The noise and excitement gradually subsided. Throughout Lucien City, tourists and residents alike were still buzzing with talk of the recently concluded League Tournament.
Inside the castle, Lucien sat upright on his throne, a calm smile on his face, his gaze directed downward.
Before him, five newly crowned Trainers stood in respectful silence, their hearts caught between excitement and apprehension. They understood, from the moment His Majesty had personally bestowed upon them their titles, they were no longer simply Trainers.
Elif stepped forward, presenting a golden imperial decree, a warm smile on his face as well.
"Congratulations."
Anna and the others looked on, barely containing their excitement.
"From this day forward, Anna officially assumes the role of Pokémon League Champion, overseeing all Pokémon-related matters within the Kingdom." Elif's voice was clear and measured.
"Lucas, Raphael, Freya, and Derick, you four accept the roles of Elite Four members, guarding the four corners of the Unova Region, maintaining order, supporting the Champion, and guiding the relationship between humanity and Pokémon."
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
"We accept!"
The five of them bowed in unison, their voices clean and resolute.
Lucien gave a small nod. His tone, when he spoke, was unhurried, almost casual, as though he were passing along a minor errand.
"Good. From now on, the operation of the Gyms, the organization of competitions, the handling of Trainers who violate regulations, and any disputes involving wild Pokémon, all of it is entrusted to you."
Derick hesitated, then couldn't stop himself. "Your Majesty... and you?"
Lucien smiled. "I have more important matters to attend to."
A ripple passed through all five of them. Rumors they had only half-believed came rushing back to mind, that His Majesty had a passion for researching and inventing, that the electric lights now illuminating the Kingdom's streets and the steam trains running its roads had all come from his hands.
In an instant, what had felt like the highest honor imaginable suddenly also felt like an enormous weight settling onto their shoulders.
But what moved them even more deeply was the simple fact of his trust.
"We obey," they said together. "We will not disappoint Your Majesty."
Lucien nodded, satisfied. "Good. Those words put me at ease."
He paused, and when he continued, his voice was gentle but carried a quiet, unquestionable authority.
"Remember, go forward and do your best. The full strength of the Unova Kingdom stands behind you. Only don't forget to keep growing yourselves. By this time next year, I hope all five of you are still standing here."
The words landed with weight. Everyone of them thought immediately of what Lucien had declared in the arena, that next year's tournament would give challengers the right to take their seats. The sense of urgency was immediate and real.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Having entrusted everything, Lucien didn't linger. He rose from the throne, straightened his royal robes with an unhurried hand, and spoke with the faintest trace of amusement in his voice.
"The ceremony is concluded. I'll take my leave. The inauguration formalities, staff arrangements, and duty assignments, the League President will see to all of it."
The League President was also his man. Nothing more needed to be said.
With Elif at his side, he turned and walked away, leaving the five newly appointed League members standing in the grand hall.
Only after his figure had disappeared completely from sight did anyone exhale. Derick let out a slow breath and turned to Anna with a wry smile.
"Champion... why do I get the feeling our lives from here on won't exactly be restful?"
Anna looked in the direction Lucien had gone, her expression soft with respect and quiet warmth. She touched the medal on her chest lightly, and a confident smile settled on her lips.
"That's only natural. But isn't this the greatest proof that His Majesty trusts us enough to place everything in our hands?"
Freya's eyes lit up. "Exactly! We have to make something worthy of that trust. We can't let His Majesty down!"
Lucas and Raphael exchanged a glance, then nodded. Former rivals, now comrades standing side by side.
The era of the Unova Kingdom League had only just begun.
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Lucien had already settled comfortably into his familiar lounge chair. Warm black tea was placed in his hands, and a Minccino clambered cheerfully onto his lap.
In the ecological garden behind him, the Pokémon went about their peaceful afternoon. From somewhere in the distance, the faint sounds of Lucien City's plaza drifted through the air.
Lucien sipped his tea and let his eyes close contentedly.
Champion, handled. Elite Four, handled. Every troublesome administrative matter is handled. From this point forward, he could live properly.
No more paperwork, no more fretting over small affairs. Just tea, sunshine, and Pokémon, every day, like a perfectly comfortable king with nothing pressing to do.
But of course, that was impossible.
The steamship he had dispatched to explore distant lands had not yet returned. And there was still the matter of Cameron City in the Kanto Region, a danger quietly waiting.
Lucien had already made up his mind: he would find a way to help Aron. At the same time, he intended to guide Kanto toward establishing its own Pokémon League and Trainer framework, strengthening the ties between the two regions.
He exhaled softly.
"What a long road ahead."
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Lucien City was as quiet and peaceful as ever in the early morning. Sunlight streamed in through the castle's stained-glass windows, casting soft, colored patterns across the carpets.
Lucien, for once, woke entirely on his own, no duties calling him before he was ready. He stretched slowly, rose, and made his way up to the rooftop.
The Maids, having waited patiently, moved with the efficiency of a well-rehearsed routine, one pressing a warm towel into Lucien's hands, another offering a freshly brewed cup of rose tea.
"Your Majesty, the weather is pleasant today and the garden flowers are in full bloom," Elif said softly. "Would you like to rest a while?"
Lucien accepted the teacup, took a slow sip, and sighed with quiet satisfaction. "No need. I'll sit here, take in the sun, and enjoy the view."
He settled back into his chair and let his gaze drift toward the distant Pokémon League headquarters. Even from here, the signs of overwhelming activity were plain to see.
For the past three days, Anna and the Elite Four had been working almost without pause. League regulations drafted and refined, Gym Leaders appointed, wild Pokémon disturbances across multiple regions addressed, Trainer qualifications reviewed, Pokémon Centers in towns and cities coordinated, all of it piled before five people at once.
Inside the League's meeting room, documents covered every surface. Anna sat at the head of the table, moving through paperwork at a steady pace, issuing assignments without breaking her rhythm.
"Derick, you're handling the conflict in the Western Region's Dragon-type Pokémon habitats."
"Freya, Eastern Region, Grass-type and Bug-type Gym examinations."
"Lucas, the report of illegal poaching on the northern border is yours."
"Raphael, I need a protection plan for the Southern Region's Pokémon. Get it to me quickly."
All four of them felt their heads swim, but each agreed in turn.
Derick pressed his fingers against his temples and laughed despite himself. "His Majesty certainly seems to be enjoying himself up there, handing every last piece of Kingdom business down to us. This is considerably more exhausting than training."
Still, with greater responsibility came greater honor. As a member of the Elite Four, Derick's standing had risen to something he could scarcely have imagined a year ago, and his monthly salary reflected it.
He had already begun making arrangements to bring his mother from Castelia City to Lucien City, so she could live somewhere comfortable at last. That counted for something, he thought.
Freya set down her pen and nodded with feeling. "I just want to go home and sleep."
Raphael sighed. "I managed three hours last night."
Lucas slid slowly down in his chair until he was barely upright. "If I'd known it would be like this, I might have tried a little less hard in the competition."
Anna let out a quiet laugh at the chorus of complaints. She set her own pen down and glanced toward the castle.
"His Majesty has placed something genuinely important in our hands. It's only right that we give it everything we have. Besides, we'll be able to rest properly in a few days."
The year was nearly over, and the Pokémon League observed a regular winter recess. When that came, they could all go home, return to their families dressed in the clothes of people who had made something of themselves. Freya was already picturing the faces of her hometown neighbors when they found out.
'One of the Elite Four. Working directly for His Majesty Lucien. Can you imagine?'
The looks of sheer disbelief would be absolutely worth it.
Derick had a similar feeling. A year ago he had been waiting tables at a tavern. Now he was Elite Four. If certain people back in Castelia heard about that, they would probably refuse to believe it.
Raphael wore a quieter smile than the others. His circumstances were different, he came from a noble family in Opelucid City that had fallen on hard times. Now that he had secured a seat among the Elite Four, perhaps his family could begin to rebuild. That thought alone made every sleepless night worthwhile.
Up in the castle, Lucien sat unhurried in the warm morning sun, feeding small pieces of an exquisite pastry to Volcarona and Dragonite as they lounged nearby. Elif stood at a respectful distance, delivering his brief daily report on League affairs.
"Your Majesty, Champion Anna and the Elite Four have resolved seventeen Pokémon-related disputes over the past few days and suppressed three poaching operations. Order across the Kingdom has largely been restored."
Lucien nodded. The gap that had long existed in the Unova Kingdom's structure had finally been filled.
As for the poaching, that was a more complicated matter, and he knew it. Where demand existed, harm would follow.
From the moment a Trainer began their journey, the desire for rare and powerful Pokémon was born alongside it. Certain noble families, unwilling to let their children start from nothing, spared no expense acquiring them through whatever means available.
The lure of profit was not something that laws alone could extinguish. Stricter regulations would help, but there would always be those willing to take the risk.
The question of how to truly address it lingered in the back of his mind, without a clean answer.