After the heavy snowfall, the streets and rooftops of Lucien City were blanketed in thick white snow.
At No. 32 Bean Dove Street lived the scholar Derrick.
Several months earlier, he had been drawn to Lucien City by its Grand Library. After experiencing life there for only a few days, Derrick decisively brought his parents, and his fiancée's family to settle in the city.
It turned out his judgment had been impeccable.
Not long after they moved in, Prince Lucien ascended the throne, becoming the King of Unova, and Lucien City was officially designated as the capital of the Kingdom of Eindoak.
As the capital rose, so did property values.
Whenever Derrick thought back on that decision, he felt nothing but pride.
Early that morning, Derrick rose to begin his day of study.
In the kitchen, his mother Lina was preparing breakfast, while his father Ash shoveled the snow that had piled up overnight in the yard.
"Ding-dong!"
The doorbell rang.
"Good morning! Your newspaper has arrived!"
The Royal Gazette, with new content once again.
Hearing this, Derrick's eyes lit up. Memories of the recent Pokémon-related articles flashed through his mind, filling him with anticipation.
'Which magical beast will be featured today?'
He quickly went to the door.
The messenger was a young man, accompanied by a small gray pigeon Pokémon, Pidove, perched calmly on his shoulder.
"Please accept this," the young man said with a smile, handing over the paper.
"Thank you for your hard work," Derrick replied.
He closed the door, settled onto the soft sofa, and unfolded the newspaper.
The first thing that caught his eye was a bold headline.
[Important Announcement
In light of the rapidly improving relationship between humans and magical beasts, His Majesty King Lucien hereby announces the following:
From today onward, the term "monster" is officially abolished.
All such creatures shall be referred to as Pokémon, short for Pocket Monsters, meaning companions that can be carried at one's side.
Furthermore, the Friendship Store in Lucien City will officially begin selling Poké Balls. These devices allow Pokémon to shrink and enter safely, making them easy to carry.
Citizens who wish to travel alongside their Pokémon companions may purchase Poké Balls at the Friendship Store.]
"What? Such an incredible item exists?"
Derrick stared at the image printed beside the article, a small, red-and-white sphere.
Monsters were enormous. Could something so small really hold them?
What principle made this possible?
No, Pokémon, not monsters.
"Pokémon…" Derrick repeated softly.
The name felt natural.
Pocket Monsters- Pokémon.
Quite fitting.
He imagined carrying a Pokémon safely in his pocket, always at his side.
'Fascinating…'
His interest deepened as he continued reading.
Pokémon Encyclopedia Entry
Ralts
Type: Psychic
A shy Pokémon capable of sensing human emotions through the horn on its head. Although it rarely appears before people, it will approach those who emit kind and positive feelings.
Final Evolution: Gardevoir
Gardevoir will protect the trainer it trusts. When it senses mortal danger to its partner, it unleashes overwhelming psychic energy, capable of distorting space itself and forming a small black hole to annihilate threats.
Below the description was an illustration.
A graceful, humanoid Pokémon clad in a flowing white gown, posture elegant, expression dignified, like a queen.
Derrick's heart skipped a beat.
If he could have a Gardevoir, then he would never need to worry about danger while conducting field research again.
Unfortunately, such Pokémon did not seem to inhabit areas near Lucien City.
With a hint of regret, Derrick continued reading.
[Grand Arena Announcement
To celebrate the completion of the Grand Arena and welcome the New Year, a Pokémon Battle Exhibition Match will be held!
Trainers from the Trainer Association will command their Pokémon in battle, presenting a thrilling spectacle to the public.
His Majesty King Lucien will attend in person, accompanied by Kyurem, to bestow blessings upon the people.
Seating is limited. Citizens are advised to purchase tickets early.]
"The Grand Arena?" Derrick murmured.
He had heard of its construction, but never expected it to be completed so quickly.
A Pokémon battle…
Battles between Pokémon?
And trainers? What exactly were trainers?
Even so, Derrick felt no hesitation.
If it was organized under King Lucien's name, it was certain to be worth seeing.
After breakfast, he immediately headed to the Grand Arena and purchased two tickets, one for himself, and one for his fiancée, Natasha.
At the same time, invitations from Lucien City were delivered across the land.
To Twin Dragons City, Seven Treasures Territory, and beyond.
...
Twin Dragons City
"The Grand Arena… an exhibition between trainers and Pokémon?"
Lord Sharon examined the letter sealed with the royal crest, his expression thoughtful.
He slowly narrowed his eyes.
He could clearly sense that this invitation was far more than a simple request to attend a performance.
His Majesty King Lucien was not merely showcasing entertainment.
The appearance of Kyurem, the establishment of trainers, and a public battle between humans and Pokémon;
All of it carried a deeper meaning.
"This is a warning," Sharon murmured softly.
"A warning to those who still harbor dangerous thoughts."
He had personally witnessed Kyurem's power on the battlefield.
A being capable of freezing tens of thousands of soldiers in a single instant.
Such power did not require threats.
Its existence alone was deterrence.
"My lord," the butler Kran asked cautiously, "Shall we attend?"
"Of course," Sharon replied with a faint smile.
He lifted his honey tea and took a leisurely sip.
"Why not? His Majesty has personally invited us. It would be rude not to attend."
Besides, he had no intention of resisting.
This journey to Lucien City was purely observational.
Castelia Territory
Since Prince Landon's defeat, this territory had fallen under the control of Lord Garp.
As a former minister who had served Landon loyally, Garp found the outcome almost impossible to accept.
They had prepared meticulously.
Their forces had far exceeded those of the Second Prince, nearly four hundred thousand troops.
Within a single week of war, they had already captured multiple cities.
And yet, everything had ended in a single battle.
Lucien's arrival. Kyurem's descent.
The overwhelming power of the dragon left no room for resistance.
Just witnessing it compelled submission.
Yet Garp could not reconcile himself to it.
They had lost without even the chance to fight back.
"My lord…" a servant asked nervously, "What should we do?"
Garp's thoughts churned.
Feign illness and refuse the invitation? Ignore it entirely?
But then, he remembered something Lord Sharon of Twin Dragons City had once said.
"Be careful. His Majesty Lucien might ride a dragon to your city."
Garp's face twitched.
He was genuinely terrified that he would wake up one morning to find Lucien riding Kyurem outside his window.
He might very well die of fright on the spot.
"Forget it," Gross muttered bitterly.
"That dragon's power is far beyond us."
They were nothing more than fish on a chopping board now.
If His Majesty wished to strip them of power, they had no way to resist.
Still, better stripped of authority than stripped of life.
"Prepare immediately," Gross said at last. "We depart for Lucien City."
Lucien City - Royal Castle
"Your Majesty," Elif reported, "all Pidove messengers have returned. The lords should have received the invitations."
Not long ago, Lucien had unlocked the [Messenger] technology and trained a specialized group of Pidove to serve as long-distance couriers.
For the first time, the kingdom had a reliable communication network connecting all territories.
Elif hesitated, then spoke carefully.
"But… Your Majesty, do we really need to do this?"
"For those lords, this will shake their fundamental interests. If they were to unite..."
"They won't," Lucien replied calmly.
Even his tone carried certainty.
"And even if someone were foolish enough to try," he continued,"Kyurem and I could suppress them instantly."
He turned toward the window, gazing over the city.
"More importantly," Lucien said slowly, "the current structure of the kingdom is flawed."
"The territories are too independent."
"The commoners and slaves are treated as the private assets of lords. This isolates regions, restricts movement, and blocks communication."
This exhibition match was never meant to be a simple performance.
It was a trap.
Lucien intended to use it to demonstrate Kyurem's absolute power, intimidating those lords who still harbored dangerous ambitions, while simultaneously reclaiming authority that should never have been fragmented in the first place.
The feudal system that the Kingdom of Eindoak had followed for generations was fundamentally incompatible with the future of a Unified Kingdom.
Lucien planned to dismantle it, slowly, but irrevocably.
In its place, he would establish a centralized system, headed by the King and supported by Champions.
As for the lords;
They would no longer be autonomous rulers.
They would become governors, administrators responsible for local affairs, accountable to the crown.
Only through this structure could the major cities of the Unova region truly be unified, allowing humans and Pokémon to move, live, and work together without artificial barriers.
Once winter passed and spring arrived, the next phase would begin.
Pokémon Centers. Friendship Shops.
They would be constructed across the kingdom, spreading Pokémon culture beyond Lucien City.
As for technologies such as steam engines, steam trains, and factories, those would take time.
The transition from an agricultural society to an industrial one could never be rushed.
Even laying railway tracks across the vast Unova region alone was a colossal project that would require years of coordinated effort.
The more Lucien thought about it, the more he felt time slipping through his fingers.
"I'll also need to prepare in advance for my journey to the Kalos region," he murmured, "to find Xerneas."
Once Unova was truly stable, he intended to depart.
With eternal life, he could guide this land patiently, decade after decade, until it became a true sanctuary for both humans and Pokémon.
"How are the children at the academy doing?" Lucien asked.
Elif smiled faintly as he reported.
"Your Majesty, they've been studying according to the textbooks you personally compiled."
"According to the instructors, ninety-five percent of the students have already mastered Pokémon types and type matchups."
"They can also command their Pokémon effectively in battle. More importantly…"
Elif paused, then continued,
"Many of their Pokémon have evolved."
"Oh?" Lucien's interest was piqued.
"Tell me."
"Alex has shown exceptional talent. After repeated battles, his Tepig evolved into Emboar."
"Melanie's Buneary has also evolved successfully."
"As for the others, Psyduck, Sentret, and Diglett, they haven't evolved yet, but they've learned several powerful moves and improved dramatically."
Lucien nodded in satisfaction.
"In that case," he said decisively, "let the academy students perform the first match of the exhibition."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The schedule was already taking shape.
After the children's match, Geralt's Pokémon legion would perform next.
Aggron versus Altaria.
A clash of power and spectacle that would leave the audience breathless.
The third match would feature Geralt himself, commanding Haxorus, facing Anna and her Zoroark.
And finally, Lucien would personally step forward.
He would summon Kyurem, the Dragon of the Dao, and accept challenges from any who dared.
It would serve two purposes:
To crush any lingering defiance among the lords, and to harvest an enormous surge of satisfaction from the people.
With all arrangements finalized, Lucien finally allowed himself to relax.
He returned to his chamber and looked at his Pokémon.
The moment he entered, Dragonite charged forward, wrapping its large arms around his waist and burying its round head against his chest.
"Woo…"
Lucien laughed softly.
"Alright, alright," he said, patting Dragonite's head. "I know. I've been busy."
"Once this is over, I'll spend the New Year properly with all of you."
He then looked at the Pokémon gathered nearby:
A proud Serperior. A lively Larvesta.
A curious Minccino group. A quiet Golett.
And a small Vulpix curled comfortably near the fireplace.
This Vulpix had arrived with the Three Sacred Swordsmen.
Unlike the garden or the wild outdoors, it preferred warmth, carpets, and firelight, so Lucien kept it close.
The Pokémon gathered around him, nudging and fawning until the room felt lively once more.
After spending some time with them, Lucien lifted his gaze toward the three figures standing quietly nearby.
Cobalion, Virizion, Terrakion.
"What are your plans for the future?"
...
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