Now that the problem of shelter had been solved and the title of 'homeless' had been removed from both his and his son's heads, another issue presented itself—one even more pressing. A responsibility fathers had carried since the beginning of time, across all realities.
He needed to feed his child.
Adam turned around, his gaze falling on the tiny, sleeping figure. The child lay on a makeshift wooden bed, cushioned by dried grass and leaves. His small chest rose and fell rhythmically, his tiny fists resting against his cheek. He looked peaceful, completely trusting that the world—or rather, the man who had taken him in—would take care of him.
Adam crossed his arms, deep in thought. [What should I feed him?] He had spent his entire life hunting wild beasts, roasting their flesh over open flames, and sustaining himself through whatever the land provided. [But he's just a week old at most…]
He recalled the memories he had stolen from that man in the city.
[From what I gathered, infants in this world drink their mother's milk for up to five or six months before being introduced to other food. So that means… I need to find him milk.]
His brow furrowed.
"Should I track down his mother? The one who abandoned him?"
His face darkened. No.
The moment she left him, she had forfeited her right as a parent. He would not waste time chasing after someone who had already discarded her child like trash. If she cared, she wouldn't have abandoned him in the first place.
Adam sighed. "Being a father is harder than I thought."
As he pondered over the issue, a foul stench suddenly invaded his nostrils.
His entire body tensed. His instincts sharpened, honed by years of battle. His aura flared slightly, prepared for an ambush—until he saw the true source of the problem.
It was coming from the baby.
More precisely, from inside his clothes.
Adam blinked. [Did he just…?]
The baby had soiled himself.
A long silence stretched in the small wooden house.
Adam had crushed demon skulls in his hands. He had bathed in the blood of countless monsters. He had walked through battlefields littered with decaying corpses, waded through rivers of filth without so much as a flinch.
But this…
This was his greatest challenge yet.
Adam sighed, rubbing his temple. His son had relieved himself, and there was no avoiding it. [I suppose this is also part of being a father.]
He crouched next to the bed, carefully unwrapping the baby from his clothes. The sight—and smell—hit him full force. Without hesitation, he grabbed the soiled cloth, stood up, and…
Threw it.
Up.
High.
Into space.
A perfect throw. The soiled garment shot into the sky at supersonic speeds, disappearing from sight.
Gone.
Adam dusted off his hands with a satisfied nod. [Problem solved.]
The baby squirmed slightly, now free of his dirtied clothing. However, the cold night air quickly made him shiver. Adam hurriedly grabbed a handful of dry grass and leaves, stuffing them around the child for warmth.
Then, something caught his eye.
A necklace.
It was wrapped around the baby's tiny neck, partially hidden beneath his blanket. Adam gently lifted it, inspecting the small pendant attached. When he opened it, he saw a picture inside.
A woman.
Holding the very same baby in her arms.
His eyes lingered on the image for a moment before he closed it. He did not care. Whoever she was, she was no longer the child's mother.
He left the necklace where it was.
However, the situation remained—his son had no clothes. The makeshift bedding would only keep him warm for so long.
Adam exhaled, looking down at the small, delicate being in front of him. His face softened.
[I need to exchange my gold for local currency. I need to raise my son properly. Not like how I lived.]
His past had been filled with nothing but war, bloodshed, and survival. His childhood had been stripped away before he even understood what it meant to be a child.
But his son—his son would not live like that.
He deserved a better life. A peaceful one.
With that thought, Adam carefully picked up the child and unfastened the chest piece of his armor. He gently nestled the baby inside, ensuring he was snug and secure.
Then, bending his knees slightly, Adam leaped.
The ground beneath him cracked, an explosion of force shattering the earth as he propelled himself into the sky. The forest below blurred as he soared, traveling at impossible speeds. A massive shockwave rippled outward from where he had stood, causing nearby trees to shake violently.
Somewhere, deep in space, a soiled cloth continued its journey through the cosmos.
And just like that, Adam disappeared into the night, carrying his son toward the unknown future.