“What do you mean he keeps gifting out Dragon scales?” Elder Gold asked, sipping her tea as she sat opposite the Chief and Elder Peace. The gazebo provided some protection from the rain.

“He has gifted out over fifty Dragons scales,” Elder Zijin said, standing outside the gazebo, not caring that the rain fell on him.

Elder Gold swallowed the tea calmly, trying to not choke on it.

“His younger sister has received at least three, and he has gifted two to each of the children in the estate, including those of the Ban and their adjacent families, as well as the Kat families and their adjacent families.”

Elder Gold stared at Elder Zijin.

‘He would not dare to lie to me,’ she thought. “Who hands out several Dragon scales out to children?”

“He does,” Elder Zijin said.

‘He would not come to me unless he was certain,’ the Great Elder thought. “At least fifty?”

“Probably over a hundred,” Elder Zijin said.

Elder Peace was minding her own business, but even she could see the way Elder Gold was shaking.

“I understand,” Elder Gold said, nodding her head to dismiss the Elder, who retreated away.

Chief Iromin sighed. “We should hear his reasoning.”

“I already know it,” she replied. “He did not think of the gifts too deeply, and wished to give out the Dragon scales because they were great gifts. He gave his sister three because he loves her dearly, and the adjacent families two to thank them, including the Ban and their adjacent families, and the Kat families and their adjacent families.”

“Is he not trying to curry favour with me?” Elder Peace asked. “He knows of my connection to the Kat family.”

“No,” Elder Gold replied. “He would have said if he was trying to curry favour with you. He is at least that honest.”

“I did not think you thought of him so highly.”

“That… that…” Elder Gold slammed the table with her fist, the thunder rumbling with it. “How could he give out so many Dragon scales? Isn’t one to each child enough? Why does he insist on being so infuriating!”

“We should be thankful he is so generous,” Chief Iromin said.

“I do not know if he is intelligent or utterly stupid!”

“He is both.”

“I will speak to him about the Dragon scales.”

“They are his to give,” the Chief warned.

“This is my domain.”

“Is it?” the Chief asked, staring at the woman.

“I will not force him.”

“You mean you can not.” Elder Peace blew onto her tea and sipped it gently.

“Yes,” Elder Gold said. “He has the audacity to refuse to hand over that shield.”

“Did he not create a better shield?”

“That is beside the point.”

“You sound like you are Aldish,” Elder Peace said.

Elder Gold’s eyes went wide as she stared at Elder Peace.

“Elder Peace,” the Chief said, sternly.

“It was just a joke,” Elder Peace replied innocently. “Thinking of him, does it not make you loosen up?”

The Chief sighed. “If I knew he was going to be such a bad influence on us all, I would have refused his entrance.”

“Would you?” Elder Peace asked.

The Chief looked up towards the sky. “No,” he said. “I would not.”

The storm raged on outside as Adam held up Lanarot.

“How could you do this to me?” Adam asked.

Lanarot cooed at him and squirmed.

“Aunt is gone, and it’s just you and I,” Adam said, glaring at the girl.

She coughed and squirmed harder, grumbling at him.

“I will never forgive you for this,” Adam said as Lanarot began to cry.

He changed her soiled nappy, using his Tricks to clean it before tossing it in the laundry basket. He sprayed her with some water before using his Tricks to clean her too, and tied the clothy around her waist.

“If you do that again, I’ll only give you half the gifts.”

Lanarot stared up at him and cooed at him, smiling wide with a face that said she was happy to do it again.

“Oh?” Adam said, staring at her smile. He pinched her cheek slightly and pulled it as he looked down. “What’s this? How could you do this to me?” Adam frowned. “You’ve been hiding your teeth all this time?”

Lanarot clapped her hands and giggled happily, barely revealing her teeth through her smile.

“Now that I think about it, isn’t your hair kind of short? Shouldn’t it be a little longer? Did you get a haircut after I left last time? Why do you keep betraying me? I bet you look so cute when you’re bald!” Adam pulled her to his chest as he hugged her tight. “Should I cut off all your hair as payment for changing your nappy.”

Lanarot sucked on her thumb as she rested against his chest, her eyes glazed over with sleepiness.

Adam wondered how he could cut her hair without getting into trouble. ‘Aunt won’t mind, right? She’ll be happy I gave her daughter a haircut. It’ll be free. No, the Rot family doesn’t need to pinch pennies like that. What if I said I was practising magic? Practising magic on a baby? Isn’t that a little unethical?’

“Why are you always thinking so deeply?” Sonarot asked as she returned.

“I think because I’m stupid,” Adam said. “Though don’t tell Lanarot that.” Adam covered the girl’s ears, but she had already heard her mother’s voice and so was squirming in Adam’s arms, holding out her arm towards her mother, who quickly picked her up.

“The Great Elders wished to speak with me about your gifts,” Sonarot said.

“My gifts?”

“You have gifted a large number of Dragon scales, which are more useful when they are used to make armours.”

“Yeah, but they’re also really pretty,” Adam said.

“The Iyr is careful about gifting items which are worth so much, and can be used to assist the Iyr.”

“Like the magical weapon I gave to Lanarot?” Adam asked.

“Magical items can be made by a number of Iyrmen,” Sonarot said, carefully. “Dragon scales are rarer than you expect, and are extremely useful for the Iyr.”

Adam rubbed his chin. “So they want me to stop giving them out?”

“Elder Gold will eventually speak with you about the matter, but she hopes you will keep the rest for now.”

“Is she going to demand them from me?” Adam narrowed his eyes.

“She will not make that mistake again,” Sonarot said, brushing his hair.

“Alright.”

Omen: 7, 18

“I wanted to play with you all day today, but I need to enchant,” Adam said, blowing a raspberry against Lanarot’s stomach.

Lanarot laughed and grabbed at his collar, barely able to stand, though Adam held her sides so she wouldn’t fall. She cooed and babbled up at him, before laughing even more wildly.

“Someone’s happy today,” Adam said. “Did you have a nice dream?”

Sonarot stared at Adam, wondering why he was talking with a child, but she had long realised Adam was weird.

Mana: 10 -> 8

Enchanting Check

D20 + 7 = 22 (15)

Adam had thought about bending Fate, but since it was already such a high roll, he decided against it.

“How did it go?” Sonarot asked once he had returned.

“Well,” Adam replied. “I didn’t even need to call for Fate’s assistance.”

“That is good,” Sonarot said. “It is dangerous to play with Fate.”

“Yeah,” Adam said, glancing aside. “Still, I am the son of Fate.”

Sonarot smiled.

Omen: 2, 7

Since Adam had felt unlucky that morning, he trained in the morning and played with the children.

“Adam,” Jogak called. “Come.”

‘Is he going to shank me?’ Adam thought, staring at the man’s glare.

Jogak turned and left, expecting Adam to follow him.

They made their way to a stream, one which had been full of nets and other contraptions designed to catch fish. Adam noted that the area around had been reinforced with stones, which would keep the stream from flooding.

Adam helped Jogak with picking up various contraptions, noting all the fish the Iyr had caught from the stream, before they carried it to a nearby area which was full of fishmongers, mostly women, who were expertly gutting the fish and tossing them aside for the Iyr to use.

“There are many who think you a fool,” Jogak said, dropping down a net to one side, before turning to head back to the stream.

“Yeah,” Adam said, not bothering denying it. “I’m sure.”

“I do not know if it’s an act, or if it is truly how you are,” Jogak said.

“Probably a bit of both,” Adam admitted.

“I still do not understand why sister trusts you so much.”

“I’m just that charming.”

Jogak did not respond as he continued to work, picking up the nets and carrying them.

The silence was far too awkward for Adam, but he also knew that Jogak didn’t like him much, so he kept his mouth shut for once.

“Jaygak was born with a weak body,” Jogak said. “She suffered twice before the age of one, and did not walk until she was two years old.”

‘Suffered?’ Adam thought, wondering what it had meant.

“I knew that her goal, along with Kitool’s, was to reach Steel Rank so that they would have brought honour to our families, which have waned in the last few generations.”

Adam wasn’t sure if he should respond, so kept his mouth shut.

“Before she left, she told me that she wished to become a Gold Rank Adventurer.”

“Yeah,” Adam replied, simply.

Jogak turned to face Adam. “I do not know if you are a curse or a blessing.”

“Yeah,” Adam replied, simply.

Jogak glared at Adam, and Adam could tell that the next few words were going to be a threat to his life.

But they did not come.

“Thank you for bringing her back home safely,” Jogak said.

“Yeah.”