Fantasy Family Simulator

Chapter 240 - 240: Arrival at East Blue Coast

"Spirits?" Hogus asked, surprised. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Well, as you know, I'm a novelist," Rhett explained with a shrug. "To keep writing, I need a constant stream of inspiration. Lately, I've felt my creativity running dry, so I thought something unusual like spirits might help spark some new ideas."

"I see," Hogus nodded, understanding. "Alright, leave it to me. I'll have someone compile a collection of historical records about spirits for you. But I must warn you, there won't be much content. Spirits have rarely appeared in history."

What Hogus said was true—spirits were indeed rare throughout history. But it reminded Rhett that within the next year or so, there were two spirits that were destined to appear. To be honest, he found it suspicious, but now wasn't the time for deep contemplation. He quickly put on a grateful expression and said, "Thank you, Prince Hogus! And if any news of spirits appearing or being captured comes up, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know as well."

Hogus thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, I'll keep an eye out for you. Anything else?"

"No, that's all."

"Very well... You can move freely in the capital for now. No need to wait for me. I'll have the spirit records sent directly to your territory."

"I have some other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."

"Safe travels, Prince Hogus!" Rhett smiled as he saw him off.

Hogus nodded and quickly made his way to the manor's entrance, his guards silently following him.

...

Rushing back to the palace, Hogus arrived at a grand hall. Two imposing knights stood at the entrance, clad in fearsome beast armor that gleamed in the light and bristled with spikes resembling beast fangs. When they saw Hogus approaching, their expressions became slightly more respectful as they greeted him.

"Good evening, Prince Hogus. How may we assist you?" The two knights placed a hand over their hearts and bowed.

"Haddley, please inform my father that I have urgent news to report!" Hogus addressed one of the knights.

"Of course, Prince Hogus. Please wait here for a moment." The knight named Haddley replied and turned to enter the hall.

Not long after, Hogus was summoned to a room deep within the palace, where he found himself in the presence of the King of Gillen.

"Hogus, what brings you here at this hour?" The current king of the Gillen Kingdom, Milan Gillen, appeared slightly older than middle-aged. His square, stern face exuded authority without a word. He wore a loose robe and gazed out of an open window, the curtains fluttering in the breeze.

Before his father, Hogus displayed utmost respect and humility. This was the one person in the world who could make him adopt such a posture.

He lowered his voice and said, "Father, Earl Rhett just reported to me that he received another letter from the mysterious individual."

"Hmm?"

King Milan's brows furrowed as he turned to look at Hogus with a commanding presence. "What did it say?"

Hogus felt the weight of his father's gaze, even though the king wasn't exerting pressure intentionally. He carefully recounted, "Rhett mentioned that the Circle Tower in the Rem Kingdom might soon be attacked by a Saint-level powerhouse. I suspect that this individual may be targeting more than just us, possibly with plans in other nations as well."

"Are you certain of this?" The king's expression turned serious as he stared intently at Hogus. "Do we know who this Saint is? Are they connected to the Beastmen?"

Hogus sighed. "I don't have those details. Earl Rhett is merely a messenger, and he doesn't know much more."

King Milan narrowed his eyes and fell into deep thought.

After a moment of silence, Hogus broke the quiet. "Shall I summon Rhett here to explain in more detail?"

The king remained silent, his gaze fixed on the stars outside the window. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "No, that won't be necessary. For now, stay close to the palace and focus on your training."

"Yes, Father."

"And remember, don't rush to break through to the Sky Knight level. Take your time to comprehend the profound principles. When you do break through, make sure you've gained further insight into the mysteries."

The king's calm voice carried a hint of pressure. Hogus nodded solemnly. "Understood."

After parting ways with Hogus, Rhett didn't go anywhere special. Instead, he returned to the capital for a leisurely stroll.

In the capital, there was no curfew. In this world dominated by the extraordinary, the capital was heavily guarded by top-tier forces, and no one dared to cause trouble.

The streets were filled with lively chatter and twinkling lights. As Rhett wandered through the city, he marveled at the luxurious shops and vibrant night scene.

His plan was to head to the palace after meeting with the king and then set off for the East Blue Coast.

He had everything planned out—after capturing the Shockwave Spirit on the East Blue Coast, he would take Tyrus to the Dark Mountain Range. In addition to capturing the spirit, he also intended to gather as much Destiny Value as possible.

The Dark Mountain Range was deep within the Rem Kingdom and held no long-term value for Rhett. The best strategy was to maximize short-term gains.

"This means I'll have to bring Tyrus along... and another tagalong," Rhett thought to himself.

The "tagalong" he was referring to was naturally Dick. However, that was just a joke.

His grandson Dick, born in 473 of the Gillen calendar, was now over four years old. He had inherited Tuck's physique and was exceptionally strong for his age, even appearing to be around six years old.

Not only was his mental development sufficient, but under Rhett's guidance, he was also very obedient. At the very least, he was already skilled in handling poison, making him a valuable asset.

In Rhett's mind, Dick would be his most reliable tool for collecting Destiny Value over the next several years.

However, taking both Tyrus and Dick to the Stormy Seas of the East Blue Coast was too dangerous. After all, the ocean was a place of great unpredictability, and even with the ability to simulate the future, there were too many variables. A single misstep could lead to a powerful sea beast chasing them down—a huge problem.

In the open sea, his combat effectiveness as a Terra Mage would be at its lowest.

As his simulations had shown, even he could be hunted down by a Seventh-Tier sea beast and eventually worn out. On land, while he might not be able to defeat such a beast, escaping would never be an issue.

That's why he planned to take only the two of them on the journey to the Dark Mountain Range.

Rhett simulated the outcome, and there was no significant risk.

This time, Rhett aimed to balance all aspects—capturing the spirits while retaining his marquis title and attending the title elevation ceremony to maintain his connection with the third prince.

In previous simulations, he had focused solely on capturing the spirits, neglecting to manage everything else.

Of course, if he found that he couldn't have it all, he would prioritize the spirits over everything else. Though the third prince could offer substantial support, the spirits were his top priority.

But since he could verify this plan with a simulation, he decided to try it. He wasn't ready to give up on the royal connection just yet.

To perfect his plan and validate it, Rhett opened the system again.

[Would you like to start a text simulation? Each year simulated will cost 5 Destiny Points.]

"Yes, simulate one year!"

[Gillen Calendar, 478th year, March 2nd. After the banquet, you strolled through the capital.]

[March 3rd. You were not summoned by the king, which piqued your curiosity. You decided to wait a little longer.]

[March 6th. After three days with no summons, you decided not to wait any longer and set off for the East Blue Coast.]

[April 11th. Mog broke through to First-Tier magical beast status.]

[April 13th. You advanced quickly, reaching the East Blue Coast and beginning your search for the Thunder Turtle.]

[April 27th. On your way to the Stormy Seas, you found a Third-Tier Thunder Turtle, severely injured it, and kept it alive with potions.]

[April 29th. White broke through to First-Tier magical beast status.]

[May 23rd. Shocking news spread throughout the country—there was a battle between Saints in the Rem Kingdom's capital. A blood-red figure attempted a night attack on the Circle Tower but was driven off by five Saints.]

[May 27th. Haipaste quietly visited your territory but found you absent. He left behind a letter, a Saint bloodline potion, and an Emerald Token.]

[May 29th. At coordinates (39, 03), you heard a deafening roar, and blinding lightning lit up the sky. You successfully captured the Shockwave Spirit.]

[June 13th. The palace announced that you had rendered great service by providing critical information. Thanks to Hogus's efforts, you were awarded a marquis title and compensated by the Rem Kingdom.]

[July 17th. You returned to the capital and, under the eyes of the entire kingdom, participated in your elevation ceremony. Your territory expanded severalfold, encompassing the entire southwestern border, making you the first marquis in the region's history.]

[August 13th. Upon returning to your territory, you read Haipaste's letter and distributed the bloodline potion to Tuck. That same day, Tuck consumed the Saint bloodline potion, greatly increasing his talent.]

[You didn't linger long. You took Tuck, Tyrus, and Dick, along with enough Crow's Bane potion, to the Dark Mountain Range.]

[August 19th. Lilith, the former owner of the Rattlesnake Tavern in White Pumpkin City, visited you. Finding you absent, she temporarily stayed in Dark Eagle City.]

[October 7th. Krina gave birth to a healthy child—congratulations!]

[October 26th. A letter from Prince Hogus arrived, inquiring about your knowledge of the strange phenomena you encountered on your journey to the East Blue Coast.]

[November 21st. After three months of travel, you reached the Dark Mountain Range.]

[November 22nd. You easily defeated a Third-Tier Dark-Eyed Viper.]

[November 23rd. You easily defeated a Second-Tier Spotted Tiger, a Third-Tier Ice Crystal Tiger, and a First-Tier Wind Wolf. That same day, the talented Tuck broke through to Third-Tier Knight.]

[December 17th. That night, you intercepted Sna's path, driving her and her companion away from heading to Darkwater Lake.]

[You saw the shadow enter Tyrus's body, and his aura rose, breaking through his bottleneck to become a Second-Tier Dark Mage!]

[December 18th. You slew a Fourth-Tier Steel-Clawed Thunder-Eyed Bird, two Second-Tier Fire Lions, and a nest of Lesser Ice-Winged Ants.]

[December 19th. You slew a Second-Tier Boulder Bear, two First-Tier Rainbow Sparrows, and four Fire-Maned Dogs.]

[Gillen Calendar, 479th year, January 17th. Viggie and McCauve's child was born.]

[February 29th. Blackstar quietly visited your territory, leaving a letter upon learning you were away.]

[March 1st. Lawrence broke through to Third-Tier Knight. By this time, you had slain 1 Seventh-Tier magical beast, 3 Sixth-Tier magical beasts, 13 Fifth-Tier magical beasts, 42 Fourth-Tier magical beasts, 103 Third-Tier magical beasts, 205 Second-Tier magical beasts, 412 First-Tier magical beasts, and 749 Lesser magical beasts.]

[The text simulation has ended. Would you like to continue simulating?]

"No!"

Rhett reviewed the results and felt relieved.

It looked like he could indeed claim the title of "Master of Time Management." Everything had come together seamlessly.

But... what happened with the king not summoning me?

A simple twist of fate?

Rhett wondered for a moment but quickly brushed it aside. It didn't really matter. Whether summoned or not, it wasn't important to him—it just saved him time.

With that, Rhett turned and made his way out of the capital.

"Farge!" Rhett called out softly, and Farge immediately responded. The beast spread its wings and crouched low, allowing Rhett to climb on.

"Let's go!" Rhett commanded, pointing to the eastern night sky.

"Chirp!"

Farge let out a joyful cry, having been grounded for the past few days. It was eager to soar once more.

With its wings spread wide, Farge shot into the sky.

Like a rocket, it streaked across the night, heading swiftly eastward!

They didn't stop once along the way.

On April 10th, Rhett arrived at the East Blue Coast.

He held a beast-hide map he had purchased in a coastal town, confirming his location—Kraken Harbor.

"Hmm, if the navy yard is the central point, my current coordinates should be (13, 0). The nearest boundary of the Stormy Seas should be around (35, 09)."

Rhett muttered to himself as he studied the map.

"Make way, make way."

A fast-paced voice came from behind, accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing.

Teams of three to five muscular sailors, bare-chested and carrying heavy loads, rushed past, their faces flushed with effort and sweat.

This was the scene at the dock.

Behind him, three teams of seven men carried dry, yellow wooden crates, their footsteps heavy and powerful as they moved forward.