Country Maiden: Fields and Fortune - Chapter 20 - 19, Picky (4th Update)

Set in a Pokéverse where the remnants of our civilization's Earth lie buried under the resurgent human/Pokémon societies, this epic Saga follows the protagonist through his journey to the heights of Pokemon Training and beyond, across a planet that was only saved from ecological disaster by an act of Arceus. As Humanity and Pokémon coexist in this fusion of settings, the story will explore themes of war, oppressive cults, and Shadow infusion, in a world where Pokémon healing and battles echo the anime in realistic, but not overtly graphic ways. Pokémon do not rip each other apart in Battles, though it can sometimes happen in the wild.This is a very long journey fic that's kind of a Crossover with everything. But with Pokémon. So you might see characters like Shaggy Rogers, or Izuku Midoriya, but with Pokémon teams. Pokémon legends like Red, Gary Oak, and the reigning World Champion, Ash Ketchum, are also, naturally, present in the setting. Think of this slice of the Pokéverse as one where it's all coming together.

“The Demon Lords are bringers of destruction, and among them, I am the strongest.”The Demon King has fallen, slain by the Hero in a battle that shook the heavens.After this, humanity knew a long era of peace and prosperity, with the hero now at the top of the world.Fifty years after the battle, the demon race is resurfacing, but now with the throne empty, they must fight for the emergence of the new Demon King. Meanwhile, the humans are preparing for the rise of the next hero who will oppose their archenemies.Born as a mere stable boy in a lower-class noble household, Bel has lived his life tending to the noble gardens, pruning roses for banquets he would never attend. He is nothing more than a lowly servant in a world ruled by noble bloodlines and magic.However, his fate changes when a demon attack devastates the household. As flames consume the estate, Bel is about to be executed in front of his master when their leader, a great demon, recognizes him as a member of a powerful species of monsters that had disappeared before the ascent of the previous Demon King.She calls him by his true name, awakening his true blood.The demon, intrigued by this discovery, decides to spare him out of curiosity and pity. Having learned about Bel’s true nature, his master, rather than executing him, chooses instead to bring him into the heart of his household, seeing in him an opportunity to elevate his family’s standing by binding a powerful being to his service.But power cannot be shackled forever, and among them, the one in Bel's blood is the most dangerous.

In Zhenhai City, the Chu Family receives an imperial decree that revives the hope of reclaiming their ancestral title, but only if a descendant places in the top three of the Martial Examination. For young Chu Yangxiang, who unexpectedly discovers he has Grade 1 Martial Dao Talent, this honor seems within reach. Yet, as he rises, envy and family rivalries emerge, with the privileged Chu Xiaoxiang demanding loyalty—or threatening to ruin him.Determined and battered, Chu Yangxiang faces a brutal choice: submit or fight for his family’s legacy. Will he overcome these powerful?