[848] – Y03.148 – Thoughts of Family V
“If I had known you were the Mad Dog’s grandson, I would have insisted you didn’t pay for our bread,” Bam said, feeling his daughter step on his foot, gently pressing against it.
“How are we going to feed ourselves if we give away our bread for free?” Pam asked, before noting the look on her father’s face. She glanced towards Jurot who continued to stand with pride, while Adam seed more annoyed.
‘That old man keeps plaguing , but maybe we can use him to…’ Adam also noticed the look on Bam’s face. “Even if Jurot is the old man’s grandson, they’re quite different. Jurot here doesn’t go around fighting…” ‘No, that’s not right. I can’t really say that when he fought both the Grand Commander and the Marshal of the East.’
“Well, it’s not like he goes around killing no-,” Adam inhaled deeply, glancing aside as images of Jurot cleaving nobles from the other world filled his mind. ‘Damn.’
“Are you threatening us?” Pam asked, crossing her arms.
“No,” the pair replied quickly.
“You’re not a noble,” Adam added.
Pam and Bam raised their brows in alarm towards the half elf.
“I an, you know, I an…” Adam looked to Jurot for support.
“Adam does not enjoy killing, except for nobles who cause him trouble.”
“I haven’t killed any noble of this land.”
“Have you killed nobles of other lands?”
“I definitely have not killed nobles in this land or the surrounding lands.”
“Have you really killed nobles?” Pam asked, her entire body cold from the shock of Adam’s audacity. The only people who killed nobles were Iyrn and the insane.
Adam reached over to his amulet, brushing along it gently. “I have assisted in sending nobles to Lord Sozain.”
“…”
“Anyway, I can guarantee nothing like that’s happening here.” Adam waved his hand to dismiss the thoughts. “My brother has a crush on you and I just wanted to help him in his romance, especially since his grandfather has been asking for more grandchildren. I’ve already given him six, but I can’t be the only one giving him children, you know?”
“…”
“All I’m asking is, if you don’t dislike him, why don’t you both… you know… just… go on a walk,” Adam said, feeling the awkwardness filling him.
The bell rung behind them.
“Must be a special day if there’s such a big crowd outside,” the newcor said, a heavily armoured man with an amulet around his neck. He had dark hair and dark eyes, just like his companion.
“The bread must be that good,” the woman replied, equally as heavily armoured and ard. Just like her companion, she carried a blade with the handle wrapped in red leather at her side. She glanced towards the Iyrman and the half elf, sizing them up with her curious eyes.
An awkward silence filled the air.
“What would you like?” Pam asked.
“We’ll let the Iyrn order first,” the man said, before noting the lack of a tattoo on Adam’s forehead. ‘Why’s he wearing a scarf?’
“We have already ordered, and my brother is not an Iyrman,” Jurot replied.
“How is it that a young man like you have co to wear the Iyr’s purple steel?”
“Luck.”
“Luck?” The man narrowed his eyes at Adam, wondering why he was being so coy.
“Young man, did you fight in the tournant last year?” the woman asked, her voice full of curiosity.
“I did,” Adam replied. “My brother here managed to place first, and I placed third.”
“First?” the man asked. “So are you Jurot the Savage?”
“Yes,” Jurot replied, standing taller.
“Then you must be Purple Adam.” The woman gathered, her eyes glued to Adam.
“Yes?”
“You’re the one who beat Sir Carter?” the man asked.
Adam glanced towards Jurot, who nodded. “Apparently so.”
“Why are you acting coy?” the man asked, narrowing his eyes towards Adam.
“I’m not very good with nas.”
“He wielded the blade made of sunsteel,” Jurot said.
“Oh! Sir Carter! Yes, I do rember him now. I rember thinking he was a good guy. I struggled against him a lot.”
The man smiled. “Of course you did, he is one of our greatest prodigies. If he hadn’t co across you, he would have placed in the top.”
“Yeah, you aren’t kidding,” Adam replied, vaguely recalling the warrior he fought in the tournant. “Such a nice weapon too, I thought it was made by Lord-,”
“Adam,” Jurot said, stopping the half elf from saying any more.
“So are you both mbers of an order?” Adam asked.
“Yes…” the man replied, wondering why he went back to trying to pick a fight with them again.
“Order of… the One Hundred Blades, right?”
“Three Hundred Blades,” the man replied, smiling as his face pulsed.
“So close,” Adam whispered. “I’m really bad with nas.” Adam could see the way they glared at him. “You should ask Ray Vonda how bad I am with nas. I kept calling her order the Order of White Rose.”
“…” The pair of order mbers glanced between one another.
“You must be terrible with nas if you do not recall even the na of Life’s Rose.”
Adam let out a sigh, glancing towards Jurot. “I’ve been improving though, don’t you agree?”
“I am uncertain.”
“Anyway, uh, we’ve ordered, so you can go ahead and order,” Adam said, stepping aside.
The order mbers glanced between the pair and then the bakers, noting the looks on their faces. “Is everything okay?”
The bell rung and another heavily armoured figure stepped in, who also wore heavy armour, and wore an amulet across her neck. However, whereas the amulet the other two wore were both wholly silver, hers was silver with a red blade in the centre.
“What is taking you so long?” the woman asked, her grey hair cut short, her eyes dark and curious. She noted the pair who had half stepped aside. She narrowed her eyes towards the Iyrman.
“Good evening, Vice Commander,” Jurot said.
“Good evening, Iyrman,” the woman said, her eyes still narrowed slightly. “Your tattoos are familiar.”
“I am Jurot, of the Rot family.”
‘The Rot family?’ “Are you related to the one they called the Mad Dog?”
‘How famous is his grandfather?’ Pam thought.
“He is my grandfather.”
“There seems to be an issue,” the woman said.
“What kind of issue?” the Vice Commander asked.
“The bakers seem perturbed by their presence.”
“Hey now,” Adam said, his voice light. “Is going out with my brother that bad? He’s such a handso fellow!”
The Vice Commander glared at Adam. “Are you trying to force yourself upon the-,”
“Hey,” Adam said, his eyes darkening. “The last ti soone accused of that, they ended up getting scolded by the Vice Master.”
“The Vice Master?”
“Vice Master Paul, of the Adventurer’s Guild.”
“Do you believe the Guild’s authority will save you from us?”
“What I’m saying is…” Adam paused. “Wait, hold on. I realised how that sounded. What I an is, we ended up saving a group, and they accused us of doing sothing bad. It ended up with my na being cleared thanks to the Guild and their spell which forced out the truth. All I was asking was that the young baker consider going out with my brother since he has a crush on her.”
“You, a heavily armoured Steel Rank adventurer were rely asking that the young baker go out with the grandson of Mad Dog?” the woman asked, her eyes still glaring at the young half elf.
“…” Adam flushed red. “Okay, I realise how that looks. Uh, I’m sorry. I forgot that I was wearing my heavy armour and that I was carrying an axe. I didn’t an to threaten you or anything.”
“My brother speaks the truth,” Jurot said. “We did not intend to threaten anyone.”
“Even if you don’t intend it, it does not an you did not.”
“I am an Iyrman, most are threatened by my presence.”
“You should take extra care in the way you behave because of it.”
“I cannot stop their feelings,” Jurot replied simply.
The bell rung once more as another heavily armoured figure stepped inside. The Vice Commander glanced back.
“Marshal.”
“Vice Commander,” the Marshal replied, before he glanced towards Adam and Jurot. “I heard there was a misunderstanding.”
Adam exhaled, reaching up to rub his forehead. “Yeah, of course there is. I’m here.”
“You know one another?” the Vice Commander asked.
“I am escorting Adam to keep him out of trouble.”
“What kind of trouble does he bring for you to escort him like this?”
“His words often bring him to trouble.”
“I have noticed.”
The Marshal rely bowed his head. “I believe it is ti that you leave, Executive Adam.”
Adam rubbed his forehead. “I’m sorry again, Pam. I didn’t an to appear threatening or anything.”
“I don’t think you were threatening ,” the young woman replied.
“I hope you’ll consider my words. My brother, Jurot, he really does like you.”
“You’ve said, but he hasn’t.”
Adam raised his brows towards his brother.
“…” Jurot could feel the gazes upon him, the three order mbers and the Marshal. “My brother speaks the truth.”
“What truth is that?” Pam asked.
“…”
Adam whispered in their tongue. “You can fight the Grand Commander, but you can’t say you like her?”
Jurot’s ears turned red hot. He inhaled deeply and spoke up in the Aldish tongue. “I understand why you are so afraid of Ray Vonda.”
It seems Jurot does know how to fight with his words.
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