[874] – Y03.174 – Home III

[874] – Y03.174 – Home III

“I don’t like it here.”

“Really? I thought you were having a ball of a time,” Adam replied, chuckling lightly.

“The Iyrmen... they’re scary.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’d think so, considering you got choked out when you appeared.”

She reached up to rub her neck gently, recalling the first time she was in this world. “I want to leave.”

Adam let out a soft sigh. He glanced around in her cabin, before pouring in some water into a set of cups, cooling and flavouring the liquid with his Tricks, before placing a cup in front of her. He accepted his thoughts and let them flow out of his mind, like a river parting around a rock. He inhaled deeply before letting out a long sigh.

“I can’t?”

Adam shook his head. “No.”

“...”

“I understand why you don’t want to stay here.”

“You can’t.”

“Really?”

“This place is your home, but it’s not mine.”

“Is this place my home?”

“You’re not an Iyrman, but you’re an Iyrman’s brother.”

“You got that much right. I think this place is my home. I think so. I don’t know, though. This place welcomes me, and I feel like it’s my home, but I have my doubts.”

“I didn’t have much, and now I don’t even have my world. It’s gone. The food here tastes different. It’s not the same. I lost everything.”

Adam slowly nodded his head as she spoke. “Of all the people in the world who understand, I’m the one who understands that.

“...”

“Difference is...” Adam thought for a long moment. ‘I probably shouldn’t tell her, but...’ “I died.”

“What?”

“That’s the difference between you and me.”

“...”

Adam sipped his cup of water, which he had flavoured. “Do you know what this tastes like?”

“It tastes sweet.”

“It tastes like my childhood. I used to drink so much of this mango juice when I was a kid. They’d come in this blue carton, and they had a white lid you’d need to twist. I think at some point they changed it from something else, this little lid you forced down, but I remember later that they had this top you had to twist. They probably changed the recipe for it too, but I don’t remember it exactly.” Adam sipped the water slowly. “I can only drink it like this, but... I’m not sure if it’s exactly the taste within my memories. A facsimile, if I’m being fancy.”

The girl had no idea what the word meant, but she listened intently to Adam’s words.

“The Iyr is scary. It’s scarier to people who know too much. You and I? We know too much. I’m trapped here, like you. I know a lot about the Iyr, too much. I know a lot about other things which the Iyr are interested in, some things they’re interested in to keep out of this world. In all fairness, they should have killed me a long time ago.”

Kiara frowned. She glanced down towards the water which tasted so sweet. She gathered he was a noble from how delicious this drink was. If he had this even once a month, he was probably someone from a wealthy family. Except, the way he spoke was far too casual. sure we can get you some friends. Is there anything else you want to speak to me about while we’re alone?”

“No.”

“Alright. Come on, let’s introduce you to everyone properly.” Adam stood, finishing the rest of his water, before cleaning the cups with his Tricks.

“Where are you going?” the aide asked, stopping Adam and Kiara.

“We’re going to the shared estate.”

An awkward silence fell through them. “You should meet with the Elder first.”

“Sure.” Adam followed the aide towards the Elder’s central estate, where Churot sat, perusing through the books. “You cooking the books, Churot?”

“You do not cook books, cousin Adam.”

“That’s right.” Adam walked over to ruffle his hair. “They’re already getting you to work?”

“Only a little.”

“Elder Zijin, how did you manage to sneak Churot away? Was the old man distracted by my daughter bullying him?”

“Are there other ways to distract him?” the Elder joked, a small smile across his face. “Are you here to ask for the young lady to stay at the shared family estate?”

“How did you know?”

“I have been tasked with watching over you. If I did not know that much, they would no longer have such faith in me.”

“Well... yeah, alright, fair. Is that okay?”

“You will need to ask Sonarot and the others. If they accept, I will not refuse their words.”

“Thanks.”

Konarot charged towards her father as he stepped through the entrance, the girl hugging his legs while Kirot and Karot followed after her.

“Did you miss me?” Adam brushed their hair.

“Yes.”

“It was only a few minutes.” Adam smiled, lifting up his daughter, allowing her to wrap herself around his torso before he lifted Kirot and Karot, waddling his way inside. “Aunt.”

“Adam.”

“Kiara was feeling a little lonely, and we thought it would be a good idea for her to stay here, in the shared estate.”

Sonarot glanced towards the young woman with silver hair and silver eyes. She knew Crowseer had something to do with her, and it was a surprise she was still alive. Having Kiara stay here around the children was a terrible idea.

“If she harms the children, we will kill her,” Sonarot said in their tongue.

“If she harms the children, I will kill her,” Adam replied in their tongue.

When you forget the side npcs. At least she's the only side npc we've forgotten.

Tariel and Filliam glare disapprovingly.

I'm not saying that Patreon has the first chapter of the next year, but whose to say?