After the coronation ceremony, Lucien officially ascended the throne of Eindoak.
By Lucien's arrangement, the eldest prince, Landon, and the second prince, Lance, departed from the Unova region, boarding a ship bound for lands unknown.
This had been their own choice.
Though the old king was reluctant, he ultimately could not stop them.
His three children had all grown up.
They each had their own paths to walk, and as a father, he could no longer restrain them as he once had in their childhood.
After seeing his two sons off, the old king seemed to age overnight.
Victini hovered anxiously at his side.
Lucien noticed the change at once. After some thought, he asked gently,
"Father… would you like to return to Eindoak?"
After all, it was the land where the old king had lived for decades. Perhaps returning there would ease his heart.
However, the old king shook his head and refused.
"It's quite nice staying here with you."
"The humans and magical beasts of Lucien City are full of vitality," he continued.
"Compared to that, Eindoak feels… old-fashioned and rigid."
"In that case," Lucien said after a moment, "I'll arrange a mansion for you and Victini here in the city."
His older brothers might be unreliable, but as a son, he would still care for his aging father.
The old king nodded and accepted the arrangement.
After settling his father, Lucien returned to the castle.
Winter had arrived.
The air grew colder, and soft white snowflakes drifted down from the sky.
Inside the castle, a roaring fireplace filled the room with warmth. A group of Minccino and a Dragonite sat on a thick, plush cashmere carpet, happily playing with toys.
In one corner of the room, Kyurem rested quietly, eyes closed, as if sleeping.
Looking at the scene, Lucien felt his spirits lift.
He walked over, patted this one, ruffled that one, and spent some time playing with Dragonite and the others.
Only after that did he finally turn to his duties.
Now that the kingdom had returned to peace and north and south were once again unified, there was still an overwhelming amount of work ahead.
Lucien sat behind his desk, reviewing the detailed reports Elif had prepared on the various territories of the kingdom.
Seven Treasures Territory, located in the southeastern part of the Unova region, was a critical logistics and freight hub of Eindoak.
Castelia Territory, situated along the southern coast of Unova, was a prosperous port city with thriving fishing and maritime trade, one of the kingdom's most important gateways.
Sailboat City, much like Castelia Territory, was also a port city. Strong winds were common year-round, making sailing culture especially prominent. Its docks served as berths for both cargo vessels and fishing ships, and its vast marketplace was famous across the region.
Beyond these lay Blowing Ridge Territory, Snowflake Territory, Twin Dragons Territory, and smaller settlements such as Deer Town.
Lucien leaned back slightly, gazing at the information in silence.
After a moment, he opened his Territory Interface to review the current state of his rule.
[Lord's Name: Lucien]
[Territory: Lucien City (Under Expansion)]
[Subordinate Territories: Twin Dragons City, Kagome Village, Ripple Town, Blue Wave Castle, Black Territory, Hinoki Castle… (Click to view details)]
[Lucien City Residents (Humans): 73,358]
[Lucien City Residents (Pokémon): 1,628]
[Total Population: 8.23 million]
[Popularity: 93 (United)]
[Satisfaction: 175,680]
[Technologies: Animal Husbandry, Fishing, Pottery, Clay Figurines, Papermaking…]
Thanks to the coronation ceremony, the name Lucien City had spread far and wide.
In recent days, nobles and commoners alike from many regions had chosen to relocate to this rising city.
As a result, Lucien City's population had surpassed seventy thousand.
With the sudden population surge, food supplies were beginning to tighten.
Fortunately, Lucien City was rich in mineral resources. These could be traded with other territories to secure sufficient food and maintain stability, for now.
"The kingdom's total population is only a little over eight million?"
Lucien frowned as he looked at the number displayed on the panel.
It was… surprisingly low.
In truth, the Pokémon world was famously sparsely populated. Beyond humans, countless Pokémon inhabited this land, sharing space, labor, and survival.
Perhaps the existence of Pokémon had, in some way, replaced what might otherwise have been a far larger human population.
However, what truly caught Lucien's attention was something else entirely.
The current data of his territory already met the conditions to advance into the Industrial Age.
The Industrial Revolution demanded a sufficiently large population, and eight million across the kingdom was more than enough to sustain it.
Lucien's gaze shifted to the technology tree.
[Industrial Age]: After unlocking, the era will officially advance from the Agricultural Age to the Industrial Age. This will unlock related technologies such as: Steam Engine, Factory, Energy Development, Steam Train.
Requirements: • Satisfaction ≥ 100,000 • Territory Population ≥ 50,000 • Public Morale ≥ 90
Lucien didn't hesitate.
"Unlock."
With a single thought, a dazzling green light surged across the massive technology tree.
Click—!
As if an invisible lock had been shattered, the once-clear boundary between the Agricultural Age and the Industrial Age dissolved. The previously dim branches above it lit up one by one.
[Industrial Age Successfully Unlocked!]
[You may now unlock Industrial Age technologies using Satisfaction.]
Lucien's eyes swept across the newly revealed technologies.
[Steam Engine] Unlocks the principles and manufacturing methods of steam engines. Requirement: 100,000 Satisfaction
[Factory] Unlocks factory theory, enabling centralized production (handicrafts such as textiles, tools, etc.). Requirement: 20,000 Satisfaction
[Energy Development] Unlocks the extraction and utilization of mineral energy such as coal and steel. Requirement: 50,000 Satisfaction
[Steam Train] Unlocks railway construction, operation theory, and steam locomotive manufacturing. Requirement: 100,000 Satisfaction
…
Lucien's gaze lingered on each entry, his heart stirring.
Every one of these technologies was vital.
The steam engine was the cornerstone of the Industrial Revolution.
Factories would centralize labor, streamline processes, and dramatically increase productivity.
Steam trains would connect the entire United Kingdom, shrinking distances between territories and drawing people closer together than ever before.
Unfortunately, each of them required an enormous amount of satisfaction.
After the era advancement, Lucien's remaining satisfaction stood at only 70,000.
Enough to unlock Factory and Energy Development.
But not enough for the Steam Engine.
Compared to the steam engine, the two available technologies were clearly of secondary importance.
Lucien let out a slow breath.
"It seems the next priority is still… satisfaction."
At present, both the Grand Library and the Grand Arena within the territory were already complete.
Perhaps next, he could have the Trainer Association organize exhibition battles for the civilians.
Pokémon battles were, after all, the greatest form of entertainment in this world.
With proper newspaper promotion and deliberate momentum-building, It would be time to harvest satisfaction.
...
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