Reincarnation of a Hunter Chapter 1.1 - The Bastard of Westphalia (1)

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“Master Eric, it’s time for you to wake up.”

 

A familiar voice jolts me out of my slumber. I open my eyes and glance out the window.

 

“Martin… it’s still early.”

 

“The tax collector is waiting for you. Come on, get up.”

 

I buried my face in the warmth of the soft cotton comforter, wanting to enjoy a little more sleep.

 

“Let me sleep one more hour.”

 

“No, you can’t. He might get mad at you if he finds out you’re running late.”

 

What the hell?

 

No matter how much I stand, no one would dare scold a lord’s son.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous. No one will say anything.”

 

“The lord has already gone to his office. You can look out the window and see.”

 

I jumped to my feet at those words

 

“No, my Lord, how old are you that you’re already a morning person?”

 

Damn, everyone in this world was a morning person.

 

Even after nearly nineteen years of reincarnation, I still haven’t gotten used to starting my day when the sun hasn’t risen.

 

Grumbling, he crawled out of bed and stood up, and one of the maids clung to him and began to help him dress.

 

Martin urged the young maid, “Hurry up with your hands, we don’t have much time.”

 

“I can’t reach it.”

 

The short maid struggled.

 

In a place where the average height was about 10 centimeters shorter. I was very tall at 185 centimeters.

 

Sighing, I grabbed my clothes and put them on myself.

 

“Don’t rush. It’s a matter of seconds.”

 

“I’m busy. Please sit here.”

 

As soon as I sat down on the chair Martin offered, the maid began vigorously brushing my hair.

 

“Ouch, comb it gently and let it dry.”

 

“My hair is like a birdhouse. Hang in there.”

 

This man who treated me so casually was my escort knight.

 

He’s the son of a former Knight, and we’ve been friends since childhood because we’re the same age.

 

As I finished grooming myself and headed out the door, I told him.

 

“He’s the son of the lord, don’t you think you’re being too easy on him?”

 

Martin smirked at that.

 

“You don’t hold any office yet.”

 

“Oh, well, you’re a senior knight.”

 

He grinned and handed me the sword he was wearing.

 

“What, am I going alone?”

 

“There’s a regular muster drill. I’m a good officer, so I can’t miss it.”

 

I took the sword and clipped it to my belt. It was heavy for a knight’s sword, and I could 

feel my belt sagging with it.

 

“Don’t worry, you’ll be escorted by a knight and twelve soldiers.”

 

“Don’t bother. It’s just boring”

 

I waved at Martin as we parted ways and walked briskly toward the administration building.

 

Arriving at the front of the administration building to find a procession of carriages waiting for me.

 

One of the officials approached me as soon as he saw me.

 

“Master Eric, welcome to the city. I’m Hans, the tax collector.”

 

“Long time no see. How is your mother? Is she still selling in the market?”

 

Hans replied with a big smile, obviously pleased that he was recognized.

 

“Hahaha, you remember, she’s doing great, thanks to you

 

“Yeah, right, thanks to me, again.”

 

“Because you drove out the bullies in the market once.”

 

“Did that happen?”

 

Hans glanced, as if searching his memory.

 

“It was about five years ago. You beat the crap out of all the thugs who were stealing. 

 

Have you forgotten that already?”

 

“A bunch of thugs, yeah. I was sick of them.”

 

“Yeah. Now that they’re all gone…”

 

Hans then summoned his slaves and ordered them to set out soon.

 

We haven’t even had a cup of tea yet, let alone breakfast, and we’re supposed to get on a carriage.

 

“What, you’re leaving right away?”

 

“It’s a bumper harvest this year, so we need to move fast.”

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“We’re going to Siegen.”

 

“Yikes!”

 

Siegen was a village.

 

It’s a two-day horse-drawn carriage ride away, and it’s where the tax collectors from the surrounding villages keep their money.

 

My job this time was to spy on a group of tax collectors. Because there are so many officials who embezzle or take bribes, the tax collectors are often accompanied by family members or relatives of the lord.

 

“Why do they make me do all this work?”

 

“You don’t usually play.”

 

“I do some work here and there.”

 

“It’s not the administration’s job anyway.”

 

I spent my free time traveling around the estate, taking care of the residents’ complaints.

 

It’s been more than a decade since I’ve been helping the locals, figuring that if I’m stuck in my quarters, what’s the point?

 

“They’re going to kick me out when I get my coming-of-age, but they’re pampering me.”

 

“We might be kicked out, right?”

 

“What use is there for a scribe?”

 

Hans paused, his hands inspecting the carriage.

 

“If it were me, I’d make you head of the administration. You’re good at your job.”

 

The words struck a chord.

 

Hans was a lowly official, a commoner. If he were to throw up on a nobleman’s work, he would be lynched.

 

“Be careful what you say, the birds hear you, and the rats hear you.”

 

“I’m sorry, is that a proverb?”

 

“There is. A place where life is easy, but daily life is war.”

 

“That’s a contradiction, isn’t it? It’s a strange place.”

 

“It is.”

 

Leaping into the carriage, Hans signaled for all the wagons to start.

 

Only one knight led the way on horseback, while Hans, the tax collector, the knight’s squire, the soldiers, and the slaves shared a dozen wagons. On the return trip to the lordship, more wagons would come with a full load of wheat.

 

Laying down on a bag of horse food in the wagon and looked up at the sky.

 

A clean blue sky without a speck of dust. It was a clarity I had never seen in my previous life.

 

I also stole a glance at what floated in the corner of my vision.

 

Synchronization rate 99.6%.

 

It’s been creeping up since I was born into this world, and now it’s approaching 100%.

 

The message from the Hunter System was clear, but I didn’t yet understand what would happen when the synchronization was complete.

 

“I hope I awaken as a Hunter”

 

I had already taken an aptitude test with a machete when I was three years old. I was told I had no aptitude as a knight or a mage, so my future was clear.

 

Furthermore, I would be sent here and there to learn some administrative tasks, and when I came of age, 

 

I would be sent off to a position somewhere.

 

Then there was only a quiet life in the countryside.

 

But my previous life was too intense for me to live like a retired old man.

 

‘If by any chance I regain my former abilities…’

 

In my previous life, I was an S-class Hunter.

 

I fought fierce battles with monsters and villains every day.

 

Threw myself into the status and responsibility of an S-class Hunter, and eventually lost my life in battle.

 

I thought my life was over then, but I never imagined that I would be reborn in this world afterward.