Manor Lord of the Elf World

Chapter 200 New Year
"Hey, Derek, becoming a Pokémon Trainer isn't easy. I've heard that raising Pokémon is very expensive!"

An older man took a sip of barley beer, and noticing everyone's gaze fixed on him, he put down his glass and said cryptically:
"When I was delivering goods to a big shot in the city, I heard from their butler that the big shot kept a Pokémon called Snorlax, which could eat a whole house's worth of food in just one day!"

"Can it eat that much?" Someone stared wide-eyed. How big must this Snorlax's stomach be to hold so much food?

"My goodness, raising Pokémon isn't something just anyone can afford..."

Many people present knew that Derek's family was struggling financially, barely able to support themselves, let alone raise Pokémon.

Moreover, the wilderness is so dangerous, and they live together as an orphan and a widow. If Derek were to die, how heartbroken would his mother be?
Although they were poor, they were all kind-hearted. Realizing this, they all tried to persuade Derek to give up the idea.

Why not just do some part-time work here honestly, and then become a teacher after graduating from that Pokémon school?
Hearing that everyone was thinking of him, Derek couldn't help but feel touched.

But... Derek has had a very keen sense of smell since he was a child, and during his time at the Pokémon School, he has seen many new things.

Pokémon, Trainers, Types, Moves, Special Training, Breeding, Battles, Getting Stronger...

These were things they had never encountered before.

Derek heard from the teachers at the school that this was the case not only in their Flying Cloud City, but also in other parts of the kingdom.

Derek keenly realized something.

Their king is promoting Pokémon and trainers, and this profession is likely to become mainstream in the future.

And all of this will completely change the kingdom's situation!
The bigger the waves, the bigger the fish—a principle Derek, who came from a poor background, knew all too well.

Derek thought of his mother. His father had died when he was young, and his mother had raised him by weaving, stitch by stitch.

My mother's already aged hands were covered with wrinkles and chilblains from years of hard work.

As a son, he should take good care of his mother.

Besides, he's already sixteen years old this year.

Derek was unwilling to continue living in poverty; he wanted to seize the opportunity to give his mother a better life.

"Hey, Derek, what are you thinking about?" someone shouted.

Derek then came to his senses and quickly said, "It's okay, thank you very much everyone, I understand."

It's impossible for all Pokémon to have a huge stomach like Snorlax, right?
Derek remembered that some Pokémon had been featured in the newspaper.

For example, Oddish (Grass-type) and Nutcracker (Bug-type) are both very easy Pokémon to raise.

Walking grass can replenish its energy by basking in the sun, while babysitters only need to eat leaves, grass, and readily available tree fruits to grow up.

"Hmm, when I get my Pokémon later, I can choose between these two types," Derek thought to himself.

Not only in Flying Cloud City, but also throughout Unova, this newspaper, which heralded the coming of a new era, was delivered with the help of Pokémon flying taxis.

Shuanglong City, Tangcao Town, Qibao City...

Thanks to Raven's deliberate promotion, the news reached everyone's ears in just one week.

Countless young men and women are beginning to look forward to the arrival of next spring.

*
Raven City, inside the castle.

"Your Majesty, Trainer Associations in various regions have prepared Pokémon suitable for novice trainers to raise."

Elif handed Raven the materials sent by trainer associations from various places.

"These are the Pokémons that we have rescued from the wild over this period of time, following your instructions. Some of them have chosen to return to the wild, while others have stayed with the association."

Raven looked at the list of Pokémon above and nodded thoughtfully.

He had thought that implementing all of this would be very difficult, but in reality, it went surprisingly smoothly.

The Pokémon associations in various regions have prepared the starter Pokémon for new trainers as instructed.

These Pokémon were all wild Pokémon they rescued from the outskirts of the town or from the forests during the year, including some that had become homeless due to the previous war.

At this point, everything is just beginning. They can't do what the anime does, where everyone gets a starter Pokémon. They can only use some Pokémon that are more docile and easier to get along with humans as their starter Pokémon.

However, Raven believed that given enough time, the day would come when everyone would be able to receive the starter Pokémon.

Raven took a deep breath. He had done so much in the past year that he was exhausted.

Raven rubbed his temples and said, "Go down!"

“Yes, Your Majesty, then I will not disturb your rest any longer.” Elif bowed and then slowly took his leave.

After he left, Raven stepped onto the castle terrace and looked down at the prosperous and bustling city below.

Compared to a year ago, his Raven City has undergone tremendous changes.

Countless new houses and shops have sprung up in the town, and the streets are lined with pedestrians, including travelers, merchants, scholars, and ordinary people from other places, as well as Pokémon that can be seen everywhere.

Beyond the city, fertile farmlands and pastures stretch as far as the eye can see, a scene of prosperity that seems to extend almost to the horizon.

At the other end are towering factories of all kinds.

Countless tiny and ordinary figures converged into a torrent that surged into it.

Thick smoke billowed into the sky from the huge chimney, as if announcing the arrival of a new era.

Amidst the rumbling of the massive machines operating inside the factory, the 150th year of the Kingdom Calendar officially came to an end.

As winter descends, humans and Pokémon, who have been busy all year, take shelter in their houses with the food they have stored in advance.

As the year draws to a close, all affairs in Raven City are suspended.

Pokémon school was on holiday, and only the Nurse Joy sisters remained at the Pokémon Center to keep watch. The Trainers Association was also closed.

Inside the castle, Raven also gave the soldiers and maids who were on duty every day a day off, allowing them to go home and reunite with their families.

Once the maids and guards left, the castle was suddenly empty.

Fortunately, many of Raven's Pokémon still live here.

Six-tailed Otter, Water Otter, Almost Doll...

They chased and frolicked in the deserted castle, or played games like hide-and-seek, having a great time.

When they got tired of playing, everyone went to Raven's bedroom and gathered around the fireplace to warm themselves.

With no maids working in the castle, Raven had to take matters into his own hands, bringing out fruit snacks and other food from the storeroom and placing them in front of the Pokémon for them to enjoy.

"Woo~!"

The six-tailed creature let out a joyful cry.

The otter picked up a tree fruit and happily took a bite.

They no longer bear any resemblance to their former disheveled state.

It's clear that these Pokémon, who lost their homes due to the war, have now fully integrated into life in Raven City.

Raven stood to the side, a gentle smile on his face, watching the Pokémon enjoy their snacks. Just then, Dragonite saw Raven, grabbed a cookie, and ran over to share it with him.

"Woo~!"

Delicious food should be shared!

Seeing Dragonite's actions, Raven smiled, patted its head, then reached out and took the biscuit, saying:
"Don't worry about me, go eat!"

"Woo~"

Suddenly, a violent explosion was heard outside the castle.

Raven paused for a moment, then stepped onto the terrace and looked up to see a dazzling array of fireworks blooming in the dark night sky.

That was the people of Raven City celebrating the arrival of the New Year together.

The Pokémon in the room were attracted by the noise and came out. At first, they thought there was some danger, but when they saw the fireworks, they were all stunned.

Fireworks reflected in their eyes, and a fleeting glint of light illuminated their cheeks.

"Wow..." So beautiful...

Inside the room, Kyurem, who had been lying on the carpet with his eyes closed, was also attracted by the commotion.

It opened its huge dragon eyes and looked at the sky, watching the dazzling fireworks bloom and disappear one after another. A hint of amazement flashed in its eyes, which were usually full of majesty and solemnity.

"Human creations are truly beautiful!"

Kyurem had never seen such a sight before.

Raven smiled and nodded: "That's humanity. Despite their weakness, they can use their intelligence to create all sorts of things and build homes on this land. Even when faced with crisis, they will not give up..."

"Yes, humans are stronger than I thought." Kyurem nodded slightly in agreement.

Raven turned to look at Kyurem; there was a question he had always wanted to know.

As if sensing his thoughts, Kyurem turned around and said, "You seem to have some doubts in your heart."

Huh? Raven didn't expect Kyurem to see through him.

He glanced at Kyurem's file and then asked, "I've always had a question for you: after merging with you, did Reshiram and Zekrom completely disappear?"

Upon hearing this question, Kyurem stared at him with his golden dragon eyes.

He did not answer, but a flash of light appeared, and two beams of light, one black and one white, separated from Kyurem's body.

The white light transformed into a graceful and agile dragon with soft, white fur on Kyurem's left side.

The black light transformed into a dark, sturdy, and powerfully built dragon standing on two legs on Kyurem's right side.

That's... Rehiram and Zekrom!

At this moment, Reshiram, Kyurem, and Zekrom all looked at Raven before them.

"You need not be too surprised. I am the divine dragon of the Dao. The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three. This is only a part of my power," Kyurem said.

Reshiram, standing to the side, nodded slightly, its voice sounding soft and gentle:

“Raven, I have acknowledged your true self, so I will help you build the world you want to create.”

On the other side, Zekrom nodded silently: "I also sense your ideal... I will do my best to help you and build that ideal country together!"

"What will Kyurem become after Zekrom and Reshiram are separated?"
Raven looked toward Kyurem.

However, Kyurem still maintained his posture of three dragons united as one.

"The Tao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, Three gives birth to all things, and all things return to nothingness. Reshiram is me, and Zekrom is also me. You need not be surprised. Moreover, you carry both truth and ideals on your shoulders. We will not be divided again because of this." Kyurem spoke slowly in a deep voice.

...Is this the power of the Divine Dragon of the Dao? It sounds truly mysterious and profound.

But, looking at Zekrom and Reshiram in front of him, Raven suddenly realized that from now on, could he have Zekrom, Reshiram and Kyurem at the same time?

“If you wish, we can naturally accompany you in this manner,” Rashiram said softly.

Raven fell into deep thought.

"Will this affect Kyurem's power?"

“The impact is minimal,” Kyurem said in a deep voice. “We have not split apart, but…”

At this point, Kyurem paused for a moment, as if he didn't know what words to use to describe it.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed through Raven's mind.

"One Qi transforms three pure things!"

"That's a fair description," Kyurem nodded slightly.

"I see, I understand now!" Raven exclaimed, relieved.

He was quite pleased, for now he could freely use the power of the three dragons of the Dao.

Raven turned around and looked at the fireworks blooming in the night sky with the other Pokémon.

From this day forward, no one in the Unova region will be able to stop their advance.

Whether it's the industrial age or the electrical age, both are processes that the world must go through in its development; it's just a matter of time.

What they need to do is to bring all of this forward as soon as possible, to allow humans and Pokémon to completely merge, until it becomes the utopia depicted in the anime!

There was no oppression, no enslavement, only a pure love for Pokémon and a desire to live and grow stronger together with them.

*
Time flies by, and in the blink of an eye, it is March of the 151st year of the Kingdom Calendar.

Raven City, inside the castle.

"Your Majesty, the Trainers Association of Flying Cloud City is ready!"

"Shuanglong City is also ready. Not only us, but all the more than 500 Pokémon under the association's care are ready!"

"Qibao City is ready!"

"..."

Raven listened to his subordinates' reports on the situation in various places, and then nodded slightly.

His gaze swept over the representatives of various associations below, and then he gave the order:
"Then let's get started!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the crowd responded in unison.

They left the royal city and returned to various towns in Pokémon flying taxis.

March 12th, 151st year of the Kingdom Calendar, early spring.

The day has finally arrived for new trainers to receive their starter Pokémon.

(End of this chapter)