"Your Highness Lucien! Lord Ryan requests your presence, he says it's urgent!"
Lucien had been training with Dratini by the riverside, practicing how to channel Dragon-type energy through light electromagnetic waves, when a knight came running toward him in a flurry of armor and snow.
"Ryan?" Lucien asked, pausing mid-step. "Where is he?"
"With Miss Lila, Your Highness!"
"I see." Lucien nodded. "I'll go at once."
It didn't take long to reach the small wooden house by the riverbank. He pushed open the door, and immediately saw Lila crouched over a table, gently feeding medicine to a small Pokémon wrapped in a blanket.
Standing nearby were Ryan, the Simisear, and three unfamiliar Pokémon.
A Foongus, a Pidove, and a little mouse Pokémon.
"Your Highness!" Ryan's face lit up when he saw him enter.
Lucien's gaze swept over the scene.
Ryan straightened. "They're the ones Simisear's been caring for. They all live together in a cave. The mouse monster had a fever, so I brought them here for Miss Lila to treat."
Lucien's expression softened. "I understand."
He'd read about such cases before, Pokémon taking in others, even of different species. Some even rescued human infants abandoned in the wild.
Simisear stood close by, watching anxiously as Lila administered the last drops of potion.
After a few moments, Lila set down the vial and smiled. "The fever's broken. It just needs rest, warmth, and proper meals from now on, it'll make a full recovery."
Ryan exhaled in relief. "You hear that, Simisear? It's going to be fine."
"Bak~!"
Simisear chirped happily, visibly relieved. Pidove fluttered its wings, and Foongus hopped closer to Ryan, their fear of humans fading away.
Ryan chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Simisear… how about now? Would you like to come live with me?"
Simisear looked at the recovering Pokémon, then back at Ryan. This time, there was no hesitation.
"Bak!"
The answer was clear and joyful.
Ryan's face broke into the biggest smile he'd worn in years. "Great! Then come on, I'll show you where we're going to live!"
He turned to leave, then suddenly remembered who was still in the room.
"Ah..Your Highness!"
Lucien laughed softly. "Go ahead. Show Simisear around the territory."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Ryan grinned from ear to ear as he led his new companion outside.
When they were gone, Lucien exhaled and opened his territory interface. The familiar golden screen appeared before his eyes, flickering with new information.
[Territory Update]
New Pokémon Residents: +4 Lucien stared at the number and couldn't help muttering, half-amused, half-exasperated, "At this rate, the Pokémon are going to outnumber the humans…"
Still, even as he joked, his heart felt light.
With a faint smile, he opened Simisear's status window to review its information.
[Pokémon: Simisear]
[Type: Fire ]
[Gender: Female ]
[Ability: Blaze ]
[Moves: Leer · Scratch · Flame Charge · Incinerate · Yawn · Flame Burst · Fire Spin ]
[Friendship Level: 10 ]
[History:]
• Born in the 135th year of the Royal Calendar
• In 140 RC, began living alone in the forest
• In 142 RC, came into contact with a Fire Stone at the bottom of a hot spring and evolved into Simisear
• In 148 RC, rescued three Pokémon, and, moved by Ryan's sincerity, chose to join Lucien's territory
Lucien skimmed through the glowing panel and raised an eyebrow.
"Huh… this Simisear's quite strong."
Her move set was impressive for her age, she'd even mastered powerful Fire-type techniques like Flame Burst and Fire Spin.
At thirteen, she was in her prime, a fully matured Pokémon, capable of controlling her flames with precision.
Lucien's smile softened. 'Ryan finally got what he wanted, he thought. And for the rest of us… We've gained another reliable partner.'
Meanwhile, outside the Lord's Hall, Ryan was happily introducing his new companion.
"That was His Highness Lucien, the lord of this territory," Ryan explained with a proud grin. "He's the one who came up with the idea that humans and magical beasts could live together. Honestly, he's incredible."
"Bak~!" Simisear chirped in cheerful agreement.
"Alright," Ryan said, turning toward a small cabin in the distance.
"That house up ahead, that's my place."
He pushed open the wooden door, and behind him Simisear, Pidove, the mouse Pokémon, and Foongus all peeked inside curiously.
The little cabin was modest, just a bed, a rough table, and a few wooden stools. For Ryan, it was enough.
To the Pokémon, though, it felt like paradise compared to the damp cave they'd once called home.
They stepped inside, eyes wide, taking in every detail.
Ryan smiled as he followed them in, shutting the door against the chill. He crouched by the fireplace, stacked a few logs, and struck a spark.
With a soft whoosh, the fire caught and spread warmth through the room.
The three smaller Pokémon's eyes gleamed in fascination as they clustered near the hearth, their reflections dancing in the flames.
Simisear watched quietly from the side, a gentle smile spreading across her face.
"Hey, feels good, right?" Ryan chuckled, pulling out another small bag from his pack. "Here, try these! I brought them from the Royal City."
He opened the bag and handed out a few pieces of candy.
The Pokémon, who had never tasted such sweetness before, froze for a moment, then their eyes lit up.
'Delicious!'
In an instant, the little cabin filled with laughter and energy. The flames crackled, the snow fell softly outside, and for the first time in years, Ryan felt his home truly come alive.
Watching the cheerful Pokémon huddled together, Ryan couldn't help smiling. A quiet thought flickered in his mind;
'My life's going to be a lot more interesting from now on.'
But then reality hit him.
The bag of candy he'd brought from the Royal City… was almost empty.
He'd promised Simisear, who adored sweets, that there'd be candy every day if she joined him.
Now, his supply was nearly gone. Ryan sighed, already dreading how to break the news.
Just then, Lucien appeared at the doorway.
"Ryan," he said, his tone calm but purposeful, "I'd like you to speak with Simisear. Ask if she'd be willing to help at the brick kiln, use her flames to fire the clay bricks."
He added after a pause, "As payment, I'll see that she receives extra rations and plenty of candy."
With four new Pokémon joining at once, Ryan, who had never raised any before, was understandably overwhelmed. Managing their needs, feeding schedules, and care would be no small task.
To help, Lucien decided to allocate extra rations for Simisear, more food, along with her favorite candies as part of her daily share.
It wasn't a perfect system. To some, it might even sound a bit transactional, but for now, it was the most sincere form of reward Lucien could offer.
Of course, everything would still depend on Simisear's own choice. If she didn't wish to work at the kiln, he would never force her.
For the rest, the proper housing, supply chains, and new facilities, they would have to wait until the territory's full development began.
...
Bonus @400 PS
Read chapters ahead @Keepsmiling- P@eon