The next day, several blacksmiths led by Morik began heading to the ore mine where Aron resided to excavate clay and limestone.
The excavated clay was then transported back to the territory by two Bouffalant pulling carts.
The blacksmith Glo, taking advantage of his break, began digging a brick kiln for firing clay bricks on the outskirts of the territory.
The long-idle territory became busy once again.
Under the day and night efforts of the two Bouffalant and everyone, a continuous supply of clay and limestone was transported from the mine back to the territory.
Although the transportation method was very primitive, and there were only two Bouffalant in the territory, which led to slow progress, it accumulated over time.
Draconis stood aside, watching the busy Bouffalant, and immediately felt a sense of relief.
With bricks and mortar, they could not only build sturdier houses, but also begin paving roads.
"Alfred, give the order to have someone take good care of these two Bouffalant," Draconis said.
These two Bouffalant, currently serving as transportation, played a very important role for the territory, and nothing could be allowed to happen to them.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Alfred nodded.
The problem of clay and limestone was solved; next, only Fire-type Pokémon were needed.
"I wonder how the progress is on Ryan's side," Draconis mused.
If that Simisear truly refused to be captured by humans, then he would only be able to wait until next spring to go into the forest and see if he could find some Fire-type Pokémon.
*
At the forest hot spring, Ryan held several Candy in his hand, smiling as he looked at the Simisear soaking in the hot spring.
"Eat, Simisear, if it's not enough, I have more here!"
"Bake~"
The Simisear ate the sweet Candy, a happy expression on its face.
Ryan sat on a nearby rock, smiling as he watched this scene.
After a few days of contact and interaction, his relationship with this Simisear had grown considerably closer.
This Simisear would consistently wait here for his arrival every day.
This feeling of someone waiting for him gave Ryan, who had lived alone for over a decade, a sensation he had never experienced before.
"Simisear, can you understand what I'm saying?" Ryan couldn't help but ask.
"Bake?" Hearing this, the Simisear turned to look at him, its expression seeming to ask why he was asking that.
Ryan just found it very magical.
In the past, neither he nor the people in the royal city had ever thought of communicating with magical beasts.
These creatures, although their appearance was different from humans, possessed the same emotions as humans, and even their intelligence reached the level of human children.
As a result, many magical beasts, upon closer contact, could be found to have personalities as innocent and simple as children.
Why hadn't he discovered before that magical beasts were such adorable creatures? Ryan couldn't help but think.
Prince Draconis was right.
"Simisear, are you really unwilling to come back to my camp and live with me?"
Ryan couldn't help but invite the Simisear once more.
"We live in the clearing outside the forest. Prince Draconis led us in building many houses to shelter us from the wind and rain. There, you won't be afraid of Blizzards anymore, and I have a lot of Candy there. If you're willing to come, you can eat Candy anytime, anywhere."
Hearing these words, the Simisear's face couldn't help but show a hesitant expression.
"Bake..."
Through this period of interaction, it could feel the human's heart.
He not only came to visit it every day but also brought it sweet Candy.
But.
"Bake..." What a headache... The Simisear's face showed a troubled expression.
It pondered for a moment, then stood up from the hot spring and walked in one direction.
The Simisear took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and looked back at Ryan: "Bake!"
Ryan was slightly stunned: "Are you telling me to follow you?"
"Bake!" The Simisear nodded affirmatively.
Seeing this, although Ryan didn't understand the Simisear's intention, he still followed.
The human and the Pokémon passed through a thicket, and after winding through the forest, a cave suddenly appeared in the clearing ahead.
"Is this your home?" Ryan looked at the cave and couldn't help but ask.
"Bake~!" The Simisear nodded.
It walked into the cave, signaling Ryan to follow.
Ryan followed behind the Simisear into the cave.
The cave was not large, and the interior environment could be described as very simple. The floor of the cave was covered with a thick layer of orange-yellow leaves, seemingly a place for sleeping.
And on that "bed," there were actually three smaller magical beasts.
One looked like a mushroom, one was a small pigeon magical beast Ryan had seen before, and another stood upright, like a mouse-like magical beast.
"This is..." Ryan was immediately stunned.
Upon seeing the Simisear, two of the magical beasts immediately gathered around it, hiding behind it, looking at Ryan, the outsider, with great caution.
The mouse-like magical beast, however, lay on the pile of fallen leaves with flushed cheeks, seemingly asleep.
"Bake!"
The Simisear lowered its head and said something to them, and only then did the two magical beasts become less tense than before.
"Are they magical beasts you adopted?" Ryan was somewhat surprised. He looked at the scene before him and couldn't help but guess.
"Bake!" The Simisear nodded.
"So, because of them, you're unwilling to come live in our human territory with me?" Ryan asked.
"Bake..." The Simisear nodded with great difficulty.
Although it had a good impression of this human and liked him very much, if it left, these three little ones would have no one to take care of.
The Simisear had found them in the forest about a month ago.
Winter had arrived, the temperature was cold, and they had all suffered injuries of varying degrees, making it impossible for them to fly to warmer places for the winter.
The Simisear couldn't bear it, so it brought them back to its cave one by one.
Magical beasts... would actually actively rescue magical beasts of other species!
This scene left Ryan incredibly shocked.
He also finally understood the reason why the Simisear had always refused him.
But for humans, this was simply not an issue!
Ryan slapped his forehead and quickly thought of a solution.
"Since that's the case, then you can all come back with me! I live alone, and there's plenty of space at home!"
How lively it would be for everyone to live together!
"Bake?!" The Simisear was startled, seemingly not having reacted yet.
But Ryan's gaze turned to the magical beast on the pile of fallen leaves.
Moreover... Ryan went forward to check its condition and tested its body temperature with his hand.
"It seems to have a fever," Ryan said. "If it's not treated in time, there might be a risk to its life!"
Upon hearing this, the Simisear immediately panicked.
"Bake!"
"Don't worry, our territory has a dedicated physician. I can take you all there."