Chapter 579: Golden Honey

"This guest!"

Hearing the bell jingle, Miao rushed out from the kitchen, intending to greet Aoki, her voice tinged with confusion.

Why leave so soon after walking in? Did you think I was late in serving you?

Miao blamed herself—she'd just been lost in thought about Luo Mu's mention of the Glacia Flower, reacting a beat too late to the bell; perhaps that was why the guest had grown displeased and was about to leave.

Either because of Miao's disappointed expression or his own hesitation, Aoki paused his step, his face calm as he said to Miao: "One person. Arrange a seat for me."

"Ah, yes, please sit over here!"

Miao reacted quickly, immediately guiding Aoki to an empty table diagonally opposite Luo Mu's seat.

While Miao went to pour water for Aoki, Luo Mu, as if entirely unfazed by Aoki's earlier reaction, leaned over again, murmuring in awe.

"Didn't Yici actually let you out? How many days have you been playing in Alola?"

Hearing Luo Mu's words, Aoki realized his instinctive behavior had been rude. He pinched the bridge of his nose and replied: "Today is the third day."

The past two days, he'd mostly relaxed on famous beaches.

Today's plan was to sample Alola's signature dishes—this was one reason Aoki had paused his departure just now.

The Eina Restaurant had been recommended by a taxi driver; with such a rare opportunity, even if it meant inviting Luo Mu's bad luck again, he had to taste it.

This was the dignity and resolve of a true food lover.

After all, Aoki's only hobby in his spare time was tasting food—something that didn't consume much time.

"Oh oh, already the third day?"

Luo Mu carefully studied Aoki, his expression gradually turning astonished.

Earlier, he'd been too rushed to notice, but now, looking closely, Aoki's demeanor had changed dramatically.

If the Aoki Luo Mu often saw in Paldea used to be a tired, exhausted middle-aged office worker with dark circles rivaling a Pancham's, always on the verge of collapsing,

then the Aoki before him now looked like a vacationing uncle, well-rested and healed by Alola's natural beauty.

Even his dull eyes had brightened considerably; he seemed to have aged down by over a decade.

Knowing Aoki's interests well, Luo Mu's eyes flickered. Seeing Miao hadn't returned yet, he quietly leaned close to Aoki's ear: "Actually, I'm planning to visit a farm this afternoon that makes exceptional ice cream—the specialty of Akala Island. Interested?"

"Oh?"

Aoki admitted—he was indeed tempted.

Sampling the new dishes developed by the General at the Bao Restaurant was one of his greatest hobbies.

Aoki held the attitude that he must taste every dish, even something as common as ice cream.

Especially here in Alola, where the climate remained perpetually hot and tropical, ice cream was perfect for cooling off.

Aoki's gaze fell on the kitchen door, where Miao was carrying out several steaming plates of signature dishes.

He thought for a moment and replied: "Your dishes have arrived. Let's taste them all first, then talk about this."

"Alright."

Luo Mu nodded and returned to his seat.

The Eevee sisters, unfamiliar with Aoki, leapt onto Luo Mu's lap, curiously tugging at his clothes—only after a Lechonk explained did their curiosity subside.

"Your dishes are now all served. Please enjoy at your leisure."

Miao left these words and turned back to the kitchen to resume her work.

Luo Mu stared at the table full of Alolan specialty dishes, his appetite surging.

Both appearance and aroma were flawless; the taste certainly wouldn't disappoint.

He'd simply arrived a bit early—Miao's brother hadn't yet copied the recipe for the "Phantom Alolan Cream Stew" to her, so he couldn't taste the real glowing dish.

What he'd ordered was just ordinary cream stew, vastly different from the Phantom Alolan Cream Stew.

More precisely, the key difference was the "tingly" or "bzzt-bzzt" texture of the Phantom Alolan Cream Stew.

Luo Mu remembered that most ingredients listed in the recipe were available at Eina Restaurant—ordinary ones like carrots, potatoes, broccoli.

After all, it was originally a large-pot dish prepared during Alolan rituals and festivals, using mostly accessible ingredients.

The only missing ingredient was the seasonal golden honey—rare, and only the Florges could instinctively locate it with near-perfect intuition, making it extremely hard to find.

Miao had even tried adding "Thunderbolt" to the stew, using Pikachu to discharge electricity directly into the pot as a seasoning.

The texture did become bzzt-bzzt—but it was mentally taxing; the sudden current could easily fry your brain.

As he savored the tasty cream stew, Luo Mu thought—

If he could bring back some golden honey to Paldea, or at least seeds of the flowers producing it,

with the Rowlet squad and Chabuduowawa assisting on the farm, perhaps together they could eventually recreate a similar dish.

Luo Mu was eating heartily; the Eevee sisters and Lechonk licked their bowls at least three times faster.

Watching them, Aoki swallowed hard, his empty stomach aching with envy.

He'd only ordered two other more distinctive dishes, thinking cream stew was available anywhere and he couldn't eat more.

But the stew looked delicious too.

Aoki nearly felt the urge to ask Luo Mu for a small bowl, relying on their connection.

But quickly, decades of office survival instincts made him shake his head repeatedly.

That's not how you think, Aoki!

You just acted rudely, and now you want free food? How shameless!

Wait—perhaps I could pay for a small portion; then it wouldn't be impolite—

Aoki's mind waged war: the black, overworked Aoki clashed violently with the white, vacationing Aoki.

Perhaps Aoki's barely concealed gaze was too noticeable—Luo Mu, head down eating, suddenly felt a chill on his back. He glanced left and right, then saw Aoki's fixed stare.

Following Aoki's gaze to his own hands, Luo Mu instantly understood.

Well, well—so that's what he was drooling over.

Luo Mu thought for a moment, then had the better-balanced Eevee sister carry a bowl of cream stew to Aoki's table.

"This is…"

Aoki stared, stunned for several seconds, watching the Eevee's sweet chirp and retreating back.

He turned toward Luo Mu and saw him gesturing.

A faint memory suddenly surfaced in Aoki's mind.

He remembered—about a year and a half ago—he'd been walking home late again through Jinhuizhen's streets.

At a corner, he'd encountered Luo Mu, who'd been out in the wild too long, his food supplies exhausted, and couldn't sell his gathered materials before nightfall, so he had no money left.

The Pokémon Center's lodging was also fully booked.

Back then, Luo Mu sat on the roadside, hugging a Charmander, contemplating whether to go wild and rob wild Pokémon of their berries.

Perhaps it was the elder's instinct to protect the young.

After hesitating, Aoki took Luo Mu to a noodle shop he frequented, using his wallet—emptied by his own Kangaskhan—to order steaming bowls of ramen for both Luo Mu and Charmander, and even let him stay overnight.

Back then, Luo Mu, gorging on the food, insisted on repaying the favor; Aoki had then proposed a deal: free noodles required a service.

Learning Luo Mu had an Electric-type Pokémon, Aoki simply asked him to fix an electrical leak in a resident's home.

After all, Aoki was a League official, a Gym Leader, and an Elite Four member—juggling all roles, he was constantly overwhelmed, even tasks like this fell to him.

Luo Mu's solution was simple: send out Lechonk to absorb the electricity while precisely locating the fault, then repair it—problem solved.

Aoki was impressed by his efficiency and even considered recruiting Luo Mu as a subordinate.

But the next day, he received a League notice: his Gym Leader match would pit his main Pokémon against this familiar kid—and he was instantly knocked out by Luo Mu's Lechonk, swollen with electricity, unable to even use "Endure."

Since then, his occasional overtime had somehow always been tied to this kid; now, seeing Luo Mu felt like seeing a plague.

After all, he'd just finished handling the household registration for a special talent family relocating from another region to Qinzhen.

Perhaps due to his hard work these past months, he'd been rewarded by Chairman Yici with a paid seven-day vacation to Alola or Hoenn.

He'd been enjoying himself in Alola—until he suddenly ran into Luo Mu. His first instinct was to run.

And now, the gesture Luo Mu made was identical to the one Aoki had made back then.

Realizing what Luo Mu meant, Aoki chuckled. Perhaps the days of vacation in Alola had healed his weary office spirit—he didn't mind exchanging a bowl of cream stew this way.

Aoki nodded to Luo Mu, accepting the condition.

After finishing his meal, Luo Mu paid Miao, asked where Eina Restaurant usually bought ingredients, then carried a pile of food out of the restaurant.

Aoki had already waited outside—he'd ordered little, and though his dishes arrived later, he ate faster than Luo Mu, especially since Luo Mu had ordered extra portions to take away.

Chewing a minty lollipop, Aoki pulled another wrapped lollipop from his beach shirt pocket like magic and handed it to Luo Mu.

"Want one?"

"Yes."

Luo Mu grinned, accepted the gift, set down his takeout, unwrapped the lollipop, and began sucking on it.

"Still packing up? How many Pokémon did you bring?" Aoki asked curiously.

"Nope, nope."

Luo Mu mumbled, lifting his takeout again.

"Let's walk and suck."

Gesturing for Aoki to follow, Luo Mu headed toward the villa with Lechonk and the Eevee sisters.

He'd deliver lunch to them first, then tell Aoki what he needed help with.

Soon, the silhouette of the villa came into view.

Gazing at the lone seaside villa, Aoki's lips twitched.

Damn rich people!

After a morning of training, Gragio was starving and finally spotted Luo Mu returning—he ran faster than a Simisage, snatching part of the food from Luo Mu's hands immediately.

Then he glanced at Aoki and asked Luo Mu curiously, "Who is this gentleman?"

"An acquaintance."

On the way, Luo Mu couldn't resist and bit through the lollipop in a few bites; now he was gnawing on the stick, his speech much clearer.

Gragio pondered for a moment, then called out to his Moonicorn and the others to come inside for lunch.

Luo Mu sent the Eevee sisters off to play with Oranguru and the others, then turned to Aoki.

"Did you bring your Florges on this vacation?"

Yes, Florges.

During the Paldia Pit incident that nearly killed Aulin and Professor Fort, Luo Mu clearly remembered that Aoki, the Flying-type Elite Four member, had a Florges.

That meant, as long as Florges was with him, he could locate blooming flower fields and collect golden nectar.

This was precisely why Luo Mu had invited Aoki to a bowl of cream stew—to make this request.

"Of course I brought it. It adapted well to this environment."

Aoki pulled out a Poké Ball and released Florges, which Luo Mu hadn't seen in a long time.

But this time, Florges was not in the Sparkly Sparkly form—it had transformed into the Spicy Spicy form.

Its feathers were mostly red, with several black feathers on its wings and tail; its beak and feet remained pink as before, and a cluster of white curled feathers now adorned its head like a hairstyle.

Florges's type had changed from Electric/Flying to Fire/Flying, and its temperament seemed altered as well.

"Did you let it feed on crimson nectar?"

Luo Mu asked in surprise.

Aoki nodded slightly. "Yes. During our visit to Ula'ula, it suddenly flew excitedly to a field of flowers, drank the nectar, and changed form."

Florges is a peculiar Pokémon—it can alter its form, even its type, depending on the type of nectar it consumes.

Sparkly Sparkly: Electric/Flying; Spicy Spicy: Fire/Flying; Lively Lively: Psychic/Flying; and Light Light: Ghost/Flying.

Each corresponds to one of four nectars.

Luo Mu's target was the golden nectar.

Although Florges inhabit the Paldea region, and the corresponding flowers grow there,

due to regional differences, the species and flavor vary; Luo Mu believed collecting nectar from the Alola region was better.

Luo Mu told Aoki his plan. To his surprise, Aoki readily agreed to his simple request.

Now that the matter was settled, he could return to his vacation rhythm!

(End of Chapter)