Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Receiving praise from the lord's son, Kudin's eyes lit up with pride. "I just made these out of boredom," he said modestly. Noticing Tucker's interest in the wooden carvings, he quickly offered, "Which one do you like, my lord? Consider it a gift from me."

"Haha, then I won't be polite," Tucker grinned widely, grabbing a wooden carving of a soaring eagle. After examining it from various angles, he placed a copper coin on the table.

"My lord, you shouldn't! It's a gift; there's no need to pay," Kudin protested, picking up the coin, but froze when Tucker shot him a stern look.

Despite the festive atmosphere, Rhett himself didn't linger at the party for long. He left midway and headed towards the Green Pasture, taking note of the day's weather.

"Though the simulator mentioned an extreme cold front at night, the day has been unexpectedly mild. Even now, the chill isn't too severe. Who would have thought the temperature would suddenly plummet tonight, bringing with it freezing winds?" Rhett mused.

Two hours later, Rhett keenly sensed a sharp drop in temperature. The change came abruptly and without warning.

The temperature had dropped to freezing and was still steadily falling.

"Is it starting?" Rhett, noticing the shift, quickly instructed Sveta, "Go to the central square and inform the townspeople that tonight the temperature will drop sharply. Tell them to close their windows, light extra fires, and prepare for the cold. Also, bring Tucker and Riley here."

Thales, not fond of the festivities, had chosen not to attend the party tonight, a decision Rhett understood well. Besides, with tonight's search mission, it wasn't safe to bring his physically weaker son along.

"Understood, my lord. I'll see to it right away," Sveta replied, hiding his surprise as he hurried off to carry out Rhett's orders.

Three hours later.

At the town's entrance, Rhett, along with his sons Riley and Tucker, casually patrolled the outskirts.

He had given them a reason: to guard against magical beasts that tended to be active during the night or in extreme cold.

Such beasts were typically quite powerful. One such example was the Dark Frost Wolf, a notorious magical beast.

As Riley had once informed him, five years ago, a small pack of Dark Frost Wolves had wandered from the Beast Mountain Range.

Though their average strength was only at the second tier, they had wiped out three baronies within days.

The Dark Frost Wolves were particularly dangerous due to their stealth and nocturnal habits, making them almost impossible to defend against. Their cold resistance, agility, and proficiency in ice magic made them a nightmare for many barons.

Eventually, it took several viscounts working together to eradicate the pack.

Given this history, no one questioned Rhett's motives. They simply saw his actions as a precaution.

Tucker's robust physique seemed unaffected by the biting cold. However, as time passed, he couldn't help but express his confusion, "The temperature keeps dropping, and it's getting colder. Tonight's weather is strange…"

Riley and Rhett both had thin magical shields around their bodies, enough to ward off the cold without needing much defense.

"That's why we need to be vigilant," Rhett replied.

Looking out over the open plains, Rhett added, "Let's patrol the perimeter of the town. We'll gradually widen the circle."

Tucker eagerly swung his arms and shouted, "Got it, Father! I'll be at the front, blocking any danger for you." With that, he dashed ahead.

"No need for that. Stay close to me. If anything happens, I'll be the first to react," Rhett said with a smile, shaking his head.

Riley, without saying much, adjusted his position next to his father, though his eyes held a hint of suspicion.

He couldn't shake the feeling that tonight's actions were unusual, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

Outside Chuiying Town, the snow lay thick, resembling a vast white blanket.

As Rhett led the group, the three of them began patrolling around the town, with the temperature continuing to drop.

Their patrol took them farther and farther from the town, until they were about a kilometer away.

"Father, there seems to be a trail of footprints over there," Riley pointed out.

Following Riley's direction, Rhett saw the tracks—a magical beast had left clear imprints in the snow.

Upon closer inspection, Rhett's eyes widened slightly.

"The footprints are uniform in size and follow a straight path, indicating it's just one beast. The tracks are oval-shaped, with seven thick toes. It's likely an Ice-Spiked Bear. This type of beast thrives in cold weather and tends to be active during such times," Rhett surmised after a brief observation.

"Let's go check it out. Judging by the size of the tracks, the bear isn't fully grown, so it's probably a second-tier beast at most. It shouldn't pose too much of a threat," Rhett said, motioning for them to move forward.

Excited at the prospect of a fight, Tucker's blood began to boil. "Father, you were right to check this area. If we hadn't, something dangerous might have happened tonight."

"Is it another beast that wandered over from the Beast Mountain Range?" Riley wondered aloud, his expression serious. "It seems like the frequency of magical beasts appearing has increased recently."

He recalled the Wind Wolf his father had encountered, and now this Ice-Spiked Bear. Two beasts within a few days—it was unusual. Normally, he and Tucker would only come across a wandering beast once every few months.

Riley made a mental note of this but didn't dwell on it. It could just be a coincidence.

Following their father's lead, the group continued forward, soon making another discovery.

The quiet of the night was broken by the sounds of a fierce battle up ahead.

Amidst the chaos, the roars of a beast mixed with the shouts of humans.

Rhett's face lit up with anticipation. Intervening in a fight like this, offering assistance, would be a great way to win over people's loyalty and build rapport.

Having just returned from the front lines, Rhett's territory was in desperate need of manpower, particularly knights. They were a vital part of the territory's military strength, playing crucial roles in patrols, security, defense, and escorting caravans.

In the past, with Rhett absent, it was understandable that outsiders hadn't been interested in Chuiying Town. His sons had been forced to handle everything themselves.

But now that Rhett was back, things needed to change.

Generally, nobles not only trained their family's elite but also recruited loyal and talented followers.

These followers were a key part of a noble's power—something Rhett urgently needed.

For example, in the nearby baronies, each baron had several, if not a dozen or more, knights in their service—not just knight apprentices.

Currently, the knight apprentices in Chuiying Town were all locals, trained and nurtured by the town itself, so they were loyal.

"If we can recruit these two first-tier knights, it will be a good start," Rhett thought, a smile forming on his lips.