"So that's how it went."
In the lord's hall, Geralt finished his report, standing stiffly before Lucien.
Lucien rubbed his temples in silence.
"…"
As expected, letting novice knights raise Aron might have been a bit too ambitious.
Even though his knights possessed strength and discipline, against the steel-bodied Aron, they were completely helpless; swords couldn't pierce its armor, and bare fists only ended up bruised and broken.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Lucien asked,
"How many Aron did you manage to capture in total?"
"Ten," Geralt replied promptly.
"Oh?" Lucien raised an eyebrow. "That's better than I expected. Did someone actually manage to defeat one? How?"
Geralt nodded. "The later knights realized something. Since iron swords couldn't hurt the Aron, maybe blunt weapons like hammers could at least stun them. So we borrowed hammers from the blacksmiths and tried again. The results were… surprisingly good. Some Aron fainted from the impact, and when they woke up, they agreed to follow us."
"…" Lucien's mouth twitched slightly.
That… was certainly an ancient and rather barbaric method, but it worked.
"But there's another problem, Your Highness," Geralt added.
"What is it?"
"We have seventy knights, but only twenty Aron live in that mining area."
Lucien crossed his arms, falling into thought. "In that case, we'll need to form other magical beast legions."
He began running through the possibilities in his mind.
Gyarados?
No, Magikarp are too weak, and too difficult for ordinary people to raise.
Golduck?
That could work. They can attack with Hydro Pump or use psychic powers like Telekinesis to restrain enemies.
In the games, psychic moves weren't always dominant, but in reality, psychic energy was practically unbeatable except against natural counters, just like Sabrina's overwhelming strength in the anime.
Magnemite?
That would be even better. When evolved into Magneton, they could unleash devastating electromagnetic blasts or wide-area Discharge attacks.
Plus, they could fly.
Unfortunately, Magnemite were rare around this region.
If that failed, Mareep could be used instead. Once they evolved into Ampharos, they could serve as powerful substitutes.
Domesticated Mareep were docile, and those hatched from eggs would be easier to train and bond with.
Then there was the idea of a Swablu legion.
Many wild Swablu lived near the borders of his territory. When they evolved into Altaria, their destructive potential was immense, they could devastate large areas with Hurricane or even the legendary Draco Meteor.
Their gentle temperament made them ideal companions for knights as well.
Lucien's eyes lit up as his plan took shape.
"In that case," he declared, "let's change our approach. We'll form new partnerships with other magical beasts."
Geralt blinked, momentarily stunned.
Lucien drew out a parchment showing a sketch of a small, cloud-winged bird.
Geralt leaned in, it was a soft blue creature with downy white wings that looked like flowing clouds, and two long blue feathers on its head.
"What is this?"
"It's called Swablu," Lucien explained. "You've likely seen them before. Since spring began, flocks of Swablu have often flown over our town, perching on rooftops and watching people from above."
"It's a gentle and harmless magical beast. Far easier to befriend than Aron."
Geralt frowned slightly, still concerned. "But if the knights bond with different types of magical beasts, won't training them together be difficult?"
Lucien smiled knowingly.
"No one ever said a person can only have one magical beast."
His eyes gleamed. "They are all our wings."
Geralt froze for a moment, then realization dawned on his face.
Lucien continued, "Besides, magical beasts can reproduce, just like humans. If two bonded beasts lay eggs, we can give those eggs to other riders. That way, new recruits can train them more easily, share experiences, and grow faster."
Geralt's eyes widened. "Your Highness is truly wise!"
Afterwards, he could slowly expand the army, recruit soldiers, and distribute the prepared Pokémon eggs to them. By repeating this process, a powerful army could be built in a short time.
"Alright, you may return now," Lucien said calmly, "and take some of the men to begin contacting the Swablu. I'll record their traits and proper breeding methods for you later."
Geralt saluted crisply. "Yes, Your Highness!"
As it turned out, compared to the hard-headed Aron, the Swablu were much easier to befriend.
Within just three days, Geralt sent word that they had successfully tamed several of the gentle birds using food and soft voices.
So, under Geralt's lead, Lucien set out for the knights' training grounds, a wide clearing deep in the forest.
When he arrived, sixty-nine knights (Geralt excluded) were already assembled in formation, clad in polished armor with their swords at their sides, standing proudly at attention.
The sight before him made Lucien pause.
The knights were divided into two groups.
One group was surrounded by small, iron-gray Aron.
The other had Swablu perched right on their heads, fluffy white wings draped like clouds, looking almost like little hats.
For a moment, Lucien couldn't help but imagine the future, when these creatures evolved.
The Aron would grow into towering, steel-plated Aggron, their massive forms capable of shaking the earth.
The Swablu, meanwhile, would become elegant Altaria, gliding through the sky like living clouds, their songs echoing across the land.
Just picturing it stirred excitement in his chest.
Yes… this was something truly worth looking forward to.
Though every knight there was a grown man, most over twenty, their eyes sparkled like children who had just been given their first toys.
They had done it, they had truly tamed monsters!
Just like the legendary beast tamers who once visited the royal capital, proud, noble, and awe-inspiring.
Now, every knight turned toward Lucien, waiting for him to speak.
He took a slow breath, sweeping his gaze over the gathered men before speaking in a clear, steady tone:
"In this world, monsters can be found everywhere, in the sky, in the sea, in the forests, and even in the deserts. Humans and monsters alike are both children of this land."
"After spending time with them, you must have realized, monsters, like us, have intelligence, emotions, and hearts of their own."
"Here, people and monsters will play together, fight together, help one another, and build a home together."
The crowd stood silent, his words echoing softly through the trees.
And as they listened, vivid scenes appeared in their minds.
Snover playing tag with laughing children, Dugtrio tilling the soil beside farmers, Machamp chopping wood and helping raise walls, Darmanitan lighting hearths at dawn, Combee gathering nectar among the flowers, and Petilil carrying bundles of herbs to the healers.
Human and monsters, side by side, slowly shaping a new home.
Unknowingly, they had already lived among these creatures for so long.
And as the realization dawned, many knights felt a warmth rise in their chests.