The next morning, Raven sat in the lord's hall, handling various affairs in the territory.
He had already handed the Apricorns and iron ore to Morik yesterday. All he could do now was wait.
"I hope Morik can figure out something from that blueprint," Raven thought.
With Poké Balls, carrying Pokémon on the road would be far more convenient—and he could also capture more partners.
Raven exhaled slowly, then opened his territory panel to check satisfaction.
[Lord's Name: Raven][Territory: Village (unnamed yet)][People (Humans): 78][Minions (Pokémon): 28][Popularity: 30]Satisfaction: 468[Technology: Gathering, Basic Herbalism, Fishing, Animal Husbandry, Basic Processing]
After a winter of stability, satisfaction had climbed back to 468.
From Raven's observations, satisfaction was both simple and tricky: humans and "beasts" alike gained it whenever they felt happiness, safety, or fulfillment.
Just yesterday, the three Petilil had contributed thirty points on their own.
"I'm only 32 points away from unlocking Advanced Herbalism," Raven noted.
But then his brow furrowed.
"Wait… why is there one more Pokémon on the list?"
He opened the details. It listed every species currently in his territory:
Three Snover
Two Bouffalant
Dratini
Zorua
Snivy
Five Minccino
Six Magikarp
Dugtrio
Three Petilil
That was twenty-three.
Add Lyon's Simisear, Pidove, Patrat, and Foongus, and the total came to twenty-seven.
But the panel clearly showed twenty-eight.
Scrolling further, Raven spotted it:
[Pidove]Attributes: Normal/FlyingGender: MaleAbility: Super LuckMoves: Gust, Growl, Leer, Quick AttackFriendship: 0
[Biography]
Year 148 of the Royal Calendar: Pidove was born.
Year 149: Attacked in the forest, injured its wing, and could no longer fly. Rescued by Aiwen. After recovering, it chose to stay with him.
Raven blinked.
Aiwen—?
Checking the human entries, sure enough, the name was there.
This was excellent news. One of his people had taken the initiative to befriend a Pokémon. The world he dreamed of—humans and Pokémon living together—felt one step closer.
At that moment, the old butler Aelif entered, leading a young man inside.
"Your Highness Raven," Aelif said with a smile, "I've found someone who can scout for nearby villages and towns."
The man looked to be in his early twenties, with chestnut hair and a baby face that made him appear boyish.
Aelif introduced him: "This is Aiwen. He once worked as a messenger in the royal city, traveling between many towns. He has much experience surviving in the wild—"
Raven caught the name and interrupted. "Aiwen?"
"Y-Your Highness!" The young man flushed, bowing quickly.
Raven leaned forward. "I heard you rescued a beast?"
Aiwen stiffened. "Yes, but please don't worry, Your Highness! That beast won't harm anyone!"
Raven chuckled. "Relax. I never said it was wrong to save one. In fact, I think it's admirable. Tell me—aren't you afraid of beasts?"
Aiwen hesitated, then shook his head. "No. That one's called Pidove. My old master raised one too—it delivered mail for him. He taught me how to handle pigeons and even use their abilities to carry messages."
Raven blinked. A messenger Pidove…?
Aiwen nodded. "They're clever. Though not as intelligent as some, they can remember long routes. If you train them and build trust, they'll deliver letters no matter the distance."
A notification appeared in Raven's vision:
[Your subject Aiwen has shared a new technology: Messenger][Messenger: A method of training Pidove as carrier pigeons. With this, letters can be delivered to distant recipients accurately.]
Raven's eyes lit up. He exchanged a glance with Aelif before asking: "Then—you could deliver a letter to the royal city?"
"Yes," Aiwen said firmly.
"Don't they need to learn the route first?"
Aiwen shook his head. "Not Pidove. They have an instinct for it. As long as you give the name and features of the recipient, they'll reach the place on their own. My master once said Pidove even share routes with each other—their network is stronger than ours."
Raven couldn't help but smile. Truly an incredible Pokémon.
"Then can it be done now?"
"Of course. I've already trained it—it listens to me," Aiwen assured him.
"Good. Deliver this letter to my father, the king." Raven handed him the sealed parchment.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"And one more thing," Raven continued, spreading out a map. "We are lost. I need you to find a nearby village or town. Only then can we confirm our location and connect with talent. This task is vital. Aiwen, I entrust it to you."
"I will not fail!" Aiwen promised eagerly.
Later, in his cabin, Aiwen trembled with excitement.
His Highness Raven had chosen him for such an important mission.
This was his chance to prove himself. He couldn't let Raven down.
Taking a deep breath, he tied the letter securely to Pidove's leg.
"Pidove, take this letter to His Majesty in Eindoak City. Please!" Aiwen said, mimicking his late master's tone.
"Pidove!"
The pigeon cooed, flapped its wings, and soared high into the sky, disappearing into the horizon.