Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Rhett accelerated into a jog, and after running for a while, he suddenly crossed his legs in front of each other, allowing his body to slide freely across the ice. The cold wind brushed against his cheeks as he sped along, and he rediscovered the joy of ice skating from his previous life.

"Haha, so Father also enjoys ice skating!" Tack laughed as he joined in on the fun. Even Tales, feeling playful, couldn't resist participating.

As they skated, Rhett took the opportunity to drop the leaves of Blueleaf Grass and Three-leaf Fireflower into various ice holes. Not long after feeding the water creatures, there was a series of gentle splashes, and through the transparent ice, blue and red shadows darted swiftly toward the ice holes.

A few seconds later, six blue-backed crayfish emerged from the water, splashing as they waved their large claws in the air. Their long, crystal-blue antennae fluttered in the wind. Though called "small" crayfish, they were nearly twenty centimeters long, comparable in size to regular lobsters. However, in the world of magical beasts, they were still considered quite small.

Soon after, several frost-shell crabs surfaced as well. Their claws were slightly flattened, and they eagerly grabbed the Blueleaf Grass leaves, stuffing them into their mouths with a look of pure enjoyment. Their tiny eyes squinted in contentment, making them look incredibly cute.

For a while, the lake was bustling with activity. Seizing the moment when the aquatic magical beasts emerged, Nina, under Ryleigh's instructions, began dancing gracefully on the ice. As she passed by each ice hole, she scattered ice mist, bestowing blessings on the creatures. The magical beasts, busy eating, froze as the mist touched them. After a brief pause, they seemed to sense changes within their bodies and quickly swam back to the depths, clutching their leaves.

The ice soon grew quiet again. About half an hour later, the four of them finished skating and sat by the lakeside, quietly admiring the snow-covered landscape.

At that moment, Silin, who had been performing her duties, arrived after running all the way from Deeprock Fortress. The distance was barely a warm-up for her. She took a deep breath of the cold air and surveyed the scene, suddenly realizing that several figures were seated on the shore of Sun Lake, along with the familiar forms of Wind-patterned Tiger Baige, Black Horse Heige, and Lord Rhett's Grayhorse.

A look of joy flashed in Silin's eyes, and she burst into a sprint, swiftly reaching the lakeside. Excitedly, she called out, "Lord Rhett, welcome back!"

Rhett had already sensed the approach of the second-tier knight. He turned around to see Silin, dressed lightly in a pale pink outfit, even in the depths of winter, her short orange hair adding to her appeal. He walked over and gently patted her shoulder with a smile. "It's great to see you, Silin."

"You've been gone for three months, and everyone has missed you greatly," Silin replied.

"Haha, I've missed Eagle Town and all of you as well," Rhett chuckled. Noticing the bag Silin was carrying, filled with Blueleaf Grass and Three-leaf Fireflower, he casually remarked, "We've already fed the aquatic magical beasts, so you won't need to feed them again later."

"Understood, my lord."

After a brief chat, Rhett led the group back toward Deeprock Fortress. At the manor's entrance, Sveta stood on the graystone path, wearing a dark gray soft hat. The hat clung tightly to his head, and a thin layer of snow had accumulated on top. For the past three months, whenever he had free time, he would come to the manor entrance, hoping to catch sight of Lord Rhett's return. In the cold wind, he paced slowly along the graystone path, clearing the snow whenever it piled up.

"Achoo!" Sveta sneezed, wobbling slightly as he did. He patted his pockets, realizing he had nothing on hand, and thought to himself, This isn't good.

"Mr. Sveta, I believe you might need this," a voice called from behind. Sveta felt someone place a tissue on his shoulder.

"Hoho, thank you, Lawrence," Sveta said as he took the tissue and blew his nose, turning around with a smile. Though only 14, Lawrence was already nearly as tall as Sveta, with a well-developed physique. Concerned, he said, "Mr. Sveta, I suggest you rest in the castle for a while where it's warmer. Staying out here too long will affect your health."

Still smiling, Sveta shook his head. "No need."

"Sigh," Lawrence sighed, knowing he couldn't change the butler's mind.

Half an hour later, the soft snow muffled the sound of hooves, but Sveta heard a faint clattering noise. He turned in surprise to see Lord Rhett riding Grayhorse and heading his way, now less than fifty meters away. Overjoyed, he rushed forward to greet him.

Baige, biting the vine in his mouth, hadn't even reached the manor gate when he recognized the familiar surroundings and immediately let go. He started prancing around excitedly, causing Ryleigh to tumble off his back. The cart, which had only two wheels, lost its balance, and the linen bags inside tipped over, producing a crisp clattering sound as magic crystals and beast materials collided.

Ryleigh kicked Baige's rear and smiled wryly, "Oh, you naughty little tiger, just a few more meters and you couldn't wait!"

Baige, now fully accustomed to Ryleigh, let out a playful growl, leaping away and bouncing around in the snow.

"What a haul! I knew that after three months away, Lord Rhett would return with great spoils!" Sveta said as he hurried over, leaving clear footprints in the snow. Smiling, he added, "Young Master Ryleigh, I'll go fetch a few knights from the training grounds to help carry the goods."

"That would be great, thank you, Mr. Sveta."

"Young Master Ryleigh, you're too kind," Sveta replied with a smile, then turned to Rhett and bowed slightly. "Lord Rhett, welcome back. The snow covering Eagle Town will surely melt with your return."

"Sveta, my most dependable assistant, it's so good to see you," Rhett said with a sigh, patting Sveta on the shoulder. He casually asked, "How has everything been during the three months I was away? Has anything happened?"

"Everything has been well in Eagle Town during your absence, but there are a few matters to report. On October 11th and again on the 16th of last month, Count Nilo's eldest daughter, Karen, visited Eagle Town to see you. But upon learning you were not here, she left," Sveta said thoughtfully. "Additionally, Fire Mine Village has met its construction goals and can now accommodate 200 people. The Thorn Village project has yet to begin due to your absence, but I've heard from Coudine that the lumber is ready, and construction should proceed quickly once we start."

Rhett's expression grew slightly more serious as he asked, "Have the new residents settled in Eagle Town?"

"Some are in Fire Mine Village, and some are in Eagle Town. Coudine frequently travels between the two places to build cabins."

Rhett nodded. The construction of Thorn Village wasn't urgent; winter weather wasn't ideal for such work, and it could wait until spring. "Oh, that reminds me!" Sveta suddenly exclaimed, speaking a little faster. "A few days ago, Coudine approached me with a request. His youngest son has just turned 12, and he wants to have him tested for knightly aptitude. If he doesn't pass, he hopes his son can work as a servant at Deeprock Fortress."

Rhett recalled his previous promise and replied, "That's a simple matter. In a few days, I'll announce a territory-wide aptitude test. If Coudine's son lacks talent, you can assign him a job at the manor."

"Understood, my lord."

After inquiring about the territory's population, Rhett and Ryleigh returned to the manor. Despite the dust and fatigue of their journey, Rhett didn't hesitate to head straight for the alchemy lab with Ryleigh.

However, just as they entered the corridor, they heard a door slam open. Clarina, dressed in a white floral dress, emerged from her room and caught sight of them. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh my!"

She quickly approached them, first greeting Rhett politely. "Father, it's been a long time. Welcome home."

Then, turning to Ryleigh, Clarina's eyes softened with a hint of reproach. "Ryleigh, you've been gone for three months. You're finally back."

Ryleigh's gaze was filled with tenderness as he gently stroked his wife's hair. "Clarina, every day and night I was away, I missed you."

Clarina's slight annoyance melted away, her cheeks flushing as she whispered, "I missed you too..."

"Ahem," Rhett cleared his throat, watching the couple openly display their affection despite his presence. He said, "Ryleigh, you've been gone so long. You should spend time with Clarina. Go to your room first. I'll head to the alchemy lab alone. But remember to join me later when we visit the magic plant field."

"Yes, Father!"

With that, Rhett walked past Clarina and headed deeper into the corridor.

"Wait a moment, Father," Clarina suddenly called out. When Rhett turned back in curiosity, she said, "Lately, as the child in my womb has grown, I've felt... that I might be carrying twins."

Female knights had a greater awareness of their bodies than ordinary women, and it wasn't unusual for them to sense the gender and number of their babies early on.

Ryleigh was naturally the most excited, his hands tightening around Clarina's soft hands. "Twins? Does that mean I'll have two little angels to welcome?"

Clarina blushed and nodded shyly. "A little brother and sister."

"Oh, this is the best news I've heard since coming back," Rhett said, smiling joyfully.

Ryleigh, who had lost his usual composure, beamed with happiness, gently touching Clarina's belly as they headed back to their room. Rhett chuckled and shook his head as he continued toward the alchemy lab.

Hank had already heard the familiar footsteps and voice in the corridor and paused his experiment. After tidying up his collar, he went to the door to greet Rhett.

"Welcome back, Lord Rhett," Hank said respectfully, his bald head gleaming.

"Hello, Hank. How have you been these past few months? Any issues with settling in?"

"It's been wonderful here—no mundane distractions, just pure alchemical research," Hank replied with satisfaction. Then, remembering something, he lifted a small bag. "Lord Rhett, over the past three months, I've been working with the magic plants at my disposal. I managed to produce eight bottles of Moonlight Potion, though I failed seven times. I also tried making Boiling Potions, but all five attempts failed. Additionally, I've crafted about a dozen low-grade antidotes and poisons."

"Very good, thank you for your hard work," Rhett said, lifting his own bag. "During my hunt, I gathered over 300 stalks of Ghostheart Grass. I've heard it's commonly used in poison-making. Could it be useful to you?"

"Ghostheart Grass?" Hank's eyes widened in surprise, then he sighed with regret. "I'm afraid not, Lord Rhett. While it's true that Ghostheart Grass is often used in poisons, its toxins are subtle, and extracting its essence requires very high mental strength. Unfortunately, it's beyond my abilities."

But Hank quickly added, "I do have a friend who is passionate about poison-making. He would gladly take all the Ghostheart Grass you have. If you're interested in trading it for mid-grade water-element magic plants, I could arrange that for you."

Rhett nodded. "That sounds fine. Discuss the details with Ryleigh later. By the way, I have good news—Nina the Snow Sprite has awakened. If you'd like to see her abilities, you can join us on a trip to the magic plant field soon."

"Really? That's fantastic! I've been eager to witness the Snow Sprite's power," Hank exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Two hours later, after spending some time with Clarina, Ryleigh emerged from his room looking refreshed. Rhett and Hank left the alchemy lab, and the three of them headed straight for the magic plant field.

Under Hank's eager and expectant gaze, Ryleigh opened a small bag and released Nina. As soon as the bag was opened, the round little sprite shot out, clearly displeased with the bag's cramped conditions, and ruffled Ryleigh's hair in protest.

"Alright, alright, I'll find you a better place next time!" Ryleigh said with a wry smile, soothing the little sprite.

Then, communicating his request through their mental link, he conveyed his instructions to Nina. The round sprite nodded and began floating above the magic plants, sprinkling ice mist over each one.