Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

The thorn trees in this area grew haphazardly, with uneven heights and crooked trunks, each covered in sharp thorns. These thorns varied in length from a few centimeters to more than ten centimeters, and anyone who carelessly stumbled into them would surely end up with a few painful punctures. The common folk of Hawk Town usually avoided this dangerous place. Even the experienced woodcutters of the East Eagle Lumberyard had to stay vigilant when moving through the forest. Their exaggerated movements, though precise, were necessary to dodge the thorns—they had no desire to return home injured.

Rhett watched as the woodcutters shifted positions, their movements strange and awkward. Some bent at the waist, others squatted low, and some leaned to the right, forming shapes reminiscent of arcs. Their postures changed rapidly to avoid the thorns, making Rhett think of scenes from movies where spies contorted their bodies to navigate through laser grids. It was amusingly similar.

Shaking off these odd thoughts, Rhett scanned the area again, counting over thirty small pits already dug in the forest. His attention was soon drawn to a woodcutter who had been lying on the ground, crawling forward with one hand while avoiding two thorn trees that formed an "X" shape. Once clear of the obstacle, the woodcutter stood up, scanning the ground as if deciding where to dig next.

Dressed in a dirt-streaked black coat, the familiar figure was none other than Kootin. But what caught Rhett's eye was the mirror in Kootin's hand. Although the surface was dirty, caked with soil, Rhett could still recognize it as a mirror. Its back was brightly colored, and even the layer of dirt couldn't completely dull its vibrant hues.

"Another antique?" Tuck, Rhett's eldest son, noticed as well. Rolling up his sleeves, he felt an urge to join in the digging. The last antique had already rewarded him with a mid-level breathing technique. Who knew what other surprises the next one might hold?

Rhett caught Tuck's eager glance and his rolled-up sleeves. As a father, he could easily guess his son's thoughts. He firmly patted Tuck on the shoulder, signaling for him to stay put with a reassuring look. Then, Rhett called out loudly toward the thorn forest, "Everyone inside, listen up! Kootin, gather your men and leave the thorn forest immediately!"

Though Rhett and his sons were only a few dozen meters from the forest, the woodcutters, who were ordinary folk, had been too focused on avoiding thorns and digging the ground to notice their approach. The dense shadows cast by the thorn trees only made it harder to keep track of anything outside the forest. It wasn't until Rhett's voice rang out that they snapped to attention, recognizing the familiar voice.

Kootin, startled, stepped onto a dirt mound, gripping his shovel in one hand as he echoed Rhett's order. His other hand waved vigorously as he shouted, "Alright, everyone, the lord has spoken! We need to leave the forest immediately. No dawdling—let's regroup outside. And be careful of the thorns!"

Though Kootin didn't know why the lord had given such an order, he followed it without question. The woodcutters were quick to respond, emerging from different parts of the forest and gathering around Kootin. As their leader, Kootin made sure everyone was accounted for and unharmed before leading them to Rhett.

"Good morning, my lord. I planned to focus on digging this morning, and after two hours of work, I've uncovered another antique. It appears to be a mirror." Kootin reported, holding out the mirror with both hands. His face, smudged with dirt, showed both seriousness and excitement.

Though Rhett already knew the outcome, he accepted the mirror with both hands, examining it closely. After a moment, he nodded and handed the mirror to Rylee, who stood to his left. Rhett smiled and patted Kootin on the shoulder, offering a few words of encouragement before turning to address the group.

"Your current method of digging is too slow. I'll use magic to help clear most of the obstacles," Rhett announced.

Rylee glanced at his father, then at the thorn forest, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. It was another chance to witness his father's magic in action. The woodcutters of East Eagle Lumberyard were equally curious. They had heard that their lord was a mage, but they had never seen him cast a spell. Today, they would finally get to see it with their own eyes.

Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Rhett focused his energy, drawing deeply on his mental strength. What he was about to do wasn't exactly casting a spell in the traditional sense but rather manipulating the earth element with his magical affinity—a broader form of magic. True magic, as practiced by mages, was a highly complex art involving precise elemental paths and tightly compressed energy, far more powerful than simple elemental manipulation.

In the outer area of the thorn forest, about 20 square meters of land began to tremble slightly. Clumps of soil lifted into the air and drifted to a nearby clearing, leaving behind an area that would have taken a woodcutter half a day to clear. The sight left the woodcutters in awe. Hawk Town was a remote place, and most of the townsfolk wouldn't dare venture far from home. The wild beasts alone were difficult to handle, not to mention magical creatures and other unknown dangers. They had never witnessed such a miraculous display before.

The only extraordinary power they had seen was the raw physical strength of knights, their ability to shatter objects with their bodies, and the glowing waves of fighting spirit released from their punches and kicks. Mages were a concept they had only heard of occasionally from knights. Now, seeing it firsthand, they were filled with awe, gazing at their lord with newfound reverence.

After about ten minutes, beads of sweat appeared on Rhett's forehead. He had been moving soil continuously, and the mental strain was beginning to take its toll.

"Ah..." Rhett exhaled deeply, relaxing his body. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and looked ahead. The thorn forest was now vastly different. With so much soil moved, the thorn trees had lost their support and were now leaning or lying flat in the loose earth.

At that moment, Tuck pulled out a towel from somewhere and reached toward Rhett's forehead. Midway, Rhett intercepted the towel with a roll of his eyes. "I'll do it myself," he said, snatching the towel from Tuck's hand.

...