Chapter 46: Celebi's Work

"So, why are all the crops harvested overnight?!"

When Guangtai woke up the next day, he was already greeted by a bewildered Petilil out in the fields.

And... all the cultivated plants had fully matured and yielded a bountiful harvest! Guangtai even thought for a second that he had overslept and time-traveled forward by a whole month!

[Petilil has completed a craft work!]

[Learned move: Pollen Puff.]

[Petilil obtained Knowledge: 1]

[Harvest Time: By cultivating various crops, all of Petilil's stats will grow more easily.]

Seeing the notification, Guangtai couldn't help but look over at Petilil.

All stats grow more easily... Is this equivalent to an overall stat boost? This is a truly wonderful result, though perhaps it's also thanks to this unusual incident...

However, Petilil was still in an excited state and didn't seem to notice that her own condition had undergone a change.

Looking at the surrounding mature crops, Guangtai looked left and right, and spotted a small hole that looked as if it had been dug and then filled back in.

"This little hole is... Petilil, did you dig this?"

Petilil tilted her head, her expression full of confusion.

"Lill?"

"Eh, you didn't dig it? Then..."

Just as Guangtai was feeling puzzled, he suddenly heard a brisk, cheerful cry:

"Cele!"

Right on the roof of the workshop, a pale green Pokémon was sitting there, cheerfully swinging its little legs and gently shaking its head as it watched Guangtai emerge from the wooden cabin, along with the other two Pokémon.

Guangtai couldn't believe his eyes.

It's really... Celebi!

The guardian deity of the forest!

"I see, that explains it... That explains..." Guangtai muttered repeatedly. Celebi stood up from the roof of the workshop, flapped the little wings on its back, and flew lightly and gracefully to Guangtai's side, greeting Petilil and Doublade!

"Cele!"

"Yo!"

"Lill!"

Petilil looked at Celebi with eyes full of yearning and admiration!

Could all these plants growing overnight be the work of the Pokémon right before her eyes?

When would she be able to do things just like her?

Meanwhile, Doublade's two eyes stared fixedly at Celebi, as if thinking of something...

"Yo~!"

Right, this fellow definitely came from the forest. Hey, come to think of it, with this fellow around, there's no need to protect the forest environment at all! You can just chop down trees at will and they'll grow right back the next day. This ability is way too convenient!

Doublade completely failed to realize that, being a sword—no, two swords—it had actually projected itself into the perspective of a logging axe...

"The Unown Stone Slate can form a connection with corresponding Pokémon..." Guangtai kept chewing over this phrase.

At this moment, Celebi suddenly flew back up to the roof, and then flew back holding a wooden carving in both hands, looking quite happy!

"Cele!"

Guangtai was surprised, and then realization dawned on him: "You... like the carvings I made?"

Celebi nodded and smiled, "Cele!"

At the same time, it extended a finger, pointed toward the depths of the forest, and then circled around Guangtai, signaling him to follow it into the woods.

Celebi's forest... the depths of the Celestic Forest, carvings...

Connecting these few keywords, Guangtai seemed to guess the answer, though Doublade had already let out "Yopuyouwu" sounds, acting as a translator.

"I see, Celebi means that there is a broken shrine in the forest, so it wants me to use my carving skills to help repair it?"

"And use 'Ancient Carving Craftsmanship', right?"

Guangtai understood now!

So it wanted to ask him to repair a shrine!

Celebi's shrines exist in many forests. Apparently, in ancient times a thousand years ago, people in various regions worshipped Celebi, and Celebi's shrines are even important time-travel locations in the games.

Speaking of Celebi's most famous shrine location, it is naturally the Ilex Forest of the Johto region!

Originally, Guangtai had planned to do charcoal-burning work today, but now that the herbs and crops had been artificially ripened, they had to be harvested as soon as possible. Celebi seemed to realize this as well, and smiled a little awkwardly.

It seemed she had disrupted the other party's work schedule...

"It's fine, let's harvest these herbs and crops first today. I should thank you, otherwise it would have taken many more days to gather these crops. Now my inventory is well-stocked again."

Guangtai didn't feel any resentment, completely forgetting about the little hole, and assured Celebi:

"Once I'm done here, I'll go help you repair the shrine."

At the same time, Guangtai began to ponder the specific description of the Unown Stone Slate... At the time, he knew that actively arranging the characters could establish a connection with the corresponding Pokémon, but there was a second half to the sentence.

Some Pokémon will also actively establish a connection with the Unown Stone Slate.

Does this mean that sometimes the stone slate will piece together the corresponding words on its own, and those Pokémon, just like Celebi, are seeking him out?

This connection might not be "telepathy" or "explicit notification," but rather a hazy prophecy. When Pokémon associated with him might appear in the future, the slate automatically combines and arranges the characters...

That was Guangtai's conjecture.

"Friend, all lives will encounter other lives, and let new things be born."

For some reason, Guangtai thought of the inscription on the Celestic Ruins in the Sinnoh region.

Yes, the Unown Stone Slate is a slate using Unown as symbols, and the slate in the Celestic Ruins is the same, recording this exact passage, which is also the favorite motto of Sinnoh Champion Cynthia.

Looking forward again, Celebi had already quickly become familiar with Petilil and Doublade, and the three Pokémon began harvesting those herbs, crops, and berries in the fields.

"Cele!"

Celebi plucked a berry, handed it to Guangtai, and expressed its willingness to help as well.

"Thank you."

Guangtai reached out his hand, but then paused. Celebi noticed what Guangtai wanted to do and not only didn't back away, but actively stepped forward and grasped Guangtai's palm.

The feel of Celebi against his skin was like blades of grass, extremely soft, to the point where Guangtai gradually lost himself in stroking it.

He felt his mind grow quiet, like a gentle breeze and leaves brushing across his body, accompanied by the imaginary sound of bells.

"It's Heal Bell."

Guangtai snapped back to reality, saw Celebi's smile, and confirmed that the other party had just used the move.

Heal Bell can eliminate status conditions of all party Pokémon, and it is a deeply comforting ringing sound.

With the help of the three Pokémon, Guangtai quickly finished gathering all the herbs, crops, and berries, piling them into the workshop. By this time, due to the massive harvesting process, the entire cultivation workflow was considered fully complete. Guangtai gained Knowledge once again, while Doublade and Petilil also gained varying degrees of experience points and growth.

[Completed the harvest work.]

[Obtained Knowledge: 1]

[Better Harvest: The medicinal efficacy of planted herbs is improved, crop flavors become better, and berries provide more energy.]

[Doublade gained experience points and growth through work.]

[Petilil gained experience points and growth through work.]

And incredibly... Guangtai saw information regarding Celebi.

[Celebi gained experience points and growth through work.]

Even an external Pokémon, as long as it deeply participates in the work, can gain growth, just like the Diglett.

Guangtai's expression grew somewhat peculiar.

He had previously thought about shearing the wool of a mythical Pokémon, and never expected... it actually came true!

At the same time, having completed the cultivation related to "Permafrost Cultivation Technology," Guangtai obtained a clue for a new material!

...

Clue:

[Rare Material: Wood of Ilex Forest.]

[Acquisition Location: Ilex Forest.]

[Corresponding Craft: Unique Charcoal Burning Craftsmanship.]

...

"Cele?"

Celebi sensed a strange Grass-type energy dissipating from the harvested herbs and crops, condensing into her own body.

She seemed to have grown a bit stronger?

Miraculous events always happen suddenly. Celebi knew it must have been because of this magical human right before her eyes. After the harvest was complete, Guangtai returned to the cabin, picked up a piece of stone, and began carving.

The sculpture this time was, of course, in the shape of Celebi.

The three Pokémon curiously gathered around Guangtai. Celebi sat on the table, Petilil tilted her head beside Guangtai, and Doublade boasted about how incredible Guangtai's carving skills were—both swords bragging together, competing to see who could praise him more fiercely!

They had Celebi thoroughly delighted!

After a short while, the carving work was finished, and Celebi also showed a curious expression of cooperation. From her perspective, this carving speed was somewhat miraculous.

But Guangtai knew that all that acquired knowledge and craftsmanship didn't come for free!

"Completed."

Thoughts surged and converged into information.

[Handicraft: Miniature [Ancient Stone Statue]--Celestic Ruins Style.]

[Description: A stone statue carved in an ancient style, shaped like Celebi... Some collectors will purchase it at a high price.]

[Handicraft Effect 1: Memory Recall—Allows Pokémon to recall moves they could have learned but somehow forgot.]

[Handicraft Effect 2: Child of the Forest—Will not get lost when moving through forests, reducing the probability of attacks by wild Pokémon.]