“Daddy,” Jirot called, placing down her cup of milk onto the table before she climbed up beside her father. “Oof. What you ah doing?”

“I’m writing.”

“Why?”

“I have some work to do for the year and I need to plan it,” Adam replied.

“You ah always wuhking.”

“I will be taking breaks to play with you, like today.”

“You ah paying with me?”

“Yes.”

“I fohgive you, just this once,” the girl said, holding up her finger like her father would when he would say the same.

A small smile appeared on Adam’s face. The young half elf whisked the tiny girl up into his arms to shower her cheek with kisses, the girl squealing and giggling against her father’s embrace. Adam settled her within his lap and brought up the cup to her lips, feeding her, while his son nestled up against his chest and drank from his bottle too. The suckling noises relaxed Adam as he held both of his children, the tiny bundles of warmth who had him work so hard.

Konarot eyed up Kiara, her eyes narrowed towards the strange woman. ‘Bad smell.’ She had kept her siblings away from the woman who found herself surrounded by terrifying monsters known as the Iyrmen. She was older than the oldest children, but younger than the teens, with only Churot roughly her age, and yet that boy spent most of his time assisting the Elder with matters of the Iyr.

Nirot and her companions spoke of their tales to Kiara, who listened intently to their words. She was surprised the Iyrmen could speak her tongue, though the Iyr had understood the transition between realms had allowed her to speak their tongue. It was not rare for such magics to work that way for it was within Ritetu’s domain.

‘I’ll need to finish up with business first before I start with personal stuff,’ Adam thought as he soothed his twins to sleep within his arms. They were small enough still that they could sleep within their father’s arms peacefully. ‘I’ve got to watch over so many children now.’

The duskval rain began to fall across the Iyr as the days began to pass by. Adam passively enchanted many new magical weapons, starting with the easiest set of weapons. Though he had enchanted many magical items earlier in the year, he still needed to complete the orders he had received throughout the year, which had financed so much of his adventure.

Elder Zijin glanced at Adam’s proposed schedule. He had already enchanted a set of three Basic magical weapons, and he had decided to take the last day of the month off. It was awkward to say he had taken the day off when he had spent a short time casting a particular spell, but considering it was Adam, he would consider it a day off.

He checked the comment on the twenty fourth day of the eighth month. Of all the things Adam had done to surprise him most, the comment was truly among the top. He would have bet so much money, and more, to state Adam would do the opposite.

‘Business first,’ Zijin thought. He leaned back in his chair, unsure of how to feel about Adam’s words. ‘Duty is heavier than a mountain. Perhaps they won’t understand the pain in your heart, but I do, Adam.’

“Seven hydahs?” Jirot asked.

“That’s right,” Adam replied.

“So many hydahs, daddy,” Jirot replied, raising her brows in surprise. “You ah so stohng, daddy, so stohng.”

“I try,” Adam replied, gently rocking from side to side with his twins in his arms. His triplets lazed around under the shade nearby, enjoying the cool breeze of duskval against their silver scales.

Kiara kept to the side, eyeing up Adam and his children. ‘Goblins and half dragons…’ There had been goblins in her realm too, feral beasts, and to see Adam dote on his twins, it filled her with a sickly sensation. Dragons existed too, as myths and legends, and perhaps as Night Lords, but half dragons were not real, for they could not mate. ‘He’s a queer folk.’

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As the eighth month approached, Adam continued to work dutifully. The thunder and storms fell across the Iyr like clockwork. Adam stared up at the sky as lightning fell in the evening, rain falling all across the Iyr. He couldn’t help but wonder why the eighth month was always like this in the Iyr, but of all the things he could ask, he knew this was not one of them.

“I will go and lead the Silver Fate Squad and the farmers and porters into Red Oak,” Jurot said.

“The who?”

“It is the name Nirot and the others have given themselves.”

“How could they call themselves the Silver Fate Squad when they’re only Experts?” Adam joked, hiding his smirk behind his cup of milk.

“…”

“Come on, that was funny.”

“Okay.”

“Tough crowd.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied, flexing the muscles he had forged through training within the Iyr and following Adam on his chaotic journey.

“Alright, well, I guess it is a good idea for an Executive to go and escort them out. They’ll feel safe with the Iyrmen about too. What about the fort?”

“The fort is defended well,” Jurot assured, glancing across towards his brother who had complained so much about missing his children and yet went to work immediately when he returned back to the Iyr.

“I guess I’ll leave it to you, but…”

“Yes?”

“How can you leave right now, you punk?” Adam asked, his eyes darkening. “Are you really going to leave now? In this month?”

“Work must be done.”

“If you go now, you won’t make it back, right?”

“We will move swiftly,” Jurot stated.

“You’re cutting it close, and with the stay at the Front Iyr, you probably won’t make it back quick enough.”

“I have requested a retraction of the Front Iyr Law.”

“A what?”

“I have asked Elder Zijin to retract the need for the stay within the Front Iyr.”

“You can do that?”

“Yes.”

“Oh…” Adam blinked. “Can I do that?”

“If you provide a good reason.”

“Will the Iyr keep me and my children apart? I’d like to see them try!”

“They will do so.”

“How can they do that? I’m going to ask the old man to complain.”

“Grandfather will wish to keep his greatchildren to himself since you do not visit him during your breaks,” Jurot said.

“I can’t believe I need to politic with that old man.” Adam let out a long sigh, defeated once more by the Iyrmen. “Alright, well… when you’re in Red Oak, you don’t need to rush too hard. Do you want to take a Basic weapon as a gift?”

“A weapon for a baker is not a good gift. Pam will feel too burdened if it is magical.”

“Why are you so wise in matters like this?” Adam asked, smirking slightly. “You’re lucky you’re so damn handsome.”

“Yes.”

“Lanababy, do you think papa Jurot is handsome?” Adam called.

Lanarot, midway through tearing a bread bun glanced over towards the group. She smiled towards Jurot. “Handsome papa.”

Jurot inhaled deeply and nodded towards his younger sister, who laughed before the laugh was silenced by bread.

The warmth of home spread through Adam, relief blossoming within his heart as he melted into his chair.

“Thank you, Adam,” Jurot said.

“For what?”

Jurot remained silent for a long moment. “I felt the need to thank you in my heart and so I did.”

“Well, thank you too.”

“For what?”

“For about the same reason.”

“Okay.”

“Though, if you come back too late, I won’t forgive you.”

“I will return.”

“Is Naqokan going?”

“Yes.”

“She’s the most important one to return on time.”

“Okay.”

“That doesn’t mean you can miss it, and if Laygak dares to come by late, tell him I won’t allow any of his siblings ask him to help them with their weapons.”

“Okay.”

With Adam’s threat within his heart, Jurot and the Silver Fate Squad left the next morning. It was similar to how they left previously, which surprised Adam, as the children followed the Iyrmen out.

‘They’re only going for a bit,’ Adam thought, hearing the children call out to the Iyrmen.

“Come home safely!”

Lucy stormed in later in the day, returning from the extended family estate. “Adam! I heard Jurot…” Lucy paused, unable to continue her stupid joke.

Adam’s eyes were filled with a darkness she hadn’t expected. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Adam replied. “You?”

“I’m fine…” Lucy glanced towards Sonarot, who merely bowed her head.

Konarot cuddled up beside her father’s side, hugging him close. She hadn’t seen her father like this before, and the others could also feel something had changed with Adam. However, Sonarot had yet to make a move, and so the Iyrmen left Adam be.

‘He does not look cold,’ the old Jarot thought when Adam came to visit them during his day off. The thunderstorm continued to rumble in the sky as the old man rocked gently with his greatson atop his chest. After a short while, the old man realised what his daughter was talking about when she mentioned Adam’s darkness. Except, she refused to tell him the reason why Adam seemed to be so stiff that week.

“What do you mean?” Adam replied towards the Family Elder of the Rot family. “I feel fine.”

“Okay,” Mulrot replied, placing a wrinkled hand on Adam’s, warming his hand with her own. There was something off about Adam, and it hadn’t taken long for the old woman to figure it out.

‘Oh,’ Lucy thought in the night, after Adam had returned from the extended family estate. ‘Right…’