"Rick," Adam reached out to shake the guard's forearm, glancing over his shoulder, before smiling wider. "Looks like there's something in the water?"

"Yes?" Rick replied. His face was heavily scarred, his beard neatly trimmed to almost Aswadian precision. He wore chain mail, carried a blade at his side, and a shield upon his back.

"Nothing," Adam said, nodding towards Ivy and Charley, who were joining Rick on the rounds. “About the bets…” Adam smiled wide. “I hope you’ll stay with us now that you’re rich.”

“Of course, Executive,” Rick replied, smiling slightly. Even if he was buried in a mountain of gold coins, he’d remain at the business.

“I’ll inform Manager Dunes later about the money situation, and he’ll let you know about the exact figure for each of you. I did my best with the numbers, but I’m not Churot.”

Rick tilted his head slightly, but nodded once more. “Of course, Executive.”

“I’ve noticed there are a few more babies about in the business, and a few bumps. I’m not sure if you’ve done it already, but make sure a Manager knows about the exact date they were born, so we can deal with certain administrative tasks. Also, anyone who gave birth, they should take at least four weeks off, paid of course, and they should only work lightly for another eight weeks, still paid. Any fathers should…” Adam paused. “You know what, I’ll speak with Manager Dunes about it first, and he’ll let you know.”

“Of course, Executive.”

“You are doing good work?” Jirot asked from beside her father, her hands wrapped behind her back, her eyes curiously glaring towards the farmer guard.

“I like to think so,” Rick replied.

“He is doing good work?” Jirot asked her father, her eyes full of judgement.

“Of course he does, it’s mister Rick.”

“Mistuh Rick…” Jirot slowly nodded her head. “Good work, mistuh Rick. I give you more money, okay?”

“How much should we give him?” Adam asked.

“Hmmm.” The girl glanced to her brother. “Jarot, how much we give?”

“One coppuh, one silvuh, one gold?”

“Wow! You’re so generous, aren’t you? I’ll be sure to give mister Rick that as a bonus. Whose going to pay for it?”

“I can!” Jirot said. “I can pay myself!”

“I can pay too!” little Jarot added.

“Should we give everyone a copper, a silver, and a gold?” Adam asked.

“They are all doing good work?”

“I think so.”

“Hmmm.” Jirot reached up to her chin to think. “Okay. We can give all.”

“Wow! My daughter is so generous!”

“Daddy, I am doing good work?”

“Of course you are my dear.”

Jirot held out her hand. “You must give me now.”

Adam blinked, throwing a look to Rick. Rick had noticed the girl’s ploy immediately, but seeing the look within Adam’s eyes, it seemed the fool of a father hadn’t caught on.

“There’s a new woman by the name of Jane,” Adam said, handing the coins to his daughter, who greedily clutched them to her chest, cackling lightly to herself. “She’s going to be joining us. I want you to keep an eye on her, see if she fits into the culture of our business.”

“As you say, Executive.”

As the twins revealed their coins to one another, the troublesome fool of a father let out a low sigh.

‘The world must envy me, for I have the cutest children.’

Adam made his rounds through the fort, through each section, beginning with the section for the Executives, which housed six stone buildings. There were four buildings on the walls in front and behind, homes for the Executives, and one on either side, the warehouses.

“One day, when you’re both Executives, you can live here.”

“I not Zecutive, I am Demon Load!” Jirot declared, standing defiantly.

“Of course, right,” Adam replied, a small smile creeping upon his lips.

“I am babo,” little Jarot said.

“No, no, you should be my little Jarot, not the smelly old geezer,” Adam said, hoisting his son up to kiss his cheek all over.

“No?” Jarot cackled lightly, before trying to reach out for his sister, who also cackled.

Stepping through the gate, they then made the rounds to the Manager’s section, which held two warehouses towards the Executive’s area, then small fields, gardens almost, finally the large estates for the Managers and the Leads. One of the estates currently held all the newborn children, who were watched over by the small army of Iyrmen.

“Just a bit of water, okay,” Adam said, assisting his children in watering some of the plants. “Looks like mister Gimon already watered the plants.”

“Smelly mistuh Gimon,” Jirot huffed.

“What are you saying? He’s doing such good work, which means we can play for longer.”

Jirot blinked. “Good work, mistuh Gimon. We give more money, okay?”

“Maybe, maybe,” Adam said, hoisting the pair up into each of his arms, before stepping through the next gate to find the estates for the farmers, and the fields beyond. The estates barely held the remaining members of the business. “Ah, look, it’s mister Gimon.”

“Hello!” Jirot called out from her father’s arms.

“Oh, hello there,” Gimon said, the old man tall and lean. He removed his flat cap, and smiled warmly towards the pair. “How are you doing today, Little Bosses, Executives?”

“Good work!” Jirot shouted, holding up a thumbs up for the old man.

“Ah, right?” The old man continued to smile warmly.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“We will pay you more, okay?”

“That’s such great news!” Gimon laughed, causing the pair to laugh too.

“We’ll leave you to your work. Say bye to mister Gimon.”

“Bye bye,” the pair called out, waving their hands towards the old man while their father whisked them away.

Vonda sat between the trees, the children all sitting before her as she taught them, speaking an old tale to try and instil her values upon them.

“We have to be-,”

“Mummy!” Jirot called out, trying to squirm out of her father’s grasp.

Adam sighed, letting them go, unable to tell them off. ‘Just this once, okay?’ “Good morning, everyone. Sorry about intruding upon your lesson today.”

“Good morning, mister Adam,” the children called out, though some of the words jumbled together as a few of the children called him Executive instead. George’s words were clearer than the rest, the blue gem pinning the two silver pieces together glowing with each word, which only ever remained at a constant volume.

“I’m sure you’re all studying hard.”

“Yes!” Daryl’s voice cut through all the children’s, along with George’s.

“I’m so glad,” Adam said, smiling towards them all. His eyes fell across each of the children, taking keen note of George and Elsie, making sure they were welcomed in by the rest of the children. ‘Hmm?’

Adam dropped down beside Vonda, leaning in to her neck.

“Adam…” Vonda began, turning slightly red, before feeling her husband’s breath against her neck as he whispered.

“Where are the Aswadian children?”

“With Dunes.”

‘Right. Makes sense.’ Adam frowned. “Alright, I’ll leave you to your teaching. Jirot, Jarot, you have to apologise for interrupting the class.”

“No!” Jirot cackled.

“Jirot.” Adam’s voice fell slightly, holding a touch of a sternness. “We must be polite.”

“No?” Jirot replied, tilting her head slightly as her father did not give in immediately.

“Jirot,” Vonda called, rubbing her head. “You must apologise.”

Jirot pouted, glancing towards the children, before hiding within her mother’s bosom. “Sorry.”

“Sorry,” little Jarot said, holding his sister’s hand, also hiding within his mother’s bosom.

Adam snatched his children up within his arms. “Wow! My children are so well mannered! Hahaha!” He peppered them with kisses once more as he stormed away. “Alright, why don’t you go play with papo?”

“Okay!” Jirot said, darting away before stopping. She turned, her eyes full of suspicion. “You are working?”

“Ah, I just want to go talk with Manager Dunes, dear, that’s all.”

Jirot inhaled sharply, before stepping backwards away from the figure emerging from the shadow. “Unko Jurot!”

“Jirot,” Jurot replied, reaching out his hand for the twins to hold onto them. “Did you cause trouble?”

“No?” Jirot smirked.

“Okay.”

Jirot cackled, leading her uncle away to go and play, little Jarot also holding his uncle’s hand, feeling how big and rough those hands were. The roughness reminded him of his greatfather’s hand, which were also so big.

Adam found Manager Dunes teaching the Aswadian children, speaking in their tongue, though also teaching each the Aldish tongue too. Adam decided to take a walk around, checking on the nearby farms, as well as the other members of the business, until Dunes found him a short while later at his place. Adam poured him some water, before cooling the water, and flavouring it.

“Blackcurrant, wasn’t it?” Dunes asked.

“Yeah,” Adam replied.

Dunes sipped the drink, recalling the last time he had tasted it. It had been right before Adam threatened to kill a Count. “Is something bothering you?”

“I’ve just been thinking.”

“About what?”

“This and that.” Adam inhaled deeply. “First, let’s deal with the business, then we can get more personal.”

“Very well.” Dunes checked over the book, glancing between his book and Adam’s, but he froze in place. “Why are we in such a business when you can make such gold betting on your fights?”

“It was pretty high risk,” Adam said. “I had to part out the bets for the businessfolk.”

Dunes stared down at the numbers, his brows raised in alarm. “I am glad I placed my own bets too. You seem to have placed even greater bets?”

“I used a lot of the business’ coin, but yeah. I bet some with my own coin, and well…” Adam motioned to the numbers at the bottom.

‘Three ways?’ Dunes thought, noting how Adam had parted out the coin. ‘The Iyr certainly bet well upon Adam.’ “Did the Iyr request for this coin?”

“No, but we should pay our dues.”

Dunes remained staring at the numbers for a long while. ‘Are you so terrified of them?’ “Even split in such a way, you are quite wealthy now.”

“Rich, not wealthy.”

“Are you certain?”

“Once I own a bunch of land, then you can call me wealthy,” Adam said, sipping his drink.

“Quite a few promotions too,” Dunes said, writing down his own notes, double checking Adam’s sums.

“It was about time, but I’m not sure what to do with Jasmine or Siten.”

“I do not know either,” Dunes admitted. “Jasmine has stated she is an Expert, and Siten is more powerful than a Grandmaster.”

“Damn, really? I suppose that does make sense, considering we met her out at sea. Do we know what Siten looks like?”

“No.”

“Damn.” Adam leaned back in his chair. “Not like I can do much more, since Lord Morkarai vouched for them. I guess we could have her work as a teacher? He called her Lady, so I assume she’s at least a minor noble, but knowing my luck, she’s probably a higher ranking noble, or like the son of a great warrior.”

“Son?”

“What?”

“She would be a daughter.”

“Right, my bad.” Adam chuckled lightly, before glancing to the side. He remained quiet for a little longer, before he Dunes’ gaze waiting for him. “I’ve been thinking about the business. No, not quite the business. I’ve been thinking about me.”

“Yourself?”

“I’ve acted like an idiot for so long, I think I actually became one.” Adam reached up to cover his eyes, closing them as he leaned back into his chair. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m untouchable. I’ve realised I’ve been leaning on the Iyr for a long while. They’ve done so much for me, and time and time again, I can’t keep my stupid mouth shut. I know Jurot’s got my back, but what happens if I go too far, and not just Jurot, but everyone else gets drawn in? I don’t want to trouble the Iyr, much, any more.”

“For seventy thousand gold, I’d let you trouble me more,” Dunes joked.

Adam pulled his hand away, glancing down towards Dunes, the pair smiling stupidly. “Be wary of cursed gold, Dunes.”

“If you hand me the gold, I will accept it, cursed or otherwise.”

“Is seventy thousand gold that much?”

“That is not what I mean,” Dunes replied, chuckling lightly.

Adam smiled wider. “You know, Dunes, I bought a gift for Ranya.”

Dunes’ smile quickly dropped. “What is it?”

“What do you think?”

“A magical sword?”

“Why would I buy a magical sword?”

“You are that troublesome.”

“Dunes.” Adam motioned around him. “I have no need to buy a magical weapon.”

“Ah. Right. My mistake.”

“It’s a mundane sword, actually.”

“Just a sword?”

“What? Is my sword not good enough for your daughter?”

“I did not mean it like that, it is just… that is so… normal?”

“It’s not a normal sword.”

“Yes?”

“It’s made of gemsteel.”

“That is strangely moderate of you.”

“Well…” Adam smiled awkwardly.

“What?”

“Well, you know, I gave Ranya a gift for her birth and… you’re about to have another child, so…”

Dunes reached up to rub his temples, feeling them pulse. “Lady Arya, save me.”

“Speaking of spoiling your children, I was speaking to Rick.”

“About spoiling my children?”

“In a roundabout way, yes.”

“Roundabout?”

“You have no idea how funny it is for you to ask about that to me.” Adam flashed a wide smile, shaking his head lightly, before pouring more water for them, flavouring it with his magic. “I want us to have a policy about working while pregnant, and taking time off after childbirth, both for the father, and the mother.”

“What are your thoughts?”

“I was thinking four weeks off for the mother, then half time for another eight weeks, all at full pay. I want the father to also get some time off, maybe… I don’t know, half work for twelve weeks too?”

“Why so much for the father?”

Adam smiled, raising his cup, sipping his flavoured water lightly, feeling the taste dance along his tongue. “When I left, all she could do was cry. The first time she saw my face, was today. I mean, with real clarity. When I left, I had to hold her head up constantly, but now, she can push herself up and hold her head up gently. I know it’s stupid, but… I want the fathers to spend time with the children during the first few months too.”

“Are you not afraid of the rules being abused?”

Adam tapped the table with his finger. “It might be abused. Even if it does, what does it matter? We need more guards, that’s for sure, and as long as not everyone gets pregnant at the same time, it should be fine. If we need to take away some of the benefits, sure, whatever. If we need extra farm hands, we’ll ask Chief Merl, and we’ll pay the villagers a pretty set of coins. I mean, it’s not like they’ll be doing nothing during that time, right?” Adam kept tapping his finger on the table.

Dunes checked the numbers in Adam’s book, and noted how the half elf had also thought about the lack of guards. “I agree with whatever rules you wish to form.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. “Oh. Wait. We should change it so that instead of what I said, it’s the person who gives birth gets whatever time off, and whoever ends up becoming the parents of the child, but didn’t give birth, get to take…” Adam paused, already imagining a way that might not be sufficient. Adam inhaled deeply, wondering how far he should over think this. “You know what, let’s get a mostly good set of rules, and then show our workers some leniency.”

“Okay.” Dunes couldn’t help but smile, taking note of Adam’s notes once more. ‘I hope you do not change much.’