Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Rhett couldn't help but feel a bit regretful. After all, that rogue, Rylis, had been targeting his youngest son for quite some time now. Even after he had been promoted to Viscount, in the last simulation, she still had the audacity to flirt with Thales. That was unforgivable! If children are not properly disciplined, it is the fault of the father. Missing the chance to thoroughly reprimand Viscount Bolton was a bit of a disappointment for Rhett… He would just have to find another opportunity in the future.

As Rhett reined in his horse, he approached a roughly constructed yellow wooden fence. Dismounting, he tied Greygoat to a nearby post and walked into Fire Mine Village, his boots crunching along a twenty-meter-wide dirt road. Houses lined the road, stretching out for hundreds of meters. At a glance, the village was beginning to take shape.

Although the initial plan was to prioritize the relocation of strong male laborers to Fire Mine Village, some had brought their families, including the elderly and children. As a result, during the day, while the men worked in the mines, the village was left mostly quiet, inhabited only by children, women, and the elderly.

A rooster crowed in the distance. A woman hurried out from a nearby alley, scooping up a large red rooster. Dressed in a loose gray linen gown, she bowed apologetically, her expression filled with panic. "I'm sorry, Lord Rhett, my chicken disturbed you!"

Rhett raised an eyebrow and softly replied, "Free-range chickens taste better. It's good for them to roam around, but make sure to keep them in the coop next time."

"Yes, Lord Rhett!" the woman responded, patting her chest in relief before hurrying off with the rooster in her arms.

Walking to the end of the main road in Fire Mine Village, Rhett observed a group of carpenters bustling between piles of lumber and the ongoing construction of wooden houses. Coudine was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the village chief, Jovan, seemingly deep in conversation.

"Coudine, how's the construction of the wooden houses progressing?" Rhett called out from behind.

Coudine straightened up and approached Rhett, greeting him respectfully. "Good morning, esteemed Lord Rhett!"

Noticing the dark circles under Coudine's eyes, Rhett remarked, "It seems you've been working hard these past few days, Coudine. Take care of your health. When I return, I'll have Sveta send you some nourishing food."

Coudine's eyes reflected his gratitude. "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Rhett. But honestly, seeing the village take shape through our efforts fills me with a sense of accomplishment."

"Indeed, Coudine has been working tirelessly. I can vouch for that. He's been putting in long hours to ensure the construction of Fire Mine Village," Jovan added. As a beneficiary of the village's development, he also wanted to express his appreciation.

"I'm pleased with the contributions you've made to my territory," Rhett said with a smile. "But I also care about the well-being of those who work hard for the territory. Based on the recent slowdown in population influx, Coudine, it looks like you'll have some downtime soon. There's no rush with Thorn Village, so I'm giving you a week's vacation to rest and recover."

Coudine was taken aback by the generosity. "Thank you, my lord, for your kindness!"

After a brief conversation, Rhett left Fire Mine Village, leaving Coudine and Jovan standing in silence for a moment. Jovan then pulled two eggs from his pocket and handed them to Coudine. "I can't thank you enough for your hard work these past two weeks. My family raises several chickens. Every time you visit, you'll have as many eggs as you want!"

Coudine hesitated for a moment, then accepted the dirty eggs with a smile. "Thank you!"

…

Returning to Deep Rock Castle, Rhett went straight to his room instead of making any other stops. Sitting at his desk, he reflected on the past two weeks. Most of the tasks he needed to complete were done. Thales and Mina's wedding had taken place at the beginning of the month, and only a few days after the ceremony, Mina was already expecting a child. Ryley's latest caravan had also returned, bringing not only a small batch of ores but also the auxiliary magical plants needed for Henk to craft Moonlight Potions.

"Next on the agenda is the hunting plan for the Darkfeather Eagle offshoot," Rhett muttered as he gazed out at the foggy landscape. He also needed to use a simulation to test Henk's loyalty. The matters of the Snow Elf and Thales becoming a mage through the bloodline potion had been kept secret from him. However, not revealing this information might hinder future alchemical progress. And even if he didn't disclose it, a Level 2 mage living in Deep Rock Castle might eventually notice something unusual about the growth of the magical plants.

It would be simpler to reveal the truth in a simulation and verify the outcome. With that thought, Rhett focused his consciousness and activated the system.

"Yes, simulate one year."

Bang! Bang! Rhett slammed his fists on the table in anger, his fury rising as the name Windmill Town appeared once again! He hated traitors the most! And for his enemy to become a traitor only deepened that hatred!

Taking a deep breath, Rhett sipped some blueberry juice to calm himself before analyzing the situation. "According to the last few lines of the simulation, it seems Gaspar has colluded with the orcs? In any case, betraying his own forces is a certainty!"

But then Rhett's eyes narrowed as he looked out at the bright moon. "If Gaspar did ally with the orcs, how did he coincidentally stumble upon three Bloodmoon Werewolves?"

The more he thought about it, the more Rhett felt something was off. But from such a brief simulation, he couldn't glean much more information.

Anger aside, Rhett chose not to dwell on it excessively. After all, it was just a simulated future. By the time that day came, who knew how much the course of events would have changed?

Shaking off those thoughts, Rhett focused on another peculiar aspect of the simulation: Count Nilo's eldest daughter, Karen, a charming widow, seemed to be interested in him. Not only did she visit him unannounced, but she even hinted at wanting a night of passion…

Rhett shook his head. While he was well aware of the debauchery among nobles, he wasn't that kind of person. He couldn't accept such indulgences. It was a matter of respect for Nicole, his late wife. Even if their roles were reversed, he believed Nicole wouldn't have been so unrestrained either.

Moreover, Rhett never fully trusted Karen. Why did something that hadn't happened in the last simulation suddenly occur now? And with the subtle changes in Count Nilo's behavior, Rhett couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, even if he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

As a result, Rhett resolved to keep his distance from Karen in the future.

Finally, Rhett hadn't expected that his recent purchase of ores might have drawn the attention of a group of bandits. These were no ordinary bandits, either—they were brazen and bold! What surprised him even more was the reappearance of Blackstar.

Rhett's expression turned strange. "Could it be that wherever there are villains, Blackstar is sure to be nearby?"