Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Hoof Trimming
Chapter 1: Hoof Trimming
The month of Harvest.
In a corral outside the Habsburg Estate in Shiny Gold Town, Master County, a frail black-haired boy stood in a corner, clutching a bump on his head with one hand, while staring blankly at the spacious grounds and the towering castle in the distance.
"Ouch! Where am I?" Rain rubbed his aching head and surveyed his surroundings.
In the corral, a group of boys around 13 years old, dressed in coarse linen jackets, stood in a half-circle, watching a tall, muscular man trimming the hooves of a black donkey.
"Is this... hoof trimming?" Rain exclaimed in disbelief.
Suddenly, a flood of memories rushed into Rain's mind, like a slideshow, flashing through his thoughts.
"My name is Rain. An hour ago, I was accidentally kicked in the head by a donkey, and the bump on my forehead hasn't subsided yet."
As Rain observed the group, memories of his original self began to surface.
Freckled Face, whose family owned an inn, was one of the few well-informed individuals among the rich second-generation children. "It's true! Recently, I heard from a caravan that there was a cult sacrifice incident in the town of Monam, and many people died." The prominent brow boy spoke with a terrified expression.
"Freckled Face is the son of an inn owner in the town, and he's nicknamed Freckles."
"So, I've reincarnated, but why on earth is my goal to become a servant?" Rain wondered.
"Could this be a supernatural world?"
"Hee-haw!"
At that moment, a chorus of chattering voices made Rain's head throb even more, thanks to the donkey's kick.
However, traveling bards and mercenaries often brought news that defied belief, such as monsters lurking in the night, giant sea creatures, haunted houses in bustling markets, and deadly plagues.
According to Rain's memories, his original self had joined the Habsburg Estate's servant training program just the day before, securing a spot with the help of his family's savings and connections with the head servant.
After mocking Rain, the boy with the prominent brow began to chat idly, and Rain, eager to learn about this world, pretended to listen intently while keeping his head down.
An idea suddenly popped into Rain's mind.
Hearing his name, Rain quickly stood up and joined a boy with short, light yellow hair to start the arduous task of holding the donkey's hoof.
"This is ridiculous!"
[You have learned a new skill - Hoof Trimming]
These "high-class" servants were all children of shop owners in town, making them part of the rich second generation. They often formed a clique, bullying other servants.
Rain couldn't help but ponder after hearing this.
Rain was no exception; on his first day, they had made him responsible for cleaning the dormitory. This task was supposed to be rotated among the servants.
As Rain worked, a transparent box suddenly appeared on his retina, automatically turning to the second page.
When they finished trimming the last hoof, Rain and George slumped to the ground like deflated balloons.
"The Foreign Civil Service Exam?!"
This batch of servant training focused on preparing candidates for these three specific roles.
In less than two minutes, Rain's forehead was already drenched in sweat, and his black hair stuck to his forehead in clumps. His stamina was nearly depleted.
[You have assisted in hoof trimming and gained related insights!]
Rain's heart raced with excitement, worry, and anticipation. He wondered what kind of supernatural world this was and why he had so few related memories. His original self had never ventured beyond the town, so he hadn't encountered any monsters or mysterious beings.
Listening to the rich second-generation boys, Rain couldn't help but wonder if these stories were true. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Getting kicked by a donkey, hilarious!"
However, there seemed to be a slight inflammation in the center of the donkey's hoof, as a thin trickle of pus-blood oozed out during the trimming process.
"Next up, Rayn and George!" Barl shouted.
The old Rayn used to treat these stories as fairy tales.
"Little rabbit boys, haven't you eaten? You can't even hold down a donkey's hoof!"
Three months later, the estate will organize an examination to recruit five outstanding servants as official staff, including two blacksmith apprentices, two guards, and one dog trainer.
"Luckily, this is the last hoof of this donkey."
In this world, there is a common practice among the nobility with land—they train and examine servants, selecting a small number to become official servants and nurturing them from a young age.
On the second page, there were several lines of small text and a bunch of icons.
The strong black donkey suddenly flinched in pain during the trimming, and immediately started braying, its entire body beginning to struggle violently.
"Did you hear about it? Yesterday evening, Albero Town, not far from our Shanjin Town, was attacked by roaming ogres. Many people were killed and injured." The freckled boy whispered.
Typically, the official male servant positions include stablehand, guard, chef, baker, butcher, brewer, blacksmith, dog trainer, falconer, and more.
The two boys' listless appearance immediately drew laughter from the 'rich second generation' boys around them. George's face turned red with embarrassment, but Rayn seemed unaffected, instead suddenly freezing in place.
Two young servants were sweating profusely as they tried to hold down the donkey's hoof, but their young age made it difficult to control the strong hoof, causing them to wobble.
"The adult trimming the donkey's hoof is Master Barl, the blacksmith of Habsburg Estate."
"The one with the prominent brow is the youngest son of the town tavern owner, nicknamed 'Prominent Brow'."
"Once we're done with this black donkey, the next group of servants will take over, and then we can rest for a while."
"Damn, this is useless! We're being bullied by a bunch of kids?" Rayn looked down at his slender body and shook his head in dismay.
"Hurry up and hold it down!"
"Yes, but no matter what, becoming an official guard through the estate's selection is the first step," Prominent Brow said confidently, flexing his sturdy arms.
Rayn desperately held the donkey's hoof still, preventing any movement that might disrupt Barl's trimming.
".
"Ah! It would be great if we could go to the county town. Living there would be much safer!" The tanner's son sighed.
Suddenly, Rayn, who was still daydreaming, heard the hoof trimmer's loud rebuke.
At that moment, Blacksmith Barl stepped forward. With ease, he picked up a large iron shovel and began trimming the donkey's hoof, which had grown overly long.
"Cult?"
Rayn, enduring a headache, glanced to the side and saw several tall boys in clean linen coats standing not far from him, pointing and laughing hysterically.
"Ogres?"
"It's not that easy! Unless I pass this selection and become an official guard, and then get noticed by the higher-ups and transferred to the county town's main house. That's too difficult." The freckled boy shook his head.
"The one in brown linen shorts is the tanner's son. He doesn't have a nickname."
Rayn shook his head as he watched the two servants. They were just as weak as he was, and naturally couldn't hold down the donkey!
"Pay attention. When trimming hooves, you need to be bold yet careful, and keep your hands loose," Barl instructed as he demonstrated.
".
The correct version is available at 69 Book Bar! 6=9+Book_Bar's first release of this novel.
".
Prominent Brow's family owned the tavern, making him another well-informed person.
[Your skill 'Hoof Trimming' has improved. Experience +1]
[Congratulations! You have unlocked the Occupation Panel - Blacksmith Apprentice]
A new book is released, seeking support from book friends! Please read, recommend, and collect! When raising the book, please try to update to the latest chapter every day. Thank you.
(Note: This book may reference some aspects of Western medieval culture, but it is a fantasy novel set in a fictional world, not a historical one. Please don't overanalyze.)
(End of Chapter)
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