“I still can’t get used to how queer you are, Adam,” Amira admitted, watching as Adam fed his triplets from his fingers, but also the twins, who had complained, jealous that the triplets were being fed in such a way.

“I have managed to worm my way back into their heart using food,” Adam said, looking over to the Aswadian woman. “It works for everyone.”

Amira smirked slightly. “I didn’t realise you loved your children so much. I had heard from Dunes and the others, and with how much you complained… I still wouldn’t have guessed it was this much.”

“You underestimate my power,” Adam said, feeding his youngest daughter a hard carrot from his hand, the girl’s teeth crunching through it with ease. Adam lifted Jirot up onto his lap and he kissed her forehead, causing the girl to look up at him. She smiled and shoved more carrot into her mouth, before she squirmed away from him. Adam did the same to Jarot, the boy staring up at his father, taking in his sight. There was certainly a sense of familiarity with the Half Elf, but the man did not have the tattoos on his forehead, like the others who raised him.

The others watched as Adam also helped feed Gurot, spooning some of the thick, mashed fruit, before feeding the boy. Gurot looked up at Adam shyly, but allowed the Half Elf to feed him.

“Did you think I forgot about you, my chonky boy?” Adam asked, brushing his hair gently. “Turot, Asorot, I can’t believe your brother is so cute. Are you spoiling him properly?”

“Yes,” Turot replied. “I spoil him good.”

“Are you feeding him properly?” Adam asked, half hugging the giant baby on his lap. “Gurot, you let me know if they don’t give you the right amount of food, I’ll sort them out.”

Gurot smiled, before eating from the spoon again, sucking the mashed fruit down. He looked up towards his aunt, before he smiled shyly again, sticking his hand into his mouth.

“I feed him!” Turot stated. “Mother asks me to feed Gurot.”

“Then he must be fed well,” Adam confirmed, flashing a smile. “I’m so jealous of you two. Look at how cute your little brother is! I don’t have a cute little brother to spoil.”

“I am!” Lanarot said, sitting up straight.

“You’re a little sister, not a little brother,” Adam said.

“Yes,” Lanarot confirmed. “I am your kaka.”

“That’s right,” Adam said, scooping up more food for Gurot. “I want a little brother to spoil. Hold on… don’t you two now have two little brothers to spoil? There’s Murot too.”

“Yes,” Turot confirmed.

“Hold on, doesn’t that mean…” Adam thought deeply. “Nirot, Turot, Asorot, Gurot, Murot. Five! Five children! Aunt Mirot, how could she have so many children? Five is too many. Who has five children? She needs to leave babies for the rest of us!”

Jurot narrowed his eyes. “Adam, you have five children.”

Katool started to laugh at Adam, and the other children joined in. Even Jirot, who had no idea what was going on, began to laugh, causing the younger babies to smile and laugh too.

“What? No way, that doesn’t count! I have triplets and twins, so that only counts as two children.”

“No,” Konarot said, pointing up at her father with an accusatory finger.

“What do you mean no?”

“No!”

“Don’t steal your sister’s joke.”

Konarot huffed, before looking to her nana, pouting up at her for support.

“Aunt, how can you do this to me?” Adam whispered. “Konarot was the one that loved me the most, but now she looks to you for support. What have you done to my children? You’ve stolen them away from me.” Adam lifted Gurot up and hugged him tighter. “Fine, I’m stealing Gurot and the others then! Right, Gurot, you want to be with Cousin Adam, don’t you?”

“Mama,” Gurot said, seeing his mother approach with Murot.

Adam closed his eyes, and allowed the boy to leave his arms, the chonky baby boy waddling his way to his mother before he was picked up by her strong arm. Mirot was pretty certain that Adam was doing something stupid, especially since he seemed to be stunned.

Konarot kissed her father’s cheek to awaken him from his stupid thoughts. Adam looked down to his eldest daughter. He brushed her hair gently and pulled her head to his chest. “I missed you all so much.” He ran his fingers through her dark hair, which was nearly black, but with a hint of silver. “Daddy is going to try and work less so he can spend more time with you.”

Konarot purred affirmatively at his words and rested her head against his chest. Her tail swayed gently from side to side. Kirot and Karot also cuddled up beside their father on either side, while Jirot and Jarot stared at their elder siblings, seeing how close they were with the man.

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Adam looked out to all the children, even the baby girls who were eating beside one another, near their mothers and fathers. “Jurot, I’m going to spoil them all.”

“Yes,” Jurot stated, knowing it was true.

“Even if they’ve forgotten me, it doesn’t matter. I’ll spoil them so much. The Gods, they’ve truly given me a great fortune in this life.” He planted a kiss on Konarot’s forehead. “Thank the Gods and their grace.” ‘I should go and give more money to the temples…’

Once they were done with breakfast, Adam was excited to play with the children. Unfortunately for them, an Iyrman adorned in dark grey clothing appeared, with a message from Elder Zijin.

“Elder Zijin wishes to speak with you,” the Iyrman said, looking to Adam and the trio of Iyrmen.

Adam sighed, before putting his children down, getting up to stretch. He looked to his five children and just nodded, giving in to the Iyr’s demands. “Alright.”

Adam and the trio of Iyrmen followed the Elder’s aid out, making their way to the Elder’s estate, the most central estate. They found the Elder sitting at his desk, skimming through all manner of books, while checking the accounts to make sure they had enough food prepared for the Front Iyr. They couldn’t farm the land around the Front Iyr while that man was still there.

Elder Zijin’s eyes snapped up towards Adam and his companions. “Adam,” the Elder said, before nodding to the other Iyrmen, motioning with a hand to the side. “Take a seat.”

“Elder Zijin, good to see you.” Adam dropped down onto one of the four seats in front of the Elder, glancing down at some of the papers, before his eyes shot upwards, deciding against learning more about the Iyr in this manner.

“Congratulations on placing so well in the tournament,” Elder Zijin said, closing his book, before offering the four snacks and drinks. The aid stepped to one side, allowing the five to speak more privately. “First, second, third…”

“If you wanted to congratulate us, you should have invited Nobby and the others,” Adam said.

“I will congratulate them too, but I thought to inform you first of what is expected of you, as those who have placed well in the tournament,” Elder Zijin began. “I will request that you take the day off to relax within the park, as the families will come speak with you. There will be much food to eat, and much alcohol to drink. There will be many Iyrmen who will come to greet you as someone who has placed well in the tournament.”

“Oh? What about Bavin, and the others, the teens?”

“They will also do the same in the near future,” the Elder assured.

“Sounds good.”

“I understand you may wish to spend time with your family, but this must be done,” Elder Zijin said, his eyes staring deep into Adam’s apologetically.

“So we’ve got to meet and greet people?”

“Yes.”

“Then… could my children also be there to watch?”

Elder Zijin paused for a moment to think. It was such an Adam question to ask, and was perhaps the most obvious question he should have originally considered.“Yes.”

Adam smiled slightly. The Iyr was giving him a chance to be cool in front of his children? “Sounds good.”

“I will deal with the logistics,” Zijin assured, tapping his book, having already prepared for it. “I am glad to hear that you did so well.” His eyes remained focused on Adam.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“It seems it was not time for the Jin family,” Elder Zijin said.

“Uwajin and Timojin both did well,” Adam stated.

“Yes.” He waved a hand to dismiss the group. “Take my congratulations and go.” The Elder chuckled, flashing a smile towards the Half Elf.

Adam chuckled, getting up to make his way out. Jaygak stood too, but the Elder shook his head, motioning for her to sit down. Adam glanced between the pair, but decided to leave them be, heading out with Jurot and Kitool.

“You dropped out of the tournament?” Zijin asked, offering her more snacks.

“It wasn’t my time.”

“The Jaygak that I know would not have dropped out.”

“What was the point? I wasn’t going to place well.”

“Placing in the top ten would have been more than enough to gain glory.”

“Maybe I could have reached top ten, maybe I couldn’t…”

“You could have.”

“I don’t think so.”

“With Stormdrake in hand?” Elder Zijin asked.

“Even with Stormdrake in hand. If I had plate mail, I may have continued, but… it wasn’t the time for the Gak family.”

“Laygak placed well.”

Jaygak slowly nodded her head. “He did.”

“Jaygak. You always cause me such trouble, but I accept it all, because I know you do not mean harm.” He leaned in towards her, staring into her eyes. “If your heart is not up to the task, I ask you to remember this one thing. Even if you were to fail, I expect you to fail with a mouth full of blood. I do not expect this of you as an Iyrman, but as the elder sister to Raygak, and the one Taygak looks up to most”

Jaygak swallowed. Failing with a mouth full of blood? It was something she hadn’t heard in a long while. “I think they should find someone else to look up to.”

“Who? Adam?” Zijin shook his head. “In their eyes, in our eyes, there is only you, Jaygak.”

“I want to retire, Elder.”

“It is refused.”

“It is my right.”

“What am I to say to Raygak?” Elder Zijin whispered, raising his brows towards her.

“I will tell him.”

“Will you?” Zijin remained staring into the woman’s eyes, his own trying to see what she truly meant.

Jaygak frowned. “…”

“It is not time for you to retire yet, Jaygak,” Elder Zijin said. “As I clear the path for Adam, I will do the same for you.”

“You’re clearing a path for me?”

“I do not need to clear a path for Jurot,” Zijin began. “I do not need to clear a path for Kitool. Raygak and Taygak, they both see a wall they cannot climb. That wall is named Gak. When was the last time anyone from the Gak family has risen? Gangak? Yes, perhaps she was the only one to break through it, but that was a long time ago. Even Kaygak stopped before she could climb the wall. I will clear the path for you, Jaygak, and you must clear a path for them.”

“What is my path, Elder?” Jaygak asked, cautiously. She had heard what Taygak had said before, and it had broken her heart. Adam had heard it too, but he had reacted differently. Whereas Jaygak could only react with shame, Adam reacted with shock and had argued against it.

It was always Adam who could do such things.

Elder Zijin smiled. “Your path…” The older Iyrman sighed. “You would not believe me.”

“What is it?”

“It is more unbelievable than even Adam.”

Jaygak raised her brow towards the Elder. This was the very first that she had heard he had plans for her. No matter how much Jaygak thought, she had no idea what the Elder was thinking. She supposed that one had to think in such a way in order to be an Elder.

‘Something more unbelievable than Adam?’

“I do not care if your mouth if full of your foe’s blood or your own,” Zijin said, “but Jaygak, please. It must be full of blood.”

“I understand, Elder Zijin…” Jaygak replied, though her lips were still a frown.

Zijin could see she didn’t believe in herself still, but it was fine. She said she understood, and that was all he could ask.

“Oh damn,” Adam whispered as he stopped at the entrance of the shared estate. “I forgot to give the twins their gifts.”

Jurot was certain their birthdays hadn’t passed yet.