“Is me, nano?” Jirot asked, leaning in to find her name, her tiny hands pressing against the paper, the saliva on her thumb beginning to soak into the paper.

Gangak quickly grabbed the girl’s wrist, bringing it up to kiss the back of her hand before bringing it to the girl’s lips so she could suck against it once more. “It is not you.”

“I not the same Jirot, because I am Jirot, and I am not the same,” the girl said, before sucking her thumb quietly.

“That is right,” Gangak said, brushing the girl’s hair, revealing her large forehead, nuzzling against it.

Little Jarot began to twitch as sleepiness began to take to him, nap time having approached far too quickly that day. Gangak placed the pair down in the corner, and as Jirot reached up for her hand, the woman smiled. She sat beside them, allowing them to hold onto her finger as they fell asleep, before she slipped away from them and their vice grip.

Konarot sat beside her grandmother as the woman knitted her a blanket, the little girl staring down at the pictures of all manner of creatures, her eyes scanning against their features. Kirot panted softly as she ran around the courtyard, her eyes darting from side to side as she fought against imaginary creatures. Karot lay nearby, staring up at the sky, his thoughts upon the morning porridge, which he had eaten with shredded nuts. He preferred fish, but he supposed he didn’t mind porridge, especially when he was allowed to eat salya between bites.

Meanwhile, their youngest sibling remained in the extended family estate, where their greatfather showed him off.

“You see?” the old one armed Jarot stated, waiting expectantly.

Otkan blinked, her eyes falling down towards the baby, who was fast asleep. “Yes.”

“Only my greatson can grow so well,” he stated, as though it were fact.

Otkan wasn’t sure if she should mention the fact all babies grow so quickly when they are so young, but she decided to sip her tea instead. ‘Needs more honey.’

Larot slept as he always did, fussing so little for such a young boy. He could begin to see and hear things more clearly, though the brain of a baby still caused him trouble. He was unable to resist the call to eat, the moment a teet was pressed up against his lips, he would suckle as though he needed it to survive. He did, of course, need it to survive, but he didn’t like that one bit. Although, he did like to hear the sounds of Jarot’s grunts as the old man worked out, which helped soothe him to sleep.

They reminded him of the sounds of battle.

Meanwhile, the demon’s father sat opposite the demon’s uncle, with questions abound.

“Sohtu’s story is one of the greatest,” Jurot stated, crossing his arms as he thought of the tale.

“How come no one told me about the tale?” Adam asked. “I feel like it’s a really important tale.”

Jurot thought deeply. “Zaladhin clashed against several Iyrmen, but we have not spoken of their tales. There are many more tales in these lands, we have not yet been able to speak of the other tales in Aswadasad.”

“Lord Zaladhin,” Vonda corrected.

“Sohtu is Sohtu, Zaladhin is Zaladhin,” Jurot replied. “Zaladhin was the general. Sohtu is the Divine.”

Vonda frowned slightly, but she did not continue to argue the point.

“There are many tales you have not heard,” Jurot said. “There are thousands. If you are to hear one each day from start to finish, you would not have heard more than one thousand and five hundred, even if we did not adventure.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“You’re right about that, I guess…” Adam wondered how many outrageous secrets the Iyrmen held from their different stories. “Do you have anything where…” Adam paused. ‘Does that even make sense?’

Jurot waited for his brother to continue.

“Do you have any stories where, you know, you have this thing that the Aldishmen would never believe, but for the Iyr, or the Iyrmen, it’s pretty normal?”

“Yes,” Jurot replied.

“Like what?”

“It was my ancestor who brought the lesser rukhs to the land.”

“Oh, right.”

“It was Jarot?” Vonda asked.

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe that old man brought rukhs to the land when he should have been looking after his greatchildren,” Adam joked.

Jurot was surprised Adam had taken this long to make a joke involving his children. ‘You are growing up well, Adam.’

“I feel like the followers of Lady Erudite should send someone to listen to all your stories and write them down,” Adam said.

“Our stories are freely shared to all those ask.”

“Yeah, but not a lot of people get to meet Iyrmen.”

“Many do.”

“Yeah, but they don’t want to bother you, you know?”

Jurot shrugged. “If they do not ask, they will not hear the tale.”

“Anyway, about Sohtu, what does he do exactly?” Adam asked. “Baktu is the Lord of Death, so I assumed he would lord over that domain.”

“Sohtu claims the souls for Baktu,” Jurot replied.

“He also cleanses the souls before they are sent to Lord Sozain,” Vonda added.

Jurot nodded. “His influence is small in this world, but he is important.”

“Since his influence is so small, the undead keep rising,” Jaygak said, tossing a nut into her mouth, chewing it slowly. “Even if we like Sohtu, his influence being so small makes it fun.”

“Oh? So that’s why the undead come up so much? It’s because his influence is too small?”

Vonda cleared her throat. “Lord Zaladhin’s role is a most difficult one, and there are many which do not pay him proper respects, thus the vicious cycle of a lack of respect and influence begins and continues, each fuelling the other.”

“He sounds so important, though.”

“Yes,” the Iyrmen and priest agreed.

“Some village elders may pray to him once someone has passed,” Vonda said, pausing for the tiniest moment before continuing, “but funeral rites have been in the domain of the Priests of Death and Lord Sozain since before even the time of Kal Blakvatr.”

“The Priests of Death have not given up their right,” Jurot added, nodding his head. “Baktu watches over the souls of we Iyrmen.”

“So the undead are still going to be an issue, eh?” Adam shook his head. “What about the outbreaks?”

“It is Nahtu’s rage.”

“Lady Gale weeps for the land which we have destroyed and exploited for our own wants,” Vonda said, clasping her hands together as though to pray.

“Also, lots of fun,” Jaygak said, tossing a nut back.

“You’re talking mad smack, Jaygak.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means…” Adam thought about how to describe it. “You know, like you’re speaking like you’re a big shot, a boss, when you’re not.”

“I’m an Executive of the United Kindom,” Jaygak replied.

Adam blinked. “Oh yeah.” Adam furrowed his brows. “That can’t be right. We need to speak with the President, the Enchanter, and the Directors.”

“My father is one of the Directors,” Jaygak replied, smirking at him.

“Ah. Nepotism, classic.”

“It’s all nepotism, Adam.”

“What about me?”

“Nephew of the Rot family?”

“I do good work.”

“How many times have I, a devilkin, gotten us into trouble?”

“You’re not a devilkin, you’re an Iyrman, that doesn’t count.”

“You should know what my horns mean for me in these lands, Adam.”

“I was just joking and you had to make it all serious.”

Jaygak smirked, eating more of her nuts. “Plus, it was the Enchanter who put me in this position, and has guaranteed it with Great Moon.”

“That they have, I suppose,” Adam replied, crossing his arms, refraining from smirking. “Anyway, could I ask for your help, Jaygak?”

“What do you need from this Executive who doesn’t deserve her permission?”

“I want to buy some jewellery for gifts.”

“Gifts for who?”

“You mean gifts for whom?”

“I don’t know.”

“Me neither.”

Vonda smiled, watching the pair banter between one another for a short while longer, though Jaygak eventually relented to assist him in his goals.

“Right,” Adam said, sitting back down, though he had made to go to the market. “We should probably figure out what to do next. I don’t think we have anything we need to get done immediately, or around these parts, so I was thinking we head east so Sir Vonda can become a decent person, and…”

“And?” Jaygak asked.

“And… that’s the most important thing, I think?” Adam didn’t want to give away what Dunes wanted to do. “Right, I need some really nice material for some weapons too.”

“We could speak with the Duchess for that,” Jaygak said.

“So this is why you’re an Executive,” Adam whispered.

Jaygak threatened to toss a nut towards him, but instead of wasting a good nut, she tossed it into her mouth. ‘Should I buy nicer jewellery?’

As the days passed in Red Oak, Adam spent much of his time relaxing, assisting the guild with any identification of magical items they needed, and allowing the porters and farmers to earn coin while doing nothing.

‘Adam isn’t working us to death?’ Lucy thought, relaxing in her bed one afternoon. ‘Having children has made him soft…’ She thought for a long moment. ‘I should buy them some gifts too.’