Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

"Hehe, it's alright, we're not in a hurry. It's said that a sprite's personality is linked to its type and is determined from birth. This Snow Sprite seems to be the gentle kind," Tadel commented, though his eyes remained glued to the mysterious sprite, unable to look away.

He wasn't the only one; Tucker, in particular, was staring so intently that his eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets.

Tucker extended his hand, seemingly with a different thought in mind, but Riley intercepted it with a slap. Helplessly, he said, "Nina refuses to interact with others. At least wait until you get more familiar with her. Right now, she just wants to be alone for a bit."

Tucker, still fixated on the sprite, asked, "Can you communicate with her? Like a magical beast contract?"

"It might be similar, but I'm not sure. I just suddenly gained the ability to communicate with Nina," Riley responded as he gently stroked Nina's back. Her body was cool, smooth, and elastic to the touch.

At this point, Rhett intervened, "Alright, it's getting late. Now that everything's settled, it's not appropriate to keep standing here. Let's head back to the castle, and we can discuss Nina later."

He added firmly, "One more thing—what happened here tonight stays here. Not a word to anyone. Do you all understand?"

Tadel and Kulz immediately became serious and agreed wholeheartedly. They had no intention of leaking any information.

After all, sprites couldn't be stolen or transferred. Even if someone killed the master, the sprite would dissipate. There was no point in stirring up trouble unless they had a grudge or couldn't stand to see someone else succeed.

Quietly, the group returned to the manor. At the gate, Rhett noticed Lawrence, who had recently broken through to become a knight apprentice.

Lawrence and another knight apprentice, Pritz, stood on either side of the gate, each holding a longsword in one hand and a shield in the other.

Seeing their lord return, the two respectfully greeted him.

"Welcome back, Lord Rhett. Good evening."

As they greeted him, they noticed the two unfamiliar figures, Tadel and Kulz.

Although Lawrence had only recently become a knight apprentice, he quickly sensed the same kind of pressure he felt from the young masters radiating from the two strangers. He was secretly astonished—could these two be first-rank knights?

"My territory currently has seven knight apprentices. In the future, I'll likely need to trouble you both to take some time to guide them," Rhett mentioned to Tadel and Kulz, as if remembering something.

Kulz smiled lightly, "It's a small matter, Lord Rhett. It's our duty to serve you."

Tadel observed the two apprentices closely, his gaze lingering on Lawrence for a bit longer. A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes as he remarked, "This young knight seems to have broken through not long ago. His battle aura is still unstable and spills over, indicating he hasn't fully mastered it yet. However, judging by his age, he achieved this several years earlier than I did. He's bound for great things in the future."

Hearing this, Lawrence was both surprised and flattered, while Pritz could only sigh in envy.

"Oh? Lawrence?" Rhett glanced at Lawrence in surprise, stepping forward to pat his shoulder in encouragement. "Excellent. You've heard it—you seem to have some talent. You should cherish it. In the days to come, work hard and learn from your new mentors."

He added, "When the opportunity arises, I won't hesitate to provide you with a few bottles of battle aura potions to help you go further. For you, advancing to a first-rank knight or even higher shouldn't be out of reach."

This promise held great significance for Lawrence, and he responded excitedly, "Thank you, Lord Rhett! I will train diligently to become the sharpest sword in your hand."

"Haha, no need for a sword—being a sturdy shield is just as good," Rhett joked with a smile.

Tadel and Kulz watched the exchange, their eyes filled with expectation. A harmonious relationship between superiors and subordinates, without an overbearing attitude—this gave them a sense of hope for the future and alleviated any concerns they had.

Inside the castle, Swita stood in the hallway, peering out the window. Seeing his lord and the others return, he stepped outside to greet them.

Under the warm glow of the lamps along the stone pathway, Rhett smiled and said, "You see, we have two newcomers. From now on, the number of permanent residents in the castle will increase by two. I'll leave the rest to you."

Rhett then turned to Tadel and said, "This is my steward, Swita."

"Mr. Swita, it's a pleasure to meet you. You look quite well," Tadel greeted politely, showing proper respect. Although Swita was just an ordinary man, as the steward of the lord's castle, his position among common folk was quite elevated.

"Likewise, welcome to you both, strong knights. Deeprock Castle welcomes you. Please, this way." Swita gestured down a side path, leading them away.

In Deeprock Castle, the main fortress was where Rhett's family and the servants who worked inside the castle lived.

The servants who worked outside the castle, as well as the guards and others with extraordinary abilities, were usually housed in the outer fortress.

Of course, there were passageways connecting the main and outer fortresses, but except for patrols, missions, or special circumstances, the guards were not allowed to roam freely in the main fortress.

As the steward led the knights away, Rhett headed toward the main fortress.

The night's events had been rich and eventful.

After everything was settled, Tucker yawned as soon as they entered the main hall. He declared that he would take a hot bath and then head to bed.

Rhett, however, called Riley up to the fifth-floor hall.

The fifth floor was Rhett's private space, and thus had its own hall. Although not as spacious as the one on the first floor, it exuded a cozy atmosphere.

"Father, have some water," Riley said considerately, offering a cup of water.

Rhett smiled as he took the cup, watching as Riley unwrapped the bundle he had been carrying.

As soon as the bundle was undone, the delicate Snow Sprite emerged, curiously surveying its surroundings. Its large, round eyes sparkled like ice crystals, though it had a slit-like mouth that seemed incapable of speech.

Seeing Rhett, the Snow Sprite still appeared a bit shy. However, it was much more at ease than before, even hopping onto Riley's head to stand tall and meet Rhett's gaze.

The sprite tilted its head as it observed Rhett. Detecting the magic elements around him, it stared at him for a bit longer.

But sensing the earth element—a type it didn't particularly like—it soon turned its attention elsewhere, examining the surroundings with curiosity.

"This is my father, Nina. There's no need to be afraid," Riley conveyed the message to the Snow Sprite with a smile.

The sprite seemed to understand somewhat, glancing at Rhett again. Rhett smiled warmly and waved, trying to convey friendliness, and the sprite slowly floated toward him.

But then, it perfectly avoided him.

Opening its tiny mouth, it conjured a stream of icy water that extinguished the fire in the hearth.

Hiss, hiss!

The sound of the fire being snuffed out left both Rhett and Riley stunned.

Nina, oblivious to the mischief she had just caused, jumped onto Rhett's head with a blank, innocent look.