Chương 1700: [1597] – Y07.097 – A Man VII

She was beautiful. As though she was the moon itself. Her skin glistened, her eyelashes silver, her lips silver, her eyes like the clear sky, her cream attire plain, but her scarf was covered in a deep red, the kind from a certain house, and not yellow, but gold. At her side she wore a curved sabre, though she did not require to wield it, for the warrior at her side, draped in a sea of cream and grey, who wore a pair of long thin blades at her side.

The woman stormed her way towards the group, ignoring the looks of the warriors around, the Iyrmen, her eyes remained glued firmly fixated upon a certain figure, a particular figure who was most obvious to be held within her eyes, for he was that kind of fool.

"There is no need to be so alarmed," the woman declared, her voice carrying beyond, and Shaf glanced aside towards Aliya, who did not react at the moment.

"I have come to escort you to meet with the Grand Steward of our humble House on the Hill." Adam blinked, turning to look aside towards Tamil, and as his lips twitched into a smirk, he felt the aura radiate off his wife from beside him, his smile quickly dropping. A moment passed.

"What a shame, for I am currently busy, but please send word to the Steward I am sorry for being unable to meet with them," the half elf replied politely, his eyes slowly trailing to the side, noting his wife's gentle smile, and the half elf flushed, suddenly filled with delight.

'Good job, daddy,' Jirot thought, squeezing his arm gently, also glancing aside towards her mother, for otherwise the girl would have thought something else, but since her mother was glad, she was glad too.

"What a shame indeed," the woman said, and without introducing herself, she turned upon her heel, leaving them behind in the dust. The half elf turned towards his wife, holding her gaze with his own.

"It's not just me, right?"

"Thank you for showing mercy."

"Gosh, why are you acting like I would have caused so much trouble," Adam replied, though his lips were curled in such a way, and his cheeks flushed a deep crimson which denoted to the world he certainly would have reacted in such a way.

"Well done," Konarot said, holding up a thumbs up towards her father, causing the half elf to flush greater, a complicated storm of emotion filling his heart, the half elf glancing aside.

'Okay, okay, I am a fool, but why does everyone have to hammer that home?' the half elf thought, and yet as he thought of his foolishness, he opened his eyes to notice his children looking up at him with such praise within their eyes, his cheeks turned a deeper crimson.

'I suppose it does feel good to be praised, though…'

"Daddy, do you get into trouble so we can praise you?" Jirot asked.

"Dear! A man's mind is his castle! You cannot read my mind!"

"You must make it less obvious, daddy," the girl replied simply, squeezing his bicep gently, the girl's lips twitching up into a shy smirk.

'Ah,' they thought. He was the Crazy Father.

'What kind of a mood have I stumbled upon?' the older Aswadian thought, adorned in black robes, a white scarf draped over his shoulders, his thick beard dyed red, his eyes dark and sober, his lips sombre, and as he approached one of the tables to the side, he dismissed one of the attendants, not wishing to meet with anyone before he set up his pieces. Unfortunately a shadow overwhelmed him.

"Ah, miss Aliya."

"Ahm, I just wished to greet you," the woman said, though she had her guard hold out a pouch towards the old man.

"I see you have brought little Riham too," the old man noted, looking out towards the others who she had also brought along with her. He allowed the guard to place the pouch onto a spare table, while the old man reached into his scarf, taking out a small wooden pipe, the kind that was long and thin, and brought up a small rock, which he rubbed along the tip repeatedly until the wood started to smoke, and the leaves within fell to embers. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"If you could show mercy to the children as you play against them…"

"Children?" the older Aswadian thought, and though he sighed, he bowed his head, for it was not a good idea to offend such a woman, especially since her family made up such a large portion of sponsorship for him, and though she handed a pouch of fifty silver to him, this wasn't close to the amount of money he was making from the entire sponsorship from the library, although a large portion of that was also from her family.

"Good news," Aliya said upon her return.

"Kal Qasem is willing to play against the children."

"You two, you can't show the kal up like your father shows up others," Adam said, wagging his finger towards his daughters, one of whom bowed her head lightly, pouting, while the other held up a threatening finger, but before she spoke up, she blinked, furrowing her brows.

"Daddy! Kal Qasem is the second greatest chess player in Arisa, and the tenth across Aldland and Aswadasad. How can we defeat him?" Jirot asked.

"Oh?" Adam replied, raising his brows in surprise.

"Okay, then don't show any mercy, and be sure to show him up!"

"Oh, daddy, what am I to do with you?" Jirot grumbled, rubbing her face with a hand, side eyeing her father once more, letting out another soft sigh at his innocent smile.

'It is a good thing you are so handsome, daddy…'

"Dear, if you think that sort of thing about your daddy, it will hurt his feelings."

"A daughter's mind is a castle, daddy," the girl replied.

"Ah. Sorry, my dear." As Qasem prepared his chess board, fiddling with all the pieces, various others streamed in through a caravan of carriages, while the desserts and drinks were brought out by the various attendants, and the warriors took their place all about, each of the Adepts beginning the patrols while those who were Trained remained at their stations, alert, for though they could slack off lightly at any other time, the supervisor threatened to beat them senseless if they dared to slack off today.

However, though those who climbed out were plainly dressed, and with the guards who escorted each carriage were not simple guards, but many at least Adepts, some even Experts, those who stepped out carried themselves with tall postures, and some stood taller than even those who stood with such pride, and as they came to meet with the likes of the men and women who made up their audience, they carried with them a certain audacity.

That was until they came across the Ray of Life's Rose, who beamed brightly towards them.

"Ray, many blessings," each said, greeting her respectfully, utterly shocked such a figure had come to watch them play chess, the woman greeted each of them in return.

'Whoa!' the children thought, their eyes glistening as the various Aswadians came to greet her, even more enthusiastically when they could hear her speak Aswadic. Then…

'Bavwa?' Except, as their eyes passed along a particular half elf, they noted the dark look within his eyes, and then as their eyes fell to his amulet, their eyes showed an appropriate level of reverence, not too much, for they were still of Noor, but enough for the likes of a Mo of any particular other Divine.

Thankfully, Shaf guided them away, to begin with the chess exhibition, in which all the players, including the three children, all prepared their boards, until finally, Qasem stepped forward, and the battle began, the old Aswadian playing against three opponents at a time, though first he began against the children.

At first he played against little Riham, who only played lightly, and would require a short time between each move, so he stepped towards the board of a particular child, his eyes turned towards the woman, and he bowed his head respectfully.

"Ray, many blessings."

"Mother's Mercy," Vonda replied, smiling politely.

"My apologies, I was not paying attention to my surroundings and did not see you, otherwise I would have greeted you," Qasem said, bowing his head respectfully.

"That is not something you need to apologise for," Vonda replied, smiling warmly, and with that, Qasem moved the piece against the little green girl, who instantly moved the piece against him, and as he moved his pieces into position, he realised what the girl was doing. After the pair entered the mid game, Qasem paused a moment, not because he was stuck, but he hadn't realised the girl had studied the opening to such a level.

"How did you learn to play dragonchess?" Qasem asked.

"I learnt in the Iyr, with my elders, and my sister," Jirot said.

"You have already learnt this much?" Qasem asked, beginning his assault.

"I play moderately," the girl replied, moving her pieces, and it was after another five moves, when she revealed her technique.

"You also learnt the Waking Claw?" Qasem asked, even more surprised, and suddenly his attention shifted to the board.

"Since I show no mercy, I must learn this opening," the girl said, quoting her greatfather, who relented in allowing the girl to wield such an opening.

'Nice,' Rajin thought, watching as the girl played so well against the older Aswadian, though as the moves continued, each began to take more time, until finally Jirot stared at her board, down a priest, a wizard, and a knight.

"Good game," the girl said, holding out a hand, and Qasem took it from her, shaking her hand gently.

"It was," Qasem said, raising his brows towards the girl.

"However, in my family, I am the second greatest," Jirot said.

"My sister is much better."

"I hope I can face her." The bavwa looked to the devilkin, and the old Aswadian waved a hand towards the bavwa and stepped away, without realising he was about to face the greatest.