Lucien's offer was one the Vespiquen could not refuse.
"Bee…"
Hearing his words, Vespiquen froze for a moment, surprise flickering across her amber eyes.
She had already heard much of what Zorua had said before deciding to come here, but she hadn't expected this, that these humans, in addition to offering protection, would even provide food to help her hive survive the harsh winter.
In winter, when all flowers wither, the Combee cannot gather nectar, and without nectar, there is no honey.
Without honey, there is no food, and both she and her workers would eventually starve.
Normally, they stored enough honey to last through the cold months, but if something went wrong, if thieves or wild Pokémon stole their reserves, they would have no way to recover.
And so, Lucien's proposal was not merely generous; it was salvation.
After a long silence, Lucien spoke again, his voice calm and patient.
"What do you think, Vespiquen?"
"Bee!"
The queen's clear, resonant voice rang out in reply. She agreed without hesitation.
Leading her Combee forward, she performed a graceful bow, the bee's formal salute, to the young lord before her.
Lucien exhaled softly, relief mingling with satisfaction.
"I'm glad," he said, rising from his chair. "Then let me show you where you'll be living. I've already arranged for someone to stay with you and help care for your hive."
Vespiquen nodded, her expression serene but grateful. Her gaze drifted toward Anna, who had stood quietly by her side all this time.
As part of their migration, the hive had brought along the entire stock of honey they had stored.
Vespiquen stepped forward, gently taking the wooden bucket of honey from Anna's hands. Hovering in front of Lucien, she presented it to him with solemn dignity.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "For me?"
"Bee."
The queen nodded lightly.
"Thank you," Lucien said with a faint smile. He accepted the gift and handed it to Elif for safekeeping.
This "Sweet Honey" was valuable, more than a simple treat. It could be used in desserts, brewed into medicines, or, when placed outdoors, could even lure rare Pokémon.
Pokémon such as Heracross, Snorlax, Leavanny, and Roserade were particularly fond of its scent.
"Please, follow me," Lucien said, gesturing toward the door.
"Bee."
With a hum of wings, Vespiquen and her Combee followed close behind.
Lucien nodded to Elif as they walked out, signaling him to summon Megan. Then, leading the small procession, he made his way to the riverbank.
They boarded a wooden boat and crossed to the far shore.
Beyond the gentle waves lay a wide, open plain, and in its midst stood a brand-new Pokémon ranch.
A sturdy wooden fence enclosed the area, and tall scarecrows stood sentinel at the corners, warding off any wild Pokémon that might approach.
According to Lucien's instructions, the carpenters of the territory had already built and installed a hive for Vespiquen and her Combee.
Standing before the newly placed hive, Lucien gestured toward it and said with a smile,
"We're here. This will be your new home. And this is your caretaker, Megan."
Vespiquen's compound eyes flickered with satisfaction as she surveyed her surroundings.
The sturdy wooden fence enclosing the area gave the hive a sense of safety and stability.
As for the human who would tend to them, Vespiquen turned her gaze toward the young woman standing nearby.
Megan, for her part, had been quietly observing the Pokémon, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. When she suddenly met the queen's gaze, she startled slightly before mustering her courage.
"Hello!" she said, her voice soft but sincere.
"Bee."
The queen buzzed in acknowledgment, apparently content.
Lucien smiled faintly. It seemed no further arrangements were needed.
Under Vespiquen's direction, the Combee immediately began building their nest within the hive. From their small bodies, they secreted a golden, honey-like resin that soon coated the interior walls, giving off a sweet, fragrant aroma.
Once the hive was properly structured, Vespiquen took command, guiding the Combee to begin gathering nectar from the fields. The wide plains surrounding the ranch were already blanketed with wildflowers, and Lila had recently transplanted several additional varieties into her herb garden to ensure a steady source of blossoms.
The Combee flitted busily back and forth between flowers and hive, carrying fresh nectar to be brewed into shimmering Sweet Honey.
"Then, Vespiquen, Combee, you can live peacefully here now!" Anna called out with a wave. "We'll come visit you often!"
"Bee~!"
Vespiquen's tone carried a note of cheer; clearly, she was pleased with her new home.
Seeing that everything was settled, Lucien turned back to Megan.
"I'll have someone send over some flower and grass seeds," he said. "Find a good spot to plant them and create a flower field. That way, Vespiquen and her hive won't need to travel far to gather nectar."
He paused, then added, "If you have any trouble or need assistance, you can always ask the farmers or the Dugtrio in the territory for help."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Megan nodded quickly, her expression earnest.
Lucien smiled again, then seemed to recall something."In time," he continued, "we may bring another herd of monsters to the ranch. When that happens, they'll need your care as well."
"No problem!" Megan replied brightly.
Even so, her thoughts drifted back to the pond near her old home, and to the six Magikarp she had raised there, wondering if they were doing well.
The ranch happened to be built right beside the river.
Surveying the terrain, Megan decided to have her brother dig out a pond on the ranch grounds, a safe, natural home for the Magikarp she cared for so dearly.
"Not bad," Lucien said approvingly after inspecting the plan. The arrangement pleased him; everything on the ranch was falling neatly into place.
Once all the preparations were complete, Lucien returned to the main territory with Dratini and Snivy by his side.
Almost immediately, several notifications began to flicker across the dashboard in his mind.
[Satisfaction +30!]
[Satisfaction +10!]
[Satisfaction +15!]
The source of these new points was clear, the Vespiquen and her Combee hive.
Lucien glanced at his total satisfaction level: it had now reached 2,700.
"A few more, and I'll be able to unlock another set of technologies!" he murmured, his heart stirring with excitement.
But before he could even open the tech panel, Geralt burst through the door, breathing heavily yet composed enough to kneel on one knee before his lord.
"Your Highness!"
He held out a fragment of pottery in both hands.
"There seems to be something buried beneath the ore," Geralt reported. "When Haxorus and I descended into the lower shaft today, we discovered what appears to be the remains of an ancient structure, a ruin belonging to some long-lost tribe!"
Lucien blinked in surprise.
Taking the pottery shard, he turned it over carefully in his palm. Carved upon its weathered surface was a circular sun emblem, faint but unmistakable.
He had seen a similar symbol before, deep within the mines.
But this world was still in its medieval era… thousands of years before modern civilization.
Could an even older culture have existed here, long before this age?
And what did this sun symbol represent?
The god of the sun, could it be the Legendary Pokémon Solgaleo?
But this was Unova, not Alola.
His curiosity surged.
"Have you gone inside the ruins yet?" Lucien asked, his tone calm but eyes sharp.
Geralt shook his head. "Not yet, Your Highness. As soon as we made the discovery, I came back to report."
Lucien nodded slowly, thinking.
"Then," he said, rising to his feet, "we'll go take a look together."
Geralt's eyes widened slightly. "Your Highness, it's dangerous underground."
Lucien smiled faintly. "You'll protect me, won't you?"
A brief silence passed, then the knight's expression softened into a resolute grin.
"Of course," Geralt replied firmly. "As your knight, I will guard you with my life."
...
Stones Plzz
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