"Lord Raven, the fields have all been plowed. After drying for a day, we can start sowing!"
Several farmers came to the riverside, where Raven was training Dratini, to report the progress of the farmland.
For the past two days, in order to finish as quickly as possible and get the seeds into the ground, they had been working from dawn to dusk without rest. Finally, today, they had managed to plow a large stretch of farmland.
Hearing this, Raven nodded in thought.
He didn't know much about tilling land. Looking at the dark brown earth not far away, he asked, "Don't we need to fertilize it?"
One farmer shook his head. "The soil here is very fertile. Since it's close to the river, the moisture is just right. Fertilizer isn't needed for now."
"Good. Then I'll leave the rest to you." Raven nodded again, then said, "As for seeds, go find Butler Aelif—he'll make sure you get them. Also, bring me a basket."
"A basket?"
The farmers were momentarily stunned, not understanding his intent. Still, they obediently returned to camp and fetched a sturdy, vine-woven basket.
"Hold on a moment." Raven turned to Dratini. "Dratini, get in the water and use Thunder Wave."
The weather hadn't been too cold these past few days. With the sun out yesterday, the ice on the river had completely melted.
At his command, Dratini dove headfirst into the river.
A moment later, bright yellow electricity surged over its body, swelling outward like a growing orb of light.
Crackle, crackle!
Conducted by the water, the current spread rapidly in every direction.
Soon, dark shadows began to rise to the surface. One by one, they floated upward—fish, fat and fresh, stunned by the current.
"This—what?!" The farmers gasped in shock.
"Dratini, bring those fish to shore," Raven instructed.
Dratini swam about, nudging the fish toward the bank with its mouth and body.
"Pack these up and take them back to camp," Raven ordered.
"Y-yes!"
Recovering from their shock, the farmers quickly set to work. Eyes wide with amazement, they loaded the paralyzed fish into the basket.
Before long, they had filled two large baskets to the brim.
A bountiful harvest!
The farmers' faces lit up with excitement.
Raven dried Dratini with a handkerchief, then lifted his coat so the little one could curl up inside and warm itself.
When he turned back, however, he saw one farmer clutching a Magikarp with shining eyes.
"…Put those red ones back into the river," Raven said flatly.
"Huh? Lord Raven, why?" the farmer asked, confused.
"That isn't ordinary fish—it's a beast called Magikarp. Its body is nothing but bones and scales, so it isn't edible. Worse, it holds grudges. If one of them grows strong, there's a good chance it will come back for revenge."
"B-beasts?!"
Startled, the farmers immediately tossed the Magikarp back into the water.
Raven cleared his throat lightly. "Alright, good work. Take the rest of the fish back."
Just imagining a bowl of hot, savory fish soup tonight made the farmers grin from ear to ear.
What could be more comforting on a freezing winter night?
When training was done, Raven didn't return straight to his tent. Instead, he brought Dratini to healer Lila's.
Inside, she was busy mixing herbs into medicine. Seeing Raven step in, she was startled. "Your Highness? What brings you here?"
"I need medicine for frostbite, and one for restoring strength," Raven said gravely.
Both were useful for Dratini. Potions could restore its energy, while frostbite salve contained warming properties to help it withstand the cold.
"Of course, I'll get them right away!"
Lila hurried to her medicine box and handed him several vials.
"Thank you." Raven accepted them and was about to leave when she stopped him.
"Your Highness…"
He turned back, puzzled. "What is it?"
"I just want to thank you on behalf of everyone," Lila said earnestly, her eyes full of gratitude.
Their lord was truly kind and merciful—not only sharing his own herbs with common folk, but also giving her precious new recipes for medicines.
"The formulas you gave us will save many lives," she added, voice quivering with thanks.
Raven smiled faintly. "No need for such formality. To me, you all are far more important than those things."
After all, what was a territory without its people?
Lila froze at his words. But Raven said no more, turning to leave with Dratini.
By the time Raven heard about what had happened at the lumberyard, night had already fallen.
After dinner, Butler Aelif came to report the day's affairs—only to nearly bump into a basket of fish at the entrance of Raven's tent.
His eyes widened. "S-so many fish!"
Raven chuckled. They were all caught earlier by Dratini's Thunder Wave.
The territory had no fishing nets, and manual fishing was far too inefficient to feed both people and beasts.
But now, with Thunder Wave, fishing had become simple.
Beyond the food carried by the caravan, the villagers could enjoy fresh fish—boiled into soup or roasted over fire, either way a fine meal.
Of course, the fish couldn't be kept long. Left too long, the meat would spoil.
Fortunately, they had Snover—Ice-type beasts. With their ice moves, surplus fish could be frozen for longer storage, or even smoked.
With berries, fruits, and now fish, the territory had more than enough to last the winter.
Once Aelif recovered from his surprise, he told Raven about the day's events at the lumberyard.
"…Those three Snover helped us so much today. Thanks to them, we chopped down a huge amount of wood!
At this rate, we could solve the housing problem in less than a month!"
He broke into a broad smile. "Those three Snover are quite popular in the camp now!"
Raven raised his brows. Snover had helped chop wood?
So the villagers were beginning to accept them…
Undoubtedly, this was a good sign.
But Raven didn't dwell on it. There were still many more matters awaiting his attention.
With housing and food temporarily secured, the next issue was heating.
Staring into the charcoal-burning brazier, he asked, "Do we have enough charcoal to last a month?"
Wooden huts could block wind and snow, but not the cold itself. Especially these simple huts—heating inside was essential.
Aelif shook his head. "We've already burned through quite a lot. At this rate, it won't last a month."
"I see…" Raven fell into thought.
If only they had a Fire-type beast.
For warmth in winter, for making charcoal, firing bricks, cement—for stronger, safer houses—Fire-types were indispensable.
But now was winter. Apart from Ice-types, most beasts were nowhere to be seen. Even Grass-types were scarce.
Still, Raven refused to give up.
"We'll have to send people to explore the surroundings," he murmured.
He needed to know exactly what kinds of wild beasts lived within range of his territory.
(End of Chapter)
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