Honey, I've Leveled the Kids [Family-Focus, LitRPG - COMPLETE]

"Does anyone need supplies?" I asked the two as I dug through my inventory for potions as I walked around the guild training area. "I need a few healing potions. With how sly the Pantheon Guild is, I bet they use poison attacks. We'll want a way to deal with poison and bleed effects."

"Is your vision still bad?" Elaine said somewhere to the side of me.

It surprised me that she remembered. My vision was still splotchy and narrow, but it wouldn't stop me from doing what the kids want. Before I could reply, something solid stopped in front of my legs, causing me to stumble right over it. I realized it was Triangle as he cried out, "Ow!"

I got up, dusting my clothes of the guildhall dirt off, twisting my head around. A gnome red hat filled my vision.

Triangle put his hands on his hips. "You're not ready like this! You walked right over me."

"Your stealth skills have improved," I tried to push the problem aside. This wasn't supposed to be about me, it was about the kids.

"Triangle's right. If you couldn't even see him, how are you going to see to fight?" Naiad was waving her own hand in front of my face.

With a quick snatch, I missed her fingers because she was faster.

"See, you can't catch us."

"I fought fine in the last fight. I normally don't look down below my knees," I defended.

"Then how can you keep him safe?" Naiad crossed her arms.

She was right. I looked around for my son. In that short time, I already lost him. I heard Triangle run off, but by the time I turned my head to find him, he was already gone.

"DAD!" Triangle shouted loud enough that drill sergeants would be jealous. "COME HERE!"

Following the sounds of his voice, I ran toward the alchemy shop.

The gnome hat blurred in front of me as he dashed about left and right at his stations. He grabbed fresh plants and flasks filled with dry herbs. "Ma'am Q said you needed a potion to fix your eyes. It unlocked me a new card thanks to you visiting her."

"I know with you and your sister around me, I'll be back good as new and better than before." I wasn't concerned like them, but I accepted the help they offered.

"Yep." Naiad chimed in next to me. "How long will this take?"

"Ummmmmm" Triangle held onto the last letter, and took a breath, "Ummmmm" he continued for a good two minutes.

Silence took over as he carefully turned on the burner. The solution slowly bubbled, liquid condensing on the top and dripping down a long glass tunnel until it dripped into a vial below. The set up looked like a nightmare from chemistry class.

"Forty more minutes!" Triangle declared.

"We can go out and plant the seed and be back in time," Naiad pointed to the exit. "What's the worst that happens if the potion goes over that timer?"

"Nothing, it just sits in the bottle. Should it do something?" doubt took over Triangle's face as he removed his hat and tapped at the condenser and the bubbles. He singed his fingertips on the hot glass and shook his hand.

"I don't know," I told him. "You're the smartest one, the expert in potions now. You're so cool!"

"It's pretty nice how many potions he can give us," Naiad agreed.

"Speaking of which, Triangle, how much do I owe you for the potions? I owe you three thousand coins, too."

He stopped with tinkering with his titration device and looked at the bag herbs he had next to him. "I want chips tomorrow for breakfast."

"I'm asking about five greater healing potions. How much do you charge for them?"

"A full bag of chips," Triangle claimed.

Naiad laughed. "I'll pay a chocolate bar from the vending machine for my potions."

"Your own bag of chips it is, but not for breakfast," I agreed on.

That was way cheaper than the cost in Purge, and I didn't want the price to jump higher. It was a good thing Triangle didn't open up his own stall in the marketplace to trade and sell potions. Players would take advantage of him and sell him a bunch of level one fish and crawlers.

I was going to be the opposite of that player. "I also have a bonus for you. It's a critter I caught in hell."

I pulled out the pet carrier and the Crowned Basilisk. The tiny creature was no larger than my hand, even with its beige and brown striped plume running up along its back. It's leather skin bunched up around its neck before its cheeks puffed up and it let a small cry out.

Triangle let one out to match it. "Ah! It's so cute!"

Naiad gently touched one of the long fingers on the creature, but it yanked its small fingers away. "What does it eat?"

"Bugs and mice, probably any small creatures really," I said.

Triangle pulled out Goldy, "This is your sister now!" He then dropped multiple wriggling worms from his inventory for the pets to eat. "I'll name you Queen since you have a crown."

He patted the plume gently. "Thanks dad!"

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"It is my mission to help gather worms to feed that creature for you," I replied.

"What about my vulture?" Naiad asked.

"I just need to slay more monsters for Kerry, then."

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[Side quest received! Feed the pets to keep the kids happy.]

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Queen opened up her mouth to bite Goldy. Goldy defended himself by doing a small blast of water at his new sister. Triangle put both back away into their pet carriers and pulled out a six-pack of greater healing potions. "Here you go. Chips are due later."

"Alright, let's head out and plant the seed," I declared.

"We should do it near the mountains," Triangle informed us.

"Then let's leave the city and have some fun," Naiad cheered in, and waved over at Kerry to follow.

With gear ready, we walked to the exit of the guildhall to enter the city of Fanamel. Days ago, this neighborhood felt safe, but now I hated how many corners and tall buildings surrounded us on this street. There were too many advantageous areas for the Pantheon guild to attack us. Archers or spell casters could sit safely up top and easily dodge attacks from Naiad. It put me on edge walking on the main street to feel so exposed without the normal herd of people around to blend in with.

The street traffic was non-existent. I saw one rogue grab their daggers as we strolled on the other side of the street from them. I replied in kind and reached for my shield, ready to save the kids.

"Where is everyone?" Naiad whispered to me. She held onto her new bow, but didn't have an arrow ready.

She and I were on edge while our little friend danced and sang a theme song in the street. As we got further away, the rogue let go, and so did we. Tension and distrust surrounded us, something that didn't belong in Fanamel, a starter town. Even some of the regular NPC shops were closed.

"I don't know. Monitor the buildings above us. I'll make sure Triangle doesn't get too far," I said. I learned my lesson from hell.

My nerves shot up as a troop of guards marched from around a corner. The banner of the city flying on a pole they carried. A sheep and wolf, how fitting for how a scumbag guild was trying to take over the city. I didn't trust the guards anymore, not after what I learned in Purge. As they marched away, I glanced behind to see if anyone was following.

No one, NPC or player, walked the wide street.

I wanted out of the city now. The gates were too far away as I picked up my walking pace. The kids followed my lead. I replayed everything I've said in front of the stream. I'd been super cautious and turned it off when we talked about where to plant the demonic seed last time. No one should know we were going northwest out of the city instead of west to the Clingeo Grove. We switched things up.

This part of the city was wealthier with how far spaced out the area was. Monuments to some historical heroes lined the street on every corner. Next to a shop sat a few decorative pots filled with flowers and plants. I glanced in the shop, noticing it was closed, and looked at Naiad. She gazed at the ground, her eyes glazed over. Above us I could see a few birds, and one very large bird, Kerry.

She had us covered. I joined Triangle in the dirt and dug up some bugs and handed them to him. It was nice to relax and enjoy nature like this with him. It made it easier to ignore the screaming part of me, saying we had to hurry and plant the demonic seed in Naiad's inventory. The seed had to go somewhere where only we knew.

It's not my game. The saying made me smile as I played it the way Triangle wanted to.

"Kerry wants the flower seed in his forest," Naiad said, her voice making me jump briefly. "He says it is a source of a lot of chaos magic and hellish plants could grow from it, out competing what's here."

I pointed to the wall with the forest was on the other side. "It's pretty easy for someone to find it in that dead forest area. Any druid with a plant skill could look for it. Triangle, do you have a plant skill?"

He finally finished collecting from the plants, but one flower still sat in his hand as he tore off a petal and dropped it to watch it twirl shortly to the ground. He did it again before replying. "Things with the word demon in it don't like water. They like wet though. Not sure what."

My brain shifted gears on the conversation. I needed more information. "If they like to be wet, but hate water, how does that work?"

"Avoid the good fishing spots," he said. "That's what Ma'am Q explained to me."

"I only know of the river near here. We are probably looking for high mountains, or a bog," I explained.

"No on the bog," Naiad snapped, her eyes becoming clear as she joined our conversation fully. "I've had enough of that. We'll play it safe then and plant it near the mountains."

"I agree. Sorry we can't help Kerry out."

She waved a hand. "It's fine. The vines you gave me earlier are doing great there as is."

"There's going to be stronger monsters there than what was in Clingeo Grove." Naiad skipped a thought of a challenge.

Where the thrill of the fight excited her and me, it caused Triangle to stop walking and lock down. His head turned back toward the way we came, past the statues. "I need to watch the potion."

That was the only warning we got as he turned around and sprinted down the open street. Past the closed shops.

Naiad sprinted to catch him and his short, little legs. Her eyes darted up before she grabbed his shoulder to stop him and asked. "What's up?"

"I want to make more potions and bombs. I used a few yesterday…" His eyes twitched around as he looked up information.

Naiad and I got down to his eye level, waiting for him to reply, not wanting to ruin his focus. The game really had helped him to learn to cook, chemistry, and clean his station along with the hallway. It got through his fear.

Tears gathered around his gray eyes as he darted and looked up at me. "Why can't I find my alchemist quest? It says Ma'am Q isn't even on the map anymore."

Paternal instinct took over as I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him tight. "That stupid player fight we did yesterday caused it."

The small boy became only pure emotions as he cried into my arms here in the middle of the street. I scooped him up, squeezing him gently, wishing I could take the pain away. Ma'am Q was a friend he had that vanished. "She lives in another server, safe and selling potions," I tried to comfort him.

"Like CheezWiz?" he sniffled.

"Something similar, but not the same. You won't see her anymore." I didn't want to make a false promise that she would be back like CheezeWiz. I didn't even know if we could bring her back.

Naiad tapped my elbow. "He'll feel safer at the guildhall."

As much as continuing on would've helped us make progress finally on the Root and Seeds of the Problem, it wouldn't matter if Triangle couldn't be with us. The kid lifted his arms up to me, silently asking for me to carry him in my arms. I obliged.

"We can head back. Triangle, you did great about the city still, you even almost made it out. I'm proud of you for that. Take your time. Maybe we can get a Protection on the Road potion to travel to a new town far away and find you another herbalist NPC."

He only replied with multiple sniffles and cries. The herbalist was his fun in the game, and he had lost it. It was the original distraction from the Lady Branchelot fight, and now he needed something new. But first, he had to process this moment healthily. Later I could take him to the baker in the game, to eat something delicious, maybe even try out the class himself.

We trudged back to the guild. About way there, he said, "I want to go out and plant the seed. But I don't want to get hurt."

My hold on his hand tightened more. "I know. Some parts of the game punish like that. If you're having fun and feeling safe, I don't mind getting hurt. I can use this shield on my back, too. I swear to keep you safe, no matter the silliness. Just keep tossing me those potions."

His watery gray eyes looked up at me, glistening to start a new, but he pushed a smile out. "I want chips."

"For chips." I gave him a kiss on the head. "Do you want me to put you down or keep carrying you?"

Like normal, his body language answered as he squirmed until I lowered him.

As his arm slid through my hand, an arrow struck my chest for a critical damage, dropping me down to a third of my health. Two seconds sooner, it would've killed Triangle in my arms. I only survived because of my upgraded gear from Purge.

Already the game challenged me to keep my word on taking hits for him, as I looked to find the archer up on the roof pulling back another arrow.