Truth and Acceptance

Rex's heart raced as they walked the path back home from the now-canceled birthday party. He felt the weight of his memories pressing upon him, the knowledge he carried that he couldn't share with anyone else. It had been an awkward, quiet walk, for Gamgee had noticed the subtle changes in Rex. He was more mature, his eyes carried a depth of knowledge beyond his years, and his every movement seemed imbued with newfound wisdom. Rex couldn't hide this transformation from his grandfather, no matter how hard he tried, and the silence between them grew heavier with every step.

Gamgee's thoughts mirrored his own. He knew Rex was different, but the nuances, the way he held himself, the spark in his eyes, those remained unchanged. It was a perplexing combination of concern and relief, knowing that the child he had raised was still there, albeit in a slightly different form. Gamgee realized that he would have to wait, to give Rex the time he needed to reveal the truth when he was ready.

As they entered their home, Bag End, the moment of reckoning approached. Rex couldn't bear to live a life of deception, especially not in front of his loving grandfather. His heart was set on revealing the truth, and he finally mustered the courage to speak.

"Grandpa," Rex began, his voice trembling with anxiety, "can we talk?"

Gamgee abruptly stilled and turned to look at him, a mixture of hesitance and anticipation in his eyes. He nodded. "Of course."

They moved to the living room, and both sat in their respective rock chairs, facing each other. Rex was fidgety and tense, sitting on the edge of his chair, his fingers dancing nervously.

For what felt like hours, Rex grappled with his emotions, trying to find the right words. Gamgee, patient as always, waited silently. Finally, Rex gathered his courage and began to speak.

"Grandpa, I have something important to tell you," Rex confessed. "It's going to sound unbelievable, but I need you to listen and trust me."

Gamgee nodded, his eyes fixed on his grandson.

Taking a deep breath, Rex launched into his story. He told Gamgee about his past life, his rebirth into this world, and his newfound knowledge. He carefully omitted any mention of the Observer, constellations, and the system, knowing that such revelations couldn't be disclosed without dire consequences.

He rambled on for hours, his words pouring out like a river, and Gamgee listened stoically and impassively. Rex's anxiety grew as he wondered if his grandfather believed him or if he thought Rex had gone mad.

Desperation clawed at him, and he begged, "Grandpa, please believe me. I'm still your grandson. I didn't kill or replace Rex. I swear it."

At that moment, Gamgee's features morphed into a look of shock, and tears welled up in his eyes. Rex watched in despair, fearing that his grandfather had broken down, mourning for the loss of his original grandson.

Rex felt like he was about to have a panic attack when he realized that he was enveloped in a warm and comforting embrace. Gamgee had pulled him close, holding him tightly.

Rex couldn't help but ask, "But... why?"

Gamgee, his voice soft and filled with emotion, replied, "I'm not upset that you're a reincarnate, Rex. I'm upset that you'd ever doubt my love for you or think I wouldn't recognize you. No matter what form you appear in front of me, you will always be my grandchild. I'd be a failure as a grandfather if I couldn't see that."

A wave of relief washed over Rex, and he managed to gather himself, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He gave his grandfather a tearful smile, grateful for the acceptance and understanding he had received.

Gamgee's expression turned more serious, and he spoke, "Rex, while I accept you for who you are, I must warn you that not everyone in this world would be as understanding. Many villagers wouldn't comprehend the intricacies of magic and the miracles it can have on the soul. So, we must be cautious."

Rex nodded solemnly and vowed, "I won't tell anyone in this world about this, Grandpa. You're the only one I trust."

Gamgee, unable to resist teasing his grandson, said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "Well, don't be too quick to say that, Rex. You never know when you might meet your future 'lover.'"

Rex raised an eyebrow, amused. "I don't think I could be attracted to anyone my age," he replied, grinning.

Gamgee chuckled and continued, "Ah, but you haven't seen some of the 'busty' women in this world, especially the wizards. You might change your mind."

Rex laughed, shaking his head. "I think your wife might crawl out of her grave if she heard you say that!"

Gamgee's eyes twinkled with mischief as he got an idea. He knelt down and reached into his cloak, pulling out something special. "Well, it's a bit late, but happy birthday, Rex."

Rex's eyes widened as he saw the beautiful hand-carved magic wand that Gamgee presented to him. It was similar to his grandfather's staff but smaller and perfectly suited for him. Overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, Rex lunged at his grandfather and embraced him.

"Thank you, Grandpa! This is amazing!" Rex exclaimed.

Once Rex had calmed down from his excitement, Gamgee's curiosity got the best of him. He asked, "So, Rex, what kind of magic did you awaken?"

Rex couldn't help but chuckle and replied, "It's the kind of transformation magic that surpasses ordinary transformation magic!"

Gamgee's eyes widened in pleasant surprise, and he couldn't contain his excitement. "Hahaha! What a coincidence! Good! We'll start your training first thing tomorrow!"

After exchanging goodnight wishes, Rex headed to his bedroom. As he lay in bed, he knew there was work to be done, but he also felt an overwhelming sense of love and acceptance from his grandfather. It was a moment he would treasure, knowing that no matter what form he took, he was always recognized and cherished by the man who had raised him with unwavering love.

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Rex POV

As I was lying on my bed in Bag End, the comfortable warmth of my cozy room enveloped me. It was a peculiar feeling, knowing that I could potentially talk to someone even in my private moments, just by thinking about it. So, I mentally called for Light, the observer. He materialized in front of me, and before I could even begin, he assured me that our conversation would remain between us, hidden from anyone else's sight.

"Show me my template," I requested. Light nodded, and a profile of my template, Grey, appeared before me:

- Name: Unknown

- Alias: Grey

- Magic: Transmutation Magic

- Age: 26

- Height: 159 cm

- Blood Type: AB

- Eyes: Light Grey

- Hair: Blue

- Country: Clover Kingdom

- Occupation: Magic Knight

- Squad: Black Bull

- Progress: 0%

I raised an eyebrow at the "0%" progress. "What does '0%' mean?" I asked.

Light explained, "You won't receive all the powers of synchronized characters right away. Over time, as you improve and learn their magic and 'act' like them, you will increase your progress. When it reaches 100%, you will gain all their abilities, including intelligence, wisdom, magic, physical strength, and more."

With a keen interest in learning more, I inquired about the "ding" sound that followed.

Light inwardly smiled and revealed the details of the achievement: "Congratulations on finishing your first side mission titled 'Journey's Beginning'. The description is: 'Awaken mana and fuse with your first template.' Your reward is a completion ticket (legendary) x1 and one Charmy's Cupcake (Uncommon) x1."

I was surprised by the rarity of the completion ticket but decided to first inquire about Charmy's Cupcake. "What does the Charmy's Cupcake do?"

The system clarified, "It's a mana recovery resource. In Earthland, unlike in the Black Clover verse, where everyone is born with magic, people must awaken their magic. Earthland residents aren't as dependent on magic and won't die like those in Black Clover if their mana is depleted. So, the Charmy's Cupcake is designed to help you recover your magic quickly when you need it."

I pledged not to waste the resource and carefully stored the cupcake in my inventory for safekeeping.

Next, I noticed something else in my inventory, and I decided to investigate it further. I pulled out a peculiar three-leaf grimoire, much like the one Grey used to wield. It felt as if it was linked to my soul.

I examined the grimoire, realizing that it was thin and mostly blank. "Is it so thin because I have 0% progress on Grey's template?" I guessed.

Light confirmed my guess. "That's right. It's essentially empty now, and as you increase your synchronization, new spells will appear."

With my curiosity piqued, I asked about the legendary completion ticket's purpose. "What does the legendary completion ticket do?"

Light sounded alarmed, warning me to use it sparingly. He explained that it would allow me to instantly reach 100% synchronization with any one template of any rarity. As he frantically emphasized not to waste it on a "rare" template, I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

Without heeding Light's warnings, I elaborated on my reasoning. "The reason I chose to draw templates instead of pursuing my own path in magic is because I realized that I am currently very weak and vulnerable. I don't know what kind of quests <Orion > might issue, and undertaking one without being prepared could be suicidal. Besides, Grey isn't an attack mage, and I need to bond with another template."

Unperturbed by Light's chiding, I announced my intention to use the legendary completion ticket on Grey. As I mentally confirmed my decision, my template's progress shot up to 100%, and I could sense a significant boost in my physical and magical power.

The three-leaf grimoire that had been empty moments ago now began to rapidly flip through pages, inscribing spells into them.

The system then chimed again to acknowledge my achievement. "Congratulations on finishing the side quest titled 'First Steps' with the description: 'Completely fuse with 1 template.' Your reward is Charmy's Cupcake (Uncommon) x2 and a Bond Ticket (Rare) x1."

I swiftly utilized the rare bond ticket and began the draw. After a few seconds of anticipation, a new template appeared before me, and my excitement turned into a mix of frustration and incredulity. The template I had drawn was for none other than Magna Swing!

I couldn't help but exclaim in protest, "Magna as rare? Seriously, how can someone like him, who arguably has one of the greatest trump cards in Black Clover, be just a rare template?"

Light calmly explained, "Templates' rarity is determined by various factors, such as Strength, Magic Power, Popularity, Wisdom, and Achievements. While Magna excels in the latter three categories, his strength and magic power are subpar compared to higher-ranked mages. He is simply balanced out by his unique abilities. This is also why characters like 'Fraudgoleon' are also rated as rare."

In my mind, Magna was a heroic character, and I couldn't accept that he was considered just "rare" by the system. Light's indifferent response only fueled my determination. "Well, it doesn't matter what the system thinks. In my book, Magna is definitely a heroic character."

Ignoring Light's crude comment, I continued with my plan, setting up my new bond with Magna. However, to my relief, I didn't experience the same pain I'd felt when bonding with Grey. Light clarified that the initial pain was necessary due to the body reformation required for mana.

After successfully bonding with Magna, the system chimed again, acknowledging my achievement. "Congratulations on finishing the side quest titled 'Before 1, now 2!' with the description: 'Bond with a second template.' Your reward is Charmy's Cupcake (Uncommon) x1 and a Bond Ticket (Uncommon) x1."

Feeling accomplished, I acknowledged the system notifications and, with everything now settled, I prepared myself for the challenges that awaited me on the morrow.