The next day, the snow finally subsided.
The women stayed home preparing breakfast, while the men swept the snow from their doorsteps with brooms and shovels, clearing several walkable paths. Children gathered outside, laughing as they built snowmen alongside a cheerful Snover.
After breakfast, some women carried basins of dirty clothes to the river to wash, while the men checked their houses, ensuring the weight of the snow hadn't weakened the roofs enough to collapse.
Meanwhile, the knights, led by Ryan, began their usual patrols around the territory.
The whole settlement bustled with life.
"Your Highness, Lucien, it seems everyone has gradually adapted to life here," Elif remarked, watching the children play with their Pokémon in the snow.
Lucien nodded, his gaze on the dirt road. By next spring, he thought, they would need not only sturdier houses but also properly maintained roads.
Otherwise, a single heavy rain would turn the whole territory into mud, making travel impossible.
For now, however, there was little else that required his direct involvement.
Instead, he sought out Anna to check on her special training with Zorua.
When she heard of his arrival, Anna excitedly reported their progress.
"Teacher, Zorua can already make illusions! Come on, Zorua, show him!"
"Zorua!" The little fox barked, and the two rocks nearby shimmered into the shape of humans.
"Hehe!" Anna giggled as the illusion faded. Then she looked at him expectantly. "So, Teacher, how did we do?"
"For beginners, your performance was quite impressive," Lucien praised at last.
"Yeah!" Anna's face lit up with joy.
"It's just that your use of this ability is still rudimentary," Lucien continued thoughtfully. "You need to let your imagination expand. Illusions aren't only about disguising yourself. While they can't cause direct harm, they can overwhelm the senses of humans and monsters alike."
"For example, you could trick their perception, creating a vast forest maze that traps them endlessly… or take on the form of a powerful monster to frighten an enemy into retreating."
As far as Lucien knew, Zorua's species possessed some of the most advanced illusion abilities of all Pokémon.
"The most powerful Zorua don't just transform," Lucien explained. "They can project illusions that affect hundreds, sometimes even entire towns."
In the movies, a Zoroark once transformed into the Legendary Pokémon Entei, Suicune, and Raikou, and perfectly imitated their overwhelming power.
Anna and Zorua listened with wide eyes.
"Zorua…" The little fox tilted its head in longing. Could it really grow strong enough to wield such power?
"So powerful?!" Anna exclaimed in awe.
"Anna, never underestimate the strength of any monster," Lucien said firmly. "With proper care and trust, their power is limitless."
"Limitless…" Anna repeated softly, determination rising in her voice. "Like Beastmaster Aaron?"
Could she and Zorua one day become that powerful?
Years ago, Aaron had come to the Kingdom of Eindoak and helped its people defeat a monstrous Pokémon that no human army could withstand. His legend still spread throughout the land.
To Anna, Lord Aaron had always been the greatest Beastmaster of them all.
"Aaron?" Lucien froze at the name. But soon after, a memory surfaced from the depths of his mind.
Three years ago, an "evil" beast had unleashed a devastating storm across the kingdom, destroying countless homes and fields.
The old king's army tried and failed to suppress it, and in desperation was forced to seek aid from neighboring lands.
That was when Aaron, the legendary Aura Guardian, arrived from the distant Kingdom of Rota on another continent. Using the power of aura, he sealed away the "evil" beast.
His deeds quickly spread throughout Unova.
Remembering this, Lucien's expression suddenly grew strange.
Seeing her teacher fall silent, Anna tilted her head. "Teacher? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just a thought," Lucien said, shaking his head as he returned to himself. "Anna, you and Zorua should continue your special training. I have matters to attend to."
"Yes!" Anna nodded quickly.
But Lucien's mind was still reeling.
Aaron… Wasn't that the very same Aaron from the movie Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, the Aura Guardian who sacrificed himself to end a war, entrusting his aura to Lucario?
Aaron is still alive in this era?!
Stunned, Lucien immediately turned to Elif and asked about Aaron.
Elif's eyes grew distant as he recalled. "Lord Aaron? Yes, he came to the royal city three years ago. At that time, a magical beast known as Tornadus brought a terrible disaster. The king, helpless, sought help from Queen Rin of the Kingdom of Rota."
"Queen Rin and our king were pen pals, often exchanging letters. Later, Lord Aaron came. He and his partner Lucario confronted Tornadus and ended the catastrophe together."
"What is it, Your Highness?" Elif asked gently, noticing Lucien's faraway look.
"Nothing," Lucien said at last, though his heart stirred. "I only thought that this beastmaster is truly powerful. It would be an honor to meet him."
"The Kingdom of Rota lies incredibly far from here. It would take a month just to reach it by ship," the old butler remarked with a sigh.
Lucien, of course, was already well aware of this.
In this era, people feared the sea even more than the land.
The ocean was unfathomable, its depths teeming with storms, tempests, and dangerous sea Pokémon. To set sail was to gamble one's life. A single shipwreck meant nothing but despair and the slow approach of death.
Because of this, communication between distant regions was rare, and many places still survived as isolated tribal communities.
...
Stones Plzz
Support me on patreon and read chapters ahead @patreon.com/Keepsmiling818