Chapter: 27 'And Once Again we are back'

Once the office door clicked shut behind Stella and Lily, Asher was alone with Scarlett again.

"Mom," Asher called out, "I need to talk." His voice was laced with a deceptive calm.

Hearing his voice, Scarlett swivelled in her chair, a wide, cheerful smile plastered on her face.

"Yes, sweetie? I'm listening" Scarlett perked up, though a tremor of unease running through her.

This is the first time Asher had initiated serious conversations, and it had to be this flat tone.

Still Is there something he wants to talk about? Is it about that girl, lillian? Did he start liking her? Thousands of useless questions swirled in her mind. But the words that escaped from his mouth were beyond anything she expected.

"I want to go to 'Sproutling Grove'." He said in a flat tone.

"Say again." Scarlett blurted out subconsciously without thinking much. Maybe her ears listened wrong. Is it because she didn't get enough sleep?

No! Sleep deprivation or not, she couldn't have misheard that, could she?

"Sproutling Grove, I want to go there." Once again, he repeated. 'Is she deaf?'

"No, absolute no." Scarlett felt a scream rise in her throat, but she choked it back.

"You just awakened your Anima a week ago! You can't just—" She replied slowly, but was interrupted by him.

"I can't gain any Exp,"

"But honey, you just Awakened! You have so much potential to grow right here, at home. We can train—"

"Not a single point, Mom." he cut her off again, his annoyance visible in his tone.

"I trained for a week, 7 days, 8-12 hours per day, and nothing. I gained not a single measly experience point. No progress at all." Asher hung his head, his jaw clenched, as his expression was that of despair, and anger building with him.

"A..sh..." She wanted to say something, but words didn't come out.

Yeah. 1 week. A freaking whole week. She had also seen him working hard and training nonstop. Yet, he is telling her that he didn't get any single experience?

As for telling lies… She glanced at him. Why would he be? The question remained: why would he? He isn't stupid to dig his own death.

'Is it… because of his high stats?' She couldn't help but wonder.

To begin with, High-Talent individuals gain experience slower, but surely not this slow. Not gaining any experience at all?

"But, the outside world is a scary place, Ash. Don't you trust me? Don't you think I want what's best for you?" She tried to sooth him, as her face softened. "Going to Sproutling Grove now is too dangerous! There are things out there that can hurt you. We're safer here, together…" She appeared cheerful, seeing no interruptions and Asher listening so intently.

She stole a glance at Asher's face, and her breath hitched. His expression was unreadable. A dark storm began brewing beneath the surface.

'No, no, no,' her mind screamed. 'Don't make such a face again, Mama loves you, so please hate me, Ash. Don't hate… please don't hate me.' Fear choked her,

'After the previous talk, did we just return back to where we started?' Scarlett's cheerful facade crumbled a little further.

Her fingers twitched, the urge to cradle him close, to shield him from the outside world, a world that constantly threatened to snatch him away.

"Don't you trust me, Ash? Don't you think I want what's best for you? Going to Sproutling Grove now is too dangerous!" While still in desperation to appease him by explaining all she wants is his well being.

Her eyes darted around the room, searching for a solution, anything. Suddenly, her gaze landed on a fruit bowl on the table.

Then glancing back at him.

"Baby, listen," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "How about we train for a little longer? Maybe one or two more months? Then we can think about Sproutling Grove. Maybe you'll gain some experience by then!" Her voice pleaded, her eyes wide with a desperate hope.

No matter how talented and strong he was. He just Awakened a week ago. How can she send him to fight with the beasts?

"Think of it as extra preparation. We wouldn't want you to go out there underprepared, would we? After all, losing you... that's something I couldn't bear." She muttered, as tears formed in her eyes.

Asher remained impassive, his dark eyes locked on hers, his expression no longer readable.

"Ash, what… about…" Scarlett stammered, he wasn't answering her. words couldn't form in her mouth, she doesn't want extreme action against him, her mind, a whirlwind of worry.

She doesn't want to lock him here, or he would despise, hate her, Scarlett felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. She couldn't bear to watch the family further breaking apart.

'Didn't I promise to support him, no matter what! There had to be a way…" Maybe… Maybe he needs the stimulation of real combat to gain experience. That had to be it.

"..."

"What about… us going together after two months? In the meantime, Mamma can teach you how to fight. My swordsmanship, maybe?"

"..."

"Mamma will even give you those glowing stones you saw on TV, the ones that give you power-ups! I can get you those! What do you say, baby? Ash!" Her voice cracked with a mixture of fear and desperation.

'Just listen to Mama, once please.' Her eyes warm, yet pleading.

She doesn't want to say 'No' to him. But it's simply outrageous, he is just 10. Scarlett felt hope losing within her.

"Okay." Finally, a single word escaped his lips.

"Or I should bring one… ehhh, thank goodness." she seemed to not hear at first as her mind wandered onto not to make him hate her also not to send him in that Place.

Hearing his reply, relief flooded Scarlett's body, so intense it almost knocked her off her feet.

"Okay, it's decided to!" she exclaimed, her expression too brightly, before he changed his mind.

"We'll go to Sproutling Grove, but you have to listen to Mama during this time, alright?" She wanted to say this in a firm tone, but as she saw the expression of Asher returning back, she felt better.

"Thank you Mom." He said with a little bright smile, at least after 1 week for the first time.

He walked towards her, as she in her little daze stared at the small smile on his lips. The smile of satisfaction.

"Thank you, Mom, you are the best," He took a step closer and reached out, his hand brushing against her head for moments giving her the light pats, before walking out from her office, now his task is done, 'it won't be 2 months, it's waste of time, probably should check out the structure of this world…'

Asker's figure disappeared, as a smile wide and terrifying bloomed on Scarlett's face, she placed her one hand above her chest while the other on her head. That light touch was too much for her after so long.

…

'Sproutling Grove,' it's one of the beginner hunting grounds where beginners would start to learn hunting and fighting at the lowest level beats.

The area is usually for level 3-24 beginners players, for the first four levels, players have to earn them through learning basic training with their Anima. It's Purpose: Introduces hunting methods, combat mechanics, and interaction with the environment.

***

Sorry, I know more than 10+ days has passed, and no update for the Novels in between them... For that I deeply apologize.

I will try to weekly update the chapters, at least once, but honestly I'm not getting sleeping much this day's. For obvious reasons.

I will probably re-edit this chapter next month, altogether with daily updates. Just bear with me, a little more.

And also, maybe the situation it's a bit of an exaggerated situation I have written, the reason is Scarlett's possessiveness, Asher's Higher talent(if someone got gist he is this strong from the beginning, the consequences will be dire.) And for moment didn't consider herself with him, why you may ask, due to his last week Actions.

And something related to the past.

Once again, I apologize, I will be back soon. I'm not dead yet.