The Path of a Black Sheep in a Fantasy World (BL)

Chapter 78

For my french and poetic fellows : Un peu de mélancolie heureuse by Tim Dup~

"Hi Ash, first, we all wish to express our greatest thanks for saving Evan. You saved his life and we will never forget it." Adm started, trying to stir the conversations in the way it wouldn't intimidate the child too much. For now, he seemed to be doing a poor job.

"N-no n-need! I did w-what I c-could! His l-life is m-much more v-v-valuable than that of a l-low sla-slave like me..." Ash hastened to say, shaking his small hands before him in negation. The shifter now looked close to tears, and the warrior wanted to facepalm for making him like this.

"Listen, Ash, no life is more valuable than another, even if you are a slave. Evan was a slave before, but I bought him and freed him. Now we are lovers and fathers of an amazing shifter. Slavery is wrong and should be banned." Adam insisted, trying to get his point across the brainwashed child.

Ash was surprised to hear that this giant was once a slave. To him, the man looked like a gladiator, strong and independent, not fearing anything. He had difficulties wrapping his brain around the ideology that Adam spoke of.

"Now that we are on the topic, I wanted to make you an offer, Ash. Feel free to say yes or no, the choice is yours. Would you like to join our family? We would get rid of your slave status and you will be free. You can come with us on our adventures." Adam asked, making sure to hold eye contacts with the child to show that he had no ill intentions. Ash's mouth hung open after the inquiry, his eyes blinking fast as he tried to make sure he had heard right.

"You want... me? W-why?" The child prodded, not seeing what he could bring to the family. They were strong enough on their own and seemed like they had the perfect harmony. He didn't see how he could fit in there.

"There is no need for a specific reason, we just like you. We want you to have a better life and the solution we see is you coming with us. We would be happy to have you with us, truly." Evan said, cutting off Adam as the warrior was about to go on a lengthy speech about family and freedom. The smaller man glared at him, pouting slightly for having been interrupted, but he knew that simplicity was sometimes better, like now.

He was just being childish.

"B-but... w-wouldn't I b-be a burden?" Ash quieted down, twisting his fingers as he glanced down at his laps, too scared to look up. He thought that it was a stupid question, of course he would be a burden. He picked the dirt out of his fingernails as he tried to keep himself from crying, waiting for the adults to tell him how much of a burden he was, like they always do.

"Of course not! First, no one is ever a burden, not if they have the will to help. Second, if it can soothe your worries, your holy power would be a great help. It's not the reason why we want you, but if you can understand this reason better than let's say this is why. We don't have a healer in our group, nor enough money to exchange for potions and healing herbs." Adam explained, knowing that a child with a low-esteem like Ash would need a good reason to trust them.

It was true too, healers were rare. Holy power was a distant branch from light magic, specializing in blessings and healing. For example, Kaleb, the dark mage that gave the potion to erase Evan's slave tattoo, also possessed magic in a distant branch of dark magic. He was able to use curses and alchemy to destroy curses. Some dark mages could speak to ghosts, others could control the dead, and many more uses were made of dark magic. Its attack power wasn't strong, so it was deemed weak, just like light magic.

However, the branch that specializes in blessings and healing was referred to as Holy magic, and was primordially used by the Temple and its disciples. Such magic was guarded and not to be used by commoners, only nobles and the riches.

Having someone able to wield it, and so well at that, would definitely be useful for their group.

Still, it only came in second as for the reasons of them wanting Ash, the first being their fondness for the child.

Ash seemed surprised by the information given, looking like he didn't know how important he was.

The child had never used his powers since becoming a slave, having always been scared of what would happen to him and because of the traumatic event that happened the last time he did. Seeing Evan injured from a distance, he had gathered all his courage to heal him, but otherwise, he wouldn't have used his magic again.

However, if it was this family... Ash felt like he could be brave enough to use his healing magic again in the future.

"I-if I can help, then I a-accept!" Ash looked at the other three with a determined look in his eyes, his resolve not wavering in the slightest. Adam blinked at the sudden declaration, but his smile widened as he saw the child's clenched fists slightly shaking. He could see that even if the shifter was still scared, he was sure that his choice was the best one.

"Welcome into our family, Ash." Adam said in a warm tone, bringing the scared snake into his arms and snuggling him into his chest. Ash freaked out, thinking that the warrior was trying to strangle him, but when he realized that he meant no harm, he relaxed. It was like when his mother used to hug him in his youth, before she died.

Tears filled his eyes, but they were of happiness and relief. With a strangled 'thank you' in between sobs, the child hugged Adam back, stretching his thin arms as much as he could around the warm warrior.

He hoped that his mom would find peace among the stars, as he had now found a new family, and he could feel that he wouldn't suffer anymore.

That night, as if having heard Ash's little wish, the stars shone brightly in the black sky as the family slept piled up on each other, all their eyes puffy, but with a peaceful smile on their face.

Hey dear readers, a new pokemon was captured!

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