Before Raven could respond, Lyon came in from outside with Pidove perched on his shoulder.
In his hands were two creatures tied tightly with rope.
Chickens?
Raven blinked. At first, he suspected they might be some kind of Pokémon, but after a closer look he realized they were nothing more than ordinary pheasants—completely mundane, without even a trace of energy fluctuation.
Lyon's face lit up. "Your Highness, we finally have meat to eat!"
Raven's mouth twitched. "…Where did you even catch them? Weren't you supposed to be out investigating beasts with Christina and Cleveland?"
"Oh, that!" Lyon rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "While I was scouting, I spotted these two. Pidove helped me snatch them, and I even found their nest with a clutch of eggs. I remembered your orders this morning, so I brought them back."
Aelif's eyes widened. "Your Highness… does this mean we can start raising chickens?"
Raven nodded. With both live pheasants and eggs, they could absolutely attempt to domesticate them. Chickens laid eggs, eggs hatched into chicks, and soon enough they'd have a steady supply of poultry and eggs.
"Well done." Raven gave Lyon a rare smile. Turning to the old butler, he said, "Aelif, find someone in the territory who knows how to raise chickens. Hand these pheasants to them. Also, have the carpenter build a fence and coop to keep them secure."
"Yes, Your Highness Raven!" Aelif replied quickly before hurrying away.
Lyon straightened his back. "Then I'll be off again—Christina and Cleveland are still waiting in the forest!"
Raven waved him away. "Go."
＊
By that afternoon, Aelif had found a suitable candidate: Rick, a middle-aged man who once worked in poultry farms back in the royal capital. After a few questions, Raven confirmed the man's expertise and handed the birds to him.
Carpenter Tucker constructed a wooden enclosure and coop behind one of the houses. Soon, the two pheasants were scratching happily at the soil, pecking for insects.
Watching them, Raven's mind turned toward the future. If we manage to catch Pokémon like Combee, Heracross, Petilil, or even Miltank, should we just hand them out piecemeal to farmers? No… too scattered. Better to establish a proper ranch dedicated to raising Pokémon.
Honey, sap, milk, even tea leaves—such a ranch could steadily supply the territory with vital resources.
The idea was promising, but still premature. Until Lyon's team finished their survey of the local beasts, it was too early to plan. Besides, raising Pokémon was far more complicated than raising chickens.
Different species required specialized diets—Miltank, for example, needed fresh pasture grass. Right now, there wasn't even enough grass or berries to support such livestock.
We'll have to wait until the fields ripen, Raven thought with a sigh. At least with Dugtrio, Snivy, and Snover helping, the harvest shouldn't take too long.
＊
That evening, the foraging team returned.
As Raven expected, spring had filled the forest with bounty: wild fruits, black fungus, edible mushrooms, fresh leeks, bamboo shoots, bracken… and a fine haul of fish that Dratini had caught from the river.
"What a harvest."
"Wonderful. We won't go hungry now."
Even the Pokémon living in the territory gathered, their eyes sparkling as they cried out at the sight of the food baskets.
"Snivy.""Dratini.""Minccino."
Their joyful voices filled the camp. Raven smiled warmly. This land truly was rich in resources. If they could endure until the first crops ripened, they would be secure.
＊
The next morning, Raven borrowed Dugtrio from the farmland.
He led it to a wide open space in the southern part of the territory, with Snivy and the five Minccino gathered at his side. The little Pokémon lined up neatly, eyes shining as they gazed at the empty plot.
"Dugtrio, please." Raven nodded toward the mole Pokémon.
By now, the farmers had clearly accepted it, and Dugtrio itself seemed to understand its role. It had promised Raven it would make amends for the damage it once caused, and this was part of that duty.
"Dugtrio." It braced itself.
"Then let's begin."
"Dugtrio."
A surge of earthy energy rippled outward as Dugtrio burrowed and surged beneath the soil. The ground loosened wherever it passed, clods flipping neatly to reveal rich, fertile dirt.
Dozens of runs later, an entire field had been tilled.
Raven opened his pack and withdrew the cache of Yache berry seeds he had saved through the winter.
"Minccino, I'll plant these berry seeds here," he explained. "By autumn, they'll grow into trees and bear fruit. With the help of Grass-types, they might mature even sooner."
"Minccino." the five little squirrels answered together.
As Raven spoke, they began to daydream:
—A golden autumn orchard, branches sagging with fat, juicy Yache berries.—Them scampering through the trees, plucking fruit whenever they were hungry.—And when winter came, curling together in snug berry-tree hollows, safe and warm even as snow blanketed the land.
"Minccino." they chorused happily, their imaginations glowing bright.