Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

At this moment, Rhett had just passed through a tall white clock tower. With no more buildings obstructing his view, he could finally see the towering castle in the distance. He chuckled and said, "Yes, that is indeed the royal palace. But it wasn't built by a large team of engineers and construction machinery. All it took was a Saint Magic Mentor of the earth element to mobilize the earth elements of the world, and the construction was easily completed. If they wanted to change the color or reinforce the walls later, they could just hire an alchemist."

"What? Saint Magic Mentors can do that? This world is truly amazing!" Manu exclaimed in amazement. The sights, sounds, and experiences in this world continued to expand his understanding.

Rhett smiled silently and followed the signs until he arrived at a shop operated by the Bizze family.

"Palme Alchemy House..."

Rhett glanced up at the name of the alchemy shop, then stepped onto the stone steps and walked into the brightly lit hall.

"Lord Veras!"

Before Rhett had a chance to take in the shop's layout, a voice filled with enthusiasm and excitement rang out from the depths of the hall, coming from a young man crouched behind a counter.

The young man was dressed in a light blue suit and had short, well-kept hair. He stood on tiptoe and bounced twice in place, his fist clenched in excitement, and his body tensed as he waved energetically to make sure Rhett noticed him.

Seeing this, Rhett guessed that the young man might be the talented individual he had his eye on. However, he couldn't rush into a conversation just yet—he needed more information before engaging.

So, he smiled and nodded at the young man, not hurrying forward but instead scanning the hall.

The Palme Alchemy House appeared to be a new shop. Though spacious, it wasn't crowded, with only about seven or eight customers scattered around the counters. Upon realizing that the visitor was the royal family's Chief Saint Magic Mentor, they shrank back, afraid to meet his gaze or speak loudly.

The other shop attendants seemed unsurprised by Rhett's arrival. They bowed in welcome but did not approach to engage him. Only one rotund middle-aged man with a shiny bald head hurriedly ran out from a passage, appearing at the top of the stairs on the second floor. His face was flushed with excitement, and he seemed overwhelmed by Rhett's presence. He placed one hand on the wall and the other on the handrail, moving quickly as he descended the stairs. His heavy steps echoed as he rushed over to Rhett, a flattering smile plastered on his face as he warmly greeted him:

"The revered Chief Saint Magic Mentor, welcome once again to Palme Alchemy House. Your visit honors us greatly and inspires every member striving for excellence..."

Rhett cast a sidelong glance at the middle-aged man, noting his strength as a Fourth-Level Earth Knight. However, his flattery skills were undoubtedly top-notch among superhumans! Rhett wanted to interrupt but decided to endure it, hoping the man would reveal more information. So he stood quietly, listening.

After a minute, the middle-aged man finally stopped his endless praise. He wiped his forehead, licked his lips, swallowed, and continued:

"Lord Saint Magic Mentor, your visit this time..."

The middle-aged man's questioning tone trailed off as he hesitated. Rhett maintained a calm expression, turning to meet the man's gaze without speaking.

Faced with Rhett's calm stare, the middle-aged manager felt immense pressure and couldn't hold the gaze. Within less than half a minute, he faltered, his shoulders trembling slightly as he swallowed hard and took a deep breath, seemingly making a decision as he said:

"Lord Saint Magic Mentor, the Hypast you've taken an interest in may not be the best alchemist here, but he's certainly the most talented. His work efficiency far surpasses that of the other lower-level alchemists. We went to great lengths and paid a high price to recruit him. If you were to redeem him, we would suffer a great loss..."

As the middle-aged manager finished, his expression was troubled, and he avoided Rhett's gaze.

But to Rhett, these words were like a thunderbolt, shocking him to the core. The talented individual he had been seeking was none other than Hypast? It was as if the solution had fallen into his lap without effort. He had been planning to visit Hypast after investigating the genius mentioned by Vina, but it turned out that Veras had already set his sights on Hypast!

"So it seems, according to the original timeline, the royal Chief Saint Magic Mentor was the first to notice Hypast's potential. But because of the duel with the Circle Tower Master, which resulted in both their deaths, Hypast had to wait decades before being noticed by someone from the Circle Tower..."

Rhett's eyes glinted with understanding. The alchemical instruments he had purchased were likely intended as a gift for Hypast.

Having made his decision, Rhett glanced at the plump manager once more and said softly, "From now on, your shop will be under my protection. As long as you don't provoke your own enemies, I will shield you from any misfortune."

"Do you think... this will cover your losses?"

Such a promise was extravagant, even for a Saint Magic Mentor, but Rhett, knowing this was a simulation and not needing to stay here long-term, had no qualms about exaggerating his commitment.

The plump manager trembled at Rhett's words, hardly able to believe what he had just heard. He rubbed his eyes and ears with his chubby hands. Had he heard correctly? The Saint Magic Mentor was offering to protect their shop?

This was like manna from heaven, a fortune too good to pass up. Without hesitation, the manager eagerly nodded, his jowls wobbling as he said loudly:

"It's more than enough! Thank you, Lord Saint Magic Mentor, for your generosity! Here is Hypast's indenture contract—please take it. From now on, he is yours!"

The manager, trembling with excitement, handed over an alchemical parchment, his words tumbling out in gratitude.

Rhett accepted the parchment, rolling it between his fingers as he skimmed the contents. He saw that the contract bound Hypast to work for the Palme Alchemy House for another twenty years without pay! Rhett shook his head. He had already decided to free Hypast. Although the alchemical parchment was made of a special, durable material, it crumbled to dust easily in Rhett's hands.

Then, he waved to Hypast, who looked at him with bright eyes, his expression full of excitement. Hypast quickly ran over and knelt on one knee, bowing deeply as he said:

"Thank you, Lord Veras. You are the greatest benefactor of my life. I will forever be indebted to you!"

"Hehe, get up..." Rhett responded with a kind smile, perfectly fitting Veras's persona. He lightly patted Hypast on the shoulder, using his spiritual power to lift him to his feet.

Rhett then gazed intently at Hypast's face, studying him closely. The Hypast of the future was much older, with a beard, so Rhett hadn't immediately recognized the resemblance. But now, upon closer inspection, he could see that the young man's high nose bridge and narrow eyes did indeed bear a resemblance to the older Hypast.

However, the overall facial structure and skin tone were quite different. Rhett surmised that the older Hypast might have used alchemical methods to subtly alter his appearance...

With Rhett's strong support, Hypast stood up straight and followed him as they walked outside.

Leading the way, Rhett worried that his past interactions with Hypast might lead to slip-ups if he spoke too much, so he avoided unnecessary conversation. He only spoke once they reached a large open square, where a rainbow-colored fountain stood in the center:

"Hypast, would you like to join the Circle Tower...?"

Hypast, still respectful, looked at Rhett in surprise and said, "The Circle Tower is the place of my dreams. Although you already asked me this last time, my answer remains the same!"

"Ah." Rhett cleared his throat awkwardly, realizing that Veras had already asked this question. He tried to maintain his composure as he replied, "Well... I just wanted to confirm that you haven't changed your mind. I'm pleased with your answer."

Hypast's eyes shone with determination. "I will remain steadfast in my commitment!"

"Good, you are indeed worthy of my attention!" Rhett laughed heartily, patting Hypast on the shoulder. "I'm also planning to recommend you for a top alchemical project. Would you be interested?"

"I will follow your guidance!" Hypast replied earnestly.

"Good, follow me..."

The next day.

On the rooftop of the Circle Tower.

"Veras, I can agree to your request, but I need to ask a favor of you in return."

An elderly man in a white mage's robe stood with the wind whipping his garments. He turned to face Rhett and suddenly questioned him with suspicion in his voice, "You were closest to the Tower Master—do you know where he went?"

Rhett stood behind the elder, having anticipated this question. He had already prepared a response and didn't rush to deny any involvement. Instead, he furrowed his brow, his expression showing confusion and concern as he hastened his speech, saying:

"Are you talking about Medong? We met just a few days ago, chatted for a bit, and when we parted, he mentioned he was going to work on an alchemical experiment. Why, hasn't he returned to the Circle Tower? A Saint Domain expert like him couldn't possibly just disappear, could he?"

The elder in the white mage's robe was the Vice Tower Master of the Circle Tower. He stared at Rhett and said:

"Usually, the Tower Master comes and goes as he pleases, and no one would worry if he didn't return for a year or so. But earlier this year, he promised me he would be back at the Circle Tower around this time. After all, he was supposed to oversee the human alchemical experiment project. And he holds crucial alchemical data—without him, this research will suffer a significant setback."

Hearing this, Rhett's thoughts raced, though he maintained a composed exterior, suggesting, "Could he have gone to the Golden Blood Academy in the Greyro Kingdom? Is it possible he made a breakthrough there and got too absorbed to return? Knowing Medong's passion for alchemy, that seems entirely plausible."

"No, that's impossible. We had an agreement to report any breakthroughs immediately. And we have regular meetings each year—Veras wouldn't just go off on his own at another time," the Vice Tower Master dismissed Rhett's speculation outright, lowering his head and muttering to himself, "This is strange... Where could Medong have gone..."

"Sigh." Rhett deliberately let out a heavy sigh and said firmly, "Don't worry. Medong is my good friend—I won't stand by and do nothing! I'll focus on finding any information about him after I return."

"Thank you. I hope it's not the orcs crossing the border and launching a sneak attack on him..." the Vice Tower Master muttered worriedly, "Medong built the Circle Tower from nothing, making many enemies along the way. Not just the orcs, but even other alchemical forces from neighboring kingdoms resent him. I fear he may have met with foul play..."

"You suspect an enemy attack?" Rhett asked, pretending to be surprised while secretly considering whether someone had hired him to kill his good friend. Had he, as Veras, succumbed to the lure of benefits and betrayed his comrade?

"If we can't find the Tower Master, that may very well be the case," the Vice Tower Master said grimly.

"Very well. I'll start searching the places Medong frequented and will keep you informed," Rhett replied. "By the way, when is the next meeting with the Greyro Kingdom?"

"In two months," the Vice Tower Master replied.

"Wait for my update," Rhett said, adding, "As for the two individuals I recommended earlier... I'm counting on you, especially Hypast. His talent is extraordinary. Someday, you may thank me for sending such a genius your way."

"Heh, well, I'll have to see for myself," the Vice Tower Master responded with a nod, smiling dismissively as he thought Rhett was joking. If Hypast were truly a genius, Veras would have kept him. Why would he generously offer such talent to the Circle Tower? He assumed it was more likely that Rhett was sending some young apprentices to learn alchemy.

After a brief exchange, Rhett made his excuses and left the Circle Tower.

Within minutes, he had traveled thousands of miles.

At this moment, his mind was preoccupied with the information he had gleaned from his conversation with the Vice Tower Master. The Circle Tower's Master had lived for over two thousand years and had created a vast and powerful organization, inevitably making many enemies.

There might have been many who harbored ill intentions, but few had the means or courage to act on them. Only the orcs, as well as the alchemical forces of the Kudan Kingdom and the Ice Kingdom, were likely suspects. The Kudan Kingdom was the predecessor of the Golden Kingdom, which had not yet formed in this era.

"At this time, humanity has not yet fully grasped the threat posed by the orcs, and the alliance among humans is still fragile. Could it be... someone really hired me to take out my best friend? And I agreed?"

Rhett couldn't help but frown in distaste. He despised such treachery, and if his past self had indeed done this, he would be deeply ashamed.

Thankfully, in this simulation, he bore no psychological burden. He even felt it necessary to verify the situation. If it were true, he needed to uncover the identity of the person who had hired him, to prevent any damaging secrets from being exposed.

So, Rhett flew toward the opposite direction of Reim's Kingdom, with his first stop being the Kudan Kingdom, followed by a visit to the Ice Kingdom. He planned to meet with the Saint Domain members of both kingdoms personally. Whether there were any suspicions of collusion would be apparent upon meeting them.

Half a day later.

As he flew through the white sea of clouds, Rhett witnessed the rising sun, which bathed the world in its golden light, dispelling the darkness. His expression remained calm as he took in the view, but then he noticed a black shadow flickering within the clouds, emanating a faint, eerie aura that felt distinctly unfamiliar.

This unusual sight immediately set off alarm bells in Rhett's mind. He halted in place, carefully observing the anomaly ahead.

The shadow cut through the sea of clouds, moving like a ghost, ethereal and shapeless. In the next instant, it had drifted right in front of Rhett. Under his wary gaze, the shadow began to twist and distort, eventually forming into a creature with wings on its back, horns on its head, and tentacles crawling over its lower body.