Draconis was at a loss for how to comfort the Machoke in their current state.
Recalling the lives these two Machoke had lived before, the prolonged exploitation might have affected their mental state, making them numb.
It was as if the true Machoke had died, leaving behind only their scarred bodies, existing mechanically in the world.
At such a time, if someone suddenly told them that no one would ever treat them like that again, no one would believe such a thing.
The two Machoke stood blankly in place.
Lila looked at the scene, a hint of unbearable sadness in her expression.
"Your Highness Draconis... did we do something wrong?" she asked.
"It has nothing to do with you or me," Draconis shook his head, his voice hoarse.
What could he say?
No one was wrong.
It was a fact that some humans enslaved Pokémon, and it was also a fact that some wild Pokémon harmed humans.
Humans and Pokémon were, after all, two different species; it was impossible for them to peacefully evolve into the situation depicted in anime.
Prejudice, conflict, struggles, bloodshed, and sacrifice... these were almost foreseeable.
"So, this is my goal," Draconis took a deep breath.
"What?" Lila was slightly startled, turning to look at the young man beside her.
"I want to create a place where humans and monsters can coexist peacefully," Draconis said softly.
"Your Highness..."
Draconis took a deep breath, carefully considering the situation of the two Machoke.
Suddenly, Draconis realized that the Machoke seemed to listen to him very well.
An idea immediately came to his mind.
"Machoke."
The two Machoke immediately tensed up.
"I command you, from now on, if you feel tired while working, stop immediately and rest. If anyone bullies you, you must bravely fight back. Remember that?"
"Kuri!" The two Machoke dared not disobey their master's command.
"Alright, until your stamina recovers, stay here and rest well!" Draconis turned to Lila and said to her, "I'm entrusting these two to your care."
"Understood, Your Highness!" A smile also appeared on Lila's face. "You two can stay here and relax!"
The Machoke instinctively looked at Draconis next to them.
However, Draconis turned and left.
"His Highness, he has his own things to do. I will take care of you two from now on!" Lila knew that His Highness Draconis was going to train the two small monsters beside him. "Come on, lie on the bed and sleep for a while!"
"Kuri..."
The two Machoke stood awkwardly in place, unsure how to react.
The environment here was completely different from where they had lived before.
A soft wooden bed, a flower in a vase on the wooden table, many medicinal herbs on a shelf by the wall, and a faint herbal scent in the air that made one feel incredibly comfortable and natural.
Their previous dwelling was a dark, damp, sunless small room, surrounded by hard, cold stones, with one side blocked by iron bars.
When their master needed them to work, they would be shackled and taken out.
When they were not needed, they would be sent back to the small room, and only then could they get a brief rest.
Seeing the two Machoke motionless, Lila sighed helplessly.
Then, she opened the back door of the house, and the two Machoke instinctively turned their heads towards it.
The next second, they saw a vibrant, lush garden.
Warm sunlight poured down from the clear blue sky, and in the garden, several small green Pokémon were leisurely basking in the sun among the flowers.
They looked so free, so comfortable.
The Machoke were momentarily stunned.
Until Lila's voice interrupted them.
"Do you see them?" Lila leaned against the back door, arms crossed, and said with a smile, "They are called Petilil, and like you two, they are also Pokémon living in this territory."
"Kuri..." The Machoke were slightly startled.
Lila: "I mean, from now on, you can also live a relaxed and comfortable life here, just like them."
Hearing these words, a light called hope couldn't help but flicker in the eyes of the two Machoke.
Could they... really live freely under the blue sky, just like those Petilil?
This question was soon answered.
After drinking the potion mixed by Lila, the Machoke's stamina quickly recovered.
In the afternoon, they went out as usual to the logging yard to move wood with the workers there.
Initially, everything was normal, but after they worked for a while, several humans came over and shared their food and water with them.
"Hey, big guys, you should come and rest for a while too!"
"Kuri..." The Machoke were stunned.
"These tasks can't be finished in one day. Only by resting well can you have more energy to work!" The person added, stuffing two berries into their hands.
The two Machoke stared blankly at the berries in their hands, their faces showing expressions of confusion.
The worker grinned and said, "His Highness Draconis instructed us to take good care of you. Really, there's no need to work so desperately; it's not good for your health."
"Kuri..."
Hearing the familiar name, the two Machoke were stunned again.
His Highness Draconis... it was His Highness Draconis again.
While they were dazed, they were pulled to the back by several workers to rest.
The two Machoke felt a surge of unease, as if a whip would fall on them the next second.
However, the imagined pain did not come.
"Kuri..."
The two Machoke turned to look around. Could they really rest?
The surrounding workers chatted and laughed, discussing how their future houses would be built and how their lives would be.
The Machoke listened silently, they lowered their heads and looked at the berries in their hands, then brought them to their mouths and took a gentle bite.
Sweet juice and pulp immediately burst forth in their mouths, and the Machoke suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to cry.
Even they themselves didn't know where the tears came from, or why.
"Huh? Big guys, why are you crying?" Someone suddenly noticed the scene.
"Could it be that you're too tired?" Someone recalled how these two Pokémon had been working desperately these past two days and couldn't help but guess.
"You can't work so hard in the future; it would be terrible if you damaged your bodies!"
Although Pokémon were powerful, they could also get hurt!
The Machoke listened silently to these words, and their tears flowed even more.
Although the Machoke's crying looked a bit funny, the workers did not laugh at them.
Because everyone could see the performance of these two Pokémon in recent days.
"Alright, alright, don't cry. If you're tired, go and rest for a few days!"
Someone patted the Machoke's back and whispered to them, "I'll tell you a secret, His Highness Draconis is actually a very benevolent prince. He won't blame you even if you Slack Off!"
Although they said that, in fact, few people would Slack Off, because everyone wanted to build their new homes quickly.
"..."
When the rest ended, the two Machoke did not choose to continue resting there; instead, they worked even harder.
This time, it wasn't out of oppression, but because they were willing to contribute wholeheartedly.
They liked it here, they liked His Highness Draconis, their new master, and they liked everyone here!