Chương 1197: [1118] - Y06.018- The Request II

"Then he said, it has to be me, grandfather. Bwahahaha! My grandson! How can he be so cute?" Jarot howled with laughter, pouring another drink for the Iyrmen around, who listened so engrossed to the tale.

"Did you hear? It has to be me, grandfather!" The older Iyrmen around humoured the Mad Dog, though only a handful truly realised why Jarot was so full of joy, to the point he was busy drinking and not causing a mess for the Aldishmen who remained but a stone's throw away in the nearby village. Except, they could see it. On his face. The darkness of the Mad Dog, who had been forced to step back.

If it had been almost any other figure, the Chief, Elder Peace, even his daughter, Sonarot, he may not have been able to step back. Was there anyone with a greater right to vengeance than him, though? Gangak understood why he couldn't step forward. It wasn't just because Adam had asked, but it was the way he asked. Gangak leaned back in her chair, reaching up to her forehead, trying to rack her mind on how to save Adam from death.

Even if he was strong, the chances of dying to the likes of the Grand Commander were too high for her to accept. Even if Adam was twice as powerful, even if the chance was a single percent, it was too much for her. There was another woman listening to the bragging from nearby. An older woman, wearing simple Iyrish attire, with short grey hair, and a rapier at her side. Upon her forehead was a red hollow kite, flanked by blue crescent moons, the tips pointed downwards.

A thought popped into her head, that she could now sit a little closer since he was so happy. However, feeling the shame within her heart, she remained sitting to one side, allowing the old man his peace to show off about his grandson who adored him so much.

'Will there come a chance to draw my blade?' Keiwyj thought, while her companion, Vovol smirked at her, reading the thoughts upon her face. As the old man continued to show off his grandson, drowning the sorrows in his heart with pots of grain wine, his daughter approached her uncle. Dogek sat alone in the corner, his eyes closed tight as he reminisced his childhood.

He opened them as she sat down opposite him, first seeing the little girl who used to tease him when she was young, and then the fine woman she had become, for even the ghost of her father continued to praise her within his dreams.

"Thank you," Sonarot said.

"I still have much to apologise for," Dogek admitted.

"You no longer have any need to apologise," Sonarot replied, deepening the cut within his heart, before removing the blade to fix it.

"If he has made the choice, then he will win, or he has accepted his Fate."

"I can still fight on his behalf."

"You can no longer do so. It is not longer a matter of life and death, but something greater." Dogek let out a sigh. He knew he shouldn't have offered just then, but he had to. His niece was right, though, for this was beyond the matter of life and death for Adam, but a matter of a greater burden.

"Brother would have liked Adam." Sonarot raised her brows slightly, for this Dogek was different to the uncle she knew. A small smile appeared on her face, and she nodded.

"Yes, I am certain." Fred sighed, sipping the grain wine, trying to calm his heart. He stood in the face of death and survived. If the Orders hadn't let them go, he would have lost his life, he had no doubt about it. The tingling sensation of the grain wine filled him.

"Why do you hold such a dark expression?" Haytam asked, sitting beside the Lead. She was shorter than the typical Iyrman, with black hair cut into a bob, and a pair of scars across her face. One went from her ear to her neck, the other a claw mark upon her cheek which narrowly missed her eye. She was strongly build, though, as Iyrmen often were, especially one who wielded such a large blade.

"I'm just glad I didn't die."

"You are sad about such?"

"No," Fred replied, letting out a small sigh.

"I just thought… it would be over."

"With the Aldish, it is never over." Fred threw her a look, causing her to raise her brow.

"I'm Aldish too."

"You would be considered Florian," Haytam replied.

"Oh. Is… there a difference?" This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"One is Aldish, the other, Florian."

"It wasn't like that a few years ago. Only heard of Floria in legends when I was a boy. Back when…" He tried to remember the name of the Florian who had bent the knee, but he shrugged.

"If you are worried like this," Haytam said, her curious eyes taking in the sight of the Lead's relief, and the shame that came with it.

"The workers will feel troubled. You are their Lead. You cannot allow them to see you this way, or morale will fall."

"Is this what he means when he says it's lonely at the top?" Fred joked, chuckling softly.

"It is not lonely at the top. My granduncle has the Chief as company, they do not feel lonely. Mad Dog, too, has the Bearded Dragon, and many others. With the Butcher's return, he is less lonely."

"Yeah, well…" Fred let out a soft sigh. He stared up at the darkening sky, feeling the burden of the title upon his shoulders.

"The Divine keep testing me to see if I am able, but… I don't think I am." Haytam threw a look to the young man, who was an Expert at least, adorned in full plate, with a magical blade at his side, one fit for a Duchess. Compared to her, who was of similar age, Fred had done so much more, and possessed so much more, even though she was an Iyrman. She wondered if she should go out to adventure once more. The awkward filled Fred, who had realised just how serious he had made the conversation.

'Will I ever marry when I'm so…' Fred thought of the word often used to describe the Executive. Lead Rick's shoulders were heavy with his own burdens, the Lead making his rounds, making sure the others were comfortable as they ate their dinner. He eventually stopped, taking a seat near the Manager, who was feeding his daughter.

"Ranya, you must not spit it out," Dunes said, breaking another bit of bread for her, before bringing it to her lips. The girl pulled away.

"It is not spicy enough," Amira said, reaching over to wipe the girl's mouth, before pulling little Ranya onto her lap.

"When you go to Aswadasad, you should buy some more spices."

"Do I earn so much money?" Dunes replied.

"Yes."

"…" Dunes blinked.

'Ah. I do.' He smiled wide towards his wife.

"I will buy as much as I can."

"Dada," Ranya called, grabbing her father's arm, pushing it away.

"Dada."

"Yes, my Ranya?"

"Pepah?"

"I will bring one," Dunes said, brushing the girl's hair. Amira watched her husband leave, making his way to steal away a pepper he had placed to one side for his daughter. He had provided quite a few to the Gaks, but he had made sure his own daughter would not go without, even if he had to.

"Are you worried?" Amira asked, pinching her daughter's nose, before her eyes darted to the Lead nearby.

"Excuse me?" Lead Rick asked, realising she was speaking to him.

"Are you worried?"

"A little."

"If you're worried, you will hurt the Executive's feelings."

"His opponent is…" Rick wasn't sure how to describe the Grand Commander appropriately.

"A man who stands atop the peak."

"The Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts…" Amira spoke the title as though it were important. It was, of course, but there was something else within her tone of voice, a question. The children of the business also held a similar question.

"Mister Adam's not gunna lose, is he?" Copper asked.

"It's gonna, not gunna," Jack corrected.

"It's going to, not gonna," Poppy corrected, shaking her head emphatically.

'Boys.'

"He's not gunna, gonna, or going to lose," Alex said.

"It's Mister Adam, and Mister Adam never loses."

"He lost to his grandfather, though?"

"His grandfather is his grandfather, though! Of course he's going to lose to his grandfather!"

"What about the fire guy?"

"The fire guy's a dragon though!"

"Yeah, dragon's don't count!"

"People don't beat dragons. Dragons beat dragons."

"Some people can."

"Yeah but they're strong."

"Mister Adam's strong."

"Yeah, but so's the Grand Commander."

"Mister Adam is going to win," Elsie finally said, the girl staring down at her porridge.

"He told me he was going to win."

"If Mister Adam says he's going to win, then Mister Adam's going to win," Alex said.

"He never lies."

'You don't have to worry about a thing,' Adam had told Elsie.

'I'm not that weak, am I?' Adam did not tell her he was going to win. Meanwhile, Adam carried his children back from changing them, with Sonarot following, along with Lanarot and Jurot.

"You were both so brave today," Adam said, peppering their foreheads with countless kisses.

"You must get that from your nana."

"Nana is so brave," Jirot confirmed, recalling how vicious the woman had been to the Grand Commander.

"You are brave too, my little Demon Lord. Jarot, you were so brave too. I worry since your sister always protects you, but you are so strong too!" Adam rubbed his cheek against his son's, the boy smiling so shyly, before burying his head against his father's neck.

"Daddy… you are going to duel tomorrow?" Jirot asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Daddy needs to be brave too, right?" Adam smiled wide, but his eyes remained shut tight, the half elf clutching at his twins tighter.

"Daddy…" The girl frowned, wrapping her arms around his head.

"You are going to win?"

"Jirot, how strong is your daddy?" Adam asked.

"First place!"

"That's right! Your daddy is first place, so leave it to daddy, okay?"

"Okay!" Jirot clutched at his head harder, before planting firm kisses all over his forehead, but even she could feel it, the cold sensation gripping at her heart, before the girl started to burst into tears, causing Jarot to do to the same. The pair stopped crying upon seeing the Great Elder who approached the half elf. Meanwhile, Dunes rubbed his beard lightly, scratching his chin.

"Did I run out? Was it that they were stolen? Considering what I know from your brother, did you have anything to do with this?"

"How could you accuse me of stealing?" Jaygak asked, leaning against the doorway, having waited for the Manager to complete his comedy routine after he had noticed her.

"Why are your eyes full of such sombre troublesomeness?" Dunes joked, though he had hit the nail on the head accidentally.

"I've come to ask a favour."

"I'm sorry, but I'm married." Jaygak winced.

"I can't believe he's corrupted you too."