Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Rhett had thoroughly thought through his plans the previous night.

In the past, the southwestern borderlands, where the Canyon Defense Line was located, experienced relatively stable warfare. This kept the demand for minerals at a consistently low level, which caused the price of minerals to hover near the lower end of the market. Except for a few rare minerals that could be used to forge medium- to high-grade weapons, most minerals used for lower-grade equipment were in oversupply, accumulating in inventory.

During peaceful times, this was not a major issue. Even if the consumption rate was slower than the mining rate, the excess could simply be stored and used as needed, as minerals don't spoil.

However, when intense warfare breaks out, there is no doubt that the demand for minerals, special wood, potions, and other wartime resources will become enormous. History has shown that this is always the case.

It can be predicted that the southwestern borderlands will see a surge in demand for minerals next year. The overpricing of mineral purchases represents a windfall for those who have mines.

In Rhett's view, with knowledge of the future, it was natural to seize this opportunity. He planned to exploit the information gap to buy up minerals and make a substantial profit.

Although the seventh-level dark magic crystal was valuable, it was too advanced for his current needs. It was far more beneficial to liquidate it and generate profit through flexible transactions.

Hearing that so much of their funds would be used and even the seventh-level dark magic crystal would be sold, Relay couldn't help but feel secretly surprised. However, his good upbringing prevented him from showing any reaction outwardly.

The father-son understanding between them meant that Relay knew his father must have a good reason for doing this, so he didn't rush to ask questions. Picking up his knife and fork again, Relay cut into a piece of steak and said softly, "Understood, Father. I will organize the trade caravan as soon as possible and take care of this matter."

"No need to rush in the next few days, Relay," Rhett said with a smile. "The plan to buy up minerals will last over six months. For now, your honeymoon with Crina is more important."

Relay was slightly taken aback but then exchanged a glance with Crina, and they both smiled sweetly.

After breakfast, Rhett leisurely strolled around the territory, conducting a long-overdue inspection.

The autumn air was crisp and refreshing, and the cool breeze rustled his sleeves, lifting his spirits. Wandering around, he soon found himself in Eagle Town.

Autumn was the season of harvest, and the townspeople, regardless of age or gender, were heading toward the fields outside town with their tools in hand. The men carried buckets and tools, bearing the heavier loads as the primary labor force of their families. Young children followed behind their parents, carrying lighter items such as baskets, sacks, bread, and jerky to help lighten the workload.

The townspeople greeted Rhett respectfully as he passed by. Amidst the chorus of greetings, Rhett smiled and turned toward the northeast corner of the central square.

In the early days, the outskirts of the central square had been left as an open space in the town's planning. Now, with Eagle Town entering a period of rapid development, this open space was being planned as the future commercial center of the town. Although this vision had yet to be fully realized, the immediate goal was to concentrate essential businesses—such as blacksmith shops, tailor shops, and taverns—around the square.

Currently, a two-story wooden house covering more than 100 square meters had been built in the northeast corner. The ground floor served as a shop, while the upper floor was the living quarters.

Glancing at the shop, Rhett noticed a large sign that read "Iron Brothers Blacksmith Shop." The door was open, and the sound of clanging echoed from within, resembling the dull thuds of heavy tools striking metal.

Standing at the entrance with one foot on the stone steps, Rhett saw two middle-aged men, their hair streaked with gray, busying themselves with renovations. The clanging sounds were not from forging iron but rather from the men working on the shop's interior. Since the wooden house had just been completed, the furnace, hearth, bellows, and other basic facilities had yet to be installed, so there was no forging taking place.

The shop was empty. Andre, holding a hammer, was nailing something into the wall. Noticing a slight change in the light inside, Andre glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes widened in surprise. He quickly urged his brother, "Leonid, the lord has arrived. Put down what you're doing for now."

"The lord is here?" Leonid quickly stood up, saw the figure at the door, and hurried over with Andre to greet him in unison, "Good morning, my lord."

"Good morning. How are you adjusting to life here?" Rhett asked with a smile.

"Very well. Although we only moved into this house two days ago, the residents here have been very welcoming and friendly toward us newcomers!" Andre replied, placing a hand over his heart.

"Indeed, a friend we made recently even invited us to explore Sun Lake with them in two days after hearing of our interest," Leonid added, his eyes bright with excitement. Having only recently arrived in Eagle Town, everything still felt new to him.

"That's great to hear!" Rhett smiled and then glanced around the shop. "It looks like your shop is just about finished. The name 'Iron Brothers Blacksmith Shop'—I assume it's because you two are brothers?"

Rhett already knew this from the list of information Sveta had gathered a few days prior. Among the skilled individuals recruited from Clearwater Town, these two blacksmiths, Andre and Leonid, were not only apprentice knights but also brothers.

Though their age suggested they were not particularly gifted knights, their smithing skills were unmatched in Eagle Town.

"Yes, we are brothers, and our smithing skills were passed down from our father. In our early years, we lived in a small village called Lacey. After our father died, we wandered through many places before eventually ending up in Clearwater Town," Andre reminisced about their past, his eyes showing a hint of nostalgia. Quickly recovering, he added, "But now, we are part of Eagle Town, and from now on, we will serve you with all our strength, my lord."

"Thank you for your support," Rhett said with a smile before shifting the conversation. "I actually came here today because I have a request for you both."

"Please speak, my lord."

"At the moment, you two are the most skilled blacksmiths in Eagle Town, so I'd like to assign some knights with fighting spirit potential to learn from you. How do you feel about that?"

The brothers exchanged glances, a hint of joy in their eyes. "We will follow your orders."

"But we must warn you, my lord, blacksmithing is a tough job. It's hot and noisy all day, and most knights aren't keen on enduring that for long," Andre cautioned.

"Yes, we've taken on apprentices before, but they never stuck around for long. Knights with fighting spirit potential tend to prefer adventure over spending their lives in a small blacksmith shop," Leonid added. "We hope you'll consider this when selecting candidates."

Rhett thought for a moment before replying, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Thank you, my lord," Andre and Leonid said, their eyes filled with anticipation. Both of them had daughters with no fighting spirit potential, so they couldn't continue the family trade. Seeing a chance to pass on their skills gave them hope.

"No need to be so formal," Rhett said with a smile. "I noticed your shop is still mostly empty—that won't do. I'll have the materials you need to build the furnace, hearth, bellows, and other forging facilities delivered as soon as possible."

Andre had been thinking all morning about how to ask the lord for materials. Hearing Rhett bring it up himself, his eyes lit up. "Thank you, my lord!"

As the morning fog lingered, Kudin arrived with over a dozen carpenters and several carts loaded with sturdy lumber, coming from the east side of the central square.

"Good morning, my lord!" came a chorus of greetings.

Hearing the wheels turning, Rhett turned and saw the scene. "Kudin, how far along are we on the construction of the wooden houses?"

"We finished building the five blacksmiths' houses a few days ago. Today's goal is to construct the tavern over there!" Kudin pointed to the southwest corner of the central square.

"Good work," Rhett praised. Then, a thought crossed his mind. "A few months ago, after you discovered that batch of antiques, I asked Sveta to see if you had any requests. Have you come up with anything?"

"Not yet, my lord. I'm content with my life right now. When I'm not working, I spend time chatting with my coworkers or with my family. I'm very satisfied with my current situation," Kudin replied, scratching his head sheepishly.

"That's good to hear," Rhett nodded. "But if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come to me."

"Thank you for your generosity, my lord," Kudin said gratefully.

Andre and Leonid, watching from the sidelines, had thoughtful expressions as they observed the exchange.

After finishing his morning patrol of Eagle Town, Rhett headed to the training grounds.

For the rest of the morning, he spent his time practicing magic.

Around noon, Rhett encountered Tadder, Kulis, and Shirin leaving the training grounds. He waved them over, and they quickly gathered in front of him.

"Good afternoon, my lord. Do you need something?" Tadder asked.

"Yes," Rhett replied. "Our smithing industry is just getting started, and we've recently brought in two apprentice blacksmiths. I'd like to assign some knights with fighting spirit potential to join the blacksmith shop. I need your help in finding suitable candidates."

A wise leader thinks beyond the present and plans for the future.

Currently, Eagle Town's demand for smithing primarily revolves around producing basic iron tools. Slightly more advanced equipment suitable for low-level knights can be purchased elsewhere without much expense, which diminishes the value of local blacksmiths.

Additionally, with only a few official knights in Eagle Town, the demand for smithing is further reduced, lowering the perceived importance of blacksmiths.

However, as the territory develops, it won't be sustainable to rely on external sources for equipment. The territory must have its own supply of high-quality weapons and armor.

This applies to both magic equipment in alchemy and knight equipment in smithing.

While the alchemy industry is already developing, with plenty of alchemy books and a future second-level alchemist on the horizon, the smithing industry is still lacking in talent.

Rhett couldn't tolerate this gap. He needed to start preparing for the future now.

After some thought, Kulis said, "I think we need to discuss this with Frano and Laurel. We should identify those who have less talent in archery and fighting spirit training and see who might be interested in switching to blacksmithing."

"If you need us to, we can conduct a final assessment tomorrow and present you with a list of candidates," Tadder added.

"Thank you."

After leaving the training grounds, Rhett hurried to the magical plant cultivation field, where he gathered some frost pinewood and snow vine.

He then sent for Frano and Laurel, choosing to wait in a flower garden outside the secondary castle, admiring the colorful blooms while he waited.

Before long, Frano arrived with his wife, and their eyes lit up when they saw the materials at Rhett's feet.

"My lord, is this frost pinewood and snow vine?" Frano asked.

Rhett turned and pointed at the items on the ground. "That's right. Will these meet your needs?"

Frano and Laurel bent down to examine the wood and vine closely, pulling and tapping at them before Frano said, "It seems these materials are only about a year old, which should be just right for apprentice knights. It'll suit their needs perfectly. But for first-level knights, we'd need frost pinewood and snow vine that are at least five years old."

Rhett nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "In the past few months of teaching the students archery, have you noticed anyone who shows exceptional talent or strong interest in archery?"

Frano frowned slightly. "Miguel and Demisiu seem quite interested in archery. But as for anyone with exceptional talent, I haven't seen anyone like that among the students."