Raven took two farmers with him to search the outskirts of the territory for land suitable for cultivation.
Meanwhile, Aelif was given an unexpected command: to stay behind and keep the three "beasts" company.
Once Raven left, the three Snovers lifted their heads, gazing after him with round, expectant eyes.
Thinking of His Highness Raven's demeanor, Aelif braced himself and greeted them stiffly:"You… you're called Snovers, aren't you?"
"Uguu~!" The Snovers nodded happily.
They actually answered me! Even though he had already seen His Highness conversing with them yesterday, when it came to his own turn, the butler's heart still churned like a stormy sea.
One of the Snovers looked up at him, then plucked a berry from its body and held it out.
"Uguu!"
Human, do you want to try our fruit too?
A… a beast is offering me food?!
Though shaken, Aelif felt something stir deep in his chest—something he had never felt before.
"Thank you." He forced a polite refusal, his voice awkward: "But I'm… not hungry right now."
The Snovers didn't mind. Their eyes sparkled as they looked curiously around, taking in all the strange sights they'd never seen before.
The villagers watched from a distance, still too afraid to approach.
Seeing this, Aelif recalled Raven's instructions and announced to everyone:"There's no need to fear these three beasts. They're not like the others. They won't harm us. The only reason they came into our territory today is because yesterday, His Highness Raven gave them almonds—and today they came to share their own fruits in return!"
The crowd froze, startled.
The adults still hesitated, remembering all too vividly the bloodshed caused by beasts.
But the children… the children were brimming with curiosity.
They had just seen those "beasts" share their fruit with the prince!
So once the adults pulled back, three youngsters, no more than six or seven years old, couldn't resist their curiosity.
At first, they only dared to watch from a distance.
But soon, one brave boy stepped forward.
The Snovers immediately turned their heads toward him.
His heart pounded wildly. They're looking at me! What if they attack?
Panicked, he tripped over a stone and tumbled to the ground.
"Ah!" He cried out in pain.
Then suddenly, someone reached down to lift him up.
When he raised his head, it wasn't a human face he saw, but the snowy-white visage of a Snover.
"Uguu~" The Snover chirped kindly.
The boy froze in disbelief.
A… a beast helped me up?
He stood there, dazed, staring at the three creatures without moving.
The Snovers simply tilted their heads, curious about him.
After a long moment, the boy finally blurted out:"You… you really won't hurt me?"
The Snovers blinked in confusion.
"Uguu?" Why would we hurt you?
One of them noticed his scraped knee and immediately plucked a berry, offering it to him.
The boy took a bite—his eyes lit up."It's delicious!"
In that instant, all his fear vanished. Instead, he laughed and began to play joyfully with the three Snovers.
So when Raven returned from outside, what he saw was this:
A group of children running and laughing with the three Snovers—two of the boldest even climbing onto their shoulders.
And the Snovers, smiling wide, carried them happily.
Raven overheard one child exclaim:"Snover, the fruit on you is so tasty!"
Pleased, the Snovers hurried to pluck more berries to share—only to realize they had already given them all away.
"Uguu…"
They drooped for a moment, but soon perked up again. After all, new fruit would grow by tomorrow.
Seeing this, Raven let out a quiet breath of relief.
Yes… this is a good beginning.
"How did it go, Your Highness?" Aelif hurried over, concerned about the farmland.
"We've found land suitable for farming," Raven replied with a nod.
It was on the western edge of the territory, near the riverbank. The two veteran farmers confirmed the soil was fertile—ideal for crops.
"They'll begin clearing it this afternoon," Raven said. "We need to get the seeds sown as soon as possible."
"Yes, Your Highness."
By noon, thin smoke rose from cooking fires across the camp.
Lunch was being prepared.
For most commoners, the meal was oat porridge, salted and roasted fish, hard black bread, and a few mugs of barley ale.
As a prince, Raven's meal was far more refined: soft white bread, smoked ham with a faint sweetness, rich red wine with notes of grape, and a milky-white fish soup.
The maids carried in the dishes one by one.
The children playing with the Snovers were called home by anxious parents.
The kids had wanted to invite the Snovers to eat with them, but their parents quickly forbade it, still uneasy about the beasts.
"Uguu…"
The Snovers drooped. They could feel the humans' rejection, and turned sadly, ready to leave quietly.
But Raven called out just in time:"Hey, Snovers!"
They turned back to see Raven standing there.
Their eyes lit up instantly.
"Why don't you come eat with us?" he asked with a smile.
"Uguu!"
Overjoyed, the three bounded toward him.
They were invited into the tent, sitting at the table to dine with Raven and Dratini.
Pokémon each had their own eating habits.
Dratini barely touched anything except fish.
The Snovers, after a moment's inspection, chose white bread, almonds, and figs to fill their bellies.
"Go on, try them," Raven encouraged.
The Snovers bit into the bread—and their eyes lit up in delight.
"Uguu!"
So delicious!
Once they had eaten, Raven finally asked:"By the way, Snovers, would you like to join my territory and live with us? That way we can always play together."
As Grass- and Ice-type Pokémon, the Snovers didn't need much food.
Back in the snowy mountains, they survived on photosynthesis and snow alone.
That was exactly why Raven dared invite them in—if it had been a Munchlax, he would have refused without hesitation.
The Snovers blinked. They didn't really understand what "territory" meant—but the moment they heard they could stay with Raven, they immediately agreed.
"Uguu!"
At the same time, Raven heard the system prompt:
His population count rose from 79 to 82.
And with it came a surge of satisfaction:
+50!+50!+50!
In a blink, satisfaction reached 300.
Raven blinked, stunned by how quickly it had risen.
But as he looked at the three Snovers, he understood.
Unlike humans, their needs were simple.
Gentle and innocent, they asked for nothing more than companionship and play.
"What wonderfully simple creatures…" Raven muttered to himself.
Relief filled his chest.
Whether it was tending crops with Grass-type energy or producing edible berries to stave off hunger—
The Snovers' arrival would ease a huge burden on the territory.
And in return, Raven vowed to give them what they needed: food, companionship, and care.
(End of Chapter)