Free Reborn: Demon Core by D.W. Jackson Page B

continued clearing a small area. After they had cut
down five trees in quick succession, the old man who was named Huck
called for a break. “For such a young man with your strength, I am
surprised that you are out here working instead of fighting in the
labyrinth or working as an adventurer.”
    “Is it that odd?” Ash asked as Shina handed
him a small sandwich that she had brought with her.
    “Well even if they are scrubs, the youngins
always dream of being adventurers. Most don’t know that even people
with grade sS abilities have a hard time making it as adventurers.
They just look at the few who sit at the top and wish to be like
them.”
    “I don’t think I have heard of a scrub
before,” Ash said as finished his food.
    “Really…well they do have plenty of names for
it. A scrub is someone who has a useless inborn ability. It is true
that once you reach level ten you can get a job class, but even
then you have levels. People with low level abilities have it hard
finding a good master, though it does happen but it is rare.”
    “But why are they called scrubs?” Ash
asked.
    “Oh, that. It is because of an old story.
Would you like to hear it?” Huck asked with a withered smile.
    “Is it a long story?” Ash asked as he sat
down his canteen. “We should get back to work.”
    “Lad, no need to push yourself so hard,” Huck
said laughing. “We have already done as much in the past hour than
most will get done in half a day. It is not like you get paid more
for working harder. As long as you don’t seem to be slacking, the
taskmasters won’t say a word,” Huck said in a lecturing tone. “Long
ago there were two brothers. The older brother had three inborn
abilities. One was a sword skill while the other two helped
strengthen his body. The younger brother only had one inborn
ability called scrub that allowed him to clean anything.”
    As Huck told the story, Ash sat and listened
patiently while Shina seemed to be completely absorbed in the
story.
    “Growing up, the parents of the children
spent every dime they had to help the older brother train his
abilities. On the other hand, the younger brother was sent out to
work using his ability to earn money for his family. It wasn’t long
before the older brother was noticed by the knights and brought
into their order. With his new found fame, the older brother helped
his family, but he had contempt in his heart for his brother who
toiled every day. Thinking that his brother would bring shame to
him, he brought his family to the capital while banishing his
brother from the household. Without family or money, the young
brother continued to work. He did not look for fame, instead he got
a job at a large inn that quickly became known as the cleanest inn
within the kingdom. One day the king who was passing through the
town stopped at the famed inn and noticed the young man and hired
him to work in the palace. Over the years the boy continued to work
and one of the young princesses took to him and soon they were
married. On the day of his wedding, his brother attended the
ceremony, not knowing that it was for his younger brother. Upon
seeing his younger brother sitting beside the princess, the older
brother grew angry. ‘How dare his lowly brother try to rise above
him?’ The older brother challenged his brother to a duel. The
younger brother knew that he couldn’t win in a duel, but he had no
way to retreat.”
    As the story built up Shina’s eyes widened.
Ash had heard plenty of stories like this before, but he kept quiet
and continued to listen.
    “As he faced off against his brother, the
younger brother was filled with despair. When the older brother
moved forward, he slipped on the floor that the younger brother had
spent days polishing for his wedding. As the sword skittered across
the ground the young brother picked it up, ending the duel while
the guests laughed. The younger brother spared his brother’s life
and instead sent him away to the far end