Later, everyone equipped their armor beneath their clothes and planned for the day's work ahead.
Neil watched as everyone took up their weapons with practiced efficiency, thoughts stirring in his mind.
"I really want to make some weapons for them, but everyone usually uses bows, and I don't have strings to make one, nor do I have flint to make arrows."
He examined the weapons around him more closely, noting the craftsmanship and wear patterns that spoke of countless battles. "Though I could make an iron axe for chopping wood, but no one needs it right now, so I'll make that tonight."
However, it wouldn't take too long since he was going to the lake especially to find gravel near it, so he could make flint and steel.
Maybe he should collect more materials at that time for making arrows in the future. The thought of finally being able to craft proper ranged weapons for his family in the future filled him with anticipation.
Lost in his thoughts about crafting possibilities, Neil didn't notice his mother approaching until she gently tapped his head, pulling him back to the present moment.
Seeing him wake from his reverie, she spoke with gentle concern. "Alright, Neil, you want to go near the lake, and I won't stop you, but make sure you stay safe. No walking on the frozen lake..."
As his mother continued with her stream of instructions, Neil interrupted with a small smile. "Okay, Mother, I promise I won't fall in the lake again, and I'll take care of myself."
Despite his reassurance, she remained reluctant to let him go near the lake.
The memory of his previous fall still haunted her thoughts, and even though his father would accompany him, that still couldn't stop her maternal instincts from worrying.
She knew that he would venture out even further from now on as he grew older and more confident, and she couldn't keep him close to her forever.
The reality of watching her son become more independent was both a source of pride and terror. But just the thought of potential dangers made her anxious, her mind conjuring up various scenarios that could go wrong.
As if aware of her troubled thoughts, Neil said, "Mother, are you still worried? Then why don't you come along with me and Father?"
Hearing Neil's words, she laughed, saying, "Oh, do you think your mother is so free? I have lots of work to do, okay?"
From beside him, Father also chimed in jokingly, "Yes, dear, you should come with us. After all, you were the tigress of the army back when we served together."
Hearing his father's words, Neil looked at him in confusion, his eyes widening with curiosity.
The revelation about his mother's past was completely unexpected.
Seeing his puzzled expression, his father explained with a nostalgic smile, "Well, you listened to Grandpa yesterday, right? While serving in the army, I also met your mother. At that time, she hunted monsters as if they were her prey, moving with such fierce determination that even seasoned warriors would step aside in respect. That's why everyone started calling her 'tigress.'"
Hearing his father's revelation, Neil looked at his mother with newfound shock and admiration regarding her past.
Seeing Neil's admiring gaze, she subconsciously straightened herself with a proud look, her posture reflecting the warrior she once was.
But then she heard Neil saying, "Don't worry, Father. Mother is still the tigress."
Hearing this, she flicked his forehead with her finger and glared at him. "What do you mean by 'Mother is still the tigress'? Don't I always care about you? When did I ever beat you, huh?"
Neil, covering his forehead, gave her a speechless look while thinking to himself, "Yes, she's definitely still the tigress."
While Neil and his parents were engaged in their conversation, his aunts were also instructing their children to take care of their safety during the day's adventures.
After hearing Neil's suggestion about his mother accompanying him to the lake, his Aunt Seraphina, having completed her instructions to Orion and Lyra, turned toward Maya. "Well, I think you can go with them, Maya."
Hearing her words, Maya looked at her sister-in-law with a conflicted expression. "Oh, you know better than Neil that I have other work to attend to."
Seraphina replied thoughtfully, "Well, did you forget that we need to go to the lake to collect water for today? You can go in my place, and I can do your work. This way, you can go with Neil and be at ease while also helping with the daily chores."
Maya responded gratefully, her relief evident in her voice. "Thank you, sister, you really solved my problem."
Hearing the exchange between his aunt and mother, and realizing his mother would actually accompany him to the lake, Neil said somewhat in a panic, "Mother, you won't really come with us to the lake, right?"
She looked at him questioningly, her maternal instincts immediately on alert. "Why can't I come with you? Weren't you asking for that just now? Or are you planning to go somewhere else after the lake?" Her voice took on a threatening tone that made Neil's blood run cold.
Hearing his mother's suspicious questioning, Neil knew his plans were about to be exposed, but to save himself he replied with a caring expression and small smile, "No, Mother, how could I break my promise to you? I was just worried that you might get tired from all the walking."
Hearing his reply, she looked at him suspiciously, but seeing that his face genuinely seemed concerned for her wellbeing, she smiled warmly. "Oh, my Neil cares so much about his mother."
Seeing that his mother believed his excuse, he thought to himself in relief, "Oh, saved."
Then everyone began moving outside for their respective tasks. Neil with his parents headed toward the lake.
Uncle Kael, along with Orion and Lyra, went to explore the surrounding areas—Lyra mainly hoped to find a beehive to make some honey candy.
Uncle Rhys and Caspian departed to hunt animals, while the others attended to various household maintenance tasks.
As they were departing, his cousin Caspian called out excitedly while waving his hand and moving away from them, "Neil, just wait for a surprise tonight! I will definitely hunt bigger game!"
Big brother Orion and big sister Lyra also called out as they left, "Hey Neil, I'll definitely find many different resources. You just wait!"
Hearing them say this made Neil excited, his heart racing with anticipation.
The mountainous place where he mined stone and later found iron had been discovered by Uncle Rhys during one of his exploration missions.
If not for that crucial discovery, he wouldn't have known where to mine, and his crafting abilities would have been severely limited.
The memory of finding that first vein of iron ore still thrilled him. If his cousins could find new resources too—perhaps different metals, rare stones, or even materials he'd never seen before—it would open up entirely new possibilities for his crafting.
The thought of what discoveries awaited filled him with barely contained excitement.
After everyone had gone their separate ways, Neil's family prepared the things they needed to take along with them.
But seeing his mother struggling slightly with the weight of a particularly large wooden bucket, Neil said to her with concern, "Mother, why don't you give me the bucket? I can just put it in my space."
Hearing Neil's offer, she thanked him while handing it to him without hesitation, as they all knew about his remarkable ability to store items in his mysterious inventory.
The family had long since accepted this unique gift of his, though they still marveled at how convenient it made their daily tasks.
Neil concentrated briefly, and the bucket vanished into his dimensional storage, leaving his mother's hands free for the journey ahead.
After some time spent gathering final supplies and checking their preparations, Neil, along with his parents, set off toward the lake.
The morning sun cast long shadows across the frost-covered ground as they walked through the familiar path that led toward the lake.
The crunch of their footsteps on the partially frozen earth created a steady rhythm, and Neil couldn't help but feel that this journey would soon lead to new discoveries.