The children played on the soft grass within the park, while Adam sat on the bench. Konarot sat on her father’s lap, holding onto his shirt as she rested her cheek against his torso, feeling his beating heart. Adam gently brushed through her silver hair, his eyes glued to the children as they played.

Lanarot led the play, with Kirot and Jirot following her, running all around, leaving their brothers to chase after them too. The other children, Gurot and the younger set of children who were only a year old, remained sitting and playing by themselves. Two were missing, off in their family estates to celebrate with their families.

Adam looked down at his daughter, his eldest, noting the faint scar across her cheek. He continued to brush her hair gently, before lifting her up, kissing her forehead.

“What a good girl you are, my Konarot. So sweet. So polite. So responsible.” The word responsible cut through his heart. She was too young for such a word. “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay. Daddy’s here to protect you. Daddy is going to become so strong, and daddy’s going to protect you from everything.”

Konarot smiled and nuzzled her neck against his chest, enjoying the way he brushed her hair. Adam eventually held her tiny hand in his own, brushing his thumb along the back of it.

‘Small.’

Even now, the girl was tiny. Yet, she behaved more maturely than any child, even those in their early teens.

‘It’s not fair, my baby.’ He kissed her forehead again and held her close to his chest. ‘Don’t worry. Daddy’s going to find all sort of strong warriors to look after you. I’ll find a bunch of Grandmasters, Paragons if I can, and I’ll set them up with the best weapons and armour to protect you. No. I’ll get an entire squad for each of you.’

Adam continued to hold her against his chest, doing his best to keep his heart calm. ‘Should I just leave you in the Iyr?’ Adam’s heart fell.

Konarot looked up at her father, feeling the way his heart beat had shifted. He smiled down at her, kissing her forehead again, before rubbing her head.

“You’ve done so well, haven’t you?” Adam whispered, his lips almost twitching. “Looking after the children.”

She nodded and smiled, hiding her face in his chest again.

“Not just the triplets, but your little siblings, Jirot and Jarot, too?”

She nodded again and cuddled up against him tighter, her tail swaying from side to side.

“Good girl, good girl!” He continued to pet her head gently. “You are such a good big sister, Konarot. Such a good girl.”

Konarot squirmed against his hand and rubbed her head against it harder. Adam smiled and lifted her up again to kiss her face repeatedly, nuzzling her nose. “Why don’t you go and play with your siblings? They probably want to have some fun with you too.”

Konarot looked up towards the shadow past her father, and squirmed slightly.

“You silly girl,” Adam said, tickling her nose. “Don’t bully your uncle like that.”

Jurot sat beside Adam, looking down towards his niece. She was so small, but the look in her eyes was defiant.

“Just because he’s big and strong, it doesn’t mean you can hurt his feelings,” Adam said, poking her nose gently. Konarot hid her face within his chest. “What’s this? Why are you being so shy now? He’s my brother, you know. Just like how Jarot is your brother.”

Konarot looked up towards her uncle, pouting slightly up at him. Jurot stared down at her, unsure of how to respond. She didn’t like him much for one reason or another, though she seemed to adore her grandmother.

“Jurot, why don’t you rub her head for doing a good job?”

“What did she do?”

“She’s looking after her younger brothers and sisters so well.”

“That is good,” Jurot said, rubbing her head, causing her to squirm and cuddle her father harder.

“Now, go on, you little rapscallion,” Adam joked. “You should go play with your brothers and sisters.”

Konarot slipped out of her father’s embrace and rushed off to go play with her aunt and siblings.

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“Lanababy is the oldest of the small kids,” Adam said, watching as Lanarot hugged her niece and kissed her forehead, before playing with her. “She’ll be the Young Boss of our business once it’s up and running.” Adam’s lips formed a wide smile. “I’ll be sure to funnel some coin into their hoards, too.”

“She is growing well,” Jurot said.

“Yeah.” Adam smiled, though his lips twitched awkwardly. “They’ll be less shy around you one day.” He watched as the children played.

“They may take their time.”

Adam swallowed. Jurot remained silent beside his brother, his eyes glued to the children too. The question remained hanging in the air for a long while.

“I’ve…” Adam cleared his throat. “I’ve already given your mother some grandchildren, but are you planning on marrying any time soon?”

“I do not know,” Jurot admitted. “I will speak with Elder Zijin soon. I am to adventure, or to marry.”

“What about Pam?” Adam asked.

Jurot remained silent.

“If you need any help, I can help. We can offer Pam a deal of some kind to work at the business. Or, you can let her know that you’re interested in her. She can’t be unmarried for long, I think, so we need to decide soon.”

“I do not know. She is no warrior. She is no Iyrman.”

“So?”

“I do not know what to do if they are not Iyrmen, or strong warriors,” Jurot admitted.

Adam smirked slightly. ‘Isn’t my brother also the cutest?’ “Leave it to me. I’m sure you can swoon her off her feet, but I can send her a…” Adam recalled how the Iyr’s gates were closed. “Ah, perhaps we should save it for next year?”

“That is a good idea.” Jurot almost let out a sigh of relief.

“I bet your kids would be so cute.”

“Cutest In The Whole World.”

Adam smiled, nodding his head slowly. The pair fell silent as they watched the children. The question remained unasked by Jurot, but Adam could feel the tension rise.

“What happened with you and Jonn?” the Half Elf asked. “After I was knocked out.”

“We fought,” Jurot said. “I was defeated.”

“You make it sound like he was stronger than you,” Adam replied, shaking his head lightly.

“He was, in that world,” Jurot confirmed.

“You almost cut my head off with all those Phantom charges,” Adam replied, chuckling lightly. “Plus, he had Oathkeeper, so I can’t really blame you for losing when he fought you at your weakest.”

“He was surrounded by many Iyrmen, and still chose to fight. He did not break his word. He will serve you well.”

“…” Adam swallowed again. “It’s all gone too well, Jurot.” Adam spoke in a whisper.

“Yes.”

“Winning the tournament,” Adam paused for a moment, not wanting to say any more. “Finding Amira. Finding Umbra. Returning to the Iyr, safely and on time.”

Jurot slowly bowed his head.

“I kind of wished that we returned after the birthdays,” Adam admitted, still whispering. “That way I knew my luck had run out. So that everything wouldn’t be so…” Adam dared not to invoke the phrase, not when he was already a target of the Lord of Order.

“They will be fine,” Jurot assured. “They are within the Iyr.”

“This year, yeah.”

“They may remain in the Iyr.”

“They’re not Iyrmen.”

“They are my nieces and nephews,” Jurot stated, firmly.

“I don’t want to take advantage of the Iyr. The Iyr has done so much for me, and… I don’t want the Iyr to think that I’m using it.”

“We do not think such.”

“Once the fort is made, I’ll make sure they’re raised there. They can come back for the festivals, and during the Twilight Month, but otherwise, they should remain within the fort. Jonn and Nobby will protect them, they’re pretty strong. I doubt they can go against the greatest of foes, like, uh, the guys you were telling me about. What do you call them? The Blades?”

Jurot nodded. “Flame Blade is the weakest, but even Jonn would have trouble against him.”

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “I was planning on making a few more warriors. I might even hire some of them, if they’re available for hire.”

“Grandfather will want to see them often,” Jurot said. “He will miss them too much.”

“He can stay around the fort then, I guess?” Adam replied, awkwardly. “Or they can visit him often in the Front Iyr, or the Main Iyr, during the festivals.”

Jurot wasn’t sure if Adam should pull them out of the Iyr, it was the safest place for them. However, he understood that the relationship between Adam and the Iyr was quite awkward, especially considering how he was Jurot’s brother, and yet only considered a Nephew outside of the Rot family.

Adam exhaled. “I’m real worried, Jurot. I have a feeling that something big is going to happen. Something bad. I wouldn’t mind if it happens to me, but…” Adam stared at his children, feeling his throat clog up. “They’ll be safe here until the end of the year, I’m sure of it, but…”

“They will be safe in the Iyr. If something happens to them in the Iyr, they will be fine. The Iyr allows its children to fall, but it does not allow them to stay down.”

“They’re not children of the Iyr, though.”

“They are my niece and nephew,” Jurot stated once more.

“They’re no-,”

“They are my grandfather’s greatchildren,” Jurot stated, staring at the youngest of Adam’s children. “Grandfather will not allow the Iyr to refuse their rights.”

Adam wasn’t sure what the Iyr would do if something would happen, and he decided he never wanted to find out, so pushed the thought away. “Jurot. I hope that, whatever happens, happens to me. And if something does happen to me…”

Jurot swallowed. He remained staring at the children, the same as Adam.

“Would you take them as your own?”

Jurot swallowed again, crossing his arms. “I would not be a good father.”

“You’d be the best father.”

“Kitool and Jaygak would be better.”

“It can only be you, Jurot,” Adam stated, feeling a little guilty to attack Jurot so out of the blue with this.

“I will do so. You are my brother, Adam,” Jurot replied, swallowing again. “You did not need to ask.”

Adam felt his throat twitch, his lower lip quiver. “I know. I just… I just needed to hear it from your mouth.”

Jurot nodded.

“Thanks.” Adam quickly looked back to his children. “Let’s hope nothing happens to me so you can be free to do as you please, Jurot.”

“Yes.”

“It might be awkward to marry Pam if you have five kids already.”

Jurot sighed, relaxing slightly. “They are so cute, she would adore them.”

Adam couldn’t help the smile which crept across his strained face. “Yeah. Cutest In The Whole World.”