The Research Lab was quickly established with Lucien's funding.
The laboratory was located on the outskirts of the city, within a large manor that included a spacious courtyard. The building itself had two floors. The first floor was dedicated entirely to research, while the second floor served as living quarters for Derrick and future assistants.
The courtyard was converted into an ecological park, designed to house Pokémon involved in research. Trees, shrubs, ponds, and open grassland were carefully arranged to simulate natural habitats.
In this era, humanity lacked advanced instruments such as energy detectors or internal scanning devices. It was impossible to directly analyze Pokémon energy flow or internal structures.
As a result, all research relied on careful observation, long-term monitoring, and comparative experimentation.
To prevent unethical practices, Lucien personally enacted a research protection law, strictly forbidding scholars from harming Pokémon during experiments. Any violation would be treated as a serious crime.
Even with these restrictions, Derrick felt nothing but satisfaction.
"Pokémon are so adorable," he thought. "How could anyone ever want to hurt them?"
"Emoo?"
The Emolga perched on Derrick's shoulder looked around curiously at its new home, its eyes filled with excitement.
Lucien glanced at the small Pokémon, then said calmly, "The research funds will be delivered shortly. From now on, you only need to focus on your Pokémon research."
"Yes!" Derrick replied energetically. "I will absolutely not disappoint Your Majesty!"
"Very good." Lucien nodded with a smile. "There is one more task I need you to take on."
"Please give the order, Your Majesty," Derrick said seriously. "I will do my utmost."
"I want you to compile a Pokédex," Lucien said.
"A Pokédex?" Derrick froze for a moment.
"That's right," Lucien explained. "There are countless Pokémon in this world. If humans want to understand them properly, they must be classified and recorded in a unified system."
"Pokédex… Pokédex…" Derrick repeated the word softly, then his eyes lit up. "That's brilliant! When people encounter unfamiliar Pokémon, they can consult it directly!"
Lucien nodded. "Exactly."
However, Derrick soon hesitated.
"Your Majesty," he said carefully, "the number of Pokémon around Lucien City is limited. With only these species, it will be impossible to complete a full Pokédex. I also cannot travel freely to other regions to observe Pokémon in the wild."
After all, Pokémon inhabited mountains, forests, oceans, skies, and remote regions that were inaccessible to ordinary scholars.
Lucien smiled faintly. "You don't need to worry about that."
Derrick looked up in surprise. "You already have a plan?"
Lucien nodded.
At present, the number of Pokémon suitable for novice trainers was still limited. Even more importantly, the kingdom had to ensure that every school-aged child would eventually have access to a Pokémon.
Trainers were the bridge between humans and Pokémon.
However, the relationship between humans and Pokémon in this era was still far from the harmony seen in legends and stories.
For safety reasons, Lucien had deliberately raised the age for receiving a starter Pokémon from ten to fifteen.
Before receiving a starter, children were required to attend school for standardized education. They would learn wilderness survival, Pokémon behavior, type interactions, and basic battle command principles.
Only after humans and Pokémon fully integrated, and wild Pokémon became less hostile, would the age requirement be gradually lowered.
Moreover, infrastructure such as Friendly Shops and Pokémon Centers had not yet spread throughout the entire kingdom.
Even the most remote villages would eventually need a dedicated Pokémon Center.
Facing Derrick's curiosity, Lucien did not keep him in suspense. Instead, he calmly explained the entire plan, from trainer deployment to research coordination and long-term expansion.
After listening, Derrick's eyes lit up.
"Entrusting trainers to encounter wild Pokémon, sending them back to the research institute for care, and then observing them to compile a Pokédex… perfect! Absolutely perfect!" Derrick exclaimed. "Your Majesty, you are a genius!"
In this way, a complete cycle could be formed between trainers, Pokémon scholars, and Pokémon themselves.
As Derrick looked at Lucien, his eyes were filled with genuine admiration.
"Your Majesty," he said hesitantly, "there is actually something I've always wanted to ask you."
"Hm?" Lucien was slightly surprised. "What is it?"
"How did you come up with the idea that humans and Pokémon could live together?" Derrick asked.
Lucien smiled, but instead of answering directly, he changed the subject.
"How does Lucien City compare to Twin Dragon City?" he asked.
Derrick paused, then carefully recalled his experiences before answering honestly.
"Advanced. Prosperous. Friendly," he said. "It's practically a perfect city."
"Then do you know why?" Lucien asked.
"Because of Your Majesty's wise leadership," Derrick replied without hesitation. "That's the truth."
Without Lucien, who knew what the Kingdom of Eindoak would have become?
The war might still be raging. Countless humans and Pokémon would have lost their homes and lives. The two princes might still be locked in endless conflict.
Lucien remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke calmly.
"It's because of Pokémon," he said. "It's because of their power that Lucien City was able to develop so quickly."
"I personally witnessed the changes Pokémon could bring to human life. At that moment, I made a decision."
"Since humans and Pokémon both live on this land, why can't they coexist peacefully?"
Derrick's admiration deepened even further.
"And now, Your Majesty," he said earnestly, "you've proven that it's possible."
Lucien smiled faintly.
"This is only the beginning."
It was now the 150th year of the Kingdom Calendar.
Lucien had transmigrated into this world in the 148th year.
Without realizing it, two full years had already passed.
Time truly flew by.
After finishing all the affairs of the research institute, Lucien turned around and left, returning to the castle.
"Elif, how is the envoy team doing?" Lucien asked.
Back in April, he had dispatched an envoy team in the name of the king to promote Pokémon culture throughout the kingdom. Their task was to teach people how to coexist with Pokémon and how to use Pokémon's power to improve their lives.
Their mission was to prove, through action rather than words, that humans and Pokémon could live together.
To better convey this idea, Lucien had deliberately drawn inspiration from Team Plasma's rhetoric in the anime, adapting their persuasive speaking style to promote coexistence rather than conflict.
The envoys traveled everywhere, from cities with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants to remote villages with only a dozen households.
"Your Majesty," Elif reported respectfully, "the envoys have sent back news that everything is progressing very smoothly. However, due to the sheer number of villages within the kingdom, they will still need some time to complete their mission."
...
STONES PLZZZ
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