Taking advantage of a break in the snowfall, Raven summoned Cleveland and two knights, ordering them to escort several blacksmiths to the mountain where Aron lived and investigate the mine.
As he watched their figures disappear into the distance, Raven silently prayed in his heart, hoping this expedition would uncover the clay and ore they needed so badly.
The old butler, Aelif, stood by his side and asked softly, "Your Highness, have you made your decision?"
"Yes." Raven nodded. "I intend to stay here."
The road ahead was long, and no one knew when war might break out. But this land was remote enough that even if conflict came, they would likely be spared from becoming targets.
For Raven, remaining here and developing quietly was the wisest path forward.
Though Aelif was old, decades spent in the royal household gave him insight into the bigger picture. He sighed and said, "When the snowstorm clears, Your Highness should write to His Majesty, to let him know you are safe. He must be very worried."
"I will," Raven replied. He also thought to ask his father to send skilled craftsmen—talent they desperately needed for his territory's development. That would solve at least part of their manpower shortage.
A cold wind swept past. Raven urged Aelif to return and rest, while he himself headed back to the cabin with Dratini.
Inside, Minccino were busy sweeping every speck of dust with their tails. True to their nature, they refused to allow even the faintest dirt to remain.
Snivy stood silently on the table, its sharp eyes following Raven as he entered.
"Snivy…"
It had noticed Raven always seemed busy, and that his face carried worry whenever he came home—yet, the moment he looked at them, his whole expression changed.
"Hey, hey, hey! You were cleaning when I left, and you're still cleaning now that I'm back?" Raven chuckled.
"Minccino!"
The Minccino squeaked happily at his return.
But when one of them saw that Raven had dirtied the freshly cleaned floor, it froze in horror.
"Minccino!"
It leapt down, shoved Raven aside with its tiny paws, then whipped its fluffy tail across the floor until every last speck was gone. Only when it was spotless again did it sigh in relief.
"Minccino~" Clean at last!
Raven: "…"
Still, he had to admit—coming home to such spotless tidiness did make him feel relaxed and content.
After a short rest with hot tea, Raven took Dratini out for training.
The regimen was the same: striking a wooden post with its tail.
But midway through, a powerful purple glow suddenly erupted along Dratini's tail.
It whipped down, smashing into the battered post.
Raven blinked in surprise. That move was… Dragon Tail?
"Dratini, do it again!"
"Dratini!"
The little dragon focused, drawing energy into its body before lashing its tail once more.
"It really is Dragon Tail," Raven confirmed.
He examined the marks left on the post, musing silently. The move had been learned, but its power was still lacking. Dratini would need more training to strengthen its tail.
Still, this was already a massive step forward.
By the game's standard, Dratini learned Dragon Tail around level 15—halfway to its first evolution. Another fifteen levels and it could become Dragonair.
Of course, reality wasn't a game. Levels were just a rough guide.
"Either way, steady training is the key." Raven smiled, patting Dratini's head. "Well done—you've grown stronger again."
"Dratini~!"
"Since you've learned Dragon Tail, we'll stop here today," Raven said.
Obedient as ever, Dratini accepted the command.
Back at the cabin, Raven lifted Dratini and examined its body.
"Mm, your muscles have filled out nicely," he thought aloud.
Its tail no longer felt weak and limp, but supple and resilient. When tensed, firm muscle could clearly be felt beneath.
"Alright, lie down—I'll give you a massage."
Dratini instantly flopped down like a salted fish.
Raven's hands kneaded its body with gentle pressure, and Dratini let out a soft sound of contentment.
Though it couldn't fully understand, as Raven's closest Pokémon, it could sense his emotions.
He was worried.
"Dratini…" I need to grow stronger—so I can help him.
Snivy watched quietly from the table, its expression thoughtful.
By afternoon, Cleveland and the group returned.
Raven gathered them in the lord's hall.
Morik stepped forward, excitement in his voice.
"Your Highness Raven! As you expected, the site is rich. We found clay and limestone—and a large amount of iron ore!"
"Excellent. Can it be mined?" Raven asked.
"The clay can be dug with shovels, the limestone can be collected directly. But the iron ore requires specialized tools," Morik explained. "And transporting it back will be another challenge…"
The mine was some distance away. Moving resources by manpower alone would be slow and exhausting.
Raven pondered. The territory had Pokémon capable of hauling loads—the two Bouffalant brought from the capital. They also had carriages for supplies.
"Have the Bouffalant handle transport," Raven decided. "As for carts… dismantle my own carriage and use it to haul the clay."
"Your Highness?" Everyone was stunned.
Without his carriage, how would their lord travel?
Raven shook his head. "Don't worry about me—I've got two good legs. What matters now is the clay."
If they began brick-firing now, by next spring they would have enough stockpiled.
Then construction could truly begin, pushing the territory toward its first step of urbanization.