NOVEL NEXT 42. Relief
“I only wanted to do one thing,” Adam said, rubbing his eyes. “I wanted to make sure, this time, I brought him back home.”
Quest Complete
Jurot, Alive
+ 200XP
XP: 900 -> 1100
Inform the Iyr of the Impending Doom
+ 100XP
XP: 1100 -> 1200
“That is quite the tale,” Sonarot said, looking deep into Adam’s eyes, which had twitched slightly aside to read his status.
It was an unbelievable tale, even to the Iyrmen. They brought back stories of other cultures in order to create a picture for the world outside the Iyr, but this was in a world of its own.
More importantly, Adam had revealed a great many secrets of various beings, including the frost bridge of the giants. The Iyrmen had never known how the giants were able to outpace them in the Snowlands. They could move hundreds of miles in a single day, but with the theory of this frostbridge, things became clear.
“I don’t really mind if you don’t believe me,” Adam admitted, feeling the relief spill over his body. “I just wanted you to know why I’m here.”
Sonarot nodded her head slowly, thinking of the many inconsistencies within his story, including his motivation behind trying to bring Jurot back when he also risked Jurot’s life against Balrog the Bane. Yet, the fact that he knew about Jurot and Balrog’s story, seemingly without Jurot revealing it to him, was something which pointed to his words being true.
There was the chance of him being able to read minds too, which could have helped him know a few things. Yet, there was the fact that he knew a lot about the Iyr, even though it certainly had changed considering his last life.
“You know a lot, son of Fate. To go from meeting the gods, to facing the corruption, to defeating a giant Chief due to your chaotic abilities. You know about much about our people and our customs, though they seem to have changed slightly from your previous life, but there are some things which would have been impossible to know. To think you know that Surot is missing, which only a few people know.” This was something which would have been hard to know, even with being able to read minds.
“Missing, not dead?” Adam asked. He was sure in his last life the man had been presumed dead.
“I do not believe he is dead, yet. My husband is strong.” The Iyrman smiled. “Whether I believe you or not…” She reached up and brushed his hair. “I do. Or perhaps I don’t, but I will live as though I do.”
Adam shrugged his shoulders. “It’s the best I could ask for.” He could feel butterflies in his stomach as she brushed his hair.
“Thank you for returning my son to me alive, Adam.”
Wisdom Save
D20 + 2 = 22 (20)
Adam could feel his emotions rage within him for a moment, but he pushed them away. “I’ll definitely return him alive from now on, even if it costs me my life. I’ve died twice as many times as him, so I’m used to it.” Adam puffed up his chest heroically, grinning wide. It was partly a joke, but he did have the intention of helping Jurot out.
“No, Adam. Please return to me as well. Lanarot will need a brother as kind and as intelligent as you.” Sonarot smiled, brushing along his cheek with her soft, warm hand. It was warm and motherly, and filled Adam’s heart.
The half elf glanced aside, avoiding her gaze. “I will.” His words were empty.
“Promise me.”
Adam remained silent, but Sonarot pulled his head to her bosom, hugging her tight. “I promise,” he said.
She eventually pulled away, smiling at him. "You are always welcome in our home, Adam.”
"Thank you." Adam glanced aside, trying to hide the redness of his face by leaning back away from her. ‘Damn it! This is so embarrassing…’
The Chief threw Adam a look, wondering what he should do, but he nodded his head. He understood Sonarot’s intentions, of wanting to keep him close to confirm things. At least, that’s what he thought she was doing.
They returned back home, though it was already approaching morning at the time. Even so, the trio were refreshed, as though they had slept through the night.
‘I feel like this is something I shouldn’t know about…’ Adam thought, thinking about the garden. He hadn’t heard Elder Story and hadn’t been introduced to him either.
As they approached the house, they glanced through the courtyard to see Jurot cooking a slab of meat, sticking out his tongue as he concentrated.
“Smells good,” Adam said, approaching the Iyrman. He was grilling a bunch of meat over some hot rocks, slathered in some kind of fat and herb mixture.
"You weren’t back, so I cooked,” Jurot said, simply.
Sonarot smiled. "I will have to eat some fruit and vegetables today due to my condition."
"Are you alright, mother? Should I get a blanket? A pillow? A medicine master?" Jurot rushed over to his mother to help her to take a seat at a bench.
"No, I'm fine, it's just some minor business. In a few days I will be fine to drink and eat as I please." She smiled innocently towards her son, brushing his cheek tenderly.
"Hmmm." Jurot looked to Adam, unsure if he should allow Adam near his mother while she was not feeling well.
"Jurot, your friend Adam is very nice. I hope you two become good friends." She continued to rub his cheek.
"We’ll become the best of friends, mother!" Jurot assured his mother, nodding his head. “Adam, let's fight!" Jurot snapped his head back, ready and eager to become the best of friends with Adam.
"No thanks."
Jurot blinked at him. “We should fight!”
"Do you see how he's trying to bully me?" Adam asked Sonarot, emphasising his frown towards her by quivering his lower lip. "I'm just a feeble mage." ‘You idiot! I spent all this time bringing you back to your mother alive and you want to fight me?’
"Mother, he is very strong! Look at his muscles! He has a better physique than me." Jurot stared back at his mother for support.
"A better physique than my Jurot?" Sonarot looked at Adam, whose body betrayed parts of his strength through his clothes. "I would like to see." Her innocent smile caused Adam to shudder.
“N-now hold on a second,” the half elf said, glancing between the pair and stepping back.
They forced Adam to reveal his bare torso, revealing his muscular body. If the Chief had remained, he would have agreed that he could have chiselled it out of stone. Sonarot and Jurot both admired his body, which caused the half elf to turn completely red.
“I never expected for your kind to be so muscular,” Sonarot admitted, checking out his teres major, which seemed to almost pop out. ‘It’s almost as good as Surot’s.’
A familiar figure appeared midway through the admiration of the half elf. He was large and muscular, with dark hair and dark eyes, and the tattoo of the Rot family shone across his forehead.
The pair looked between one another, with Adam still topless, the pair of Iyrmen staring at his various muscles, and the newcomer staring at his eyes for a long moment before they scanned across the rest of Adam’s body.
Adam remained silent, red in the fact.
“I’ll bring Turot,” the Iyrman said, quickly retreating.
"I refuse!” Adam quickly grabbed his cloak and wrapped it around himself. “You can't force me to expose myself to children!” Though he had seen a large number of Iyrmen who were completely topless, from the men to the women of the Iyr. He still wasn’t used to the Iyr.
Eventually, Gorot and Turot appeared, with Turot staring up at Adam. He turned to his father, saying something in their language.
‘I really need to study their language…’
Turot then walked over to Adam confidently. “You’re an elf,” he said, narrowing his eyes up at Adam.
“You’re an Iyrman,” Adam replied.
“Yes.” Turot puffed out his chest. “I am!”
“I’m not an elf.”
“You’re not?”
“I’m a gnome.” Adam smirked down at the boy. ‘I should at least have some fun when you’re all whispering between one another.’
Turot furrowed his brows together. “You are?”
“No, I’m half an elf.”
“Half an elf and half a gnome?”
“No. I’m a half elf and half human.”
“Then why did you say you were a gnome?”
“It was a joke.”
Turot stared up at him. His childlike eyes pierced deep into Adam’s soul, shooting the half elf with disappointment.
“A bad joke.”
Turot nodded his head, understanding now. That’s how the people outside the Iyr liked to joke, badly.
“Come, Adam,” Sonarot beckoned to her. “Sit and eat.”
Adam did as she asked, sitting down beside her. Jurot returned to cooking the food, flipping over the meat. Turot rushed over to smell the meat and watch it cook.
"What are your plans?" Sonarot asked.
"I don't know. Right now I want to make the axe for a gift and then..." Adam rubbed his chin. "I should find a way to make money?"
"You may use an enchanting shrine to enchant the axe for Lana. You will need some gems for the enchanting… do you have some?"
“No,” Adam said, thinking about how much money he had. “I should have thought about that.”
Currency
15GP, 15SP, 13CP
‘I forgot how poor I was…’
“It’s alright,” Sonarot said, rubbing his head. “We will give you the gems required.”
“Uh, well, you don’t have to do that,” Adam replied awkwardly, still feeling her hand on top of his head.
Gorot stared at Sonarot, wondering why she was going to hand over hundreds of golds worth of gems. ‘What is going on?’
‘Did Adam really seduce my mother?’ Jurot wondered, glancing between the pair. He stared at Adam, wondering how he had managed to do so. ‘He’s not as strong as father, even if he has such powerful muscles.’
"There is no need to rush in this life,” Sonarot said. “Take your time. Since you can enchant, you should enchant weapons and make money that way.”
“I can just do that?” Adam said, raising his brow. He hadn’t expected it to be so simple.
“If you want to use the enchanting shrines of the Iyr to make enchanted items, you can. If you wish to sell the items, there are a few conditions."
"What are they?"
"First, the items must be offered for sale to the Iyr before anyone else. Second, if sold outside, the Iyr takes 10%. If you wish to use our family's wealth, then we will be paid the amount which was given to make the item, and 10% of the total price as well."
"Hold on, that's too much maths,” Adam said, shaking his head. “Let's say I borrow one hundred gold. I make a weapon that's worth two hundred. I give you one hundred gold, then another twenty for the debt of the gems, the Iyr twenty, and sixty for myself?”
"You will make more than two hundred gold from enchanting, but your maths is correct.”
"Oh, so I can just borrow money from you to fund the procedure as long as I can pay you back first…” Adam nodded his head.
"You can sell through the Adventurer's Guild or the Merchant’s Guild. Have you revealed that ability to the Adventurer’s Guild?”
"No."
"Then we can deal with it through the Merchant's Guild on your behalf. We can't say it was made by an Iyrman, so the price won’t be as high, but it should still sell for a large amount.”
"I should do that then." Adam looked to Jurot, who was barely following the conversation as he plated up the meat for everyone on a large clay platter. "How about I enchant our weapons?"
"We are too weak to rely on enchanted weapons." Jurot shook his head. It was taught within the Iyr that one must rely on themselves first before their equipment. It was dangerous to do so otherwise.
"Your friend is trying to give you a gift, are you really going to deny it?" Sonarot asked, staring at Jurot disappointedly.
"I thank you in advance, Adam," Jurot said, handing over his axe immediately.
'Was Jurot a momma's boy?'
Gorot looked to Sonarot. He grunted something quietly. "Isn't he too young for you?"
"He will be family of ours soon. Treat him well."
'What did this young man do to seduce sister Sonarot?'
"Then I’ll begin enchanting today!” Adam declared, full of motivation to make the best axe ever.
“After you eat,” Sonarot said as Turot brought her some fruit and vegetables.
“After I eat.” Adam nodded.
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Finally.