"Your Majesty, you have already done very well."
Seeing the worried expression on Draconis's face, Alfred couldn't help but offer words of comfort.
In fact, countless ancient kingdoms had once appeared on this land, and among the rulers of those kingdoms, not one had been able to do better than their Majesty.
Hearing this, Draconis shook his head gently: "I'm just a bit worried whether my approach might be a bit premature."
Perhaps he should have waited a few more years, until the public had a deeper understanding of Pokémon, before officially promoting the Trainer culture to the outside world.
Oh well, now that things have come to this, there's no use thinking too much about it!
What they needed to do was to move forward unswervingly.
After handling the official business at hand, Draconis turned his gaze to his Lord Panel.
After these days of development, his subjects had provided him with a large amount of satisfaction points once again.
These satisfaction points could be used to unlock several brand-new technologies.
With a slight thought from Draconis, the technology tree automatically unfolded before his eyes.
What came into view was a long list of technologies waiting to be unlocked.
[Steamship: Unlocks the production theories and methods for massive sea-going vessels powered by steam engines, providing tools for ocean voyages and trade. Cost to redeem: 150,000 satisfaction points.]
[Pokémon Nutrition: Unlocks technologies such as pokéblocks, poffins, and specially made Pokémon food that can better provide for the nutritional and dietary needs of Pokémon. Cost to redeem: 100,000 satisfaction points.]
[bicycle: Unlocks the production method for bicycles. Cost to redeem: 50,000 satisfaction points.]
[...]
Looking at these new technologies, Draconis couldn't help but feel a bit stunned. The unlocking conditions for these technologies were getting more and more expensive as they went on!
However, it was understandable.
After all, with the kingdom unified, the population within his territory had surged, and the satisfaction points they could provide would naturally increase significantly as well.
If it weren't for the lack of manpower and resources, Draconis felt he could even carry out a second industrial revolution within thirty years and create electric lights and telephones.
"Well, let's focus on the matters at hand first!" Draconis thought to himself.
With a slight movement of his will, the three technologies that were vital to the kingdom were unlocked.
The Steamship, powered by a steam engine, could support massive vessels in making ocean voyages.
This would not only bring a new population to the Unova region but also vigorously develop the commercial trade of the Unova region, selling the things they produced to all parts of the world.
And the money earned could, in turn, be funneled back into the overall development of the Unova region.
More importantly, with such massive vessels, Draconis could formally explore the outside world and introduce those Pokémon from other regions that could bring greater convenience to human life.
And Pokémon Nutrition could make up for the current deficiencies and gaps in Pokémon food.
Similarly, reasonable special food could provide Pokémon with the balanced nutrition their bodies needed, allowing them to grow better.
As for the bicycle... Draconis's expression became a bit strange.
bicycles were also a means of transportation that could bring considerable convenience for short-distance travel, but they also had a drawback: they were easily broken.
Just like how Ash broke Misty's bike in the anime.
However, this means of transportation was better than nothing; perhaps certain groups of people would need it.
Once the redemption was complete, the information on these technologies all flooded into Draconis's mind.
He spent some time transferring them onto paper, then had Alfred hand over the operational theories and production methods of the massive vessels to the Royal Workshop, telling them to build a shipyard and proceed simultaneously with the production of steam trains.
The notes recording various Pokémon nutritional recipes were sent to the Pokémon Association to be promoted and popularized to the public for free.
However, relying on these alone was not enough; Draconis couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Relying on his strength alone wouldn't work. Humans possessed infinite wisdom and inspiration; he should encourage those Commoners to also invent and create along with him, making things that would be useful for this era and for human development.
Just like the paintings created by artists, a true golden age should be like those works, letting a hundred flowers bloom.
—
Meanwhile, on the sea ten kilometers away from Castelia City, a wooden sailing ship of modest size was slowly sailing across the undulating surface of the water.
The azure clear sky, white clouds, and blue sea—occasionally, the silhouettes of a few Pelipper could be seen flying in the sky.
And on the sails of that ship were imprinted the complex patterns representing the royal family emblem of Oldalun City.
There was no doubt that this was a sailing ship from the distant Kanto region.
Sailors and boatmen dressed in linen robes observed the distant sea surface, where at the end of the horizon, the shadow of a continent could already be faintly seen.
A sailor on the ship walked into the cabin and said respectfully to the figure inside:
"Lord Aaron, the Eindoak Kingdom is almost here!"
Hearing this, the man inside stood up, walked out of the cabin, and stood on the deck, gazing at the distant scenery.
The man was dressed in a blue martial arts outfit, with a black cloak draped behind him. He wore a hat full of mystery and held a scepter with a gemstone embedded at the top.
Beside the man stood a Pokémon that walked on two legs, resembling a wolf in appearance, with a majestic look and fur where black and blue colors intersected.
"Lucario, we will reach our destination soon," said Brave Aran.
The Lucario beside him nodded gently.
A year ago, they had heard news that a war sweeping across the entire territory had broken out in the Eindoak Kingdom.
Queen Lynn of Oldalun City and the Old King were pen pals on quite good terms, frequently exchanging letters.
Hearing that war had broken out, Queen Lynn was very worried about the Old King's safety, so she dispatched Brave Aran to Eindoak to check on the situation.
But more than that, what worried Aaron even more was Queen Lynn.
Things hadn't been very stable over at Oldalun City lately either; the king of a neighboring country had provoked them multiple times. Perhaps before long, war would break out at Oldalun City as well.
"Once the situation here in Eindoak is confirmed, I'll return to Oldalun City immediately," Aaron decided in his heart as he looked at the distant land.
Today's weather was very pleasant. With the sea breeze blowing, before long, the ship arrived at the port of Castelia City.
Aaron had been to this place twice before.
They needed to make a transfer here and then set off for Eindoak's royal city, the location of the Castle of the Sword of the Earth.
Aaron still held certain memories of Castelia City in his mind.
It wasn't much different from other cities; with clear class distinctions, Slaves, Commoners, nobles, merchants, and lords formed a complete circle, living together in this massive city.
However, as soon as he got off the ship today, Aaron felt that something was not quite right.
Lucario beside him also keenly sensed something unusual. It immediately looked around warily and even used the Aura power contained within its body to scan the area.
Aaron hesitated for a moment, then looked up.
Soon, he understood the source of that unusual feeling.
The port, the pier, the fishermen, the workers moving cargo... they were all busy here.
At first glance, nothing seemed to have changed, but compared to the last time Aaron and the others were here, many more silhouettes of magical beasts had appeared in the city!
On the wooden planks of the pier, several children were together, holding breadcrumbs and feeding the Wingull circling in the sky.
Beside the sailing ship, several Machoke were moving the cargo unloaded from the vessel along with the porters.
In the water near the shore, several boys who were excellent swimmers were playing with a few Staryu.
This, this is...?!
Aaron was quite shocked.
As a Magical Beast Master, Aaron knew well the fear that some Commoners had toward magical beasts.
In fact, he wasn't originally a Magical Beast Master either.
He was originally a knight and Aura Guardian living on Rota Street in Oldalun City. Because he could use Aura power, he later met Lucario.
Through long-term training and living together, the relationship between Aaron and Lucario had grown increasingly close, like friends.
And Aaron also began to use his own Aura power and Lucario's strength to travel around and help those in need.
But besides him, the vast majority of the public was very fearful of the existence of magical beasts.
But now... Aaron looked at the strange scene around him, and an expression of astonishment couldn't help but appear on his face.
There's something strange about this city!
However, Aaron soon calmed down.
He led Lucario forward, leaving the pier and entering the city.
Walking with a magical beast did not cause much of a stir; the surrounding crowd only glanced at them and then looked away.
But the keen Aaron and Lucario sensed a hint of envy, longing, and respect from those gazes... What surprised Aaron and Lucario even more was that not just at the pier earlier, but throughout the entire Castelia City before them, the presence of magical beasts could be seen everywhere!
A Simisear helping to sell bread in a bakery.
Noble ladies leading Herdier while shopping on the road.
A young boy running through the streets with a Growlithe.
And some Petilil Reisurely sunbathing in the roadside flower beds.
Aaron even saw several shops specifically for cutting, grooming, and bathing magical beasts!
While customers waited nearby, shop employees gently washed the fur of a Skitty with warm water.
On the other side, there was a Tepig using the flames on its body to help a Lillipup, which had just finished its bath, dry its wet fur.
Seeing this scene, Aaron was dumbfounded.
Not just him, but Lucario was dumbfounded as well.
In a corner he didn't know about, what on earth... had happened to this place?
However, as a Magical Beast Master, Aaron soon calmed down. He found an old man resting on a roadside bench and asked:
"Hello, excuse me... what happened here in Castelia City? Why did so many magical beasts suddenly appear?"
"Magical beasts?" Hearing this term, the old man was a bit surprised, then showed a look of realization: "Oh, you must be from out of town, right?"
Aaron nodded gently: "That's right. Lucario and I are travelers who came from elsewhere by sailing ship."
"Coming from the sea? That's quite far!" The old man was slightly surprised, then said with a smile: "They're not called magical beasts anymore! His Majesty Draconis changed their name. These cute little fellows are now collectively called Pokémon!"
Pokémon? Aaron was somewhat stunned: "His Majesty Draconis?"
"Exactly!" A fervent look appeared in the old man's eyes: "His Majesty Draconis, he not only stopped the war but also abolished the Slave system. More than that, he taught us how to use the power of Pokémon to live on this land."
"Haha, thinking about it now, it's really miraculous. These Pokémon don't seem that scary after all. I really don't know why we were so afraid of them before."
Aaron fell silent.
Draconis... if he remembered correctly, he seemed to be the youngest, Third Prince of the Eindoak Kingdom.
Only, what made Aaron somewhat puzzled was that it was clearly a war between The First Prince and Second Prince, so why was it Third Prince who ultimately gained victory?
He calmly asked the old man before him about the doubts in his heart.
The old man answered them one by one.
The one chosen by the Divine Dragon Kyurem, the one who stopped that great battle on the Castelia Plains single-handedly, the one who unified the kingdom, abolished slavery, taught his subjects to use the power of Pokémon, and ordered the God of Abundance Landorus to help make the earth more fertile so that from now on no one on this land would go hungry... Not only that, he also founded a newspaper office to distribute newspapers nationwide and established the pokémon flying taxi, allowing people to travel quickly between two places by flying taxi.
These incredible feats were slowly recounted from the old man's mouth, one by one.
The more Aaron listened, the more silent he became.
"Haha, you must want to ask how an old man like me knows all these things, right?" The old man seemed to see the doubt in Aaron's heart and said with a smile: "It's all in the newspapers!"
Aaron: "..."
If, if all of this were true, then the Eindoak Kingdom was likely undergoing a complete transformation.
As a Magical Beast Master, Aaron planned to see it with his own eyes.
He thanked the old man and then headed straight for the flying pokémon taxi company located in Castelia City.
After paying the fare, they soon boarded a flying taxi bound for Eindoak City.
Aaron and Lucario sat in the small cabin, man and Pokémon looking out the transparent glass window at the scenery outside in disbelief.
They... were truly flying in the sky!
Eindoak had actually utilized the power of magical beasts to such an extent!
The speed of the pokémon flying taxi exceeded Aaron's imagination.
Before they could even react, they had already arrived at Eindoak.
Aaron and Lucario followed the route in their memory to the Castle of the Sword of the Earth. They showed the castle guards the items proving their identity as messengers and then gained permission to enter the castle.
Under the guidance of the guards, man and Pokémon soon arrived before the Old King.
"Your Majesty!" Aaron respectfully performed a standard knight's salute.
However, facing this address, the Old King shook his head with a smile:
"I am no longer the King. My son Draconis has done far better than I. You have already seen it, haven't you? Under his governance, this country has undergone earth-shaking changes."
....
Power Stones PlZZZZ
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