At the logging site, the lumberjacks, armed with sharp axes, were continuously felling the surrounding trees.
One after another, tall trees crashed to the ground, kicking up countless wood chips and dust.
Seeing this, the two Machoke guarding nearby finally dared to step forward. They carried the logs and walked to the back, placing them on the neatly stacked pile of timber.
After setting down the logs, the Machoke immediately turned back to continue transporting more.
Time passed minute by minute, and soon, it was noon.
The workers at the logging site gradually stopped, wiping the sweat from their foreheads, preparing to go back for lunch.
But the two Machoke were still working diligently.
Although Machoke are Pokémon with great strength and endurance, long hours of work would still make them feel tired.
They dared not rest for a moment, because if they were even a second late, the whip would mercilessly fall upon them, just like it used to in the Royal City.
Several workers witnessed this scene firsthand, and their faces showed a hint of unbearable pity.
One of the men couldn't help but step forward and advise:
"Hey, you two should take a break too!"
These two Magical Beasts had been working with them since morning, without a single break.
Although they looked strong, continuing like this wouldn't do.
Hearing the man's voice, the Machoke looked over, but their movements did not stop.
In the Machoke's view, these humans were here to work, just like them.
The real person in charge hadn't arrived yet, and they dared not rest.
Seeing this, the workers exchanged glances.
And just then, one of the Machoke finally couldn't hold on, and with a thud, collapsed to the ground.
But even so, the other Machoke dared not stop.
"This won't do!"
"What should we do?"
The workers were at a loss.
"Leave it to me!"
At this moment, a voice came from behind.
Everyone turned their heads to look, and saw a familiar figure approaching.
"His Highness Draconis!"
"It's His Highness Draconis!"
"You all go back and rest first, leave this to me." Draconis nodded to everyone, then turned his gaze to the two Machoke.
He walked up to the Machoke that had collapsed from exhaustion, checked its condition, then looked up and ordered the other Machoke:
"Stop, Machoke!"
Hearing this voice, the Machoke turned its head and saw a young man sternly giving it commands.
The Machoke recognized his identity at a glance.
This human was the lord of this territory, and also their master!
The Machoke dared not disobey the order and quickly put down the timber in its hands.
"Carry him and follow me," Draconis said.
The Machoke quickly stepped forward and carried its companion.
It cautiously followed its new master out of the logging site, back to the territory, and finally arrived at a wooden house with a courtyard, situated by the river.
Draconis knocked on the door, and soon, the door was opened.
"His Highness Draconis?" Lila was a little surprised.
"Help me examine this Magical Beast's body." Draconis gestured for the Machoke behind him to carry the other Machoke into the house.
The Machoke complied, and under Lila's guidance, placed its companion on a soft, comfortable wooden bed.
As Lila carefully examined the Machoke's body, she asked, "His Highness Draconis, what happened?"
"It must have been exhausted," Draconis explained. "They worked all morning without a single break."
"Oh?" Lila was surprised. "This won't do! Indeed... its body has suffered a lot from long-term overexertion, and its muscles are showing signs of dissolving. Why does it also have so many scars?!"
Draconis sighed helplessly and said, "It must have been from its time in the Royal City."
Lila knew that the Royal City would specifically capture Magical Beasts and force them to work.
Initially, she hadn't felt much about it, but now, the longer she spent with these Magical Beasts, the more she felt that such behavior was excessive.
So pitiful.
"Can it be cured?" Draconis asked.
"Yes, I just happened to develop a new Potion." Lila turned around and took a bottle of Potion from a wooden shelf.
This was a Potion she had created by combining ordinary Potion with the leaves on Petilil's head.
It could both heal injuries and restore stamina, as well as alleviate fatigue and restore energy.
"This Magical Beast must have collapsed due to the accumulation of old injuries and severe overexertion," Lila said as she fed the Potion to the Machoke. "After drinking the Potion, it needs to pay close attention to rest, and it should slowly recover afterward."
Hearing this, the Machoke nearby couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
As the Potion entered its mouth, the Machoke, exhausted to unconsciousness, quickly woke up.
When it saw Draconis, its face immediately showed an expression of panic and fear.
"Don't be afraid, Machoke." Draconis tried his best to soothe its emotions. "This is no longer the Royal City; no one will harm you."
"Kuri..."
The Machoke were stunned, but they still seemed somewhat afraid.
Years of continuous, relentless exploitation had deeply etched that fear into their bones.
Even with their robust bodies and powerful strength, they dared not resist.
And now, their new master suddenly said that no one would ever harm them again... The first reaction of the two Machoke was not relief, but a look of bewildered confusion.
Seeing this, Draconis only felt how truly pitiful these two Machoke were.
He reached out to touch it, but when he raised his hand, the two Machoke flinched in fear, their eyes filled with deep terror.
However, the next second, the imagined pain did not come.
The Machoke opened their eyes and saw their new master gently stroking their heads.
The two Machoke were instantly frozen in place; this unprecedented experience left them somewhat at a loss.
"Kuri..."
"Don't be nervous, listen to what I have to say," Draconis's voice sounded at the right moment.
The two Machoke instinctively focused their attention on their new master.
"Don't be afraid, this is my territory. Those things are in the past. Here, no one will harm you, and I won't harm you, even if you don't complete your work on time."
"If you feel tired while working in the future, just stop and rest. I won't blame you. Moreover, the work we are doing is to build our common home, so you don't need to feel too burdened."
The two Machoke had blank expressions, seemingly not yet having processed it.
No, to be precise, they dared not believe the content of those words.