Upon hearing this, Lucien opened his territory panel.
With the arrival of the newcomers, the population numbers had changed drastically.
The number of human citizens had risen from 299 to 1,151, and the number of Pokémon citizens had increased from 123 to 273.
Lucien's thoughts stirred. He opened the Pokémon citizen panel to check which species had joined.
Tepig, Sentret, Electabuzz, Excadrill, Flareon, Sandshrew, Lickitung, Machop, and Machoke, the variety was staggering. Just scrolling through the list made Lucien feel a little overwhelmed.
"They even brought Tepig, one of the Unova starter Pokémon?" he muttered, half in surprise.
But from the perspective of humans in this medieval world, Tepig was nothing more than a pig-like fire monster, perhaps useful only for lighting fires or cooking food.
Still, the influx of so many Pokémon, many of whom were former slaves, was a mixed blessing.
Lucien fell silent in thought.
Pokémon such as Machop and Machoke were easy to place; they could be hired to help with labor or construction around the territory. But Pokémon like Lickitung or Seviper had little practical use for now.
Moreover, Lucien knew well that not every Pokémon enjoyed living with humans. Some preferred to remain in the wild, free and unbound.
"In that case," he murmured, "we should establish a protected reserve outside the city, a place where those Pokémon who dislike human settlements can live freely."
The food and crop seeds sent by the old king had also arrived at the perfect time. They would greatly enrich the territory's agriculture, providing both diversity and stability to food production.
And among the new arrivals, Lucien noticed several skilled workers, miners, blacksmiths, carpenters, scholars. These people would be invaluable for the city's continued growth.
After a moment of reflection, Lucien nodded. "I understand. You've all worked hard. Elif, arrange accommodations for everyone. Let them rest for now; we'll discuss the rest tomorrow."
"Yes, Your Highness," Elif said with a respectful bow.
"Also, inform Geralt that he'll be responsible for the newly arrived knights," Lucien added.
"Understood, Your Highness Lucien."
Elif turned to Lorraine. "Please come with me, Miss Lorraine."
Lorraine nodded and followed him out of the hall.
Meanwhile, Victini had just finished eating and was sitting contentedly on the desk, rubbing her rounded belly with a blissful expression.
Lucien couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Then, the information window for Victini appeared before his eyes.
[Pokémon: Victini]
[Type: Psychic, Fire]
[Gender: Genderless]
[Ability: Victory Star]
[Moves: Psychic, Quick Attack, Focus Energy, Fireball, Incinerate, Endure, Headbutt, Charged Flame, Last Stand, Flamethrower, Psychic Hammer, Purgatory, Stored Power, V-Create]
[Friendship: 90]
[Biography: Omitted]
Lucien let out a quiet whistle. "That's quite the move list…"
No wonder Victini was called the Victory Pokémon. Its power was far greater than most could comprehend.
"Nini…"
Victini yawned loudly. After all, she had traveled far without much rest, and now that her belly was full, drowsiness quickly overtook her.
Lucien smiled warmly. "If you're tired, go ahead and nap here. I'll take you home when I'm done."
"Nini~"
Victini fluttered over to the cushion beside his desk, curled up, and quickly drifted into peaceful sleep.
The cushion had once belonged to Dratini, but ever since it evolved into Dragonair, it had become too small for it, just right for Victini instead.
Lucien watched her sleeping face with a faint smile, then turned back to his desk and opened the citizen panel again, this time to review the human registry.
The Unova region, being modeled after the United States, meant most names were foreign, "Jenny," "Jason," "Frank." The list made his head spin.
Then his gaze froze.
Two names stood out among the endless entries, Celina Joy and Lena Joy.
Joy…
Lucien paused slightly. 'Could it be… the Joy family he knew?'
He opened the record that had caught his attention.
[Commoner Name: Lena Joy]
[Age: 17]
[Occupation: None]
[Special Abilities: None]
[Loyalty: 0]
[Life History: In the 132nd year of the Kingdom Calendar, Lena Joy was born alongside her older sister, Celina Joy.]
[In the 143rd year of the Kingdom Calendar, the sisters were branded as cursed and unlucky by their village, driven away because they shared the same face as their late mother.]
[In the 148th year of the Kingdom Calendar, Celina and Lena wandered to Eindoak, where they were imprisoned for stealing bread.]
[In the 149th year of the Kingdom Calendar, they were enslaved and brought along with the main force to the territory of the Third Prince, Lucien.]
Lucien's eyes lingered on the names.
Celina and Lena Joy… the Joy sisters?
At first, he had doubted it. But upon seeing their identical appearances listed in the registry, there was no longer any question in his mind. These two girls were the ancestors of the future Nurse Joy line, the iconic healers of Pokémon centers.
The Joy family, famous for their indistinguishable looks, was a name known throughout history.
Yet here, in this era, they were considered cursed, even ominous.
Lucien frowned slightly.
So this is where their story begins… cast out, misunderstood, and enslaved.
He tapped the edge of the record thoughtfully.
"Perhaps," he murmured to himself, "I could establish a place for them, a healing house, a clinic… no, something better."
A faint light flickered in his eyes.
"A Pokémon Center."
The idea filled his mind.
He could start small, build a medical house for both humans and Pokémon, and train the Joy sisters to become the territory's first healers.
"No… not yet," Lucien muttered after a pause.
Although they bore the name Joy, the sisters clearly did not yet possess the skills of the healers from the world he remembered. They would need proper training first.
He decided to have them study under Lila, who already had some knowledge of herbs and medicine. Once they gained enough skill, they could take charge of the new Pokémon Center.
With that foundation, when more trainers eventually arrived in the territory, there would already be a place for them to heal and rest their Pokémon.
Lucien closed the record and exhaled softly.
Outside, the sound of busy footsteps drifted in from the streets. He walked to the window and gently parted the blinds.
Down below, Geralt, Elif, and several others were organizing accommodations for the newly arrived people and Pokémon.
The streets were bustling with life.
Merchants unpacked their goods, children ran about laughing with their Pokémon partners, and the air carried the faint scent of baked bread and tilled earth.
The arrival of so many new residents had breathed fresh life into the town. The streets, once quiet and orderly, were now alive with energy.
Lucien smiled faintly. There was still much to do, but for the moment, he decided to set work aside and take Victini home.
He glanced toward the cushion beside his desk. Victini was still fast asleep, curled up like a small ball of flame, completely at ease.
Lucien carefully picked her up, but she didn't stir, only murmured softly in her sleep.
He left the office and walked back to his residence.
As soon as he opened the door, Dragonair and Larvesta immediately looked up. When they saw the small Pokémon in his arms, both of them hurried over curiously.
"Huh?"
Lucien smiled. "It's Victini. You've seen her before, haven't you, Dragonair?"
Hearing that, Dragonair blinked, then nodded. Memories of the royal city surfaced, when it had still been a Dratini, it had glimpsed this cheerful little Pokémon fluttering around the palace gardens.
"Victini came a very long way to help us," Lucien said softly, glancing around at his Pokémon companions. "So make sure you all get along with her."