Chapter 22: You'll Stay With Me Forever, Lan~
Liz had no idea what Will was thinking. She had her servants collect the skin he had shed, storing it all in a small jar. This wasn't because Liz had discovered the value of the skin; she just felt it was a significant memento, much like how a mother might keep her child's baby teeth or a lock of hair from their first haircut.
"Lan is so full of energy," Liz praised, as if she were cooing at a small child.
"...You think I want to be?" Will rolled his eyes.
However, this side of Liz was something Will had never seen in his past life. The Liz in his memory was a curious and bold little girl. The Queen before him now could only be described as gentle and tender. He couldn't help but wonder if this was truly the same "Liz." Besides, from what he had heard about her, shouldn't she be a decisive, heroic, and formidable queen? Right now, she seemed no different from an ordinary, gentle wife.
"Come on, it's time to go back and eat," Liz said, picking Will up and walking back towards the palace. Because of the morning's incident, neither of them had eaten yet.
"What are we eating?"
"There's a cow-like primal beast on the plains. The researchers discovered that these beasts can produce very nutritious and sweet milk. It's especially suitable for raising young beasts and children, so you should have some too, Lan."
It was strange. Although Liz couldn't understand what Will was saying, she could still magically carry on a conversation with him.
"Humans discovered Moomoo Milk this early?" Will was a little stunned to hear Liz's words. In the Johto region, there were three well-known types of Pokémon milk: Kangaskhan Milk, Mareep Milk, and Moomoo Milk. Moomoo Milk was, of course, the milk produced by Miltank, and it was a key ingredient in many world-famous dairy products. The "cow-like primal beast" Liz was talking about had to be a Miltank.
But then he remembered that the Pokédex had mentioned long ago that Miltank had been supporting the lives of many humans and Pokémon since ancient times. It just never specified how "ancient" that was. Besides, even if people were living with Miltank, they most likely just treated them like ordinary dairy cows. In their eyes, a gentle and cute Pokémon like Miltank wouldn't have much fighting ability, so they never considered training them for battle.
"Looks like my physique is going to grow to an absurd size in this life," Will thought, leisurely swishing his small tail. In his past life, he had grown to such a massive size just by surviving on berries in the wild. In this life, as the Queen's darling, eating the most nutritious and delicious food and sleeping in the most comfortable and luxurious bed, how could he not grow up big and strong?
In the dining hall, Liz sat alone at a long table, with a row of maids standing on either side. Liz wouldn't have minded dining with them, but they knew their place and would never do so. In the past, mealtime had been a very boring affair for Liz. She didn't enjoy it.
But now, things were different.
"Bring me the bottle," Liz said to Hestia, who was standing beside her.
"Eh? Your Majesty, this is something we can handle. Please, eat your meal first," Hestia said, pausing with the baby bottle in her hand.
"Bring it here." Liz's attitude was firm, her tone leaving no room for refusal. In moments like these, she truly displayed the air of a queen.
Hestia had no choice but to hand the still-warm bottle to Liz.
"Lan, open wide~" Liz held the bottle in one hand and Will in the other, cooing at him with a smile. Her eyes sparkled; she clearly found the process very amusing and was enjoying it immensely.
"I don't need a bottle," Will turned his head away in refusal. He was a grown man; how could he use a baby bottle? What would happen to his pride?
"Be good~" Liz coaxed him again patiently.
"No, I am a mighty pseudo-legendary, how could I possibly... suck~"
Will turned his head again. But this time, Liz seized the opportunity. The moment he opened his mouth to speak, she shoved the nipple inside.
Oh wow, this is actually amazing~
Will took a subconscious sip. The moment he tasted the sweetness, he couldn't stop. Moomoo Milk was unlike any milk from his past life. He didn't know how it tasted to humans, but for a baby Pokémon, it was lethally delicious. For Will, it was the best thing he had ever tasted. He hadn't drunk anything this good in over a month. Thinking about the lake water he had been drinking for his entire past life, he had no idea how he had survived.
"Such a good boy~" Liz praised him with a gentle smile.
The surrounding maids couldn't help but smile like proud aunties as they watched the heartwarming scene. It had been a long time since they had seen Her Majesty look so happy.
After patiently feeding Will, Liz unhurriedly began to eat her own, now slightly cool, meal. She didn't find it unappetizing. As a child who had come from the Tribal Period, she was easily satisfied.
And...
"Mew?! (What is that you're eating?!)"
"Mew? (Is that a cocoon? Are people supposed to eat that?)"
"Mew... (I can't imagine a human being made that...)"
"Mew.. (The culinary arts of your human world have a long way to go.)"
...
Liz looked at Will, who was lying on her lap, looking up and chirping endlessly. She didn't find him noisy at all; in fact, she found it quite amusing. She couldn't understand what he was saying, of course, but she liked the feeling of this.
"You'll stay with me forever, Lan~" Liz leaned down and kissed Will's forehead.
The latter recoiled in disgust and quickly lay back down.
Oh my god, she got my whole head greasy... Will shot Liz a disdainful look, then lifted his head confidently. "Don't worry. With the lifespan of a Dragon-type, I'll still be around for another eight hundred years after you kick the bucket."
"Then it's a promise," Liz said, taking his response as an agreement and breaking into a happy smile.
"It's a promise!"
In the afternoon, Liz had to attend to state affairs, and Will was temporarily placed in an artificial lake that had been built in the backyard.
"Finally, back in the water. My skin was about to crack."
Returning to the water, Will swam back and forth, feeling more comfortable than ever. A Dratini really was better off in the water.
"Your Highness, even if Lord Lan is a baby, he is still a primal beast. It is still rather dangerous for you."
Suddenly, a maid's voice came from outside the lake. Will curiously popped his head out to look. As he did, a small face appeared right in front of his.
At some point, a small, expressionless girl had come to the edge of the lake and was now lying on her stomach, probably having watched him swim for a while.
"Mew? (What are you looking at?)" Will asked the blank-faced little girl.
"..."
The little girl didn't speak. She just lay by the lake, propping her chin on her hands, and continued to stare blankly at Will, who was right in front of her.
"..."
Will was speechless. The girl's vacant gaze made it impossible for him to tell if she was genuinely dazed or just staring.