“You did well.” Gorot rubbed Nirot’s head, the young Iyrman smiling wide as her father praised her.

Kaygak placed a hand on her son’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “If you dare to speak so poorly of yourself in front of me, I will speak with Elder Zijin to place you within a cave.”

Laygak flushed slightly, feeling the buzz from his mother’s affection. “Then I will speak poorly when you are not listening.”

Kaygak squeezed his shoulder, before pulling him in for a deeper hug, planting a kiss on his head. ‘What am I to do with you?’

Ikool brushed her son’s hair, staring down at his face. The young Iyrman flushed slightly, though she could see within his eyes he barely believed the tale he had lived. She said nothing, but her embrace said all it needed to as Faool allowed his mother to hold him close to her chest.

Raool remained silent too. Though he had given a few words of praise to his son, he was uncertain of what else to say. ‘Sister is much better at this.’ He glanced aside towards Maool and Jazool, who knew little of their elder brother’s accomplishments. ‘It is enough for your siblings to know.’

‘Uwajin did well too,’ Rokan thought, thinking about how much joy Mojin would have upon hearing the tale.

Halikan and Rokan had bought left to the Front Iyr, leaving Minakan behind, the girl preferring Arokan as much as her own parents. They had already showered their daughter with praise and affection, though it still stunned them that their daughter had already managed to surpass almost any other Iyrman her age in the history of the Iyr, save perhaps only the most legendary figures.

Yet, it wasn’t just her, but the entire group.

Adam ignored all of the gazes on his skin as he fed his twins milk from their bottles, the pair holding the back of their father’s hands as he held onto the bottles. ‘They can’t bully me since I did so much for them… right?’

The air changed for a moment as the Iyrmen’s attention honed onto the figure who appeared at the entrance of the estate. Very swiftly Adam understood it was a Jin, considering the tattoo which matched with the Jins he knew, and the greatblade he wore upon his back. It was the yawn which confirmed whose father he was.

“I heard my daughter’s tale,” Uwajin’s father called out. He was tall and strong, with long braids which fell down in front of his torso, his thick beard covering most of his face. He held up a basket. “I have brought wine.”

The older Jarot tilted his head slightly, smiling as he noted the basket. “You should bring at least that much.”

“I have come to request a favour from your grandson, so I should bring at least this, aaah, much,” he replied, blinking rapidly to keep himself awake.

‘Oh no.’

The Iyrman placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Since you are so strong, you should marry into our family.”

“I’m afraid I have no intentions of marrying into the Jin family.”

“Why not our family?”

“I’ve already refused Elder Zijin and Ra-,” Adam heard Jarot stifle a threatening groan. “I’ve already refused… granduncle Rajin too.” Adam wasn’t sure if that was the problem, but no one made a comment about it.

“If you’ve already refused grandfather…” The Iyrman paused, though Adam watched as his eyes slowly fell together, as though he were falling asleep. “Let us fight.”

Adam blinked. “I refuse.”

“Why?”

“The Jin family are so scary.”

“The Jin family will accept you,” Mojin assured. “The children will grow well as the nieces and nephews of the next Chief.”

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“Then he should stay here,” Shikan said, catching Mojin’s eyes, the pair glaring between one another.

“Jirot, do you want to become a Jin, or do you want to stay with nana and babo?” Adam asked.

Jirot pulled away from the bottle, her eyes narrowing towards the Jin. “I stay with nana.”

“What about babo?”

“Babo I stay with you?”

“You can always stay with me, my Jirot.”

“I staying with babo.”

Mojin smirked wide. “My father is also very strong.”

“My babo so stwong!”

“My father is stronger.”

“No!” The girl pointed towards the Jin. “No!”

“My greatdaughter loves me so much,” Jarot said, grinning wide towards his nephew.

Mojin grinned wider, slowly narrowing his eyes towards his uncle, feeling the rush of heat fill him.

“Stop causing trouble,” a familiar voice called as Elder Zijin stepped into the shared estate. ‘Why are you causing me trouble when Mad Dog is here?’

“What trouble am I causing?”

“You should be sleeping if you are so tired.”

“I will sleep when I sleep.”

“If the Iyr calls for you, will you be able to fight well?”

“I awaken when I am enraged.”

“You do not know when we will be called to act.”

Mojin reached up to rub his neck, feeling it pulse. “I will retreat since you will not marry into our family. You should convince him, Elder Zijin.”

“It is not Adam you should convince.”

Adam blinked. ‘I’m right here.’

“Adam, you are required elsewhere.”

“I’ve only just returned and you need me to work?”

“It is not work. You will return soon.”

“Daddy, you ah working?” Jirot asked, her brows raised as though to dare her father to leave.

“Elder Zijin said it’s not work. I’ll be back soon, okay?”

“Okay…” Jirot turned towards Elder Zijin and pouted. She squirmed away from her father and shuffled towards her greatfather, with her brother following her. She pouted up towards the old Iyrman.

“He will return soon. If he does not, I will cause trouble.” Jarot grinned wide.

“Okay…” Jirot climbed up to her grandfather’s lap. “I will cause twouble.” She smirked playfully.

“Only if he does not return. We must cause trouble when it matters, or they will punish us.”

“Okay!”

‘It is no wonder she causes so much trouble,’ Elder Zijin thought, before glancing towards Jaygak. ‘They are close too…’

Jaygak smiled innocently in return, bowing her head to the Elder.

Adam followed the Elder out. “Seriously, I worked so hard in the Front Iyr, but you’re already calling me when I finally return to the Main Iyr?”

“I allowed you to cause trouble when you returned.”

“What trouble did I cause?”

“You handed over so many hydra scales…”

“They’re mine to share, so I’ll give them all. I made them line up so they didn’t cause any trouble, right?”

Zijin said no more about the return. Adam was Adam, and that was all he needed to figure out. His reputation of making children queue and giving them some of the best gifts had already spread through the Iyr. The children would scatter to bring more children for more gifts from the half elf.

It was all so like an Iyrman, and yet unlike an Iyrman.

Adam spotted the small cabins to the side where guests within the Main Iyr would stay. Adam glanced to one, where a piece of cloth lay out to dry, one which was yellow with red swirls.

‘I have to stop forgetting about Tariel and Filliam, seriously.’

As Elder Zijin knocked on the cabin door, Adam’s thoughts continued.

‘Oh, I completely forgot about you too.’

Her eyes gleamed towards Adam, darting from the Iyrman to the half elf. “You’re back.”

“I am.”

She glanced towards Elder Zijin suspiciously and then back to Adam. “Are you really Adam?”

“Who else would I be?”

“…” Kiara wasn’t sure how she could believe him, since it could have been an illusion.

“Are they treating you well?”

“Yes…”

“We’ve allowed her to remain within the Iyr and have kept her sheltered and fed,” Zijin said. “She has enchanted weapons for the Iyr.”

“You had her enchanting?”

“There was no need to leave her here to do nothing.”

“Alright, I guess.” Adam blinked towards the young woman. “Did you change her appearance, or did she always have silver hair and silver eyes?”

“It changed over time.”

“Oh…” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Cool. Well…” Adam thought about how young she was. “Since you’re still a kid, they shouldn’t have you work.”

“She is fifteen.”

“She’s twelve at most.”

“Kiara,” Elder Zijin called.

“I’m fifteen. I must be sixteen now.”

“Really?” Adam asked.

“Yes.”

“When did you turn sixteen?” Adam asked, surprised the teen looked so young. However, she had gained some weight compared to the last time he had seen her, and she had grown slightly taller too.

“My birthday is at the end of the warm month.”

“Oh, well, congratulations. I’ll see if I can’t get you something for your birthday.”

“…” Kiara glanced towards Elder Zijin. ‘This must be Adam.’

“Anyway…” Adam glanced between the Elder and Kiara. “What do you want me to do exactly?”

“You said you’d protect me.”

“That I did, and now you’re in the Iyr.”

Kiara glanced towards Zijin and then to Adam. She remained silent.

“Looks like she wants to talk to me alone.” Adam raised his brows towards Zijin.

Zijin bowed his head and left. He motioned a hand, signalling for the Iyrmen to pull back, though there was one Iyrman he couldn’t command, and it was up to them whether they pulled away from the shadows or not. Still, he signalled once more towards that Iyrman.

‘Adam is mine to deal with.’