The sun passed had noon, its rays beginning to draw longer shadows. It was only a short while ago the land was graced with noon, meaning it was that time. 

"Babo!" Jirot shouted, her finger pointing towards her greatfather, as though her finger was a blade. “Pick up!”

“Okay,” the old Iyrman replied, picking up the tiny little Jirot. She was normally as light as a feather, but this time she was as light as a feather which had ate two, small, bowls of potatoes, and drunk two cups of milk. The expectant gaze of her younger brother beamed towards the old man, who pulled the girl close and leaned back, allowing his greatson to climb onto his lap, the boy clutching his greatfather’s robes tightly in his tiny hand. 

The pair wore a set of blue clothing, sleeveless, cut at the knees, and wore hats to protect them from the intense heat of the noonval sun. Tied to their hats, ribbons of identical blue, Jirot having complained that the ribbons they had originally received were too different. There had been a slight difference, a subtle difference, caught only by the keenest of eyes, but the girl had demanded a different ribbon which was apparently the same colour as the one her brother had received. 

“Are you enjoying the festival?”

“No,” the girl replied, cackling before returning back to suckling her thumb. She brushed her hair with her free hand, before pointing at her babo’s cheek, slowly drawing closer before she pressed against it. She smiled as she gently tickled his cheek.

“You have eaten so much,” Jarot said, feeling their stomachs against him. ‘Of course they eat so well, they are my greatchildren.’

“Mmm, tatos, babo, tatos,” Jirot said.

“Yummy tatos,” little Jarot confirmed. 

“Yes. You must eat well so you will grow well.”

“I eated all the tatos,” the girl replied, smirking. “I love tatos.”

“Do you love potatoes too, little Jarot?”

“Yes.”

“What of the pizza?” 

“I do not like,” Jirot said, shaking her head, and her little brother did the same. 

“Your father brought the pizza to the Iyr.”

“Daddy?”

“Yes.”

“…” Jirot smirked slightly, before returning back to suckling her thumb, cackling to herself. 

“Babo…” the little boy called.

“Yes, my Jarot?”

“I like the pizza.”

“I like, I like the pizza too,” Jirot said with desperation. “I like the pizza and I like tatos.”

“I like pizza and tatos too,” little Jarot confirmed.

“I like to eat them too,” their babo added, bringing the pair closer to his chest, his half arm wrapping around the little boy, keeping them pinned to him. ‘My greatchildren…’ Jarot’s heart was filled with a great warmth, which kept away the chill of his old age. 

Jirot twitched slightly, trying to fight off the yawn, before she gasped. “Oh no.”

“Have you left a gift for your greatfather?”

Jirot smirked slightly, before she cackled. 

“Your nano said you were learning to use the toilet like your elder siblings.”

“I know,” the girl said. “I know.”

“How can you know when you have left me a gift?”

Jirot cackled in response, reaching up to hold her greatfather’s nose, before smirking. “I catch you, babo, so you must clean me.”

“You are too quick, my Jirot.” Jarot leaned in to blow a raspberry into her neck, causing her to soil herself further. ‘Even if you soil yourself, I will always love you.’

Little Jarot cuddled up to his greatfather, feeling the old man's pounding heart against his cheek. He closed his eyes, the beating heart a melody which coaxed him to sleep. He let out a gentle hum of joy before his heavy eyelids fell, the boy's hands clutched tightly at his greatfather's robes, keeping them glued together. 

The older man carried the children away to clean them up. Even now, with the children stuck to him, not allowing him his freedom, and minutes away from cleaning up the most terrible mess, the old man thought about the children's father. 'He will return soon, my greatchildren...' Jarot thought about the young man. 'He must be at the fort now.'

Adam, indeed, was in the fort. 

‘So…’ Adam remained silent, unsure of what he should do. All he knew was that he shouldn’t do much, especially since the situation was seemingly resolving itself. 

“Do you intend to protect the Sorcerer too?” the Grand Commander asked.

“Yes,” the Ray replied, standing tall and proud. 

“…”

Commander Arthur raised his brows, annoyed the Grand Commander brought up the topic of the Sorcerer too. It was one thing to bring up the demons, that made sense for the Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, but bringing up the matter of the Sorcerer brought more trouble for no reason.

‘Gods damn you, brat.’

Adam wanted to speak up, but after all the warnings he received, he inhaled deeply, letting out a soft sigh. ‘We’re almost home, no need to mess about now…’

“Will you allow a Sorcerer to pass through your fort, Commander?” Sir James Greatwood asked, his eyes firmly placed within the eyes of the Commander.

“I will not risk the lives of my soldiers for your ends, Grand Commander.”

“This is a matter of national security.”

“While I have great respect for you as a Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, I have even greater respect for the Hopes and Rays of the Order of Life’s Rose,” the Commander stated. “If they have taken the responsibility for the demons and Sorcerer, I will not intrude.”

“…”

The seconds continued to pass, the nearby soldiers at the ready. Though the Commander had stated they weren’t going to act, he could still order them otherwise. However, they weren’t sure if they wanted to fight, especially not when the Order of Life’s Rose intended to step forward, and not just a Hope, but a Ray? They couldn’t fight a Ray.

“We wish to hand over the appropriate sum if the matter has concluded,” Ray Vonda said.

“The matter is concluded,” the Commander said, dismissing the Grand Commander and the rest of their members. However, the order members remained, since Sir Greatwood was still trying to calculate the situation. 

It was rare two different orders had such issues, though it was more likely for the Order of Life’s Rose to be involved due to their rather unique oaths. 

‘Demons.’ The Grand Commander could have stepped back if it was the Sorcerer, but demons? He couldn’t do such a thing, not since he had sworn his oaths. However, drawing his blade against a Ray, it was going to set a terrible precedent, one he wasn’t sure he could take responsibility for.

‘Why have you chosen to break precedent first?’ Greatwood’s eyes remained focused on Ray Vonda’s. It was not right for her to step forward, not when there was the unspoken rule of Rays not drawing their weapons during a fight, instead they were given great respect and certain privileges. 

“Hey, Jurot,” Adam whispered, hearing Jurot’s grunt, before continuing. “What’s the big deal with the Manager fighting?”

“Rays do not fight.”

“What do you mean?”

“They do not fight,” Jurot said. “It is this way.”

“…” Adam furrowed his brows. 

“Rays remain in the back, and they may support, but they are not to fight in a confrontation. They may do so against the like of creatures and beasts, but that is a last resort. Ray Vonda has made her intentions known to step forward in this battle. It is now complicated.”

“Politics?”

“Yes.”

‘I don’t like it…’ Adam thought. ‘Still, what else can we do? If the Grand Commander won’t step back, we might have to fight. That’ll make things complicated. Even if the Order of Life’s Rose is the one taking the blame, they might still try to blame us for it…’

Adam cleared his throat, causing Vonda’s head to snap towards him. “I’ll be polite.” 

“Adam…”

“One moment. I realised the way I was going to word it would have implied something rude, so allow me a moment to gather myself.” Adam closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. “No one can fault either party in the situation here…” ‘I can, but I won’t?’ Adam was glad he had grown up.

“Young man, you should not speak up when it is not needed,” the Grand Commander said. “We will resolve this matter between us, without the business’ interference.”

“…” Adam smiled, smiling in that way that he did when he was close to bursting, his jaw and forehead pulsing. “Out of everyone here, I’m the one who can interfere most. You’re speaking of two of our Managers, and then you’ve invoked the Sorcerer, who is someone the business has adopted. If you didn’t want me to interfere, you shouldn’t have involved me.”

“Will the Order of Life’s Rose still step forward?” the Grand Commander asked. 

“Yes,” Hope Willow replied. “Though they are members of the business, we have given our word to escort them safely to their business.”

“Even without the Order of Life’s Rose, you’ve got little to no chance to take my friends from me, but when it comes to our VIP, you’ve got less than little to no chance,” Adam said, standing taller.

“Does the Iyr’s Lord of Death give you faith to speak such words?” Sir James Greatwood pressed his gaze and intent onto the young man’s shoulders once more. 

“I do not need the powers Lord Sozain blesses upon me to have confidence against you, Grand Commander,” Adam said, straightening up alongside the rest of his companions. “A greater being than you had tried to take Lucy from me, and it was only thanks to the grace of Mother Soza and her most faithful, that Lucy remains beside me. If you want to take Lucy from me, you should be at least half as strong as Lord Asa.”

‘Oh, Adam,’ Ray Vonda thought.

The Grand Commander reached for his blade.

---

---

At least he tried. Kind of...