‘At least he’s chubby,’ Adam thought, having waited for the villagers to finish assisting Merl, before he sent healing magic through her. “Look at you. You’re a father now, Nobby.”

“Yes…” Nobby replied, unsure of what else to say, feeling a swirling of emotions.

‘He was born a little quick, wasn’t he?’ Adam thought. ‘Not too early, about a week or so, but still…’ “Aren’t you glad he’s born on the same day as you?”

“Yes?”

“Makes it easier for me to keep track of,” Adam said, pulling out his book, checking to see whose birthday was next. ‘Eh? Nobody until the second month of nightval?’

Merl didn’t pay attention to Adam’s stupidity, too busy staring at her son. She smiled, noting how adorably chubby the boy had come out.

“Congratulations, both of you,” Adam said, smiling wide. “I’ll, uh… I’ll leave you two alone.” Adam stood, stretching out his back. “Oh. About that other shield, that one you can keep, consider it a gift for the baby boy.”

Merl almost let out an audible gasp, but was too tired.

“Thank you, mister boss.”

Adam saluted Nobby, making his way out, his brother following him out. “Jurot?”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t it a bit silly to give a Basic shield to a baby?”

“Yes.”

“We should send some silver too.”

“Okay.”

“How much do you think?”

“Three hundred?”

“Yeah, yeah, three hundred silver, an extra month’s wage. We have another box, right?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, alright, let’s fill the box full of silver coins, and then maybe sneak in a few gold coins in there too as a surprise.”

Jurot realised Adam was having too much fun gifting away coin. However, he was also the one who was bringing in hundreds, if not thousands, of coin to the business. Kiara too, but Adam seemed to have forgotten about her, the young woman no doubt creating at least one Basic weapon a month.

“Jurot?”

“Yes?”

“What about Brittany? She’s been with us too. We’ve given what, two Greater items to Nobby, one of which we gave permanently, and a Basic shield? That’s too much.”

“Yes.”

“I should go talk with Brittany, make sure she isn’t too mad.”

“Okay.”

Adam found Brittany watching the children play dragonchess against each other. “Brittany, mind if we have a chat?” Adam asked, motioning his head. The young woman followed Adam out, the half elf dropping down against the side of a wall, tapping the ground beside him. The pair stared out towards the centre of the fort, where the children had gathered to play.

“Nobby’s kid was born today.”

“I heard,” Brittany said, having thought to go check on them later in the day, after the village finished their rituals.

“Since high ranking members of the business are having children, the business has been handing over magical items to their children. I felt guilty handing Nobby and his child so much, and I was thinking about what we can get for you. I just realised that we gave Nobby a Greater axe last year, and now a Greater shield, which we lent, and a Basic shield for his son? I don’t think it’s right to keep you out of the loop, so I wanted to let you know, we’ll be figuring something out for you soon.”

“Okay,” Brittany replied, surprised to hear how forthcoming the half elf was, but it was Adam.

“Alright, well…” Adam hoisted himself up. “If you need something, let us know.”

“I will,” Brittany replied, watching him leave. She smiled slightly, glancing down at her magical blades. They were her own. She had often thought he’d come take them away since she hadn’t gone out in almost a year. For him to worry about her, when she wasn’t anywhere near as useful as Nobby or Fred?

“Oh, Brittany?” Adam said, glancing back.

“Yes?”

“You are now on the Gold pay scale, but we do not grant you the rank of Lead,” Adam said, nodding his hand towards her again, before stepping away.

Brittany was pretty sure she hadn’t asked for her any pay so far, but she smiled. ‘Thirty gold?’

Dunes wrote down the information Adam told him, listening to him rant once more, though it seemed like the ramblings of a mad man, until the half elf stretched and made his way away.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“You should rest,” Dunes called out.

“I’ll rest later this month.”

“It’s about that time…”

“Yeah… I guess, maybe, I won’t?” Adam spent the day with his family, before taking his children to meet Nobby’s child.

“Is mister Nobby’s baby?” Jirot asked.

“That’s right.”

“So small!” The girl said, gasping.

“That’s right.”

Jirot threw an incredulous look at her father. “Mister Nobby is so big!”

“That’s right.” Adam smiled, noting the suspicious look in her eyes. “You were small too, smelly girl.”

“No! I am so big! I bigger than you, daddy.”

“You are?”

“Look!” Jirot said, climbing on top of her father, before looking down at him. “I am taller.”

“You’re small, you smelly girl, so small and cute.” Adam kissed her forehead, and lifted Jarot up. “You too! You think you’re bigger than daddy?”

“No…” Jarot smiled shyly.

“That’s right!” Adam cuddled them both. “Now you listen to daddy, okay? You need to be nice to Nobby’s son, okay?”

“I am always nice, daddy,” Jirot said, but even she couldn’t help but to smile.

“Mhmm, I’m sure…” Adam blew into her neck. Adam eyed up the boy, and he did seem… a little smaller, even if he was chubby. “Did you think of a name for him yet?”

“Merry,” Merl said.

“That’s a good name.” Adam said, smiling. ‘Yeah. It’s a great name.’ “I hope his life is full of joy.”

Once Adam returned back to the business, he walked alone for a long while. ‘He was born too early, so he might have some health issues. I should keep in mind to make the proper magical items.’ He continued to walk for a long while, until he finally called for Dunes, sitting within one of the shared estates for the business’ management.

“Firstly, Dunes, you should also be taking time off since you are a new father.”

“I’m too busy.”

“Kitool, Jaygak, and Jurot will start taking some of your responsibilities, so don’t worry about it. Secondly…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know. I’ve just been thinking.”

“…” Dunes poured Adam some tea.

“I don’t know. I just…” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “You know, when… I can still feel the dread that something bad is going to happen, but at the same time, everyone else thinks it’s going to be okay. I’m not sure, but…” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “I was thinking about putting in some money for the birth of Merry. Something to the side, make sure the kid’s okay.”

‘I should have expected.’

“We’re… I’m not sure how much money we’ve got, but with the weapons that have been sold to the Iyr, we should have enough, right?”

“Adam…”

“Yes?”

“Did you keep track of… the Enchanter’s monthly Basic weapons?”

“The what?”

Dunes sipped his tea, giving Adam a look. “The Enchanter’s monthly Basic weapons.”

‘What are you talking about?’

Dunes drew the letter K on the table, and Adam slumped into his chair, reaching up to cover his eyes. Adam started to mumble to himself, shaking his head, before staring into Dunes’ eyes in disbelief.

“Dunes, oh my Divine, I’m so dumb.”

“Adam…”

“Yes?”

“Have you taken into account the Basic Enhanced Fireblades that were auctioned in Red Oak?”

“The one’s we…” Adam paused. Vague memories returned to him from earlier in the year. “Auctioned?”

“The,” Dunes flashed six fingers towards the half elf,” weapons that were assigned to be auctioned over the course of the six months.”

“Dunes, show me your book.”

Dunes handed over his book, which revealed several items Adam had forgotten about, and also thousands of extra gold Adam hadn’t taken into account that entire year. Adam stood up, pacing for a moment, before he faced the wall. He rested his forehead against it, and let the silence fill the air.

Adam sighed. “Wow.” He fell silent again. “Sure.” Another long moment passed. “Okay.”

Dunes had half expected Adam had forgotten, but he was sure Adam hadn’t. He had assumed Adam had instead begun work on the future months of auctions, but hearing him speak of the money had raised his suspicions.

“Do you know how stressed I’ve been?” Adam shook his head, in physical disbelief. “I didn’t keep track of the stupid Basic Enhanced weapons. Not just that, but there were two more Greater Enhanced weapons? Oh, Baktu, take me.”

“Adam,” Dunes called out, his voice stern.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean that, Baktu,” Adam said, tapping his amulet. “Damn, Dunes. Damn.”

“You have been filled with stress,” Dunes said, his voice comforting. “These things, they can slip your mind, and with all the stress which has ailed you.”

“Yeah. It’s nice to know that we have all this money, though. I was really stressing about it, no joke, but now that I know we’ve got more coin to spend, I can start being a little more free. Or rather, it’s good to know that we can afford some time off. How much was it?”

Dunes slid the book over, and Adam copied down the notes, correcting his own book. Dunes had thought Adam had been checking his own book. ‘Does he not like to read other’s private notes? They are for the business?’

“How come the weapons auctioned off for more than expected?” Adam asked, noting how each weapon had sold for about a tenth to a half more than expected.

“That is how it is in the auctions.”

Adam leaned back, smirking slightly. “She’s going to be so pissed that we’re not going to be auctioning more, eh?”

Dunes shook his head. “Now that you are free to do as you please, what will you do?”

“I suppose I’ll just take it easy until Vonda gives birth?” Adam replied, thinking. “I should take part of your role, that way you can spend more time with your wife, and she can also relax too.”

“Some of the other women in the business are pregnant too. Are there special arrangements which need to be made?”

“Outside of time off, I’m not sure what else we should do specifically. I know pregnancy effects, affects? It… you know what I mean, it effects, or affects, women differently. How about you ask Amira what she thinks would be good? Then whatever she thinks, increase it, because she’s a member of an Order, so she’s hardier than the typical person, but the farmers and such? They shouldn’t work quite as brutally as any of you.”

Dunes sipped his warm milk, staring at the half elf. “You are so wise when it comes to the matters of children.”

“Wise? I don’t know about that, but… those children, we should… I don’t like saying it this way, but let’s invest in the children. Those children, let’s make the strongest into the best warriors, the smartest into the best mages. Those that don’t have any talents, they can work peacefully here, with no need to worry about their next meal.”

“Yes,” Dunes replied. They had a similar conversation before, but this time, Adam had changed a few things subtly.

“What am I saying? Those kids, they should stay small and cute forever. We should find some other warrior and make them into guards.”

‘Ah,’ Dunes thought, recognising the Adam he had known for the last few years.

Vonda poured the milk for her youngest son, before noting the appearance of her husband. She smiled warmly towards the half elf as he sat down opposite them.

“Daddy! You cannot work!” Jirot said, before sipping her milk, licking the froth off her lips. “We are fighting?”

“I guess since my daughter has said I cannot work, then I suppose, I’ll stop working as much,” Adam said.

Jirot inhaled deeply, looking towards her mother. “Mummy! You see?”

“Your father said he will work less.”

“Less?” Jirot asked, before eyeing her father up suspiciously. “No more?”

“Only a little bit, but now, daddy will take more time off to spoil you.” Adam reached down to ruffle her hair. “Like today.”

“Today?” Jirot asked, shocked.

“Yes.”

Jirot glanced towards her mother, before smirking. “Daddy, you are listening. Good boy.” She reached up her hand.

“…” Adam bowed his head, allowing her to brush his hair. ‘That’s right, I am a good boy.’