“I am weak, mother,” Jurot said, speaking with his mother within their room. He had waited until Adam had left with Lanarot, knowing that they’d be out for some time. “I could not defend them.”

Sonarot kissed her son’s forehead, before brushing his hair. This was the first time he had lost so badly, but she knew that wasn’t the reason why he was so down. “You are strong for your age, Jurot. If Okvar and Rasam could not stop that man, how could you?”

Jurot frowned. Even though he knew it was true, it still didn’t calm his heart. He, who had tried his hardest to stop such a monster and yet was blocked by a finger, had been forced to watch as Lucy was killed before him. Though he had survived longer than Adam, it had meant nothing at all. Adam, on the other hand, could have done something if he had known that Fireball would not have worked.

Sonarot pulled Jurot into her arms, into her warm embrace. She could see how much it had consumed her son, who was normally so confident. She brushed his hair tenderly, letting him think his thoughts within her protection.

“Mother, I will definitely become a Gold Rank adventurer,” Jurot assured, wrapping his arms around her, resting his head against her neck.

“Do as you please, my Jurot,” Sonarot whispered. “Who can stop you?”

Jurot remained there for some time. “No,” he finally said. “I will become Diamond Rank, mother.”

Sonarot smiled.

Jogak sat opposite his daughter, his arms crossed. She had remained silent for a long while, something which caused him distress to no end. Jaygak was not the type to remain silent for long, not unless she was up to something. However, that was not what distressed him. It was the fact that she was no doubt not planning anything at all which caused him this anxiety.

Raygak looked at his sister, wondering what was wrong with her. She had hugged him so much this entire time, more than usual. He was certain she was going to flick his forehead, or she was going to steal some of his food, or that she would noogie him, but she had done nothing.

“Sister,” Raygak said, holding up a pepper to her. It was one of the peppers he had saved, but sensing the tension in the air, he had decided to give it to her.

Jaygak stared at the pepper, before she took it from him. She bit into it, before offering the rest to her brother. He bit into the rest, before he was scooped onto Jaygak’s lap.

“Have you been learning your numbers well?” Jaygak asked, resting her head against her brother’s.

“Yes,” the boy replied, smiling proudly. “I am not so bad any more.”

“What a smart little brother I have.”

Raygak waited for her to continue teasing him, but she only hugged him close. He gently pat her back. “You fought well, sister. Adam fell before you.”

Jaygak looked down at Raygak, smiling awkwardly. “That’s right.” She lifted him closer, letting him shift on her lap as they hugged, front to front. She cuddled him dearly that night.

Jogak remained silent. He had no words of comfort for his daughter. He wondered if he could speak with the other parents and ask for a fight with the figure, but he realised how foolish that was. ‘Should I speak with uncle Jarot?’

Katool stared up at Kitool, showing her all the trinkets she had received from the others. “Cousin Taygak made me a cup.” She quickly rushed to find her cup, before bringing it back, almost tripping in the process.

“Katool,” Zorool called, and his young daughter quickly rushed away to find a book. “Okay?”

“I am fine,” Kitool replied, simply. “I was too weak. I am not like grandaunt Shaool. Yet.”

Zorool raised his brows for a moment, before Katool returned with a book, sitting beside her father. He began to read it to his daughters, letting go of his surprise. He would speak with his wife later about what he had heard.

Mara and Lucy lay beside one another in the courtyard, staring up towards the dark sky. They had slept beside one another ever since they had reunited, with Lucy refusing to stay more than a metre away from her during the evenings, and more than five during the day.

“You don’t have to worry, Your Grace,” Mara said, reaching out to hold Lucy’s hand. “I will not allow anyone to kill you again.”

Lucy frowned. “You shouldn’t call me that. I’m not the Demon Lord in this world, especially not in this place.”

“You will always be the Demon Lord, Your Grace.”

“Call me Lucy,” Lucy demanded, squeezing her hand.

“How could I do that, Your Grace?” Mara asked, frowning. She had already lost Lucy once, and to think she’d have to lose her twice.

“I have no legitimacy here. I especially don’t want to be called that sort of thing in front of the children, you’ll awaken their blood thirst.”

Mara had seen the children upon hearing how they had come across a terrible foe. Though they were small, they were all excited to hear about how their siblings had lost to such a mighty foe. ‘It is quite a frightening place.”

“You will always be the Demon Lord, Your Grace…”

“One day, I will be, but right now I’m not. Once I have enough strength, enough power, then I can call myself the Demon Lord. Right now, how can I call myself the Demon Lord when I’m so weak?”

Mara frowned. Lucy had been quite powerful in their previous world, enough to rival worthy foes. However, ever since they had come into this world, through a grave misfortune, the pair had lost almost all their strength. Lucy was quite strong, for the average Joe, but that was nothing compared to the true terrors of this world.

“Right now I’m just Lucy, and you’re just Mara. You aren’t my maid either, you’re just… my Mara.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Mara replied.

“…”

“Yes, Lucy.”

Lucy smiled, placing her head on Mara’s shoulder. “Mara?”

“Yes?”

“Will you cook for me tomorrow?”

“Of course.” Mara smiled, resting her head against Lucy’s.

“Stahz,” Lanarot said, pointing up at the sky.

“Yes, that’s right,” Adam said, holding the girl’s hand, brushing the back of it with his thumb. “Stars.”

“Stahz,” Lanarot confirmed, staring up at the dark sky.

“You know, one of those stars might be where my home is,” Adam said, looking across the sky, seeing all the streaks of colours he hadn’t seen in his previous life. “Perhaps not.”

“Up?” Lanarot asked, pointing up.

“That’s right, up there somewhere?” Adam replied, unsure. “Even so, this is my home now, isn’t it?”

Lanarot placed her head on Adam’s shoulder, before she sat up, seeing that Jurot had come too. He laid down beside Lanarot, and the girl crawled over to his chest and rested her head against it.

“It’s treason, then,” Adam whispered.

Lanarot looked up at Jurot. “Papa?”

“Yes?” Jurot asked.

Lanarot started babbling at her brother, who listened intently. Once she was done, she waited expectantly. When he did not reply, she frowned, and then crawled over to Adam, babbling to him.

“Yeah?” Adam asked, brushing her hair. “You know, you’re such a smart girl, Lanababy.”

Lanarot smiled, before resting up against him, sucking against her thumb, clutching at his shirt with her free hand.

“What did she say?”

“Baktu knows,” Adam replied. “However, she is such a smart girl.”

Jurot looked up at the stars. “Gurot is so small, but bigger than Lanarot.”

“He is quite the chonky boy.”

“Will he grow as quickly as Lanarot?”

“Yeah,” Adam whispered. “He’ll be blabbering all sorts of nonsense soon, and he’ll walk around the place as if he owns it.”

“He does own it.”

“Not quite what I mean, but sure.” Adam smiled. “I’m glad they were all born healthy, and that our Aunts are all fine.”

“Inakan is very small,” Jurot said. “Smaller than Lanarot.”

Adam thought to the babies. There was one who was slightly smaller than the others. “She’s a Kan, so she’ll grow up big and strong.”

“Yes.”

“How sad.”

“They must grow big and strong.”

“They should stay small and cute forever.” Adam brushed Lanarot’s hair. “You silly girl, how could you grow up?”

Lanarot smiled up at him, before rolled aside and looked up at the stars again. “Stahz.”

“That’s right, stars.”

“Papa, stahz!” Lanarot said, before bumping the sides of her fists together, and throwing them up, before looking up at Adam expectantly.

“What?” Adam asked.

“Stahz,” Lanarot said, before babbling and bumping the sides of her fists together again. “Oo?” She raised up her hands, confused.

Adam looked to Jurot, before looking to Lanarot. “What?”

“Stahz? Boosh.” She bumped her fists together before cackling maniacally, and then threw up her hands, before looking at Adam expectantly again.

“Oh,” Adam said, thinking he had figured it out. “If two stars fight, who wins?”

Lanarot nodded.

“Whichever one is stronger.”

Lanarot stared at Adam, blinking at him. She lay back down and stared up at the stahz, deep in thought.

‘That sounds right,’ Jurot thought.