Inside the Ironblood Fortress, endless carts rumbled toward the city gates, forming a long, unbroken convoy.
Each carriage was piled high with bundles of thorny vines, stacked so tall they nearly toppled over the sides. Around these carts marched crowds of commoners—families carrying bundles, children in tow, the elderly supporting one another—stretching into a seemingly endless procession.
Those thorny vines were destined to be transported to the Pokémon Domain, and these free citizens had decided to follow the convoy, heading there together.
'As long as I can survive, I will go to the Pokémon Domain and become one of Lord Aven's people.'
This was the vow many of them had made back in the gladiatorial arena. Now, they intended to fulfill it—to leave their old homes behind and join the Pokémon Domain.
After all, when there exists a lord who dares to risk his own life for the sake of commoners, what peasant wouldn't admire him—what person wouldn't want to follow such a man?
Moving toward an unknown land was certainly dangerous. But not a trace of confusion showed on the faces of the people in that endless line. Every one of them looked determined, their eyes full of hope.
"Another batch of commoners leaving again?"
On the fortress wall, a few knights stood watching the endless line of departing citizens. One of them sighed softly.
Once upon a time, Ironblood Fortress had been one of the liveliest cities under Aspiration City's domains. Every winter, thousands of civilians would flock here to seek shelter from the rampaging magical beasts.
But now, the city had grown eerily quiet. Everywhere they looked, people were leaving. The sight stood in stark contrast to the bustling winters of the year before.
"Well, this city holds too many painful memories for them."
"And besides, there's Earl Aven. He truly is a lord worth following. I still can't forget what he did in the colosseum that day."
Another knight let out a deep sigh. If he hadn't been bound by duty to the Aspiration Knight Order, perhaps he, too, would have chosen to follow Earl Aven.
Rumor had it that this year, the number of applicants for the Aspiration Knight Order had dropped sharply—many of the aspiring knights had instead gone to the Pokémon Domain.
"Yes," another knight murmured, nodding. "Earl Aven really is extraordinary. Very few lords in history could compare to him."
"But even so, we still have a chance to join them someday. I've heard that many of our retired and wounded knights have already moved to the Pokémon Domain."
Their conversation continued. When they mentioned the wounded veterans, a faint light flickered in their eyes. The Pokémon Domain, after all, remembered and honored every knight who had once fought to protect this land.
"Captain Kevin," one of the knight adjutants said quietly beside him atop the city wall, "at this rate, there'll soon be no one left in Ironblood Fortress."
Without enough population to sustain it, the city's decline was already an undeniable fact. This once-proud fortress would soon lose all of its former glory.
Kevin, however, remained calm. "Yes, but that's not necessarily a bad thing," he said softly.
"In the future, Ironblood Fortress will stand as the front line against the magical beast' assaults."
"Rather than a prosperous city, Ironblood Fortress is far better suited to be a fortress of defense—just as Earl Aven envisioned. If we can block every magical beast in the Aspiration Mountains, then the rear territories of Aspiration City will remain safe."
He gave a faint shake of his head. Eventually, the entire Aspiration Knight Order would be permanently stationed here. The civilians leaving now were simply part of a natural shift—it wasn't all bad.
While the knights conversed quietly, the long line of wagons slowly rolled out of Ironblood Fortress, heading toward the borderlands. There, the main group was already assembled—ready to return to the Pokémon Domain together.
…
At the Border of Ironblood Territory
The camp was bustling with activity. The teams that had previously escorted the Pokemon and supplies had already departed ahead of them.
This contingent remained behind to gather all the remaining serfs within the Ironblood domain.
Population—this was precisely what the Pokémon Domain needed most right now. Thus, Earl Aven had ordered them to bring back as many people as possible, ensuring everyone's safe return.
"Captain Sutter, more serfs have arrived at the camp," a knight reported.
"This should be the last group within Ironblood Fortress's borders."
"Once Lord Aven returns from the Aspiration Mountains, we'll finally be able to go home—to the Pokémon Domain."
Inside the camp, the knights diligently maintained order, ensuring everything ran smoothly. Overhead, Jorah and his Yanma patrolled the skies. Spotting the approaching group of knights escorting serfs, they descended swiftly to report.
"Good," Sutter said with satisfaction. "Make sure everything is ready. These serfs are the Pokémon Domain's most valuable resource—we can't afford for a single person to come to harm."
Then he turned to Buck beside him. "Buck, I'll leave the coordination of the serfs to you."
"Yes, Captain Sutter!" Buck straightened his back, his voice firm.
"I'll be sure to convey Lord Aven's orders properly."
"Becoming part of the Pokémon Domain's serfs is their good fortune."
After saluting, he turned and strode out of the camp toward the gathering point.
Buck had once been a serf himself, and thus felt a natural kinship with these people. He was also living proof of what Aven's policies could accomplish.
From a lowly serf to a freedman, from a freedman to an apprentice Pokémon trainer in the patrol squad, and finally to a full-fledged knight—sometimes even he found his own journey hard to believe.
He wanted to share his story with every serf he met—to let them know that the Pokémon Domains represented hope itself. As long as they followed the rules and worked hard, they too could one day earn their freedom.
Behind him trailed three Pokémon—Gloom, Bibarel, and Stunky.
Having all survived the battlefield, the three had matured greatly.
Each wore a collar engraved with the insignia of the Pokémon Domain, marking them as Pokémon belonging to its Knight Order.
As Buck marched onward, he soon saw a group of knights approaching from afar, leading behind them a weary column of serfs.
From their faces, he could see the same numbness and dull despair he once knew so well. There was no panic or curiosity—just resignation.
For the serfs, being traded between lords was nothing new. They were property—commodities to be exchanged.
To them, this migration was nothing but another transaction among nobles. There was no talk of freedom, no hope of change.
In the new lands, they would labor under a different master, living out the same gray, hopeless days as before. Such was the fate of most serfs.
Seeing this, Buck fell silent. Once, he too had worn the same expression—lifeless, hopeless, directionless.
But now, everything was different.
Taking a deep breath, he strode forward to meet them. He had done this many times before, and he knew what to say.
"Buck, you're here," the leading knight greeted him with a tired smile. "Then we'll leave the rest to you."
Buck nodded. "You've worked hard. Go get some rest—I'll handle things from here."
He turned toward the serfs. But their faces remained blank, lifeless, uninterested in his arrival.
"Tell me," Buck suddenly shouted, his voice ringing through the camp, "do you want to become free citizens?"
That single word—free—sparked a flicker of emotion across their dull faces. Many of them looked up at him with faint curiosity.
But when they saw that he was merely a knight, they quickly averted their gazes again, shaking their heads faintly.
Of course they wanted to be free. Who wouldn't?
But they knew it was impossible.
Serfs were property—private assets of the nobility. No lord would ever willingly give up free labor that required nothing but obedience.
"Have you ever heard of the Pokémon Domain?" Buck called out again.
This time, their reactions were even more indifferent. To them, one lord's land was no different from another's.
"What if I told you," Buck said, his voice firm, "that in the Pokémon Domain, there is hope for you to become free citizens? Would you believe me?"
The serfs stirred uneasily. Some raised their heads to look at him, uncertain. Even Buck himself asked inwardly—if he were still one of them, would he have believed it?
"If you're curious," he said at last with a faint smile, "sit down. Let me tell you a story."
He began to speak—of the day he first met Lord Aven, a memory he would never forget.
On a grassy field outside Fruitvale Village, Lord Aven had given him his first ray of light—the first spark of hope in a life of darkness.
Gradually, the crowd of serfs fell silent. Their gazes fixed on him, listening intently as he spoke.
Their expressions shifted bit by bit as his words sank in.
Though part of them still doubted him, believing his tale too miraculous to be true—a small seed of yearning had already taken root in their hearts.
Still, to them, it was just a story. A tale about a serf who had somehow become a free man, then a patrol officer, and finally a knight—it sounded far too fantastical to be real.
"…And that's my story," Buck concluded at last.
"In the Pokémon Domain, as long as you earn enough merit, you can shed your status as a serf."
He looked over the crowd, his voice steady. "And now, I want to tell you this—the story I told you is real."
"When you arrive in the Pokémon Domain, you'll see it for yourselves. So please, don't give up hope. Stay safe, and follow us home."
The serfs exchanged uneasy glances. Some looked doubtful, others resigned. Many simply bowed their heads again. Clearly, they still thought this was a story made up to keep them obedient.
Buck sighed inwardly. Escorting serfs was never easy. Many would try to escape along the way, despite the near impossibility of success.
After all, if they somehow managed to flee, they could taste a fleeting freedom—even if they could never erase their branded status as slaves. For most, that brief glimpse of liberty would already be enough.
"You don't seem to believe me," Buck said quietly, scanning the crowd. "Then what if I told you—I am the serf in that story?"
The serfs froze, staring blankly at him.
Then several shook their heads in disbelief. Their eyes darted between his polished armor and the powerful Pokémon beside him—it seemed impossible.
But in the next moment, Buck rose to his feet, and before their shocked gazes, stripped off his armor and tunic, baring his back.
There, branded deep into his skin, was the unmistakable mark they all knew—the seared imprint of servitude.
The slave's brand.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Every serf stood up, faces pale with disbelief.
The knight before them—a man of status and power—truly bore the mark of a slave!
Their minds reeled. Could it be… that the story was true?
"I… I-Is that story real then?" one of the serfs stammered, his voice trembling.
No words could ever compare to what they saw before their eyes. The knight standing before them had once been one of them—a slave!
"Yes," Buck said with calm conviction. "Half a year ago, I was still a slave."
"I lived in Keystone Town, until Lord Aven brought me to the Pokémon Domain."
"He promised that if we could cultivate enough crops, we would be freed from servitude."
"At first, I didn't believe him either… but the results came faster than I ever imagined."
"I thought it would take one or two years—but with the help of my then Oddish and Bidoof, I did it in just half a year."
"I imagine that this year, in the Pokémon Domain, most serfs who worked diligently have already earned their freedom."
"Of course," Buck added with a grin, "reaching my level—from serf to knight—isn't easy. Among all the serfs, I may be the only one so far."
"But even so, my existence proves one thing: in the Pokémon Domain, your birth does not define your worth. Even a former slave can become a knight—or even an official—if they work hard enough!"
Buck's eyes glowed with emotion as he looked at them.
"So don't give up hope," he said firmly. "As long as you hold onto it in your hearts—each and every one of you can build the life you dream of!"
At that moment, the scene fell into complete silence. No one knew how long that silence lasted until, all of a sudden, a faint sob broke through it. The gathered serfs—who had been standing still and silent—now had tears streaming down their faces.
"Wonderful… it's truly wonderful…" someone whispered hoarsely.
The others nodded, choking back their own emotions. Even though it was the middle of winter, even though the sky above was overcast and heavy with thick clouds, the air around them felt warm. It was as if a beam of light had pierced through the gloom and shone directly into their hearts.
(End of Chapter)