I’m the Owner of the Pokémon Day Care In the World of Pokémon

That day, Yuga was practicing incense making with Lain as usual at the new store when he suddenly received a call from Kiriha. On the phone, Kiriha mentioned that she had already arrived in Verdanturf Town and was waiting for him at the old store.

After hanging up, Yuga quickly left the new store and went to the reception room of the old store, where he met Kiriha.

Kiriha was there to report on her work.

Although Yuga had fully entrusted the operations of Everlasting Workshop to Kiriha, she still made it a point to visit regularly to update him on the progress.

This time, in addition to reporting on the business situation at Everlasting Workshop, Kiriha also came to discuss the collaboration with the Joy family regarding the Moonlight Pearls.

Not long ago, the medication jointly developed by Yuga and the Joy family using Moonlight Pearls had finally been introduced to the market. The product received widespread acclaim and achieved significant success.

There were two types of medications made from Moonlight Pearls: the Pearl Pills, which help regulate the human body, and the Moonlight Pills, which promote the growth of Pokémon and improve their physical condition.

The success of these two products upon market release was not just due to the Joy family's reputation but also because of their genuinely remarkable effects.

The Pearl Pills were particularly effective in significantly slowing down the aging process in humans. After consistent use, people reported feeling rejuvenated.

Aunt Hisako, for instance, had been using the Pearl Pills gifted by Yuga for a while and appeared much younger. Despite being nearly forty, she now looked barely over thirty, which allowed her to boast impressively among her friends.

Yuga also sent some Pearl Pills to his master. Ryuichi even called him specifically to say that both he and his master had started using them and were very satisfied with the results.

The Pearl Pills were especially popular among women and the elderly.

The Moonlight Pills, on the other hand, were even more successful.

Due to constant training and battles, Pokémon inevitably develop various internal injuries over time. These injuries are often difficult to heal, and as they accumulate, they can lead to irreversible damage.

Moonlight Pills are highly effective in treating such injuries, ensuring that Pokémon can always train in peak condition.

The impact of Moonlight Pills on Pokémon is even more pronounced than the effect of Pearl Pills on humans. Yuga's own Pokémon also take them, which has significantly boosted their training efficiency and visibly improved their vitality.

The Pearl Pills and Moonlight Pills are managed separately. The Joy family holds the sales rights for Pearl Pills, while the sales rights for Moonlight Pills belong to Everlasting Workshop. The profits from each are entirely independent.

Currently, the Moonlight Pills sold by Everlasting Workshop are manufactured by the Joy family, but Everlasting Workshop is in the process of acquiring a pharmaceutical factory and has sent staff to the Joy family to learn the production techniques for Moonlight Pills.

Once Everlasting Workshop can independently produce the Moonlight Pills, the Joy family will no longer assist in their manufacturing.

Since the Moonlight Pearls, the primary raw material for both pills, are sourced from Yuga, the Joy family, despite possessing the formula for Moonlight Pills, has signed an agreement with Everlasting Workshop not to engage in the business of Moonlight Pills independently.

Of course, such agreements aren't foolproof. For instance, if the Joy family were to renege in the future, alter the formula slightly, and market it under a different name, there would be little Yuga could do.

For now, however, the collaboration between the two parties remains smooth and successful.

This time, Kiriha came not only to report on the management status of Everlasting Workshop but also to discuss the acquisition of the pharmaceutical factory. The acquisition process was essentially complete, requiring only Yuga's signature on the relevant documents.

Kiriha's efficiency in handling tasks was as impeccable as always.

After concluding the discussion about the pharmaceutical factory, Yuga looked at the profit report for Moonlight Pills over the past period and was utterly stunned. "Are Moonlight Pills really this profitable?"

Only at that moment did Yuga truly realize just how wealthy he had become.

Kiriha chuckled at Yuga's astonished expression. "This is just the beginning. Once everyone fully realizes the benefits of Moonlight Pills, the profits will only grow exponentially."

The former impoverished youth, Yuga, was left speechless by Kiriha's words, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the profits.

Kiriha continued, "This is entirely reasonable. While there are other products on the market with effects similar to Moonlight Pills, none can compare to them in quality. It's virtually a monopoly.

Coupled with the excellent promotional efforts by the Joy family, it's no surprise they've reached this level of success."

Because of the Moonlight Pills, Everlasting Workshop's reputation had risen significantly.

Although both Moonlight Pills and Pearl Pills were selling exceptionally well, their prices were far from cheap. After all, the primary ingredient, Moonlight Pearls, was inherently costly. However, this had no effect on people's fervent pursuit of the products.

Money can always be earned again, but the health of humans and Pokémon is priceless.

After discussing the sales situation of Moonlight Pills for a while, Kiriha suddenly brought up another topic. "The Joy family recently has a conference scheduled in the Hoenn region. They sent word inviting you to attend, and I'm here to ask for your thoughts."

Yuga was surprised. "Why would they invite me to their family meeting?"

Kiriha shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm just the messenger."

Yuga followed up. "When and where is the meeting?"

Kiriha replied, "It should be in about a week, in Rustboro City. They said if you're willing to attend, I should let them know, and they'll send you an official invitation."

After some thought, Yuga nodded. "Alright, let them know I'll be there."

"Got it. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

Once Kiriha left, Yuga picked up his phone and called Joyka.

"Your family is holding a conference in Hoenn soon?"

Joyka's voice came through the line. "Yes. Did they invite you?"

"You knew?" Yuga was surprised.

Joyka responded, "I know a little. Are you going?"

"They've extended such a sincere invitation. How could I refuse?" Yuga replied, considering the partnership. "But it's a family conference—why invite an outsider like me? If it's business-related, I've already entrusted Kiriha to handle everything on my behalf."

Joyka was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Since you've decided to attend, you'll find out in due time. The invitation came from certain members of our family."

"Alright then," Yuga said, no longer pressing the issue. "I'll hang up now."

After ending the call with Joyka, Yuga noticed Ninetales standing at the doorway of the meeting room. "What are you doing standing there? Trying to scare me?"

Ninetales rolled its eyes. "I have something important to discuss with you."

Yuga responded, "If you have something to say, just say it!"

Walking up to Yuga, Ninetales sat down gracefully. "Diantha invited me to star in a movie. Please, call her back for me."

Yuga was taken aback. "You two have been keeping in touch quite often, huh? Shouldn't you discuss something like this with me first?"

"Hmph!" Ninetales snorted in displeasure. "I want to earn money!"

A few days ago, Ninetales discovered that its visits to the Pokémon beauty would cost only half the regular price, contrary to Yuga's claims that it would be a significant expense. Feeling deceived, Ninetales had been giving Yuga the cold shoulder ever since.

"Alright, alright, I'll call Diantha right now about this, okay?" Yuga said helplessly, dialing Diantha's number directly.

To Yuga's surprise, Diantha wasn't just inviting Ninetales to star in her new movie but was offering one of the lead roles.

The movie's plot revolved around the protagonist (played by Diantha) embarking on an adventurous journey with her Pokémon. Ninetales was cast as the protagonist's initial companion Pokémon.

Early in the movie, the role was played by a Vulpix. Ninetales would appear later in the story, evolving in the film's second half.

Even so, Ninetales was the second most prominent character in the movie after Vulpix, receiving significant screen time.

Yuga knew that the Vulpix cast in the film had already been featured in several movies and was a well-known star in the Pokémon film industry. By contrast, Ninetales was just starting out.

After hanging up, Yuga turned to Ninetales and said, "Impressive! I didn't expect you to land such a major role so quickly."

Getting a starring role in one of Diantha's productions—renowned for their high budgets and quality—was no small feat. However, it was clear that Diantha had played a crucial role in paving the way for Ninetales.

Hearing Yuga's praise, Ninetales tilted its head high, proudly saying, "Of course! Do you even know who I am?"

Seeing Ninetales' smug expression, Yuga held back a laugh. He said, "I don't oppose you going off to act. But you better properly thank Diantha. Without her, this role wouldn't have been possible."

Ninetales was a clever Pokémon and understood that Diantha had put in effort on its behalf. It nodded gently, "I know. I'll make sure to thank her."

"Good," Yuga said. "When are you heading to Diantha's place?"

"Right away," Ninetales replied. "Diantha said she wanted to discuss the role with me beforehand so I'll be better prepared."

The Vulpix paired with Diantha for the earlier scenes wasn't familiar with her; its owner, acting as its manager, managed all its professional engagements. By comparison, Ninetales shared a much closer bond with Diantha.

Most famous Pokémon actors in the film industry had owners who doubled as their managers. Ninetales, striking out alone, was a rare exception.

In truth, Ninetales' rapid rise in the industry wasn't solely due to Diantha's influence as a celebrity. Its ability to communicate with humans via telepathy made it remarkably easy to work with, especially on set. This was an edge other Pokémon couldn't easily replicate.

Of course, Ninetales' stunning appearance also worked in its favor.

"Alright then," Yuga said. "Do you need to take anything with you? I can ship it to Diantha's place, and it'll arrive before shooting begins."

"Let me prepare a few things," Ninetales replied, dashing out of the meeting room.

About an hour later, Yuga used the Pokémon transfer system to send Ninetales to Diantha's location.

Ninetales' departure didn't have much of an impact on Yuga. With so many Pokémon running around his daycare every day, Yuga had long grown used to the bustling atmosphere. One more or one less didn't make much of a difference to him.

Two days later, Yuga indeed received an invitation from the Joy family, delivered by a Pidgeot from Pidgey Express. The invitation clearly stated the time and location of the meeting.

Time flew by, and on the fourth day, Yuga successfully arrived in Rustboro City riding his Dragonite.

Rustboro City was very close to Verdanturf Town, so Yuga could make a round trip in one day on Dragonite.

Yuga landed in front of a hotel, where two people were already waiting. He immediately recognized one of them as Joyka's mother, Joyla.

As for the other person, an elderly woman in her sixties, Yuga didn't recognize her.

Seeing Joyla waving at him, Yuga stowed away Dragonite and walked towards them.

"Auntie, it's been a while!" Yuga greeted Joyla with a smile, then looked at the elderly Joyka and asked curiously, "And this is...?"

Joyla immediately introduced, "This is my mother, Joyma, and she's Joyka's grandmother."

Yuga immediately addressed her, "Hello, Grandma!" He and Joyka were good friends, so calling her Grandma was completely appropriate.

"Hello, hello!" Joyka's grandmother smiled warmly. "I've been wanting to meet you, Mr. Shimizu, but my age makes it difficult for me to go out."

Yuga quickly responded, "I should be the one visiting you, not the other way around. Please, just call me Yuga; 'Mr. Shimizu' feels too formal."

"Good, then I'll call you Yuga," Joyka's grandmother said, her smile growing even wider.

Yuga's identity was special, and had he not suggested it himself, even though Joyka's grandmother was an elder, she wouldn't have casually called him by his first name.

"Let's not stand out here and talk. Let's go inside the hotel; I've already prepared a room for you, Yuga," Joyla suggested.

"Right, let's go inside. It's not convenient to chat out here," Joyka's grandmother agreed with a smile.

As the three of them were about to enter, two other women came out to meet them.

"Ah? Aunty Joyma, where are you coming from?" A woman who is about the same age as Joyla, asked in surprise. She had just addressed Joyka's grandmother as "Aunty Joyma."

"Oh, it's Joyca. I'm here with Joyla to pick someone up," Joyma replied cheerfully. The woman who came was Joyca, and beside her was her daughter, Joysa.

At this point, Joyca looked at Yuga and said in surprise, "So this is the famous Gym Leader Shimizu? It's truly an honor to meet you. I'm Joyca, Joyka's aunt."

Joyca knew that Yuga and Joyka were good friends, so she introduced herself in this way. In reality, the blood relationship between Joyka's family and Joyca's family was so distant that calling her "Aunt" was more of a courtesy due to their shared clan. In fact, Joyka had never met Joyca, and one could almost say she was a stranger.

"Hello," Yuga responded with a nod, noticing how warm her tone was.

"Aunty Joyma, Sister Joyla, please let Gym Leader Shimizu in. Standing outside to talk is quite impolite," Joyca immediately said with enthusiasm.

Yuga thought, Why does this conversation feel a little off?

"We should go in," Joyla said coldly. The moment Joyca and her daughter appeared, the smile on her face disappeared.

"Right, right, let's go in," Joyma said, still smiling brightly, unlike her daughter's cold demeanor.