Regnum Aetern: Dual Rebirth

In a classroom full of young children sitting quietly and listening to the teacher’s lesson, a boy sat in the seat furthest back next to the window, quietly gazing outside.

His deep, jet-black hair fell somewhat messily over his forehead, almost covering his piercing grey eyes that were watching the outside scenery.

After continuing to stare outside for some time, Adrian turned to look at the one occupying the desk next to him.

It was a young boy, looking about twelve.

With his hair swept to the side neatly and his school uniform spotless without even a single stain, the boy’s appearance made him look like an elite student, especially when the appearance of other children in this class looked too chaotic and messy in comparison.

His eyes remained fixed on the lesson as a smile played on his lips.

This was Adrian’s past self, at the age of twelve.

After looking at him for a bit, Adrian let out a tired sigh.

’This... is a problem.’

It had been two days since Adrian was ’teleported,’ which was a rather concerning fact. That is because the previous two ’teleportations’ had not lasted very long.

The first memory had ended in five to ten minutes, while the second memory had lasted an hour or two at most. But two days had passed, and this memory was showing no signs of ending.

Over the past two days, Adrian had conducted many experiments and learned quite a bit about this ’Earth.’

Just then, the bell rang, drowning the teacher’s voice with its loud metallic ringing.

All the children who were sitting and quietly listening to the lesson stood up together, and the quiet classroom was filled with the buzzing noise of the students.

His past self put his books in his backpack and stood up like the rest of the students.

The teacher’s voice came soon, somewhat louder than before.

"Children, don’t be in such a hurry and leave in order! Make sure not to run in the corridor."

His past self began walking toward the classroom’s exit just like the other children. And because of that, Adrian was soon forced to stand up and follow him because of the pull.

The same pull that he experienced during his previous ’teleportation.’

The children were excited and seemed to be in a hurry to leave, and some even pushed each other to walk ahead. Adrian was also pushed a few times in that chaos.

This was the first thing he had learned. In this world, Adrian was a tangible entity who could affect the world physically and be affected by it in turn.

The children who had accidentally pushed him seemed not to have even realized that they had pushed someone. It was as though Adrian’s existence couldn’t even be registered in their minds.

This was the second thing he had learned. Nobody could perceive him in this world.

If he spoke, nobody would hear it. They won’t register him even if he stood in front of them and blocked their vision. Even changes to the world made by him were almost never perceived by people.

Navigating his way through the crowded hallway filled with children from different classrooms who were all in a hurry to leave, his past self soon exited the school building.

Adrian had learned so many things, but they were all minor in comparison to one fact that he had learned.

His past self walked towards the school’s main entrance.

Just then, he suddenly bumped into a child who ran past him, causing him to trip and fall. His backpack accidentally opened, and the books inside were scattered on the ground.

His past self slowly stood up and brushed the dirt off his uniform.

"Ah, hell. Why was that boy so excited? Well, maybe he couldn’t wait to reunite with his parents?"

With that casual remark, the boy began picking up his books and putting them back in his bag.

Adrian crouched down and picked up a few books as well, holding them out towards his past self.

"Here."

His past self paused, then slowly looked up...

...and met his eyes.

"Ah! It’s you. Thanks a bunch, friend!"

Saying that, his past self grinned. Adrian, meanwhile, nodded expressionlessly.

"It was nothing."

Then his past self began walking like before, and Adrian followed behind.

This was the most significant discovery he had made in the past two days he had spent on this ’Earth.’

He couldn’t interact with any other living being in this world.

...with the exception of his past self.

The boy couldn’t register Adrian’s existence on his own. But he could, if Adrian were to force an interaction. More than that, his past self never seemed to find it strange that Adrian was with him, even when the boy was alone in his room.

This was proof that what he was seeing and experiencing now was not simply a realistic projection of Adrian’s memories. Instead of being memories themselves, it seemed to be something that was created by using his memories as a basis.

The difference was that Adrian had the ability to intervene and make changes, causing the world to deviate from his memories. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

And the key to all that was the boy in front of him, his past self.

’No, calling him past self doesn’t feel right. More like the fake. Yes, I should refer to him that way. Fake.’

Soon, the two of them reached the school’s main entrance. Standing there, The Fake looked around and soon spotted a black car parked on the roadside. The car’s driver noticed him as well and waved.

The Fake waved back with a bright smile and ran towards the car.

Soon, the two of them were sitting inside the car as it drove along the road.

’My guess was really correct; this teleportation proves it.’

Adrian had guessed that these ’teleportations’ were not showing him his past trauma but something else. He had pushed that guess to the back of his mind since he couldn’t be sure after experiencing the ’teleportations’ only twice.

But now Adrian was sure.

These ’teleportations’ had nothing to do with Adrian’s trauma. What they were showing him were memories that had some sort of permanent impact on Adrian’s life or his mind.

There were four such memories. And what Adrian was experiencing now was the first of those memories. It could even be said to be the memory that had changed him the most.

But...

’This... is a problem.’

Unlike the other two, this change had not been immediate; it had happened gradually over the span of several years.

Sitting in the car, Adrian looked at The Fake, who was happily watching the scenery outside through the car’s window.

’There is no way I am going to spend so many years here for no reason.’