The woman listened ily to Adam’s stories, p him more tea, bringing more biscuits from her crate as he spoke. She forced the boy to eat and drink, more and more. If she so wished to poison him, he would have beeen times over.

  Of course, poison was a Southerner’s cowardice, so she wasn’t going to poison him, but that didn’t mean she didn’t keep some herbs within her sleeves.

  “I don’t know what to do, really. His family has helped me out so much, I mean, they’re my family too, but you know, it’s not like, I mean…” Adam sipped the iceleaf tea, which felt like ice against his numb lips, even if the water was fairly hot. “I’m not saying they’re not my family, but I’m not a Rot. I’m Adam. Adam Fate. I’m not Adamrot Fate, I guess. My children, they’re definitely, you know… Rot and Fate?”

  “You really are a fool. If your children call her grandmother, she is their grandmother. If they call him their uncle, your brother is their uncle. Do you o think deeper oter?”

  “I suppose not.”

  The woman tio eye up the half elf, who had spoken of killing Vandra, another dragon, and even esc a Prince along the nd, a he was so worried about his home? ‘If that brat is calling this boy his grandson, I must take this seriously.’

  Adam had kept many things a secret, even to this old dy, from his true abilities, to his children having more than just leaf shaped ears. He had let slip they were children, but he mentioned all his children were special, and he didn’t o act like a fool of a father, but perhaps she had mao catch more into his words thaended.

  “You mentioned a friend of the Grand Duchess?”

  “Yes. He left a message.”

  “What was it?”

  “He said…” Adam held the woman’s gaze. “He’s sorry. He knows she won’t five him for dying in the South, where flowers will grow on his grave. He also wanted me to return a on, the magical maul.”

  “Have yht it?”

  “It’s in the Guild.”

  “Sir Wick, retrieve the item from the Guild.”

  “As you wish, Yrace,” one of the statues said, before stepping out, allowing in the cold for only a moment.

  ‘Yeah,’ Adam thought.

  “You wish for me to sponsor you for the tour?”

  “That’s right, I mean, yes, Yrace.”

  “Respond fortably, boy. As long as you do not go too far, you will be safe. I am too old to be w about a boy’s opinions, not too old to hold grudges, but I doubt you will offend me muo matter how muobles displease you.”

  Adam raised his brows. He had spoken quite cautiously about nobles, but to think she had mao gather that much from his words, it was ridiculous. ‘The greatest noble across the ey of Aldnd? You weren’t kidding, Lord Marshal.’

  “What is this matter of enting you promised?”

  “We were to assist in making a on that could help the Knight of Death.”

  “Since he wants me to look after his fool of a son, I will have to,” the Grand Duchess said, leaning ba her chair, thinking for a moment. “He is already greater than a Grandmaster, but a magical on which matches even this little old thing, that would be useful to the North. What would a on cost?”

  “That would depend on the specifics, though I’m sure you’ll pay a respectable amount, sihe Iyrmen regard you so highly.”

  “The feeling is mutual. The Iyrmen and we Northerners are very alike in some ways. Many follow Lord Sozain, the Son.” She eyed up his obsidian amulet. “You follow the Iyr’s Lord of Death?”

  “Baktu, Lord Sozain, I follow him.”

  “Are they the same?”

  “I believe they are.”

  “You said he gave you the amulet. How did that e to pass?”

  “I prayed, put in an obsidian, it melted into an amulet.”

  “Have you met Lord Sozain previously?”

  “In my dreams.”

  “How else would you meet a Divine?”

  “Well, a Major Divine? I don’t know. A Minor Divihere are a few of them walking about, it’s not that hard.”

  “Have you met one?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who?”

  “Oh, man. I’m terrible with names. Lady Eveil’s daughter, simir name.”

  “Lady Uveil.”

  “That’s right.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “Just,” Adam began, shrugging his shoulders. “We met her while travelling the nd and there she was.”

  “Did you slip through the world?”

  “Slip through the world?” Adam asked, though he made the mistake of uanding her words.

  “Tell me about it.”

  Adam smiled, sheepishly, before revealing the anti the other world, keeping some of the details secret, like Umbra, who he had all but fotten. Umbra, Emperor Hadda’s most precious daughter. The Emperor had engraved his o the world due to her appareh.

  “You threw away such a great on?” The Grand Duchess narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Adam.

  “It cursed me, so we had to throw it away.”

  “A on worth hundreds of thousands? Even the rulers of distant nds, the federad beyond, would move their armies to possess such a bde.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve met enough royalty in my life, I think. Of course, meeting you has been wonderful.” ‘Now that I think about it, I haven't had much trouble meeting with royalty. It's been a pretty even split of enjoying myself and not. No, perhaps it's better?’

  ‘Did he truly throw it away? Is he that much of a fool.’

  ‘Oh!’ “Right, we ended up meeting someoside of North Amber retly. A Princess, I think?”

  “Princess Adda, my greatdaughter, as you might say.”

  “That meeting didn’t go too well, I think. We slew a few of her trolls and it displeased her, though we did surrehe trolls, so I hope that she isn’t too displeased.”

  “Surrender? Did she force you to do such?”

  “No, no, but…”

  “But?”

  Adam remained silent for a long moment. “I didn’t mention a number of things during our versation. I have met many nobles, in the, perhaps dozens. Almost all of them did not treat myself or my panions well. I uand that when a noble’s pride is wouhey tend to get upset, and when they get upset, I find a bde drawn towards me, and, well, let’s just say that my children’s greatfather might have influenced me in some way. Of course, let me be clear, I have never killed any noble of this nd, from what I am aware, and have no iions of doing so, I’m just saying, in other nds, their nobles have not been quite so fortunate.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  Adam sighed. “Here I was, enjoying tea.”

  “I was just joking with you, boy, but I see it is a sensitive topic.” She pushed forward more biscuits. “If you are upset with a noble, you should send your brother after them. As the grandson of the Kid, he should be able to deal with them properly.”

  Adam blinked hard, taken aback by the woman’s advice. “Oh? Well, I don’t want to bother the Iyr that much, and it’s not like I deal with… you know, actually, one of the first nobles I met in this nd was Duke Lio.”

  “Duke Lio?” The Grand Duchess made a face, as though she had stepped in excrement, but not any excrement, but the kind that was near fresh, and had bee out in the sun. “A man like him is made for ruin. Someone who steps over his own family, and the rules of our try? We should have dealt with him. It’s fortunate for him that the brat seems to like him, so he’s safe, for now.”

  “The brat?”

  “My sister’s grandson.”

  “Who is that?”

  “I thought you were smarter than that, boy. The Fool. The Brat. The King. He should be so lucky to keep that of his after so many mistakes. It is a great fortune he was born with a sharp mind for war.”

  “I take great offeo that, Yrace. I don’t appreciate people thinking I’m smart, that’s a lot of work, and the expectations? No, no, I’m fih being a fool, a fool of a father.” Adam smiled, thinking of his children.

  “Are you as strong as your brother?”

  “Yes.”

  “How strong as you?”

  “I’m fident in my ability to gain first pce, barring the most terrible luck, which may or may not effect me quite so terribly.”

  “What of that girl, Kitool?”

  “Well…” Adam paused. “I don’t know. It’s either her or my brother who will gain first.”

  “What of the other Iyrman? Jaygak.” The woman fell silent after speaking the he air growing slightly colder.

  “I think she’d pce top three, after Kitool and Jurot.”

  “What of the devilkin?”

  “They’ll probably just… stick to the audience, and well…” Adam paused. “Some people might not like them, sihey’re special, so if you could… I don’t know, watch over them, allow them to remaied away from any Orders, or Oathsworn, that would be wonderful.”

  “They’re demons?”

  Adam smiled awkwardly. “They’re my friends.”

  “You mentioned one had been killed.”

  “Lucy.”

  “By Lord Asa’s son?”

  “Emperor Shama, yes.”

  “What if you don’t mao pce first.”

  “If I don’t mao get first pce, then we’re not good enough to create a on for the Knight of Death.” The pyful gaze within Adam’s eyes stated it may have been a joke, but it still reeked of a mert’s threat.

  “I will sponsor you all.”

  “Thank you, Grand Duchess. Ah, would you… would you be willing to read the letter from the Duchess? Jaygak mao earn it for us, and it feels like it’d be a waste if I didn’t at least try to use it.”

  “Very well.” She accepted the letter, even going so far as to undo the seal, sing across the words, which were particurly respectful. Even if she had essentially retired, the woman still held massive amounts of sway across even the South, which was to say, everywhere else other than the North.

  “Thank you again for sp us, Yrace.”

  “You may leave,” the Grand Duchess stated, dismissing the boy with a wave of her hand, as though she was reshaping the ndscape around her. “I will send you word upon the on’s specifics.”

  “Thank you for the tea, it was delicious.”

  “Of course it was.”

  Adam retreated away from the Grand Duchess’ estate. He gnced around towards the guards, realising why so many were about this pce. ‘…’ He swiftly returned back to the Guild to find his panions.

  “What did you do?” Lucy asked.

  “The Grand Duchess said she’ll sponsor all of us, well, I mean, the Iyrmen and I.”

  “Only Jurot and you are fighting,” Jaygak said, leaning ba her seat. “If Kitool joins, Jurot may not be able to win.”

  “What if Kitool fought without her magical on in the mundane segment?” Adam asked. “She could beat them all, I think.”

  Kitool thought about it. It was true she was strong, but Rage Dancers were extremely difficult to deal with. If she didn’t mao charge first, she would have a rough time.

  “I mean, Jaygak, if you fought there, you’d win, and then…” Adam paused. “No, hold on, then how will all four of us pce first?”

  “I’m only good with my magical on,” Jaygak said.

  “I don’t know about that…” Adam replied awkwardly.

  “I do.”

  “Well, what if…” Adam thought about it. ‘If she’s resigo losing, then…’ “Jaygak, what if you fought in the age segment above? Wouldn’t you do pretty well?”

  “I don’t feel like losing that much.”

  “You’d pce at least top ten.”

  “I still don’t feel like losing that much.”

  Adam frowned. “Then, what if you fought in my segment? With magid bde?”

  “I don’t want to lose to you the most!” Jaygak replied, wing at the thought.

  “Hmph! Here I was going to offer you first pce, but fet it.”

  “Didn’t you want to win?” Jaygak asked, her lips still a smirk, but her voiot quite so light.

  “I’m sure if I said I helped you earn first pce, Jirot wouldn’t bully me too hard. I’ll earn sed, so that way, I’ll be sed p their hearts, where I belong.”

  “Who is-,” Jaygak began, quickly stopping herself, but it was too te.

  “My geous wife, of course!” Adam grinned wide.

  “ge.”

  “No, I definitely ’t e sed to you, it feels too bad.”

  Jaygak ughed. “I’ll fight on that side then, and I’ll beat you good!”

  “Bring it on!”

  Lud Mara gnced between one another. ‘If all four of them are fighting, then…’ They go Marshal Royd Jane, who still weren’t used to their antics.

  Hold up.

  How did Adam meet the Grand Duchess and not get himself killed?