Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

George slapped his forehead in frustration and rubbed his sleepy eyes. His mind had been so preoccupied with Blackie last night that he had forgotten to lock the door when he got back. He chuckled awkwardly, "That's my mistake, not yours, Mr. Sveta."

"Even though Eagletown has good security, you should still be careful. You can't be too careless," Sveta casually reminded him before getting to the point. "I just received word that the trade caravan will depart this afternoon, so you don't have much time."

"Make sure to prepare the horse feed in advance! Check thoroughly for any signs of illness or injury. You know better than I do about that. In short, the caravan leaves this afternoon, and this time, there won't be any delays. Hurry and get everything ready."

Seeing George standing there stunned, Sveta didn't think much of it, assuming it was just due to the time crunch. He left quickly after delivering his message.

But George was in a panic. Ruffling his messy hair, he muttered to himself, "What? Only delayed by a day, and we're leaving again this afternoon? It's only been one night—I don't even know if Blackie is pregnant yet..."

He paced back and forth in his house for a few minutes before sighing in resignation. "Sigh, I'll just have to send Blackie and Gray off together. After last night, there's a good chance they'll mate again. Hopefully, this won't affect the caravan's journey."

Determined, he thought to himself, "I need to make the most of this opportunity. If they're separated for too long, all of last night's efforts could be wasted."

By afternoon, the caravan outside Deep Rock Fortress was ready to depart.

"...and that's the situation," George explained to Lord Rhett, recounting everything that had happened over the past few days and last night.

Rhett sat atop Gray, listening to George's report with a look of surprise. He waved his hand dismissively, "I understand. During the journey, I'll make sure to give Blackie and Gray time alone whenever we rest. This is a good thing. If Blackie does get pregnant, it shows your efforts are paying off. In the long run, this will greatly benefit our caravan's transport capacity. Well done!"

Hearing those words of praise, George felt a weight lift off his shoulders and happily bowed in gratitude.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Suddenly, a cold wind blew, snatching Rhett's hat from his head. He quickly caught it, clutching it firmly in his hand. George shivered and clasped his hands together, feeling the chill. To his surprise, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

"Huh? How did the wind pick up all of a sudden? And now it's snowing?" Rhett's eyes flickered with astonishment as he instinctively looked toward Rylee.

Rylee, too, turned his head, his suspicions confirmed when he spotted Nina hiding behind a third-floor window, playfully shaking her head.

So, it was just a little prank.

The snow was indeed Nina's doing, but luckily Rylee had already instructed her on how to behave around Deep Rock Fortress. The most important rule was not to venture out recklessly or reveal herself to anyone.

Rhett had also warned that Eagletown's foundations were still being built. Although a spirit like Nina couldn't be stolen, it was better to avoid flaunting her presence. Only when their power was strong enough could they prevent the negative consequences of human envy and greed.

Thus, Nina had cleverly made sure that the snowfall covered not only Eagletown but also extended about a mile beyond, so no one would notice anything unusual.

Rylee understood that this was her way of saying goodbye, and he smiled warmly, waving back. Satisfied, Nina bounced away from the window and disappeared from sight.

Rylee had taken great care to ensure secrecy. Deep within the third floor of the fortress, he had constructed an ice chamber where Nina could reside. He often visited the chamber to meditate or spend time with her.

"Father, are we ready to depart?" Rylee asked, his mood noticeably lightened.

"Let's go!" Rhett commanded, squeezing his legs around Gray's sides and urging the horse forward.

Clop, clop, clop...

The crisp sound of hooves echoed as the rest of the caravan followed closely behind. Tuck and Rylee rode slightly behind Rhett on his left and right, while Kurs, fully armed and mounted on a gray horse, took up position behind them, adopting the cautious, vigilant attitude he had honed during his mercenary days. Even after leaving Eagletown, Kurs remained on high alert.

Behind him were the apprentice knights, Miguel and Tru, along with four attendants and the packhorses carrying the trade goods.

Looking back, Rhett saw the small group of riders and felt a nostalgic sense of familiarity with his battlefield days. Only this time, he was no longer following someone else's lead—he was the lord. While the scale was much smaller compared to the hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of soldiers he had once seen, Rhett was filled with determination. Becoming a great lord was only a matter of time.

Comparing this to his previous simulation, everything seemed to be going according to plan. The only difference this time was that he hadn't brought any of the antiques along. But as long as he kept that information to himself, no one would know about the benefits Deep Rock Fortress had secretly gained.

The next day.

The weather was overcast, and even in the morning, there was no sign of the sun. The oppressive atmosphere might have affected Rhett's mood had he not known the outcome from his simulation. His mount, Gray, had been sluggish in the morning but quickly perked up after eating some wolf jerky that Rhett had provided.

"It seems Gray and Blackie really hit it off. Since we left Eagletown, they've been inseparable, nuzzling each other whenever we stop to rest," Rhett mused, thinking back to last night when the two horses had shared another intimate moment, leaving Gray visibly exhausted.

Rhett was pleased with the development. While this world had many advantages, it lacked magical horse beasts. Whether noble or commoner, whether military or civilian, everyone relied on horses for transportation and riding. Only a select few elites could rely on magical beasts for help.

This made horses invaluable, and high-quality horses were even more coveted. Having served in the military for years, Rhett had seen countless horses and considered himself knowledgeable. In his opinion, Blackie was among the best of the best. There were many black horses, but few as outstanding as Blackie. Rhett suspected that its superior traits were the result of a bloodline mutation or some other unknown factor.

Tuck had truly struck gold when he found and brought back such a horse.

Of course, this was only under the assumption that Blackie could help improve the bloodline of the territory's horses. A single exceptional horse, no matter how good, was of limited importance. Only by breeding more horses with similar traits could they significantly benefit the territory.

"I'll keep an eye out in Twilight City for quality horses if the opportunity arises," Rhett decided. However, he knew the chances were slim. Even if such horses were available, lesser nobles would be reluctant to sell them, preferring to keep them for personal use. Only something of equal value would convince them to trade.

As time passed, the landscape remained mostly flat, with scattered shrubs dotting the plains. Rhett found it all rather monotonous.

As evening approached, the sky once again turned blood-red with the setting sun.

...