Time hurried on, its footsteps never pausing.
In the blink of an eye, it was already the tenth month of the 151st year of the Kingdom Calendar.
This marked the fourth year since Lucien had arrived in this world.
The Unova region had undergone earth-shaking changes.
Under the sustained efforts of Lucien and countless others, the ignorant and outdated systems of the past were steadily being overturned. Even the mindset of the populace was slowly but unmistakably changing.
Humans and Pokémon were beginning to truly integrate.
Although conflicts and friction were inevitable during this process, in the end, through continuous effort from the human side, many wild Pokémon were willing to put aside hostility and attempt peaceful contact with humans.
Over the course of a year, Lucien had mobilized the strength of the entire nation. With the cooperation of mayors across the region, Pokémon Centers had been constructed throughout Unova.
Even the most remote villages now possessed a familiar sight, a classic building with white walls and a red roof.
Next, Lucien thought quietly, 'we just wait for Trainers from all over to collect their Gym Badges and gather in Lucien City for the final grand event.'
If no accidents occurred...
Then by next spring, another group of youths would reach the age of sixteen. They, too, would receive their starter Pokémon from the Trainer Association and begin their journeys.
It was just that…
Lucien didn't know how those Trainers were faring.
As that thought lingered, the door suddenly opened.
"Your Majesty!"
Lucien turned instantly.
The moment he saw the grave expression on Elif's face, his heart sank.
The vague sense of unease he had carried for so long finally surged to the surface.
"What is it, Elif?"
"Reporting, Your Majesty," Elif said solemnly. "Messages have arrived from Trainer Associations across the regions. As of now, nearly one hundred Trainers traveling outside their hometowns have lost contact."
A quiet certainty rose in Lucien's chest.
So this day had finally come.
Traveling through the wild was inherently dangerous. Even in the peaceful, highly developed world thousands of years in the future, Trainers going missing was far from rare.
Deaths were not uncommon.
Natural disasters. Powerful wild Pokémon. Unexpected accidents.
And Unova was still in the early stages of integration, this was, to some extent, unavoidable.
Lucien closed his eyes, took a slow breath, and asked calmly,
"Have search operations been conducted?"
"Yes," Elif replied. "According to reports from the Trainer Associations and local police, large-scale search teams have already been dispatched into the wild."
"Some missing Trainers were successfully rescued."
"But many bodies were also discovered."
Her voice lowered.
"Some died while protecting their Pokémon. Others were killed by wild Pokémon attacks."
"According to intelligence reports, in several cases, Pokémon remained beside their deceased Trainers for a long time… unwilling to leave."
Elif's words fell heavily into the silence.
Lucien felt a weight press down on his chest.
If he were merely an ordinary citizen, this might have been just another tragic piece of news, heard, mourned briefly, and forgotten.
But he was not.
As the ruler of a nation, he had to respond. He had to provide answers to the people who had placed their trust in him.
"Elif…" Lucien fell silent for a moment.
Seeing this, Elif hesitated before speaking again.
"Your Majesty, you have already done extraordinarily well. These tragedies are unavoidable. Even before you ascended the throne, countless commoners died every year due to Pokémon attacks."
"And thanks to your reforms, casualty numbers over the past two years have dropped dramatically. Even now, among the thousands of Trainers who have set out, only a small fraction have lost their lives."
"I know," Lucien said softly. "I'm simply… saddened by the sacrifices of my people."
"Your Majesty…"
"But grief alone is not enough."
Lucien opened his eyes, clarity returning to his gaze.
"There are more urgent matters before us."
After a brief pause, he spoke with quiet resolve.
"From this point forward, we must reduce casualties as much as possible."
"We must make Trainers stronger, and improve their ability to survive in the wild."
"Publish the names of the fallen in the newspapers. They are warriors who gave their lives for the kingdom."
"And send personnel to console their families."
"Draw funds from the National Treasury and issue consolation payments to their relatives."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Elif said, nodding firmly. "I will see to it at once."
With that, she turned and hurried out of the chamber.
Soon, only Lucien and his Pokémon remained in the bedchamber.
"Aroo?"
Sensing the heaviness in Lucien's expression, Dragonite and Volcarona stepped forward together, one on each side, staying close as if to offer silent comfort.
Serperior watched from a short distance. It did not approach, but its calm gaze held a faint trace of concern.
Kyurem looked at Lucien quietly.
It did nothing, because it didn't need to.
Lucien's resolve, his compassion, and the choices he had already made were all clear to it. Some understandings required no words.
"I'm fine," Lucien said with a gentle smile as he reached out and patted Dragonite and Volcarona on the head.
Then he turned his gaze toward the sky beyond the window, his voice tinged with reflection.
"I was just thinking… what those Pokémon must have felt, watching their Trainers die right in front of them."
The Pokémon chosen by the Trainer Association as starter partners were all gentle by nature, easy to bond with, easy to trust humans.
During months of travel, fighting side by side and living together day and night, they would have formed deep, irreplaceable bonds with their Trainers.
And now…
Their Trainers were gone.
Those Pokémon must have been devastated. Lost.
Unsure where to go.
Lucien knew well that Pokémon treasured emotional bonds more deeply than humans ever could.
Some Pokémon would remember their Trainers even thousands of years after their deaths, remaining behind to guard places their Trainers had once visited, never leaving.
"Awoo…"
Dragonite and Volcarona couldn't help but imagine that feeling.
And just the thought of Lucien dying, of never seeing him again, made Dragonite's chest ache.
It was afraid.
Deeply afraid.
Pokémon expressed emotions honestly and without restraint.
Dragonite stepped forward and wrapped its arms around Lucien, hugging him tightly.
Lucien felt it immediately.
He let out a soft, helpless sigh, then turned and hugged Dragonite back, his hand resting reassuringly against its back.
"Don't be afraid," he said gently. "I'm here, aren't I?"
"And besides," he added with a faint smile, "with all of you by my side, and with Kyurem protecting me, how could anything happen to me?"
"Awoo…"
Dragonite blinked.
It thought about it carefully.
That was true.
It was no longer the weak little Dratini from back then.
Now, it was a powerful Dragonite, one capable of commanding wind and rain.
It would protect Lucien.
No matter what.
...
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