"Minister Mike, is what you said true?" one of them asked nervously.
"Yes, it's true," Mike confirmed with a nod. "Though I don't know exactly what questions they'll ask, I've heard the contents will mainly cover literacy and agricultural knowledge."
"That information should've been included in the recruitment notice. If I remember right, it's still posted on the bulletin board."
He frowned slightly, glancing at the group before him. "Wait—you mean none of you have read the notice from the Ministry of Agriculture?"
The villagers scratched their heads awkwardly. Most of them, truth be told, couldn't read at all—and those who could only recognized a handful of characters.
So even though the announcement had been posted for quite a while, they had only heard vague rumors about the exam system. The densely packed characters on the notice were impossible for them to decipher, so naturally, they hadn't understood the details.
But now, after Mike's explanation, the villagers' eyes lit up with excitement. When it came to berry and crop cultivation, this was their area of expertise! The only real obstacle left was literacy.
If they could just learn to read and write, then every one of them would have a chance to take the exam—and perhaps even become officials in the Agriculture Department!
The very thought of it stirred them deeply. Some villagers who could already read a few characters clenched their fists in silent determination, deciding to give it a serious try.
"That's right," Mike continued with a smile. "Of course, the exam won't be too easy either."
"You've all seen how much things have changed in agriculture since Pokémon began participating in the work. Everything—from berry farming to fertilizer use—has evolved dramatically."
"So, if you're serious about taking the exam, I suggest attending a few classes at Fairhaven Town's Intermediate School. There will be teachers who specialize in these subjects."
"Even if you don't end up taking the exam, attending those classes will still be worth it. You'll learn new techniques that can make berry cultivation much more efficient."
"As for literacy, if you can't attend classes during the day, you can join the night school program instead. There will be teachers dedicated to teaching adults how to read and write."
Mike patiently explained everything. Currently, there were three schools throughout the Pokémon Domain: Fruitvale Village Primary School, Fairhaven Town Primary School, and Fairhaven Town Intermediate School.
The primary schools only taught the basics—reading and writing. Anyone who mastered literacy would be considered to have completed elementary education. The intermediate school, on the other hand, taught practical skills and specialized knowledge.
He still remembered Aven's words clearly: the current education system was just the foundation. Once the infrastructure matured, advanced schools and trainer academies would also be built.
The villagers exchanged glances, gratitude shining in their eyes. "Thank you, Minister Mike. We'll definitely make time to study!"
Mike nodded with satisfaction before stepping away from the group, finding a quiet spot from which he could see the school gates. There, he waited patiently for the bell to ring.
Ding… Ding… Ding… Ding…
Before long, the sound of the dismissal bell echoed through the schoolyard.
Moments later, laughter and chatter filled the classrooms as students poured out through the open gates.
One by one, they reunited with their parents and began walking home—many of them accompanied by their Pokémon.
"Andy, over here!"
Mike's gaze landed on a familiar figure at the gate—his son, Andy.
The boy was bundled up in a cotton coat, cradling a Oddish in his arms, while a Starly perched proudly atop his head.
Hearing his father's voice, Andy's face lit up in surprise and joy, and he immediately ran over with a beaming smile.
These days, Mike was busy with his duties as Minister of Agriculture, while his wife Erin served as the director of the Pokémon Food Processing Plant. As such, they rarely had time to personally pick up Andy after school.
Most of the time, Andy went home accompanied by his Oddish and Starly. With two Pokémon watching over him, Mike and Eileen never had to worry about his safety.
"Chirp! Chirp!"
The little Starly flapped its wings and called out cheerfully when it saw Mike.
After spending so much time together, Starly had developed a strong bond with Andy—and had grown quite fond of this little boy who followed it everywhere.
"Dad! How come you had time to pick me up today?" Andy asked, his face glowing with excitement.
Although his parents were always busy, he understood that everything they did was for the sake of helping Brother Aven and supporting the people of their territory. Because of that, he never blamed them.
He now had his own goal as well—one day, he was determined to become a powerful Pokémon Trainer so that he could help Brother Aven and his parents build this domain into an even better place.
Mike affectionately patted little Andy on the head. "I happened to come back to Fruitvale Village on business," he said with a smile. "Once I was done, I got off work early." The two of them chatted and laughed together as they walked toward home.
At the village school, Darius the former Ironblood Knight, now an elementary school teacher at Fruitvale Village Primary watched the students leaving the schoolyard. When the last of them had gone and the place fell quiet, he let out a soft sigh of relief.
Returning to his classroom, he packed away the textbooks and glanced around the now-empty room. In his mind, he could still see the innocent, smiling faces of those children, and a faint smile tugged at his own lips.
If he hadn't personally stood here today, he never would have imagined that he, once a hardened knight would one day become a teacher, spending his days among laughing children. Yet, as he thought about it, this life didn't seem bad at all.
Letting out a long breath, Darius gathered the books from his desk and stepped outside, planning to return to the dormitory on the school grounds for a rest.
Classes had already ended, and other teachers were trickling back as well, each carrying their own stacks of papers or books. When their eyes met, they exchanged warm smiles before heading toward the dormitory together.
Though they were technically "convicts," restricted to remain within the school's premises, they otherwise lived freely and most importantly, no one around them knew of their past crimes. That alone filled their hearts with quiet gratitude.
They had already accepted their new lives. From now on, they would live peacefully within the school, working hard to earn merit points. Once they had accumulated enough, they would regain their freedom and become ordinary citizens again.
"I'm doing fine here," Darius murmured, gazing into the distant sky. "I hope all of you are doing well too."
In the faraway Ironblood Fortress, he still had family waiting for him. When he thought of his young daughter, a tender softness welled up in his chest. Once he could return home, he would make sure to make it up to that little one properly.
"Darius, thank you for your hard work these past few days."
Standing in front of the dormitory building was the school principal—also the administrator overseeing these former knights.
The man had only one arm, the other long lost in battle. He was holding a book in his remaining hand, smiling kindly at the approaching teacher.
"Good evening, Principal Sieg," Darius greeted him with a warm smile.
After spending so much time together, the two had grown quite familiar with each other. Darius knew that Principal Sieg was also a former knight, once even a Knight Captain who had retired due to his severe injuries.
Later, Lord Aven had personally recruited him, first as a knight instructor, and then appointed him as the principal of the Fruitvale Village Elementary School.
Darius could still remember vividly the look on Principal Sieg's face whenever he spoke of Lord Aven—his eyes would light up as if he were gazing upon a holy radiance. To Sieg, Lord Aven was that very light that had saved them all.
Instead of recruiting healthy knights and trainees, Lord Aven had deliberately chosen to give opportunities to these wounded knights. That decision alone had deeply moved Darius's heart.
"Tomorrow's the weekend," Sieg said with a gentle smile. "Do you have any plans?"
Darius thought for a moment before replying, "I'll do what I always do—read and study more. I still feel there's so much I lack."
"Good," Sieg nodded approvingly. "In that case, sign this for me."
Puzzled, Darius accepted the document from the principal's hand. But when his eyes scanned the paper, they widened in surprise—it was an application form, a visitation request!
"You've always wanted to visit your Rhyhorn at the Safari Zone, haven't you?" Sieg said with a knowing smile.
"Every so often, you're each granted a chance to visit your old partners. Coincidentally, there's an extra slot open this weekend."
Hearing that, Darius's eyes lit up with excitement. The last time he had seen his Rhyhorn was over two weeks ago—he had missed it terribly and had often wondered how it was doing.
"Thank you, Principal Sieg," Darius said, clutching the form tightly, unable to suppress the tremor in his voice.
Sieg waved his remaining hand dismissively. "Don't thank me—thank Lord Aven. Everything we have now, we owe to him."
The night passed swiftly. By the next morning, Darius had packed his things and, under the escort of the territory's knight corps, set out toward the Safari Zone.
Riding in the carriage, he gazed out the window, cherishing this rare chance to leave the school grounds. He wanted to imprint every sight into his memory.
What struck him most about this land were the serfs—working diligently in the fields. Compared to serfs in other territories, they seemed… different. Their expressions were not ones of despair but of quiet determination.
That image reminded him of the Serf Advancement Manual he had once read. Now, he knew it was all true, so long as they accumulated enough merit points, even serfs could rise to become free citizens.
Feeling genuine happiness for them, Darius clenched his fists with renewed resolve. If serfs could earn their freedom, then so could he. If he worked hard enough, he too could redeem himself from the stain of his crimes.
The knights traveled swiftly. Before long, they reached Fairhaven Town.
Even in the heart of winter, the town remained lively and full of vitality. Crossing through it, they finally arrived at the banks of the Fair River.
After crossing a sturdy wooden bridge guarded by knights, they stepped onto the vast expanse of the Safari Zone. Stretching endlessly across the plains, it was a paradise of green, where Pokémon roamed freely and peacefully.
Rumble—
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble.
Darius looked up and spotted a massive, jet-black Rhydon in the distance. Behind it thundered a herd of Rhyhorn, galloping at full speed, their powerful legs pounding the earth as they rushed past.
He recognized them instantly—these were the same Rhyhorn that had once served the Ironblood Knights.
Back when the Ironblood Knights had been tried and disbanded, he had seen these Pokémon one last time. Since their masters had been convicted, most of the knights' Pokémon had been set free—except for a few that had been reassigned.
Under the persuasion of other knights, these Rhyhorn had chosen to stay, becoming part of the Breeding Grounds' ecosystem.
"R–Rhyhorn…" Darius called out softly, his throat tightening.
When none of the Pokémon reacted, he took a deep breath and shouted louder, "Rhyhorn!"
"Rhy?"
This time, one of the Rhyhorn lifted its head mid-gallop, looking curiously toward the sound.
"RHYY!"
Then, after a brief pause, recognition flashed in its eyes. Letting out a joyful bellow, it broke from the herd and charged toward Darius, its movements filled with excitement.
It stopped right before him and affectionately nuzzled its massive head against his chest.
"Good boy…" Darius's voice trembled, his eyes misting over. "It's been so long. Have you been doing well?"
"Rhyyy~"
The Rhyhorn nodded vigorously, then looked back at its companions still running in the distance.
Seeing that, Darius smiled warmly. He didn't need words—the connection between them was enough. He could feel the Pokémon's joy.
Freed from the constraints of the knight corps, Rhyhorn was finally living the life it wanted—one of freedom and happiness.
"I see… As long as you're happy, I'm relieved."
"Now, go on. Your companions are waiting for you."
He patted Rhyhorn's sturdy head. Though reluctant to part, he knew this was the life Rhyhorn desired—and he would bless it silently.
"Rhyyy~"
Rhyhorn looked at him, then at the herd in the distance.
Then, to Darius's surprise, it suddenly crouched down before him, letting out two cheerful cries.
"…You mean—you want me to ride you?" Darius froze, disbelief flickering in his eyes.
He turned toward the accompanying knights, uncertain if he was even allowed.
One of them shrugged. "Go ahead. You won't get far anyway—not with that Rhydon watching."
With a grateful smile, Darius nodded. He took a deep breath and climbed onto Rhyhorn's back. Instantly, the familiar feeling of unity washed over him.
"Rhyyy!"
Rhyhorn rose to its full height and roared joyfully, then charged forward to rejoin the herd.
As the cold wind whipped across his face, Darius instinctively leaned down, pressing close to Rhyhorn's body. Despite the speed, his balance remained perfect—just like in the old days.
Soon, he and Rhyhorn had caught up to the others, galloping freely across the boundless prairie.
At that moment, it was as if they had both returned to the skies—free like birds, unshackled and unburdened. For a time, they forgot all sorrow, all regret, and simply basked in the joy of freedom.
(End of chapter)
TN: Hey guys, I'm sorry for not updating. Its just everything is busy right now in December with all events and holidays and I got sick from all the dust in our house from being fixed. Dust..... I got sick from dust wtf... and I used to swim in ponds and rivers when I was a kid back in my grandfather's farm with (unknowingly) cows in them. Damn.... But hey I feel better know. I'll schedule the updates for the week and I hope you guys have a good week.