Candlelight flickered against the walls of the tent, casting warm shadows across the canvas.
Lucien sat at the table, sipping the steaming fish soup brought by a maid.
Beside him, Dratini coiled happily, nibbling at tender fish with bright eyes.
The broth was rich, the meat delicate. With each spoonful, heat spread through Lucien's chest and limbs, chasing away the lingering chill. By the time he set down the bowl, his hunger had eased, and a small comfort settled over him.
But his gaze soon shifted to the parchment laid out before him, a rough map of Unova.
Tracing the lines with a finger, he tried to gauge their position. From the capital of Eindook and the route Elif had guided, they were likely in the northeast of the region.
Likely… but not certain.
Leaning back, Lucien folded his hands, lost in thought, reviewing both the map and the names on his system panel. Each of the seventy-eight lives weighed on him.
A maid's voice broke his focus. "Your Highness Lucien, Sir Ryan, acting leader of the Knights, requests an audience."
"Let him in."
A moment later, Ryan hurried in, stamping off snow, face flushed with cold and excitement.
"Your Highness, we've finished scouting the area around camp!"
"Report." Lucien nodded.
Ryan straightened. "The Knights found traces of small monsters in the forest nearby. None have posed a threat so far. Oddly enough, we haven't seen a single large beast these past two days…"
"Hibernating, perhaps?" Elif mused aloud. "Some great beasts are known to slumber through the coldest months."
Lucien's brow creased. 'Hibernation… could it be Ursaring?'
Ryan continued, "We'll push deeper tomorrow morning. If there are signs of large beasts, we'll need to prepare in advance."
"Good." Lucien's gaze flicked to the brazier, where charcoal crackled faintly. "Elif, how much fuel do we have left?"
The butler's face tightened. "We've burned through much on the road. What remains will last no more than a month. Some civilians have begun gathering fallen branches in the forest, but it is far from enough."
Lucien's frown deepened. 'A month…'
The fine leather of his royal tent could withstand cold winds and snow for a time. But the thin canvas of the civilian shelters? They offered no such protection.
And the coldest days had not yet come.
In another month, temperatures would plunge to their lowest. Without firewood, without fuel… people would freeze.
'What should I do?'
Lucien pressed his fingers together, the weight of the thought heavy. Every decision he made now would ripple outward, shaping the survival, or death, of seventy-eight lives.
After pondering a while, Lucien's thoughts sharpened.
'Yes… Father did not send me here with only knights and peasants. He gave me craftsmen, people with skills to build, repair, create.'
He turned to his butler. "Elif. Bring the carpenter."
Elif bowed and hurried out. Moments later, he returned with a broad-shouldered man, hands rough from years of labor.
Lucien studied him. "If given tools and manpower, how long to build a log house?"
The man bowed. "Your Highness, gathering timber, shaping planks, and raising the frame alone would take me more than a month. That is for the simplest hut. Larger dwellings, much longer."
"A month?" Lucien frowned, then asked, "And if the entire camp worked with you?"
The carpenter blinked, surprised. "With enough hands, we could raise a cabin in a few days."
"Then it's settled." Lucien's tone brooked no debate. "Ryan, cancel reconnaissance tomorrow. Lead the knights and men to aid Uncle Tucker in cutting timber."
Ryan thumped his chest. "Yes, Your Highness!"
Lucien turned to Elif. "Give the order. From tomorrow, all who can work must work. The injured rest. The rest will fish, forage berries, and cut wood. Tell them: if they endure this winter, there will be a future."
"I understand," Elif said gravely.
But Lucien wasn't done. His eyes shifted back to Ryan. "One more thing. While cutting timber, keep watch for any beasts that breathe fire."
Ryan's head snapped up. "Fire… breathing monsters?"
Lucien nodded.
'Wood is consumable and will burn out sooner or later if used as fuel. But fire-attribute Pokémon are different. As long as they are provided with food, they can mobilize the energy in their bodies to perform moves such as jet flames to make fire and keep warm.'
If it is a Pokémon like Charmander, Blaziken, or Charmeleon, they can use the flames and high temperature on their bodies to keep humans warm.
More importantly, with the power of fire-attribute Pokémon, cement and bricks can be burned to build stronger, safer, and more reliable houses.
Ryan paled, remembering what he had seen earlier by the river, the way Dratini had unleashed power at Lucien's word. "Your Highness… you mean to use the monsters?"
"To be precise," Lucien corrected, his voice calm, "to draw upon the power of Magical Beasts."
Lucien turned his gaze toward Dratini and said slowly, "From what I've observed, Magical Beasts aren't uncontrollable. They're intelligent, possess wisdom, and can even understand human language. Dratini, come here."
The little dragon, who had just finished a bowl of fish soup, heard Lucien's call and happily flew into his arms, to the surprise of everyone watching.
Good, so obedient.
"Your Highness Lucien, do you mean to forcibly enslave them?" Tucker asked, glancing at the small dragon.
As far as he knew, many in the royal city specialized in capturing weak monsters, binding them in shackles, and using whips to force them into labor. If the creatures disobeyed, they would be harshly punished.
"No," Lucien shook his head, "it's not slavery. Like this magical beast called Dratini. Or perhaps another example would be easier for you to understand."
Lucien paused, then went on, "Just like my father and Victini."
Everyone in Aindok knew that when their king was young, he had relied on the power of the magical beast Victini to defeat his enemies and establish the Kingdom of Aindok. And that very Victini still lives today.