“My Jurot…” Sonarot whispered, almost in shock. She looked to Adam and then back to her son, reaching over to brush her boy’s hair. Jurot had his arms crossed, and though he sat up tall, he bowed his head lightly so his mother could brush his hair easier. He held Lanarot tight within his arm while the girl hugged him, looking up towards him through the strands of her hair.

Katool was also looking up at her sister, having not realised she was so strong. She looked around, her mouth forming a tiny circle in shock, glancing towards the other children, before looking back up at her mother. Citool wasn’t sure she had heard correctly either, that Kitool had almost beaten Jurot without her Tigerstaff.

“It was my most difficult fight,” Jurot confirmed, sipping his milk. Even with Phantom in hand, he wasn’t sure if he could beat Kitool again. If she had Tigerstaff, he still may not be able to defeat her, considering how swift she was to act.

Jogak continued to rub Jaygak’s shoulder gently. Even though she had dropped out, he was pretty sure she would have placed well. “You did well, Jaygak.”

Jaygak decided against even joking about it, instead sipping some fruit wine. It was worse for her that her own her father tried to cheer her up. She looked to Adam, who was feeding Karot from his hand, the boy shyly eating from his father’s fingers. Even though he had chosen to come third, the Half Elf didn’t seem to care one bit.

“Speaking of which, the teens did pretty good too,” Adam said. “They claimed all the top spots.” Adam reached over and pat Nobby against his back. “What a bunch of scary monsters you’ve all become.”

“Strong!” Taygak confirmed, hugging her brother who had placed so well. “Taygak, win.”

“You will have to,” Laygak confirmed, hugging his sister back. “You have to get revenge for me.”

“Okay.”

“I will fight well too,” Raygak said. “Sister, I will win for you.”

“Do whatever you want, Raygak,” Jaygak said, reaching over to pinch his cheek. “If you want to win, or if you want to stay at home.”

“I will win,” the boy stated.

“I will win too!” Katool stated.

Damokan and Kalokan both remained silent, cuddled up beside their sibling, who had placed high in the tournament.

“You think Bavin’s showing off too?” Adam asked.

“Bovin will be happy,” Jurot replied, simply.

“I kept my end of the promise, so he’d better be happy,” Adam said, daring to speak of the previous Great Elder.

“Papa, stwong,” Lanarot said, patting Adam’s leg gently. She gave him a thumbs up and nodded at him, her hair gently bouncing. “Okay?”

“Okay…” Adam smiled, reaching down to ruffle her hair gently, causing it to cover her eyes.

The others continued to speak the tale, with Jurot speaking of what happened in the other world with greater details. He held Lanarot on his lap, the girl laying against him as she sucked on her thumb, staring up at her older brother with narrowed eyes.

However, it was Nirot who would state what happened during the fight with Umbra. She revealed the great loss they had faced, and the fact they had almost died. She also revealed what she had seen, half conscious as she was.

Adam cleared his throat. “Right, well, she and I fought a little, and then I was saved by Jurot, Lucy, Mara, and Kitool.”

‘You left my Jaygak behind?’ Jogak thought, wondering why Adam would have done such a thing.

Nirot waited to see if he’d actually speak about the fight, but Adam refused to elaborate, so she continued to tell them what she had seen. Adam went back to checking on his triplets, making sure their glasses were full of milk, and their faces were clean, wiping their mouths with a wet cloth.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Uh oh,” Jirot said, looking up to her nana.

They paused the story and assisted in cleaning up the young children, while the others went to check on the babies nearby. Citool threw Mirot a look, letting her know that the story was even crazier than she originally thought.

The story was eventually finished, revealing their great tale, as well as the fact that the teen Iyrmen had returned to them as Experts.

Experts!

Of all the things that Adam did, it was probably the craziest thing he had managed. The teens had been travelling for just a short while, and yet they had come back to the Iyr with great strength. Every Iyrman of able body and sound mind became an Expert by the time they reached their mid thirties, as was expected of them. However, to become an Expert before reaching even the age of twenty, and never mind the age of twenty, but within a couple years of adventuring, that was rare even for Iyrmen.

For the likes of Amokan and Timojin, perhaps it was expected, but they were the best of the best when it came to Iyrmen. However, for each of the Iyrmen, especially the likes of Laygak and Faool, to gain the strength of an Expert so quickly…

In another estate, the roar of laughter filled the air. “That fool! He did it! He actually did it!” Bovin continued to laugh, grabbing his grandson by the shoulders, slapping them wildly. “Gaa! Hahaha!” He embraced his grandson so tightly while the other Vin family members stared in shock.

Meanwhile, Mirot and the other Iyrmen wondered how much the Duchess knew. It had appeared to be the case she had decided to learn more about Adam, but did she know any of his secrets? They were unsure. However, she seemed to have found that Adam was quite the special case.

“Daddy came third place in the tournament,” Adam said, brushing Konarot’s hair. “Aren’t you going to congratulate him?”

“Good,” Konarot said, standing up beside her father before hugging his shoulder. Kirot and Karot did the same, hugging his legs.

“Hm,” Adam replied, wrapping an arm around his eldest daughter, before rubbing Kirot and Karot’s head gently. He brushed along their horns too, and the pair climbed up onto his lap.

“Ah, I forgot. I almost did forget the birthday.” Adam chuckled. Unfortunately, he was trapped by his children, and so decided against shifting away from them. “Asorot, I missed your birthday, didn’t I?”

“Yes?”

“One second,” Adam said, rubbing his cheek against Konarot’s. “Behbee, I need to get your uncle’s present, so give me one second.”

Konarot held onto her father’s arm, staring up at him with her tiny eyes. The silver eyes blinked innocently up towards her father, while the girl kept her arms around him, trapping him within a hug.

‘So, even you’re going to act up against your father too?’ Adam winced slightly. ‘Damn it! Why are my children so cute?’

“Jurot…” Adam began, having been defeated by his eldest daughter. “The vest.”

Jurot reached into the leather sack, before pulling out the vest made of hydra scales.

“It’s made of the hydra scales,” Adam said, reaching out awkwardly to ruffle Asorot’s hair nearby. “I had it made by Sam’s Scales from Water Ford.”

“River Hill,” Jurot corrected.

“I knew it was one of the two,” Adam replied, sighing. “It’s nonmagical right now, but I’ll see if I can’t have a conversation with the Enchanter in the future.” Adam winked at the young man. “It’s a little big right now, sure, but you’ll grow into it. Even if it won’t protect you, it will look cool, don’t you think?”

“Thank you,” Asorot said, hugging the scale armour, which was way too big and heavy for him at the moment. “It is cool.”

“Of course it is! Only the coolest gifts for my Cousin, of course.” Adam eyed up the rest of the kids. “Of course, I’ll get you all the coolest gifts too.”

Umbra stared at Adam from nearby. At first she thought he was a fool of a father, but he was more than just that. He was wholly a fool and wholly a father.

Amira exchanged a glance with Dunes, wondering just how much Adam adored his Cousins. She had heard him mention them a few times, but when the Half Elf was among them, he couldn’t help but dote on them.

“I bought some more gifts for everyone,” Adam stated. “Unfortunately, I had to leave quite a bit of it behind at the guild bank, so I won’t be able to see all these cute little brats wearing cute clothes, but maybe in the future.”

Adam lifted Konarot up, blowing raspberries against her stomach, causing her to giggle and cry out, before peppering her with more kisses. He settled the girl on his shoulders and did the same to Kirot and Karot, though settled them on his thighs. “Sorry for spending so much time away. Daddy will try not to leave for so long next time…”

Konarot rested her head on top of her father’s, purring quietly. She held onto his head with her tiny hands, her fingers clutching at his head, as though she wouldn’t let him go. Kirot pat Adam’s chest gently, before resting her head against it, while Karot snuggled against his bicep, staring up at his father.

“No!” Jirot declared, pointing up at him, yawning lightly.

“Jurot, look at how smart my daughter is,” Adam said. “Jirot, what’s the opposite of yes?”

“No!” The girl cackled.

“Will you refuse your father?”

“No!”

“See? She’s a genius.”

Jurot looked down at the Goblin girl who continued to cackle wildly, clasping her hands together diabolically. “Jirot, is your name Adam?”

Jirot looked up at Jurot, before she grabbed her nana and climbed on top of her, hiding her face into the woman’s bosom. “No.”

“Your daughter is a genius,” Jurot confirmed.

Adam smiled wide, gently rubbing his younger triplet’s sides. “Of course, all my children are so cute and smart.” He looked to the little Jarot, the tiny boy staring up at his father suspiciously, before hiding beside his twin sister. Adam smiled even wider. ‘How adorable!’