"Hey Redd!" Called out a middle aged man. The middle aged man seemed to be chilling outside his mansion as he had smoking-pipe in his hand. "I see that you are selling firewood again."
"Yes, Mr Chaski. My master has entrusted me to sell firewood and buy meat and vegetables in return." Redd smiled at Mr Chaski, stopping the carriage he was dragging that was full of firewood.
"Would you like some firewood, Mr Chaski."
"Haha! Well, I'll take some because I like you." Mr Chaski blew a whistle and a few servants came running out of Mr Chaski's mansion. These servants carried away 10% of the firewood Redd was selling.
"Here." Mr Chaski then tossed a coin in Redd's direction who caught it in surprise.
"Mr Chaski, this exceeds the price by five times. I don't have any money on me right now. I won't be able to return the remaining amount." It wasn't Redd's first time selling firewood to Mr Chaski's mansion, but this was the first time he sold it directly to Mr Chaski.
"Haha! Keep it kid. Buy some milk and eggs." Mr Chaski laughed and took a puff of his smoking pipe. "You need all the nutrition you can get to grow at this age kid."
Redd thought for a moment, and nodded. It wasn't wrong that he needed more nutrition. He wanted to be a woodcutter and woodcutting was an arduous job that demanded high stamina.
Though he vaguely felt something was amiss, he nodded his head and carefully placed the coin in his shirt pocket. He just turned ten this year and he wasn't experienced enough with spending money to become indifferent about earning it. He was quite happy that he got extra money.
He picked up the firewood carriage once again, told his goodbye to Mr Chaski and under the warm smile of this middle aged man, moved deeper into the village.
He spent the remaining day selling firewood all over the village but unlike Mr Chaski who bought 10% of his firewood at once, others were more frugal. Even the largest buyer only bought 1% of what Redd brought.
It will soon be winter and firewood should have been a hot selling commodity in the village, but the Barn village was surrounded by trees.
There were numerous woodcutters in the village and thus numerous firewood sellers. Those who bought firewood from Redd were just buying more firewood as an extra guarantee. They had already stocked up for the winter.
Before returning to his master's house, Redd bought some dried meat and potatoes in the village.
His master's house was located half a kilometer away from the edge of the village and it took Redd a few minutes to get there while dragging the carriage.
As he reached the place, he stared at the familiar neighborhood that was full of cut-out trees and took a deep breath. The familiar background made him unconsciously relax.
Redd was an orphan that grew up as a servant in Mr Chaski's household. When he was seven, his master accepted him as his disciple and Redd had started living with his master ever since.
This doesn't mean that Redd wasn't a servant of the Chaski household anymore, instead he was given the choice to buy back his own freedom by Mr Chaski.
His master often told Redd that Redd was very lucky that Mr Chaski was a good guy. He would say that large households wouldn't want their servants leaving and would often treat the servants with such thoughts harshly.
Anyway for the past three years, Redd had been taking care of his master's household chores. The training he received before as a servant made things easier.
It was late into night when his master returned with an old axe over his shoulder. Redd who was already accustomed to such a scene brought a tub of water along with a towel to his master.
His 37 year old master smiled at him. Handing the axe over his shoulders to Redd, he washed his four limbs and dried himself with the towel.
"Go to sleep." His master looked at the recently heated up dinner on the dining table and ruffled Redd's hair that was a mix of black and white. "You will be an 'Abnormal' by tomorrow. Take a nice rest so that you are at your best tomorrow."
"Yes, master!" Redd nodded obediently. He faked a yawn before his master and returned to his bedroom. Once he was in bed, his thoughts were filled with his master's words.
Abnormal! Though he heard this word quite a few times in the past few years, Redd didn't know what the term itself represented.
He was quite excited to learn that he was going to become an Abnormal, but his small body soon drifted into sleep.
....
"Master, are you an Abnormal?" Redd asked as he walked towards the other side of the village. This day every year, Royal envoys would visit all the villages in the kingdom and awaken all ten-year-olds as Abnormals.
"Yeah, I am an Abnormal." His master replied. "But being an Abnormal doesn't change commoner's lives unless their Inborn Titles are unique."
"Inborn Title?" Redd's eyes sparkled at this new term. "What is that master? Will it let me become the best woodcutter in the village?"
"Haha! You'll know soon enough. Inborn Titles are exclusive to Abnormals, so there is no need to be hasty and spoil your fun!" His master smiled gently and ruffled his hair.
As his master talked of the other basic knowledge about the Abnormals, time passed and they soon crossed the village to reach a place filled with lots of people.
The large crowd was gathered around a huge blue colored tent that was guarded by soldiers from the capital. Ten year old children from all over the village were entering the blue tent one by one.
Redd's master gently pushed him towards ten year old's line. He said some basic things that Redd should take care of when meeting with the envoy before moving away.
....
It took three hours before Redd could get inside the tent following the crowd. A middle aged man in a blue robe was sitting at the other end of the tent. When he saw Redd, the blue robed man greeted the kid with a gentle smile.
"Good lad, go and sit over there. I'll be with you in a moment." The blue robed man pointed to his right, where a special looking bed made out of a wood that Redd couldn't recognize was located.
Redd obediently compiled. He walked to his left and sat down on the bed.
Suddenly, he felt his body heat up. It was as if a strange unknown strength was invading his body and his mind, especially his mind.
Bewildered, Redd tried to jump away from the bed, but he was a tad bit slower and lost his consciousness without being able to achieve anything.
Ten minutes later, Redd woke up, his head still hazy from before when he suddenly heard the Royal envoy speak, "Tell me your Title..."
The Royal Envoy's voice extremely bewitching, pulling Redd who had just regained consciousness into a deeper trance. Suddenly some words appeared directly in Redd's mind as if in response to the Royal envoy's question.
In a brief moment, Redd's mind had already sorted out the words and recognized them. These words were related to the Inborn Title that Royal envoy was asking him about.
There was something magical in the envoy's voice that forced Redd to open his mouth to share the information of his Inborn Title with the envoy.
But just as he was about to, a new set of words appeared in Redd's mind that confused him.
Redd was forced to stop himself from opening his mouth as his mind reorganized the new set of words that appeared.
Astonishingly, the new set of words were related to another Title. Redd seemed to have just received another Title.
"Hurry! Tell me your Title!" The Royal envoy seemed to sense something as he increased the bewitchment power in his voice.
"Ugh.." Redd was conflicted. Since he was bewitched, he wanted to share the information of his Title with the Royal envoy, but, he couldn't decide which of the two titles he must inform to the envoy.
"Wood...Woodcutter." At last, when the envoy could no longer take the gap and was about bewitch Redd once again, Redd chose to share his second Title with the envoy.
"Sigh! This useless Title again? What's wrong with this village?" Redd could vaguely hear the envoy's disappointed voice.
"Forget.....erase"
"Forget.....erase"
"Forget.....erase"
The envoy used his bewitching voice one last time to erase Redd's memory of their conversation.
When the envoy finished, Redd lost his consciousness again. When he woke up five minutes later, he no longer remembered his previous interaction with the envoy.
He rubbed his eyes and looked at the envoy- who was now seated back at the end corner of the blue tent.
"Congratulations." The Envoy smiled. "You are now an Abnormal."
"Oh!" Redd could already feel that he was somehow different from before. He felt that something was added to him but since he was still in front of the envoy, he suppressed his curiosity and waited for the envoy to speak.
"You can leave." The Envoy waved his hand. He wasn't here to search for useless people like Redd. He was searching rare talents for the Royal family. Once he finds such talents, he would use his hypnotic voice to slowly draw them into the royal family, even if it was against the wishes of the said party.
Redd did not linger anymore. He bowed slightly and left the tent from another side that was different from the entrance.
As soon as he left the tent, he saw his master, who smiled at him and shushed him not to speak. "We will speak once we reach our house."
"Ok." Redd nodded obediently and followed behind his master.
The walk back gave Redd enough time and let him feel the changes that happened to him. Firstly, his physical body did not experience any change after he became an Abnormal, but whenever he thought about his condition, a string of data would appear in his mind.
::::
Name: Redd
Race: Human (Abnormal)
Attributes: Strength 1, Endurance 2, Intelligence 1, Charm 1
Status Value: 2 ( Status Value can be used to increase Attributes)
Skills:
[ Saintz Horizontal Cutting (Basic) ]
Inborn Titles:
[ Title Master (common) ]
Occupational Titles:
[ Novice Woodcutter (common) ]
Inherited Titles:
[ None ]
Achievement Titles:
[ None ]
....
[ Title Master ]
[ You are the master of all Titles in existence. ]
[ All Titles can be earned. ]
[ Title Directory is created. ]
[ It is easier for you to earn Titles. ]
[ The performance of your Titles is slightly "enhanced". ]
[ "Status Value" can be used to create Titles ]
[ A new function is unlocked every time Title Master rises to the next level. ]
...
[ Novice Woodcutter ]
[ Status Value +2 ] (enhanced)
[ It is slightly easier for you to cut wood. ] (enhanced)
[ You can handle Axe type weapons better. ] (enhanced)
[ The performance of Skills related to Woodcutting is slightly increased ] (enhanced)
....
Redd was surprised and delighted. Though he had some expectations towards Abnormals ever since he had heard about them from his master three years ago, he was still surprised by his Inborn Title.
His current feelings were similar to those who were expecting to receive candy only to receive the whole candy store.
He also understood how he already had two Titles. It was because his Title [ Title Master ] reduced the requirements to gain Titles.
[ It is easier for you to get Titles ]
Even though Redd was itching to share this joyful news with his master, he still didn't forget his master's warning and patiently waited till they reached their master's house to share his excitement.
"Master, Master, I've received an amazing Title!" Redd said once they were safely inside their master's house.
"Oh!" His master smiled. "If it was as amazing as you feel, you wouldn't be here. The Royal envoy would have long taken you away!"
"What? The envoy wouldn't do such thing. He's a good guy!" Redd argued.
"Redd." Suddenly, his master's tone became stern. "The world isn't as soft as you think it is. It is filled with two faced people who won't hesitate to bite the hand that feeds them for self-profit."
"Aye! Aye! Master." Redd rubbed his small forehead with his right hand. He got along fine with his master most of the time, but whenever Redd mentions that someone was a good person, his master would go serious mode and lecture him about it.
Suddenly, his master bent down and held Redd's shoulders firmly.
"Listen, Redd." He said solemnly. "The basis of everything that we Abnormals can do depends on our Titles and Status Value."
"But Status Value is most often than not, gained from Titles. Thus, knowing one's Titles essentially means knowing everything about the said Abnormal."
"Now, I have a serious warning for you little one."
"Never, ever, not even to your closest persons, can you share the information of your Titles with! Especially your Inborn Title! You can't even share it with me! Do you understand?"
His master's tone fluctuated violently at the end. This was Redd's first time seeing such an extreme side of his master, and it kind of scared him.
Redd was a sensible kid. He understood that his master must have his reasons to warn him this deeply about the Titles.
So he nodded vigorously and promised. "Rest assured master, even if you yourself were to beat me until my ass swells, all you would get is my farts and no information about my Titles!"
"Haha! This kid..." Redd's master was satisfied. "I've kept you away from woodcutting all these days so that you can concentrate on Saintz Horizontal Cutting. I'm guessing that you have not disappointed me and have already grasped the skill."
"Yes, master. I've already grasped it." Redd nodded his small head.
"Then, it's time for you to take up the axe." A beautiful smile hung upon the master's face.
....
Deep into the night, as he rested on his bed, Redd wondered.
'Why did master especially mention Inborn Title when he warned me? Is there something special about Inborn Titles?'