“He is?” Adam asked, his brows raised in surprise.

  “Yes,” Lucy firmed, still sitting tall and tense. Mara gred at the young demon baby.

  “We were uain,” Sonarot admitted, pg the small basket onto the tablet, the tiny demon baby twitg as he jolted awake, his eyes snapping to the side to see the presence of the Demon Lord and the other demon.

  Jirot and Jarot squirmed within their father’s arms to look into the basket, noting the red skin of their younger brother. They tried to make for the table, before the pair were scooped up by their grandmother, who took their attention away from their you sibling.

  “You knew?” Adam asked, his eyes glued to Sonarot.

  “The shamans checked, but were not certain.”

  “You guys didn’t tell me?”

  “We wished to ask Lud Mara,” she said, nodding her head towards the demons.

  “So, my boy’s some kind of reinated demon?”

  “He may not be a true demon, but I feel something within him which is different to a fresh newborn,” Mara informed, her eyes still glued to the boy.

  “I see…” Adam stared at the boy, who squinted up sourly towards him. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” Lucy asked.

  “Okay.” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not like he’s the only one I know who is reinated.”

  “He could be someone dangerous.”

  “Of course he is. Look at how adorable he is, how he be anything but dangerous?” Adam reached over to lift the boy up, carefully bringing the boy to his chest. The boy was heavier than when he was born, though he was still hot, hotter than a normal child. “He’s my son too, so of course he’s ied being a dangerous fool.”

  “Adam…”

  “What?”

  “Your son isn’t really your son, he’s-,”

  “What do you mean not my son?” Adam replied, his voice stern. He pulled the boy deeper against his chest, gently swaying from side to side. “I don’t care if he’s a reinated or reborn being, it only makes it mht that he’s my son. You thihe only one whose like that between us?”

  “That’s ly what I meant,” Lucy replied, frowning slightly. She avoided looking at the goblins, feeling the rush of guilt fill her.

  “Even if he was a thousand years old before, he’s my bht now, and that’s all that matters.”

  “If he grows up, who knows what will happen?”

  “If he grows up poorly, it’ll be my own fault!” Adam snapped, his eyes narrowing towards the demon. “If someone wants to deal with my Larot, then they’ll have to gh me first.”

  “Even the Iyr?”

  “Did I stutter?”

  “…” Lucy was still surprised to hear Adam willing to fight against the Iyr, especially sidering how they had already mao tame her, a Demon Lord. “Adam…”

  “What?”

  “You don’t mean that… do you?”

  “What don’t I mean?”

  “You’ll risk your life for some…” Lucy quickly realised what she was saying, and to whom.

  “There’s a reason why I admire the Iyr, and it’s because of their policy when something happens to their children,” Adam stated. “They’re not the only oh that policy.”

  “I thought you didn’t like killing?”

  “There’s always a line, Lucy,” Adam replied. “You of all people should uand how much I’m willing to risk my life for a friend, no matter what others think.”

  “…” Lucy’s eyes filled with the most awkward guilt, the young woman falling silent as she avoided his stern gaze.

  Mara remained silent. ‘…’ She couldn’t speak against Adam, sidering her retionship with Lucy, and what the young man had done for her.

  “The Iyr ot kill Larot,” Jurot said.

  “Even if he causes a mess?” Adam asked.

  “…” Jurot remained silent for a long while. “The Rot family will deal with it.”

  “Would you?”

  Jurot shook his head. “I would kill you, Adam, but I would not kill your children.”

  Adam let out a small sigh of relief, though he wondered who the Iyr would send to deal with Larot if he did end up being a Demon Lord and doing something. “Just make sure to kill me first, and don’t make him suffer.”

  “Okay,” Jurot replied, as simply as that.

  “…” Lucy blinked, gng between them all, w how they could talk about something that crazy.

  ‘These fools are insane!’ Larot thought, his face still squinting with displeasure, though fusion filled his eyes.

  Sonarot had taken Jirot and Jarot away, keeping them distracted during the talk. She thought of the sequences of accepting Larot into the family, but regardless of whether Larot was a reinated demon from years past, it did not matter. The boy was Adam’s son, and if he was not, he would be Jurot’s son, and thus was afforded such bes.

  She thought back to one of the few times an Iyrman had been marked for death. It was never handed out to a merary group, or even to the Biodi. It was, iale she had heard, dealt with by the family. Sometimes it brainst sister, sometimes it was mainst son.

  Sonarot couldn’t imagihe one armed Jarot remaining still if anyo after Jirot or Jarot, or any of Adam’s children. The amount of blood the Rot family would o spill before even going after one of Adam’s children was too steep to pay. ‘Baktu, please watch over Larot.’

  Yet, somehow, the Great Elders had only spent a few moments speaking of the topic that evening.

  “We will watch the boy as he grows, but it is within their right to adopt him, as they have with his other children,” Elder Peace stated, ending the matter almost as swiftly as it had begun.

  At the Rot family estate, Mulrot listeo her husband’s panting, the older man gripping the bar tight in hand as he pulled himself up, slowly dropping himself onto the floor, his bare foot before his wooden foot.

  “Why must you train twice?” Mulrot asked, her eyes still glued to her book.

  “When they e for my greatson, I must be quick to act,” the old man replied, gasping for air as the suddled under him.

  “With that wooden leg of yours?”

  “With this wooden leg of mihe old man firmed, beginning his one legged squats, training his usis tied midway along his thigh. “If Tarot returns and I ot beat him, what will the children say?”

  “The children will say he wice your arms and twice ys,” Mulrot joked.

  “No,” Jarot replied. “I must not lose.”

  “…” Mulrot sighed aurned back to her reading, listening to the rhythmiting of her husband’s breath, which to her was more like music. How could she not enjoy the sounds of her husband’s effort?

  Omen: 7, 20

  ‘Seriously?’

  Jirot crossed her arms, staring at the wall ahead of her, huffing. Having seen Adam in his puthral armour, she had remained by his side to admire the colour, seeing her refle against the metal. However, upon hearing her father was leaving, she had stormed away a few steps befn her father. She turned back to see her father embrag the other children, causio pout, before she rushed ba.

  “No!” She held her finger up as though it were a bde, threatening her father.

  “I must go, Jirot.” Adam picked her up and kissed her face all over, swaying her within his arms.

  “Why?”

  “I must go to work.”

  “No work.”

  “I will bring back lots of gifts, my little Jibaby.”

  “Gifs?”

  “That’s right.”

  Jirot tio pout, her lower lip quivering. “No work?”

  Adam smiled. “I’ll send you lots of messages, okay?”

  “Daddy…”

  “You have to bully your babo a lot now that I’m gone, okay?” Adam brushed her hair gently.

  “No…”

  Adam smiled. “My cheeky girl. Do you love to bully daddy most?”

  Jirot hugged her fathers face, resting her head against the top of his head. “No…” Her voice was almost a whimper.

  “Even though you’re lying, I’ll five you just this once, because you’re so cute.” The pair embraced tighter once more before kissing one another.

  Adam tio embrace each of the children close.

  “Gurot, you’re the only one whose allowed to be bigger, my ky boy.”

  “Kavgak… I’ll five you for whatever trouble you make.”

  “Tavgak, just because you’re so cute, it doesn’t mean you bully Saygak, okay?”

  “Inakan, you’re not allowed to grow up too much.”

  “Minakan…” Adam stared down at the girl who stared up at him shyly. “How I say anythio Minakan?” Adam held her close, before letting her go.

  “Jitool…” Adam could feel Katool’s gaze upon his back. “You have to have a bob cut for when I return.”

  “Yes,” Katool agreed.

  “Maool…” Adam lifted her up. He felt his eyes burn slightly before he hugged her a her go.

  The young man’s eyes turo the babies, each who were yet about to crawl. “If any of you grow up, I won’t ever five the gods.”

  While Adam was going around saying goodbye to his adorable cousins, Jurot hugged Lanarot in the way he did, causio melt against him. “I must go, but I will return.” Jurot rested his cheek against the top of her head.

  Jaygak grasped Raygak’s forearm, squeezing it gently. “You must practise the sword every day.”

  “Every day,” Raygak firmed, feeling his body tingle. His lips twitched between a smile and a frown.

  “Are you sad to see me go?”

  “No,” the boy replied, on the verge of tears. “You will bring back glory!”

  Jaygak smiled. “I’ll return back just so I bully you.”

  Raygak hugged her tight. “Okay!”

  Katool ed her arms around her sister’s neck, holding her close. “You will e back?”

  “I will try.”

  “You must try hard! Okay?” Katool sniffled.

  “I will try hard.”

  “Okay…”

  Taygak csped Adam’s forearm and shook it. “Adam, strong,” she said.

  “Of course I am.”

  Her eyes were as intense as ever. “Brother Laygak go.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Brother Laygak, strong.”

  “That’s right,” Adam replied, uo trol his smile.

  Taygak nodded, and with that, she left, making her way to her csses. Adam watched her go, still smiling.

  “Papa,” Lanarot called, reag out for him from her other brother’s arms.

  “Yes, yes,” Adam replied, pig her up, feeling how heavy she had bee. He peppered her face with kisses. “Will you miss me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Aaaw, how my sister be so cute?” Adam asked, gently swaying with her in his arms.

  “We ’t spend all day saying goodbye,” Lucy said, holding Jirot and Jarot in her arms.

  “…” Adam decided against teasing her. His eyes fell to Larot, who was sleeping besides the other children. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be back.’

  They grabbed their packs, strapping their ons to their side, before beginning to make their way out. Sonarot, Jogak, Shikan, and Citool all made their way with the group, taking some of the children with them, all save for the you babies.

  The children followed them out towards the main gate, the very same gate which had caused even the greatest of creatures to pause. The gate required several Iyrmen nearby to push it open, many of whom where in the middle of work, but how could they resist opening the gate?

  The path ahead the path ahead revealed itself, the sound of the nearby river crashing. Adam picked up each of his children once more, kissing each of them, doing the same to his sister. He embraced Turot and Asorot tight.

  “You two, look after your brothers well, and don’t fet to watch over Lanarot and your nieces and nephews.”

  “Okay!” the pair replied, embrag Adam iurn, ohin each arm.

  The young man sighed, causing the nearby Iyrmen to wonder why they were taking so long, before he turned and started to march off. He had showered all the children in as much affe as he could get away with, uanding this could be the st time they saw him.

  “e home safely!” came the chorus, as it always did. Not just the children who were seeing off their siblings and cousins, but also the nearby children who had watched the Iyrmen and others begin to leave.

  “Last year, Lanarot cried when we left the Iyr,” Adam said.

  “Yes,” Jurot replied, recalling the previous year. She hadn’t followed them to the gate, but he recalled the g.

  “We are fortunate enough to say goodbye,” Kitool informed.

  “Laygak and the others have been w hard and you’ll be w them harder once we leave,” Jaygak teased.

  “What does that mean?” Adam asked while the group made their way to the Front Iyr.

  As Sonarot and the others returned back to the shared estate, long after the group had made their way out, they stopped as they entered. Sonarot exged a look to Shikan, before the pair sighed.

  Maygak, the oldest child of the sed set of babies, crawled excitedly towards her mother, who lifted her up and held her close, a giant smile across her face, peppering her daughter with prideful affe.

  Sonarot prepared to take her grandchildren to the extended family estate. She could already hear how hard Jarot would howl with ughter upon hearing how Adam had missed one of the children crawling before he even reached the Front Iyr.

  Oh the plot actually is progressing?