Seeing Draconis's brow slightly furrowed, Alfred stepped forward quietly.
"Your Majesty, poaching is a recurring problem that cannot be stopped. The root lies not in the law, but in supply and demand."
Draconis bit off a small piece of dessert, and Volcarona docilely nuzzled his fingertips.
"Continue."
Alfred continued, "Nobles and wealthy merchants are willing to pay astronomical prices for rare Pokémon, providing a breeding ground for the black market. Even if we execute or imprison a batch, there will always be those who take risks for profit."
Draconis looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking, "Then let's turn the black market's business into our business."
Alfred was taken aback.
"From now on, the Pokémon League will step in to establish official Pokémon conservation and breeding institutions. Wild rare Pokémon may only be protected and not captured, but their captive-bred offspring can be publicly registered and legally traded, with pricing strictly controlled by the Kingdom."
Draconis paused, his mind recalling the Pokémon Nursery system of future generations.
"Furthermore, issue a decree—all Pokémon not registered with the League are strictly forbidden from entering cities, being traded, or being used. Anyone who dares to privately buy or sell will, at minimum, have all their Pokémon confiscated, and at worst, have their Trainer qualifications revoked, never to touch one again for eternity."
Hearing this, Alfred's eyes lit up. "Your Majesty is brilliant! This way, the black market becomes unprofitable and will naturally collapse."
"More than that." Draconis looked out the window. "A portion of the commission from legal trades will be allocated to the Gyms, a portion will subsidize the League, and the rest—all of it will be invested into protecting wild Pokémon habitats."
Using commerce to stop theft, using law to protect life, and using profit to maintain order.
In just a few sentences, a chain of rules spanning the entire Unova Kingdom had taken shape.
Deeply impressed, Alfred bowed and said, "Your subordinate will go and arrange this immediately."
Draconis waved his hand and leaned back into his lounge chair, watching the drifting clouds at the horizon, and added:
"Additionally, establish a Ranger system and an International Police organization. Recruit Rangers externally and entrust them with protecting forest areas and rescuing Pokémon within the forests. The International Police will be linked with Officer Jenny, and they will be responsible for all major cases involving harm to Pokémon."
"As you command, Your Majesty." Alfred gave a salute. "Your subordinate will go and arrange this immediately."
Draconis nodded slightly. It was already late November; the year 151 of the kingdom calendar was nearly over.
"The New Year is almost here!" Draconis lamented softly.
Minccino, holding a berry, hopped onto his shoulder and gently nuzzled his cheek with its small head.
Draconis patted its head, thinking that time truly passed too quickly.
*
As the end of the year approached, a biting cold wind swirled with fine snowflakes, falling upon every town in the Unova Kingdom.
The mountain of documents in the League building had finally dwindled by more than half. Looking at the New Year date marked on the calendar, Anna finally breathed a sigh of relief and publicly announced the start of the holiday.
The five people, who had been suppressed for a long time, instantly cheered.
"I can finally go home!" Haru was the first to jump up, her eyes shining like stars. "I'm going back to my village immediately to let my father and mother see how I am now!"
Lucas rubbed his aching shoulders and let out a long breath. "I'm going home to sleep for three days and nights; don't anyone call me."
Raphael organized the last document, a gentle smile on his lips. It was perfect; he also needed to go back to restore his family's prestige and show those who looked down on the House of Raphael exactly what he had become.
Derick, meanwhile, could no longer contain his excitement. The first thing he wanted to do was bring his mother from Castelia City to Nimbasa City so she could live a stable and decent life.
Anna looked at this group of comrades-in-arms and said softly, "Return on time when the holiday ends. The League's work in the new year will only be busier than it is now."
"Don't worry, Champion!"
The five of them packed their gear, each wearing medals and badges symbolizing their status, and walked out of the League headquarters with high spirits.
On the streets, countless Trainers and citizens stopped to salute, their eyes full of awe and admiration.
"It's the Elite Four!"
"It's the Elite Four personally appointed by His Majesty Draconis!"
The four of them held their heads high, their faces filled with pride.
This was their glory.
On the castle terrace, Draconis held Minccino and chuckled as he watched the five spirited individuals below.
"Alfred, prepare a New Year's gift for each of them as a reward from me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Alfred understood perfectly.
A reward from the King didn't need to be extremely expensive, but it would be enough to allow these five newly risen powerhouses to firmly establish themselves in their hometowns.
On the streets of Nimbasa City, the four said their goodbyes and set off on their respective journeys home.
Raphael and Lucas's hometowns were both in the nearby Opelucid City. Since there happened to be a steam train going directly there from Nimbasa City, the two chose to take the train home for the New Year.
Derick and Haru's hometowns were in Castelia City and Accumula Town in the southernmost part of the kingdom, respectively.
The steam train had not yet opened routes to those locations, so the two had no choice but to take a flying pokémon taxi for their return.
The first to return to her hometown was Haru.
Her hometown was a quiet small town in southern Unova, where most villagers made a living by growing berries and breeding Grass-type Pokémon, living simple and stable lives.
When Haru returned to the village wearing a well-fitted League uniform and the Elite Four badge on her chest, the entire village was in an uproar.
"That's Haru! It's really Haru!"
"My goodness, she's become a League Elite Four member! An Elite Four personally appointed by His Majesty Draconis!"
"Oh my god, our village actually produced an Elite Four!"
"Should our village be renamed Elite Four Village?"
Once-familiar neighbors and elders crowded around, their eyes full of wonder and pride.
Some young boys and girls who had given up on traveling because they were afraid of wild Pokémon were now filled with envy.
If they hadn't chosen to stay in their hometown back then, would they also be able to meet His Majesty Draconis and become a powerful Elite Four member now?
Inside a residence in the town, a woman with an apron tied around her waist heard the commotion outside. She curiously came out to watch, only to see her daughter in the crowd the very next second.
"Mother!" Haru raised her hands and shouted excitedly.
The woman's eyes reddened with emotion. She pushed through the crowd, taking her daughter's hand and stroking it incessantly.
"It's good that you're back... It's good that you're back."
"Mother, I met His Majesty Draconis!" Haru's eyes were bright. "My Pokémon and I won the tournament, and now I'm one of the Elite Four of the Unova Kingdom. It's a title personally appointed by His Majesty Draconis, and now we all work for him!"
Hearing this, the surrounding townspeople couldn't help but let out gasps of surprise.
"What kind of person is His Majesty Draconis?"
"Haru, did you thank His Majesty properly?"
"Yes!" Haru nodded vigorously and said to everyone, "His Majesty Draconis is a very, very powerful King!"
At the same time, in Castelia City.
The flying pokémon taxi slowly descended.
After a year, Derick finally returned to his hometown.
His heart was full of emotion. Tightening his backpack, Derick didn't stay on the streets for long but headed straight for home.
His home was located on the outskirts of Castelia City, a dilapidated residence that had fallen into disrepair. Whenever it rained, water would leak through the roof.
A stooped, elderly woman was bent over, working hard in the vegetable patch in the yard.
Seeing this scene, Derick's eyes instantly turned red.
That was his mother.
His father had passed away when he was young, and it was his mother who had raised him this far by weaving cloth, stitch by stitch.
"Mother!" Derick's voice choked up slightly.
Hearing the call, the woman in the yard quickly looked up. Seeing who it was, an expression of excitement appeared on her face.
"Derick... thank goodness, you've finally come back, child!"
Derick walked quickly to his mother's side and reached out to hold her rough, chilblain-covered hands.
"Mother, I've become an Elite Four member. I work at the Pokémon League now, and I get paid so much money every month!"
The woman didn't seem to care much about that. she looked her child over carefully and, after a while, uttered two words.
"You've thinned."
As she spoke, the woman's tears began to flow uncontrollably.
Derick gently hugged his mother, his voice soft but firm:
"Mother, we won't have to live a hard life anymore. I've set up a home in Nimbasa City. We'll live there from now on, live a stable life, and you won't have to toil like this anymore."
Derick took out the generous salary provided by the League, as well as the New Year's bonus gifted by His Majesty Draconis, and placed them firmly in his mother's hands.
At that moment, the smile on his mother's face was the most beautiful scenery Derick had ever seen.
The boy who once struggled at the bottom had finally supported his entire family through his own efforts.
In Opelucid City, Lucas, who had departed from Nimbasa City, also returned to his home.
He came from an ordinary family; his parents were honest, hardworking laborers whose greatest wish was for their son to be safe and successful.
When Lucas stood at his doorstep as an Elite Four member, his parents were stunned for a long time before they reacted, their eyes welling up on the spot.
Neighbors rushed over upon hearing the news, marveling at how the once-mischievous boy was now full of majesty and formidable strength.
"Son, you've truly made something of yourself." His father patted his shoulder, his voice thick with emotion.
Lucas straightened his back, his heart filled with strength.
In the south, Raphael returned to that slightly dilapidated noble manor in Opelucid City.
The other nobles who had once looked coldly upon the House of Raphael or even kicked them while they were down all changed their attitudes upon learning that Raphael had become an Elite Four member, bringing generous gifts to visit him.
The once-deserted manor was suddenly crowded with visitors.
Raphael handled them with composure, neither humble nor arrogant.
From now on, no one would ever be able to look down on their family again.
The once-fallen House of Raphael welcomed a true rebirth this New Year.
And Raphael knew in his heart that all this glory came from the King who sat in the castle, languid yet in control of everything—His Majesty Draconis.
*
After handing over most of the Pokémon-related matters to the Elite Four and the Champion, Draconis had begun to live a life of leisure ahead of schedule.
On New Year's Day, he took the time to return to Eindoak and have a meal with the Old King and Victini.
Having not seen him for a long time, Victini missed Draconis dearly; as soon as it saw him, it couldn't help but hang onto him.
The Old King looked at the increasingly upright boy before him, his heart full of emotion.
He had seen all of Draconis's various measures; under Draconis's leadership, the Unova Kingdom had radiated a brand-new vitality.
The national power was strong, and the subjects were prosperous...
And he no longer had to be exhausted by the struggles of his children; he could enjoy his golden years in this castle.
For him, this was probably the best possible ending. The Old King let out a soft sigh.
Draconis did not stay in Eindoak; after playing with Victini for a while, he returned to Nimbasa City.
Time passed quietly like flowing water.
Winter went and spring came, and in the blink of an eye, it was April of the year 152 of the League calendar.
With the assistance of the Champion and the Elite Four, wild Pokémon conflict incidents in various parts of the Unova Kingdom were resolved rapidly. Under their guidance, humans and Pokémon began a new round of integration.
On an ordinary day in April of the year 152 of the League calendar.
Draconis was sitting leisurely on the castle terrace, enjoying the peaceful afternoon sun with his Pokémon.
He saw Alfred walking in from outside with an excited face.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty Draconis, the fleet you sent out to explore last year has returned to the Kingdom!"
Hearing this, Draconis, who had been somewhat drowsy, immediately perked up.
"Where are they?"
"The fleet is currently docked at Undella Town's harbor!" Alfred said. "Captain Columbus has already arrived in Nimbasa City; he is waiting in the throne hall outside to report to you!"
"I'm going there now!" Draconis stood up abruptly.
When he and Alfred arrived at the throne hall, they saw a tall, muscular man with bronze skin standing there.
That was the captain of the exploration fleet, Columbus.
Seeing Draconis, he appeared very excited and immediately knelt on one knee, saluting:
"Your Majesty Draconis, I have successfully fulfilled the mission!"
"Oh? Tell me quickly about what you've gained on this trip!" Draconis was already a bit impatient.
Columbus then spoke slowly:
"After leaving the land of Unova, we sailed on the vast ocean. After nearly a year, we found three lands and established contact with them."
"One of them is an archipelago in the middle of the ocean. The people there are very primitive and underdeveloped; no nation has been born there, and the people on those islands still live in the form of tribes to this day."
"The local natives call the land they live on 'Alola'. We used the honey, cheese, coffee, carpets, and other items we carried on the ship to trade with them for many local specialties. Not only that, but our men also captured quite a few local Pokémon to bring back according to your instructions!"
Alola! It was actually the Alola archipelago!
Draconis's eyes shone, but what interested him even more was which Alolan Pokémon Columbus had brought back.
"Where are those Pokémon now? Quick, bring them over and let me see!"
Columbus grinned and then clapped his hands. Then, several men dressed as sailors walked in from outside, carrying large bags of Poké Balls.
"Come on, brothers, let His Majesty see our harvest!" Columbus said loudly.
The sailors grinned and opened the Poké Balls one by one, releasing the Pokémon inside.
Accompanied by flashes of white light, unknown Pokémon never before seen in the Unova region appeared in the throne hall.
Rowlet, Litten, Popplio, Pikipek, Yungoos, Meowth (Alolan Form), Dugtrio (Alolan Form), Rockruff, Shiinotic, Stufful, Passimian, Mimikyu, Vulpix (Alolan Form), Exeggutor (Alolan Form), and Jangmo-o.
....
Power Stones PLZZZZZ
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