Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Riley paused for a moment, then realized what had happened and explained to his father, "Nina has a very simple mind, like a child right now. She just doesn't like fire or anything too hot, which is why she took it upon herself to extinguish the fire in the fireplace."

Although the brightness in the room had dimmed a notch, Rhett smiled wryly and waved it off, signaling that it didn't bother him. He even asked, "If she encounters fire or something too hot, would it harm the Snow Sprite?"

Riley sighed in relief and smiled, "No, it won't. Actually, since Nina recognized me as her master, I've sensed that she's an extremely mystical being. She brings an entirely new sensation."

He added with a mysterious grin, "While she doesn't have strong combat abilities, her usefulness will definitely exceed your expectations."

"Oh? Like what?" Rhett's interest was piqued.

Riley eagerly explained, "First, she can influence the weather around her, but only to make it snow. And there's something even more impressive—Nina can accelerate the growth of water-based magic plants and magical beasts. How about that? Amazing, right?" Riley's eyes were filled with disbelief, even as he explained it.

As for how he knew about the Snow Sprite's abilities, the knowledge had naturally come to him after the sprite recognized him as her master.

"Can she really do that?" Rhett couldn't stay seated anymore. He walked over and placed his hands on Riley's shoulders, his eyes bright with excitement.

Riley nodded and then let the Snow Sprite hop onto Rhett's shoulder.

Feeling its presence up close, Rhett couldn't help but marvel at how incredible this creature was, a condensation of the laws of nature itself.

He gently squeezed it, finding it cool to the touch and quite elastic.

"Of course, tomorrow I plan to go to the back of the estate and test it out."

"In that case, we should reconsider the development plan for the territory," Rhett said thoughtfully as he gazed at the Snow Sprite.

After a moment of reflection, he asked, "Do you know how much faster she can accelerate the growth of water-based magic plants and beasts? Can you determine that yet?"

Riley paused, furrowed his brow, and after a moment said, "It doesn't seem like I can sense that. We might need to experiment a bit to figure it out. I also suspect this ability has some limitations. After all, even though sprites are said to be magical, they aren't supposed to be too overpowered."

Rhett nodded in agreement with this assessment. He stood up, leaving Riley with a quick "Wait here," and headed to his room.

When he returned, Rhett was holding a small cloth bag.

Riley watched curiously as Rhett explained, "These seeds can be planted tomorrow."

"Where did you get these, Father? I can sense a strong magical element from them, and it seems like there are quite a few. The quality isn't low either," Riley remarked, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"I exchanged some of my surplus merits for them before I left the front lines. No point in just letting them sit around collecting dust," Rhett said with a shrug.

Before his retirement, Rhett had exchanged his military merits for a few items, including potions to aid in battle aura cultivation and various magical plant seeds.

He had considered the growth of both his family and his territory when making these exchanges, focusing primarily on earth-based and water-based magic plant seeds, though he also acquired a few from other elemental types.

The potions would help quickly train the family's knights, providing short-term benefits, while the magic plant seeds were an investment in the family's long-term development.

In the military, it was easier to exchange for rare items, such as the medium-grade magical plant seeds Rhett had obtained. For a small territory like Hawk's Nest, it might take a year to collect just a few dozen seeds, if even that.

Rhett had also anticipated that after his retirement, he might face opposition from others, which could make it difficult for him to gather magical plant seeds in the future. He had feared a scenario where he had wealth but nowhere to spend it.

So, he had brought over five hundred seeds in one go, eliminating that concern and saving a lot of time.

Although the family had already planted some magical plants, they were all the most common, low-grade varieties with mediocre effects.

As Riley opened the bag, he found a wealth of rare seeds inside.

His primary focus was on the water-based seeds, as the Snow Sprite could accelerate their growth. These plants would undoubtedly become a major economic asset for the family in the future.

"Ice Crystal Lilies, Water Moon Grass, Mist Lotus, Snow Vine, and Frost Pines—five different types of water-based magic plants. Not bad. Apart from Water Moon Grass, which is somewhat common, the other plants are hard to find, even in the noble territories or the merchant guilds of Twilight City," Riley said excitedly.

He then sifted through the other elemental seeds. Despite being mentally prepared, he was still pleasantly surprised.

Magical plants differ from ordinary ones in that they concentrate their essence as they mature, producing very few seeds, usually only a handful.

Magical plants are primarily used to create alchemical potions or supply materials for enchanted equipment, although the latter requires particularly rare specimens.

Among the water-based plants Rhett had brought, only the Frost Pine and Snow Vine met the requirements for enchanting equipment. If they were allowed to grow for long enough, they could become excellent materials for water-element magic staffs.

After calming down and considering the possibilities, Riley said, "Father, I have an idea."

"Let's hear it," Rhett replied.

"The seeds you brought are indeed precious, but there are only just over a hundred water-based seeds. With Nina's ability, wouldn't it be better to exchange the seeds from other elements with other nobles for equivalent water-based seeds? This way, we could maximize Nina's potential.

Once we've expanded our water-based plant collection and gained a reputation, we'll have a steady stream of income. By then, trading for seeds from other elements, or even more valuable items, will be much easier, won't it?"

Riley's plan was well-organized and logically sound. After he finished explaining, he looked directly at his father, waiting for his response.

Rhett couldn't help but smile. Riley's thoughts were right in line with his own; he had been considering something similar.

The growth cycles of magical plants aren't quick—at least six months to a year, and in some cases, even three, five, or more years.

Only special plants, like Frost Pines, don't have a growth limit—the longer they grow, the more valuable they become.

So, focusing their efforts on water-based plants in the short term was indeed the best course of action.

Riley's plan didn't disappoint Rhett. Nodding in approval, Rhett said, "This plan has a high chance of success. I'll leave it to you to handle. Keep only about ten percent of the seeds from the other elements and trade the rest for water-based seeds."

He added, "You've always managed the merchant caravans well, and I'm confident you'll handle this too."

"Thank you for trusting me, Father," Riley said, holding the bag of seeds with great satisfaction. He seemed to already envision Hawk's Nest becoming the wealthiest territory under Earl Brayn's jurisdiction.

This jurisdiction wasn't about ownership but rather a stipulation of kingdom law: in times of emergency, such as an orc invasion or external threat, an earl had the authority to mobilize viscounts, barons, and other nobles to defend the kingdom.

After discussing a few more details, Riley took the Snow Sprite and left.

Rhett remained in the hall, deep in thought. As he gazed at the flickering candle flames, he pondered the future.

After a while, he concluded that it was time for another simulation.