“Adam,” Jurot called. “Let us fight in the nightval tour.”

  “You want to go to the tourhis year?” Adam asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “I wish to wiour for my son,” Jurot replied simply.

  Adam closed his eyes. ‘Isn’t my brother the cutest?’ His eyes then opened, falling upon his wife, and his sister in w. The pair were still tired, and he time off, but also, wouldn’t they heir husbands at this time?

  “Vonda,” Adam said, a while ter, needing some time to think before could give Jurot a firm reply. “What do you think? Jurot… he wants to wiour. He do it, but…” Adam frowned. “I mean, I came third, and I want to get first pce too, but… you just gave birth, you and Pam.”

  “I will be fine in the Iyr, Adam.”

  “Yeah, but, if we go now, we make the tour. We win, sure. Travelling back during the Twilight Month? It’s dangerous. I don’t think we should travel back during it, and…” Adam frowned deeper. “What kind of husband would I be if I missed our first anniversary? What kind of brother would I be if I allowed Jurot to miss his first anniversary with Pam? What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t help him go?”

  Vonda reached out to Adam’s face, brushing it tenderly, smiling warmly towards him. ‘How my husbahis cute?’

  “Vonda, you should be thinking I’m handsome,” Adam said, fairly certain she could uand her eyes.

  “You are always so handsome, dear.”

  “Yeah, that’s right,” Adam replied, huffing with pride. “I am handsome.”

  “You should go. I will be fine here, in the business.”

  “…”

  “You must win and bring back glory for your children. Jirot, she ofteions how you are third pce, what will Virot think as she listens to her sister’s words?” Vonda joked, smiling wide.

  “You’re right. If Jirot keeps bullying me like this, Virot will also bully me. It’s already difficult enough to handle one, but now, there are two of them!” Adam said, ging his voice slightly, smiling wide, only to frown. ‘Right. I should expin my refereo her when they e up.’

  “What an iing story,” Vonda said, seeing how much joy the tale brought to her husband, even if he wasn’t expining it that well. “So the father, to protect his son, killed the greatest evil and redeemed himself? Did he not kill thousands, upon thousands, of people? He was almost as evil, but because he killed the greatest evil to protect his son, he was sidered good?”

  “Okay, I get that he killed a lot of people, and… okay, so he killed them all, the men, the woman and the children too, but… then he kept killing more children, but look, it was the…” Adam paused. “I pletely agree with you actually, but it’s still a cool universe.”

  Vonda wasn’t certain she could trust such a foragic that was so… weird.

  ‘I should make one in this world,’ Adam thought. ‘No, that would be silly, and difficult.’ Adam realised how many things he had dohat were already silly and difficult. ‘Yes, but this is different. It would be cool, though.’

  Adam spent his time walking through the business, mulling over his thoughts. The silliness within his thoughts faded, and a seriousness overtook him.

  ‘Seriously, my seventh child is the only one I don’t really o worry about, except for all the people that was to kill her because she’s a half elf.’ Adam groaned. ‘Seriously, how is it that my child, a half elf, is the o likely to be hunted?’

  “He’s thinking of such thoughts again?” Korin shook his head lightly, unsure of how Adam could do it.

  “He is always thinking such thoughts,” Dunes said.

  “He will think himself to death.” Korin chuckled, but stopped upon seeing the harsh look within Dunes’ eyes.

  Mana: 25 -> 22Spell: Sending

  “Lord Marshal Royce, we will be heading to the North soon. May I send word to the King for the favour he owes? Thank you.”

  ‘You may.’

  Mana: 22 -> 19Spell: Sending

  “King Merryweather, I am messaging you for the promise owed. Please make it illegal in your Kingdom to kill goblins and demons. Thank you.”

  Adam had felt the spell leave him, but he heard no response. ‘Ah, right, Jurot did say he may have been warded.’

  Meanwhile, Lucy bothered Jurot.

  “Okay.”

  “You ’t refu-, what?”

  “Okay.”

  “We go?”

  “Yes.”

  “…” Lucy exged a look with Mara, before looking back at Jurot. “Oh. Okay.”

  Jurot nodded.

  Adam finally met with Jurot. The pair stared into one another’s eyes. Adam and Jurot csped forearms.

  “First pce,” Adam stated.

  “Okay.”

  “I o… I o finish up with a few things first.”

  “Okay.”

  Adam invited Morkarai to his personal house within the inner fort, p the fire giant a drink, before fv it with his magic. Morkarai sipped along it, before smiling, tasting the fruit from slightly north of his mountains.

  “Lord Morkarai, I have another request for you.”

  “If it is within my power.”

  “It is.” Adam smiled.

  Once he was done asking Prince Morkarai for his request, the same request he had made of the giant for his daughter, Adam went to his Aunt, before pausing. He turned his head, looking to his eldest daughter, who was zing about in the cool air of nightval, the girl peeking towards her father. Upon noting he was looking at her, she began to stand, and shuffled her way to him, her younger siblings following her.

  “Konarot, let’s talk alone.”

  “Okay,” the girl said, holding her father’s hands as they walked off to the side, her tail swaying from side to side.

  “I want you to take this letter.”

  “I read it?”

  “No. You ot. It’s for mummy.”

  “…”

  “I know. I want you to give it to mummy. She will read it. It’s really important to daddy. you do it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Now listen to me. You ’t give it today. You have to give it on a very special day, nana will tell you. You ot lose it, so let’s put it somewhere with nana, yeah?”

  “Okay.”

  “Konarot…” Adam embraced the girl tight, uo look at the scar around her eye. “Oh, my Konarot. The world was cruel to you, so I uand why you had to grow up so quickly.” Adam pnted a firm kiss on her cheek. “It’s okay. Daddy will proteummy will protect you too.”

  “Okay…”

  Adam pulled her in close. He shut his eyes, holding the girl close, smelling the st of the Iyr’s oils upon her. “Konarot. I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, daddy.”

  “Oh!” Adam kissed her face all over, and the girl hugged her father, feeling his strong arms around him.

  Adam and Sonarot helped the girl hide the letter, by putting it in a pce she could remember with some ease, though was somewhere her mother couldn’t find it, which retty easy to figure out, sihey could use Jaygak’s house.

  Later in the evening, Adam embraced his wife, holding her close. “You ’t miss me too much, dear.”

  “I will try.”

  “I’ll miss you so much.”

  “You should try not to?” Vonda teased.

  “You know me.”

  It was the m when they had all prepared, even bringing along Sky, Mighty, and Wolfy along with them. Adam brushed Kit’a and Jay’a, the wolves each hard at work hunting nearby, bringing back plenty of meat, but also assisting the various vilges nearby.

  “Executive…” Rick called, approag the half elf.

  “What do you need?”

  “They say you io pce first.”

  “I do.”

  “Would you be willing to bet on our behalf?”

  Adam smiled. “Alright. I’ll bet some money. What do you want to bet oly?”

  “Whatever you feel is best.”

  “You might lose your bet.”

  “are the , but I doubt we will lose.”

  “Gambling sometimes goes wrong. Never know, might be another me out there.” Adam winked.

  Rick closed his eyes, praying that wasn’t the case.

  “Papa, you are taking Sky?” Lanarot asked, pouting. She had wao py with Sky all year, but Sky had always been too busy.

  “We are,” Adam replied, dropping to a knee, brushing the girl’s cheek. “We’re heading north, and the wolves are going to help.”

  “I help too!”

  “You have to stay here, and help mummy, and your kakos, and your nieces and nephews, yeah?”

  “I do it,” Lanarot assured, holding up her fists. “You leave it to me! I do it!”

  “That’s right!” Adam embraced his sister, holding her close. ‘Just you wait, my dear sister, we’ll bring you baething good too.

  Adam then checked on each of his children, hugging them one by one, giving each kisses too.

  “Konarot, you must look after your siblings, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Kirot, Karot, you have to help your older sister, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Jirot…”

  Jirot waited, full of pride, ready for her task.

  ‘Should I bully her?’ Adam failed his Wisdom Save against his daughter voluntarily, though he was certain he had no choice. “You must look after mummy and kako, okay?”

  “Okay!”

  “Jarot, you too.”

  “Okay, daddy…”

  “Larot…”

  “…”

  “…”

  “…”

  “Just grow up slowly, happy ahy.” Adam held the boy close, kissing his forehead. ‘What am I to do with you?’

  “…”

  Adam also said goodbye to the rest of his panions, teasing them all. He also said goodbye to the children, including Ranya and Merry, even though they wouldn’t remember him.

  “I don’t give you permission to grow up too quickly either, but I’ll five you, since you’re so cute,” Adam said to both, minutes apart.

  “Mister Adam,” called the stilted magical voice. “Good luck.”

  “Thank you,” Adam replied, ruffling Gee’s hair.

  Gee flushed, gd Fred had enced him to say goodbye.

  “Fred,” Adam called, before nodding his head.

  Fred returhe head nod.

  “Elsie…” Adam dropped to a knee before her. “We’re going to head to East Port first. Is there anything you want us t back?”

  “Um.” Elsie thought. “Rammy.”

  “Rammy?”

  “He’s my friend.”

  “I’m not sure I bring Rammy back, but is there a gift you want?”

  “Um.” She thought. “I want…”

  “…”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I’ll get you something nice, don’t worry.” Adam winked, before cheg on his panions.

  Prince Morkarai and Adam also shared a moment, g each other’s forearms. Adam bowed his head, and Morkarai retur.

  “Make sure you invite me to your wedding too.”

  “I will,” the Prince assured.

  As they fiheir preparations to leave, Adam paused. “Jirot.”

  “Daddy!” Jirot charged up to her father, standing tall and ready for mischief.

  “I will definitely e first pce.”

  “Smelly boy,” Jirot replied, cag. “You are third pce!”

  “I might be third p your heart, but… daddy will be first pce! I’m going to win, okay?”

  “Daddy! You must bully babo when you go!”

  “I’m the one whose meant to ask you that!” Adam lifted the girl up, sm her with kisses.

  “Daddy…” Little Jarot stared up at his father, with the and round amber eyes.

  “You too!” Adam smothered his son with kisses too, while the triplets watched.

  Lucy allowed him to adore his children aime before they left, since he was going to be ge if he didn’t get his fill of them now. ‘Since I got to say goodbye to them already, I’ll allow it.’

  “Jirot, you must bully your babo too, okay?”

  Jirot looked treatfather, who held out his hand, and the girl rushed over to grab it, giggling delightfully.

  “Jababy! You have to bully your babo!”

  Little Jarot looked up to his greatfather shyly, before hiding beside his leg, hugging it.

  ‘Et tu, Jarot?’ Adam reached for his heart. “I’m only fiving you this once because you’re so cute!”

  The old Jarot’s ughter almost drowned out the well wishes of the children.

  “e home safely!” shouted the children, except for the usual suspect.

  “You must say it,” Jarot said, ruffling her hair. “You must.”

  “No!”

  “Jirot,” Sonarot called.

  “e home safely!” the girl screamed, causing even Jarot to wihough he roud of her lungs.

  ‘Yes! She is my greatdaughter!’

  As the group made their way out, with the wolves taking turns in the cart, Adam stared out at the sky. “Okay. I’m going to take it seriously. Just for this season, I’m going to take it seriously.”

  “Okay,” Jurot said. He go the side, to the half elf staring at the world ahead of them. He noted how dark his eyes were, and how focused they had bee. ‘…’

  Adam remained focus oext before his eyes. ‘…’

  XP: 16 700 -> 16 000

  What? They're leaving, this te in the year? Where's my slice of life? No!