"It seems I, too, would retire... from being Galar's king."
Calyrex's voice cracked like thunder on a clear day.
The most dramatic reactions didn't come from Lucas, but from the two steeds at Calyrex's side—Glastrier and Spectrier.
It was Lucas's first time seeing such human-like shock on two horse faces. No longer able to feign sleep, Glastrier and Spectrier opened their eyes and stared incredulously at Calyrex.
Their beloved steeds' reactions left Calyrex half-amused, half-exasperated. It continued, "This is a conclusion I reached after deep consideration. This Galar no longer needs the King of Bountiful Harvests. And for that king, the Galar I cherished is already a thing of the past, a memory."
Ever since meeting Lucas and, upon his reminder, deciding to no longer rely on human faith, Calyrex had been thinking through many things while searching for its beloved steeds.
Now that it had found both steeds—where should it go next?
Return as Galar's king and clash with the current Galar League?
Live in seclusion in the Crown Tundra, keeping clear of the mortal world?
Or, as Lucas suggested, leave the Crown Tundra with him and personally raise Cosmog?
Calyrex felt it had perhaps found the answer now.
Whether from the atmosphere between Lucas and his Pokémon, the feelings between them, or the debt it owed him—one of rebirth, really—its answer was clear.
That grace was too great to repay, so Calyrex wished to accept the invitation Lucas had extended in front of the Iceberg Ruins.
From Lucas's mouth, it knew the world was vast. So it wanted to go see it, to see scenery different from the Crown Tundra.
Gazing intently at Lucas, Calyrex spoke again: "My friend, would your farm be able to accommodate me, my steeds, and Cosmog living together?"
Lucas froze, then his joy was plain to see. He nodded emphatically. "Of course!"
Almost instantly, Lucas noticed Calyrex's change in self-address: Became the modest (I), and the lofty (thou) turned into the down-to-earth (you).
Calyrex's mindset had long been ready for this step. From this moment, it would no longer be the King of Bountiful Harvests, no longer Galar's king.
It was simply Calyrex.
Lucas's farm was large and could welcome more friends. Even if it got cramped someday, he could always expand it.
Besides, no farmer ever hates expanding their fields!
With Calyrex accepting his invitation and joining the farm, Lucas was naturally delighted.
Cosmog didn't understand much but sensed Calyrex and Lucas were happy, so it giggled. Glastrier and Spectrier exchanged helpless looks; the two rivals, so often at odds, found themselves strangely in agreement.
What else could they do?
They had already renewed their fealty to Calyrex—they could only follow to the end.
Calyrex joining with Glastrier and Spectrier was wonderful news, to say nothing of Cosmog needing Calyrex and Lucas's care.
This was something Lucas hadn't expected before setting out.
He'd only been dragged here by Nemona and the others to solve a haunting, yet he ended up bringing back Calyrex, Glastrier, Spectrier, and Cosmog—four Legendary Pokémon.
Not to mention he had honestly battled and captured the Titan of Ice, Regice, with Ceruledge's straightforward victory.
Lucas even felt he'd come to the Crown Tundra on a wholesale procurement run.
Since Calyrex had agreed to return with him to the Paldea farm, and since he'd barely eaten after a busy day, Lucas decided to let everyone get acquainted. He released all the Pokémon he was carrying and introduced each one to Calyrex.
Luxray, Swampert, Ceruledge, Dragonite, Mimikyu, Vulpix, Victini, Comfey, and Arcanine all made an appearance before Calyrex.
Pent up in Poké Balls for a while, Arcanine wanted to run around to burn off energy after greeting everyone.
Seeing Glastrier and Spectrier itching to stretch their legs too, Calyrex permitted them to race with Arcanine—but strictly forbade fighting.
Arcanine's thick coat could handle the Tundra's cold; as a Fire-type, even more so. Lucas let it run freely.
For safety, Lucas exchanged a look with Calyrex and still asked Luxray to trail the three.
Not out of fear for their safety—just in case they caused trouble and disturbed wild Pokémon.
After sending them off, Calyrex watched Lucas pull odd tools from his pack and asked curiously, "What do you intend to do?"
Lucas paused while taking out seasonings, remembering Calyrex might not recognize these things. He explained seriously, "Pots, bowls, and kitchen tools. We haven't eaten all day—I'm making a late-night snack to fill up."
Then, with seasonings out, Lucas—helped by Ceruledge and the others—cleared the snow to expose the frozen-hard ground and set a pot to boil water.
Realizing Lucas had barely eaten while helping find its steeds, Calyrex apologized. "I'm sorry. You must be tired after a full day."
It had accepted human fealty for many years. Though it had never seen food being made and didn't recognize cookware, Calyrex recalled Lucas's words: humans, unlike itself, were like wild Pokémon—they needed time each day to eat and replenish energy.
That was why it apologized.
"It's fine. Don't take the blame," Lucas said warmly, hands still working. "Being hungry once in a while makes the meal that follows all the more satisfying."
"By the way, can you help me with something?"
Asked suddenly, Calyrex nodded without hesitation. "No problem."
Whether for past subjects or today's friend, Calyrex always tried to grant requests. That was its nature and way of conduct.
Even retiring from Galar's throne wouldn't change that.
It was still the legend brimming with compassion.
Handing the pot of Swampert's purified boiling water to Ceruledge and Swampert to watch, Lucas took out several sacks of seeds, and asked Mimikyu, Dragonite, Vulpix, and Victini to find edible snow mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots.
Then he took Comfey and told Calyrex the favor he needed.
"Could you reuse some fields to grow ice radishes, black radishes, and ordinary radishes? I want to cook for everyone."
He waved the seed sacks bought from villagers earlier that day while hand-twisting the Reins of Unity in Freezington.
He had berries and rations on hand, but no proper ingredients.
The hi-tech space backpack wasn't stasis storage; meats and other spoilables weren't practical for someone always on the move.
So if he wanted to cook outdoors, they'd have to forage—or have Calyrex help grow them.
Calyrex instantly understood and mused, "Since we have seeds, growing black radishes and ice radishes is no problem—just a matter of switching plots. After resonating with my steeds twice, my power is fully restored."
"However, for ordinary radishes..."
Calyrex trailed off, unsure. It couldn't recall a suitable place right now.
Its power could restore barren land, but that required preparation time and suitable soil.
Crown Tundra radish seeds are peculiar—depending on environment they grow different traits. If it merely turned snowfields into farmland, the result here would still be ice radishes.
Calyrex admitted that though it could bless the land, it couldn't force crops to grow into what it wished.
Lucas's reply was a wake-up call.
"It's the dead of night—why don't we quietly borrow Freezington's fields?"
"Good idea!"
Calyrex's eyes lit up. Its friend was clever indeed.
Soon, Calyrex demonstrated true automated farming before Lucas.
With vast psychic power, it scattered a bag of seeds evenly. Then its blessing washed over the field like the tides, and ice-blue ice radishes sprouted fully.
Harvesting was as easy: a thought, and the radishes were lifted neatly, unscathed.
Watching the whole process, Lucas's mind could only form a few bold characters—
Born with the Farming Sage Physique!
Calyrex was born for farming, the ultimate fantasy of every farmer!
He gave the ice radishes to Ceruledge to chop into rolling chunks, then took Comfey and Calyrex to the Old Cemetery's fields.
As expected, many Ghost-types were around.
In the distance, Lucas even saw a Dragapult with a Dreepy.
When Calyrex prepared to repeat its trick and mature the seeded fields into black radishes, Lucas stopped it, looked to Comfey, put on a Z-Ring, and performed Grassy Terrain Z in front of Calyrex.
Bathed in intense light under Calyrex's surprised gaze, Comfey made nearby Ghost-types scatter. The light formed a Grassy Terrain that halved the growth time of the radishes in one go.
That reminded Calyrex of the sprouted radishes they'd seen in the Old Cemetery during the day.
"This is Grassy Terrain? It seems different from what I recall—what a wondrous effect."
Lucas nodded slightly. "It's Grassy Terrain, but learned from Alola's Island Guardians, specially enhancing crop growth."
"As for the glowing on my hand, that's a Z-Ring and Z-Crystal. They boost move power or effects—both from Alola."
"Alola—that's the place you said has frequent Ultra Wormholes and the secret to Cosmog's final evolution?"
"Right. It's uniquely connected to Cosmog and its future evolutions."
Calyrex nodded, remembering Alola, then, after harvesting black radishes, they silently borrowed an unused plot in Freezington to plant normal radishes.
Before leaving, perhaps to say a final goodbye to its past, Calyrex empowered Freezington's ailing crops to full maturity overnight and upgraded the fields' quality for easier cultivation.
Lucas watched without intervening; this was Calyrex's will.
"With this, including the Reins of Unity, I'm even with you all."
Calyrex cast a last glance at Freezington and left with Lucas and Comfey without looking back.
Back in the Snowy Valley, Ceruledge had already cut both radish types into perfect rolling chunks, placed separately to avoid mixing flavor and texture.
Handing the ordinary white radishes to Ceruledge, Lucas gathered enough snow mushrooms and winter shoots from Dragonite and the foraging team. With water rolling, he began to cook.
There were over a dozen Pokémon present, each with different tastes. Even without meat, he would divide flavors.
Ice radishes were crisp—he'd make them into salad with berries.
Black radishes suited Ghost-types; Lucas and most others wouldn't eat them, so he made a special dish for Mimikyu, Ceruledge, and Spectrier.
Chunked black radish simmered with snow mushrooms and winter shoots, finished with umami seasonings—perfect, warming soup in the icy snow.
Ordinary radishes would be cooked much the same—simmered till tender with mushrooms and shoots for a delicious soup.
When Spectrier, Glastrier, and Arcanine returned, hot soups and the ice-radish salad were ready.
His own Pokémon were used to portioning themselves, so Lucas focused on Calyrex and company.
He served Calyrex a steaming bowl of white radish, bamboo shoot, and snow mushroom soup, plus a crisp ice-radish berry salad.
Watching Calyrex share small spoonfuls with Cosmog, Lucas smiled, then set the black-radish soup and ice-radish salad before Spectrier and Glastrier.
Glastrier promptly forgot about Lucas chiseling ice from its mane. It snorted frost, eyes wide at the salad bowl, brain short-circuiting.
What did this human make with ice radish?
Unable to resist, Glastrier gingerly picked up a piece of ice radish and berry.
Instantly, crisp ice radish and berry matured by Applin's fermentation intertwined, punctuated by a just-right dressing—a flavor cannon blasting Glastrier's worldview to pieces!
"Iiiice-neigh—!" (What exquisite taste!)
Having only ever gnawed raw ice radish, Glastrier's world expanded.
So ice radish could taste even better cooked by humans.
Wolfing it down, Glastrier not only forgot the hair-pulling offense, but its favorability toward Lucas spiked, grateful it had re-sworn fealty and could leave with Calyrex.
Otherwise, it couldn't bear to imagine a future without ice-radish berry salad!
Glastrier could not live without Lucas!
Spectrier was much the same, happily drinking black-radish soup emitting a faint eerie black aura—feeling warmth for the first time as a Ghost-type.
Seeing everyone eat happily, Lucas smiled in relief.
As a cook, you hope for positive feedback. The sense of achievement rivaled beating a tough opponent.
While eating crisp ice radish, Lucas pictured a snowy mountain, and a red-clad figure upon it.
Mt. Silver's peak might suit ice radishes too. If he visited Kanto, perhaps he could bring some?
Resources up there were scarce—mostly snow, little vegetation, high altitude, bitter cold—ice radishes might take.
Thinking of the last time he and Dragonite climbed Mt. Silver and that dueling legend nearly stranded for lack of food, Lucas's lips twitched, once again grasping that great strength doesn't mean skill in other areas.