The establishment of the Pokémon Flying Taxi Company progressed far more smoothly than Lucien had anticipated.
Lured by abundant food and the safety of permanent nesting grounds, the Flying-type Pokémon demonstrated near-perfect cooperation.
Indeed, Pokémon would never become slaves so long as they were treated with dignity, provided with food, and given a secure place to live.
At the temporary testing site, several Machoke worked together to transport the vehicles that had been pre-assembled by the royal craftsmen into the open space.
These vehicles resembled compact carriages with streamlined frames, designed specifically to reduce wind resistance.Depending on the model, each could seat two to four passengers, with a dedicated seat at the front reserved for the guide.
This guide was a human specially trained to work alongside Braviary, responsible for directing ascent, descent, and directional changes.
The windows were crafted from the latest tempered glass produced in the factories, ordinary glass heated to extreme temperatures and rapidly cooled.
The result was a material both exceptionally strong and resistant to wind pressure, while remaining crystal clear.
Passengers could safely enjoy panoramic views of the Unova region from above.
A reinforced crossbar was installed atop each vehicle, designed specifically for Flying-type Pokémon to grip securely with their claws.
"Alright," Lucien said, patting the side of a two-seater.
"Braviary, you'll go first."
The proud and imposing Braviary immediately took flight.
Following Lucien's instructions, it rose above the vehicle and firmly grasped the crossbar with its powerful talons.
"Craaah!"
After securing its grip, Braviary turned its head to look at Lucien, awaiting further orders.
"Hold on a moment," Lucien nodded.
He carefully inspected the setup.
Braviary possessed exceptionally developed lower limbs, thick legs and massive claws that radiated strength.
In raw lifting power, it surpassed even Corviknight.
Lucien recalled reading that in some regions, Braviary was known as the Warrior of the Sky.
Satisfied, Lucien boarded the vehicle along with his Larvesta.After fastening their seatbelts, he tapped the side of the carriage.
"Alright, Braviary. Let's take a short flight around Lucien City."
"Craaah!"
With a deep cry, Braviary slowly beat its wings.
A spiraling vortex of air formed beneath them as the vehicle lifted smoothly from the ground.
Below, Elif, the Machoke, and the surrounding staff watched with tense expressions.
The carriage swayed gently as it climbed higher.
The figures below shrank rapidly, and the city gradually receded into the distance.
Through the glass, vast green plains stretched endlessly, with snow-capped mountains standing tall on the horizon.
Lucien observed quietly, feeling the ride.
"Hm… very stable," he murmured.
"But I wonder how it performs at full speed."
"Braviary," Lucien said calmly, "Circle the city."
"Craaah!"
With a powerful beat of its wings, Braviary accelerated.
The scenery rushed past, but the violent shaking Lucien had anticipated never came.
The talons held firm.
The airflow was cleanly diverted by the tempered glass.Inside the carriage, the ride remained surprisingly smooth.
Lucien nodded to himself.
"Even at speed, the stability is excellent. Motion sickness shouldn't be an issue."
After completing the circuit, Braviary gradually descended and landed precisely where it had taken off.
"How was it, Your Majesty?" Elif asked at once.
"Very good," Lucien replied with a nod.
"With this, travel between cities will become vastly more convenient."
Elif finally relaxed.
Lucien continued, "Next, we'll establish flying taxi stations in other cities as well. Only with return routes can the system truly function."
Of course, that would take time.
After all, locating suitable Flying-type Pokémon and training them properly would also take a considerable amount of time.
Still, compared to laying railway tracks across the entire kingdom or researching and manufacturing steam trains, it was far more efficient.
"Hm… let's begin with nearby cities first, Twin Dragon City and Emerald City," Lucien said thoughtfully.
They would start close, test the system, and then gradually expand it across the entire kingdom.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Elif replied respectfully.
Lucien reached out and patted the large head of the Braviary before him, then turned his gaze to the other Flying-type Pokémon gathered nearby.
"Later, each of you may choose a human you like to work with," he said gently.
"They will guide you during flights. If you encounter any problems along the way, they'll help resolve them together with you."
"Craaah!"
"Chirp!"
"Woo!"
The Pokémon responded enthusiastically.
Seeing this, Lucien finally relaxed.
He returned to the castle with Elif and stood on the terrace, overlooking the orderly, vibrant city below.
From here on, it was simply a matter of time.
Once the workers completed their training, the factories would officially enter full operation. Their products would spread throughout the kingdom, and beyond, bringing immense economic vitality to Eindoak.
Next would come the gradual refinement of Poké Ball crafting and steam engine technology, laying the groundwork for steam trains and steamships alike.
With steamships, the kingdom would eventually usher in its own Age of Exploration, sending expeditions to distant regions and introducing new Pokémon species closely tied to human livelihood.
Pokémon such as Miltank, whose milk was exceptionally nutritious; Alcremie, capable of producing high-quality dairy products; goat-like Pokémon suited for ranching; and Indeedee, whose supportive abilities made it invaluable in daily life and service roles.
The products derived from these Pokémon far surpassed those of ordinary livestock, both in quality and effectiveness.
Now that the Unova region was gradually stabilizing, it was time to slow down and allow the land, and its people to recover.
"Your Majesty," Elif said gently, "everything in Lucien City is now running smoothly. You should allow yourself some rest."
He had witnessed firsthand how tirelessly Lucien had worked during this period.
"The kingdom's development is important," Elif continued, "but Your Majesty's health is even more so."
"You're right," Lucien murmured softly.
Elif smiled and added, "Summer has arrived, and the weather is growing warm. If you wish, you could visit Undella Town for a short break."
"It's one of the most famous summer resorts in the kingdom. Many nobles and wealthy families go there to escape the heat."
More importantly, with Pokémon like Dragonite and Kyurem at Lucien's side, travel would be effortless.
Undella Town wasn't far, round trips could be made with ease.
Undella Town…
Lucien remembered it well: a seaside city in eastern Unova, renowned even beyond the region.
In later eras, powerful trainers and champions often vacationed there.
He wondered what it looked like now, in this age.
Lucien considered it only briefly before making his decision.
He had been far too busy lately, and had scarcely spent time with Dragonite and the others.
"Alright," Lucien said quietly.
"I'll take three days off."
He decided to treat this as a secret visit, a chance to see what the Unova region was truly like under his rule.
At the same time, he could take Dragonite and Serperior to Undella Town for a short vacation.
"In that case, I'll take a break," Lucien said with a smile.
Hearing this, Elif looked genuinely pleased.
"If anything happens while I'm gone, Anna and her Braviary can come find me," Lucien added casually.
Elif paused, then reminded him, "Your Majesty… Anna has already gone to the Trainer Association in Castelia City to promote Pokémon and Trainer culture, just as you instructed."
Lucien: "..."
He had been so busy that he'd completely forgotten.
"Then let Evan's Pidove handle it," Lucien said after a moment.
"Please don't worry, Your Majesty," Elif replied quickly. "Lucien City is running smoothly now. With Lord Geralt and the others overseeing things, you can rest easy and enjoy your time away."
Lucien nodded.
When he told Dragonite and Serperior about the trip, the two Pokémon immediately burst into excited cheers.
Of course, except for Kyurem and Golett.
Kyurem barely reacted at all, only lifting its eyelids slightly before closing them again.
Golett, on the other hand, stared blankly ahead, clearly having no concept of what a "vacation" was supposed to mean.
"Come on, into your Poké Balls," Lucien said with a laugh as he took one out.
"You'll understand when we get there."
Dragonite, Serperior, Larvesta, Kyurem, and Golett obediently returned to their Poké Balls.
Lucien packed a change of clothes and a small pouch of gold coins, then mounted Dragonite and flew east toward Undella Town, following the map of the Unova region.
Midway through the flight, feeling the heavy weight of the coins in his bag, Lucien frowned slightly.
Perhaps the monetary system needed reform as well.
Compared to bulky gold, silver, and copper coins, paper currency would be far more convenient, easier to carry, easier to calculate.
But for ordinary people accustomed to precious metals, paper money would be difficult to accept.
After all, how could a thin sheet of paper possibly be worth a gold coin?
Then Lucien thought of something else.
History had proven that if people trusted their government, if they believed it would act fairly and responsibly, then even a piece of paper with numbers printed on it could function as money.
In the end, currency relied on credibility.
If the ruler was trusted, reform would follow naturally.
Monetary reform… banking systems…
"I'll think about it after my vacation," Lucien muttered, shaking his head.
Rest came first.
Dragonite was astonishingly fast, and before long, Undella Town came into view.
Contrary to Lucien's expectations, Undella Town wasn't some backward coastal settlement. It was lively and prosperous, very much like a bustling medieval port city.
Inns, taverns, restaurants, open markets, docks lined with fishing boats.
And perhaps because of its proximity to Lucien City, Pokémon culture had already spread here.
Staryu performed simple tricks in the marketplace.
A fisherman proudly displayed Magikarp in large water tanks.A Corphish cracked stones apart with its claws near the docks.There was even a round, seal-like Pokémon rolling lazily near a stall.
Lucien was genuinely surprised.
He recalled Dragonite into its Poké Ball and blended into the crowd, pretending to be an ordinary traveler.
"Uncle, how much are these Pokémon?" Lucien asked casually, gesturing toward the Magikarp.
The fisherman nearly jumped.
"S-Sell? Don't say such things!" he exclaimed. "His Majesty Lucien has already forbidden the sale of Pokémon for profit!"
"I'm looking for suitable trainers for these Magikarp," he continued hurriedly.
"I heard they can evolve into the mighty Gyarados!"
"If you take one in, you might become a powerful trainer someday. Of course, this isn't selling, it's adoption! The money is just compensation for the effort I spent caring for them."
Lucien: "..."
Fair enough.
Perhaps the laws surrounding Pokémon adoption and compensation needed to be refined a little more.
After all, places like breeding centers couldn't function as pure charities forever.
Raising Pokémon, and especially caring for Pokémon eggs, required a tremendous amount of resources.
'I'll refine the system once I return to the castle,' Lucien thought to himself.
"Young man, would you like one?" the fisherman asked again.
"No, thank you," Lucien replied with a smile, shaking his head before turning away.
He found an inn to stay at, dropped off his belongings, and then headed straight for the most popular beach in Undella Town.
Despite being an ancient era, the tourism industry here had already formed a complete and mature chain.
Beach chairs, parasols, chilled fruit juice, there were even attendants whose sole job was to serve noble guests.
Lucien declined the nobles' services. He rented a beach chair and parasol, bought a beach cloth and some food, then released all of his Pokémon except Kyurem from their Poké Balls.
This luxurious lineup immediately drew attention from the nobles vacationing nearby.
"Those are?!"
"What kind of background does that person have…?"
Their expressions were filled with surprise and uncertainty.Regardless, anyone could tell that a person traveling with so many powerful Pokémon was no ordinary individual.
A few nobles considered approaching to strike up a conversation, but quickly gave up when Serperior cast them a cold, aristocratic glance.
The Pokémon clearly had no interest in being disturbed.
Lucien didn't mind. He closed his eyes slightly and said calmly,"Alright. Dragonite, Serperior, Larvesta, and Golett, you can play here. Don't wander too far, understood?"
"Whoosh!"
Warm sunlight bathed the soft golden sand.
An endless azure sea stretched out before him, waves gently rolling in with a soothing rhythm.
A mild sea breeze brushed against his face, easing the tension in his chest.
It had been a very long time since Lucien had felt this relaxed since arriving in this world.
For a brief moment, he let go of everything, politics, reform, responsibility.
However, the peace didn't last long.
A massive dark cloud slowly drifted in from the distant sea.
The wind suddenly picked up.
"Sir! It's about to rain, please come inside to take shelter!" the staff from the seaside restaurant called out.
Lucien opened his eyes. Seeing the rapidly darkening sky, he sighed softly and led his Pokémon indoors.
Moments later, the sky turned nearly black, and a torrential downpour came crashing down.
Rain hammered against the roof.
Some tourists who were visiting the seaside for the first time looked confused.
"What's going on? Why did it suddenly start raining like this?"
A waiter quickly reassured them,
"Don't worry! Coastal weather is unpredictable. This kind of rain usually comes and goes quickly."
Lucien thought the same, until a cold, familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"There is something inside that cloud."
Lucien's expression shifted.
'Something?'
A Pokémon capable of manipulating weather…
A powerful presence tied directly to storms and wind—
A name instantly surfaced in his mind.
One of the three legendary cloud Pokémon of the Unova region.
Tornadus.
...
You can support me and read chapters ahead @Keepsmiling 818 p@reon