When Berrin reached his father's study, Earl Ruize was already seated at his desk.
"Sit," the Earl said, gesturing.
"Yes, Father."
Berrin took a seat. Facing his father always brought pressure, but today, for once, his back was a little straighter.
"Let's discuss the current clash between Marquis Hormay and Earl Aven," the Earl began, sipping his tea.
The recent conflict between the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild and Fruitvale Village had driven grain prices sharply upward across Aspiration City, causing widespread disruption.
With the Merchant Guild allied with the Ironblood Alliance, most had believed Fruitvale Village would be crushed instantly.
Instead, Fruitvale Village had not only withstood the pressure but struck back—lowering the prices of berries and potions, dealing the League a heavy blow.
Now every noble of Aspiration City had to reassess their stance toward Fruitvale Village. It had shown strength fully comparable to the Ironblood Fortress.
"Berrin, how do you think this struggle will end?"
Berrin was caught off guard—his father rarely sought his opinion on such matters. A warm surge of satisfaction rose in his heart.
"Father, I believe Fruitvale Village will undoubtedly win this confrontation."
The affirmative response took Earl Ruize somewhat by surprise. After pondering for a moment, he asked in a thoughtful tone, "You are that certain about it?"
"That's right, Father!"
"The moment I set eyes on the Safari Zone, I knew what the outcome would be!"
"The very foundation of the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild lies in the buying and selling of magical beasts. As long as that trade is cut off, the Merchant Guild will suffer a devastating blow!"
"And in my view, the Pokémon Breeding House will, sooner or later, replace the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild—whether it is in the field of potions, taming, or breeding."
Berrin spoke with a touch of emotion in his voice. During his time in labor reform at Fruitvale Village, he had gained a great deal of understanding about the Pokémon Breeding House, and he had considerable confidence in his judgment!
"Yes… the Pokémon Breeding House…" Earl Ruize thought of those Glooms and nodded slightly.
In fact, it had been proven that the strength of those Glooms was indeed remarkably formidable, and their cultivation period was far shorter than that of knights.
On top of that, there were also the potions and breeding techniques—areas in which Pokémon Breeding House was far beyond the capabilities of the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild.
Knock, knock, knock—
Earl Ruize tapped his fingers on the tabletop repeatedly, then suddenly opened his eyes wide. "Come. We shall head to Fruitvale Village right now."
…
This was perhaps the umpteenth time Berrin had set foot in Fruitvale Village.
Every single visit gave him a different feeling.
Upon entering the southeastern border of the Aspiration City, the sight that greeted him most was that of large numbers of serfs busily engaged in land reclamation.
However, compared to the lifeless, gloomy expressions worn by ordinary serfs elsewhere, these serfs all carried smiles upon their faces. In their eyes shone a glimmer of hope.
It was as if, for them, becoming a serf in this land was actually a matter of happiness. Such expressions were something he had truly never witnessed before.
At that very moment in Fruitvale Village, news of Earl Ruize's visit had sent the officials of the territory into a flurry of activity.
Sir Berrin was already on relatively familiar terms with them. If he had arrived alone, their reaction would have been far less intense. But this time, it was Earl Ruize himself who had come, and that was an entirely different matter.
For the lord to personally visit meant it must involve major affairs concerning both territories, and they needed to handle matters with the utmost caution.
Furthermore, Earl Ruize's identity was rather special. He represented the former city lord's faction, embodying a powerful political force. It was certain that his visit had already drawn the attention of the surrounding lords.
"What? Earl Ruize has come in person?" Aven's face showed a thoughtful look.
By his reckoning, the Gloom Squad had already been back for some time. He was certain that this visit must have something to do with that matter.
Thinking so, he made his way to the farm, where he found the clingy Vileplume and Vespiquen, and immediately instructed them to summon their respective hordes.
Outside Fruitvale Village, the Rhyhorn Knights surrounded their lord, steadily advancing toward the village.
Just as they were approaching the grassy fields near the outskirts, large numbers of Gloom suddenly appeared on the plain.
At the same time, a constant buzzing filled the air as swarms of Combees appeared on the horizon, their eyes fixed intently on the northeastern knights below.
"Protect the Earl!" the knight commander said, his face changing.
But before they could take action, Earl Ruize waved his hand lightly, signaling the knights to remain calm.
Then, his gaze swept over the Gloom on the ground and the Combees in the air, his expression gradually growing solemn.
With a simple assessment, he realized that Fruitvale Village possessed a formidable combat strength—enough that even a fully equipped thousand-strong knight order would have great difficulty breaking through its defenses.
Especially these flying Combees—he had never imagined that Aven could tame and control such magical beasts. This was, in fact, the first time he had ever seen a domesticated Combee swarm.
"Glooo~"
Just then, the Gloom parted their ranks.
From a distance, Aven approached, holding Petilil in his arms, flanked by Vileplume and Vespiquen.
"You have come, Earl Aven." Earl Ruize's gaze fixed upon Aven.
This was the third time he had met Aven—the first being when Aven awoke him from his coma, the second at the ennoblement ceremony, and now this, the third.
He could say that he had personally witnessed Aven's rise, and now they stood on equal footing.
With that thought, Earl Ruize dismounted from his Rhyhorn and strode toward Aven. The two met in the open, exchanged noble courtesies, and offered each other polite greetings.
"Welcome, Earl Ruize, to my domain."
Aven smiled faintly, extending his hand to lead the group toward Fruitvale Village. "My castle is not yet complete, so for now I can only host you here."
"No matter, no matter—I can see clearly that this is a village brimming with vitality."
After the formalities, Earl Ruize followed Aven deeper into Fruitvale Village, his eyes scanning constantly, observing the surroundings.
What struck him most was the sight of commoners accompanied by magical beasts—everywhere he looked. Some even had powerful magical beast like Mightyena or Skutank at their side!
It was not hard for him to imagine that, when the time for real battle came, these commoners could go directly to the frontlines. And with the aid of the Glooms and the Combee swarms…
Earl Ruize drew in a deep breath, his gaze subtly drifting toward his son. At that moment, Sir Berrin was chatting and laughing with Aven.
The changes in his son were most apparent to Earl Ruize. Ever since his captivity and return, it was as if he had become a completely different person—but this was a change he did not at all oppose.
Before long, the party arrived at the Pokémon Breeding House—the only decently appointed reception venue in Fruitvale Village.
"Pokémon Breeding House…" Earl Ruize's spirits lifted at the sight of his destination.
Upon entering, he immediately noticed many villagers purchasing services—potions, Pokémon food, and more—all of which aroused his curiosity.
In the rear courtyard, he saw numerous devices that appeared to be for training magical beasts, many of which were in the midst of drills.
"Earl Ruize, what business brings you to my territory this time?"
In the meeting room, Aven, smiling, asked the question directly as he sat opposite Earl Ruize and Sir Berrin.
Hearing this straightforward inquiry, Earl Ruize nodded seriously. "This time, my primary purpose is to seek cooperation."
His words instantly drew the attention of the Fruitvale Village officials present. Aven's eyes narrowed slightly. "It seems, then, that the Earl has decided to join me in opposing the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild?"
At Aven's directness, Earl Ruize paused briefly, then chuckled and nodded. "Indeed—and I also wish to discuss the Ironblood Fortress."
Although the Ironblood Fortress's current main target was Aven, Earl Ruize, as the Earl of the northeastern border, was naturally opposed to it—they were allies by default.
Once the topic was laid bare, their conversation became much easier, and they went on to discuss many matters concerning the current situation in Aspiration City.
"The Gilded Fang Merchant Guild's foundation lies in the buying and selling of magical beasts. As long as that trade is severed, the guild will be dealt a heavy blow!"
"And in my view, the Pokémon Breeding House will one day replace the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild—whether in potions, taming, or breeding."
As Earl Ruize spoke, images of what he had seen in Fruitvale Village replayed in his mind, and he found himself strongly agreeing with his son's earlier words.
"Indeed—if the Pokémon Breeding House develops, it will deal a decisive blow to the Gilded Fang Merchant Guild," Aven said with a note of surprise.
"That is why my objective this time is quite clear: I wish to open inter-territorial cooperation regarding the services of the Pokémon Breeding House," Earl Ruize stated plainly.
"Potions, taming, breeding—we can work closely in these areas. In opposing the Ironblood Fortress, we are natural allies!"
"Moreover, this time the Ironblood Marquis has offended a great many lords. We can unite them all to stand against the Ironblood Alliance."
Earl Ruize laid out his plan in detail. Currently, Aspiration City had two main blocs: the Ironblood Alliance and the Wetlands Alliance. They could become the third—
An Alliance? A Pokémon Alliance? Aven's eyes flickered.
Truth be told, the idea of creating a Pokémon Alliance to oppose the Ironblood Alliance did stir him. But after a brief pause, he dismissed the thought.
An Alliance, to him, held special significance. If it were to be established, it would be according to his own vision—not as a coalition of lords built merely around the services of the Pokémon Breeding House. That was not the Alliance he envisioned.
If he ever did create such an Alliance, these very nobles might well be its greatest obstacle.
"Hmm… a fine idea," Aven said.
"We can indeed carry out inter-territorial cooperation on Pokémon Breeding House services."
"And I also welcome other territories to engage in such cooperation."
Hearing Aven's reply, Earl Ruize closed his eyes briefly, then suddenly opened them and looked intently at Aven.
After a moment, he nodded, then unexpectedly extended his hand. "Then… let us wish for a pleasant cooperation!"
They went on to discuss the specifics of cooperation, essentially confirming a working partnership and the shared goal of opposing the Ironblood League.
More detailed matters were left for later—there was much to determine step by step.
"Earl Aven, according to the Pokémon Breeding House's regulations, I too may register as a trainer, correct?" Earl Ruize asked after the meeting concluded.
"Yes—so long as you pass a simple assessment," Aven replied with a nod.
"Very well. Then I must trouble you to arrange a test for me. Oh—once I become a trainer, I will be entitled to the services of the Pokémon Breeding House, will I not?"
"For example: purchasing potions, Pokémon food, training services… and even entering the Safari Zone to capture wild Pokémon there?"
…
"My lord Aven… is it truly the case that any trainer may capture the Pokémon of the Safari Zone?"
After Earl Ruize's departure, Link hesitated to ask. He felt that if this were so, the zone would lose many excellent Pokémon.
To a territory, Pokémon were an invaluable asset; losing even one would be a great loss.
"Yes—so long as they can earn the recognition of those Pokémon," Aven replied.
"Link, do not focus solely on short-term gains or losses. As long as the Pokémon are treated kindly, all will be worth it. You know we cannot possibly raise so many ourselves. If a trainer is willing to treat them well, it is a good home for them."
Aven smiled faintly. "Of course, the most important thing is changing people's perceptions. If everyone were willing to treat Pokémon well, the world would surely become a better place."
As he spoke, he rose and patted Link's shoulder. "You may be very busy in the days ahead—it will be hard work for you again."
"That is exactly what I look forward to, Lord Aven!" Link bowed deeply.
In the days that followed, Earl Ruize and Sir Berrin took up residence in Fruitvale Village. Earl Ruize officially registered as a trainer at the Pokémon Breeding House.
In fact, not only him but all the knights who had come with him also registered as trainers.
Soon, Earl Ruize began training with his knights in Fruitvale Village as if intending to linger indefinitely. The results were remarkable—so much so that the knights were wide-eyed with amazement.
They had never before experienced such training methods for Pokémon; with the aid of potions, the efficiency of their training was vastly improved—something they could hardly have believed before!
Alongside training, Earl Ruize even led his knights into the Safari Zone in hopes of capturing some Pokémon. But in the end, they gained nothing.
Winning the recognition of these Pokémon in order to capture them was far more difficult than they had imagined.
And as time passed, news of the two Earls joining forces spread among the neighboring lords, who began to converge upon Fruitvale Village from their own territories. Gradually, the faint outline of a new Alliance seemed to be taking shape.
(End of Chapter)
I think I'm right with the word alliance here right? The word for alliance and league in Chinese is the same so it can be confusing but I think they're referring to an Alliance instead of creating the Pokémon League right? I'm pretty confuse because the title of the chapter when translated was Cooperation, the League's Early Form so I went with this thought when I was translating this chapter.