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

Sunday was the only chance for Beth to game with us. At first I felt bad we didn't take her out on an adventure and made her do menial tasks like tearing leaves off herbs, but then I remembered we were doing what Triangle wanted. The large gummy grin the frog sported was proof enough that it was what Beth wanted.

Thanks to the Lizard-folk and the ozo, the seed timer was dropping fast. It got to a point we had to send Kerry out and tell them to stop. We needed time to work on our plan and grow an army, and make sure the seed didn't sprout while the kids were in school.

>>><<<

[Demonic Seed growing (1)

Time Remaining: 2 days, 0 hours, 46 minutes]

>>><<<

For the next two days, every member of the Shrimp Guild leveled up herbalist and alchemy under Triangle's tutelage. As a child, he savored the command.

"No, you were supposed to lay the herbs this way." He twisted the ones Naiad had put down on the table. "They look upside down to me if they're that way."

"But you're just going to smash them down to pieces, anyway," she said.

I was tearing off bad leaves as I watched Naiad reach to grab the pestle and show him how it was done.

"Don't! You could ruin the batch," Triangle ordered his older sister.

I gently clapped my hands to get the kids' attention. "Let her smash some herbs. I'm certain she can handle it. Remember, we're supposed to work as a team."

A deep frown stretched across Triangle's face. "But this is my project to lead."

"Why don't you and I head to market with the current batch and put them up for sale?" I offered him to break up the bunch. Turns out forcing an adventure to sit and do crafting for days creates anxiety as much as taking a crafter out to the woods. The kids were complete opposites.

"Want me to make the forum post now?" CheezWiz tore the moss apart and placed it into a bunch of small bowls that would simmer shortly.

"Yes, and try to uh tear things… What do you think, Triangle?" I was trying to code the language that everyone learned these last few days, all while trying to avoid overstepping Triangle's position.

"Don't touch my workstation," snapped Triangle. "Can you guys do something else so I know they stay safe from you?"

CheezWiz gave a thumbs up, but I could see the forced smile. He had to spend a few dexterity points after he broke a few potion bottles during mixing the other day. His strength was insanely high compared to mine.

I put a hand on Triangle's red hat, pushing the point down. "Bud, nicer words. Let's go look at something else besides potions."

"Fine. Let's get phase two going! Build the army!" Triangle cheered. "I have over a hundred healing potions."

For the last two days, he questioned the plan every ten minutes. He knew it inside and out, but was still nervous and excited for it all to come together. Triangle would be the reason we succeed at defeating the quest.

Waving my farewell, I noticed the group's relief at being released from the child's dictatorship control. They had to listen if we wanted the plan to work. Shrimp Guild had created potions nonstop for the last two days. Triangle started with the greater healing potions until Iris and the other Lizard-Folk arrived outside the gates with the herbs we needed for the Traveling Protection Potions.

We loaded up a cart with ten large potion crates. We were going to cause a culture shift in the city of Fanamel today. Six crates were healing potions, the rest protection potions. If it wasn't for the endless inventory, Triangle would've needed a forklift to carry everything to the city.

"Naiad's going to flip all the herbs upside down," he grumbled.

"Tell me what's actually bothering you." I told him as I pushed the cart down the road to the marketplace.

"We're trying to make a lot of friends with these potions." He kicked a pebble on the road. "But what if there are more people like the Pantheon? Lots of them that want to hurt us?"

"Naiad and I will be there for you. Goldy too," I sighed, hating the truth I had to say. "I'm scared and nervous as well. This is the biggest monster we've ever fought. If you want, or feel too scared, you can stop. I'll stop if Naiad wants to, too."

I paused the cart, waiting for his response.

He kept walking instead, kicking his pebble down the road, unware of how players moved out of our way. Finally, he stopped and noticed I wasn't moving. A frown crossed his round face. "What if you get too scared?"

"It's going to take a lot more to scare me in this video game. As long as I have eyes on you and your sister, I'll be fine." I gave an assuring smile.

Triangle waved for me to follow and I continued my job as pack mule to the trader hall behind him. The line for putting goods was short. Players milled about, waiting to snap up the best products as soon as it became available. Blacksmiths, cooks, hunters, and adventurers turning in loot, all hoping to make coin and continue on the game. To get out of Fanamel to richer lands.

Before we got too close and triggered the trader NPC, I opened up one crate containing the protection potions, to showcase what we had to the players watching. A few players whispered, one even whistled at the goods as I did a slow spin to show off the shiny bottles. The Shrimp Guild was here to save the day.

We approached the trader's table. The goblin working it sat on a tall stool and had glasses larger than necessary, staying on his long pointy nose with a thick leather strand tied around his head.

In a clear voice, void of normal goblin grind, he called out to Triangle. "Mr. Triangle, good to see you here today. We've had inquiries about your work. My other supplier also stopped the same day as you."

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Triangle's face lowered. "Hi Sanders, your other person didn't agree with me about prices."

Sanders sneered, his sharp teeth poking out from his thin lips. "Are you going for a monopoly?"

"Only if I get to play the hat!" Triangle chirped up at the question.

The goblin laughed and hearts floated above his head. "Of course, sir."

Triangle tugged at my sleeve and waved at me to come down. Squatting to his height, I heard him whisper, "I always get the best discounts from Sanders when I talk about the board game and money."

I chuckled. Triangle weaponized the child favoritism of the game. I wondered how often he did that.

"You're doing great. Let's sell these potions and see what deal you get."

Triangle pulled out all ten crates. They filled the table instantly, ready for inspection. Players walked closer, and I heard one say, "It's an alchemist."

I glanced back, but none dared to approach the inspecting trader table with the city guards surrounding. I had zero trust in the guards, knowing how easily the Pantheon Guild friended them. As a precaution, I took my shield off and leaned down on it while waiting on Triangle.

"My, my, my, gooooodness." Sanders stretched the "o". "This is far more than your normal batch. Oh, you even have these. Truly disrupting the market."

The goblin took off his glasses and pulled out a tiny magnifying glass, going over each one. "Greater healing potions are uncommon tier. These Traveling Protection Potions vary from common to uncommon. How much would like to put up for each?"

"Thirty gold for the Greater Healing Potions, and hundred gold for the protection potions."

"Only a hundred? The average market cost has them going for a grand. Here, let me show you." A piece of paper and quill feather with ink dripping appeared in the goblin's small green hands as he started a lesson. "Hundred is a one, then two zeros. While a thousand has three."

"I know. I want to sell it for a hundred," Triangle declared.

The goblin looked at the thousand written on the paper and then back at the potions. "You could make a lot of money."

"Dad," Triangle looked back at me, "I don't know what's happening. Normally, he sells them at the price I ask for."

"He's losing a cut of the sale because you aren't asking for a higher. It's up to you, but don't go over four hundred."

Triangle's eyes widened. "Then I want two hundred and twenty-two. All the twos!"

Sanders sighed as he caved in on that cost. The potions vanished in front of us. "Is there anything else, Mr. Triangle?"

"No, we will be back tomorrow with more. Bye!"

With that transaction complete, we focused on our next one that dealt with the hundred healing potions in Triangle's inventory and the crowd of players around us. We moved to the edge of the marketplace, standing still and looking out at the players who followed us.

At first, only one lone watcher approached us as we stood in there next to the building. A young woman with staff that had leaves sprouting out of it, and she weaved flowers into her braid. Each one glistened with bonus enchantments. A druid. Even though known for green loving creatures, I had no clue if she was going to attack or not. I held onto my shield casually to not alert the guards nearby.

"Where did you get all those potions?" She went directly to the point, looking at me.

I pointed down to the small child by me. "He's the alchemist."

"Have you always made the healing potions and bleed potions cheap? And just now, the traveling protection potions?" She wasn't even trying to hide her excitement as her hands danced along her staff, picking at the leaves at the top.

"I put them at the price they sell," Triangle explained as a matter of fact.

Her eyes locked with mine. The deep green of a pine tree stared back. "So it wasn't a random lottery on the protection potions?"

I only shook my head.

The woman got down to Triangle's eye level. "Oh, thank you. We've been struggling to make gold to get enough protection potions to leave this terrible city, and you gave us an out. Guys! It's because of him!" She turned to the other people and pointed at Triangle, smiling as she share the good news.

Soon, others came over and wanted to thank us. A familiar paladin from the city of Purge walked over. "Well, I'll be," said Darrel through a slow clap. "Ha, of course, the thorn in the side of Pantheon's alchemy was no other than the one who hounded Alcender in hell."

"You made it here." I shook his hand. The man challenged my grip and crushed it back, giving me a solid reminder of what I owed him. "Your friends never got your money from me. Things have been busy for me. Let me pay you back that thousand gold."

The paladin put his hands up. "You already did. Thanks to this lad. And messing with the Pantheon Guild here in the city."

"Can you still help us? You work for a heaven god, right?" Triangle spoke up as he pulled out the last bunch of potions.

Darrel and the druid took them, along with the few other players gathered around us. The sight of free potions excited them.

Darrel knew to be cautious of anything that was out freely.. "What are you hoping for with this trade?"

"For you to kill a demon. Heaven beats Hell, right?" Triangle asked.

The players glanced among themselves, waiting to hear more, but Triangle didn't continue. The crowd stepped closer, waiting for an answer, making him nervous as he stepped back behind my shield. Darrel put a hand out and the druid stopped the other players from approaching with her staff.

I waved my hands a bit. "Excuse us, some space please." Everyone obeyed, willing to do anything to get the free greater healing potions. "We are the guild with the legendary quest and could use some help to take down the big boss. If you could use those potions to work on levelling up, we would love your help in two days. You'll get the blessing from the legendary quest for helping."

"Yes!" the druid answered first, and quickly others agreed in. Darrel nodded along. A few players left the group, but that was fine. It was their choice, they could be adventurers or craftsmen.

I continued talking, "In case you didn't hear from the stream, the boss will spawn in Brightstone Woods. Use these potions and the traveling protection potions to get there. We even have a few maps mad to help you find the exact location. Please, gather as many people as you can. We need an army."

Triangle pulled out a stack of papers and waved them in the air.

Darrel put out a gloved hand, blocking the druid from grabbing the map. "I need to know what the buffs or curse that will happen from aiding in this quest? I've already ruined my class level once trying to save my friends and getting here."

The druid blushed and looked away, explaining everything that had happened. These were good people. They asked about the buff, not the reward for the quest. They were fine with helping and receiving the smaller benefit instead of the grand reward.

Naiad pushed her way through the crowd. "Shrimp guild member coming through." Once she stood in front of everyone, she waved. "Hey. So the quest was pretty vague on the buff and curse. No matter what, we were going to anger some gods and make others happy. We've talked to the god from heaven, Chiliam, and dealt with two gods from hell, Leith and Kujira. That whale god tried eating us."

"You're supposed to stay in the guild hall preparing!" Triangle bossed her.

"I am. I need more arrows for the fight," she explained. Looking back at the crowd, she continued being a leader, "Anyway, that's all the notes about the buff we can give. If your god is in the heavens, you'll likely do great since it's a demonic seed. From the seed, we predict a boss similar to the guardian that used to live in the Peaceful Prairie."

Darrel let out a sigh. "Very well. We're in. The heavens bless those with powerful gifts that only the angels have. This might give us a chance to have their power."

The guy was devout and consistent with his class role. Parenting was its own devotion and dedication.

The druid clapped, her staff tucked at her elbow. "We'll help you and gather more allies. People will want in on the legendary quest reward."

"Another thing," I wanted to make sure we had a powerful army, "If you have the luck buff - go pray to another god right now. It's a bogus luck and was actually siphoning your strength to feed the seed."

From there, we gave everyone the exact time left on the timer when we would get there. We told them how we were going to keep putting up potions on the market as best as we could so everyone could level. All the free potions we brought here vanished, and we gained gold, scrolls, and friends in exchange. More importantly, we gained a community and hope with this quest.

[Demonic Seed growing (1)

Time Remaining: 2 days, 0 hours, 3 minutes]

[The Root and Seeds of the Problem (Legendary)

Time Remaining: 2 days, 23 hours, 18 minutes]