Chapter 22. Aran will stay with me forever~
What Ryū was thinking, Liz didn't know. She had someone collect the skins Ryū shed and put them all in a small jar. It wasn't that Liz discovered the value of these skins; she just felt they were very commemorative, like a mother keeping a child's lost baby teeth or hair from their first month.
"Aran is really energetic." Liz said, praising Ryū quietly, as if coaxing a child.
"...You think I wanted to be?" Ryū rolled his eyes. This demeanor of Liz's was something Ryū had never seen in his previous life. The Liz in his memory was clearly a curious and bold young girl, but now this queen could only be described as gentle and soft.
He couldn't help but wonder if this was really "Liz." Moreover, based on what he had heard, shouldn't she be a decisive, valiant, and great queen? Now she seemed no different from an ordinary human wife.
"Let's go, it's time for us to go back and eat." Liz held Ryū and walked toward the palace. Because of what happened this morning, they hadn't eaten yet.
"What are we eating?"
"There's a cow Pokémon on the grassland. The researchers discovered that these Pokémon can produce very nutritious and sweet milk, perfect for raising young Pokémon and children, so Aran should drink that too." It was quite strange. Although Liz clearly couldn't understand what Ryū was saying, she could still magically converse with him.
"Humans discovered MooMoo Milk so early?" Ryū was stunned for a moment when he heard Liz's words. In the Johto Region, three types of Pokémon milk are relatively well-known: Kangaskhan milk, Mareep milk, and MooMoo Milk.
MooMoo Milk is the milk produced by Miltank. Many world-renowned dairy product ingredients contain it. The cow Pokémon Liz mentioned must refer to a Miltank. Upon reflection, he remembered that it had been mentioned in the Pokédex long ago that Miltank had been supporting the lives of many humans and Pokémon since ancient times.
It just didn't mention how long ago this so-called "ancient times" was. Moreover, even if people were already living with Miltank, they were mostly raising her like an ordinary dairy cow. In their view, a kind and cute Pokémon like Miltank wouldn't have any combat power. So they never considered raising them as a combat force or deploying them on the battlefield.
"It seems my physique will grow quite exaggerated in this life." Ryū leisurely wagged his small tail. In his previous life, surviving in the wild by eating berries, he could grow to such a large size. In this life, as the Queen's beloved Pokémon, eating the most nutritious and delicious food and sleeping on the most comfortable and luxurious bed, how could he not grow exceptionally strong?
They arrived at the dining hall. Only Liz sat at the long table, while a row of maids stood on each side. Liz didn't mind dining with these people, but they knew their place and were unwilling to do so.
Eating used to be a very boring thing for Liz; she didn't like mealtimes. But now it was different.
"Bring the bottle." Liz spoke to Hestia, who was standing beside her.
"Huh? Queen, just leave this kind of thing to us. Please eat first." Hestia was stunned for a moment, holding the bottle.
"Bring it here." Liz's attitude was very firm, her tone not allowing refusal. At this moment, she indeed showed some queenly demeanor.
Hestia had no choice but to hand the still-warm bottle to Liz.
"Aran, ah~" Liz held the bottle in one hand and Ryū in the other, coaxing him with a smile. Her eyes were bright; it seemed she found this process very interesting and was enjoying it greatly.
"I don't need a bottle." Ryū turned his head, refusing. How old was he to still use a bottle? Would he have any face if word got out?
"Be good~" Liz patiently coaxed him again.
"I won't, I am a dignified Pseudo-Legendary, how can I... sip~" Ryū turned his head again. But this time, Liz seized the opportunity and, while he was talking, quickly put the nipple into his mouth.
'Oh my god, it's so fragrant~' Ryū subconsciously took a sip, and after tasting the sweetness, he couldn't stop. MooMoo Milk was different from any milk in his previous life. He didn't know how this tasted to humans, but for Pokémon young, it truly had considerable famous appeal. For Ryū, it was simply incredibly delicious.
He hadn't drunk anything this delicious in over a month. Thinking about drinking lake water for over a month in his previous life, he really didn't know how he survived.
"So good~" Liz pursed her lips in praise. The surrounding maids couldn't help but raise the corners of their mouths and show affectionate smiles when they saw this heartwarming scene. They hadn't seen the Queen look so happy in a long time.
After patiently feeding Ryū, Liz unhurriedly began to eat her slightly cooled meal. She didn't find it unpalatable. After all, a child who came from tribal times was easily satisfied.
Moreover...
"Mew?! (What are you eating?!)"
"Mew? (This is a bug pupa, right? Is this something humans eat?)"
"Mew... (It's hard to imagine a human made this...)"
"Mew... (The culinary skills of humans in your world still have a long way to go.)"
...
Liz looked at Ryū, who was tilting his head up on her lap and chattering endlessly. She didn't find him annoying; instead, she was amused. She couldn't understand what Ryū was saying, but she felt this feeling was very good.
"Aran, you have to stay with me forever~" Liz lowered her head and kissed Ryū's forehead. The latter quickly lay down in disgust.
"Oh my god, you kissed my oily head..." Ryū glanced at Liz dismissively, then confidently raised his head. "Don't worry, with the lifespan of us Dragon-type Pokémon, even eight hundred years after you're gone, I won't be."
"Then it's a deal." Liz thought Ryū had agreed and showed a happy smile.
"It's a deal!"
Time moved to the afternoon. Liz had to attend to state affairs, while Ryū was temporarily placed in the artificial lake that was built in the backyard.
"Finally in the water. If I didn't get in the water soon, my skin would crack." Ryū, back in the water, swam around. It was incredibly comfortable. Sure enough, Dratini is most comfortable staying in the water.
"Little Princess, even if Lord Aran is a young one, he is still a Pokémon. He is still relatively dangerous to you." Suddenly, a maid's voice came from outside the lake.
Ryū curiously poked his head out to look outside. As soon as he raised his head, a small face appeared in front of him. At some point, a little girl who looked expressionless was lying by the lake, possibly watching him swim for a while.
"Mew? (What are you looking at?)" Ryū looked at the blank little girl in front of him and asked.
"..."
The little girl didn't speak. She lay by the lake, supporting her chin with her hands, and continued to stare blankly at Ryū, who was within reach.
"..."
Ryū was speechless. The girl's blank gaze made it impossible for him to tell if the child was really spacing out.