I'll post 5 Bonus Chapters this week, if we gather 1300 PS by this weekend.
...
Three days later, as heavy snow blanketed the valley, the final cabin in the settlement was completed.
The people of the territory let out a collective sigh of relief. At last, they had roofs over their heads, enough to see them through the long winter.
Lucien's own cabin was the last to be finished. Compared to the others, it was slightly larger, befitting his role as lord.
A maid carefully carried his belongings from the drafty tent into the newly built home.
Lucien pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside with Dratini coiled around his shoulders. The space wasn't vast, perhaps fifty square meters in total, but it was more than enough.
Carpenter Tucker and his apprentice had even used the leftover lumber to craft a simple yet elegant bed and table. Beside the bed sat a small stone fireplace, already crackling with fire.
On the floor, a thick handwoven carpet displayed the crest of the Aindoak royal family. The maid busied herself setting the bedding with soft pillows, while on the table rested a plate of fresh Yache Berries and pomelo slices alongside a steaming cup of black tea.
"Your Highness… please endure these modest quarters for now," Elif sighed inwardly, glancing around the humble cabin.
How far his lord had fallen, from the vast chambers of a palace to this rough cabin. A royal bedroom once spanned a hundred meters, now barely fifty. When resources and time allow, the butler vowed silently, 'I'll see a true castle raised for him once again.'
But Lucien was more than content.
"This is more than enough," he said with a smile, leading Dratini inside.
The firelight glowed warmly, its smoke drifting up the chimney. The sudden heat filled the cabin, chasing away the winter chill.
Dratini uncurled, slithering happily across the floorboards, peering curiously at the new surroundings. Its bright eyes reflected the flames, and its tiny nose twitched as it examined every corner.
"This will be our home from now on, Dratini," Lucien said softly.
"Woo!" Dratini trilled, its voice bright with joy.
"Chi… chi…"
At the doorway, several Minccino huddled together, eyes shining with hope.
They much preferred this wooden cabin to the canvas tent, it felt more like the hollow trees they once lived in. But… could they stay here too?
One Minccino glanced at Lucien timidly, as though asking permission.
Lucien caught their look and chuckled. "Come on in. You can stay here until spring arrives."
The squirrels squealed with delight.
"Chi-li!"
They rushed inside at once, sweeping their fluffy tails across the floorboards in excitement, cleaning instinctively as they went. Before long, they dragged in the small stash of nuts and berries they had hidden away, neatly piling it beside the hearth.
With food and a warm fireplace, there was nothing to fear from the blizzard outside.
The Minccino were so overjoyed, they looked ready to throw a party right then and there.
Lucien glanced toward the window, then asked, "Has everyone else finished their houses as well?"
Elif nodded. "Indeed, all the residents of the territory have now moved into their cabins. We are all deeply grateful to you, Your Highness. Without your wise decision, we surely would have frozen to death on the road to Virbank City."
Lucien paused. 'That's… not even much of an exaggeration.'
Almost instinctively, he checked his territory interface. Sure enough, new notifications flickered to life.
[Satisfaction +5!]
[Satisfaction +10!]
[Satisfaction +8!]
…
As the cabins were completed, the dashboard changed dramatically:
[Lord Name: Lucien]
[Territory: Village (Unnamed)]
[Humans: 78 (Click to view details)]
[Pokémon: 17 (Click to view details)]
[Public Sentiment: 30]
[Satisfaction: 500]
[Technology: Gathering, Basic Herbalism, Fishing]
"Huh? It upgraded from a settlement to a village?" Lucien blinked. "Was it because of the population growth… or the new buildings?"
More importantly, satisfaction had climbed to 500, enough to unlock another technology. But instead of rushing to use it, Lucien wanted to see the people with his own eyes.
"Elif, let's go take a look at the village," Lucien said.
"Of course, Your Highness," the butler replied with a bow.
Leaving Dratini and the Minccino at home, Lucien and Elif stepped out into the falling snow.
Compared to that bleak first day, the land was almost unrecognizable.
Wooden cabins now stood proudly on either side of the main road, smoke curling from their chimneys into the gray sky. Inside, families huddled by hearthfires, cooking simple meals. Even with food scarce, there was laughter, the relief of having survived the worst of the storm.
Further ahead, Lucien saw the barn the villagers had built to store supplies, its walls reinforced against the blizzard. Not far away stood the new winter shelter for the pair of Bouffalant. The great beasts lay comfortably on thick hay, their breath steaming in the cold as they gazed out at the swirling snow.
The settlement had grown into a true village.
By the riverbank, women knelt to wash clothes, their hands red from the cold water. When they noticed Lucien passing, they straightened and offered him grateful smiles.
Not far away, three Snovers lumbered gently through the snow while several children laughed and danced around them, hand in hand, their footprints dotting the white ground.
In the distance, a vast stretch of fields lay buried under frost, awaiting spring.
Here, humans and Pokémon lived side by side, supporting each other through the harsh season.
As Lucien gazed at the scene, a warmth stirred in his chest. For the first time, he felt the weight of purpose, the sense that all his struggles had not been in vain.
'So this is why people become lords,' he thought. 'Why they love the simple joys of building and farming.'
In games, when a player crafts a candle, a farmer's cottage glows at night. When they weave a cloak, someone walks proudly in new clothes.
And when a destitute land is nurtured under a wise ruler, it prospers, becoming the envy of neighboring lords and a refuge for the wandering.
"Your Highness," Elif said, glancing at the sky darkening under the storm, "the snow is falling harder. We should return."
Lucien nodded. "Yes, let's go back."
They had stockpiled enough food and firewood. Barring any disaster, they could endure the long winter.
But when spring came, there would be even more to do:
Mining the iron-rich hills.
Tilling and sowing fertile fields.
Exploring the mountains and forests.
Recruiting new Pokémon partners.
Constructing sturdier homes and defenses.
Yet seventy villagers alone could not achieve all of this. Population was the lifeblood of any territory.
"If only the caravan hadn't scattered…" Lucien murmured.
Back when they had departed from Aindoak, the company had been over five hundred strong, closer to six. Among them were master smiths, builders, carpenters, farmers, fishermen… all the skilled hands a budding territory needed.
Now, fewer than a hundred remained.
Lucien let out a long, quiet sigh, his breath vanishing into the snow.
...
Stones Plzz
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