Now that their children were ready to cross the toddler stage, it was time for Ken and Simm to consider taking bigger steps in their pursuit for strength.
Simm's Rank-crossing mission was difficult, not just because of what it demanded from her, but also due to the fact that completing the mission required very risky expeditions to some of the most dangerous regions of the subcontinent. Being able to figure out which of these dangerous regions would be suitable for the breakthrough mission wasn't easy; luck played a big role there. Facilitating a journey to such places was also something few had the resources to arrange.
For lone adventurers, the risks were hundred times higher. Ken knew this from experience. So it didn't surprise him much when Roshoka turned down Simm's request to let her leave Shamrock City and look for a "Challenge Ground" she could make a breakthrough in.
"The Duke has young children who will need to undergo tempering soon. They'll have to face these rank-crossing missions as well. He said he'll let me accompany them to various challenge grounds at that time," Simm said, not quite happy with the denial.
"Look at the bright side. The Duke can arrange safe expeditions, completely legal under the eyes of the legions guarding these challenge grounds. You won't have to sneak in to try your luck while avoiding the eyes of the legion. That means more opportunities and less danger." Ken felt a little differently about the situation. From what he understood, Simm had yet to fully recover her full strength in the Mutant Rank. The reason why she was so eager to complete the mission was mostly insecurity and frustration.
"He just doesn't fully trust us yet. I'll stick to my investigation duties for a while and see if I can bring in enough merits to make him consider me an asset to his city," Simm said thoughtfully. "I'll choose the riskier missions from the office, master. You have to look after the children when I'm not home. Are you confident that you can keep them happy for days if I'm out on missions?"
Ken was quite worried that she would endanger herself. But he knew that the path of a warrior was filled with hazards. If he restricted her from jumping into dangerous situations, he'd be limiting her growth.
"I'll take them to Surata's house if you have to go on long-distance missions. I have sentry duties too, remember?" he said.
Simm's expression immediately turned gloomy. "She can't be trusted with our kids."
"She won't dare to lay a hand on them with the Duke's eyes on her. Anyway, we can't always be home. Among those that we know in the city-"
"The beastmen you rescued!" Simm shouted a bit too excitedly. "They can do it! When we're not home, offer them the job to take care of the kids. We can pay more than what they'll earn from fishing for an entire day."
Ken sighed and agreed helplessly. He had considered the option already. It wasn't a bad one if he ignored the fact that the beastmen lived outside the core city, in slums where little safety could be ensured. Unless he had no other options, he didn't want to take the children out there.
Ken spent the evening practicing his spells while Simm tried to revise different aspects of her battle techniques. Unlike Ken, who had only practiced basic archery, her array of combat techniques was vast. For warriors, if the Ordinary Rank was about mastering the basics of their discipline, the Mutant Rank was about extending the basics into developing a unique fighting style. This was where Combat Spirit Invocations took the focus. Different techniques produced different spirits, and these spirits were further modified by the warrior's own understanding.
Simm, having lived well over half a century, had mastered numerous spirit invocations. To reach the Super Rank again, she had to ensure that no gaps had formed in her ability to use them in her current weakened state.
The lively kids watched with great curiosity through the windows of their room as their parents conjured fireballs in the air, twisted steel into pulps, controlled flying objects, and created myriad types of magical effect with their limited equipment. The wonder of magic danced like butterflies in the depths of their clear pitch-black pupils.
They were further delighted when Ken dug a shallow hole at a corner of the courtyard and unearthed a hidden cellar connected to the building. They knew awaited inside. As Ken tugged the heavy door open, a small army of totem beasts, including some pigeons, four domesticated dogs and four young street cats raced each others out of the cellar, barking and hissing at everything in sight. They were the most recent additions to his totem army, and the most harmless ones till now. The kids loved to watch them make a ruckus. Had the children's intellectual growth been as fast as their physical growth, Ken would have let them out of the house. But unfortunately, it seemed that wisdom needed more than just the world spirit's blessings to grow.
Ken's only consolation was that their intelligence was still growing at a much faster pace than normal children. He and Simm were trying their best to nurture them, reading them stories, teaching them how to draw, learn gestures, recognize household objects, and speaking to them all the time. The effect was discernible.
.
Before dinner, Ken examined the children's attribute panel, a daily routine he had strictly stuck to following since their birth.
[ Race: Beastmen ]
[ Talent ]
[Artificial Talent: - ]
[Bloodline Talent: Totem Magic Affinity (1) ]
[ Class: - ]
[ Level: 1 (2) ]
[ Exp: 040/200 ]
[ Attributes: Strength (0.2/0.3); Speed (0.2/0.3); Stamina (0.3/0.4); Dexterity (0.2/0.3) Magic Affinity (1.1/1.2) ]
Kenshi had made the most progress in terms of earning experience points. Due to having four purely physical attributes, his control over his own body was a lot better than his siblings. He learned how to move sideways, how to crawl, how to stand on his feet, and how to walk before the rest. Kyma, despite having similar attributes, was a lot lazier than her siblings. Mishka had a lot more grit, so she was usually the one to follow Kenshi, wobbling dangerously the whole time. Among the four, she suffered injuries the most. Juko was quite unremarkable, neither a troublemaker, nor as placid as Kyma.
In the middle of the night, Ken woke up to a faint vibration coming from the bedside table. Simm was already examining the source– a green emblem bearing a familiar insignia of flames.
"Looks like something big happened," she muttered, flipping through a rulebook that had been handed to her by a colleague that morning.
"All officers below commander level have been summoned to the central building. I have to head out. Don't leave the house until I come back."
Eyes narrowed, Ken wished her good luck as he contemplated what might be happening.