Chương 1023: [970] - Y04.070 - Strong I

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Adam said.

"I didn't mean to imply anything by it."

"I know," Jaygak replied, eyeing up the shield in her hands, rubbing along the edge. Adam frowned, staring at the shield, at his own reflection through it.

"I knew it wasn't going to work."

"You did?"

"I did," Adam admitted.

"Why did you do it?" Jaygak asked, knowing he wasn't talking about their conversation.

"I had to," Adam said, staring into his own eyes. He wondered what his children saw within his eyes, what Vonda saw within them. Jaygak stared at the shield for a long while.

"These shields are well made."

"Yeah." With their pouches lighter, the pair returned back to the Guild, where Barks grilled them upon their stories to see if they matched up with Jurot and Kitool's.

"There were some suspicions that you may have killed him, but I don't think you'd do something like that," Barks said.

"I'm mostly saying that because the Iyrmen said you wouldn't."

"Yeah."

"You alright?"

"I'm fine. I just… want to go home." Barks narrowed his eyes.

"Alright." Quest Complete: Inform the Guild XP Gained: +100 XP: 16 600 -> 16 700 Stamps Gained: +1 Stamps: 5 -> 6 As the group made their way to their wagon and cart, Adam called out to Mara.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine."

"We'll get you fixed up once we're at the Iyr." Mara bowed her head, climbing into the cart, sitting beside Lucy. Her body was still pale, like Jurot had been, though the Iyrman had healed up shortly before the festival.

'Greater Restoration is Fifth Gate,' Adam thought.

'Just you wait, it won't be too long now, just a few years.' Adam thought of other spells, some of which were also Fifth Gate, especially one in particular.

'I can't be too quick, though…' He reached up to his forehead, rubbing it.

'Quick, but not too quick. Strong, but not too strong. Rich, but not too rich. Unhinged, but not too unhinged.'

"In the North, the tournament is considered the most difficult," Jurot said, breaking the silence.

"Next year, I would like to enter the tournament."

"Yeah," Adam replied, smiling slightly. As noon came upon the land, Jaygak sighed.

"Adam."

"Yeah?" Adam asked, peeking his head out of the wagon.

"Oh, man."

"I see you are getting into more trouble," he said, tipping his hait, Maurice glaring down at the group.

"Am I still making waves?" Adam asked.

"Yes."

"Damn."

"You are making this quite awkward."

"I am?"

"You are strong, especially with that axe of yours."

"Yeah, well…" Adam shrugged his shoulders.

"What can you do? I mean, Jurot's strong too, so is everyone else." Crowseer smiled, tipping his hat once more.

"Congratulations upon your children." He turned to face Jurot.

"Have you thought of a name?"

"Yes."

"It is a fine name… I'm sure." Jurot narrowed his eyes.

"Thank you."

"So what are you doing here exactly?"

"I thought of meeting the ancient terror you unleashed, but I decided against it."

"Hey, hey, hey, I didn't unleash anything this time," Adam said, though he didn't believe his words.

"I suppose you didn't. This time, somehow, you weren't directly involved."

"How about indirectly?" Adam asked, surprised.

"Perhaps?"

'Damn. I guess that's better than it being directly, though?'

"Are you heading to Red Oak to adventure?"

"No. We're heading back to the business. We, uh, got into too much trouble with the ancient terror I definitely didn't unleash."

"It is a waste to return so soon."

"Yeah, well, I do have some work to do, so…"

"Very well."

"Want to join us for lunch?"

"I think my presence would cause you too much stress," Crowseer said, before tapping his cane onto the floor.

"I shall leave you be." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The group made for lunch, with Adam's spells allowing them to prepare their food swiftly.

"We really should prepare for next year. Should we head to the North? Aswadasad? I want to be back for our children's birthdays, but we can leave pretty early in the year and go about our business. What do you guys think?"

"We may compete in the two tournaments," Jurot offered.

"Dawnval and duskval?" Adam thought about it.

'That does leave noonval free, and in noonval we can spend our time at home, rather than getting all hot and sweaty.'

"We should fight in the noonval tournament again," Jaygak said.

"I think I can place well now."

'I guess we can fight in three tournaments then…' Jurot thought about how quickly they could travel the land with their magical steeds.

'If they are born earlier in the season, we could fight in the nightval tournament in North Amber too.'

"What, I'll be twenty three next year, right? I'll be pretty unstoppable in my class…" Adam rubbed his chin.

"I came third place, but if I come first place all four times, won't Jirot stop bullying me?" The party arrived at the Florian outpost in the early evening, where they found Commander Silversky eyeing them up suspiciously.

"Didn't you tell us you were going to adventure in Ever Green for some time?"

"Yeah, well, stuff happened."

"What happened?" Adam glanced over to Jurot.

"An ancient evil awoke, a fellow died, and some of us have injuries which require the Iyr's assistance," Jurot replied.

"…" Lord Royce laughed at the group's story, his voice echoing through the tent. He quietened down at the mention of death.

"An ancient evil? That's hard to believe, but I'll bring word to the King."

'It's not good to ignore an Iyrman's warning.'

"What are you doing here anyway?" Adam asked, sipping his tea.

"I was bored."

"Oh. Fair." The group continued along their way from the Florian outpost, passing through the Aldish outpost, with minor trouble, but they made their way to Red Oak.

"It's them again," Bill said.

"We should ask them to let us just patrol the town instead…"

"At least there's no wolves." Except, somehow, everything seemed… normal? The adventurers handed over the coin and made their way through to the town.

"…" Bill exchanged a look with George, and the pair shrugged their shoulders. The group only spent the night within the Guild, swiftly making their way out, heading through the outpost to the village, who welcomed them, slightly confused as to why they had returned so soon. The wagon and cart stopped a little bit before the business, right at the village at its border, and Adam stepped out. He inhaled the crisp air deeply, dreading his return to the fort.

He glanced around, nodding his head at the various villagers, before holding out a gem to the Chief, who tried to decline, but Adam held it out to Merl instead.

"How are you doing, Merl?"

"Fine."

"Let me know if you need anything, alright?"

"I would like to see Nobby more often."

"Isn't he at the fort?"

"He doesn't spend enough time in the village, and he's working so much."

'Ah.' Adam cleared his throat.

"I'll go talk to him. He really should be spending more time helping out his wife." Adam tutted.

"I'll give him a few weeks off around the time of the birth too, that way he can help you around, and I'll make sure he spends more time at the village during his days off."

"Thank you." The gates opened for the returning wagon and cart, and Adam stepped out of the wagon once more, letting out a long sigh.

"You missed your children?" Dunes joked, shaking Adam's forearm.

"Something like that." Adam pat Dunes' shoulder before making his way to the squealing children who tried to tackle him.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy is back!" Jirot squealed, her tiny feet storming towards her father, before they found the air as he lifted her up and embraced her.

"I missed you so much, my baby girl." Adam peppered her cheek with kisses.

"I miss you too, daddy!" She leaned in to pepper her father's cheek with kisses too.

"Were you good to mummy?"

"Yes! I feed mummy all day!"

"Good girl." Adam let her down to embrace each of his children one by one, allowing his brother to greet them too, before he noted the little girl narrowing her eyes at him.

"What?"

"You bring gift?" Lanarot asked, holding out her hand.

"Of course I brought a gift! Who am I?"

"Papa!" the girl declared, before the pair embraced.

"Smelly girl, of course I brought you gift." Adam lifted her up and carried her around, going to check on the business. He winked towards his wife, walking up to her, the woman reading a book to the children.

"What's this? Everyone usually waits at the gate, but you're all being so well behaved, listening to the Ray?"

"They always listen so well to me," Vonda said, beaming towards the children, who were now focused on Adam. Adam's eyes flashed between the children, noting their expectant eyes.

"Alright, alright. Queue up." Once the children scattered after receiving their gifts, with Lanarot rushing off to her grandfather to show him the strip of cloth she received, Adam dropped down beside Vonda. She reached for his hand. Adam inhaled deeply and intertwined his fingers with hers. Korin plated the food, personally bringing the Manager and her Executive husband their food, having made several different foods, with Julia's assistance.

"Lightly spiced for the child, and lightly spiced for the other child who can't keep himself out of trouble," Korin dared to joke, though he quickly realised what a mistake he had made upon seeing the awkward smile.

'Oh?' Korin waited to see if he needed to apologise, but Adam waved his hand, rolling his eyes.

'He's lucky he cooks so damn well,' Adam thought.

"How have you been?"

"Well. Did you have fun?"

"That's one word to describe it. We ended up facing a forest drake, and then, remember those kids? That kid, uh, the one that was racist all the time? He was with us during the outbreak, and he called Jonn's mother a, you know."

"I do."

"We… we helped them out from a horrible ancient terror. I… I tried to save him too, but… I was too late." Adam stared at his meal.

"I tried. I really did."

"I know," Vonda said, reaching for his hand, squeezing it. Adam shut his eyes tight, and forced away the encroaching darkness, and with his wife's words, he relaxed.

"A horrible ancient terror?"

"I don't know, Jurot knows more about it, he'll tell you." Adam ate the meal of grilled vegetables, as well as the slice of meat, which had been well seared, perhaps a little too much.

"I need to take Korin with me." In the night, Adam brushed his daughter's hair, the girl yawning.

"Daddy?" Jirot asked, staring at her hands.

"You are strong?"

"Daddy is a little strong?"

"Daddy is stronger than moon?"

"I don't know."

"Why?"

"I can do things the moon can't, and the moon can do things I can't."

"Daddy is stronger than salya?"

"Salya? I think so. I can feed more people, and I can beat it up."

"I like salya, but I like daddy more," Jirot said, smiling shyly. Adam planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Even though I love pizza, I love you so much more." Jirot giggled and squealed.

"Smelly boy." Vonda returned with the triplets, Konarot trailing behind, her ears drooped, her tail dragging behind. Upon seeing her father, the girl rushed up along with her siblings, dropping down beside him, her tail against her father's leg.

"Daddy is stronger than mummy?" Jirot asked.

"Ah, well, maybe? Mummy is stronger than me in some ways."

"Mummy is stronger?"

"Well, mummy can have a baby, but daddy can't."

"Why?"

"I'll teach you when you're older," Adam said, noting Vonda's smile, the woman brushing little Jarot's curly hair.

"Why?"

"Then you'll be able to understand it properly," Adam said, picking the girl up to kiss her cheek, distracting her a moment.

"Look at you! So chubby! Is nana feeding you well?"

"Nana give me potato and nana Mi give me salya too."

"Nana Mi? Nana Mirot?"

"Mm!"

'Ah, is that why she asked about salya?' Adam thought.

"Do you thank nana for the salya?"

"Yes."

"Do you hug her too?"

"No."

"Why not? She's babo's daughter too."

"Huh?" Jirot glanced at her father from the side, her eyes curious and questioning.

"Nana is babo dohta?"

"Yes." Jirot gasped, reaching up to her father's shoulder to stabilise herself.

"Nana? Nana is strong?"

"She's very strong?" Adam replied, partly with a question.

"Nana is strong or daddy is strong?"

"Daddy is strong? Just a little bit?"

"Daddy?" Jirot paused a moment.

"Babo is strong?"

"Well…" Adam frowned. He growled quietly.

'How could she mention him when he was the one to beat me up first.' Meanwhile, the old one armed Iyrman stared at the sky, staring at the moon, replaying the girl's curiosity in his mind.

'Of course your babo is stronger than the moon!'