The next morning, Lucien sat in the lord's hall, reviewing the various affairs of his growing territory.
He had already handed the Apricorns and iron ore to Morik the day before. All that remained now was to wait for results.
"I hope Morik can figure something out with that blueprint," Lucien thought, fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
If they succeeded in creating a working Poké Ball, life in the territory would change drastically. He could carry his Pokémon companions with him, capture new ones safely, and begin laying the foundations of a true Trainer civilization.
Exhaling slowly, Lucien opened the territory dashboard to check his satisfaction level.
[Lord Name: Lucien]
[Territory: Village (Unnamed)]
[Humans: 78] (Click to view details)
[Pokémon: 28] (Click to view details)
[Public Sentiment: 30]
[Satisfaction: 468]
[Technologies: Foraging, Basic Herbalism, Fishing, Animal Husbandry, Basic Crafting]
After a long, harsh winter, the once-depleted satisfaction index had finally risen to 468.
Lucien had been observing this strange phenomenon for months.
Territory satisfaction could rise through many small things, but its pattern was never simple.
Whenever humans or Pokémon found happiness, security, or fulfillment in their daily lives, a ripple of satisfaction seemed to spread through the land itself.
Just yesterday, the three newly settled Petilil had contributed over thirty points of satisfaction on their own.
"Only thirty-two points more to unlock [Advanced Herbalism]," Lucien mused, scanning the dashboard.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"Wait… why is there one more Pokémon citizen?"
Opening the Pokémon list, Lucien reviewed the detailed roster one by one:
3 Snover
2 Bouffalant
1 Dratini
1 Zorua
1 Snivy
5 Minccino
6 Magikarp
1 Dugtrio
3 Petilil
That made twenty-three.
Adding Ryan's partners, the total came to twenty-seven.
Yet the record showed twenty-eight.
"Strange… who's the newcomer?"
Scrolling further, Lucien spotted the unfamiliar name.
[Pokémon: Pidove]
[Type: Normal / Flying]
[Gender: Male]
[Ability: Super Luck]
[Moves: Gust, Screech, Quick Attack, Agility]
[Friendship: 0]
[Record: Born in the 148th Year of the Royal Calendar. In 149, attacked in the forest and injured its wings, unable to fly. Rescued by Ivan. After recovery, chose to remain with Ivan.]
Lucien blinked, then smiled faintly.
"Ivan…?"
He quickly found the same name among the list of his human residents.
That discovery warmed him more than he expected.
"Good. They're finally starting to reach out to Pokémon on their own."
This was precisely the kind of world he envisioned, where humans and Pokémon lived side by side, supporting each other.
Just then, Elif, the old butler, entered the hall, followed by a young man who looked barely twenty.
"Your Highness Lucien," Elif began, bowing slightly. "I've found someone willing to search for nearby towns and villages."
Lucien raised an eyebrow, turning toward the newcomer.
He was a youth with chestnut hair and a clean, boyish face, nervous but upright.
"This is Ivan," Elif explained. "He once served as a courier in the royal capital. He's traveled widely between towns and has extensive experience surviving in the wild."
Lucien's gaze sharpened the moment he heard the name.
"Ivan?"
"Y-Your Highness!" the young man stammered, bowing hastily.Meeting a lord in person for the first time clearly overwhelmed him, but he forced himself to stand straight and salute properly.
"I heard you rescued a magical beast recently, didn't you?" Lucien asked, his gaze calm but curious.
"Huh?" Ivan stiffened. "Y-Yes, that's right! But please don't worry, Your Highness, she's harmless! That beast would never attack anyone!"
Lucien blinked, then chuckled softly. "Relax. I didn't summon you to reprimand you. On the contrary, you did well."
He leaned back in his chair, studying the young man before him. "Tell me, Ivan, aren't you afraid of the beast?"
Ivan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "No, Your Highness. That one wasn't scary at all… She's called Pidove. My old master in the royal city used to raise them, he trained them to deliver letters."
Lucien raised a brow, intrigued. "Deliver mail?"
Ivan nodded eagerly, warming up to the topic. "Yes! Pidove may seem a bit simple, but they're actually very clever. They can memorize long routes. If you earn their trust and give them a clear destination, they'll deliver letters faithfully, no matter the distance."
As Ivan finished, Lucien suddenly felt the faint hum of his interface activating.
[Your citizen, Ivan, has shared new technology: Messenger.] [Messenger: Enables the training of Pidove into Carrier Pidove. Once trained, they can deliver written messages accurately over vast distances.]
Lucien's eyes widened slightly. 'A new technology… from one of his own people!'
He exchanged a knowing glance with Elif, the old butler at his side, before turning back to Ivan.
"Then tell me, Ivan, do you think your Pidove could deliver a message to the royal capital?"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Ivan answered at once.
Lucien tilted his head. "Without even knowing the route?"
"Pidove have an innate sense of direction," Ivan explained earnestly. "You only need to describe the destination and the recipient's name. They'll find their way there instinctively."
He paused, recalling something his master once said, then smiled a little.
"My master used to joke that the Pidove network was even faster than our couriers. They rely on each other. When one Pidove doesn't know the way, it'll seek out others mid-flight to find the exact location."
Lucien blinked. "…"
'As expected of a Pokémon… even their postal system is more organized than ours.'
"Can you send a message now?" he asked, tone returning to business.
"Yes! My Pidove is fully tamed and obedient," Ivan said proudly.
"Good." Lucien retrieved a sealed parchment from his desk and handed it to him.
"Deliver this letter to my father, the King of Aindorok. It contains a report on our settlement and the status of the northern frontier."
Ivan accepted it carefully, bowing deeply. "Understood, Your Highness!"
Lucien wasn't finished yet.
"I have another task for you," he said, pointing to a half-finished map spread across the table. "We still don't know where exactly our settlement lies on the continent. I need you to locate the nearest town or village. If we can establish contact, we can trade, exchange knowledge, and confirm our bearings."
Ivan's eyes lit up. "I'll find it, my lord. I promise!"
"Good," Lucien said, offering a rare, approving smile. "I'm counting on you."
That afternoon, Ivan returned to his cabin, his heart pounding with excitement.
He hadn't expected Lord Lucien to entrust him with such important missions, both delivering royal correspondence and exploring beyond the borders.
"This must be His Highness's way of testing me… or perhaps he truly sees potential in me."
He clenched his fists, determined. 'I won't let him down.'
Taking out his Pidove, he gently tied the sealed letter to its leg with a thin silk cord.
"Alright, my friend," he whispered, imitating his old mentor's tone, "your destination is the Royal Palace of Aindok. Deliver this letter to His Majesty the King. Fly safe, and don't stop for anyone."
Pidove cooed softly, its eyes gleaming with understanding.
It spread its wings and, with a powerful flap, launched into the open sky.