Omen: 1, 8

‘It’s not like I was going to enchant today anyway,’ Adam thought. ‘I’ll need some nice rolls for Amira’s magical weapon, but I can do that later.’

Once they were done with their morning routine, Adam sat, with Lanarot on his lap, embracing her tight. The girl smiled, resting her head against her brother’s chest.

“Adam, even if it’s this day, you can’t do something ridiculous,” Jaygak stated, glaring at him. The other adult Iyrmen slowly bowed their heads, though supporting Jaygak was so awkward considering how much of a mess she used to cause.

“I am still her brother, Jaygak,” Adam replied, returning the glare. “I’m allowed to be cringe on three days. The first of the first. The first of the second. The seventh of the ninth, as Baktu intended.” Adam could feel the intense gazes from the adults, who then looked to Sonarot for support.

“How dare you all focus on me today when it’s my sister’s birthday?” Adam asked, lifting the girl up to pepper her face with kisses. The girl was adorned in a light blue outfit, her family’s symbol embroidered against her head. Her forehead had been dabbed with blue, the vague shapes of her family’s symbol. Adam’s children also wore similar outfits, and their foreheads were dabbed in the same way, save for Larot.

Once the children passed along their gifts, each giving tiny ribbons, bits of smooth metal, or parts of various creatures their relatives had slain years past, it was time for the adults to give their gifts. Vonda handed Lanarot a small scarf she had purchased the previous year, while Dunes passed along a shield he had bought, since the family weapons of the Rot family were an axe and shield.

Jurot picked up the girl and swallowed her within his arms, the girl melting against his great hugging abilities.

‘Still a hundred thousand XP?’

[Yes.]

‘Damn.’

“I have brought you an axe,” Jurot said, revealing the axe he had brought for her. It was a simple looking axe, but it had been an axe which their father had gifted to him when he was still a boy.

‘…’ Adam blinked. He had a joke prepared when he was going to gift her an axe, stating he was her shield once they complained about how many axes he had gifted her. ‘What else am I meant to do now?’

Adam held the girl in his arms and thought deeply. The others knew he hadn’t forgotten, supposing his gift had been an axe or shield. “Lanababy, you tell papa what you want, and he’ll get it for you.”

“I want…” Lanarot thought for a moment. “I want to mawwy papa.”

Jaygak almost snorted as she covered her mouth, while the other Iyrmen smiled, a wave of light chuckles filling the air.

“You want to marry me?”

The girl nodded, smiling up towards her brother, cuddling up to his chest.

“Lanarot…” Sonarot stopped upon seeing Adam’s raised hand, the young half elf frozen in place as he thought deeply.

Adam inhaled deeply, feeling her warmth against him, smelling the scent of bread which clung to the girl. “Lanababy. If I get married to you, I will no longer be your papa.”

The girl jerked, her eyes wide as she stared up at her elder brother in shock. “No!”

“That’s right…” Adam said, his tone more serious than it had ever been. “No more papa.”

Lanarot gasped, before she looked towards her mother, the shock having invaded her face, before it contorted as she made to cry. Adam held her closer to his chest and rocked her, feeling her shaking, sobbing body. “Smelly girl. Do you want me to be your papa?”

“Papa!” The girl wrapped her arms around him. “Papa!”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be your papa, forever.” Adam assured, patting her back gently. “Oh, you poor thing.” ‘How can my sister be this cute? Isn’t it illegal?’ Even though she was crying, Adam couldn’t help but feel the joy within him. This was the greatest dessert one could ask for.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Daddy mawwy me?” Jirot asked.

“I won’t be your daddy if I marry you, smelly girl,” Adam replied.

Jirot also jerked before her face contorted and she made to cry, only for her nana to pick her up, soothing the little girl.

“Don’t worry, Jirot, daddy will always be your daddy,” Adam stated. ‘How can my children be this cute?’

“Daddy…” Jarot clung to his father’s shirt.

“Yes, yes, I’m your daddy.”

Jarot held onto his father’s arm and cuddled up to it, sucking his thumb.

“I’ll write you a letter, Lanababy. You can make a magical item with your papas and then I’ll take it to the enchanter and they will make it for you, okay?”

“Okay…” The girl returned back to sucking her thumb as she held onto her brother’s shirt.

Jaygak was glad Adam was about to leave, unable to handle any more cringe from him that day. Lokat appeared with her several aides to check on the children, spending more time with Inakan than any other child. She praised them all for growing well, including little Inakan, before leaving with her fresh set of notes.

Sonarot led Adam, Jurot, and most of the Rot children through the Iyr. They left the shared estates to an area filled with smaller buildings, with plenty of Iyrmen passing through the area between other sections of the Iyr.

They arrived at a small, open area, where an older Iyrman was setting up a desk. He had all manner of small objects to one side, each which looked like a dark gem. He spread a large sheet of paper over the desk, keeping the sides pinned under thick blocks of wood.

Jurot brought the chairs over for them all to sit. Sonarot almost called for Jarot, but the twins both clutched their father tightly, so she allowed them to remain with the half elf.

“Konarot, Kirot, Karot, come, sit before me,” Sonarot called, allowing Jurot to hold Lanarot, while she personally held Larot.

The older Iyrman, who had drawn them the years previous, glanced between them all. He recalled the half dragons and the goblins, but his eyes lingered on the young boy, who was certainly a hornless demon. He sketched them over the course of fifteen minutes or so, using the dark gems, before pulling the sheet away.

Sonarot stood, beginning to lead them away. Adam carried Jirot and Jarot within his arms, barely able to refrain from kissing their faces. His face was full of pride as he beamed while carrying his twins.

“Did you see how well they sat?” Adam asked.

“Yes,” Jurot replied.

“How can my children be so well behaved?” Adam smiled wider, before giving in to pepper his children with more affection.

“I sit good too,” Lanarot stated.

“Yes,” her brothers confirmed, causing the girl to smile.

As they entered the extended family estate, the young Iyrmen swarmed the approaching group. Adam smiled, placing his children down, allowing them to run towards their babo and nano. After greeting the extended Rot family, Adam settled down near Jarot and Mulrot, who doted after his children so tenderly.

“Where’s Churot?”

“They are working him so hard,” Jarot replied, making the face he made when he thought about troubling the Great Elders.

“Speaking of missing members, I haven’t seen granduncle or grandaunt about.”

“Brother has gone to train for the family. Sister is training the demons.”

“I didn’t realise grandaunt was that strong.”

“With Sarot gone, and the passing of our cousin, sister is second only to me,” Jarot replied.

‘Damn! She was that strong?’ Adam thought. “Are you a Grandmaster?”

“No, but it is why Tarot trains. Zirot will not allow him to take the title without also earning the title.”

“What about you?”

“With this arm and leg of mine?” Jarot replied, hoisting up little Jarot to his chest. “Even with this arm and leg of mine, I am still so strong I do not need to claim the title.” He chuckled as he rubbed his cheek against little Jarot’s forehead.

‘I wonder if I can beat him now,’ Adam thought. The old man was not yet a Grandmaster, so roughly Level 11 or 12, whereas Grandmasters were each Level 13. When Adam was Level 4, the old man had beaten him, but he had gained the title of Expert, Level 5, soon after. Level 5 for Adam meant two things, Third Gate spells and an additional attack when he swung with his axe, though for most it was one or the other. With Wraith in hand, his second greatest creation, Adam was sure he could match the old man.

‘No,’ Adam eventually relented. ‘If I had Phantom, maybe I could, but he didn’t use a shield, and he didn’t use a magical axe either.’ Adam thought back to the weapon he had used. Dunes’ Sword, which was still one of the best weapons he had created. Even with it, he couldn’t defeat the old man, who had crushed him, even though the old man had long retired and only had the single arm.

“Babo, I can mawwy you?” Little Jarot asked.

“You must ask your nano, for she is my wife,” Jarot replied. “If we marry, she cannot remain your nano, and I cannot remain your babo.”

Little Jarot pouted, before hugging his greatfather tight, wrapping his arms around the old man’s neck. “No…”

‘Are we actually related?’ Adam thought. ‘Of course we are, since he’s my children’s greafather.’

“Little Larot is growing well,” Mulrot said, gently brushing the boy’s cheek with the back of her finger. “Was he drawn within the portrait?”

“He was,” Sonarot replied, exchanging a look with the Family Elder. They were both in an awkward position, Mulrot for refusing Adam’s children at first, and Sonarot for not informing Adam of the news.

Mulrot smiled warmly as she continued to brush the boy’s cheek. “You will grow well within the Iyr, as your family before you.”

Sonarot wondered how she would inform Adam of the issue, but she decided to leave it until it was truly confirmed. She thought about how much trouble the boy was even as a babe who only slept, ate, and soiled himself. ‘He is certainly Adam’s son.’