Damokan and Kalokan held their cups in their small hands, each with their brows raised in utter shock. They stared at their cousin, the grandson of Mad Dog. Their theory had begun to bloom within their hearts and minds.

“…” Morkarai also remained silent. ‘A Grand Commander?’ Morkarai had heard of the great abilities of the various Grand Commanders. Their names were well known, especially those who had reached the heights of Paragons. Even he, a Prince of the Fire Giants, would have great difficulty facing a Grand Commander, and yet Jurot managed to clash with one?

‘The explosive growth of Iyrmen is not to be underestimated,’ the Prince sipped away at his wine, the sweetness floating along his tastebuds, having coated his tongue with grain wine first to empower the fruit wine’s taste.

‘I suppose it is impressive of a mortal your age,’ Larot thought, sitting upon his grandmother’s lap, his face still stuck in the statuesque annoyance.

“Daddy!” Jirot called, having noticed the way her eldest sister had glanced to the side to see their returning father.

Adam’s voice hitched in his throat, before he eventually fell beside his daughter, pulling her to his chest. “How can you be so cute, my lovely little daughter?”

“Yes,” the girl replied, embracing her father, who was no longer in his puthral armour. She clutched a hand against his collar, not allowing her father to escape from her grasp while he continued to kiss her head all over.

“Did you listen to the story well?”

“Yes! I am fighting hydra and you ah not.”

“Why not?”

“I am fighting, okay?”

“Okay.” Adam brushed the girl’s hair. “Do you like all the gifts we brought back?”

“No.” The girl cackled, throwing her head back in delight.

“Then I won’t bring you back any more gifts.”

Jirot’s laughter stopped, staring up at her father in shock. Adam smiled, brushing her cheek, causing the girl to laugh and squeal again.

“You ah joking, daddy!”

“That’s right, it was just a joke.” Adam planted a firm kiss on her forehead, their cheeks rubbing together once more.

“Papa,” Lanarot called, offering Jurot a piece of break she had broken. “You are so stuhrong.”

“I am not strong,” Jurot said, taking the bread from her hand, eating it slowly.

“You are so stuhrong, papa. You are fighting all the, the, you are fighting all and I do not fight.”

“I will grow stronger.”

“You are grow up?”

“I have grown, but I can grow stronger.”

“I am grow up and I am stuhrong too, like papas.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied, feeling his heart pound a little quicker for a moment, the electricity sensation of pride rushing through him.

“I finally figured it out,” Adam said. “You two, you’re both Katool, aren’t you?”

Kalokan and Damokan ignored Adam, each offering their elder sister a cup of their milk. Naqokan accepted the cups, only to feed them in return, tenderly brushing the backs of their heads as she fed each one.

“I will bring back greater tales,” Naqokan promised.

“You did good,” Kalokan said, with her brother agreeing with a nod of his head.

“You are strong,” Damokan said, his eyes held the hint of a sparkle as he stared up at his elder sister, who had fought a giant python!

Naqokan reached down to their heads, pulling them to her chest. ‘Yes. Just like that.’ The rushing pride of an Iyrman filled her entire body, and once more, she felt the joy of being born within the Iyr.

The fire continued to crackle, while the scent of the food began to fill the air. The adult Iyrmen began to return to their various houses, including the likes of the beautiful Halikan and Rokan.

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“You have finally returned,” Halikan greeted her nieces and nephews, shaking their forearms. “You have already spoken your tales?”

“We have,” Jurot replied, before nodding his head to Naqokan, allowing the teen to speak of the tale to her parents now that they had returned.

Seeing the beaming eyes of their children, Halikan and Rokan realised something big must have happened.

As the tale was spoken once more, this time to far more people within the Iyr, the first of many times the teens would need to listen and speak of the tales, Adam fed his children. He refused to allow anyone else to feed his children until he had at least fed each a spoonful.

“I can’t believe you won’t allow me to feed you,” Adam said, holding Larot close to his chest. “I’ll forgive you just this once, because you’re so cute!”

‘…’ Larot’s annoyance increased and his plans began to include revenge upon the half elf.

It was later in the evening when Adam knocked on the door where the Kan family were staying. Naqokan opened the door, before stepping aside upon seeing the half elf.

“I hope I’m not intruding,” Adam said, stepping into the house, his eyes darting to the pair of twins. “I can’t believe it, all that time in the lands of the Aldish, and it’s corrupted me. How could I forget the faces of such an adorable pair?”

Adam unstrapped the sword belts, dropping down to a knee, before he held out a greatsword within its leather sheath. This particular blade had blue leather wrapped around its hilt. Damokan glanced towards his parents, before stepping up to take the blade, wrapping his arms around it before hugging the weapon towards his chest. Kalokan did the same, taking the greatsword with the red leather.

“Look at you two,” Adam said. “How can you do this to your parents? How can you grow up?”

“It is good they are growing well.”

“They should stay small and cute forever,” Adam replied, sniffling lightly, his eyes tearing up slightly. “You two…” Adam ruffled their hair. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you, Cousin Adam,” the children replied together, allowing him to ruffle their hair.

“I’ll leave you all to it then,” Adam said, turning while Rokan stood.

“I will escort you back.”

“Okay.”

Rokan stepped out with Adam, and though Adam was sleeping only a few steps away, he led Adam away a short ways, towards the large walls which hid the dangers of the land beyond from view.

‘Are they going to kill me?’ Adam thought. ‘Should I fight back?’

“Do you have any intention of marrying Naqokan?” Rokan finally asked.

Adam shut his eyes for a long moment, before they fluttered open, his cheeks flushing. “Excuse me?”

“…”

“I… don’t.”

Rokan exhaled. “You have promised my Damokan and Kalokan to train them when they are older.”

“I did…”

“You should marry into the Kan family so you are able to use a greatsword.”

“I can use a greatsword just fine.”

Rokan remained silent for a long while, allowing Adam to wallow in the silence. He sometimes spoke with the boy, though it was his wife who spent far more time speaking with Adam, due to her taking the role of watching over the children often, especially after the birth of their youngest children.

“Okay,” Rokan said.

“…”

“Thank you, Adam.”

“For what?”

Rokan placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “You have done much for us.”

“I have?”

“Yes.”

“Okay…”

Rokan just nodded and began to lead Adam back towards the building the young man would be sleeping in that evening.

Konarot opened the door, looking up to see her father, and Rokan walking away back to the house to the side. “Good night, baba.”

Rokan stopped, turning towards the girl after fixing his face. The man smiled warmly towards the tiny girl. “Good night, Konarot.”

“He’s your dado,” Adam said, picking the girl up, kissing her cheek.

Konarot looked towards her nana.

“If Konarot says he is her baba, it must be so,” Sonarot replied.

“Oh, of course, silly me,” Adam said, nuzzling his daughter’s cheek. “Have you brushed your teeth?”

“Yes,” the girl replied, her tail swaying, while Adam placed her down to embrace all his children now that they had swarmed him.

Adam grunted as he lay in the corner, allowing his children to climb over himself. “Wait, we need to…” Adam glanced down towards his children, before sighing. ‘How can I refuse any of them like this? I’ll let you all sleep with me tonight, but we have to sleep only one by one from now on…’ He could not speak the words, finding no courage when it came to his adorable children.

“Daddy, you beat up Hope?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“He was saying means things about your babo and nano.”

Jirot gasped, her head snapped towards her father, her eyes filled with shock. “No! Cannot!”

“That’s right, so I beat him up.”

“That is good daddy!” Jirot brought up her fist, shaking it angrily. “I will beat up Hope.”

“I already beat him up so it’s okay.” Adam wanted to reach down to brush her hair, but his arms were currently possessed by Kirot and Karot.

“Daddy, you ah losing nobles?”

“What can your daddy do? He cannot beat them up, otherwise he will get into trouble.”

“It’s okay if you ah losing. Babo is always losing, and babo is always winning. You can lose, but you must win, okay?”

“…” Adam wasn’t sure what she was talking about. “Of course, my dear. You are so smart.”

“Yes,” Jirot replied, smirking wide into the most smug grin.

‘Aren’t my kids so cute?’ Adam thought, allowing his children to pin him down as they made to sleep. He glanced towards Lanarot, who was currently sleeping beside her other brother, who was deep within his own thoughts.

Jurot thought about how the Front Iyr Elder was manipulating Adam. It was one thing for the Front Iyr Elder to send for Adam’s children, but also the twins? It was their birthday, but they should have spent it at the estate, not here.

However, even if the Front Iyr Elder had sent for them, it was up to the decision of the parents.

Sonarot looked to her daughter and her son, and then to her grandchildren with their father. She eyed up the two girls. They were both so smart and so troublesome in their own ways, frightfully so.

She smiled to herself.

‘You should cause this much trouble, since you are his greatchildren.’

After all, there was no doubt that old man would be causing trouble at this moment.