looked at All Baimu with eyes full of praise. "How about trying something else?"

"Then I'll trouble you."

The latter couldn't have been happier.

Alisa stepped back to leave enough space. The All Baimu before her seemed shrouded in a hazy filter, countless mottled glimmers transforming him into the figure she knew best.

Even knowing this was self-deception, she still wanted to see her one more time.

However.

While this older sister was moved, All Baimu in the middle of compounding felt a chill run down his spine — Alisa's gaze was somewhat terrifying, pricking his hair to stand on end.

"If it were Xiaogang here, he'd probably be especially happy…"

He muttered softly.

Noon.

After enjoying lunch under warm invitation, All Baimu set out once more—

On foot.

Although the Three-Headed Dragon had already recovered its health, to be safe it needed a day of rest and observation, so there was no way to keep riding it through the sky.

He couldn't help feeling a bit of regret — this Husky-Dragon had quite a talent as a means of transport; even carrying one person it could maintain high-speed flight, and it wasn't as flashy as the Steelix.

Before leaving, he took the chance to ask where Alisa's grandmother was buried.

Then he discovered that Fragrance Sister, who had devoted nearly her entire life to perfume and the Green House, had fallen asleep at the center of the great garden, together with her favorite Grass-type Pokémon.

Having obtained her relative's permission, All Baimu went over to pay his respects — having received a kindness he could not repay, at the very least he had to express his gratitude.

To put it bluntly, every Blue-Talent simulation subject was his teacher, having taught him all sorts of skills or knowledge worth remembering.

He had always held them in deep respect.

"Come again when you have time!"

Alisa watched All Baimu with reluctance to part. If not for the fact that he only resembled her grandmother when compounding perfume, she would really have thought her own grandmother had come back.

What a coincidence in this world — inconceivable.

"Sure."

All Baimu waved his hand. Before he left, Alisa insisted on stuffing a pile of perfume into his hands, and even gave him a hand-copied perfume formula, which made him feel a bit embarrassed.

He had originally planned to visit and treat the Three-Headed Dragon, but in the end he didn't pay any consultation fee — and even got free stock! They even gave him the formula!

Although these formulas could probably be searched up online — Alisa had mentioned she had always been posting videos of perfume-making on PokéBlog — what mattered was the experimental notes inside.

With the notes he could avoid a lot of detours, and wouldn't be deceived by those marketing accounts that can't even copy properly.

What a shameless man.

He secretly despised himself — having already received a tremendous benefit from Fragrance Sister, he hadn't let the granddaughter off either!

"You must come—"

Alisa's voice stretched on and on.