Taking advantage of the lull in the snowstorm, Lucien summoned Cleveland and two other knights to escort several blacksmiths toward the mountains where the Aron made their nests. Their mission: to investigate the mines for usable ore and clay.
As he watched the group depart, Lucien silently prayed they would find what the territory so desperately needed.
Behind him, the old butler Elif spoke softly. "Your Highness, have you made your decision?"
Lucien nodded. "Yes. I intend to stay here."
The road ahead was uncertain, and war could break out at any time. But their remote location meant they were unlikely to be caught in the crossfire. Staying here and quietly developing the territory was, for Lucien, the wisest choice.
Though elderly, Elif had served in the royal household for many years and understood the gravity of the situation.
"When the blizzard clears, Your Highness," Elif urged, "you should write to the King. Let His Majesty know you're safe. He must be worried."
"I will," Lucien replied. And when he did, he would also ask his father to send skilled workers to help populate the growing settlement. Only then could the shortage of manpower be solved.
A cold gust swept through the camp. Lucien dismissed Elif to rest and returned to his cabin, Dratini curling sleepily at his side.
Inside, the Minccino were already at work—each one holding its soft tail like a broom, dusting and sweeping every surface with fierce determination. Obsessive as always, they couldn't stand even a single speck of dirt.
On the table stood Snivy, poised and silent. When Lucien entered, its eyes flicked toward him, calm and observant.
"Vine…" Snivy murmured quietly.
It had noticed how often Lucien looked tired lately, how his expression, before stepping inside, was one of heavy worry. Yet the moment he saw them, that tension melted into a gentle smile.
"Hey, hey, hey! You were cleaning while I was gone, so why are you still cleaning now that I'm back?" Lucien laughed.
"Chino!" The Minccino twitched its whiskers, happy to see him—until it noticed the muddy footprints he'd just left on the floor. Its eyes widened in horror.
"Chino!!"
With a dramatic squeak, one of them jumped down, nudged Lucien aside with its tiny paw, and frantically swept the floor again with its tail. Only when the last trace of dirt was gone did it sigh in contentment.
"Chii~" Clean!
Lucien could only stare helplessly. "..."
Still… coming home to such a spotless, cozy cabin was oddly comforting.
He didn't rest long. After a quick cup of hot tea, Lucien headed back outside with Dratini to resume training. The little dragon's tail cracked against the wooden practice post again and again.
Halfway through the session, a brilliant violet glow suddenly erupted from Dratini's tail.
With a sharp crack, Dratini's tail slammed into the scarred wooden post.
Lucien froze for a moment, eyes widening.
'That movement… could it be?'
"Dratini! Do it again!" he commanded.
"Woo!"
Responding eagerly, Dratini focused. The energy within her coiled body surged, and with a fluid motion, her tail lashed out once more, gleaming with a faint purple light.
Lucien's eyes lit up. "It's Dragon Tail!"
He stepped closer to inspect the deep grooves etched into the wood. Though the attack wasn't at full strength yet, the form was perfect.
'She's done it,' Lucien thought, smiling to himself. 'She's actually mastered Dragon Tail.'
But he quickly added in thought: The power's still rough. She'll need to strengthen that tail with more practice.
Even so, this was a huge step forward for Dratini.
By in-game standards, Dratini usually learned Dragon Tail around level 15, meaning it was already halfway to evolution. In another fifteen levels, it would become a Dragonair… and someday, a majestic Dragonite.
Of course, the real world wasn't a game, and levels were just a frame of reference.
'Still… this kind of progress means everything,' Lucien thought warmly.
"Well done, Dratini!" he said aloud, pride filling his voice. "You've made real progress today."
"Woo~!" Dratini chirped happily, her long body rippling with excitement.
"Alright, since you've mastered Dragon Tail, that's enough for today," Lucien said, smiling.
Dratini nodded obediently. Whatever Lucien said, she trusted completely.
Back inside the cabin, man and Pokémon shared a quiet moment. Lucien gently lifted Dratini, checking her over with care.
"She's grown quite a bit," he murmured to himself. Her once-soft body now had a subtle firmness, and her tail, though still smooth, carried clear muscle definition.
"Lie down," Lucien said softly. "Let's loosen up those muscles."
Dratini obediently stretched out like a sinuous ribbon of blue silk. Lucien began to gently massage her scales and tail, kneading out the tension built from training.
A contented hum escaped her throat, "Woo~", her whole body relaxing under his touch.
Over the past days, she had begun to understand him, not through words, but through the rhythm of his emotions. She could feel when he was anxious, worried, or burdened by thoughts he never voiced aloud.
Dratini didn't know how to comfort him.
"Woo..." Dratini wished she could grow up quickly! That way, she could help Lucien.
This was the only way Dratini could think of to help Lucien.
On the desk, Snivy watched the scene quietly, eyes glinting with something like understanding.
By afternoon, Cleveland and his team finally returned to the territory.
Lucien met them in the Lord's Hall.
Morik stepped forward, his voice full of excitement.
"Your Highness Lucien, it's exactly as you predicted, this area is rich in minerals! We've found traces of clay and limestone… and even a large deposit of iron ore!"
Lucien's eyes brightened. "Is it possible to mine?"
"Clay can be dug with simple shovels," Morik replied. "Limestone can be gathered directly from the surface. The problem is the iron ore, it'll require specialized tools to extract."
He paused before adding, "And there's also the issue of transportation. The mine's quite a distance from the settlement, and hauling materials by hand would be slow and exhausting."
Lucien folded his arms, thinking it through.
Fortunately, there were Pokémon in the territory that could help with heavy transport, specifically, the two Bouffalant that had followed them from the royal city.
They also had several wagons that had been used to carry supplies during the journey.
"Then we'll use the Bouffalant for transport," Lucien decided. "As for the wagons… dismantle mine and repurpose it to move the clay."
"Your Highness?" The blacksmiths and knights exchanged surprised looks.
If they did that, Lucien would have no carriage left for travel.
Lucien only smiled faintly. "That's fine. I have my own two feet. Right now, the clay is more important."
If they began firing bricks this winter, they could stockpile a huge amount by spring.
And by then, construction could truly begin.
It was the first step toward turning this remote territory into a real city.