Jason sighed as he hoisted Merlin onto his back. "Hold on tight, little sprout. It's a long walk to the border."
Merlin felt his face heat up. In his head, he was a grown man with god-tier wishes and the face of a legendary magus. In reality, he was a four-year-old being carried like a sack of flour. He considered protesting, but then he looked at his tiny, stubby legs and the six-hour trek ahead.
"Free ride it is", he thought, leaning his head against Jason's shoulder. "Being a kid has its perk"s.
The journey was quiet, lit only by the flickering lights of the horizon and the steady sound of Jason's footsteps. By the time the first rays of the morning sun began to peek over the jagged mountain peaks, Merlin had long since drifted off, the exhaustion of his "reincarnation day" finally catching up to him.
They reached a modest, sturdy-looking stone house tucked away in a quiet valley just as the birds began to chirp. Jason moved carefully, trying not to jostle the sleeping boy as he navigated the front porch. Inside, the house smelled of dried herbs, old wood, and home.
Martha led the way to a small guest room, pulling back the thick wool blankets on the bed. Jason slid Merlin onto the mattress, and the boy didn't even stir; he just curled into a ball and let out a soft snore.
The two mages stood in the doorway for a long moment, watching him in the dim morning light. Martha's expression was soft, a far cry from the sharp-tongued woman who had been arguing about payment just hours ago.
"Look at him, Jason," she whispered, her voice hitching slightly. "He looks so peaceful. Like he didn't just crawl out of a nightmare."
Jason leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "He's a miracle, Martha. No kid should have survived that village."
Martha turned to her husband, her eyes shimmering. "You know... we've spent thirty years chasing monsters and gold. We always talked about having a family, but the wars kept coming, and the jobs never stopped. We're fifty now. In another two decades, we'll be lucky if our knees still work."
She looked back at Merlin. "Maybe this is a sign. I don't want to leave him in some orphanage, especially not now. I want to raise him. I want to know what it's like to be a mother before I'm too old to remember."
Jason stayed silent for a minute, then gave a slow, firm nod. "I was thinking the same. Besides, did you feel the Ethernano off him? The kid's a natural. If we don't teach him how to use that power, he'll blow a hole in the ceiling the first time he has a nightmare. We can retire, settle down, and teach him our magic. It's better than dying in some dragon's fire with nobody to remember our names."
Martha smiled, a genuine, tearful thing. "I'll go start the kitchen fire. He's going to be starving when he wakes up."
Merlin woke up to the sound of a sizzling pan and the smell of something heavenly,like bacon, but richer. He sat up, stretching his tiny arms until his joints popped, and let out a massive yawn.
"Great Sage, you there?" he thought, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
[Notice: I am always present. You have been asleep for approximately six hours. We are currently in the residence of the individuals Jason and Martha.]
"Cool. Any news?"
[Analysis: While you were in a deep sleep, the individuals discussed your future. They have decided to adopt you. They intend to retire from adventuring to raise you and teach you magic.]
Merlin nearly fell off the bed. "Wait, seriously? That actually worked? I just played the 'confused kid' card for ten minutes and now I've got a retirement plan?"
[Confirmed. Probability suggests your current physical appearance—categorized as 'extremely cute'—combined with the 'puppy dog eyes' maneuver, was 99% effective. This world appears to operate on high levels of emotional sentiment.]
"Anime logic for the win," Merlin mumbled, sliding off the high bed and landing on the floor with a soft thump. "Alright, Merlin. Time to face the music."
He padded out of the room on bare feet, following the delicious scent into the living area. The house was cozy, filled with books, odd-looking magical trinkets, and sturdy furniture. In the kitchen, Jason and Martha were already sitting at a wooden table, digging into plates of eggs and thick-cut meat.
The moment Merlin stepped into the room, his stomach let out a roar that sounded like a hungry tiger.
His face turned bright red instantly.
Martha and Jason both looked up, and after a heartbeat of silence, they burst into warm laughter.
"Well, that's a louder greeting than I expected!" Jason chuckled, gesturing to the empty chair. "Sit down, Merlin. We've got plenty."
Martha quickly plated a mountain of food and set it in front of him. "Eat up, dear. You need your strength."
Merlin didn't need to be told twice. He dove in, and for a few minutes, the only sound was the clinking of forks. The food was incredible real, hearty, and full of flavor. When he finished, he sat back and, without thinking, let out a massive, soul-shaking burp.
He froze, his eyes wide with horror. "Oh god, I'm supposed to be a refined Merlin-type, not a caveman."
But Martha and Jason didn't look offended. They just beamed at him, looking satisfied that he liked the meal.
"Feel better?" Jason asked, leaning his elbows on the table.
Merlin nodded shyly. "Yes. Thank you. It was... the best thing I've ever eaten."
Martha reached across and squeezed his hand. "Merlin, we wanted to talk to you. Like we said, we're mages. We've traveled all over this land as adventurers, but we're tired of the road. We have this house, and we have enough saved up to live comfortably."
She looked him in the eye, her voice becoming very serious but very kind. "You don't have a home to go back to, and we don't have anyone to leave this home to. We'd like you to stay here with us. We want to be your family, if you'll have us."
Merlin looked from Martha to Jason. He saw the hope in their eyes and the sincerity in their faces. He had come here expecting a world of war and dragons, but his first 24 hours had given him something he hadn't even wished for: a place to belong.
"I... I would like that very much," Merlin said, and for the first time, he wasn't acting.