"As promised, you're allowed to bring your trusted subjects—retainers, aides, or whoever you choose to receive the eggs—here. Each of them will receive one egg. One hundred people per month," Arthur told Rosalia, who nodded in cheerful agreement.
He had expected her to push again for the previously negotiated two hundred per month, but she said nothing, seemingly content with the current arrangement. It appeared that the nearly two months she'd spent caring for Pokémon had opened her eyes to their potential. A hundred new Pokémon each month was already a formidable force she could build.
The only real downside was the cost. Training Pokémon would likely demand significant resources and funding. But when compared to the time and effort required for a human to reach the Second Ring—often years—the rapid growth potential of Pokémon made them a far more efficient investment.
As for Pokémon like Pichu, which required a high level of friendship to evolve? He decided to exclude them from the distribution for now. Rather than wait to confirm whether the friendship condition could realistically be met, it was simpler to leave such Pokémon out of the egg gacha pool altogether. There was no need to complicate things.
Yes—he fully intended for this to be a gacha system.
In fact, he'd already spoken with Rosalia about acquiring more land, and she had issued a decree to the village chief. As a result, the secure forest area not far from his home now officially belonged to him.
He had already begun laying down protective magic circles to encircle the forest—both to guard it from external threats and to prevent the Pokémon inside from wandering out. At their low levels, they'd be easy prey in the wild.
This place would be the foundation for his Pokémon sanctuary. His plan was to create a small but functional ecosystem to raise and nurture Pokémon properly.
Most Gen 1 Pokémon weren't especially large, barring a few exceptions. By his estimation, the area could comfortably support around a thousand Pokémon. Well—comfortably might be optimistic. Conflicts between Pokémon were bound to happen.
Technically, the space could hold up to ten thousand Pokémon, but such a dense population would definitely lead to endless problems. A thousand felt like the sweet spot.
If Rosalia and the village chief saw further potential in Pokémon down the line, expanding this Safari Zone would still be an option.
Naturally, he named this enclosed habitat Rastor's Safari Zone.
"My people will be allowed to pick their eggs themselves, here, right?" Rosalia asked, gesturing toward the nearly completed Safari Zone ahead of them.
He nodded. This was where the gacha system came into play. He would place the one hundred eggs inside the zone at random, letting fate decide who received which Pokémon.
This method was far better than his original idea of distributing the eggs manually—an approach that would surely invite mockery from some nobles, most of whom always looked down on a commoner like him.. This way, he avoided direct confrontation and the accompanying headaches.
As for the next batch of one hundred eggs? By then, the Safari Zone would likely be teeming with a variety of Pokémon. If some of those Pokémon chose to bond with specific individuals, that was perfectly fine. Even so, he would still place a new set of eggs inside each month for them to choose from. Any eggs left unclaimed would simply hatch on their own and further enrich the ecosystem.
"How's the talk with the Dragon Race going?" Arthur asked Rosalia, turning to her suddenly.
A few weeks ago, he had asked Rosalia about the Pokémon types that might cause trouble if released into the world, namely Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Dark.
Fairy and Dark types weren't a problem. In fact, Rosalia had encouraged the release of more Fairy-types, believing they could pique the interest of the Elven Kingdom, which had secluded itself deep within the vast North Forest.
She'd also mentioned a rumor that an elusive Fairy Race might possess something the Elves needed, though it was only a rumor. No one knew whether the Fairy Race even existed.
In any case, Krosia Kingdom had long hoped to establish trade with the Elves, but their past strained relationship made that difficult. If the Elves truly became interested in Fairy-type Pokémon, it might open a new trade route between them and Krosia.
As for the Dark types, though rare, there were mages who studied and used Dark Element magic, so they posed no significant issue.
Ghost-types, on the other hand, might face rejection from people of all races, given their association with the Cursed Lands, where undead and ghosts freely roamed, eroding everything in their path.
Rosalia had expressed her distress over the recent war to the west with the Beastkin Kingdom, sparked by the spreading corruption of the Cursed Lands. It wasn't hard to imagine that people might harbor hatred or fear toward Ghost-type Pokémon, which gave Arthur a headache on how to approach the issue.
The solution he could think of right now was to form an army of Ghost-type Pokémon to deal with the Cursed Lands directly. But could that even work? Were they truly the same kind of 'ghosts' as the ones in the Cursed Lands? Could they even communicate with each other? Or would they end up fighting until one side perished?
The uncertainties and risks were too great to act on immediately, so for now, he would have to delay the popularization of Ghost-types.
Perhaps starting with a cute Ghost-type like Mimikyu would be the best approach, he thought. It was the most practical solution he could come up with for the moment, though he hadn't yet taken any steps to put it into action.
As for the Dragon Race, Rosalia was his fortune star because of her strong relationship with the Sky Sovereign, one of the most powerful dragons. She could ask her friend for advice on the potential impact of Dragon-type Pokémon, and Arthur had already given her permission to reach out.
The Dragon Race had always been a symbol of power. If he could secure cooperation from them, his future would be much smoother—at least, that's what he hoped. Even if it was just the protection of Dragon-type Pokémon, he'd be content with that.
Rosalia paused, her expression deep in thought. After a moment, she spoke. "Virelyra expressed doubts about your ability to create a true Dragon Race. She wants you to give her one of the Dragon-type Pokémon eggs before she'll offer her opinion on how these... 'fake' dragons would affect the world and whether the Dragon Race's protection is even needed."
"Hmm, not far from what I expected." Arthur nodded and quickly drew magic circles on the ground to summon an egg he had prepared long ago.
With Harmonite in place, he began the summoning.
His actions immediately drew Reden, Wentia, and the rest of his family, all eager to see what kind of egg he was about to summon.
The egg that materialized was smooth and oval-shaped, with a soft light blue base color. White, swirl-like patterns gently wrapped around its shell, and two white, fin-like markings near the top added to its unique design.
"Is this a Dragon-type Pokémon egg?" Rosalia asked softly, cradling the egg in her arms once Arthur handed it to her.
"Yes, I'm sure your friend will like it." Arthur smiled, though a hint of nervousness lingered inside him. What if Virelyra truly see them as fake dragons? Would she discard it? He doubted it, especially since Rosalia had vouched for Virelyra's character. Still, the thought of his Dragon-type Pokémon being branded a fake by the native dragons of this world was unsettling.
Dragon-type Pokémon would face a crueler life in this world in the future if that were the case.
But Arthur wasn't one to give up easily. If it came down to it, he would personally go and directly convince the Dragon Race.
Yet, deep down, he believed in his creation. The only Gen 1 Dragon-type Pokémon would definitely win over the Sky Sovereign's heart!
It was so cute! Elegant! Majestic!
His confidence renewed, he looked around at the group crowded together, eagerly observing the Dragon-type egg with curiosity.
So far, all of them—including his family—had proven themselves responsible Trainers who genuinely cared for their Pokémon. Well, Reden was... debatable, but Eevee seemed happy enough, so Arthur decided to overlook her occasional antics.
That's why he believed they were ready to receive more eggs to care for.
For Rosalia's group, they could easily manage six Pokémon, so he had no reservations about giving them more. However, for his dad, mom, and sister, two Pokémon might be their limit for now. He planned to give them each an egg and observe how they handled it, to gauge if they were ready for a third Pokémon in the future.
Clapping his hands to gather their attention, Arthur called out, "Everyone, I plan to give you all a Pokémon egg. Do any of you have a request?"
At his words, their eyes immediately lit up. Except for Wentia, who simply watched with mild curiosity, the rest eagerly gathered around him, buzzing with excitement.
"W-wait! Line up, please! Rosalia first!" Arthur called out, trying to calm down the eager group.
Rosalia, her eyes sparkling with excitement, stepped forward, Ponyta and Charmander in tow. "Are you sure? Do you think I'm ready to take care of another Pokémon?"
Arthur simply nodded and asked again, "Do you have any specific requests?"
They had already done so much for him, and he wouldn't mind slightly rigging the gacha to thank them. But only for the type or certain traits of the Pokémon—stats and abilities would remain entirely up to luck.
Rosalia thought for a moment, then answered with determination, "I want a dual-type!"
Ever since she saw Wentia's Bulbasaur, with its Grass and Poison dual-typing, she had been longing for a dual-type of her own.
"Any other specifics?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rosalia tapped her chin thoughtfully and tilted her head before adding, "One of them should be Fire-type!"
Arthur paused, rifling through his memory. He quickly realized that no Fire-type Pokémon in Gen 1 had a secondary type, except for Charizard. Moltres came to mind, but that was a Legendary Pokémon—certainly not something he could casually give out, even to his most trusted sponsor like Rosalia.
He responded honestly, "For now, there's no Fire-type with another type."
"I see..." Rosalia said, a hint of disappointment in her voice as she began to reconsider.
Arthur, sensing her disappointment, offered an alternative. "How about an Eevee, just like Reden's?"
Rosalia blinked in surprise, then her eyes lit up. Of course! Eevee was a unique Pokémon that could evolve into different forms, and one of those was definitely a Fire-type.
And who knew? With enough effort, maybe she could even evolve Eevee into a dual-type!
It was the perfect solution!
"Okay, I'll take an Eevee!" she said, nodding happily.
Arthur smiled and nodded in return. He pulled out another Harmonite from his waist bag and began the summoning process once more. A few moments later, he handed Rosalia an Eevee egg.
Wentia was next, and her request was straightforward.
"Fire-type."
"That's it?" Arthur asked, slightly amused.
"That's all," Wentia replied flatly, her expression unchanged.
Arthur glanced at Ivysaur near Wentia's feet, lost in thought. I thought she'd become a Grass-type Trainer… wait, Fire and Grass-type… Sunny Day?
Arthur's eyes lit up with intrigue, his gaze shifting toward Wentia with a newfound evaluation. She felt a slight chill at the intensity of his stare.
"Fire-type," she repeated, her voice calm.
"Okay."
Arthur quickly summoned a random Fire-type egg, recognizing the pattern that would soon hatch into a Growlithe. It seemed like a perfect match for Wentia—loyal and steadfast, fitting her role as Rosalia's personal bodyguard and a Royal Knight.
Next came Reden, with her Eevee trailing behind her, acting strangely, as though preparing to cast some dramatic Explosion Magic like a certain Crimson Demon.
Reden adjusted her round glasses before throwing her arms dramatically into the air. "Sir Arthur! I demand the most powerful, universe-shattering Pokémon egg ever created! It should control time, space, and possibly cook a five-star meal! Maybe a legendary dragon that can summon thunderstorms and fold laundry?"
Arthur's eyelid twitched, staring at her speechlessly.
Gone was the dignified image of a Royal Mage and Researcher... actually, had it ever existed in the first place?
Is she really going to stay this crazy until she cracks my magic circle? Arthur wondered, unsure whether to be amused or concerned.
Noticing the pity in his gaze, Reden paused for dramatic effect, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "But if that's too much, I'll settle for something cute. Maybe a Psychic-type? I'm not picky!"
"Uh... sure..." Arthur snapped back to reality and grabbed a Psychic-type egg at random, handing it to her.
When he saw the pattern on the egg, his expression turned increasingly strange.
Slowpoke?
He couldn't quite fathom how this Slowpoke would turn out in the future, but it was an interesting choice for Reden nonetheless.
After spending a lot of time 'sending off' Reden, Hector and Anna approached together.
They exchanged a glance before Hector spoke, "Are you sure we can take on more?"
Arthur temporarily pushed Reden's eccentricity from his mind and smiled warmly at his parents. "Of course, mom, dad. You two raised me and Lena, so why wouldn't you be able to raise more Pokémon?"
They glanced at each other again before smiling at him. Anna looked around at all the Pokémon gathering nearby and said softly, "Our boy's all grown up now... Maybe this little farming village is getting too small for you."
She paused, her voice tinged with something heavier. "Looking at these Pokémon… maybe our life as farmers has held you back—maybe it's stood in the way of your future..."
Arthur felt a wave of emotion rise in his chest. He pulled both of his parents into a tight hug. "Mom, don't say that… I'm not planning to leave anytime soon."
"Hmph! If there's going to be a group hug, why didn't you invite me?" Lena's voice came from behind as she rushed over and joined in without hesitation.
Anna's words weren't wrong. Sometimes, Lena wished she could tell Arthur to leave the village behind and chase a greater future elsewhere. She knew how incredible these little creatures called Pokémon were. But she couldn't bring herself to say it. She didn't want her brother to go far away. So instead, the only thing she could do was support his research—and hope he'd choose to stay.
Arthur didn't know what to say, and when he saw that his family had also chosen silence, he simply held them close without a word.
But that was enough for them.
The hug didn't last long, but it left a quiet warmth in all their hearts. When they finally stepped apart, soft smiles lingered on their faces.
After a brief moment of silence, Hector glanced at his wife and gave a nod. "We've decided on Bug-type Pokémon."
Arthur nodded and smiled. "Got it, dad."
He summoned two Bug-type eggs at random, handing one to each of his parents. From the patterns on the shells, he could already tell—his father had received a Scyther egg, while his mother held a Paras egg.
After a few more quiet words with them, Arthur watched his parents walk away, cradling their eggs with care.
Then he turned to his sister. "What about you, sis?"
"Of course—another Squirtle!" Lena said instantly, with zero hesitation.
Arthur blinked in surprise. "Are you serious?"
"Absolutely!"
He hesitated, then gently offered some advice. "The experience you've gained raising your first Squirtle will definitely help, but… having two of the same Pokémon could make your team predictable. It might leave you open to easy counters in the future."
Lena paused, considering his words. After a moment, she nodded thoughtfully. "You're right… Then how about a Water-type that also has a shell, like a turtle?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, amused. "I didn't know you liked turtles that much."
"I only just discovered it—with Squirtle!" she beamed.
As he thought about Water-type Pokémon, Arthur suddenly realized that many of the Gen 1 Water-types had shells in their design for some reason...
He randomly summoned one, and to his surprise, it was a Pokémon he had recently finalized the template for. By using additional resources and materials on the template, he had enhanced its stats to align with its naturally high base values of the original, making it stronger than the average Pokémon.
The egg was pale blue with soft lavender spots, its surface gently glossy with faint shell-like ridges. It gave off a calm, soothing aura, like the ocean on a peaceful morning.
It was a Lapras egg!