"Believe me, Buck."
"No one will care about your past. What we must seize is the present."
"Oh, right, I almost forgot—those were Lord Aven's exact words. I could never say something so grand on my own."
This time, Buck nodded heavily, his entire being trembling with resolve. "Thank you, Steward, truly… I've made up my mind. I want to become a patrol guard!"
The very next day, Buck left the village, bringing along his Oddish and Bidoof.
He did not look back. Instead, he raised his hand in farewell to the serfs behind him. From now on, I'll go on ahead first… You all must hurry and catch up as soon as you can!
Walking quickly along the country path, he saw a patrol squad advancing in the distance, carrying out their duties across the lord's domain.
Buck gazed over and noticed that every one of those patrol members had a Gloom at their side—Oddish's evolved form!
"Oddish, one day you'll definitely evolve into a Gloom as well. At that time, we too will patrol Lord Aven's territory just like them."
"And you, Bidoof—I've heard your evolution is the mighty Bibarel. Maybe one day, I'll be able to ride on your back, charging forward like a true knight!"
A look of yearning surfaced on his face. "And finally… we'll return to Fruitvale Village, and together we'll open a grilled fish shop of our very own!"
Hearing their master's lofty dream, Oddish and Bidoof both nodded vigorously, following closely at Buck's side as they walked toward the direction of Fruitvale Village.
Upon entering the village, one could clearly see many commoners strolling through the streets with Oddish by their side.
Oddish was indeed extremely easy to raise—at least if one did not intend to train it into a Pokémon with significant combat power.
Now, the southeastern territory had officially earned the title of "Pokémon Domain." Among the common folk, it had even become a kind of unspoken agreement: if you didn't capture at least one Pokémon, you would almost feel too embarrassed to call yourself a true resident of the Pokémon Domain!
"First, head to the Pokémon Breeding House to register as an apprentice trainer. After that, proceed to the patrol guard's recruitment office to sign up for the examination." Buck repeated to himself the steward's instructions.
With Oddish and Bidoof, he quickly wove through the bustling streets, soon arriving at the entrance of the Pokémon Breeding House. Inside, he could already see many people busily moving about.
"Hoo… I can definitely do this!" Buck took a deep breath, though in his heart there still lingered a faint anxiety.
Even though the steward had said that Fruitvale Village did not discriminate based on one's origins, when facing all these commoners—and even children of wealthy households—his old inferiority still surfaced.
"Hello, trainer. Do you need any assistance?"
Just as Buck hesitated, a young woman in a white linen dress suddenly walked over and asked gently.
Her voice was so melodious that Buck froze for a moment. Glancing at the young lady before him, his face flushed red as he stammered, "I-I would like to register as a trainer."
"Ah? You're not a trainer already?" The attendant's face showed surprise as her gaze shifted toward Oddish and Bidoof.
Especially when she saw the Bidoof. Having worked at the Breeding House for so long, this was her very first time seeing someone bring a Bidoof here. Instinctively, she had assumed Buck was already a trainer.
"I'm not yet… that's why I want to register for trainer status." Buck hurriedly explained, lowering his head slightly in embarrassment.
Earlier, on his way here, he had felt as though everyone was already a trainer. That alone had rekindled his inferiority. Having just broken free from serfdom, he found himself far more sensitive than before.
"I see. Please follow me—I believe you'll very soon be recognized as a trainer." The attendant smiled warmly, leading Buck inside.
Before long, with the attendant's help, Buck received a numbered ticket. Several other commoners were still waiting ahead of him, chatting and laughing as they awaited their turn to register.
"Ah, it's a Bidoof! A real Bidoof!"
"No way! I never thought I'd see a Bidoof here. Whose Pokémon is that?"
"It must be that guy's. To think he owns both an Oddish and a Bidoof… He must be an incredibly strong trainer!"
While waiting, Buck suddenly heard exclamations. Moments later, a few teenagers hurried over, their faces filled with envy.
"Excuse me, is this Bidoof yours?"
"Y-yes, it is." Buck nodded blankly, unsure why these people were so excited.
"Amazing! You actually managed to capture a Bidoof—that's incredible!"
"Can I ask… how exactly did you capture it?"
"I've seen wild Bidoof in the Safari Zone before, but they never want to leave their family groups!"
The youths' astonishment grew as they surrounded him, bombarding him with eager questions, unable to hide their admiration.
"This Bidoof… I caught it while pioneering the wasteland. At the time, it—" Buck honestly recounted the process of capturing Bidoof.
Yet as he spoke, he suddenly froze. Without realizing, he had let slip his own past as well. His face instantly paled.
"While pioneering? You mean… you were part of the land reclamation efforts?" One boy seized on the detail, causing Buck's heart to sink like a stone.
Already, he seemed to feel strange looks from those nearby. And he knew all too well what would follow: ridicule, contempt. He almost wanted to flee on the spot.
"So those barren lands outside the village were reclaimed by people like you…"
Buck's body began to tremble.
"Thank you… truly, thank you so much! If not for the wheat you planted, we'd probably still be starving even now!"
The next moment, Buck was completely stunned. His gaze fell upon the commoner boy who had just spoken. His eyes were clear, sincere, and bright.
"I heard that not long ago there was a grain shortage. In other territories, many people died of hunger. But here in Fruitvale Village, not a single person starved—and that's all thanks to you pioneers!"
"Yes, yes! Luckily the famine has finally passed. This year's harvest is plentiful, and we don't need to worry about food this winter at all!"
The youths chimed in one after another. Buck felt his eyes grow moist once again. Damn it… I swore to myself that after becoming a free man, I'd live happily every single day!
"Hmph! As if you kids even need to say it."
"'Hardwork is the most glorious thing!'—that's Lord Aven's motto, and we've all heard him say it countless times!"
Nearby trainers also joined in, raising their thumbs toward Buck in approval.
"That's right. I came here with my father after wandering from another land."
"If it weren't for Lord Aven's shelter, and if it weren't for pioneers planting crops before winter arrived, we would have starved to death long ago!"
One voice after another rose up. The words "serfs" and "pioneers" were being linked together in people's minds in a whole new way.
In this moment, Aven's values—constantly promoted throughout the territory—were being vividly reflected.
Compared to other regions, the southeastern border frontier had indeed been terribly poor. Before Aven became lord, this place had been plagued by frequent magical beast invasions.
But such hardship had forged a simple, unpretentious character among the common people. Untainted by aristocratic notions, they bore no prejudice against serfs.
In fact, thanks to Aven's constant advocacy, they even felt a strong sense of goodwill toward serfs. And the recent famine, followed by a bountiful harvest, had only elevated that goodwill to unprecedented heights.
At this point, even if Aven were to directly announce the abolition of all serfdom, the people of the Pokémon Domain would likely not only accept it, but cheer enthusiastically!
"Thank you… thank you all, truly." Buck's heart swelled with indescribable satisfaction. That lingering trace of inferiority vanished entirely.
"Number seventy-seven, please proceed to the service desk."
Just then, a voice echoed from the counter, resounding throughout the hall.
Unfolding his slip of paper, Buck saw the number written there: seventy-seven.
"It's my turn." Taking a deep breath, Buck led Oddish and Bidoof to the counter.
Everything went smoothly. Buck's genuine bond with Oddish and Bidoof earned their full recognition, and he successfully became an apprentice trainer.
"Your name is Buck, correct?"
"Oddish and Bidoof truly like you very much."
"Congratulations—you are now an apprentice trainer. And congratulations as well, on becoming part of the Pokémon Domain."
Just as Buck was about to relax in relief at having passed, a voice suddenly rang out in the room.
Buck turned in surprise. "Captain Peter!"
He knew Peter very well. Even during the reclamation days, he often saw this patrol captain's figure.
"No need for formalities. Sit down." Peter waved his hand casually. "It's nothing complicated—I just want to invite you to join the patrol guard."
This time Buck was dumbfounded. Never in his life had he experienced so many surprises in a single day. The patrol captain himself was personally inviting him?
"Yes, you heard me correctly."
"You see, very few trainers ever succeed in capturing a Bidoof."
"Right now, the Black Coast Forest is nearly connected to the Black Coast and straight to the sea. We need to form a patrol unit to watch over the coastline."
"And as soon as I heard the news that someone had tamed a Bidoof, I came straight here. Who would have thought it'd be you, lucky fellow?"
Peter laughed as he explained. Indeed, this former serf was enviable—even Peter himself, the captain, had never managed to capture a Bidoof.
"C-Captain Peter, I… I can really join?" Buck's voice trembled, still overwhelmed by the sudden joy.
"Of course you can. You captured a Bidoof, so I'm inviting you into the patrol guard. What's there to question?" Peter chuckled again.
But then his expression turned solemn. "Buck, in the Pokémon Domain we do not care about one's origin. We are all Lord Aven's subjects—every one of us is the same!"
Buck felt as if he were dreaming.
On this very day, he had both been elevated to the rank of a free man and been welcomed into the patrol guard.
Fruitvale Village was truly an unbelievable place. Never before had he seen a land where even commoners could aspire to knighthood.
Here, as long as one could capture a Pokémon—even something as ordinary as an Oddish—one could register as an apprentice trainer.
By raising their Pokémon according to the Breeding House's guidance, and by passing the patrol guard's assessment, they could then become full patrol guards.
And patrol guards!—those were positions with a steady monthly salary, the kind of occupation commoners had always dreamed of but could never reach.
In other territories, only those with powerful family backgrounds could enter such ranks. Commoners had no hope at all.
Yet in Fruitvale Village, patrol guards were composed entirely of ordinary commoners. As long as one worked hard, there was hope.
Even someone of serf origin like himself could join the guard—and perhaps even rise further, to knighthood itself. Such things were no longer unreachable fantasies.
He could already imagine the expressions on his companions' faces when he returned with the news that he had joined the patrol guard.
But for now, it was not yet time to return. Having just completed his trainer registration, he followed Captain Peter to the Trainer Headquarters to register his new identity.
Trainer Headquarters was located in the newly established Fairhaven Town.
They entered the town from the western district, known as the commercial zone. If he ever wanted to open his grilled fish shop, Buck thought, this might be the place.
But since the town had only just been built, it was not yet fully open. Countless craftsmen were still hard at work with the finishing touches.
Crossing the western district, they soon entered the eastern district.
"This is the trainer sector of Fairhaven Town," Peter explained.
"The Trainer Headquarters stands right in the center. The departments of the Knight Order, Patrol Guard, and Rangers are all here."
"However, much of the town is still under construction. For now, only the Headquarters, the Breeding House, and the Pokémon Center are operational."
As they walked, Peter continued to describe the town's layout, placing special emphasis on Buck. He clearly held this former serf-turned-trainer in high regard.
"The Breeding House is located beside the river. This will be the headquarters of all Breeding Houses. Across the river is the Safari Zone."
Buck's eyes lit up at the mention. By now he understood well how vital the Breeding House was, and he knew that if he wanted to grow stronger, he would have to rely on it.
"As for the Pokémon Center, that's where treatment is provided. During patrols, if either your comrades or your Pokémon are injured, you must bring them there immediately."
"Remember this well—no matter the circumstances, if there's an injury, the first place to go is always the Pokémon Center. Sometimes that alone could save a life!"
As Peter spoke, his tone grew heavy. The existence of the Pokémon Center filled him with gratitude—for now, the people finally had a place for swift treatment.
In fact, ever since its establishment, there had hardly been any fatalities within the territory. And surely, this winter would be the same.
Seeing the captain's seriousness, Buck nodded earnestly, committing every word to heart.
Before long, they reached the Trainer Headquarters. Under Peter's guidance, Buck's status as a patrol guard was officially certified.
When he finally held the identity badge of a patrol guard in his hands, Buck's heart surged with joy. He knew his life was about to change completely!
At the top floor of Headquarters, Aven stood overlooking the entire town.
This town named Fairhaven radiated vitality in his eyes.
Centered here, trainers and Pokémon alike would flourish across the continent. Soon, the Pokémon League would truly step onto the stage of history.
"Lord Aven, Buck has officially joined the patrol guard," Peter reported as he arrived at the rooftop.
"Well done. Thank you for your efforts."
"Buck, the first serf to become a free man—he will stand as the representative of this new era."
Aven nodded. Serfs and nobles alike were relics of the old world. They were also the greatest obstacle to the League's construction.
To the nobility, serfs were part of their wealth. The more serfs they held, the more value they could generate.
But to the League, trainers were the cornerstone, and Pokémon were the primary productive force. For the League to thrive, more free citizens needed to take part.
In his domain, the methods of production would inevitably undergo earthshaking transformation. The bountiful harvest and the construction of Fairhaven Town were proof enough.
Thus, he had to fully abolish the system of serfdom, freeing countless people from the chains of labor and turning them into trainers—builders of the new age!
(End of Chapter)