Alfred's school was close to the market in the center of the Eastern District residential area. The Eastern District covered the mountainous part of Coumarine City, while the Western District encompassed the coastal area.
The school's official name was Coumarine City Fifth Elementary School.
Fifth Elementary was a small school with fewer than a hundred students, partly due to the East District's limited population and partly because two other schools — the Eighth and Ninth Elementary — drew many students away.
Meili took Cole directly to meet the principal of Fifth Elementary, who, as Cole later discovered, was actually her ex-husband!
Principal Soren was the same age as Meili but appeared younger. Tall and dignified, the wrinkles on his face only enhanced his scholarly and approachable demeanor.
Their marriage had been arranged by their families, and they wed shortly after meeting. The relationship remained tepid, and they never had children.
Their union had been built more on family obligation than love.
After Meili's parents passed away one after another, she inherited her mother's position as director of the Blue Bird Orphanage. As she devoted more time to caring for the orphans, often unable to return home, her marriage became one in name only.
Six years into running the orphanage, they divorced amicably to avoid holding each other back.
After the divorce, Meili dedicated herself entirely to the orphanage, moving in to better care for the children and never considering remarriage.
Soren remarried four years later.
Their lives now ran parallel, rarely intersecting. When Meili brought Cole to meet the Principal, their interaction was so distant that one would never guess they had once been married.
Cole's enrollment proceeded smoothly. Understanding his situation, Soren placed him in first grade. Though he was older than his classmates, his circumstances made this acceptable.
From then on, Cole settled into a routine of walking to and from school with Alfred each day.
The elementary curriculum was straightforward, covering basic natural science and social studies of the Pokémon world. Cole mastered it easily.
School attendance meant less time studying with Ramos.
Once Cole became proficient at reading, he asked the old man's permission to borrow books from the study. With approval granted, he began taking them to school to read during free moments.
Finding the curriculum unchallenging, he often read other books during class, much to his teachers' initial displeasure.
However, since he maintained excellent grades and consistently ranked at the top of his class, the teachers eventually accepted his habit as long as he didn't disturb others.
At school, Cole was known for his excellent grades but also for being unsociable, reclusive, and bookish. He didn't mind his classmates' opinions and continued his own way — after all, he couldn't relate to children playing make-believe.
Why waste time when he could read another chapter instead?
Some children tried to bully him, but after Cole dealt with them firmly, his school life became peaceful and uneventful.
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Time flew by, and Cole turned ten!
Though still in elementary school due to his late enrollment, reaching ten in the Pokémon world meant he could now act independently — including seeking employment without legal restrictions.
While not quite adulthood, ten marked a significant milestone.
Cole had no interest in working for others; his dream was to become a Berry Tycoon. He'd spent the past year studying diligently toward this goal, never allowing himself to slack off.
That day after school, he darted out like a flash, vanishing instantly through Fifth Elementary's gate.
He sprinted to Alfred's usual route home.
When Alfred saw him, he asked puzzled: "Cole, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be with Charlie and Lily?"
Charlie and Lily had also joined Fifth Elementary once they were old enough, one grade below Cole. Usually, the three walked home together.
Alfred had already moved on from Fifth Elementary. Shortly after Cole enrolled, Alfred had graduated at age ten and entered Fourth Middle School.
Unlike elementary schools with their uniform curriculum, middle schools offered separate tracks: general education and Pokémon (or Monster) studies.
In ancient times, people called Pokémon "Magical Beasts". As Trainers emerged and relations improved between humans and these creatures, "Monster" replaced the older term. Later, with advances in Poké Ball technology and even closer bonds between humans and Monsters, "Pokémon" gradually became the preferred name.
Today's young Trainers exclusively use "Pokémon", while the older generation still refers to their partners as Monsters.
Therefore, the Pokémon Department is also called the Monster Department, Pokémon food is called Monster food, and devices containing Pokémon are called Monster Balls.
Alfred had been studying in Fourth Middle School's general department for over a year.
The schools in Coumarine City's East District were mostly Alliance (government) public schools with both general and Pokémon departments. In contrast, some private schools in the West District focused solely on training Pokémon Trainers.
Only children from wealthy families could enter those schools.
"I need brother Alfred's help with something." Cole answered.
"What's so urgent that it couldn't wait until we got home?" Alfred asked curiously.
"Brother Alfred, do you know any Breeders at school? The wealthy kind?" Cole asked.
Alfred was startled, then realized, "You want to find buyers for those Berries of yours?"
"That's right." Cole nodded.
After more than a year of careful cultivation, his thirty-plus Berry trees had started bearing fruit, and harvest time was approaching.
During this time, Cole hadn't merely tended to the Berry trees casually. Instead, he had cultivated them scientifically, combining Ramos's guidance with his own research into cultivation techniques.
His studies revealed that Berries were classified by energy grades, ranging from highest to lowest: S, A, B, C, D, E, F. The Berries Sarah sold in the market were typically the lowest grades — E or F.
Only Berries of D grade or higher could be used to make Pokéblocks and other Pokémon food.
Using the Berry energy grading device Ramos had given him, Cole tested his crop. To his amazement, most were C grade, with some even reaching B grade.
When he first saw the test results, Cole could hardly believe it. The seeds had come from ordinary market Berries, which should have produced E or F grade fruit at best.
But the C and B grade results confirmed his suspicion — his special ability truly could enhance Berry quality, and remarkably well.
This was just the first harvest. In a few years, he might even produce A-grade and S-grade Berries. With such high-quality Berries, his potential earnings would be astronomical.
Cole felt immense relief. Without this ability, his dream of becoming a Berry tycoon would have remained just that — a dream. Now, his path forward was clear.
Through his research, he also discovered why those two Caterpie frequently visited his orchard.
It turned out that when Berry trees are full of energy, they attract Bug-type Pokémon like Caterpie, Weedle, and Butterfree. These Pokémon eat the leaves and branches to speed up their evolution. Only energy-rich Berry trees can produce high-quality fruit.
Now Cole needed to sell this batch of Berries to earn his first real income. With C and B grade Berries, he couldn't simply sell them at the market — they needed to go to Breeders.
However, he faced two challenges: he lacked connections to high-level Breeders, and even if he could reach them, they likely had established Berry suppliers. Additionally, since this was his first harvest, the yield wasn't large.
So he cleverly targeted Breeder students instead. They had modest budgets and wanted quality Berry materials, but their demand wasn't overwhelming — perfect for Cole's situation.
Since C-grade and especially B-grade Poké Blocks were rare in the market, Cole felt confident he could sell his Berries, even to Breeders with money to spend.
Hearing his plan, Alfred frowned and said, "Cole, Breeders have strict quality requirements. The ones you grew..."
He knew his junior had only collected Berry seeds from the market.
Cole confidently replied, "Don't worry, brother Alfred. I've been learning planting techniques from Grandpa Ra for over a year now. The Berry quality is definitely good — I've already tested them."
He couldn't reveal his special ability, so he attributed everything to Ramos.
Alfred knew nothing about cultivation, so he didn't question this. Besides, Cole had worked diligently on those Berries all year, so he smiled and agreed.
"That's good then. I'm not a Pokémon Science student, so I don't know many Breeders, but I can ask around at school this afternoon."
"That's wonderful, brother Alfred, thank you so much!" Cole exclaimed excitedly.
Alfred shook his head and said, "It's nothing, I'm just glad I can help."
As the oldest child at the Blue Bird Orphanage, he always felt responsible for his younger siblings. His dream was to grow up quickly, start working, and earn money to reduce Meili's burden.
So being able to help Cole made him happy.
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Shortly after they returned home, Charlie and Lily arrived together.
Charlie burst into the courtyard and immediately questioned Cole, "Why did you leave by yourself? Lily and I went to your class to look for you — we went there for nothing!"
"Ah, sorry." Cole chuckled, "I had something urgent to discuss with brother Alfred, so I couldn't wait."
Charlie asked curiously, "What was it? Do you need my help too?"
Cole shook his head, "I don't need your help. It might not work out — I'll tell you if it does."
"Alright."
After Charlie left, Cole headed to the orchard.
The orchard had transformed completely since its beginnings. Over thirty fruit trees now towered above him, their lush foliage and branches promising a bountiful harvest.
The Berry trees were common varieties — nearly half were Oran Berries, with the remainder split between Pecha Berries and other types.
Their common nature made them highly sought-after in the market. High demand meant many people grew them, which in turn made them widespread.
However, as the trees grew larger, the plot could no longer sustain their growth. They crowded each other, competing for space — a problem that would only worsen.
Cole desperately needed more land.
Upon entering the orchard, he spotted Daisy among the trees.
She looked markedly different from a year ago. Her movements revealed subtle traces of sharpness, though they seemed almost illusory upon closer inspection.
This Gardevoir had mastered control over her Source Energy through daily practice — being surrounded and attacked by Fearow every day had certainly helped with that.
Since Cole had dismissed the Bunnelby, Daisy had managed the orchard for the past year.
The Bunnelby's dismissal came down to one simple reason: poverty!
It had grown fond of "spa treatments", and Cole, pleased with its work, had provided several more.
Then one day it evolved into a plump, robust Diggersby, losing its cute appearance! Worse still, it ate enormous amounts!
After just one day, Cole knew he couldn't afford to keep it. Unlike the Fearow and little Spearow who found their own food, Diggersby required feeding.
So he had to let it go.
Though Diggersby left reluctantly, Cole simply couldn't afford such a big eater — he himself had only recently started having enough to eat!
After the big bunny's departure, Daisy volunteered to help manage the orchard and began studying cultivation techniques alongside her son.
Cole was initially terrified by her transformation. Was this still his simple and sweet mom? Had some wandering spirit possessed her?
Her sudden dedication to training was strange enough, but when he dared voice these doubts, she gave him a sound thrashing.
Dare to question your mother? You clearly needed more discipline!
His sweet mom had become fierce! Yet Cole felt relieved — mom was still mom.
"Garde~ Garde~" — Baby, you're back!
Seeing him return from school, Daisy quickly ran to his side.
Cole noticed the basket she was carrying and asked, "What are you doing?"
Daisy held out the basket, explaining that some fruit had ripened early, so she planned to pick them for the children to eat.
The Berries weren't yet in full harvest season, and the first ripe ones would rot if left unpicked.
"Let me try one first." Cole reached into the basket, took out a Pecha Berry, gave it a quick wipe, and took a bite — after all, he hadn't used any pesticides.
Crunch~
Sweet juice burst in his mouth, releasing a rich fragrance that seemed to awaken his taste buds.
"This... this is incredibly delicious!" Cole exclaimed.
This taste was unlike any Berry he'd eaten before. Could his Special Ability enhance flavor too?
He was amazed. Daisy, who had already sampled the Berries, gave him a proud look that seemed to say "How is it? Good, right?" — as if she had grown them herself.
Daisy: What's the difference between what my son grows and what I grow? (＾-＾)
Berries came in all flavors — spicy, bitter, sour, astringent. Pokémon had unique preferences too. Fire-types, for instance, favored spicy flavors. What humans found delicious didn't always appeal to Pokémon.
Cole's three Berry varieties were chosen for human tastes, primarily sweet and sour. His Special Ability had perfected the balance between these flavors.
But he wondered about spicy, bitter, or astringent Berries. How would his ability affect their taste? Would Pokémon prefer them?
These questions would need future research and experimentation.
"Let's share these with everyone!" Cole took the basket from Daisy and hurried home.
The fruit was an instant hit.
"It's amazing!" Paul exclaimed between bites, "Brother Cole, you're incredible! This is the best fruit I've ever had!"
Cole thought: 'Really? Where have I heard that before!'
Paul was such a little charmer!
Even two-year-old Claire sat with puffy cheeks, clearly delighting in the fruit.
The Pecha Berry's flesh had a texture similar to peaches from Cole's previous life. When ripe, it was soft enough for even a toddler to eat.
Lily carefully cut the Pecha Berry into small pieces, feeding them to Claire one by one.
As Alfred enjoyed the delicious fruit, he finally understood Cole's confidence in selling their Berries. Even if the quality were lower, the taste alone would make them worth buying — though he suspected the quality was excellent too.
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Alfred proved remarkably reliable. That afternoon at school, he immediately began searching for Breeders interested in purchasing Berries.
Through a fortunate chain of connections — his friend in the regular department had a childhood friend whose sister was a Breeder at Fourth Middle School — Alfred found a potential buyer.
This Breeder sister was preparing for the upcoming Pokémon Showcase in Coumarine City. She needed high-quality Berries to make Poké Puffs but had struggled to source them.
Alfred arranged an introduction through his friend, and to his delight, she quickly agreed to meet.
When Alfred shared this news with Cole, he was overjoyed.
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