[950] – Y04.050 – A Child’s Joy III

[950] – Y04.050 – A Child’s Joy III

The boy panted for air as the heavy noonval sun beat upon his skin. He opened his mouth as the cup pressed against his lips, slurping the water down, some of it slipping down the corners of his mouth, down his chin, seeping against his clothing.

“Is noonval still too hot for you, my Karot?” Gangak asked, brushing the boy’s long hair silver, before flicking some water upon his head, wiping the boy’s face with more.

“Hot,” the boy agreed, panting again, though he gave in to his nano, who wiped his face with a damp cloth tenderly.

“Let us rest in the shade,” Gangak said, picking the boy up, not even looking back to see if his sisters were following, leading them out to the side, dropping down with Karot upon her lap, the boy leaning against her bosom as his sisters each nestled against her side, their tails curling up around their feet.

The four basked in the shade provided by the sturdy walls of the fort. The triplets relaxed against their nano, their tails gently swaying from side to side.

“This fort was made by the hands of Iyrmen,” Gangak said, brushing her hand through Kirot’s hair, rubbing her cheek. The girl pulled her head up, her innocent eyes staring into her greataunt’s eyes. Gangak leaned in to nuzzle against her nose, before she planted a kiss on her forehead. “It is not like the forts of the Aldish, which will fall away when the wind blows too strongly. Here, as within the Iyr, you will be safe.”

“Daddy?”

“Your father will be safe too, and so will your mother, within the walls of the Iyr. Even if the Great Elders... no matter who may threaten your father, we will continue to protect him.”

“Potec,” the girl confirmed, reaching up to clutch her nano’s collar, brushing it with a thumb.

“Your father is a Nephew of the Rot family. Even if the Great Elders wished to deal with your father, they must ask the permission of the Family Head and Family Elder, your nana and nano. If they wished to deal with you... they cannot.”

“Cannot?”

“Cannot,” Gangak assured, before reaching over to pull Konarot closer, embracing her tight, allowing the girl to wrap herself around her, like a piece of flat bread. Gangak held the back of the girl’s head, tickling the girl’s skull. “Even if he wishes to keep you to himself, you are my greatchildren too.”

“Nano?” Konarot asked.

“Yes?”

Konarot reached up to her horns with both hands. “Horns.”

Gangak reached up to her own horn, rubbing along it. “Yes?”

Konarot reached over to grab her greataunt’s horns. “Horns.”

“Yes.”

“You are red.”

“Yes.”

“I am not.”

“You are not.”

Konarot remained silent for a long while, holding the woman’s horns, though her eyes were glued to the woman’s tattoos. The scarlet x, the yellow tilted kites that emanated from them. The same tattoos that her grandaunts and granduncles wore, the same tattoo her aunt wore, the same aunt who reminded the girl of her own hornless sister.

“I like red,” Konarot said.

Gangak inhaled deeply, before leaning in to blow against the girl’s stomach, causing her to squeal aloud, the girl dropping down, allowing her greataunt to pull her in closer. “My dear greatchildren, I cannot love you more than I already do.”

She allowed the triplets to pin her down so they could nap atop her, the old woman letting out a gentle, satisfied sigh.

There was another who was already starved of their attention, though he was focused on something else.

Adam gasped for air, having held his breath when he stepped through the portal. His entire body shuddered, a splash of warm air striking him, and he glanced around towards the walls around him, which rose up and tilted inward, though the walls did not join together, allowing some of the sun light to beat down and spread the light throughout.

“I feel like I shouldn’t know about this place,” Adam said, his eyes falling onto the enchanting shrine, this one slightly different than the shrines he was used to. Across one wall lay a myriad of weapons, of all manner of designs, in front of another wall lay a mass of raw resources, in front of another a collection of various gems, each different type of gem cut in a particular way, though the same as its own kind, and finally, the last wall held a shut door.

“If we did not wish for you to know, you would not know,” Sonarot assured, reaching out to rub his arm gently. “The Iyr will leave any messages they have on the shrine, make sure you read them before you begin enchanting. Once you are done enchanting, ring the bell, wait a few moments, and then use the door to leave. Place the mirror back where it originally was.”

“Right...” ‘Bell?’ Adam glanced around trying to find the bell, only to find it right beside the door, exactly where it made logical sense, except he had somehow missed it the first time.

“The Iyr will keep track of the debts you owe upon using the gems, and they will be repaid once the weapon or sold, or through the business’ finances.”

“Right, sure.”

Sonarot smiled, bowing her head lightly. “Do you have any questions?”

“Not really,” Adam said, staring at the raw materials and the ingots to one side. ‘These guys are really good at figuring out my abilities and how to use them best.’ “Do you have a moment?”

“Yes.”

“I just wanted to say...” Adam’s heart began to beat quicker. “Can anyone else hear us?”

“No.”

“I had no idea I’d live this long in this life. When I was originally reincarnated, or reborn, or transmigrated, whatever, I... I lasted about a year, I think. Less than a year? Now it’s been... almost five. I’ve done so much and so little. I still can’t progress too quickly, because of the... thing.” Adam raised his brows, and Sonarot bowed her head knowingly.

“This life, though... it’s been the best. It’s all thanks to you, and Jurot, and everyone else. My children... I mean, I have children. In my first life, I...” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Children? In that economy?” Adam’s laughter shook, not due to joy, but due to his nerves. “Truly, I’m filled with joy daily, and... I just wanted to say, thank you. For everything.”

“That’s right. Whose kaka is she?”

“Mister Nobby is kaka.”

“Mister Nobby is her papa, that’s right,” Adam said, reaching over to brush his daughter’s hair. “How do you know?”

“I know, I know,” Jirot said, nodding her head.

“Who told you?”

“Um, I hear...” She looked around. “Is nano, nano tell me.”

“Nano told you?”

“Nano, and babo, and nana, and daddy, and mummy, and papo, and kako, and I tell it.”

“Right, right, of course. I want you to treat her nicely too, okay?”

“I always nice.”

“That’s right.”

“Mister Nobby is so strong, daddy, he first place,” the girl said, holding up a finger.

“Yeah, he is so strong, isn’t he?”

“Daddy, you are not strong, you are third place,” Jirot said, as though explaining a fact. “Papo is strong, papo is first place.”

Adam blinked. He glanced aside towards Vonda, who held her smile behind her hand, her mischievous eyes staring into Adam’s with a curiosity. “Well, you know, daddy is stronger than Nobby.”

“Daddy is strong?” Jirot asked, turning her head, her eyes incredulous.

“You! How can you look at daddy like that! Isn’t daddy so strong?” Adam lifted her head, causing the girl to squeal and giggle.

“My brother is strong...” Anne said, her voice low, the girl clutching at her dress, pouting.

“That’s right, Nobby is strong too. After all, papo Jurot taught him a lot, didn’t he?” Adam blew a raspberry against his daughter’s neck, the girl squealing and cackling, before Adam let her go, allowing her to retreat to her mother, climbing up her front. The girl moved roughly, but Vonda lifted her daughter up with one arm, shielding her stomach with the other. “Carefully, dear, carefully, you smelly girl.”

Adam let out a soft sigh, meeting Anne’s eyes for a moment. “Do you want to play Warriors and Wanderers too?”

Anne nodded her head, her long hair bouncing as she did.

Adam smiled, while the memories of her brother flashed in his mind. ‘Right, Nobby’s pretty scary too. He might not be an Iyrman, but he’s naturally stronger than even Jurot. How can a family have someone as monstrous as Nobby, but someone as adorable as Anne? I guess they’re both cute...’ Adam let out a near silent snort, doing his best not to laugh.

“Anne,” Adam called.

“Yes?”

“If anyone bullies you, make sure you tell me, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You’re Nobby’s sister, and that gives you special privileges in the business. Nobby was one of our first workers, and he works more for me than the business, so if you need anything, let me know. Right, weren’t you... I’ll ask after we play the game.”

“Okay?” Anne replied, unsure of what Adam was talking about, but that was pretty normal.

Adam reached into his pouch and slipped it into the girl’s hand, winking at her. “Whose gold coin is this?”

“Mine?”

“Can your parents take it?”

The girl shook her head. “It’s mine.”

“That’s right.” Adam chuckled lightly.

“Daddy! I want gold too!” Jirot called out, holding out her hand. “Give!”

“Give, what?”

“Gold!”

“What’s the magic word?”

“Fyahball!”

I'm so glad that everyone is so safe and sound and that it's all so wholesome. They are my favourite chapters to write.

Quick note! Once Y04 ends, I'll be taking a week off, and I'll be taking a week off every 50 chapters too, but for this year I won't.

Also, because my chapters will be ~100 chapters from now on, I might need to post up every few days instead of every single day if a year is particularly long. I can see a case when chapters may become 5000 - 10000 words if a year is particularly crazy with tons of different plot points converging together. Hopefully they don't, because that's a lot of writing...