Chương 1231: [1149] - Y06.049 - Passing Nights IV

Adam panted, feeling the burn within his thighs. The half elf squatted with the sack over his shoulders, leading the workout. The workout had begun as it always had, a light walk into a light jog, followed by stretching. The younger Iyrmen followed suit, some of the children also doing the same, though they did not squat with the sacks over their shoulders like their older siblings.

"I'll leave Taygak to you again," Adam said, holding out his fist.

"Okay," Tanagek replied, gently tapping Adam's fist with his own as Jurot would.

'Man I hate leg day,' the half elf thought, though thankfully he was able to sit for most of the day with his enchanting.

"Cousin Adam," Taygak called towards the evening, the teen having completed her training and duties for the day.

"You will not spar with me?"

'If she's speaking in the Iyr's tongue…'

"I have trouble drawing my sword against you, Taygak." The half elf could see the woman preparing for his joke.

"It just… I can't do it. It pains me too much." Taygak had expected a very different joke, but seeing the tiredness in Adam's eyes, she nodded her head slowly and left the half elf be. The days continued to pass by with Adam enchanting all throughout the week, save for every seventh day, when he would spend time with his family. Gurot chewed his vegetables slowly, the boy glancing up at his cousin, noticing the half elf reach for his food. He twitched, as though he had been slapped in the face by Adam's betrayal.

"You silly boy, I'm sneaking you some more food, look," Adam whispered, holding up a disc of his sliced vegetable up to the boy's lips. Gurot reached up for it and forgave the half elf in his heart.

"Murot, you saw me giving him the food, didn't you?" Adam asked, while Murot opened his mouth, but not to speak. Adam surrendered instantly, forgiving the boys as he fed them.

"You two are always so troubling since you're so cute…" Adam didn't surrender just to his Rot cousins, since there were other children he was unable to defeat. Kavgak climbed up onto the half elf's lap, handing her cousin a book, the girl waiting to be read to.

"How do we ask people nicely?" Adam asked.

"Please."

"Okay," the half elf replied, opening the book to read it to the rest of the children who gathered around. At the end of the tale, they broke for snacks. Kavgak reached up a hand to grab Adam's, her grip tight.

"Thank you."

"Of course, my dear Kavgak." The half elf smiled wide, feeling his heart fill with the expectations from the children.

'Should I beat up a dragon this year?' Maygak waited for the half elf, wanting to thank him too, the girl bowing her head to allow him to ruffle her hair, smiling shyly up towards him. She sat down beside her elder sister, who placed the food onto her plate, and kissed her forehead.

"Papa Say?" Tavgak called, the little girl pouting up towards the half elf.

"Papa Saygak? He's… studying right now, but he'll be back soon." Adam picked Tavgak up, the girl glancing around for her elder brother who she hadn't seen in so long.

"Don't worry, your papa is so well behaved. If it was kaza Raygak, then you might need to worry."

"Papa…" Adam could spy from the corner of his eye the little, or rather, the large Faygak, who remained as quiet as the wind. The half elf hoisted her up, the girl blushing slightly from the attention, before he let her go, allowing her to return back to Maygak.

'Seriously, how could she be Taygak's little sister when she's so shy?' Adam glanced between the four Gak children. Kavgak was the leader of the first group of children, those of the older toddlers. As Jaygak's sister, Adam worried slightly, but the girl took after Taygak. Meanwhile, the younger set of toddlers were led by Kavgak's younger sister, or rather, Kavgak through the proxy of Maygak.

'It looks like the Gak family is on the rise?' Adam joked within his mind, with no idea that his words were truer than he realised, and not realising the impact he was having upon the children.

"Mokan!" Inakan called, rushing all around the estate. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"What's wrong, Inababy?"

"Mokan! He is gone!"

"Gone? Where?"

"I do not know, cousin Adam! What I am to do?" Inakan pouted up at the half elf, her eyes growing even wider within her magical glasses.

"Let's ask around to find him, shall we?" Adam smiled reassuringly.

"When did you last see him?"

"He was with daddy!"

"Where is daddy?"

"Daddy is…" Inakan looked around, before she reached up to clutch her head.

"Oh no! Cousin Adam! Daddy is missing too!"

"Your father is always causing us such trouble, isn't he?" Adam let out a long sigh.

"Always causing such trouble!" Adam did his best not to burst out with laughter as the girl let out an equally long sigh. He reached down with a hand and Inakan took it without thinking, the pair making their way out to try and find the pair. Adam did the round around the nearby superblocks.

"We must check the Elder's estate too!" Inakan said, pointing towards it.

"I'm not sure we can trouble the Elder with this but… if a Kan can't trouble him, who can?" Adam joked, before leading the girl towards the Elder's estate. An aide stood in front of the shared estate, and as she looked down at the pair, she nodded.

"Hello, little Inakan."

"Hello, miss aide! Elder Zijin is inside?"

"The Elder is. Do you have business?"

"It is an emergency! My brother is missing!"

"Oh?" the aide replied, feigning shock.

"This is an emergency."

"Your daddy is missing too, isn't he?" Adam added.

"My daddy is strong, but Mokan is just a little boy!" Inakan replied, her head darting up at the half elf.

"Ah, of course."

"Of coas!" The pair entered the Elder's estate, finding Elder Zijin double checking his notes for the season. The Elder's eyes darted up to glance upon the pair, and he folded his notes away, hiding them away within the various books.

"Elder Zijin! My brother is missing!" Inakan exclaimed.

"Your brother is missing? Oh dear. Where did he go missing?"

"He went missing with daddy."

"I see. It makes sense since it is to do with your father…" Zijin smirked slightly.

"What can we do? We must send someone to find your brother and your father."

"Phew," Inakan said, letting out a deep sigh.

"Thank you, Elder Zijin."

"You are most welcome, Inakan."

"Uh oh, Inakan," Adam said.

"I think Churot is missing too." Inakan gasped, looking around, trying to find her cousin.

"Cousin Churot is missing too? No! How can it be? Cousin Churot is not missing!"

"He's not?"

"How cousin Churot can go missing when Elder Zijin is looking after cousin Churot?" Inakan asked, her eyes darting up at her cousin, almost side eyeing him.

"Oh. Of course."

"Of coas." Elder Zijin chuckled, waving a hand as Inakan guided the half elf out. He reopened his book, checking upon the next note.

'Oh! I should have informed Adam…'

"Mokan!" Inakan exclaimed, charging her brother once they returned to the shared estate.

"You silly boy! How can you go missing like this?"

"I went to change your brother," Shikan said. Inakan blinked.

"Inakan, I told you."

"… No?" Shikan raised his brows.

"Were you too busy looking at the flowers?" Inakan blinked again, turning to the half elf for support.

"Our Inakan, she was so worried, and tried her best to find Mokan. Aren't you so sweet, Inakan?"

"Of coas!" Inakan replied, holding up her fist towards her cousin for backing her up, and Adam returned the gesture.

'Inakan…' Shikan sighed, glad she was so thoughtful, even if she was so absent minded.

"Kaka…" Mokan hugged his sister, understanding that she had worked hard, and understanding he would need to work hard to watch over her.

"Mokan!" Alykan called, rushing over towards the boy, showing off the block in her hand to the boy. Adam glanced around towards Minakan, who remained off to herself, as always.

'What am I meant to do with you, Minakan?' Minakan yawned, the girl rubbing her eyes, before deciding she had enough with drawing, so she quickly packed her things and went to go read, making sure to wash her hands and dry them off before she grabbed her book. As the shadow engulfed over her, the girl threw up a glare, sighing slightly as the half elf picked her up, and the pair embraced lightly, until she was left alone once more.

"Minakan," Adam called, waving his hand at her. Once she waved back, he left her be, allowing the girl her peace. Adam spent a lot of time with Jitool specifically, since she was so close with Jirot and Jarot, adoring the girl almost as much as her own sister, who began to look after the twins more often too.

"Kako!" Jirot called, reaching up to grab her hand.

"Come! Jitool has surprise!"

"…" Kitool followed the girl, and as they approached Jitool, the little girl held up her drawing shyly.

"Look! Is a gift for you, kako! Kako Jitool is so amazing! Do you see?" Jirot asked, her amber eyes filled with such awe at Jitool's ability to draw, which was exactly as a four year old would draw.

"I see," Kitool replied, looking down at the picture of four blobs, two green, one small, and the other much taller.

"It is amazing." Jitool's beaming smile melted the woman, who lifted the girl up, and held her tightly. The pair embraced one another affectionately, sharing their warmth. Kitool kissed Jitool's forehead, causing the girl to squeal, Jitool grabbed her sister's head to kiss her forehead, right upon her tattoo.

"My heart is so full…" Jirot looked to her brother and the pair embraced one another too.

"I love you so much, Jarot."

"I love you, Jirot." Little Jarot rubbed his cheek against his sister's.

"Kako, do not worry, we love you too," Jirot assured Jitool, turning to Kitool.

"Kako, we love you so much too."

"Yes," little Jarot added.

"I love you all too," Kitool promised, feeling her throat clench tight for a moment, before she calmed herself.

"You must put the picture away safe, okay?" Jirot informed the woman, as her father had taught her what they needed to do with such great treasures.

"I will," Kitool assured. The woman's mind wandered for a moment.

"Ho?" Adam looked to the trio as they approached him.

"I thought you wanted to spend the time with kako Kitool?"

"Kako is going to speak with Elder Zijin."

"Oh?" Adam replied, reaching out to rub their heads, while little Xarot stirred within the half elf's arms.

'Kitool speaking with the Elder?'