Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

After passing on the message to Ryle, Sveta took a quick tour around the manor. Finally, from Leo, who was carrying wine in the cellar, he learned that the lord had gone to the garden.

He hurriedly ran toward the back of the castle.

At this moment, Rhett had already left the warehouse and was leisurely strolling through the flower garden, inhaling the fragrant scents. Seeing Sveta jogging towards him, he feigned curiosity and asked, "Sveta, you seem in a hurry. What happened?"

"Master, huff, something important!" Sveta, being older, was slightly out of breath after just a few steps.

"No rush, catch your breath and then speak slowly."

After catching his breath, Sveta wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I just met a unit from the Canyon Defense Line. They were heading towards Twilight City but passed through our territory. Recognizing me as the steward, they asked me to relay a message to you— the front lines are urgently purchasing ores."

"Oh? How are the prices?" Rhett's heart leaped with joy, but he maintained a calm demeanor as he asked casually.

"Well, I can't remember the exact details, as the types were too varied. But the lowest ores are being bought at 1.4 times the usual price, and the highest at around 2.2 times..." Sveta scratched his head, struggling to recall.

"What? 1.4 to 2.2 times the usual price? Are you sure you heard correctly?" Rhett's face showed genuine surprise. Although he was aware of the premium purchases, the extent of the price increase still astonished him.

"Yes, master. Though the summer heat can be distracting, my mind remains sharp."

"Where are they now?" Rhett stepped forward, ready to catch up with them.

"No need to rush, master!" Sveta noticed Rhett's intent and quickly stopped him. "When I returned to the manor, I first encountered Young Master Ryle and informed him of the news. He has already ridden off on Whitepaw to catch up with the Canyon Defense Line unit."

Hearing this, Rhett stopped in his tracks, visibly relaxing. He patted Sveta's shoulder. "Well done, Sveta. You mentioned the heat—why not return to the castle and ask Chef Maru to make a green bean ice drink?"

"That sounds wonderful, but we've run out of ice," Sveta replied with a hint of regret.

"Don't worry. I saw Ryle this morning; he helped by conjuring a whole barrel of ice. We have plenty."

"That's fantastic! I'll go find Chef Maru right away." Sveta smiled and asked, "Would you like a drink as well, master?"

"Hmm, sure. I'd like to add some pudding and blueberry syrup to mine," Rhett replied after a moment's thought.

"Consider it done," Sveta said with a bow.

...

Whitepaw carried Ryle across the sparse plains, galloping for more than half an hour. Finally, he spotted a distant shadow ahead.

A smile spread across Ryle's face as he urged, "Come on, buddy, a little faster! Let's catch up with that group ahead!"

Roar!

Whitepaw let out a low growl, and the greenish aura surrounding him intensified as he fixed his sharp gaze on the figures ahead, pushing his speed to the limit.

At last, when they were less than a kilometer away, the group in front came to a halt. Many of them turned around, clearly noticing that someone had been tailing them.

The hundred-strong unit, clad in black armor, had two sturdy plumes affixed to their helmets—one gold, the other red. Behind them were hundreds of pack horses pulling large, gray metal carts, giving the group an imposing presence.

Before Ryle could get any closer, a soldier from the rear detached from the group and swiftly blocked his path.

"Halt! Who are you?" The soldier raised a hand, his tone carrying a hint of warning.

"Hello, I'm Ryle from Falcon Town—Rhett Green is my father," Ryle introduced himself, noting the soldier's demeanor easing before continuing, "I heard from my steward that you're looking to purchase ores?"

Recognizing his identity, the soldier's tone softened. "Yes, that's correct. The front lines are in dire need of resources—no matter how much you have, we can take it all."

Ryle's expression brightened. "That's great news! To be honest, we have about 1.5 tons of ores stored in our territory..."

"Is that true?" The soldier's eyes widened in surprise, cutting Ryle off mid-sentence.

"You can send someone to our territory to verify it yourself," Ryle shrugged, feeling as if he were in a dream. For the past half week, he'd often wondered why his father had stored so many ores—what was the purpose? With over a ton of material, who could possibly use it all? What if it just sat there and went to waste?

But today, he finally understood! No doubt his father had gathered intelligence from Commander Ambiru during their last meeting, using that information to seize this opportunity. Truly, his father was remarkable!

"Alright! Wait here while I report this to my commander."

The soldier rode off on his warhorse, seemingly heading toward the front of the group.

After about a minute, the unit resumed its march toward Twilight City. However, twenty soldiers remained behind, accompanied by several dozen carts, and turned back in the opposite direction.

They stopped in front of Ryle.

A tall, burly man with a scar running diagonally across his face, clad in black armor with a large two-handed sword slung across his back, approached. The sword nearly dragged along the ground.

"Hello, Ryle. I'm Snowy, Second Captain under Commander Ambiru. I hear Falcon Town has a large stockpile of ores?"

"That's right."

Confirming the information, Snowy's eyes gleamed with delight. He didn't care about the source of the ores and said in a deep voice, "Excellent. Please lead the way. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the prices."

"I'd be happy to. Follow me."

...

In the first-floor hall of Deep Rock Fortress, Rhett sat in a chair, using a delicate iron spoon to scoop up a mixture of blueberry syrup, pudding, and green bean ice. The flavors danced on his taste buds, a sweet and slightly sour combination that left him feeling refreshed.

"Oh, this green bean ice is quite good," Rhett commented as he studied the fiery red patterns on the spoon. He remarked, "But this spoon seems to be made from Fire Pattern Ore. Doesn't seem fitting for ice treats. The ice melts as soon as it touches the spoon, ruining the texture!"

Sveta, who had just walked out of the kitchen, also holding a cup of ice, was using an ordinary glass and a plain gray iron spoon. Hearing Rhett's words, he quickened his pace and soon stepped into the hall. Pointing to a slim figure inside, he scolded, "Shal, you must have let the summer heat get to your head! That's the spoon prepared for the master and young master to use during winter for soup. Who told you to bring it out now?"

Shal, who had just picked up a rag to wipe the corners of the wall, suddenly realized his mistake. He slapped his forehead in regret. "Oh, Mr. Sveta, I forgot about that!"

He then dejectedly approached Rhett. "I'm sorry, master. Please forgive my foolishness. Give me another chance, and I'll make it right!"

Rhett examined the spoon, admiring the craftsmanship. "It's a beautifully crafted soup spoon, very nice. Did you arrange for the blacksmiths to make it?"

"No, it was Young Master Ryle. He said that with these spoons, the little ones won't have to worry about the cold when they're born in the winter, whether they're drinking milk or soup." Sveta paused and praised, "Young Master Ryle is very thoughtful!"

"Oh, that's very considerate!" Rhett chuckled and told Shal, "Please put it back in its place and clean it thoroughly. And while you're at it, bring me a different spoon."

"Make sure not to handle it with your dirty hands. Clean it properly and bring it on a tray," Sveta added quickly.

Shal, moved by their forgiveness, said, "Thank you for your kindness, master. I'll take care of it right away!"

Half an hour later, Rhett had finished his ice treat with a new spoon.

"Master, would you like another cup?"

"No, too much sweetness can get overwhelming," Rhett replied, placing the empty cup on the table. He then softly wondered, "Why hasn't Ryle returned yet?"

"I'll go check," Sveta said, heading toward the castle's entrance.

Not long after, he returned with Ryle. They went to the kitchen to inform Chef Maru to prepare for a possible lunch feast, while Ryle joyfully reported to Rhett, "Father, Commander Ambiru's second captain has arrived. He's in charge of procuring supplies, and they've reached the manor!"

"Second Captain… Snowy?" Rhett's eyes flashed with surprise as he quickly stood up. "Come, we must greet our guests!"

He and Snowy were old acquaintances, both having served under Commander Ambiru.

At the manor's gate, Rhett met Snowy, and the two exchanged pleasantries. As they entered the manor, Rhett noticed the dozens of carts, more than enough to transport his ores.

Walking across the lush green lawn at the forefront, Snowy remarked, "Rhett, it seems you've done well for yourself after retiring. To achieve this in the southwest borderlands is quite remarkable."

"Heh, just a bit of luck," Rhett replied with a smile before his expression turned serious. "I heard that the front line battles have escalated again?"

Snowy's demeanor grew somber as he nodded. "Yes. The number of orcs has surged since two months ago. Our casualties and resource consumption have spiked. If this continues, we may have to raise the alarm in the southwest borderlands within a few months!" Snowy squinted.

Though Rhett already knew this news, he remained silent, leading the way to the warehouse.

Upon seeing the tall, spacious stone warehouse, Snowy and his soldiers expressed their amazement.

When Rhett opened the storage room, the concentrated elemental energy from within caught Snowy's attention. He quickly stepped inside, eyes lighting up.

"Hmm, Blue Stone Ore, Light Crystal Ore, and Fire Pattern Ore..." There weren't many types of ore, but the quantity left Snowy astonished.

He ran his hand over a semi-translucent Light Crystal Ore, feeling its rough edges. After a moment, his voice echoed from the depths of the warehouse, "Rhett, how much of this ore do you intend to sell?"

"I'd like to know the price first."

"Alright. Blue Stone Ore and Fire Pattern Ore are being purchased at 1.4 times the usual price, 5 gold and 7 silver per kilogram. Light Crystal Ore is more valuable, with an 80% premium, making the price 10 gold and 8 silver per kilogram." Snowy stepped out of the warehouse and asked, "Are you satisfied with these prices?"

Though Rhett was already saying "Yes" in his mind, he maintained a contemplative silence for half a minute before solemnly agreeing, "I'm willing to sell it all. I hope it will help with the war effort."

He didn't haggle, as there was no need. This price would net Rhett about 70% profit.

Considering that he had only invested time and manpower, it was indeed a lucrative deal!

"This sale could earn me over 4,000 gold coins..." Rhett calculated silently.

With the transaction settled, the soldiers began loading the ores onto their carts.

Since the ores were already in mining carts, the process was quick. Rhett observed that half of Snowy's knights were at least at the fourth rank, and some didn't even emit any detectable aura.

Within half an hour, the warehouse was empty, thanks to the knights' immense strength.

Soon after, soldiers arrived with sacks of gold coins, placing them before Rhett.

After counting the coins and confirming the amount, Rhett's mood improved considerably. He extended a polite invitation, "Captain Snowy, I've had some snacks prepared and a fine lunch in the works. Why not join me at the castle for a meal?"

"Unfortunately, I must decline. We're pressed for time and need to get to Twilight City, with Firestone City still ahead of us," Snowy said, dusting off his hands. "Perhaps when you return to the battlefield, we can drink together."

"I look forward to that day, though… I also don't," Rhett replied with a heavy heart.

Snowy fell silent for a moment before forcing a lighter tone. "Yeah, who wishes for war to spread? I've already lost several brothers."

Sighing, he patted Rhett on the elbow, forcing a smile. "No time to linger; we need to be on our way."

"I'll see you to the gate."