Chương 1594: [1500] – Y06.400 – The Heart of the Iyr X

The wind whipped through the Iyr, causing their clothes to flutter, though Pam was thankful she had begun to wear the Iyrmanly attire, which saved her decency. Even though she preferred wearing longer skirts, she couldn't help but think about how useful trousers were, especially with the various pockets she could hide her sweets.

Jurot sucked on the tiny sweet, unable to refuse food from his wife, the young Iyrman only half covered by the blanket, for though his wife was well built, she was often still colder than him.

"I can't believe he's off training by himself," Pam huffed.

"He isn't even any good."

"His talent is similar to Laygak's," Jurot admitted.

"Why does he even…" Pam paused.

"Laygak's?"

"Yes."

'Isn't he an Expert?' Pam thought, though the Iyrmen had called him quite weak, he was only weak compared to Iyrmen, meaning he would be considered quite strong when it came to the typical Aldishman.

"What about me?"

"You have a poor constitution, but you-," Jurot began, skipping a beat as he realised what he had said, however, since he had already spoken the words, he had to continue, otherwise he might end up requiring to ask Adam for his assistance, "are talented in many other ways." The Iyrman could still feel her gaze pointed towards him, like a blade.

"It is a shame, for you were born with greater constitution, you would be as talented as many others, only a step or two below Naqokan."

"How do I have a poor constitution?" Pam asked, sitting upright.

"It is not that it is poor, but that it is poor for a warrior," Jurot replied.

"Oh? So you are the tough one and I am the pretty one?"

"Mother thinks I am handsome," Jurot replied.

"Then what am I?" Jurot turned towards the woman, staring deep into her eyes, noting the annoyance rising within hers.

"I kill. You bake." Pam blinked, suddenly disarmed from his words, the woman eyeing him up slightly. She glanced aside, considering how he had said it, as though it were a matter of fact, and within his tone was a darkness that she hadn't seen in a very long time. Jurot was glad he could speak such words to climb out of the pit he had dug himself out of.

"If you wish to train, I will procure you a way to build your constitution."

"Is this your way of saying that you would like more children?" Jurot cleared his throat, his ears glowing red.

"No. If you wish for it, there are magical items which can assist."

"Which magical item?"

"An Amulet of Health."

"What is that?"

"An amulet. It raises one's physical health to near the peak, a match to my own."

"So I can be as tough as you with a single magical item?"

"Yes. There are some magical items which can increase your physical strength to higher than what I possess, which is the peak of one's might." Every so often, Pam recalled how her husband lived in an entirely different world to him.

"Is it… easy to procure such?" Jurot inhaled deeply.

"It is easier for your husband." Pam held her husband's face in her gaze, then leaned into his chest, reaching over to grab the back of his arm, feeling her husband flex for a moment.

"I think I'll remain a baker."

"Okay."

"Aren't you going to convince me?"

"If you wish to gain the title of an Expert, you only need to ask," Jurot assured, wrapping an arm around his wife, with the hope she would not. The gap between Adam and himself had only increased since they were Experts. It was around that time he still considered himself an equal, but he was certain of it now, especially after the difficulty Ashuk had found it to only narrowly lose to the half elf.

Even if the Rot family's techniques were suited towards defeating Adam by outlasting him, Ashuk, too, possessed the same manner of defeating the half elf, but in the sense he would be able to cause Adam to fall sooner rather than later. He considered speaking to the Chief about the matter, but decided against it, since there was much to do for the next couple of years, and the time would have been best before the month. Just like Chosen and Tanagek.

"What?" Jirot gasped.

"You must get justice for your papos," Chosen said. Jirot blinked, her eyes darting to Tanagek. If even Chosen was defending Tanagek, then it was important. The girl huffed, placing a hand upon Chosen's shoulder, narrowing her eyes.

"When babas come back, I will beat them up." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Thank you." Tanagek decided against speaking up, since it served his father right. Maharan spent the month growing closer with Yasha and Zabir, though also did so with the other Aswadians. Zabir considered speaking of marriage to his granddaughter, but how many lives did he have remaining? If she wished to marry him, it would be a blessing, and it would be a decent enough way to tie Maharan to the business.

As the Aswadian relaxed, he noted the way little Ranya would glance his way, smiling so brightly towards the old man, for he looked so much like her father, in the sense that many here were pale of skin, and Zabir held the handsome darkness of the night sky.

"Executive," Zabir finally called during the month, for he had only just recalled the most important matter.

"Yes?" Adam replied.

"We have yet to discuss and sign a contract." Adam blinked.

'Eh?' Adam considered how expensive Zabir's request was, though he had requested he be paid lightly, and to work lightly, he had specifically requested something Adam hadn't expected.

'A Greater Enhanced spear?' Adam thought, glancing aside to the old man as he allowed Ranya to hang off his bicep, the half elf grumbled to himself, for he was being played so easily.

'Well, it's not like I wasn't planning it already.' Korin yawned, exploring through the Front Iyr, speaking with a great many Iyrmen, for he was still someone from Black Mountain. He spoke the tales of his Order, as Dunes had done, but he had learned many other stories, outside of the basic stories everyone was taught.

'I see why so many retire within the Iyr,' Korin thought, for such attention was sweet, the Iyrmen not pressing too much, only visiting now and again, and offering him to join them for dinner now and again. Sara relaxed to one side, almost falling asleep, but Enisa waddled over towards her, grabbing her knee. The girl babbled towards her expectantly, and Sara took her to Amira, who fed her daughter, and then read to her, until eventually surrendering her to Sara, who played music for the girl.

'What do they expect of me here?' Lani thought.

'What am I meant to do here?' Elif thought.

"Ranya! Enisa! Oh my! You're both so fast!" Adam gasped, rushing after the pair, who squealed and giggled as they fled from their ahm.

'You punks! You think I won't make you a few Greater Enhanced weapons? Of course I will!' As Dunes watched them play, he wondered how things came to this.

'This life, I am truly blessed.' Adam checked on John and his triplets now and again, still finding it awkward to push forward into their lives as much as he wished. However, seeing as they had begun to recognise him, the half elf waved his fingers, and the boys shyly retreated to their father, and he left them in peace.

'Nirot, hurry up and seduce him already,' the half elf thought.

'Should I send Jirot?' Nirot yawned, holding Gurot and Murot to her chest, the little ones so heavy, but she was a Rot, so she could lift them up with ease. Though Gurot was a year older, Murot was only slightly smaller, though they were both so eager to give their sister their affection. Nirot wasn't sure how she felt, for she thought her cousin as a genius. The rest of the businessfolk continued to live their lives through the Twilight Month, the awkwardness of the month present, for it was quiet. Too quiet.

Even Haytam could feel something in the air, and something her granduncle was keeping from her, for as they sparred during the Twilight Month, his mind seemed focused elsewhere. Even so, he could probably defeat her with a blindfold.

"Granduncle, what worries you so?" the young woman finally asked.

"The Iyr would have flourished greater if I was the Chief," Baztam said.

'Are they fighting?' the young woman thought. One day, Jurot found Adam watching the children, tears glistening upon the surface.

"What is wrong?"

"You know, Jurot…" Adam sniffled.

"I heard that in the Iyr, it's not uncommon to lose a sibling. I mean, Amokan and Timojin, they both lost someone. Then, Tanagek's brother, who died immediately when he stepped out too."

"We..." Jurot's entire body tensed and flashed red hot with rage. He had thought of it too, and it was almost inconceivable to him, that these tender children, some of whom may cause trouble, could die. As children, they would be returned to the living, as was the Iyr's right, but when they were older, such a privilege was no longer freely afforded to them. The half elf's heart ached, allowing the dark emotions to wash over him that day, for if he didn't, he wasn't sure when he'd explode.

"We must become stronger to protect them," Jurot said.

"If the Iyr will punish me for denying them a good death, I'll accept it," Adam said, the tears slipping down his cheeks, his chest aching. Jurot's heart throbbed too, though he steeled it, for his brother was free with his tears, but Jurot was freer with his rage. Adam wiped his eyes quickly with the scarf on his shoulders as Inakan rushed over to him, noticing how his eyes were red.

"Inababy, did you remember me?"

"Cousin Adam, we must make pizza today," the girl said.

"Oh, what a lovely idea, from our wise little Inakan," Adam said, lifting the girl up, even though it had been his idea. As the half elf took the children away to cook pizza, it was quieter than usual, and the half elf glanced around, finding his children were missing.

"Nana," Jirot whispered, as though her mother and father could hear her.

"What can we do?"

"We must plan well," Sonarot said, wondering why they had waited so long for that thing. Even Harriet had gifted their mother and father a lovely scarf not long ago, and yet the children had only just recalled now?

'Since you are so cute, I must forgive you.'

"Kako! You must help too!" Jirot declared, pointing to Jaygak, holding up her finger like a blade.

"Of course."

"Of coas." During the last day of the year, the half elf and his wife enjoyed one another's company all day, much to the annoyance…

"Okay, daddy," Jirot said, giving her parents a thumbs up, and caused no trouble at all. Adam glanced aside to his wife, furrowing his brows.

'Eh?' Vonda just smiled, holding onto the wooden token he had gifted her, completely ignoring the pendant the Amira had gifted to him to gift to her, even if it was filled with a liquid which emboldened one's strength. She walked with him to a nearby park, where they settled upon a bench.

"Next year, when we head out to Aswadasad, I'll take you out on so many dates, and I'll spend a mountain of gold on you," Adam threatened, finding the month had passed by so quickly, his heart still oppressed by the sickness that threatened to drown him.

"Darling…" Vonda held the half elf, who had been so busy, and yet hadn't spent enough time in the moment, instead dwelling upon his dark thoughts. The half elf glanced aside. Quest Complete! Business Dealings: +1 000 Iyr Dealings: +1 000 A Legend in the Making: +1 000 XP: 36 800'You couldn't have rounded it up?' Though Adam was annoyed, it did not match his grandfather, whose axe threatened the Chief's neck. Thankfully, the Chief was still far stronger than the Mad Dog, and was neither missing a leg nor an arm.

"Who gave you the courage to meddle within my family?" Mad Dog asked, his skin red hot with rage as he danced.

"I shall ask your greatdaughter who gave me such courage." Yet, as they fought, the Mad Dog could feel it, the heaviness within the Chief's blade, and not just a heaviness, but something else. Even now, the Chief's heart had not yet healed, and it plagued him so. Perhaps that is why the Mad Dog showed him mercy, even as he lay within the field, panting for air. Jarot stared towards the sky, losing once more. The old man sighed, and the regret within his heart bloomed. If only he had his arm, his leg.

The guilty thoughts were swept away with the rain, along with his tears.