‘At least he’s chubby,’ Adam thought, having waited for the vilgers to finish assisting Merl, before he sent healing magic through her. “Look at you. You’re a father now, Nobby.”

  “Yes…” Nobby replied, unsure of what else to say, feeling a swirling of emotions.

  ‘He was born a little quick, wasn’t he?’ Adam thought. ‘Not too early, about a week or so, but still…’ “Aren’t you gd he’s born on the same day as you?”

  “Yes?”

  “Makes it easier for me to keep track of,” Adam said, pulling out his book, cheg to see whose birthday was . ‘Eh? Nobody until the seonth of nightval?’

  Merl didn’t pay attention to Adam’s stupidity, too busy staring at her son. She smiled, noting how adorably chubby the boy had e out.

  “gratutions, both of you,” Adam said, smiling wide. “I’ll, uh… I’ll leave you two alone.” Adam stood, stretg out his back. “Oh. About that other shield, that one you keep, sider it a gift for the baby boy.”

  Merl almost let out an audible gasp, but was too tired.

  “Thank you, mister boss.”

  Adam saluted Nobby, making his way out, his brother following him out. “Jurot?”

  “Yes?”

  “Isn’t it a bit silly to give a Basic shield to a baby?”

  “Yes.”

  “We should send some silver too.”

  “Okay.”

  “How much do you think?”

  “Three hundred?”

  “Yeah, yeah, three hundred silver, ara month’s wage. We have another bht?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yeah, alright, let’s fill the box full of silver s, and then maybe sneak in a few gold s ioo as a surprise.”

  Jurot realised Adam was having too much fun gifting away . However, he was also the one who was bringing in hundreds, if not thousands, of to the business. Kiara too, but Adam seemed to have fotten about her, the young woman no doubt creating at least one Basic on a month.

  “Jurot?”

  “Yes?”

  “What about Brittany? She’s been with us too. We’ve given what, two Greater items to Nobby, one of which ermaly, and a Basic shield? That’s too much.”

  “Yes.”

  “I should go talk with Brittany, make sure she isn’t too mad.”

  “Okay.”

  Adam found Brittany watg the children py dragonchess against each other. “Brittany, mind if we have a chat?” Adam asked, motioning his head. The young woman followed Adam out, the half elf dropping down against the side of a wall, tapping the ground beside him. The pair stared out towards the tre of the fort, where the children had gathered to py.

  “Nobby’s kid was born today.”

  “I heard,” Brittany said, having thought to go che them ter in the day, after the vilge fiheir rituals.

  “Since high ranking members of the business are having children, the business has been handing ical items to their children. I felt guilty handing Nobby and his child so much, and I was thinking about what we get for you. I just realised that we gave Nobby a Greater axe st year, and now a Greater shield, which we lent, and a Basic shield for his son? I don’t think it’s right to keep you out of the loop, so I wao let you know, we’ll be figuring something out for you soon.”

  “Okay,” Brittany replied, surprised to hear how forthing the half elf was, but it was Adam.

  “Alright, well…” Adam hoisted himself up. “If you need something, let us know.”

  “I will,” Brittany replied, watg him leave. She smiled slightly, gng down at her magical bdes. They were her own. She had often thought he’d e take them away since she hadn’t go in almost a year. For him to worry about her, when she wasn’t anywhere near as useful as Nobby or Fred?

  “Oh, Brittany?” Adam said, gng back.

  “Yes?”

  “You are now on the Gold pay scale, but we do not grant you the rank of Lead,” Adam said, nodding his hand towards her again, before stepping away.

  Brittany retty sure she hadn’t asked for her any pay so far, but she smiled. ‘Thirty gold?’

  Dunes wrote down the information Adam told him, listening to him rant once more, though it seemed like the ramblings of a mad man, until the half elf stretched and made his way away.

  “You should rest,” Dunes called out.

  “I’ll rest ter this month.”

  “It’s about that time…”

  “Yeah… I guess, maybe, I won’t?” Adam spent the day with his family, before taking his children to meet Nobby’s child.

  “Is mister Nobby’s baby?” Jirot asked.

  “That’s right.”

  “So small!” The girl said, gasping.

  “That’s right.”

  Jirot threw an incredulous look at her father. “Mister Nobby is so big!”

  “That’s right.” Adam smiled, noting the suspicious look in her eyes. “You were small too, smelly girl.”

  “No! I am so big! I bigger than you, daddy.”

  “You are?”

  “Look!” Jirot said, climbing on top of her father, before looking down at him. “I am taller.”

  “You’re small, you smelly girl, so small and cute.” Adam kissed her forehead, and lifted Jarot up. “You too! You think you’re bigger than daddy?”

  “No…” Jarot smiled shyly.

  “That’s right!” Adam cuddled them both. “Now you listen to daddy, okay? You o be o Nobby’s son, okay?”

  “I am always nice, daddy,” Jirot said, but even she couldn’t help but to smile.

  “Mhmm, I’m sure…” Adam blew into her neck. Adam eyed up the boy, and he did seem… a little smaller, even if he was chubby. “Did you think of a name for him yet?”

  “Merry,” Merl said.

  “That’s a good name.” Adam said, smiling. ‘Yeah. It’s a great name.’ “I hope his life is full of joy.”

  Once Adam returned back to the business, he walked alone for a long while. ‘He was born too early, so he might have some health issues. I should keep in mind to make the prical items.’ He tio walk for a long while, until he finally called for Dunes, sitting within one of the shared estates for the business’ ma.

  “Firstly, Dunes, you should also be taking time off since you are a new father.”

  “I’m too busy.”

  “Kitool, Jaygak, and Jurot will start taking some of your responsibilities, so don’t worry about it. Sedly…”

  “Yes?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve just been thinking.”

  “…” Dunes poured Adam some tea.

  “I don’t know. I just…” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “You know, when… I still feel the dread that something bad is going to happen, but at the same time, everyone else thinks it’s going to be okay. I’m not sure, but…” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “I was thinking about putting in some money for the birth of Merry. Something to the side, make sure the kid’s okay.”

  ‘I should have expected.’

  “We’re… I’m not sure how much money we’ve got, but with the ons that have been sold to the Iyr, we should have enough, right?”

  “Adam…”

  “Yes?”

  “Did you keep track of… the Enter’s monthly Basic ons?”

  “The what?”

  Dunes sipped his tea, giving Adam a look. “The Enter’s monthly Basic ons.”

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  Dunes drew the letter K oable, and Adam slumped into his chair, reag up to cover his eyes. Adam started to mumble to himself, shaking his head, before staring into Dunes’ eyes in disbelief.

  “Dunes, oh my Divine, I’m so dumb.”

  “Adam…”

  “Yes?”

  “Have you taken into at the Basihanced Firebdes that were aued in Red Oak?”

  “The one’s we…” Adam paused. Vague memories returo him from earlier in the year. “Aued?”

  “The,” Dunes fshed six fiowards the half elf,” ons that were assigo be aued over the course of the six months.”

  “Dunes, show me your book.”

  Dunes handed over his book, which revealed several items Adam had fotten about, and also thousands of extra gold Adam hadn’t taken into at that entire year. Adam stood up, pag for a moment, before he faced the wall. He rested his forehead against it, ahe silence fill the air.

  Adam sighed. “Wow.” He fell silent again. “Sure.” Another long moment passed. “Okay.”

  Dunes had half expected Adam had fotten, but he was sure Adam hadn’t. He had assumed Adam had instead begun work oure months of aus, but hearing him speak of the money had raised his suspis.

  “Do you know how stressed I’ve been?” Adam shook his head, in physical disbelief. “I didn’t keep track of the stupid Basihanced ons. Not just that, but there were twreater Enhanced ons? Oh, Baktu, take me.”

  “Adam,” Dunes called out, his voice stern.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean that, Baktu,” Adam said, tapping his amulet. “Damn, Dunes. Damn.”

  “You have been filled with stress,” Dunes said, his voif. “These things, they slip your mind, and with all the stress which has ailed you.”

  “Yeah. It’s o know that we have all this mohough. I was really stressing about it, no joke, but now that I know we’ve got more to spend, I start being a little more free. Or rather, it’s good to know that we afford some time off. How much was it?”

  Dunes slid the book over, and Adam copied dowes, correg his own book. Dunes had thought Adam had been cheg his own book. ‘Does he not like to read other’s private hey are for the business?’

  “How e the ons aued off for more than expected?” Adam asked, noting how each on had sold for about a tenth to a half more than expected.

  “That is how it is in the aus.”

  Adam leaned back, smirking slightly. “She’s going to be so pissed that we’re not going to be auing more, eh?”

  Dunes shook his head. “Now that you are free to do as you please, what will you do?”

  “I suppose I’ll just take it easy until Vonda gives birth?” Adam replied, thinking. “I should take part of your role, that way you spend more time with your wife, and she also rex too.”

  “Some of the other women in the business are pregnant too. Are there special arras whieed to be made?”

  “Outside of time off, I’m not sure what else we should do specifically. I knnancy effects, affects? It… you know what I mean, it effects, or affects, women differently. How about you ask Amira what she thinks would be good? Then whatever she thinks, increase it, because she’s a member of an Order, so she’s hardier thaypical person, but the farmers and such? They shouldn’t work quite as brutally as any of you.”

  Dunes sipped his warm milk, staring at the half elf. “You are so wise when it es to the matters of children.”

  “Wise? I don’t know about that, but… those children, we should… I don’t like saying it this way, but let’s i in the children. Those childre’s make the stro into the best warriors, the smartest into the best mages. Those that don’t have any talents, they work peacefully here, with o worry about their meal.”

  “Yes,” Dunes replied. They had a simir versation before, but this time, Adam had ged a few things subtly.

  “What am I saying? Those kids, they should stay small and cute forever. We should find some other warrior and make them into guards.”

  ‘Ah,’ Duhought, reising the Adam he had known for the st few years.

  Vonda poured the milk for her you son, before noting the appearance of her husband. She smiled warmly towards the half elf as he sat down opposite them.

  “Daddy! You ot work!” Jirot said, before sipping her milk, lig the froth off her lips. “We are fighting?”

  “I guess since my daughter has said I ot work, then I suppose, I’ll stop w as much,” Adam said.

  Jirot inhaled deeply, looking towards her mother. “Mummy! You see?”

  “Your father said he will work less.”

  “Less?” Jirot asked, before eyeing her father up suspiciously. “No more?”

  “Only a little bit, but now, daddy will take more time off to spoil you.” Adam reached down to ruffle her hair. “Like today.”

  “Today?” Jirot asked, shocked.

  “Yes.”

  Jirot gowards her mother, before smirking. “Daddy, you are listening. Good boy.” She reached up her hand.

  “…” Adam bowed his head, allowio brush his hair. ‘That’s right, I am a good boy.’

  That's right, he is a good boy.

  Now that I've been writing Year 05, and seeing what happening...

  For the rest of this month, October of 2024, for every additional patron that signs up for Silver or above, I will post up an additional chapter. If I get 10 new patrons, I will also post up another 10 on top of that, so 20 chapters for 10 new patron sign ups this month.

  Why?

  Well... this arc is pretty slow, but the arc? The arc is...