Chapter 8: Young Girl Anna

I could go to the blacksmith shop in town to work, and at the same time, I would be able to gain the professional experience of a blacksmith apprentice!

However....

According to the memories of the original owner of this body, the blacksmith and owner of the shop, Boris, was stingy.

Unless you were an experienced assistant, if you wanted to learn any craft, you had to pay a considerable apprenticeship fee, which seemed to be five or maybe ten silver coins?

At this stage, Rein's family definitely couldn't afford that sum of money.

It seemed I needed to think of other methods!

"Auntie Sima, hello,"

"Little Rein, hello, after working as a young servant for a week, I feel like you've grown more spirited and robust!" Auntie Sima greeted Rein warmly, as she was quite familiar with Rein's mother.

Oh, really?

At first, Rein thought that Auntie Sima was just being courteous.

But when he lifted his arm and looked at his previously skinny limbs, he now saw muscles starting to protrude slightly, especially the biceps.

Rein immediately lifted his clothing to check his abdomen and could vaguely make out the shape of a six-pack forming.

You should know that although skinny people could easily have defined abs, the original body definitely had none, not even a shadow of them.

But now, with a little more exercise, I might develop visible abs soon.

Looking at it this way, the effect of that little bit of added Strength was indeed immediate!

Rein stopped in front of a two-story house with a triangular roof.

The roof of the house was slanted, covered with thatch, and apart from the mud walls around it, the rest of the structure was made of wood.

There was some open space in front of and behind the house, where some green onions and vegetables were planted.

A woman was bending over, pulling something from the ground; feeling someone approaching, she straightened up.

"Rein, is that you, Rein, coming back?"

Looking at the woman's kind and dignified face, a flood of related memories surged forth, and scenes of warmth played like slideshows in Rein's mind, prompting him to blurt out, "Mother, it's me! I'm back!"

"Let me see, you've gotten stronger after a few days without seeing you. It seems that the manor takes good care of you servant children's meals," Mother Emma said with a smile as she hugged Rein.

In an instant, Rein felt an inexplicable surge of emotion.

He didn't know if this feeling was a natural reaction of this body.

Or a kind of instinct inherent to all humans.

But he knew that this emotion came from the heart, from deep within the soul.

The woman was the mother of the original owner of this body, and now she was his mother too!

"Brother! Is that brother coming back?" A pretty little girl with long hair suddenly ran in from the backyard, her hands still holding a bunch of green onions.

In an instant, Rein overlaid the memory of a little girl named Bo He over the scene before him.

This was Bo He, his sister!

"Bo He!" Rein picked up his sister, spun her around, making Bo He giggle nonstop.

Before long, Rein's father also came back, a simple-looking, burly man with a square face, though his forehead had many wrinkles, which made it seem like he spent a lot of time worrying.

Seeing Rein, he showed a slight smile and with his calloused, thick palms, patted Rein's shoulder, saying, "Rein, you've grown sturdy! It looks like you've even grown a bit taller!"

"Father! You've worked hard!" Rein hugged his father tightly.

Although old Rein didn't know why his son was suddenly so....emotional,

He still laughed and returned the hug!

In the evening.

The family of four sat around a wooden table cosily, having dinner together.

The dinner consisted of a portion of cured pork, a large bowl of mashed potatoes, a few slices of rye bread, and a bottle of milk.

In an ordinary commoner's household, this was considered a feast!

Clearly, this was because today was the day Rein had come home.

Usually, old Rein wouldn't indulge in such good food.

But after Rein wolfed down his share, he realized he was only half full.

He was in a period of rapid physical growth and naturally had a big appetite; there was an old saying: A growing lad will empty his father's lad.

And ever since Rein added that point to his attribute, it seemed like it had drained the last bit of nutritional reserves from his body. These past two days, Rein felt he could eat a lot more.

Moreover, there was a constant craving for meat swirling in his mind!

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So, after finishing his own portion, Rein couldn't help swallowing his saliva and forced himself to look away from the food.

The mother glanced over and immediately sensed something, "Rein, are you still hungry? Here, take these two slices of cured meat from me, I'm full."

"Brother, I'm still little, this mashed potato is for you." Little Bo He pushed a bowl of mashed potatoes toward Rein.

"Rein, from my side....." Old Rein also said.

"This...."

Witnessing this scene before him, Rein was deeply moved!

If before his efforts were due to his desire as a person from another world to change the status quo and his longing for this Transcendent world!

But from this moment on, another deep, vivid stroke was added to Rein's motivation!

In the end, Rein accepted the cured meat and mashed potatoes from his mother and Little Bo He but refused the bread from his father.

Because he knew that his father, who did manual labor, needed the nutrition even more than him.

That night, Rein slept very soundly!

The next morning, Old Rein declined Rein's offer to help in the fields and left home early, and the mother also went to work at the inn in the small town.

Only Rein and his sister Bo He were left at home.

When Rein followed his sister's voice to the small courtyard, he found Bo He planting carrots with a girl in their own yard.

"Brother, you're up? I am planting carrots with Sister Anna," Bo He greeted with a smile.

Anna?

That's right, she was their neighbor.

A quiet and reticent young girl, it was said that she came to live in Flashgold Town with her mother.

But a year ago, her mother mysteriously disappeared.

Now, she lives alone in the wooden cabin next to Rein's house.

The girl turned her head, her facial contours were beautiful, but her complexion was wan.

She seemed to be chronically malnourished, with her pale yellow hair a bit dry and split, but the deep brown pupils revealed a strong beauty.

"Re... Rein... hello," the girl greeted with her head down, shy and reserved.

In age, Rein seemed to be a few months older than the girl.

To his recollection, the girl had always been this afraid of strangers.

"Hello, Anna!"

Just as Rein was thinking of helping them, his close friend George called from the door, "Rein, let's go pick nuts."

"Brother, I want to go too!" Bo He excitedly said upon hearing that Rein was going to pick nuts.

From the side, Anna seemed to have a longing look in her eyes.

But after thinking it over, Rein still refused since they were going to Habsburg Manor's woods, and he was only able to go because he was with George.

If he brought others along, it would be inappropriate.

So, Rein shook his head and said, "Bo He, stay at home with Sister Anna, I'll bring back nuts for you."

"Okay~" Bo He said pitifully, unwilling but still obediently complied.

Indeed, the children of a poor family become responsible at an early age.

Such a young age, yet so sensible!

Rein patted Little Bo He's head and then left with George.

After walking for a while, George suddenly said with a puzzled face:

"Rein, why is your sister with Anna? Haven't you heard? She's an unlucky person."

"An unlucky person?" Rein asked, confused.

"I heard it by chance from my father; Anna's mother didn't just disappear, it seemed like she was taken away. But I'm not clear on the details." George said, glancing around to check if anyone was nearby before speaking in hushed tones.

"You mustn't let this slip."

"Who took her away?" Rein asked, still puzzled.

"I really don't know about that!" George's answer was also vague.

"By the way, Rein, have you heard? Recently on the north side of our town, two commoner families' children have disappeared! Remember to warn Bo He not to wander off when there's no need."

"Huh? Is that so? Wasn't it said that the disappearances of children were happening in other towns and that our Flashgold Town was safe? Is it spreading now?" Rein was quite surprised.

"I'm not so sure about that..." George pondered, as it was another question touching upon his own knowledge gap.

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