The candlelight illuminated the entire tent.
Draconis sat at the table, savoring the fish soup brought by the maid.
Dratini was curled up beside him, heartily devouring fish meat.
The fish soup in the bowl was steaming, fresh and delicious, with tender fish. One sip warmed his entire body.
Draconis quickly filled his stomach.
He looked at the parchment depicting a map of the Unova region spread before him, trying his best to deduce his current location.
Judging from Eindoak's position and the route provided by Old Butler Alfred, they were very likely located in the northeastern part of the Unova region.
But Draconis was unclear about the more specific location.
He sat at the table, hands clasped, quietly contemplating while browsing the detailed information of the Commoners within his territory.
"Your Highness Draconis, Ryan, the acting captain of the Knights Order, requests an audience!" The maid's voice interrupted Draconis's thoughts.
Draconis came back to his senses and said, "Let him in."
That foolish boy Ryan quickly ran in from outside.
"Your Highness Draconis, we have finished investigating the surroundings of the camp!"
"Continue," Draconis nodded.
Ryan: "The Knights Order members found traces of many small Pokémon in the nearby forest. So far, those small Pokémon pose no threat to us, but for some reason, we haven't encountered a single large Pokémon these past two days..."
"Perhaps they are just hibernating?" Old Butler Alfred couldn't help but guess. As far as he knew, some large Pokémon had the habit of hibernating.
Hibernating? Ursaring? Draconis was deep in thought.
"I don't know about that," Ryan paused, then added, "We'll continue to investigate deeper into the forest tomorrow morning."
If they found traces of large Pokémon, they would have to prepare in advance.
Draconis nodded. He looked at the burning charcoal in the brazier and asked, "Alfred, how much charcoal is left?"
Alfred: "We've used up a lot of charcoal on this journey. The current amount is only enough for another month. Some Commoners have already started spontaneously going into the forest to find dead branches and wood for heating."
"A month?" Draconis frowned. If this continued, those Commoners would likely be in danger.
His tent was made of good quality leather, which could withstand wind, snow, and cold to some extent.
But the tents of those Commoners were not.
It wasn't the coldest time yet; in another month, the temperature would drop to its lowest.
At that time, without wood for burning and heating, many people in the territory would inevitably freeze to death.
What should be done?
Draconis frowned. At this moment, he suddenly realized that any of his decisions would affect the fate of these seventy-eight people.
After a moment of contemplation, Draconis suddenly remembered the attendants with special skills that the Old King had arranged for him.
"Alfred, have the carpenter come over."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Alfred got up and left. After a short while, he returned to the tent with a strong middle-aged man.
Looking at the sturdy man before him, Draconis asked:
"If you were given enough manpower and tools, how long would it take you to build a wooden house?"
Beside this territory was a vast forest, rich in timber resources.
Tack the carpenter honestly replied, "From collecting materials to cutting them into planks, and then building the house, it would take me about a month if I were alone. This is just for a basic small wooden house; a larger one would take longer."
"More than a month?" Draconis pondered for a moment, then asked, "What if everyone in the entire territory helped?"
"Then a small wooden house could be completed in just a few days!" Tack said.
"In that case, I'll leave it to you." Draconis looked at the others: "Ryan, temporarily stop scouting tomorrow. You lead everyone to help Uncle Tack fell timber."
"Yes!" Ryan also knew the importance of the matter and immediately agreed.
Draconis: "Alfred, give the order: starting tomorrow, everyone in the camp, except for the injured, must go out to work—Fishing, Gathering berries, helping to collect timber. Tell everyone that as long as we get through this winter, everything will be fine!"
"Understood, Your Highness Draconis," Alfred nodded gently.
Draconis paused, then added, "Also, Ryan, I have something I want to ask of you. While felling timber, I hope you can search for any fire-breathing Poké... Pokémon nearby."
"Fire-breathing Pokémon?" Ryan was stunned.
Draconis nodded. Timber was a consumable; it would eventually burn out as fuel.
But Fire-type Pokémon were different. As long as they were provided with food, they could use the energy in their bodies to unleash moves like Flamethrower to create fire for warmth.
If it were Pokémon like Charmander, Rapidash, Magmar, or Slugma, even without timber, they could use their flames and high temperatures to warm humans.
More importantly, with the power of Fire-type Pokémon, cement and bricks could be fired to build stronger, safer, and more reliable houses.
Looking at Draconis, a disbelieving guess suddenly formed in Ryan's mind. He recalled what he had seen earlier in the day and couldn't help but ask:
"Your Highness Draconis, do you intend to utilize those fire-breathing Pokémon?!"
"To be precise, it's about harnessing the power of [Pokémon]."
"Harnessing the power of Pokémon?" Everyone was stunned.
Draconis cast his gaze towards Dratini and slowly said, "From my observation, Pokémon are not uncontrollable beings. They are intelligent, possess wisdom, and can even understand human language—Dratini, come here."
Dratini, who had just finished a bowl of fish soup, heard Draconis's call and, to everyone's astonished gazes, happily flew into his arms.
So... so obedient!
"Your Highness Draconis, do you mean to forcibly enslave them?" Tack looked at Dratini and asked.
As far as he knew, many people in the royal city specifically captured weak Pokémon, put them in shackles, and used whips to coerce them into working.
If a Pokémon disobeyed, a severe whipping awaited them.
"No, not enslavement, but a more intimate relationship." Draconis shook his head: "Like this Pokémon named Dratini—hmm, or perhaps a different example would be easier for you to understand."
Draconis paused, then continued, "Like my father, the King, and Victini."
Everyone in Eindoak knew that their King, in his youth, had defeated enemy nations with the power of the Pokémon named [Victini], establishing the Kingdom of Eindoak.
And that Victini still lived with the King in the royal city to this day.