"Who are you?"
When Geralt clearly saw the man before him, his expression carried a hint of confusion.
Aiwen's heart clenched. So Lord Geralt didn't recognize him—just another nameless face?
"I was sent by His Highness Raven!" Aiwen quickly explained.
The moment Raven's name was spoken, Geralt's demeanor changed completely. His eyes sharpened.
He scrutinized Aiwen carefully. "Where is His Highness Raven now? Is he safe?"
Aiwen tore his gaze away from the intimidating beast beside Geralt, then began recounting everything that had happened since they separated—how they discovered the valley plain, felled trees to build houses, and how Raven had cleverly used the power of the Pokémon to solve the territory's food crisis through fishing.
Geralt listened silently, his brows furrowed.
When he heard that His Highness Raven was safe and well, the tension that had bound his chest finally eased. He exhaled a long breath.
And when he heard how Raven had led the commoners through that freezing winter, healing the wounded and rebuilding from nothing, Geralt closed his eyes briefly.
His Highness had truly grown.
Compared to the First and Second Princes of the royal city, Raven possessed something neither of them did—benevolence.
As commander of the Knights, Geralt understood the grim state of the Unova Kingdom all too well.Given the nature of those two princes, their confrontation was inevitable.A war spanning the entire Unova region would soon erupt.
But it would be the commoners who suffered most.Their sons would be forced to fight.Neighbors would turn swords on neighbors.
Geralt, himself once a commoner, felt bitter sorrow. He knew those princes' arrogance and cruelty all too well.
Still… as long as His Highness Raven lived, that was enough.
Even if it cost him his life, he would protect the young prince.
He turned to Martha and the others carrying their belongings. His voice was calm but firm."We move out."
Meanwhile, within the territory, construction had reached a bottleneck.
Due to the lack of manpower, many of Raven's plans were stalled. To begin one project, another had to be delayed.
After much thought, he decided to tackle the most urgent issue first—housing.
"Your Highness Raven, this is Ms. Elena," said Old Butler Aelif, bringing in a poised woman in her thirties, elegant yet practical. "She once worked on the royal capital's city layout. Perhaps she can offer some assistance."
Raven nodded politely. "Hello, madam."
Elena studied him with curiosity. She had seen the Third Prince before, but this was the first time meeting him up close.
"It's an honor, Your Highness," she said, bowing slightly.
Raven gestured to the map Christina had drawn. "You've reviewed the land. Do you have any thoughts on developing and building the town?"
Elena leaned over the map.The surrounding topography, resources, and rivers were all carefully marked.
Ideas immediately began forming in her mind—but she looked up instead of answering directly.
"Your Highness, before I answer, may I ask something?"
Raven raised an eyebrow but gestured for her to continue. "Go ahead."
"I remember His Majesty granted you a fertile fief—one much better suited for development than this frontier. Does Your Highness truly intend to remain here and build a completely new territory?"
Raven didn't respond at once. Instead, he asked calmly, "What do you think of my two elder brothers?"
Elena froze. The First and Second Princes?
Of course she knew them—she had seen them many times in the palace.Two brothers of the same blood, yet their temperaments couldn't be more different: one arrogant and domineering, the other cold and calculating.
And lately, whispers had spread through the court. Barons and viscounts were being forced to take sides. Those who refused were swiftly eliminated.
The two princes were spiraling toward extremity—and eventually, toward open war.
At that time, everyone who stood in their path would be crushed.
Her gaze returned to the map. The Driftveil territory might be remote and harsh, but it was also far from the royal capital's turmoil.
She suddenly understood Raven's intent.
If he went to his official fief, he would be drawn into the struggle for the throne.And once the war began, that fertile land would become the first battlefield between his brothers' armies.
Raven observed her expression subtly shift—realization dawning in her eyes.
He smiled faintly. "Good. Then we understand each other. Are you ready to begin, Elena?"
She blinked, momentarily lost in thought. Was she trading one peril for another—escaping the wolves of the capital, only to walk beside a tiger?
"Your Highness," she said softly, "both princes command armies far larger than ours..."
Raven's smile deepened. "Elena, have you ever heard this saying?"
She tilted her head. "What saying?"
"The strength of an army lies not in its numbers, but in its quality."
A spark flickered in Raven's eyes.
This was not a normal world—it was a world filled with Pokémon.
Yes, his brothers commanded vast forces, even elite beast-riders trained for battle.But their understanding of Pokémon was crude at best—they only treated them as armored war machines.
If he could truly harness a Pokémon's potential...
A single, well-trained Tyranitar could unleash an Earthquake capable of toppling an army.A single Dragonite could soar above the battlefield and rain destruction with Draco Meteor.
Quality could defeat quantity.
Only two things worried him: the Zekrom and Reshiram said to be held by his brothers.
"Then I must find Kyurem..." Raven thought silently. "Lacunosa Town… Giant Chasm… Does this era even call it Lacunosa yet?"
Elena fell silent for a long moment. Then she exhaled softly.
"Very well, Your Highness. Leave it to me."
If she could design Eindoak City, built atop a mountain yet still majestic and thriving, then this place would be no challenge.
Raven smiled, sensing her resolve.
Their town—his kingdom's seed—was finally about to take shape.