Arthur Grimwood's new life began with the simplest, yet most important of acts—his naming.
"Let's call him Arthur," Alice said, her voice soft but determined as she cradled the newborn in her arms. Her blue eyes sparkled with affection as she lovingly gazed at the warm, rosy cheeks of her child.
"I like the sound of that, Alice!"
Frederick Grimwood, a broad-shouldered man with calloused hands, grinned as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. Despite the rustic appearance of their cottage and humble circumstances, his pride in their small family was evident.
Arthur's tiny body stirred in his parents embrace. Inside, however, his mind raced.
Arthur Grimwood?
The name echoed in his thoughts, proving the reality that he was, in fact, reincarnated. He had read many similar webtoons, however experiencing it firsthand was overwhelming.
For the first time in his life, Arthur had a sense of gratitude.
I really am sorry, mom and dad. I have been reincarnated in a new world, and this time I will make the most of it.
This was his second chance.
...
Weeks had passed, and Arthur's sharp mind had take note of his surroundings. The Grimwoods lived in a modest cottage nestled within the edge of a dense forest.
The thatched roof leaked when it rained, and the furniture held markings showing years of wear. Yet, the cottage was filled with a charming warmth—Alice's gentle humming as she cooked over the hearth, and Frederick's low, stead voice recounting tales of his youth as an adventurer.
Whenever Alice took him on a walk, Arthur's senses tingled at the soft smell of wood and earthen land outside.
From his small, wooden crib near the window, Arthur could see glimpses of the outside world: tall trees that swayed in the breeze, the occasional rabbit darting through the underbrush, and, in the distance, the faint outline of a village. Despite their unpretentious and muted lifestyle, the Grimwoods seemed content.
Arthur, however, was more intrigued by something entirely different—the systesm that had appeared shortly after his birth. It was eerily similar to the RPG interfaces he had once obsessed over:
[System]
[Name]: Arthur Grimwood
[Level]: 0 (0/100 exp)
[Guild Rank]: Only Available With Academy Certificate
[Military Rank]: Only Available After Reaching Platinum Guild Rank
[Physical Skills]: Only Available After Reaching Level 5
[Aether Skills]: Only Available After Reaching Level 5
[Class]: ERROR
[Stats]:
Strength: 1
Speed: 1
Aether: 5
Intelligence: 12
...
Throughout the following weeks, Arthur stared at the interface whenever he could, analyzing every detail. The "ERROR" beside his class gnawed at him, as he knew for sure that it wasn't a normal occurrence in this world.
Based on his previous knowledge of RPGs, this usually meant there was a hidden or completely broken class, but he could only hope as he had no way of figuring it out.
He noted the requirements for unlocking guild and military ranks, his curiosity piqued.
An academy certificate? Platinum rank?
Arthur mused. This world's structure seemed far more intricate than any game he'd played. The high intelligence and Aether stat intrigued him, hinting at a potential affinity for some sort of magic, though he couldn't confirm anything yet.
As he pieced together information, Arthur's observations about his new parents deepened:
Alice was kind and nurturing, with a hint of determination that suggested she had faced her share of hardships.
Frederick, though rough around the edges, was like a strong, iron-willed guardian, showing his trait of being a quiet, earnest protector that made Arthur respect him immensely.
They were a stark contrast to his distant parents in his previous life, although he missed them often, and Arthur found himself cherishing their small acts of love.
...
Life as an infant was frustrating for someone with a fully developed mind. Arthur's attempts to move his tiny limbs often ended in failure. His efforts to communicate were met with cooing responses, much to his irritation. Despite this, he began to pick up snippets of the local language from Alice and Frederick's conversations, aided by the system's earlier auto-translation.
One evening, as Alice rocked him gently in her arms, Frederick returned from the village with news.
"The elder's concerned," he said, setting down a small sack of supplies. "The soil enchantments aren't holding like they used to. Crops are struggling, and there's talk of hiring a mage adventurer to investigate." Arthur's ears perked up.
Magic? Enchantments?
His excitement grew, but he could do little more than listen for now. Based on his father's frequent visits to the village, he pieced together that Aether, the stat on the system interface, was used to inflict some sort of enchantment which allowed the village crops to grow at a much faster pace. However, something had been disrupting the enchantment, which was why a mage had been called to figure out the issue.
...
A week later, as Frederick prepared for another trip to the village, Arthur noticed something unusual.
A faint hum filled his mind, soft at first, like a distant whisper. Slowly, it grew louder, escalating into a deafening roar that sent shockwaves of pain through his tiny body. The sensation was unlike anything he had ever experienced—a suffocating weight pressing against his thoughts, threatening to shatter them.
[Warning: Aether containment is unst-
FIND THE KING OF THE OCCULT
The system notification flashed before him, startling him. Arthur's infant body tensed, his tiny fists clenching as he tried to make any sense of the message. His eyes darted around the room, but nothing was out of the ordinary.
Frederick, oblivious to Arthur's internal alarm, kissed Alice on the cheek and stepped out the door.
"I'll be back by sundown. Keep the door locked," he said firmly.
Alice nodded, but Arthur could sense the unease in her posture as she watched him leave.
...
As the door closed, Arthur's thoughts raced.
Unstable Aether containment? Is it dangerous? What should I do?
From this notification, Arthur could assume that the system was in place to contain Aether, a dangerous yet helpful element, making his skin crawl.
However, the King of the Occult? He couldn't begin to image what kind of force could have caused that kind of pain within him.
It felt like my head was about to implode into a billion pieces.
For now, he could only wait and observe, his mind buzzing with questions about the world he had been reborn into.
This is just the beginning, he thought as determination welled up within him.
I'll uncover everything about this place, no matter what it takes.