My cousin is becoming a legend.

Chapter 1 My Unsuccessful Cousin

"Lynn, here are the tools you requested."

Anthony Wilson put his tools on the ground and sat down on a chair.

He stared at his handsome but somewhat weathered nephew across from him, his feelings a mix of emotions.

"Honestly, Lynn, there's nothing shameful about being a carpenter's apprentice. You can completely ignore what people are saying."

Lynn placed the hot water next to Uncle Anthony and smiled.

"Thank you, Uncle Anthony, but I believe I am capable of teaching myself carpentry."

I'm not young anymore, and the time required for an apprenticeship is too long for me. Right now... I just want a way to make a living.

Anthony looked at Lynn, who had a faint smile on his face, and remained silent for a long time.

This once spirited young man, who left home at the age of 15 to make his way in the world, has now become this disheartened and dejected.

Unfortunately, that's all Anthony could think.

Lady Luck doesn't favor everyone who puts in the effort.

He participated in the Battle of Witteburg, which shocked the entire kingdom, and also formed a mercenary group to carve out his own territory. Later, he became disheartened and wanted to become a businessman, but in the end, he also failed miserably.

Having crawled out of countless piles of corpses, he ended up working as a carpenter in this impoverished and remote place...

What a cruel twist of fate!

How terrifying!

Anthony rubbed his temples and said softly, "Of course your uncle believes you. You don't need to rush. You can stay here as long as you want."

Lynn lowered his head, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He wanted to say that he would earn money to repay him as soon as possible, but the words wouldn't come out. All he could say was, "Thank you, Uncle."

The uncle and nephew sat silently in front of the fireplace.

The two had so much to say, but neither could bring themselves to say it.

The silence lasted for a long time, until a soft knock on the door broke it.

A girl with long, smooth black hair pushed open the door and entered.

She was beautiful, with fair and delicate skin, and a pair of deep blue eyes as beautiful as crystal. She looked somewhat timid.

She was a very well protected girl.

She is Lynn's cousin, Tina Wilson.

"Dad, Mom wants you to come over. She says she has something to tell you," Tina said weakly, leaning against the doorframe.

Anthony stood up, glanced at Lynn, and walked towards the door.

As he reached the door, he patted his daughter on the shoulder.

"Go, talk to your brother Lynn. Don't you always say you want to see him?"

Tina was pushed inside by Anthony.

She sat down on the bench furthest from Lynn, head down, without saying a word.

Lynn broke the silence with a smile: "Tina, it's been a long time. The last time we were together was ten years ago, right? You're all grown up now."

Tina held the water glass in both hands, nodded timidly, and didn't say anything.

The room fell silent again, and Lynn remained silent.

He stared at his calloused hands, rubbing his fingers, reflecting on this turbulent and arduous period of his life.

Twenty-five years ago, he traveled to this world.

The Wilson family had not yet declined at that time.

He had a happy childhood.

Later, the father, who was the head of the family, did not survive the plague, and the mother also passed away soon after.

The second uncle, who hastily became the head of the family, was a playboy who indulged in debauchery.

He squandered the family business.

And so, the Wilson family was devastated by a plague.

Lynn became an orphan, and from then on, she had no more ties.

He longed to venture out and explore the world.

Because this world possesses extraordinary power.

Which man hasn't fantasized about being able to fly to the heavens and dive into the earth, and being omnipotent, before going to sleep?

Lynn was the same; he longed to become strong.

It is said that the only condition to become a superhuman is to experience life and death.

In the moment when you brush past death, the goddess of fate bestows a gift unique to the brave.

He ventured out at fifteen and faced life and death for ten years.

Fate is fickle, and he eventually returned to the place where he started, in a sorry state.

Perhaps... he was born to be just an ordinary person.

Ten years of effort seem to have been worthless.

Lynn stared for a long time at the flickering flames in the fireplace.

Suddenly, Tina's weak voice broke the silence in the room.

"The aunties in the village say you first deserted, then became a bandit, and finally got kicked out of the city by the nobles for lending money... Brother, is all of this true?"

Tina's eyes had become misty with tears.

Her fair skin made her pale red eye circles stand out even more in the dim firelight.

Lynn looked up at her cousin, whom she had grown up with, and her throat tightened.

Taking risks is always met with ridicule, especially after a failure.

Lynn took a deep breath and leaned her head weakly against her forearm, which was resting on the table.

"Those are all baseless rumors..."

Tina choked up a little after receiving the reply. She rubbed her eyes and nodded gently.

"That's great."

Lynn rubbed her hair in frustration, racking her brains for a joke to amuse her cousin and hoping to see her smile again, just like when they were little.

But in the end, Lynn sadly discovered that his ten years of wandering had not only made him look mature and weathered, but had also turned all the jokes in his head into vulgar and obscene ones.

Damn mercenaries, they're so damn vulgar!

Actually, I'm about to get married.

Tina's casual remark struck Lynn's heart like a thunderbolt.

Lynn was somewhat dazed.

Yes, she was only six years old when I left.

Now that she's sixteen, it's time for her to get married.

Lynn asked with some difficulty, "When?"

"Just two weeks later."

"..." Lynn remained silent.

Tina lowered her head, her expression somewhat sad and bewildered.

"I remember when we were little, I always said I wanted to marry my brother. I never imagined that now you'd finally come back, and I'd be getting married too..."

Lynn remained silent for a long time before finally managing to utter a single sentence.

"Have you met that person? Do you like him?"

Tina turned her head to look at the crackling wood burning in the fireplace.

"He passed the trials and will soon become the lord's prospective knight; his family is also very wealthy..."

Lynn fell silent again.

He could tell from Tina's almost pleading eyes that she seemed dissatisfied with the marriage.

But what can he do now?

If he were a superhuman, he could simply cancel the engagement and let his sister marry the person she loved.

But now he is just a failure who has accomplished nothing and has no means of making a living.

There's nothing he can do.

Tina seemed to gradually realize this as well.

Her favorite cousin was no longer the omnipotent hero in her heart, but just a laughing stock in the village.

What could she possibly ask him to do?

She shouldn't continue to embarrass him here.

Tina then slowly rose, curtsied, and left the room.

Lynn sat there, unresponsive for a long time.

It wasn't until much time had passed that he finally let out a long sigh and stood up.

"Get to work."

Lynn picked up the carpenter's tools from the ground.

In the dim firelight, he sculpted the wood by the light of the books.

He needs to make wooden bowls, buckets, and wooden poles—items commonly used by villagers.

You don't need high-level skills, just enough to make a living.

Thanks to his past experience as a mercenary, Lynn had some experience with these kinds of rough jobs.

Soon, he will be carving a wooden bowl.

One cut after another.

Just as he made the last cut, completing the carving of the rough wooden bowl.

A screen of light suddenly appeared in front of him.

[Proficiency +1]

Making a wooden bowl (Level 0, 1/100)

The wooden bowl fell from my hand and bounced twice on the ground.

Lynn was somewhat dazed, unable to believe his eyes.

How absurd!

Ten years of hardship, he faced countless life-or-death situations, but his magic touch never appeared.

Who would have thought that it would suddenly appear at this time?

Lynn's hands trembled slightly, and the smile on his face was somewhat bitter.

"Ten years have passed, and finally... I can continue to grow stronger."