Pokémon: No Way! The Golden Finger Only Comes When I'm About To Die!?

The four of them quickly followed the route marked in the travel guide and arrived at the entrance of Munchlax's Home.

Seeing how lively and bustling it was inside, Serena couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder this place is the top recommendation in the travel guide. It's so popular!"

With the delicious food and the royal family's promotion, Munchlax's Home had long become a must-visit destination for tourists in Azoth Kingdom.

Bonnie took a deep breath and said, "It smells so good!"

"Dedenne~! Dedenne~!"

From the small pouch at her waist, Dedenne poked its head out, sniffing furiously before showing an expression identical to Bonnie's.

At that moment, Serena noticed the sign nearby and said in surprise, "Wow, they're opening a noodle shop here in a week? I'd love to try it!"

However, her expression quickly turned regretful. "But we won't be staying here for a week."

Ash couldn't hold back his complaint. "Can we go in already? My stomach's about to collapse!"

"Pikachu~ Pikachu~"

Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder, clutched its stomach and let out a pitiful cry.

Serena hurriedly responded, "Sorry, let's go in, let's go in!"

She took the lead and stepped into Munchlax's Home, followed closely by Ash, Bonnie, and Clemont.

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

Welcome!

As they entered, they were greeted by a cheerful Ralts who is wearing Munchlax's Home's uniform and warmly welcoming them with a bright smile.

"Wow, so cute! What kind of Pokémon is this?" Bonnie asked with starry eyes.

Ash introduced, "This is Ralts! Diantha's Gardevoir evolved from a Ralts."

Seeing Ralts reminded Ash of his past journey through the Hoenn region with Brock, May, and Max, when they encountered a Ralts. Max had even promised to travel with one someday.

After Ash's explanation, Bonnie looked at Ralts with even more awe. "Ralts is amazing!"

Serena couldn't resist pointing her Pokédex at Ralts.

The Pokédex explained: [ Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon. It is the pre-evolved form of Kirlia. Ralts has the ability to sense the emotions of people using the horns on its head. It rarely appears before humans but will approach if it senses positive emotions. ]

Serena remarked, "That's incredible!"

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

Please follow me.

Ralts said cheerfully.

With Ralts leading the way, Ash and the others were guided to an empty table inside. Ralts then handed them the menu.

Serena took the menu and asked, "What should we eat?"

Ash, unable to contain himself, urged, "Anything is fine—just hurry!"

"Alright, then… Let's get four of each type of stuffed bun, four milky buns, and four bowls eight treasure porridge."

Today's special porridge at Munchlax's Home was eight treasure porridge.

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

Ralts then pointed at the salted duck egg on the menu and shouted twice.

Serena looked surprised. "Ralts, are you recommending the salted duck eggs?"

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

Ralts nodded enthusiastically.

"Then let's add four salted duck eggs," Serena decided without hesitation.

"Ralts~"

Seeing that Serena and her group had finished ordering, Ralts cheerfully carried the menu away.

Watching Ralts' retreating figure, Bonnie couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so cute!"

Serena nodded repeatedly, agreeing, "Yes, it really is!"

Before long, Ralts used its psychic powers to bring over a large tray of food, placing it steadily on the table in front of Ash and the others.

"Wow, Ralts, you're amazing!" Bonnie praised enthusiastically.

"Ralts~"

Thank you.

Ralts beamed at the four of them.

As soon as the food was set, a flash of red light streaked across Ash, Clemont, and Serena. A Froakie, a Chespin, and a Fennekin popped out from their Poké Balls, eager to join the feast.

"Chespin~ Chespin~"

Eyeing the spread of delicious food, Chespin was practically drooling.

Serena laughed and said, "Well then, let's dig in!"

Seeing that the group were new faces, Ralts stayed for a moment to guide them on how to enjoy the meal properly, then took the menu and headed off to assist other customers.

Bonnie took a bite of a bun and immediately exclaimed, "This is so delicious, so soft and fluffy!"

Ash and Clemont were too busy stuffing their mouths to respond, their cheeks puffed out with food.

Serena, eating slowly, leaned in mysteriously and said, "Let me tell you a secret. Rumor has it that the owner of this place is a member of the Azoth royal family, and he's supposedly a prince who has lived for five hundred years!"

Bonnie's eyes widened in shock. "What? The owner is a prince?"

Ash and Clemont were equally stunned.

"Five hundred years… Can someone like that really exist?" Clemont asked incredulously.

At that moment, a local Azoth patron at a nearby table leaned over and said, "That's no rumor. Our little boss is indeed a our Azoth Kingdom's prince and he's lived for five centuries!"

"What? Is that true?" Serena was now the one in disbelief. She had thought it was just a rumor!

Meanwhile, Angie, busy in the kitchen, suddenly heard a system notification. Taking a brief moment, he checked and saw that Diancie had accepted a mission on his behalf.

[ (Temporary Task) Get to know Ash and his group — Pending. ]

"What? Ash and his group are here? Are they in the restaurant or somewhere nearby?"

Closing the system, Angie called out to Drizzile, who was stirring porridge. "Drizzile, keep an eye on the kitchen. I'm stepping out for a bit."

"Drizzile~"

Drizzile nodded in agreement.

Angie stepped out of the kitchen and immediately spotted Ash and his friends chatting and laughing in the dining hall.

"Hey, little boss, what brings you out of the kitchen today?" A customer noticed Angie and greeted him warmly.

Angie smiled as he replied, "Just checking in to see how everyone's enjoying their meals."

The customers enthusiastically gave him thumbs up, showering him with praise.

"Absolutely top-notch!"

"Little boss, your cooking has never let us down!"

"I could eat at Munchlax's Home for another hundred years!"

…

Angie's appearance quickly caught Ash and his group's attention.

"Is that the owner of this place?" Serena asked.

The nearby patron confirmed, "Yes, that's our little boss. He's practically a national treasure of Azoth. I can't even imagine what I'd do if Munchlax's Home ever closed down."

Angie walked over with a cheerful grin and said, "Don't worry, old man. Munchlax's Home will never close down!"

The man laughed heartily. "That's a promise, right?"

Angie nodded firmly. "Absolutely."

Turning his attention to Ash's group, Angie pretended to be surprised. "You all look like new faces. Is this your first time at Munchlax's Hone?"

"Y-yes!" Serena stammered nervously, taken aback by Angie addressing them. After all, he was a prince, someone far beyond her usual social circle.

Ash was more at ease and took the initiative to introduce himself: "I'm Ash from Pallet Town, currently challenging the Kalos League. We passed through the Azoth Kingdom during our journey."

Then he introduced his companions: "This is my partner, Pikachu, and Froakie."

"Pikachu~"

"Froakie~"

Pikachu and Froakie greeted Angie cheerfully.

Clemont followed up with his introduction: "I'm Clemont, and this is my partner, Chespin."

"Chespin~ Chespin~"

Chespin, with its cheeks puffed out from eating, managed to wave at Angie.

"And me! I'm Bonnie!" Bonnie raised her hand excitedly before holding up Dedenne and adding, "And this is Dedenne!"

"Dedenne~"

Dedenne greeted Angie while clutching a bun.

"I... I'm Serena," Serena said nervously. "And this is Fennekin."

"Fennekin~"

Fennekin gave a polite cry toward Angie.

After hearing their introductions, Angie introduced himself as well: "I'm Angie, as you can see, the owner of this restaurant."

Bonnie, full of curiosity, asked, "Mr. Angie, are you really a prince?"

Angie smiled and replied, "I used to be, but not anymore."

Clemont, equally curious, asked, "Is it true that you've lived for 500 years?"

Angie clarified: "To be precise, I was asleep for 500 years. I only woke up last year."

Clemont's eyes sparkled with wonder as he muttered, "Amazing! Simply amazing!"

After chatting with Ash and his friends for a while and answering their questions, Angie returned to the kitchen to continue his work.

Once they finished their breakfast, Ash and his companions left Munchlax's Home. Both sides assumed it would be a while before they saw each other again, but events often unfold in unexpected ways.

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and the day finally arrived for the grand opening of Munchlax's Home Noodle Shop.

That evening, Angie stood at the entrance to welcome guests, accompanied by two Poliwhirl and a Poliwrath. All of them wore the same Munchlax's Home uniform.

As it was the first day of the noodle shop's opening, Angie, as the owner, had to be present.

The two Poliwhirl and Poliwrath had been transferred from the fishery to serve as waitstaff and had been in training for several days.

The Poliwag family was a large clan with numerous members, so assigning three to the noodle shop had no impact on their community.

When they were selected as waitstaff, the Poliwhirl and Poliwrath couldn't have been happier. Being a server came with better pay than guarding the fishery.

To secure the positions, the three Pokémon went through Angie's rigorous selection process, standing out among their kin.

Not just any Pokémon could be a waiter. Angie had chosen the most attentive, patient, and good-tempered individuals from the Poliwag family.

On their first day of work, the three Pokémon were a bit nervous. Watching the busy crowds on the street made the two Poliwhirl feel slightly dizzy.

It was their first time seeing so many humans.

Sensing their anxiety, Angie patted their shoulders and said, "Don't be afraid. Look at the Meowstic and the others; they help out here every day. Just follow the steps I taught you, and you'll be fine!"

Encouraged by Angie's words, the three Pokémon quickly calmed down.

Before long, the first guests arrived—but they turned out to be familiar faces.

"Your Highness, we're here!"

Jeremy waved enthusiastically at Angie from a distance, accompanied by Kimia and Flamel.

"Jeremy, Kimia, Flamel, you're here!" Angie said happily.

Kimia replied, "How could I not come and support Your Highness's new shop opening?"

"Exactly, exactly!" Jeremy nodded in agreement.

Flamel simply nodded without speaking, maintaining her usual reserved demeanor.

Angie said, "Then come on in!"

With that, Angie led the three inside, and Poliwhirl quickly handed them menus.

Kimia glanced over the menu, which was packed with options: chicken soup noodles, pork rib noodles, tomato and egg noodles, pickled vegetable noodles, pork intestine noodles, cold noodles, stir-fried noodles... The sheer variety dazzled her.

Jeremy and Flamel felt the same.

After hesitating for a while, Kimia finally said, "I'll have the tomato and egg noodles. The tomatoes Your Highness grows are incredibly delicious. Are the eggs from your own chickens as well?"

Angie nodded. "That's right! Great choice."

Angie's chickens had started laying eggs. After the first batch of chicks grew up, he bought another group of baby chicks for the coop. The total number of chickens now exceeded a thousand.

The chicken soup noodles on the menu were made using chickens raised by Deerling and Drilbur, and the flavor was unparalleled. Even Angie himself was a big fan.

Jeremy said, "I'll take the pork rib noodles. I can't live without meat!"

Flamel said, "I'll have a portion of the cold noodles."

Angie replied, "Alright, please wait a moment."

Poliwhirl quickly ran into the kitchen to relay the orders to Gengar, who immediately got to work.

With its psychic powers, Gengar manipulated three clumps of dough in the air, stretching and shaking them until they turned into evenly thick noodles in no time.

All the noodles at Gengar's Noodle Shop were handmade by Gengar itself!

Soon, steaming hot tomato and egg noodles, pork rib noodles, and cold noodles garnished with cucumber, chili, and scallions were served at the table by Poliwhirl and Poliwrath.

Jeremy took a deep breath and couldn't help but exclaim, "It smells amazing!" He grabbed his chopsticks eagerly, picked up a mouthful of noodles, and stuffed them into his mouth.

Slurp, slurp!

"This is incredible!!!" Jeremy mumbled with his mouth full.

The noodles were springy and chewy, the pork ribs flavorful and tender, melting in his mouth.

When he took a sip of the soup, the rich and savory flavor, infused with the essence of pork ribs and spices, brought his taste buds to life.

With Angie's special fermented bean paste and premium rock salt added, the unique flavors of the pork ribs and noodles were magnified to perfection, leaving Jeremy thoroughly satisfied.

Kimia and Flamel felt the same, unable to resist the deliciousness of Gengar's noodles.

While Kimia and her friends were indulging in the meal, other customers began arriving, most of them regulars at Munchlax's Home.

Noticing Angie's attire, they teased with laughter, "Oh, little boss, are you playing waiter today?"

Angie chuckled and nodded. "Yes, I'm switching roles today."

"Then who's in the kitchen? Munchlax?"

Everyone knew Angie's apprentice, Munchlax, and had tasted its cooking. They approved of its skills, though they admitted it still fell a bit short of Angie's expertise.

Angie shook his head. "Not Munchlax. It's my other apprentice, Gengar. When it comes to making noodles, I'm no match for it."

Angie wasn't exaggerating. Noodle-making wasn't his strong suit, and he hadn't put much effort into mastering it.

With specialized skills in mind, Angie planned for Gengar to focus on noodle-making while Magearna specialized in desserts, allowing him to concentrate on other pursuits.

After all, one person's energy is limited.

Hearing Angie's words, the customers laughed and said, "Then I'm looking forward to it!"

Angie smiled. "I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Please take good care of my apprentices in the future."

"Of course, of course," the customers said enthusiastically.

Someone noticed Kimia at that moment. "Oh, the princess is here too!"

Kimia had just finished a bowl of noodles, leaving it spotless. She wiped her mouth and said, "The noodles here are top-notch. Feel free to order!"

Her words ignited the customers' enthusiasm, and they started placing orders one after another. Poliwhirl and Poliwrath were kept extremely busy.

Kimia waved again. "Poliwrath, could you pack a portion of pork rib noodles for me? I'd like to take it back for my father to try."

The idea of the king eating the same noodles as them only heightened the customers' excitement.

In the kitchen, Gengar's multitasking abilities were on full display as the noodles it manipulated seemed to dance in the air. No matter how many orders came in at once, Gengar handled them with ease.

Amidst his busyness, Angie would occasionally check on Gengar in the kitchen. Seeing how adeptly it worked, he finally felt relieved.

After all, today was Gengar's first day on the job!

Around 8 p.m., Munchlax's Home closed on schedule. After sending off the last wave of customers, Angie and his Pokémon cleaned the shop before heading home together.

When Angie returned, Diancie asked, "Are you tired?"

Angie collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted. "I'm dead tired—more than when I cook!"

Diancie pulled Angie up from the sofa, holding his hand. "I've run you a hot bath. Go take a soak."

Reluctantly, Angie headed to his room.

After his bath, he came downstairs to see Munchlax beaming at him.

"What is it?" Angie asked suspiciously.

"Munchlax~"

Master, come have some supper.

Munchlax took Angie's hand and led him downstairs, where Diancie, Magearna, Komala, Drizzile, Gengar, Pawmi, Metagross, Volcanion, Poliwhirl, and two Poliwraths were gathered around a table.

Volcanion couldn't fit at the table and lay on the floor, while Diancie sat with Mareep and two Spinarak by her side.

Munchlax pushed Angie to sit between Diancie and Magearna, then trotted off to the kitchen.

Diancie smiled. "Munchlax said you must be exhausted today, so it prepared supper just for you."

Angie felt deeply touched. "My Munchlax is the sweetest!"