"This… this is the residential district of Fairhaven Town?"
The civilians were all dumbfounded as they looked at the neatly arranged rows of houses before them.
Back in the Ironblood Fortress, they had lived in what was considered one of the most prosperous places in all of Aspiration City. Before setting out for Fairhaven Town, most had already mentally prepared themselves for hardship—expecting a simple, underdeveloped settlement.
But upon arrival, they were completely shocked to discover that Fairhaven Town's prosperity was not inferior to that of the Ironblood Fortress—in fact, because of its well-planned layout, it even appeared more prosperous and comfortable.
The wide, spacious streets and the neatly built rows of houses made them feel as if they had stepped into a castle district rather than a common town.
Because the residential district had been designed as a completely independent section, it was quiet and peaceful, with a level of livability that could easily rival that of noble quarters. The civilians were instantly captivated.
"I've decided," one of them exclaimed excitedly. "I'm definitely buying a house here! From now on, I'm living in Fairhaven Town!"
The others quickly nodded in agreement. Under the guidance of the Residential Office staff, they began completing their registrations and were soon assigned their own homes.
Beyond the excellent living conditions, the civilians soon discovered that finding work in Fairhaven Town was surprisingly easy.
Skilled craftsmen and merchants could find opportunities in the industrial or commercial districts—either by opening their own shops or by joining existing businesses.
Even those without specialized skills could still find suitable jobs within the town. Ordinary women, for example, could work in the Pokémon Food Processing Factory, which happened to be short-handed at the moment.
Those who sought higher pay could join the forest reclamation teams. Though lumber work was labor-intensive, the wages were considerably generous.
And of course, in Fairhaven Town—and the Pokémon Domain as a whole—the most promising career of all was that of a Pokémon Trainer.
Everywhere one looked, one could see Trainers walking alongside their Pokémon. Becoming a Trainer not only granted social prestige but also opened up countless paths—whether joining the patrol teams, participating in special missions, or taking jobs that required Pokémon assistance.
All of those Pokémon-assisted occupations offered high salaries—but naturally, they also came with strict requirements.
For example, anyone wanting to work in the transportation teams needed to have Pokémon like Rhyhorn or Skuntank to haul heavy loads.
Those who wished to join the construction teams needed Pokémon capable of using moves like Rock Tomb or Rock Slide.
And to everyone's amazement, even the orchards were now recruiting farmers who owned Grass-type Pokémon!
In fact, it seemed that in Fairhaven Town, not having a Pokémon by your side made you feel embarrassed to even look for work—after all, even the most ordinary farmers were walking around with Oddish or Bellsprout as helpers!
"The Pokémon Domain… what an incredible place. I think I've already fallen completely in love with it," one of the civilians sighed in awe.
Indeed, nearly everyone who came to the Pokémon Domain felt the same way. That was why, every so often, new civilians flocked here—but not once had anyone ever chosen to leave.
…
After returning to the castle, Aven arranged for the Trapinch and the other young Pokémon to settle into the rocky hills within the Safari Zone.
This area had originally been a stony field and had since become a training ground for Rock- and Ground-type Pokémon like Rhydon.
Over time, because Pokémon frequently practiced their moves here—especially Earth Power and Ancient Power—the area had naturally become infused with dense Rock- and Ground-type energy.
That made it a perfect habitat for Pokémon like Trapinch, Geodude, and Onix.
"From now on, this will be your new home," Aven said with a gentle smile.
"Traaa~!" "Geoo~!" "Ooonix~!"
The Pokémon looked around the rocky hills for a while before nodding happily.
They could feel the strong energy of Rock and Ground radiating through the area—it was no worse than the land they had come from.
"RHHHY!"
Rhydon pounded its chest proudly, signaling that it would take responsibility for overseeing the place.
Aven sighed helplessly. "It's precisely because you're here that I can't rest easy."
He was genuinely worried that under Rhydon's enthusiastic leadership, these young Pokémon might end up overtraining themselves into exhaustion.
"These are all children," he muttered inwardly. "I hope they won't end up traumatized."
Still, seeing Rhydon's confident expression, Aven didn't have the heart to refuse. Instead, he turned to the Nidoking leader. "Keep an eye on them, all right?"
"Nido~ Nido~!" Nidoking nodded firmly.
As a tribe leader, it had plenty of experience managing a group. Recently, it had also been focusing on refining its control over Ground-type energy, striving to break through to the King level.
It had chosen to remain in these rocky hills for training and had even brought along several tribe members with strong Ground-type potential.
In the Nidoking's tribe, the unevolved Nidoran, Nidorino, and Nidorina were purely Poison-type Pokémon, while only the evolved Nidoking and Nidoqueen possessed the dual typing of Poison and Ground.
Because of this, their tribe had always focused solely on Poison-type techniques, never realizing that they also carried strong potential for Ground-type abilities.
Now that this hidden talent had been discovered, the Nidoking leader intended to take full advantage of it. Those whose Poison-type affinity was weak would finally have a chance to grow stronger through Ground-type training.
Especially since the Nidoking had already glimpsed the path toward the king level, it now prioritized its Ground-type training even more. It also planned to help train the Ground-type talent of other Nidokings and Nidoqueens in hopes of cultivating more advanced-level fighters within the tribe.
Aven, however, still wasn't completely convinced. He glanced at the Nidoking and sighed inwardly. "This guy means well, but if he overdoes his training, he might just end up wrecking the terrain…"
His eyes then turned toward the lazy Torterra lying in the distance. Among all the Ground-types present, Torterra was undoubtedly the most dependable.
…
"Lord Aven, are these the Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon mentioned in the reports?"
Before long, Master Thomas—the head of the Construction—hurried over with a group of apprentices.
His sharp eyes quickly landed on Onix, its massive body coiled like a stone serpent, made entirely of boulders stacked together.
"This… this is an Onix? Incredible! It looks perfect for heavy construction work!" Thomas's eyes sparkled.
In his mind, he could already imagine the sight of Onix laboring at a construction site—digging tunnels and foundations with unmatched efficiency.
Then, his gaze fell on Geodude—a round, gray-bodied Pokémon with no legs but a pair of impressively muscular arms.
The moment he saw those fists, his eyes lit up again. With such strength and perfect physique, Geodude would make the ideal assistant for craftsmen and builders!
"Lord Aven!" Thomas exclaimed excitedly. "Can I bring them to the worksites right away? With their help, I can boost my crew's efficiency severalfold!"
"No," Aven replied immediately. "They're still young. They can't be sent to construction sites yet."
He added sternly, "And even once they're capable, they must first agree to it themselves. Have you forgotten the laws of my domain?"
Thomas blinked, then scratched his head sheepishly. He had gotten too excited and spoken without thinking. Of course, he remembered the laws of the Pokémon Domain—every Pokémon's will had to be respected.
Still, unwilling to give up, he said, "Then I'll have my apprentices work hard to earn the trust of Onix and Geodude! Once they've gained recognition, they can officially register as Trainers!"
Aven chuckled. "That's fine by me—as long as the Pokémon themselves are willing. But until then, make sure they're well taken care of."
"Of course, Lord Aven!" Thomas said earnestly. "We'll take good care of these future construction partners!"
Satisfied, Aven nodded. He had been wondering how to handle the young Pokémon's care, and now Thomas had shown up at just the right time to take on that responsibility.
Once the Pokémon were properly settled, Aven left with his team and headed towards Stonefall Village.
The magical beasts transported from the Ironblood Fortress were being kept there for the time being. These included the Pokémon from the Ironblood Knights as well as those seized from the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild.
Because their conditions varied, the rangers didn't dare release them into the Pokémon Breeding Zones of other lords or the Safari Zone without Aven's judgment.
As soon as he approached the village, a chorus of roars echoed in the distance.
Some of the cries were filled with madness and rage—those came from the untamed Pokémon still seething with hatred toward humans for the pain they had suffered. These would be the hardest to handle.
Others, however, were subdued and fearful—these were the Pokémon that had been domesticated, now trembling at the mere sight of people.
They were obedient, yes—but obedient in a way that made one's heart ache. Their spirits were wounded, and such injuries could only heal slowly, through patience and compassion.
For these creatures, Aven planned to assign gentle, kind-hearted Trainers to care for them—hoping that through companionship and trust, they might one day rediscover their true selves.
The last group consisted of the Ironblood Knights' former mounts. Their fate, however, would depend on the verdicts of their masters—who still awaited judgment.
Some would face punishment under the laws of the Pokémon Domain, some would be reduced to serfs, and others might be sentenced to hard labor. After all, in this world, the bond between a Pokémon and its Trainer was inseparable—when one fell, the other shared the same fate.
(End of Chapter)