“I don’t like it here.”

  “Really? I thought you were having a ball of a time,” Adam replied, chug lightly.

  “The Iyrmen… they’re scary.”

  “Yeah, I suppose you’d think so, sidering you got choked out when you appeared.”

  She reached up to rub her neck gently, recalling the first time she was in this world. “I want to leave.”

  Adam let out a soft sigh. He gnced around in her , before p in some water into a set of cups, cooling and fv the liquid with his Tricks, before pg a cup in front of her. He accepted his thoughts ahem flow out of his mind, like a river parting around a rock. He inhaled deeply before letting out a long sigh.

  “I ’t?”

  Adam shook his head. “No.”

  “…”

  “I uand why you don’t want to stay here.”

  “You ’t.”

  “Really?”

  “This pce is your home, but it’s not mine.”

  “Is this pce my home?”

  “You’re not an Iyrman, but you’re an Iyrman’s brother.”

  “You got that much right. I think this pce is my home. I think so. I don’t know, though. This pce weles me, and I feel like it’s my home, but I have my doubts.”

  “I didn’t have much, and now I don’t even have my world. It’s gohe food here tastes different. It’s not the same. I lost everything.”

  Adam slowly nodded his head as she spoke. “Of all the people in the world who uand, I’m the one who uands that.

  “…”

  “Difference is…” Adam thought for a long moment. ‘I probably shouldn’t tell her, but…’ “I died.”

  “What?”

  “That’s the differeween you and me.”

  “…”

  Adam sipped his cup of water, which he had fvoured. “Do you know what this tastes like?”

  “It tastes sweet.”

  “It tastes like my childhood. I used to drink so much of this mango juice when I was a kid. They’d e in this blue carton, and they had a white lid you’d o twist. I think at some point they ged it from something else, this little lid you forced down, but I remember ter that they had this top you had to twist. They probably ged the recipe for it too, but I don’t remember it exactly.” Adam sipped the water slowly. “I only drink it like this, but… I’m not sure if it’s exactly the taste within my memories. A facsimile, if I’m being fancy.”

  The girl had no idea what the word meant, but she listened ily to Adam’s words.

  “The Iyr is scary. It’s scarier to people who know too much. You and I? We know too much. I’m trapped here, like you. I know a lot about the Iyr, too much. I know a lot about other things which the Iyr are ied in, some things they’re ied in to keep out of this world. In all fairness, they should have killed me a long time ago.”

  Kiara frowned. She gnced down towards the water which tasted so sweet. She gathered he was a noble from how delicious this drink was. If he had this even once a month, he robably someone from a wealthy family. Except, the way he spoke was far too casual.

  “It sucks, I know. However, the differeween you and I is that I have a family here, and you don’t.”

  Kiara pulled back slightly from Adam, her eyes growing wide.

  “Rex, you’re too young for me,” Adam replied, feeling his cheeks fill with redness. “It’s not time for my marriage arc just yet.”

  Kiara tio stare at him suspiciously, w if she made a mistake for telling the Iyrmen to leave.

  “I’m going to give you some unsolicited advice. Stay here. Work for the business as an enter. You don’t have to work a lot, but do something so you don’t feel bored. Cultivate a few hobbies. Find a nice Iyr d or ss, get married, and just live a great life in the Iyr. You’ll live a better life than millions of people even across Aldnd, never mind the rest of the world. If the Iyr ever bothers you, you e to me and I’ll deal with it.”

  “You want to sell me off to the Iyr?”

  “I’m not selling you off, I’m just telling you the easiest life that you live without worries. Anything beyond that, you’re probably going to end up dead, and probably me too. No offence, but I don’t want to die for you. I’ve got way too many kids to watch over for me to prioritise you over them. I made a promise, but I’ve made more promises to my kids.”

  Kiara remained silent for a long while. Adam tio sip his water, her some more water and fv it once more.

  “I really ’t leave?”

  “Not for now. Perhaps iure that could ge.”

  “It’s scary here.”

  “It’s scarier outside, so much scarier.”

  “Why do you leave?”

  “I’ve got work to do.”

  “You ’t stay here and ent?”

  “I’m not publicly known as an enter. I’m Adam, a fool of a father, and someone who causes nobles all kinds of trouble, and a warrior with magic who beat up quite a lot of powerful figures with enough luck. Unfortunately, I o grow strohe Iyr is great and all, but I o be stroo deal with the threats I’ll o face.”

  “What kind of threats.”

  “You don’t have to worry about them.”

  “I’m not a child.”

  “To me, you are. Once you tureen, we have another versation, but until then, I’m telling you to stay in the Iyr and keep a low profile. As much as I want to tell you more, there’s no need. If I tell you, you’ll be ier danger, and that’s antithetical to my role as your protector.”

  “Sometimes they let me sit and speak with the people, but I don’t want to go around to too many people.”

  “We house you iended family estate of the Rot family, there you’ll be alright.”

  “Do you stay there?”

  “No, but…” Adam rubbed his forehead. “Sure. I guess you stay in the shared family estate.” ‘I ’t be too paranoid. She probably just wants to be around the people she’s familiar with. It must have beey scary.’

  Kiara remained silent as she thought on Adam’s words.

  “Do you feel annoyed?”

  “No…”

  “It’s okay if you feel annoyed. Just be thankful you’re dealing with me and the Iyr, and not the stupid nobles of this nd. Do you know how much they annoy me? You ’t even imagine.” Adam let out a sharp sigh. “Anyway, it’s okay if you resent me a little. In a few years time, I’ll be a lot less patronising, and maybe we do something else for you. I’m still pretty weak, and I don’t have mufluence, so I ’t do anything for you.”

  “Okay…”

  Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Did you make any friends while I’ve been gone?”

  “No…”

  “I’m sure we get you some friends. Is there anything else you want to speak to me about while we’re alone?”

  “No.”

  “Alright. e o’s introduce you to everyone properly.” Adam stood, finishing the rest of his water, before ing the cups with his Tricks.

  “Where are you going?” the aide asked, stopping Adam and Kiara.

  “We’re going to the shared estate.”

  An awkward silence fell through them. “You should meet with the Elder first.”

  “Sure.” Adam followed the aide towards the Elder’s tral estate, where Churot sat, perusing through the books. “You cooking the books, Churot?”

  “You do not cook books, cousin Adam.”

  “That’s right.” Adam walked over to ruffle his hair. “They’re already getting you to work?”

  “Only a little.”

  “Elder Zijin, how did you mao sneak Churot away? Was the old man distracted by my daughter bullying him?”

  “Are there other ways to distract him?” the Elder joked, a small smile across his face. “Are you here to ask for the young dy to stay at the shared family estate?”

  “How did you know?”

  “I have been tasked with watg over you. If I did not know that much, they would no longer have such faith in me.”

  “Well… yeah, alright, fair. Is that okay?”

  “You will o ask Sonarot and the others. If they accept, I will not refuse their words.”

  “Thanks.”

  Konarot charged towards her father as he stepped through the entrahe girl hugging his legs while Kirot and Karot followed after her.

  “Did you miss me?” Adam brushed their hair.

  “Yes.”

  “It was only a few minutes.” Adam smiled, lifting up his daughter, allowio herself around his torso before he lifted Kirot and Karot, waddling his way inside. “Aunt.”

  “Adam.”

  “Kiara was feeling a little lonely, ahought it would be a good idea for her to stay here, in the shared estate.”

  Sowards the young woman with silver hair and silver eyes. She knew Crowseer had something to do with her, and it was a surprise she was still alive. Having Kiara stay here around the children was a terrible idea.

  “If she harms the children, we will kill her,” Sonarot said iongue.

  “If she harms the children, I will kill her,” Adam replied iongue.

  When you fet the side npcs. At least she's the only side npc we've fotten.

  Tariel and Filliam gre disapprovingly.

  I'm not saying that Patreon has the first chapter of the year, but whose to say?