Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 616: Turn Into Stars

The men of the local mercenary company brought Adamʼs fatherʼs corpse to his home. They were also kind enough to give the family the money heʼd earned while working.

If it were any other mercenary group, the family would have neither received the dead body, nor the money. But Adam and his mother were not in the right state to be grateful about such a thing. For they were drowning in pain and sorrow.

The mother and child stood in front of a freshly covered-up grave under the oak tree. The woman was on her knees, incessantly sobbing. Young Adam, however, didnʼt cry that much for he couldnʼt understand the severity of things yet.

He hugged his kneeling mother and softly asked, ”Mama, why are you crying so much?”

The woman continued to cry louder and louder. ”He left us, Adam… he left us. Your father, he… he is no more.”

Adam became tearful, but not because of what his mother said. He simply became emotional seeing his mother in that state. He had never seen her so broken, after all.

He sniffed, trying his best to put on a brave front. He patted his motherʼs head and gently assured her, ”Donʼt cry, mama. The old nana at the flour shop in town once told me that when people die, they turn into stars.”

”Look!” He pointed towards the sky, pointing at one of the bright stars near Selene and Luna. ”Thatʼs Papa, I promise! He hasnʼt left us… heʼs continuing to look after us. So donʼt cry, mama…”

Hearing his words, the woman bawled out louder. She put Adam in a tight embrace and continued to cry. The twin moons dipped below the horizon and the sun rose, yet the mother and child continued to weep before the grave.

In the days following the death of Adamʼs father, things looked bleak and hopeless. Adam had taken it upon himself to start working and putting food on the table for his family. His mother had fallen into a deep state of depression, so he had to look after her.

Although he was only five years old at the time, he deeply understood the importance of money.

If he had enough money, his father wouldnʼt have to participate in the war. His father would have still been alive.

If he had enough money, his mother wouldnʼt have to starve at night to ensure that he went to bed with a full stomach.

If he had enough money, he would have been able to afford a thicker quilt so that he and his mother wouldnʼt freeze badly at night.

If he had money, his family would have been whole.

If he had money, he would be… happy.

From then onward, apart from continuing the farm work, Adam took on odd jobs to earn extra money. Whether it was harvest work, shearing sheep, or threshing grain, he did them all.

He went into town and learned to craft simple wooden tools, baskets, and pottery for merchants. He even learned to repair tools, shoes, and farming equipment. He collected wild herbs, berries, and mushrooms for apothecaries.

He carried goods as a porter, assisted with household chores, and washed clothes for wealthy families. He even scavenged for scraps and metals in the dirtiest of places to sell to tinkers and blacksmiths.

Autumn came to an end and winter had arrived. After an entire day of hard work in the snow, young Adam stepped foot inside his hut with an accomplished smile on his face.

”Mama, look!” He spotted his mother sleeping in the corner of the house, shivering in the cold.

”Look! Look! I saved enough money to buy this blanket at the market,” he said as he put the thick blanket over his mother. ”With this, we wonʼt have to suffer too much in the upcoming months…”

His words trailed off when he looked at his motherʼs blank face. Ever since Adamʼs father had passed away, she was never the same. She barely ate, barely spoke, barely… lived.

Adam tried hard to hold back his tears. ”Donʼt worry, mama… Everythingʼs going to be alright. I promise…”

He made sure to properly cover his mother with the blanket, then he began preparing for dinner. Needless to say, it was going to be a modest meal - some bread and stew.

While the young Adam was busy preparing the meal, in another corner of the hut two figures silently observed everything that was going on. One was a hazy, pixelated figure and the other was a young man wearing a black pointy hat.

”I will ask you this again, young magus,” said the hazy figure. ”Do you still wish to continue?”

The black-robed Adam didnʼt reply. He simply stared at his mother sleeping on the ground, covered in a blanket yet still shivering. He knelt down beside her and gently caressed her head.

”Itʼs been so long,” he softly said. ”I had almost forgotten your face, Mother.”

”No, you vividly remembered your parentsʼ faces,” argued the hazy figure. ”You simply didnʼt wish to recall them.”

Adam ignored the man, continuing to fondly caress his motherʼs head.

”You know what happens when the night passes, donʼt you?” Said the hazy figure, his tone ominous.

Adamʼs hand involuntarily paused and trembled for a moment. He got to his feet and gazed at the hazy figure with red eyes. There was no anger in them, however. Only pain and sorrow.

”Mama, the food is ready!” The young Adam excitedly walked toward his mother. He helped her up and then gently made her have the bread and stew.

For the entire duration, he continued to tell his mother about his day had been as he fed her. Despite that, his mother did not speak a word. Her eyes were vacant and she chewed on her food mechanically.

After having his share of the food, he snuggled beside his mother under the blanket. His eyes shone with optimism as he spoke, ”The owner of the tavern told me that I can buy some leftover meat tomorrow. Yeah, Iʼll prepare meat stew for you tomorrow, Mama. Then youʼll feel much better. I promise!”

”…Adam,” the woman called out weakly.

”Yes, Mama?”

”Promise me that you wonʼt grow up alone… that youʼll make friends,” she said.

Adam turned around and looked at her innocently. ”Grow up… alone? Donʼt I have you?”

The woman repeated, ”Promise me.”

Adamʼs lips quivered, feeling that something wasnʼt right. But he nodded nonetheless. ”I promise you, Mama.”

”Good boy.” A faint smile bloomed on her face for the first time in months. She put her hands around her boy and stroked his head lovingly.

”I love you, Adam…” she whispered to him.

”I love you too, Mama.” With that said, Adam slowly drifted off to sleep, dreaming about the meat stew he would prepare the following day.

His mother gazed at his face which resembled her deceased husbandʼs for a long time. She softly kissed him on the forehead.

A drop of tear trickled down her face and she slowly closed her eyes.

Forever.