The sound of a baby crying echoed through the forest.
It was a thin, fragile sound, barely strong enough to carry through the towering trees and the whispering wind. Yet in the quiet wilderness, it was impossible to ignore.
A lone mercenary walking along the forest path suddenly stopped.
His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings as the cry reached his ears again. Faint, desperate… and unmistakably human. With a slight frown, he followed the sound deeper into the woods.
Moments later, he found the source.
Beneath a tall tree lay a small bundle wrapped in a worn blanket. Inside it, a baby squirmed and cried, its tiny face red from the cold.
The mercenary stared down at the child in silence.
Of all the strange things he had seen in his life, this was certainly one of them.
He bent down, picked up the baby, and let out a tired sigh.
"How bothersome," he muttered. "I can't just leave you here to die."
The baby quieted slightly in his arms, gripping his finger with surprising strength.
The mercenary clicked his tongue.
"…Great. Now what am I supposed to do with you?"
The mercenary walked along the narrow forest road, the baby held awkwardly in one arm.
The child had stopped crying for now, though it still made small noises as it shifted inside the blanket. Every so often, its tiny fingers tightened around the mercenary's cloak.
He glanced down with a tired expression.
"Don't get comfortable," he muttered. "You're not staying with me."
The nearest town wasn't far. If he walked at a steady pace, he would reach it before sunset. Someone there would take the child—an orphanage, perhaps a temple. That was where abandoned children usually ended up.
At least, that was the plan.
By the time the sun began to sink behind the trees, the wooden gates of a small town appeared ahead.
The mercenary stepped through the entrance, ignoring the curious looks from a few passing villagers. A large man carrying weapons was not unusual here.
But a mercenary carrying a baby?
That drew attention.
He went straight to the town temple.
Inside, a gray-haired priest listened to the story with a troubled expression.
"You found the child in the forest?" the priest asked.
"That's right," the mercenary replied. "Someone must've abandoned him."
The priest sighed and shook his head.
"I'm afraid we cannot take the child."
The mercenary frowned.
"What do you mean you can't?"
"Our temple already cares for several orphans. We barely have enough food and space as it is."
The mercenary clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Then what about the orphanage?"
"Full."
For a moment, the room fell silent.
The mercenary looked down at the baby in his arms. The child blinked up at him with wide, curious eyes.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
The priest gave an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry."
The mercenary stepped outside the temple, irritation written all over his face.
The baby suddenly grabbed his finger again.
"…Tch."
He stared down at the child.
"So now what?" he muttered.
The baby only blinked at him.
After a long moment, the mercenary let out a heavy sigh.
"Fine. Just until I figure something out."
And with that, the wandering mercenary walked down the street—with the baby still in his arms.
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I'm using a little bit of ai to help with my grammar and inspire me a little bit, so sorry if it isn't that good im just doing this because im bored