Before noon came, Lanarot fell asleep, taking a nap within the home as the other children played outside under the Duskval sun. There was a gentle chill within the Iyr this day, a pleasant breeze flowing through the mountains.

Adam stared at the sleepy girl, laying down beside her as her mother knitted something. He stared at the girl, who was so small and chubby, and cried whenever she pleased.

His thoughts fell to his previous life, where he had managed to survive for a year before the same God who had brought him into the world killed him due to the Chaos he had brought.

He thought about the other Lanarot, who he hadn’t spent much time with. He had gone to the north, to the Giants, and had spoken with them about a world ending threat, the very same threat which had disappeared, just like that.

‘I wonder if I can return back to that world…’

Adam rolled over, covering his eyes with his arm. That Lanarot had lost a brother because of him, and then he had disappeared out of their lives. He only hoped that Belle had made sure that Lanarot and Sonarot were well taken care of in that world.

The thought ate away at his heart, and he couldn’t help but sink deeper into his sadness.

He twitched as he felt something against his hair, before looking up to see Sonarot.

She brushed his hair gently, having noted how the boy had gone quiet, and was sinking into pity. A gentle, motherly smile warmed her face as she stared down at him.

Adam rubbed his eyes, before shaking his head. ‘Come on, Adam. There’s no point in thinking about it.’ He sat up and massaged his cheeks, feeling a little bit of a scruff against his face. ‘Oh? Is that hair on my face? Do Elves even grow beards?’ He thought, only to remember that only half of him was an Elf.

“Do you wish to shave?” Sonarot whispered.

“I probably should…”

Sonarot nodded, before heading up, returning not long later with a small bowl, a brush, and a razor with a wooden handle. “I will find you some cream,” she said.

“Thank you,” Adam said, looking down at the razor, and then noting his Dexterity. ‘This is not going to end well.’

Yet he decided against telling Sonarot his fears, not wishing to emasculate himself.

Sonarot returned with a small wooden box which held some fat within it.

‘Now that I’ve come this far…’

Adam slipped the smallest bit of fat into the bowl and sprinkled a small amount of water, before beginning to brush it into a lather. It very quickly foamed up, much quicker than he expected, and he brushed it against his face, making sure to cover his entire neck and half his face. He had his lips pursed the entire time, and wiped away the excess foam from his mouth with his thumb before he brought the razor up to his face.

Omen: 6, 7

‘Oh, right.’

He had forgotten he had felt unlucky that day, which is why he didn’t enchant.

Spell: Guidance

1D3 = 3 (3)

Dexterity Check

D20 + 4 = 6 (2)

Health: 52 -> 51

Adam brought the razor to his face and very gently began to shave, only to find he was doing a terrible job. Then, after a moment of eagerness, he cut into the side of his neck and gasped.

“Would you like me to help you?” Sonarot asked, though she had extended a hand for the razor.

“Yes, please,” Adam replied, sighing.

Sonarot’s hands were far more gentle as she began to shave the boy, humming to herself quietly. She recalled the few times she had shaved someone, thinking back to her Surot, before her thoughts returned back to Adam, as it would have been a bad idea for her thoughts to wander with a blade to Adam’s throat.

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Adam’s heart pounded wildly.

‘If Sonarot has any doubts about me, I guess this is it,’ he thought.

However, Sonarot shaved his face, going through for a second pass, before his face was fresh and as smooth as Lanarot’s.

“There you are,” Sonarot said, holding his face in her hands and staring at his face.

“Thank you.”

“Did you shave often?”

“I usually let my beard grow,” Adam admitted. “Not a ton. I’d use a trimmer to keep it an inch at most.”

“Do you wish to grow a beard?”

“I don’t know. I think a Half Elf should probably shave.”

“Why?”

“I… don’t know.” Adam thought about his face, rubbing his hand along it. “Maybe I should grow a beard. Nothing crazy, just something that’s fun to run my hands through. Or maybe I should have my beard but grow the world’s biggest moustache?” He chuckled.

Sonarot smiled, glad that he was no longer having those down thoughts. “A moustache?”

“Yeah, a big one.” Adam held out his hands on either side of his face. “I’ll make it so big that Lanarot can hang off of it.”

Sonarot shook her head, a large smile plastered on her face. “Your mind works in mysterious ways.”

Adam nodded. “You don’t even know, Aunt.”

Eventually, Lanarot awoke, crying for her mother, who soon picked her up to feed her again, this time with some kind of fruit paste, which Lanarot eagerly ate, though half of it found its ways onto her face.

“What’s with all the mess?” Adam asked. “Lana, you need to eat it all properly, otherwise you won’t grow.”

Lanarot looked up at him, opening her mouth for more food, before eating some of it, and then letting some of the food spill out the corners of her mouth.

“It’s treason, then.”

Sonarot eventually took Lanarot to clean her up, both her face, and to change her nappy.

Spell: Tricks

Adam used his spell to clean the soiled nappy, which caused Sonarot to look over at him and the clean cloth.

“Magic?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“It’s very useful.”

“It is.”

The rain began to fall, which caused Lanarot to hug her mother, as the lightning and thunder began.

Lanarot held onto her mother as the loud noise filled the house, though it was muffled through the walls and closed windows.

“You know,” Adam began, wondering if he should really ask. “I’ve noticed that the lightning flashes and the thunder rumbles at the same intervals throughout the entire day.”

Sonarot smiled. “Yes,” she confirmed.

“Why is that?”

“It strikes the same place.”

Adam threw a glance over to the smiling mother who brushed her daughter’s hair, who was holding her tight. “Where does it strike?”

“A place which does not exist to you,” Sonarot replied.

Adam nodded, understanding the point.

“You take such good care of children,” Sonarot said.

“Yeah,” Adam said. “I’m the eldest brother of two. Well, three, but technically I died before she was born, so…”

Sonarot stared at the boy, and suddenly so many things began to make sense. “I am glad that you are Lanarot’s brother.”

Adam’s lips twitched in the same way Jurot’s did when Sonarot praised him. “I’m glad she’s my sister.”

“Do you want to have children?”

“One day,” Adam admitted. “I didn’t marry in my first life, well, I was a little young still, but I wasn’t in a great financial position. We were under the rule of a certain party which didn’t follow the rules of common sense, and so our country wasn’t exactly punching above its weight. Then we dug ourself in a deeper hole when we voted to…” Adam looked at Sonarot. “Nevermind.”

He didn’t want her to think poorly of him.

“I might find someone in this world and have children one day, but I’m not really focused on it.”

“I am sure you would make a wonderful father. You play with the children so well, and look after Lanarot like you were an Aunt or Uncle.”

Adam smiled. “Well, she is my little sister. I can’t do as well as you or Aunt…” Adam narrowed his eyes, unsure if he could call the other woman Aunt. “I mean, you or Citool.”

Sonarot bowed her head, understanding why he corrected himself. “If there comes a time where I am needed elsewhere, I will be glad to leave her in your care.”

“I hope that isn’t for another few years at least,” Adam said. “Right now I need to make sure I secure the position as the favourite brother.”

The thunder continued, the patter of rain providing some noise in the background.

“Abababa?” Lanarot asked, looking to her mother.

“I should help Jogak make food.” Sonarot held out the girl to Adam.

Lanarot squirmed and tried to pull closer towards her, but Adam accepted her from Sonarot. The girl stared at the Half Elf and her face scrunched up as she made to cry.

Spell: Tricks

Adam created small bell in his hand, holding it up to Lanarot, before it disappeared. She stared at it and blinked, before reaching up to his hand to slap it. Adam continued to create small trinkets in his hand, distracting Lanarot, before eventually letting her play with her blocks, handing them over to her as she stacked them.

“Obooboo?” Lanarot asked.

“Okay,” Adam replied. “You want this one?”

“Ooh!” Lanarot grabbed the block to stack it.

“Good choice.” He brushed her hair before continuing to play with her. He used his spell to create patterns on the blocks, making the pattern of the Rot family on the blocks, which caused Lanarot to pick those blocks up.

“Ooh?”

“Good girl.” He continued to brush her wispy hair.

Outside, Jogak was cooking. “Is it a good idea to leave him alone with Lanarot?”

“There is no issue with leaving Lanarot with her brother,” Sonarot replied, curtly.

Jogak was about to press the issue when he saw the look in her eyes, and decided against it.