Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Tap, tap.

Accompanied by the soft sounds of switches being turned and alchemical flasks being capped, Manu approached Rhett with a bottle of fiery red potion in hand. A calm, confident smile graced his face as he said:

"As expected, Rhett, I've successfully crafted the Fire Bath Potion. Indeed, as a mid-level alchemical potion, the difficulty has significantly increased. Not only are the steps much more complex, but the number of materials required has also multiplied. The different stages, processes, and the interactions between various materials all demand a much higher degree of control over spiritual power. Yet, interestingly enough... my current level of spiritual power is still sufficient to accomplish this."

Listening to this almost boastful statement, Rhett looked at Manu with a complicated expression. After a moment of silence, he bit his lip and said, "Hmm... well done. But I can't help but be curious—how is it that you, with only the spiritual power of a Level 3 mage, can accomplish something that even archmages struggle to do?"

Manu gently shook the potion bottle, watching the fiery red liquid swirl inside. After a brief moment of thought, he responded:

"If we're going to talk about this, there's something that needs to be said. While the upper limits of power in this extraordinary world are indeed high, its alchemical principles are surprisingly simple. In my previous world, this would be on par with the standards of a decent university department."

"I don't mean to belittle alchemy; in fact, its challenges lie not in the theoretical aspects but in the practical application. Reaching the higher levels of alchemy requires a terrifying degree of fine control over spiritual power. Therefore, once you reach a certain level of control, no matter how complex the alchemical principles are, as long as you follow the steps meticulously, it isn't too difficult."

Hearing this, Rhett was no longer shocked by Manu's words, instead feeling a sense of contemplation. He said, "So you're saying that your spiritual state has unique qualities compared to that of an ordinary mage?"

After speaking, Rhett carefully observed Manu, nodding in self-assurance, "Hmm... that makes sense. After all, which spiritual body can move freely in the physical world? Although the quantity of your spiritual power may be similar, its quality is clearly very different—not only can you freely touch objects, but your body even changes color when absorbing the arcane. This is truly unheard of..."

With those words, Rhett could no longer suppress his curiosity. He extended his spiritual power once more, carefully probing Manu's unique traits. His spiritual tendrils, as clear as crystal, brushed over Manu, sensing the unusual structure of his spiritual energy. If a normal mage's spiritual power could be compared to a single entity, Manu's was like an ocean composed of countless grains of sand—appearing whole but actually made up of countless individual components. Strangely, however, these individual components originated from the same source and were not difficult to control.

Rhett marveled at this, but he couldn't explain the phenomenon. As he attempted to delve deeper into Manu's core, he noticed a pained expression on Manu's face.

Seeing this, Rhett quickly stopped and withdrew his spiritual power. He realized that the uniqueness of Manu's spiritual form likely stemmed from something deep within his core. Forcing his way in could cause Manu to disperse entirely, which was not something Rhett wanted to risk.

"Sorry..." Rhett apologized, his tone tinged with regret. "I was just too curious..."

"It's alright. I'm curious about it myself," Manu replied as the pain on his face gradually subsided, replaced by a contemplative look. "If we're talking about my spiritual power's unique properties, it probably originates from the very core of my being. Although I can change my form freely, I can't shrink any smaller than the size of that core. I believe that core is the key difference between me and others."

Rhett's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "A core? Can you describe it?"

"Sure. It resembles a hazy ball of light. All my spiritual power flows from and returns to this core, like a source of energy. I used to think that everyone's spiritual form was like this, but it seems that's not the case." Manu pondered for a moment before continuing, "Aside from that, the core doesn't seem particularly special. It's like a human heart—you can't do much with it, but you know it's vital."

"I see..." Rhett muttered to himself, furrowing his brow in thought. Unable to draw any further conclusions, he smiled wryly and said, "Well, let's not overthink it. As long as we continue to grow stronger and keep exploring, we'll eventually solve more of these mysteries. Speaking of which, your alchemical prowess now might rival that of a master alchemist. Given more time, even a Saint Domain alchemist might not be able to keep up with you. When we visit the Golden Blood Academy, I'll need your help to analyze the details of the human alchemical experiment..."

"I'll do my best!"

Half a month later.

At the Golden Blood Academy.

In an opulent lounge, about a dozen people sat in wooden chairs, each holding a stack of papers that detailed data from the human alchemical experiments.

The Deputy Tower Master of the Circle Tower, Hades, stood near the door, his gaze passing over the crowd and settling on a floor-to-ceiling window at the far end of the room. His expression was calm, but one hand was clenched behind his back, betraying a hint of urgency and worry in his eyes.

The room was eerily quiet, with only the occasional sound of pages being turned. The elite and talented alchemists from the Circle Tower kept their heads low, aware that the Deputy Tower Master had been in a bad mood since they left. None of them wanted to risk making a wrong move.

"Wait, there's something unusual about this experimental data..."

Suddenly, a voice broke the silence. It was Hepastor, sitting in the center of the room near the wall. He held up the report in one hand and looked toward the Deputy Tower Master, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Deputy Tower Master Hades, I noticed something off in this experimental report."

Upon hearing this, the others frowned and turned their gaze toward Hepastor, their expressions unfriendly. He was a newcomer to the Circle Tower, having joined only a few days ago. Almost everyone thought the same thing—what could a low-level alchemist possibly know? How could he have the qualifications to criticize the work of the alchemy team at the Golden Blood Academy? None of us veterans saw anything wrong, so what gives him the right to show off?

"Hepastor, I suggest you take a closer look. The ignorant are always fearless. What you're seeing is probably just an illusion caused by your lack of knowledge and skill," a tall male alchemist sneered.

"Exactly! If you have any doubts, you should ask us first. If we're in a good mood, we might just give you some guidance. There's no need to bother the Deputy Tower Master!" a gnome alchemist piped in with a sharp voice.

"How naive—this rookie doesn't understand the importance of humility in alchemy..."

Hepastor, who was fresh to the field, was unprepared for this backlash. He had merely voiced his doubts, not thinking much of it. But now, faced with the skepticism and ridicule of his peers, his face turned pale with embarrassment.

All he had done was follow the Deputy Tower Master's instructions to carefully review and understand the alchemical experiments and data. He had found an anomaly, double-checked it multiple times to ensure it wasn't a mistake, yet he was still being torn apart by these people. Was it possible that they were right, and he was just too inexperienced?

"Enough. What's wrong with Hepastor finding a problem and bringing it to the Deputy Tower Master? Is that not the right thing to do?" a dissatisfied voice came from the back of the room. A young man who also appeared quite young stood up, glaring at the others with anger. "Why can't you all just focus on your own reports? He wasn't even talking to you. Are you all jealous of Hepastor?"

"Jealous of him? Don't be ridiculous. Why would we envy a mere rookie alchemist?" the tall alchemist retorted disdainfully.

Perhaps unable to believe he had been contradicted by a low-level alchemist, the tall alchemist squinted his eyes, glaring back and forth between Hepastor and the young man who had spoken up. He growled, "It seems you two still don't recognize your place. I didn't want to bring it up, but since you're here, you should be humble and learn. With your skills, being part of this joint project with the Golden Blood Academy should be an impossible dream..."

"Quiet down, and everyone sit down."

Suddenly, an elderly voice emanated from the doorway, spreading throughout the room with an almost magical effect that rendered everyone speechless.

The tall alchemist, halfway through his tirade, was abruptly cut off. Though he felt stifled, he had no choice but to obey the Deputy Tower Master's order. He returned to his seat with reluctance, casting a cold glare at Hepastor and the young man who had dared to stand up to him, silently vowing to remember this incident.

Hepastor, on the other hand, refocused his attention on the alchemical report, ignoring the tall alchemist. The young man who had defended Hepastor also refused to back down, stretching his neck to return the glare.

"Let's end this conflict here. You are all alchemists of the Circle Tower, and you should be advancing together on the path to great truths. Arguing will only hinder your progress," the Deputy Tower Master said as he walked down the central aisle. When he reached the tall alchemist, he shot him a sidelong glance and said, "This time, you started the conflict. As punishment, you'll lose a month's wages, and this better be the last time. If it happens again, you'll be barred from participating in the human alchemical project."

The tall alchemist shuddered, cold sweat breaking out on his back. He quickly responded, "Understood. It won't happen again, Deputy Tower Master!"

Fear filled his heart, but resentment began to grow as well. He pretended to read the report, but his body shifted slightly, allowing him to cast a sidelong glance at the young man who had defied him.

The tall alchemist had been with the Circle Tower for several years and believed he knew the Deputy Tower Master's fair and just ways. Although he had started the argument, he was sure the other party wasn't blameless and would also be punished. He even thought the Deputy Tower Master might use this opportunity to put the newcomers in their place, as every alchemist who joined the Circle Tower had gone through something similar...

The Deputy Tower Master moved past Hepastor, giving him a glance before continuing down the aisle. When he reached the young man who had defended Hepastor, he said, "Peyeff, you should be quietly reviewing the alchemical reports at this time. You're new here and still have much to learn. You shouldn't be getting into arguments. As punishment..."

The Deputy Tower Master was about to deliver a warning, intending to cancel Peyeff's participation in the joint project if he repeated the offense. But he stopped himself halfway through. He remembered his agreement with Rhett two months ago, and Rhett was still actively helping to search for the missing Tower Master. Since these two were Rhett's recommendations, any severe punishment seemed inappropriate—especially if Peyeff did end up repeating the offense. Would he really expel them?

The tall alchemist's lips curled into a slight smile, eagerly anticipating Peyeff receiving the same punishment as himself. That would make him feel much better...

"Ahem, Peyeff, your punishment is that you'll only have black bread for dinner tonight. Hunger sharpens the mind, so reflect on your shortcomings today..." the Deputy Tower Master finally said. Given the circumstances, this seemed the most appropriate solution.

"Yes, thank you, Deputy Tower Master!" Peyeff humbly replied.

"Black... black bread... just black bread as punishment..." the tall alchemist muttered under his breath. His heart skipped a beat, and his left hand, which clutched the corner of the alchemical report, trembled as he mentally screamed in outrage. Why? Why is there such a huge disparity between our punishments? I lose a month's wages and receive a stern warning, while he gets off with something as insignificant as black bread!

"Hepastor, where did you say you found the anomaly?" the Deputy Tower Master asked, turning his attention back to Hepastor. His tone was warm as he approached to look at the alchemical report in Hepastor's hands.

On the opposite side of the aisle, the gnome alchemist glanced at the Deputy Tower Master's back, noting the unusual attitude toward Hepastor and Peyeff. The gnome lowered his head, his eyes flickering as he began to think about how to make amends...

The other alchemists also took note, their eyes narrowing as they realized how they should treat the two newcomers from now on.

Hepastor stood up, treating the Deputy Tower Master with the utmost respect. He quickly flipped the report to the second page, pointing to a set of data below a diagram of a crucible. "It's here. The earlier sections mention that this experiment requires a thorough study of the human body, aiming to understand the relationship between the flow of qi and various blood vessels, organs, acupoints, and so on. The earlier experiments were very thorough, even though I couldn't fully understand all the steps. But I do know it was incredibly complex, and the final data should be extensive."

"But when it comes to this part, during the most crucial stage of the experiment, they crudely placed the heart into the crucible along with many special materials for decomposition, fusion, and compression. These materials weren't detailed, and the final data only elaborated on the heart's role, suggesting it's crucial for knights and closely tied to qi. Other than that, the summary doesn't provide much data on the other body parts, which contradicts the earlier, more detailed steps. It doesn't seem to meet the basic requirements of an alchemical experiment."

The Deputy Tower Master listened intently, a look of satisfaction crossing his face as he patted Hepastor on the shoulder. He nodded slightly, placing one hand on the top of the chair's backrest, and smiled:

"I didn't expect you to catch such an anomaly on your first exposure to this project. It shows that you've mastered the basics of alchemy well and that you're good at returning to the core of a problem. That's excellent."

Hepastor scratched his head in embarrassment. "It's just a habit. I didn't have many mentors when I was learning alchemy, so I had to think a lot about issues. If I hadn't done that, I might never have even entered the world of alchemy."

"Adversity fosters more solid and rapid growth," the Deputy Tower Master said, looking at Hepastor with approval before pointing to the alchemical report. "I also noticed the inconsistency here, but we've only just arrived and haven't formally exchanged views with the Golden Blood Academy's alchemy team. Let's save our questions for later discussions."

Hepastor nodded emphatically. "Understood, Deputy Tower Master!"

"Good..." the Deputy Tower Master smiled. "Continue reviewing the reports, and the rest of you, no more arguing. I'm stepping out for a moment, but I'll be back soon."

With that, the Deputy Tower Master patted Hepastor on the back to show his approval before leaving the room and looking around the hallway.

At the end of the corridor, Rhett was gazing at a garden surrounded by a veranda, filled with exotic plants of all colors. Though there weren't many, they covered a wide range of magical plants and various strange species.

When the Deputy Tower Master spotted Rhett, a flash of excitement crossed his eyes. He quickly walked over, his chest heaving slightly as he took a deep breath, struggling to calm his emotions. He asked, "Veras, what were the results of your investigation? Did you find any trace of the Tower Master?"

Rhett shifted his gaze from the garden to the Deputy Tower Master. "I'm afraid not. I've traveled across much of the world, visiting every place I could think of that might be related to Midwinter, and asked around, but I found nothing useful."

"That's impossible..." the Deputy Tower Master muttered, his expression darkening as he spoke to himself in disbelief.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Rhett reassured him. "Perhaps Midwinter is just hiding away somewhere conducting an experiment or taking a break from the pressures of work..."

"No, the Tower Master isn't like that!" the Deputy Tower Master shouted, shaking his head vigorously. "You knew him well. You should know that he would never take an extended break before completing the Tower's important tasks."

Rhett fell silent.

Seeing this, the Deputy Tower Master, usually so composed, couldn't help but grab Rhett's shoulders and gently shake him, pleading, "Veras, you were his friend. Think hard—did he ever mention where he might be going, anything at all?"

"Heytes, calm down. This won't help us find him. If he had told me where he was going, I'd remember... Wait a minute."

Rhett turned his palms outward, making a gesture as if to push the Deputy Tower Master away while speaking. But halfway through, he suddenly stopped, narrowing his eyes in confusion as he furrowed his brow.

"Did something come to mind?" the Deputy Tower Master asked eagerly, his eyes lighting up. "If you remember anything, please tell me. What else did the Tower Master say?"

Rhett held up a hand, signaling for the Deputy Tower Master to give him a moment. After a brief pause, he carefully said:

"I suddenly recalled something... About half a year ago, we briefly met. He seemed to be in a hurry, so we didn't chat for long. But just before we parted, I think I heard him grumble something like: 'Gunas is pushing too hard... what good is a mage's head?' or something to that effect."

Gunas was the head of the Golden Blood Academy and was currently recognized as the most skilled alchemist of this era. Only the Circle Tower's Tower Master could rival him. Rhett had planned this response in advance, intending to use it as an excuse to get Deputy Tower Master Heytes to investigate and confront the Golden Blood Academy on his behalf.

The Deputy Tower Master didn't doubt Rhett's words, instead falling into deep thought, murmuring softly to himself: "Why didn't the Tower Master mention this to me? What does the head signify... is it related to the human alchemical research?"

Heytes took a deep breath and looked at Rhett, temporarily setting aside his doubts. He asked seriously, "Are you certain you heard him correctly?"

"My ears don't deceive me," Rhett replied, feigning regret. "In hindsight, maybe he wanted me to hear it, but I didn't pay enough attention at the time."

"Alright. In that case, I'll visit the head of the Golden Blood Academy in person," the Deputy Tower Master said, frowning.

"I'm coming with you," Rhett insisted.

Heytes glanced at Rhett, not overthinking it. He assumed Rhett was simply concerned for his friend, so he nodded. "I've been here many times and know where to find him. Follow me."

With that, Heytes quickly turned around, and Rhett followed closely behind. They crossed the garden and exited through an arched stone gate.

Their journey was smooth and uninterrupted.

They soon arrived at a splendid palace. Though the palace's floor area wasn't large, it stood eleven stories tall, four floors higher than the Circle Tower. The outer walls of the Golden Blood Palace were lined with rubies dusted with gold powder, giving the entire structure a radiant gold-red glow during the day—both eerie and luxurious.

Although there were guards and attendants, Heytes' reputation preceded him, allowing them to pass with just a brief explanation. The two headed straight for the top floor.

They quickly reached the tenth floor and rounded a corner at the stairwell. As they approached the top floor, Rhett noticed something and slightly adjusted his expression.

At the top of the stairs, two young men in red mage robes were descending side by side, coming from what appeared to be the direction Heytes had told him housed the head of the Golden Blood Academy's advanced alchemical laboratory.

"Jean-Claude, Sherman, good day. Is the head in his chambers?" Heytes greeted the two young men with a smile as they approached.

Upon hearing the names of the two young men, Rhett maintained his outward composure, but inside, a storm was raging! "Sherman? That man's name is Sherman!"