“We are sorry for calling you so late, Sonarot,” the Chief said.

“It is always my pleasure to be called by the Chief and Great Elders,” Sonarot said, noting that Elder Peace and Elder Gold who sat beside him.

“We waited until after you had finished eating to call for you, so I hope that it is not a bother,” the Chief said.

“It is no bother,” Sonarot said, taking a seat opposite the three of them. “How may I assist you?”

“We had heard news some time ago that Adam spoke our tongue,” the Chief said.

“He is fluent in our tongue,” Sonarot said, confirming the Chief’s thoughts. She understood why he was asking, since Adam learning the language in such a short time to such fluency was something which no doubt alarmed them, especially due to the process of learning the language.

“We were not informed that he was learning the language,” the Chief said, staring at the woman.

“I did not know.”

“So he learnt on the road?” the Chief mused, staring at the woman.

“I do not know.”

“You did not ask?”

“I trust my son and my nieces,” Sonarot replied, firmly. “If they wished to teach Adam their tongue, then it was their decision to make.”

“It was not their decision to make,” Elder Peace said, firmly. “To teach our language to someone who was an outsider not months ago, it is not done.”

“It may have been that they had no choice but to teach him on the road due to an unforeseen situation,” Sonarot said. “He is no longer an outsider, either.”

“They have not informed us of the matter yet,” the Chief said, his voice disapproving. “Even if he is your Nephew, and that Jurot is his brother, there are steps to take.”

“I cannot tell you why they taught him the language, that is something only known to them.”

The Great Elders wondered what had possessed them to teach him their language. Was he a bad influence on them? Did he pressure them?

“Shall I call them?” Sonarot asked.

The Chief threw a look to Great Elder Peace, who nodded her head. Technically this was under the Chief’s and Great Elder Teacher’s domain, but Great Elder Peace was one of the wisest Iyrmen.

She nodded.

“You know, Elder Zijin, I can’t help but feel this is about me,” Adam said, staring at the Elder as he appeared for the second time that evening.

“Elder business,” the Elder said. “Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak are being called.”

“I didn’t even do anything,” Jaygak said.

“That is yet to be confirmed,” Elder Zijin said.

Jaygak bit her lower lip, unsure of what she had done to be called in front of the Great Elders. She had kept her pranks tolerable, though she couldn’t help but wonder if this was because she swapped out the chilli peppers used in dinner.

‘No, they wouldn’t call me out for just that,’ she thought. ‘Was it because I tossed Raygak into the river earlier?’

Kitool elbowed the woman to stop her from thinking. “We will be informed of why we were called once we arrive.”

Adam brushed Lanarot’s hair as she sat on his lap, sucking on a cube. “Will Aunt Sonarot return?”

“Soon,” Elder Zijin promised, bowing his head.

“Alright,” Adam said, frowning as the four left.

Jaygak stood awkwardly in front of the Great Elders and the Chief. She was slightly relieved to see Sonarot’s smile, meaning that the situation wouldn’t be too serious.

“Do you know why we have called for you?”

“No,” Jurot admitted, taking the lead for the others, as he was the oldest.

“We simply wish to know why you taught Adam how to speak our tongue,” the Chief said.

Jurot furrowed his brows. He looked back to Kitool and Jaygak to confirm, and once they shook their heads, Jurot piped up. “We did not.”

“You did not?” the Chief asked, furrowing his brows as Jurot had done.

“I thought mother had,” Jurot said. “He spoke our tongue during an argument within the Guild.”

It was alarming that the Guild knew that Adam spoke their tongue, but that would only add to his status.

“I did not,” Sonarot said, surprised.

The Chief glanced towards Elder Peace. “If Sonarot did not teach Adam our tongue, and Jurot claims the youths did not…”

Elder Zijin, who had been standing from afar, shook his head when the accusatory glances were sent his way, though they already knew it couldn’t have been him.

“Then…”

“No one,” Adam replied.

The Chief had decided to take the initiative to ask the person it related to. After all, they had no idea who could have taught the boy their tongue, not when those with the reason to teach him their tongue had denied the allegations.

“No one?” the Chief asked, staring at the Half Elf.

“No.”

“Then how are you fluent in our tongue?”

Adam glanced around to Elder Zijin, who noted the Chief’s look, and retreated. As an Elder, he was in charge of knowing things which happened to the section he was in charge of, and he had been in trouble because of the knowledge that Adam spoke their language.

Adam continued to brush Lanarot’s hair, who was hiding in Adam’s chest away from the stranger who was the Chief.

“It was a gift from the Gods,” Adam said, not completely lying.

“The Gods have allowed you to be able to speak our language?”

“Not quite,” Adam admitted. “It’s a little more complicated than that. I know how to speak your language because I decided to know it. In the same way that I did not know how to enchant when I spoke with Entalia, then after we spoke, I did.”

“No one taught you? You… just learnt those abilities?”

“Yeah,” Adam replied, sighing slightly. “It’s hard to explain, and it’s best you don’t pry further. I’m not sure how much I can say.”

The Chief remained deep in thought, unable to understand the Half Elf. He wasn’t sure what Adam was still, though he knew that Adam was something beyond them.

“Why? Am I in trouble?”

“No,” the Chief replied.

“I feel like I did something wrong.”

“You did not.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am.” The Chief wasn’t sure how he was going to explain this to the Great Elders. “And you are fluent in our tongue?”

“Yes.”

The Chief wasn’t sure how he was going to explain that to the Great Elders either.

“Are you surprised?” Sonarot asked. “It is Adam.”

Jurot nodded.

“I suppose I shouldn’t be,” the Chief admitted. “You would have been taught our language eventually, but to think that you were able to learn it so quickly, right under our noses.”

“Sorry,” Adam said. “I should have told you.”

“When did you learn it?”

“I think I learnt it before I fought Amokan and Timojin.”

The Chief raised his brows in surprise, and so did Sonarot.

“That long ago?” the Chief asked.

“Yes.”

The Chief sighed. “Your secrets are too heavy to keep.”

“If you feel that the Great Elders should know, then I’ll leave that matter to you.”

“I will not tell them until you give me explicit permission, or if it is important to reveal your history to protect you.”

“I appreciate that, Chief,” Adam said, nodding his head. “I trust you Iyrmen wholeheartedly, even if that trust is not returned.”

The Chief bowed his head. “I apologise for taking your time this evening.” He approached Lanarot and brushed her hair, rubbing the top of her head. She squirmed under his touch and complained with a squeal as she hid against Adam’s chest harder.

“Why are you hiding, you silly girl?” Adam said, picking her up. “It’s the Chief.”

“You really are her brother,” the Chief said.

“Of course,” Adam said, pulling Lanarot back, pressing their cheeks together. “Can’t you see the resemblance?”

“I can tell she will be as troublesome as you in the future,” the Chief said.

“I thought Iyrmen didn’t lie?”

The Chief smiled. “It is a gut feeling.”

“How dare you condemn my little sister,” Adam said, hugging the girl and swaying from side to side. “If the Chief bullies you, Lanarot, you let me know.”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll give her the chance to bully you back, of course,” Adam said.

Jurot clenched his jaw, barely able to contain his laugh. Adam’s audacity didn’t fail to surprise him.

“I am sure you will,” the Chief said. “I will leave you to your evening.”

“Bye Chief,” Adam said, holding up Lanarot’s hand, waving at him as he left.

When the Chief finally returned to the Great Elders, they waited for his explanation.

“So?” Elder Gold asked. “Are you going to tell us that it is just as expected?”

The Chief sighed. “Yes.”

“Why does he have so many secrets?” Elder Gold grumbled.

“Perhaps he is more of an Iyrman than we thought?” the Chief said.

“Do not joke so eagerly, Chief.”

The Chief closed his eyes, thinking about how close the boy was with his sister. “No,” he said, smiling. “He is certainly more of an Iyrman than we thought.”