Omen: 12, 15

Adam remained deep in thought as he stared at the ceiling. For once, his finger was not under Lanarot’s whims. Instead, somehow, the girl had managed to climb on top of his chest.

‘Well, shit.’

He remained under the girl, his chest causing her to rise and fall slowly on top of him.

‘There’s no point in making the best weapon ever,’ he thought. He had rolled quite well yesterday, and today was fairly decent too. As long as his totals were above 20, he was confident he’d make a decent magical weapon which would sell well.

Adam remained trapped until Lanarot soiled herself, crying and squirming, before her mother took her away to change and clean her.

Adam stared at the ceiling as he remained alone in the house. “I know I’m your favourite brother, but how could you poop on me?”

As he stepped out, he saw Citool preparing the ingredients for their breakfast.

“Do you need any help?” Adam asked.

“I do not need any help,” Citool said, but she noted Adam’s lost look. “If you wish to help me, it would be appreciated.”

Adam assisted her in cooking, cutting the vegetables to grill. He recalled their tastes and textures, familiar tastes, familiar textures, but foreign combinations. He had been slowly adding to his recipe book, and helping Citool cook was helping him remember certain foods he missed from home.

Soon they were all eating, though Adam was deep in thought about what he could do in the future. He had quite a bit of money, though he still needed to enchant another weapon for Entalia, he wasn’t sure what he should do in the future.

‘It’s still Duskval, so I could go out and quest, or I could keep enchanting weapons. With all that money, I could do so many things, but what should I do?’ He glanced over to Brittany. ‘Right, I need to bring Nobby too. Should I invest in his university fees?’ Adam chuckled at his own joke.

Brittany glanced away from him, unsure as to why he was chuckling as he stared at her. ‘Should I be glad that we’re leaving?’

Mana: 10 -> 8

Enchanting Check

D20 + 7 = 24 (17)

The rain and thunder kept Adam company as he enchanted the greatsword which had been handed to him. It was such a beautiful blade, and the wavy pattern glowed slightly due to all the runes which had stuck to them.

He returned back to the estate in the evening, eager to eat food. This evening meal was a platter of mixed vegetables, fruit, and some more fish.

“Where are Jurot and the others?” Adam asked. Jurot didn’t usually miss the evening meal, and seeing that the others hadn’t come back, which wasn’t something he had seen before.

“They are gone,” Sonarot said, placing down a small pea for her daughter, who picked it up and put it into her mouth, swallowing it.

“Gone?” Adam asked. “Where have they gone?”

“To quest.”

“What?” Adam blinked rapidly. “They’ve gone to quest? Adventure?”

“Yes.”

“When? Why?” Adam hadn’t expected to hear that they had gone.

Gone.

Without him.

“They left earlier in the day,” Sonarot said, frowning slightly. She had sent Jurot away just when he had become closer with his little sister, but she trusted Adam to assist in building their relationship. “They will complete a few quests before returning.”

“I didn’t realise they were leaving.”

“I had sent them away. They will return before Nightval.”

“You sent them away?” Adam asked, staring at the woman.

“Yes.”

“You didn’t ask me to leave?”

“You are needed here, Adam.”

“I am?”

“For me.”

Adam flushed slightly. It felt weird to say he was needed. “Well… I mean…. Jurot…”

“Have faith in them, Adam.”

Adam wasn’t sure how he felt about Sonarot telling the others to leave without him. He clenched his fists tight, his body full of worry. Didn’t she understand how difficult it was for him to bring Jurot alive back to her?

‘No,’ Adam thought, staring up at the woman. ‘Did she do it because…’

“You remind me of Lanarot,” Sonarot said. “She cries so much when she separates from me. Will you cry now that Jurot is gone?”

Adam tried to think of a day without Jurot since he had arrived in this world. He couldn’t recalled one, and he realised what she had done and why.

“I just don’t want him to die.”

“Trust in him, Adam. He will return to us, for he has said so.”

“Okay.”

“Are you angry?” Sonarot asked, reaching over to rub his arm gently.

“No,” Adam grumbled. “I do feel a little betrayed that you did it behind my back though.”

“I am sorry for betraying you.”

Adam closed his eyes, feeling something eat at his stomach. “No. You haven’t betrayed me. If you think that’s what was needed then I can’t really argue against you.”

Sonarot smiled, returning to Lanarot, who had thrown away a pea and frowned, having wanted to eat it.

‘If I worry about Jurot, doesn’t that mean I don’t respect him?’

“You may spend your days enchanting and playing with our little Lana,” she said, causing the girl to look up at her.

“Yes, Aunt.”

Sonarot leaned down to kiss her daughter’s forehead. “It is a shame that Jurot had to leave. He was so close to understanding what it meant to have a little sister.”

“He is a little dense,” Adam said, nodding his head. “I’m sure he’ll understand Lanarot’s charms once he isn’t able to see her cute little face.” He pinched the girl’s cheeks gently, smiling down at her.

She stared up at him, feeling his strong hands against her cheek. She smiled and giggled up at her brother, reaching up with her slimy hands, slapping his arms with joy.

“Don’t worry, Jurot will be back soon, then he can make you all kinds of things with his woodcarving.”

Adam returned to his meal, keeping to himself. Without the others he didn’t really have anyone to talk to.

‘I need more friends.’

It was late at night, not long after he had written notes down about various recipes, that he lay awake, staring at the ceiling.

Lanarot slept peacefully beside him, her breath low, her chest moving with every tiny breath she took. As always, her hand clutched at his finger, like a blade to ward off nightmares.

Adam’s gut churned.

His body was cold.

A cold sweat ran along his forehead.

‘Everything will be okay, right?’

Lanarot squeezed his finger tight before letting it go.

Adam smiled. ‘Yeah, it’ll be okay.’

Omen: 5, 6

“That doesn’t bode well,” Adam said, frowning.

“What is the matter?” Sonarot asked.

“I’m very unlucky today.”

“You have taken the misfortune from the others then,” Sonarot said.

Adam smiled. “Yeah.”

He played with the children in the morning, before returning for breakfast, which was porridge and fruit.

“This reminds me of home,” Adam said, tasting the plain porridge, though he cut up some of the fruit into it.

“You ate porridge?” Sonarot asked.

“Sometimes. Usually it would be toast with eggs, or scrambled eggs with a protein shake if I was feeling like a good boy.”

“A good boy?” Sonarot asked.

“Nothing,” Adam said, chuckling. “So Brittany and Jonn left too? I didn’t expect they would be gone either, though I should have noticed yesterday.”

“They have left,” Sonarot said. “It would be good for Brittany to train in the field as well.”

“I guess,” Adam replied, before finishing his meal.

He had nothing to do.

“Oo!” Lanarot called, stacking a cube on another.

Adam decided he may as well take the day off and worry about nothing.

‘I guess this is what Sonarot wanted too.’

Lanarot crawled around, exploring the house as she always did, before she returned back to the pillows and she climbed over them repeatedly.

“You know, Lanarot,” Adam said, causing the girl to look over at him. “This life feels so different.” He reached up to tickle her hair, causing her to squeal and crawl away from him.

“I’m glad Jurot is alive so that you have two big brothers who will look after you, but I can’t help but think of the other you. You have two brothers, and she has none.” Adam watched as Lanarot crawled around, before she crawled over to him to crawl across his lap.

He picked her up and stared up into her eyes. “I’m sorry for not keeping my promise last time.”

Lanarot clapped her hands together and giggled wildly, squirming in his hands, kicking out her feet. He let her down before laying on his back, covering his face with his arm.

He couldn’t help but feel so guilty.

He had been the reason Jurot had died in his first life, and he had tried to raise the girl well, only to end up dying for a God, the same God who had taken away his life to save his sister.

Lanarot crawled on top of him and stared down at his hidden face, reaching to grab his arm to move it.

He raised it up, staring at the ceiling. ‘I hope you two are safe.’

Lanarot looked up towards the hand and then to the ceiling, rolling over to look up at it. She reached up towards it too. “Oo?”

Adam smiled. “This time I’m going to make sure you live the best life.” He brushed her soft wispy hair and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

She giggled and stopped as she let out a toot, staring up at Adam in shock, before laughing again.

“Seriously? When we’re having a moment?” He picked up her and coughed, looking away from her for some fresh air. “You’re lucky I’m saving up for the next level.”

The next level was the most important level. It would provide him with 3rd Gate spells and two attacks per round. Once he had managed to become an Expert, as they called it, he would be able to feel safe.

‘Safe?’

Adam thought about the Knight of Death, the King’s Sword, and Sir Robert, the Mountain, who would have cut him down if it wasn’t for the Iyrmen at his side.

“I need to be stronger…”

Lanarot stared up at him. “Oo?”

“What kind of question is that?” Adam asked, pulling her in close for a hug, kissing her forehead. “Of course it’s for you.”