Adam remained in the corner, sighing to himself. Sitting opposite him was Lucy, sighing equally as exhaustedly.

‘I really should be more careful with the way things look.’

‘I can’t believe I had to miss it…’

It was in that evening Adam decided to head to bed early. He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling above him. ‘It’s a good thing Jurot is so handsome. I wonder how their date is going.’

“Where is Adam?” Jurot asked upon his return, noting the expectant eyes of the other Iyrmen all around him.

“He went to sleep,” Jaygak replied, a small smile appearing on her face.

“I will sleep too,” Jurot said, his ears turning red as he stepped towards the stairs. He stopped, narrowing his eyes. “What are you doing?”

‘What are they doing?’ a worker thought, their eyes glued to the Iyrmen, who had surrounded one of their companions.

“Before you sleep, you should inform us how it went…” Nirot said, placing a hand on her cousin’s shoulder.

“…” Jurot glanced around, noting the eyes of the other patrons who were keeping an eye on him. He realised he couldn’t make a mess here, not when Adam had taken such a hit in the heart for how much gold he had lost. “It went well.”

“You must tell us the details…”

Jurot exhaled.

Omen: 4, 9

“Hey, is it alright if I take the meteorite?” Adam asked during breakfast, causing Lucy to glare at him.

“Okay,” Jurot replied, and the others nodded their heads.

“…”

“…”

‘Aren’t you going to ask?’ Lucy thought, staring at Adam.

“Great,” Adam replied, before finishing his meal.

They all watched as Adam left without asking.

“…”

“Thanks for coming with me, Dunes,” Adam said, letting out another sigh.

“It’s no problem,” the priest replied, patting Adam’s back. “Why are you sighing so much.”

“Dunes…” Adam glanced up towards the sky. “Do you think Larot knows how to crawl now?”

“I am sure.”

“He must look so cute in his little outfit…”

Dunes could feel the lightness in Adam’s tone, unsure if Adam was really worried about his children at the moment. ‘He must miss them, but he’s sighing too much for that.’

Adam made his way to the Adventure’s Guild, but instead of heading to the guild itself, he made his way to the nearby smithy. It was made of stone, as one would expect, but it was far smoother than any other building he had seen in the town so far.

The rhythmic pounding of the hammer filled the air, warm and soothing.

Adam knocked on the thick red oak door. “Master Thundersmith.”

The rhythmic pounding continued for a few more moments before it fell silent. The heavy patter of foot falls approached the thick red oak door, before it opened up to reveal a short, stout fellow. He was wider than the average man, but far shorter. His beard fell down to his gut, braided at the sides. He had tan skin, and black hair, which was curled down towards his back, being kept tame by a metal ring at the back of his skull. He wore dark overalls, and carried in his hand his hammer. It was silver, with bits of green metal woven through it.

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His grey eyes glared at Adam for a moment.

“Good morning.”

“Mornin’.”

“I’ve come to ask if you could forge a sword, one that I wouldn’t have to return to you upon my death.”

“Yer askin’ me to break me dwarven rights?”

“I heard that dwarves are able to forgo such rights for the right amount of coin.”

Thundersmith narrowed his eyes. “Aye.”

“How much?”

“If yer askin’, yah can’t afford it.”

“I’m just a no good leaf ear, I don’t know how much a dwarven right is worth, especially from yourself, Master Thundersmith.”

“What’s yer offer.”

“I bought a warhammer from you a few years ago. I will return it to you with a Greater Enhanced enchantment. If you require an enchantment for a weapon, you may send a request to our enchanter. As long as it’s not a Legendary enchantment, our business will do its best to accommodate your requests.”

“Yer offerin’ me enchantin’ services?”

“Yes.”

“…” Thundersmith held out his hand, his eyes focused on Wraith.

Adam pulled the axe out, handing it to Thundersmith.

The dwarf held onto the axe, feeling the magic through it. ‘Well made. Was forged and enchanted in the Iyr, by Iyrmen?’ “Yer enchanter, they enchanted this?”

“That they did.”

Persuasion Check (Charisma)(Advantage)

D20 + 6 = 8 (2)

D20 + 6 = 9 (3)

“Ah dunnae who yah are, lad. Ah will nae do it. Ah’ve only met yah a few times now.”

“Of course, master dwarf,” Adam replied, bowing his head. ‘I can’t push it.’ Adam reached for his axe, but as he tried to pull it, he felt the grip of the dwarf keeping the axe still.

“…”

“…”

“Thank yah for yer help.”

“My help?”

“With me niece.”

“…” Adam furrowed his brows. “Oh, right. Of course, any time, master dwarf. How is miss Thunderhammer anyhow?”

“She’s well,” the dwarf replied, letting go of the handle. He just nodded to the half elf slowly. It pained him to thank a leaf ear, especially when the half elf seemed to not recall it.

“Well, if she’s ever kidnapped again, let me know.”

“Ah hope it does nae come to tha’.’

“Me too.” Adam bowed his head towards the dwarf once more, a small smile on his face.

The dwarf glanced towards the priest, glancing at his amulet, before bowing his head respectfully. “Wait here.”

“Okay.” Adam watched as the dwarf returned back to his smithy, returning a moment later with a heavy sword, one which was slightly shorter in length, but also slightly thicker than the typical blade.

‘Damn, that’s a nice sword.’

“Take it,” Thundersmith said. “It’s yer reward for helpin’ one of my kin.”

“Oh, uh, thank you,” Adam replied, blinking rapidly for a moment. ‘Sweet.’ Adam plucked the blade from the dwarf gingerly, feeling how heavy it was compared to the other blades he had wielded. “Do I have to return it upon my death?”

“What kinda dwarf do yah take me for? It ain’t a blade ahm sellin’, but a gift.”

“Thank you kindly, master dwarf,” Adam said, bowing his head towards the dwarf once more, doing his respect to remain respectful. “Can’t believe I managed to get what I needed even after being refused…”

“Can’t have yah tellin’ others that we Thundersmiths dunnae pay our debts.”

“I would never,” Adam replied. ‘I’m not so stupid that I’d pick a fight with a dwarf.’

“Now that yer done here, yah can leave. May the Salt Mother watch over yah.”

“You as well, Master Thundersmith.”

The dwarf returned back to his forge, leaving Adam to admire the heavy dwarven blade. It was made, seemingly, of bronze, though Adam could see there was a faint green tint to it.

“Dwarf Bronze,” Dunes said, whistling lightly.

“Dwarf Bronze?”

“A metal that only the dwarves can forge, or so they say. It’s not like the bronze of old. It’s definitely of true dwarven make too. Even without enchanting, it is considered to be greater than Basic weapons. Not on par with Greater weapons, though, since it isn’t magical.”

“So it holds similar properties to Greater weapons, except it’s nonmagical?”

Dunes nodded. “You can’t say dwarves don’t pay back their debts. This weapon would sell for thousands in Aswadasad.”

Adam glanced down at it, feeling the smooth handle. It was a wood unlike any other he had seen before, almost golden in colour. The pommel was a thick block of metal, as rigid and the blade itself, and also seemed to be made of Dwarf Bronze. Though it was slightly heavier than the blades he was used to, Adam couldn’t help but admire the weapon.

“It’s definitely better than anything I’d ever made.”

“It should be, it’s a gift from a dwarf,” Dunes said, chuckling. “Did you forget you helped his niece?”

“I didn’t forget, I just didn’t think about it,” Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Dunes chuckled. “Did you want a dwarven made weapon?”

“Yeah.”

“An axe?”

“No, I was looking for a sword,” Adam said, swiping the air with the blade. “Swords are romantic, don’t you think?”

“Is it a gift for the Ray?” Dunes teased.

“Now that we’re done here, I don’t really have many plans today,” Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. “Should we head back to the inn?”

“Shall we buy gifts for your children?”

“How wise you are, Manager Dunes.”

The pair explored Red Oak for a while, going from stall to stall, talking about nothing in specific. It was in the late afternoon when they finally returned back to the inn.

“Pregnant?” Adam asked, raising his brows in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes,” Jaygak replied. “Sir Landon wishes to remain in Red Oak, and will wait for the Hope and the Rays.”

“Well, congratulations to them!” Adam smiled. “I hope the Lady is well. We should probably get them something as a gift.”

“We?”

“The business.”

Jaygak blinked. ‘Is he trying to form a relationship with the noble? It’s not a bad idea, since Sir Landon is much weaker than the Duchess, but holds great power as a minor noble. Does he want to push Sir Landon into becoming a Baron?’

‘I hope the Lady remains healthy during the travels,’ Adam thought, hoping the pregnancy would go well. ‘Hey, you better not mess with other people’s kids.’ Adam’s thoughts shot out to the world, daring to threaten the Divine, especially one in particular.