Before Lucien could react, Ryan burst in, a Pidove perched proudly on his shoulder.
He was grinning from ear to ear, and dragging behind him two creatures bound with rope.
Lucien blinked. "Are those... chickens?"
At first glance, he had assumed they might be low-rank Pokémon, but a closer look confirmed it, they were just ordinary pheasants. No elemental aura, no energy signature, merely birds at the very bottom of the food chain.
Ryan's face was radiant. "Your Highness, we finally have meat to eat!"
Lucien's lips twitched. "Where exactly did you catch them? Weren't you, Christina, and Cleveland out investigating beasts sightings around the territory?"
"Oh, that!" Ryan scratched his head sheepishly. "While we were in the forest, I spotted these two. My Pidove helped me catch them! And get this, there was a whole nest of eggs nearby. I remembered your instructions about gathering livestock, so I brought them all back."
Elif's eyes widened in delight. "Your Highness, with both pheasants and eggs, we can start raising our own chickens!"
Lucien nodded thoughtfully. With the right care, they could breed these pheasants into a stable flock, eggs for food, chicks for expansion. In time, the territory would have a renewable source of meat and protein.
"Well done, Ryan," Lucien said warmly. Then, turning to Elif, he added, "Find someone in the territory who knows how to raise chickens. Have them look after these two, and tell Carpenter Tucker to build a proper fence and coop behind the house."
"At once, Your Highness!" Elif replied, bowing before hurrying off to make arrangements.
Ryan straightened up and said, "I'll head back to the forest now, Christina and Cleveland are still waiting for me."
Lucien waved him off. "Go. And be careful."
By that afternoon, Elif had already found a candidate: a sturdy, middle-aged man in his forties named Rick, who'd once worked as a poultry farmer in the royal city.
After questioning him about his experience, Lucien quickly confirmed his skill and appointed him in charge of the new coop.
Carpenter Tucker and his men worked swiftly, crafting a simple but sturdy pen from forest timber and setting it up behind the residential quarter.
As Lucien stood watching the two pheasants peck at the ground, he found his mind already racing ahead.
If they could raise chickens, then why not other Pokémon as well?
Combee for honey… Sawsbuck for seasonal herbs and tea leaves… Miltank for milk… even Appletun or Tropius for fruit crops.
A proper Pokémon ranch, one that could produce food and resources sustainably.
It was a thrilling thought.
But reality quickly tempered his enthusiasm.
They hadn't even begun domesticating those Pokémon yet, and each species required unique conditions and food. Chickens could survive on grain and insects, but Pokémon like Miltank needed fresh grass, and even the berries in the territory weren't enough to sustain a herd.
For now, the only solution was patience.
"We'll have to wait for the crops to mature," Lucien murmured, rubbing his temples. The challenge was immense, but not impossible.
Still, he felt a quiet reassurance.
With Pokémon like Dugtrio, Snivy, and Snower working alongside them, the growth cycles would shorten dramatically.
By evening, the foraging team returned from the forest.
Just as Lucien had predicted, spring had blessed them with abundance.
They brought back baskets filled with wild fruits, wood-ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, leeks, and bracken, along with the fresh fish that Dratini had caught from the river that afternoon.
"What a bountiful harvest!"
"Wonderful! We won't have to worry about going hungry anymore!"
The Pokémon living in the territory gathered around, their happy cries echoing through the settlement as they gazed at the overflowing baskets.
Lucien stood quietly at the edge of the crowd, smiling.
The resources of this land truly were plentiful. With such abundance, they could hold out comfortably until the new crops ripened in the fields.
The next morning, Lucien borrowed Dugtrio from the farmland.
He led it to a large clearing at the southern edge of the territory. Beside him stood Snivy and the five Minccino, all lined up neatly, gazing expectantly at the open ground.
"Dugtrio," Lucien said gently, "I'll be counting on you again."
The Ground-type Pokémon chirped, its three heads nodding in unison. Despite its round little body, Lucien could sense the determination in its movement.
Ever since Dugtrio had agreed to remain in the territory and atone for its mistake, it had worked tirelessly, never once slacking.
"Alright," Lucien said with a small smile. "Let's begin."
"Squeak!"
With a sharp cry, Dugtrio's body glowed faintly brown. A pulse of Ground-type energy rippled outward through the soil, spreading like a living wave.
In the next instant, Dugtrio began to burrow and churn, racing back and forth across the clearing.
Wherever it passed, the once-hard earth turned soft and fertile.
Within a few minutes, an entire field had been perfectly tilled.
Lucien crouched down and drew a small pouch from his satchel, inside were the Pomelo seeds he had carefully collected and preserved throughout the winter.
"Minccino," Lucien said, turning to the group beside him. "We'll plant these seeds here. By autumn, they'll grow into fruit trees, heavy with pomelos once more."
"And if our Grass-types lend a hand with their energy…" He glanced at Snivy. "They might even ripen early."
"Chii~!"
The five Minccino squeaked in delight, their eyes sparkling.
They could already picture it, an orchard full of tall, flourishing trees, every branch weighed down with golden pomelos.
In their imagination, they darted playfully among the roots and branches, snacking on ripe fruit whenever they pleased.
And when winter returned, they would curl up together in the hollows of those trees, warm and snug while snow drifted outside.
"Chii~!"
Just imagining that future made their little hearts flutter with happiness.