5 chapter 5 reincarnation (4)

'What a waste of time.'

His total working hours amounted to 10 hours a day.

Compared to other employees on the estate, this was nothing. But it still took up a large portion of the day that he would rather use to train his body.

'Even when I worked as a measly security guard, I was able to train at least on the job.'

In the first place, as a guard the job's role would naturally allow him to even train on duty since it was a guard's position after all. Even though cutting firewood was tedious and he was able to find some time to get a few minutes in, it was not nearly enough.

After adjusting to his body for over a week, he was able to roughly tell how his new body worked.

Asher wasn't originally hired through the normal process like other employees. He was found abandoned as a child in front of the Lord's Estate. At that time, the Lord's first housewife who was unable to give birth to any kids, saw the young abandoned baby known as Asher and wanted to raise him.

After 3 years, the housewife was finally able to give birth to the eldest son and second daughter, but she still cherished Asher. Although the family could not adopt Asher formally due to concerns of the succession process getting entangled, she still raised him like any of her other children. So even after the previous 'Asher' was a constant misbehaving problem child, he was still allowed to live at the estate.

Thanks to the job he was given, he was able to earn spending money while still being treated to the public as an employee of the estate and not some illegitimate child. At least that was the hope for it, but people still noticed the special treatment he received.

The Lord's family were good people after all.

Quassik!-

The axe fell through the air once more and split a log in 2 clean halves. The axe lodged itself neatly on the stump below it and Asher clicked his tongue as he wiggled the axe out of the self-inflicted groove.

'That's weird.'

Asher knew from a physical standpoint, this body was not developed or trained at all. But, it should only have the strength to cleave the logs in two; not go further than that, and even start wedging into the stump.

Qua-deuk!-

But yet here he was, seemingly exuding more strength than what was capable. In fact, he was swinging full strength, but he didn't feel any resistance from the wood. His movement felt unhindered, like a knife flowing through butter.

'I guess this body is full of new things I have yet to find out about.'

Asher reached out for the last log he needed to cut, but found out that he had already cut all the required firewood for today. Seeing this, he picked up his axe and settled it on his work belt as he descended down the mountain.

As soon as Asher reached the bottom of the mountain and entered the town, he could feel the gazes of others filled with contempt and disgust pointed at him. Asher casually passed by through the town square in the center of the plaza. As he grew older in his past life, he became less sensitive to these kinds of gazes since he could defend himself just fine if anybody tried to act on it. Most kids his age would be frightened, but Asher could care less, since he could defend himself just fine.

"The trash is passing!"

'Huh?'

Asher heard a loud voice shout in his direction, which was a bit abnormal since most people wouldn't have the gall to act so brazenly. It was a young teenager that looked to be around 16 years of age. His rather colorful choice of attire made him look more like an overdressed peacock than a noble.

Asher spoke politely as he bowed respectfully to the teen,

"Hello, Master Luke."

—

The eldest son of the Lord, heir to the title in fact. He was able to carry quite a bit of political power at such a young age within his own territory. …And like everybody else in the town, he did not like the existence known as 'Asher' at all. Even though he would moderate his behavior at the appropriate times, he held a large amount of disdain for Asher.

Luke came closer and tapped his finger on Asher's shoulder in a condescending manner.

"I can't stay too long around you to give you a proper farewell, It just so happens that my eyes hurt when I look at trash so early in the morning. Shouldn't you know that commoners like you are obviously a sore sight for eyes to somebody like myself?"

The residents listening in, frowned slightly at the arrogant and demeaning words from Luke. However, Luke was too self-obsessed to even notice. He was like a typical, spoiled nobleman; he was ignorant of his people's well-being and overconfident in his so-called 'abilities'.

Asher nodded with no disappointment on his face whatsoever.

"I see, I am sorry Master Luke."

"Even my father is blinded for some reason. I don't know why our house even bothers to keep someone as pitiful as you."

"I am grateful for the undeserved grace."

Asher lowered himself even further and bowed at an almost 90 degree angle. He knew how to deal with these types of people without making a commotion. You just had to act subservient and flower them with words they want to hear. In his past life, he learned the hard way when he let his emotions dictate his actions.

A smile spread across Luke's face at Asher's behavior. However, it turned quickly from a normal and gracious smile, to a completely villainous grin.

"Hey garbage, I've been hearing an interesting rumor that you've been starting to practice the sword! What do you think you can do with it against me, a noble? Are you thinking that you could somehow kill me with that thing, let alone beating me in a duel?"

"I wonder if it is possible indeed, Master Luke."

"What gibberish! If it wasn't plotting to kill someone, then why would someone as trash as you even train with the sword? As a gracious noble myself, I can't bear to even look at your so-called swordsmanship!"

It was clearly a forced situation where Luke wanted to use an excuse to harm Asher. Anybody watching could clearly see that, but they couldn't say anything against the son of the Lord. The self-proclaimed noble then raised his hand.

"However! I am a generous noble after all, so let's take a look why don't we? If you can beat these two next to me, then I won't hinder you anymore in the future. If you've been practicing swordsmanship, then you should be capable of that much at least, shouldn't you?"

The two lackeys standing next to Luke came forward and drew their swords, pointing them at Asher.

"Young master… I really want to fight right now hehe…"

"Young master, can I kill this one too? Are you sure you can clean it up like you did last time?"

"Just kill him!", Luke shouted in disgust at the two lackeys and ordered them.

It was clear that Asher, who hadn't even reached young adulthood, could possibly be a match for two fully-grown men.

One of the men streaked forward with his sword and brought it down towards Asher's body. Asher brought his sword up with smooth movements and parried the blow as screams echoed in the surroundings from the frightened villagers.

'I don't like this at all.'

Asher knew he wouldn't be a match for them with raw strength so he took the axe out from his belt with his free hand. Flicking his wrist of the hand holding the sword, he re-directed the man's sword away and brought the handle of the ax up in a sharp motion, slamming the back of it into the lackey's uvula.

(TLN: the uvula is basically where the Adam's apple is. What just happened could effectively crush the man's esophagus.)

"Keep going! What are you doing?"

Luke yelled out in anger seeing one of his lackeys being played for a fool.

"Crazy bastard!"

The other lackey who was acting leisurely up till now, shouted in anger as he saw his friend get smashed in the throat, rolling on the floor writhing in pain. In response to the incoming threat, Asher twisted the blade of the axe and swung it swiftly, at a speed imperceptible to the watcher's eyes, at the incoming man's head on reflex.

Spurtttt-

The lackey choked up as blood spurted from the incision made by the ax blade lodged in his skull.

The onlookers shouted out with surprise as they looked at the impossible outcome with their eyes wide. Luke was no exception but, he had a slightly different reaction…

"Wait.. What?!What???!!!"

Luke stumbled and took a few steps back in utter shock. He couldn't believe this! How could two grown men be played with like fragile dolls in front of a young boy who was no older than 10 years old or so.