Ryan hurried off to carry out his mission.
The rest of the people huddled together for warmth. Even the two Bouffalant pulling the carriage, their great afros rimmed with frost, were in poor shape.
While waiting, Lucien turned his attention back to the strange panel, his ability.
The display was simple, each entry neatly labeled.
Because they had yet to reach the fief granted by the old king, the Territory column still showed: None.
The People count was seventy-eight. A grim reminder that of the five hundred who had set out with him, only seventy-eight remained.
As for the three Pokémon…
Lucien's eyes flicked to the two Bouffalant in their harnesses, then to the small Dratini curled beneath his blanket. That had to be them.
He studied the Bouffalant, their heavy frames straining against the saddles, and recalled how people of this age regarded Pokémon.
To civilians, they were terrifying "monsters." Wild Pokémon would strike travelers without warning, breathing fire or hurling lightning. Ordinary people had no means of resistance.
And yet, the bold and powerful sometimes dared to capture Pokémon. Shackled, bound, and broken, they were forced into labor.
This was an era before trainers, before Poké Balls, an age when humans and Pokémon still stood on opposite sides.
Lucien sighed. 'How cruel.'
Why was it that other transmigrators awoke in the modern Pokémon world, free to journey with partners and battle for glory… while he had been dropped into this frozen wasteland, nearly freezing to death before he even began?
He exhaled again, forcing himself to focus, and scrolled further down the panel.
Public Sentiment: 2 (Precarious).
As expected, it reflected his people's faith in him as their lord. Barely holding on.
Satisfaction: 0.
That seemed tied to their territory's living conditions. With no territory, it was naturally nothing.
'Technology…'
Lucien tapped it, and a new menu unfurled.
Technology divided into four broad eras:
Agricultural age.
Industrial age.
Electrical age.
Information age.
He skimmed through them. The Agricultural Age contained only the most basic technologies:
[Animal Husbandry]: Unlocks methods for raising land Pokémon. Cost: 200 Satisfaction.
[Fishing]: Unlocks methods for raising aquatic Pokémon. Cost: 200 Satisfaction.
The Industrial Age showed nodes like [Steam Technology].
Further ahead, the Electrical Age contained staggering advancements:
[Electric Power Technology]: Unlocks systems of power generation and use. Cost: 50,000 Satisfaction.
[Poké Ball Technology]: Unlocks the process of manufacturing modern Poké Balls.
Prerequisite: Electric Power Technology. Cost: 10,000 Satisfaction + Electric Power Technology.
Lucien's lips tightened.
'Immensely valuable… but impossibly far away for now.'
He dismissed the menu and focused on the People column.
[People (Humans): Ryan, Cliff, Allen, Rick, Edge, Alyssa…]
At a thought, he selected Ryan.
In an instant, a detailed sub-panel unfolded before him, a dossier of the young knight appearing line by line like a parchment scroll.
[Civilian Name: Ryan]
Age: 25
[Occupation: Guard Knight]
[Special Ability: None]
Loyalty: 95 (Max: 100)
[Life History]
Year 123 of the Kingdom Calendar: Ryan was born.
Year 132: His parents passed away; he worked in a bakery to survive.
Year 137: Joined the Knights of Eindook, earning knighthood.
Year 148: Assigned to protect the Third Prince, Lucien, on his journey to his fief.
Lucien blinked. "This is…"
He quickly realized what it meant. If he could see such detailed information about humans, then what about Pokémon?
His mind shifted, and he selected Dratini.
[Pokémon: Dratini]
Type: Dragon
Gender: Female
Ability: Marvel Scale
Moves: Wrap, Glare, Twister
Friendship: 20 (Max: 100, can exceed in special cases)
[Life History]
Year 147: Dratini was born.
Year 148: Captured by fishermen and presented to a noble.
Year 148: Gifted to a foreign king in exchange for favor.
Year 148: Sent as tribute to the Kingdom of Eindook.
Year 148: Bestowed by the old king upon the Third Prince, Lucien, as a companion on his journey.
Lucien's breath caught. "As expected, I can see it!"
He turned his gaze back toward the carriage interior, where Dratini lay curled beneath the blanket, shivering softly.
'So this Dratini… is my starter Pokémon?'
If this were the modern era, he would have been thrilled. A pseudo-legendary Dratini was unimaginably rare.
But here, when he could barely keep himself alive… how was he supposed to raise a dragon?
Especially one that would require enormous resources to grow strong.
Lucien let the panel fade and exhaled slowly. He closed his eyes, sinking into thought.
"Now that I'm here, I have to make the most of it. I don't want to die."
The Pokémon world stretched vast and sparsely settled around them. They had no idea where they were, and no map to guide them to the nearest town.
Heading out blindly could mean salvation, or it could mean being buried by the blizzard.
The only real option was to find shelter and survive the winter.
As for developing a territory…
Lucien's thoughts turned heavy. In a world with Pokémon, humans could not thrive alone. They needed Pokémon to prosper.
Rock- and Ground-types could help with mining and construction.
Fire-types could smelt ore.
Miltank could provide milk to nourish a whole village.
Wooloo or Mareep could supply wool for clothing and blankets.
Electric-types like Pikachu could generate power.
Wingull could carry messages across distances.
Skilled craftsmen, paired with Pokémon, might even make concrete for durable homes.
But this was Unova. Pokémon like Miltank lived in Johto. Wooloo and other species were native to Galar. They couldn't be found here at all.
To bring such Pokémon across regions, humanity would first have to develop navigation, establish ocean trade, and import species.
Lucien exhaled again. "Too early to worry about that now."
He turned his gaze toward the distant, snow-capped mountains.
Time dragged on. His limbs stiffened in the cold before Ryan finally returned, trudging through the snow.
The moment he appeared, every eye turned toward him.
Excitement burned in Ryan's gaze. He strode to Lucien and saluted, his voice ringing with relief:
"Your Highness Lucien! I found a valley ahead, surrounded by mountains, with a forest inside. Our craftsmen can use the timber to build houses. And there's a wide river running through it! I saw fish, plenty of them. We'll have fresh food!"