Night fell gently over the valley.
Above, a sea of stars shimmered in the deep blue sky, so clear it felt close enough to touch.
In the center of the settlement, the people gathered around a roaring bonfire, their faces glowing orange in the flickering light.
Laughter and chatter filled the air, washing away the fear and exhaustion of months past.
"Hey, everyone, come help! These are the fish caught by Lord Lucien's monster!"
A young man arrived, carrying a basket full of freshly caught, glistening fish.
Those nearby immediately rose to help, cleaning the catch, skewering them neatly, brushing them with oil and salt before placing them over the crackling flames.
Soon, the air filled with the irresistible aroma of roasted fish, smoky and savory.
"Wow, smells amazing!"
"I can't wait to eat!"
Several children clapped their hands in excitement, their eyes fixed on the golden fish roasting above the fire.
Adults smiled and began to share stories of hardships faced, of narrow escapes, of miracles that had brought them back together again.
For the monsters living in the settlement, this was their first bonfire.
They darted around the clearing, chasing one another playfully. Snivy and Dratini coiled and danced through the air as embers sparkled like fireflies. Simsear and Minccino drummed tiny rhythms on wooden bowls, while Shuckle peeked shyly from their hive boxes, humming softly.
It was a rare sight, humans and Pokémon laughing together under the same sky.
Lucien stood at a distance, arms folded, watching the scene unfold beside Geralt.
For a long while, neither spoke. The warmth of the fire reflected in their eyes.
Even someone as composed as Lucien couldn't hide the astonishment in his heart.
Seventy-eight people had become nearly three hundred in a single night.
With so many hands, his plans could finally take shape, roads, farms, mills, workshops, everything could finally move forward.
Beside him, Geralt watched the Pokémon weaving among the people, his brow furrowed in curiosity.
"Your Highness," he said, "these beasts… what are they?"
Lucien smiled faintly. "They're not beasts anymore, Geralt. They're part of our territory now."
Geralt blinked, then gave a slow, understanding nod.
"You're harnessing their power."
"Exactly," Lucien replied. "Each one has a different gift. Used wisely, they can bring great prosperity to us."
He turned his gaze toward the towering dragon standing behind Geralt, the Haxorus, scales gleaming like black steel.
"And that one beside you, it'll fight with you, won't it?"
"Always," Geralt said with quiet pride. "Since the day I subdued it, it's never left my side."
Lucien's lips curved upward. "Haxorus."
Geralt was slightly startled.
"Its name," Lucien said with a smile.
Geralt looked at the beast beside him, muttering under his breath, "Harorus..."
Just then, Ryan came running from across the square, his face glowing with excitement.
"Sir Geralt! You're alive!"
Geralt's stern expression softened. He'd already heard from Lucien how this young man had helped hold the territory together in his absence.
"You've done well, Ryan," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Ryan scratched the back of his neck with a grin. "It's what anyone would've done!"
Elif approached then, bowing slightly.
"Your Highness, everyone's been settled in for the night. We didn't have enough cabins, so some are staying in tents for now."
"That's fine," Lucien said, nodding. "Let them rest and enjoy the evening. We'll discuss rebuilding plans tomorrow."
"Understood, Your Highness."
Lucien gave a final glance at the joyous crowd. Dratini had curled up sleepily around Snivy's tail, both half-dozing by the fire.
Smiling faintly, he patted Dratini's head and turned away.
"Let's go, you two. Time to rest."
As he left, Elif turned to Geralt.
"You should rest as well, Sir Geralt. You've traveled far."
"I will," Geralt said, though he didn't move.
Once Lucien was gone, Geralt instead sat by the fire beside Ryan.
"Tell me," he asked quietly, "how did all this begin?"
Ryan stared into the flames for a long moment, then exhaled softly.
"At first, we thought we were doomed," he said. "No shelter, no food… nothing. We were just a handful of survivors."
He looked up, eyes glimmering.
"But then his Highness led us to this place. Not only that, he helped us build houses, gather berries, and fish. Thanks to His Highness, we were able to survive this winter safely, and everyone is still alive!"
"Not only that, His Highness Lucien also found many magical beasts and brought them into the territory to help us!" Ryan said with pride.
A Simsear, Shuckle, Dugtrio, Snover from the snowy plains…
Ryan's eyes gleamed as he spoke of them, his voice brimming with admiration.
Geralt listened quietly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a deep surge of emotion. His Highness had truly grown up.
The bonfire flickered through the night, casting dancing shadows over humans and Pokémon as they celebrated together.
That night marked the beginning of something remarkable.In the early days of April, Year 149 of the Royal Calendar, humans and Pokémon began their first true coexistence here.
The next morning, Lucien rose early.
While the Minccinos were still curled up fast asleep, he brought Dratini and Snivy to the large tent that served as their temporary meeting hall.
Inside, Elif, Geralt, Ryan, Anna, and Ivan were already waiting.
When Lucien entered, Elif stepped forward and began his report.
"Your Highness Lucien, I've completed a headcount. Lord Geralt brought back a total of two hundred and twenty-one civilians."
Lucien nodded thoughtfully. "How are they reacting to the monsters in the territory?"
"Everyone was frightened at first," Elif said, "but since the others explained that the monsters are friendly, most have begun to accept them."
"That's good." Lucien breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
The influx of new civilians was a blessing, but it also meant their food supply would now be stretched thin.
"Is there enough food left in the silo?" Lucien asked.
"Your Highness, our current stockpiles might not last long," Elif admitted. "However, Lord Geralt also brought back a large quantity of supplies."
He unrolled a small parchment and read aloud.
"Black bread, white bread, ham, bacon, pickled fish, beef jerky, almonds, figs, wine, beer, mead, oats, cheese, wheat, and spices. These should sustain everyone for now. Moreover, the rye, wheat, and potatoes in the farmland are almost ready for harvest, just one more week."
Hearing that, Lucien looked up in surprise. "You managed to gather that much? How did you all survive the winter?"
"Several wagons of supplies were lost during the blizzard. After finding the civilians, we searched for the lost caravans and recovered some of them. Later, we traded gold coins with nearby villagers to buy additional food."
"Villagers?" Lucien turned toward Ivan.
"Thank you for your hard work, Ivan."
Ivan rubbed his neck sheepishly. "It was nothing, Your Highness. Just what I should've done."
"Do you remember the name of that village?" Lucien asked.
Ivan shook his head. "People there just called it the Nameless Village. It's tiny, maybe twenty households. But I did learn one thing from them."
He looked up solemnly. "We're near the kingdom's border, deep in the northern region of Unova. Very far from the royal city."