"Huh, what did you say?" Rey asked Aiden as he stepped out of his class and into one of the bathrooms on his floor.
"I'm saying that your friend is no longer in this world," Aiden repeated, his words sending a shiver through Rey as he recalled Evan's escape during the fight, while all the other thugs were killed before they could act.
And the others had nothing to do with Evan, so why would they kill him?
"Then where is his body now? I will recover it and perhaps bury him to soothe his soul," Rey said, his voice trembling.
"What are you talking about? When did I say he was dead?" Aiden asked, confused by the boy's emotional reaction.
"Oh wait, kid, do you think I said your friend is no more? I meant he's not in this world anymore," Aiden clarified, realizing the conversation had turned into a big misunderstanding.
"Huh, you mean he's neither here nor dead?" Rey asked, his shaking subsiding slightly.
"What I mean is that he was teleported to another world, one that's not in this cosmos. There's no way to bring him back until you're strong enough to travel between multiverses," Aiden explained Evan's fate.
"Everything will be explained when you're stronger. When does a character ever learn everything before they become stronger? It's the same for me," he mused, likening his situation to a manga protagonist who must grow strong enough to uncover secrets.
"It's not about that, but kid, you're not ready to know the secrets of the world; it could damage your soul," Aiden cautioned, as Rey flinched, recalling the pain in his soul. He remembered Aiden telling him that the pain he felt during the bond formation was his soul bonding, and that was harmless. Yet, it caused so much pain. A real injury to his soul would be fatal.
"And yes, if you're wondering how the boy was transported to another world, it was due to an artifact located in the factory where we were fighting. The kid, Evan—if my intuition is correct—was there to use the teleportation device. I believe after fleeing, he stumbled upon it and escaped, as Zero and I sensed spatial fluctuations in the area," he explained, believing the information was crucial to prevent future misunderstandings.
"Huh, but how would he know about such a thing, and why only now? He could have left a long time ago," Rey pondered aloud, reflecting on Aiden's words.
"I think the dreams he was having, the ones he told you all about, were real and memories of his past life, which he's now recalling," Aiden theorized.
"But how would he know about the artifact he escaped with?" Rey inquired, convinced that Evan's previous life wouldn't hold such knowledge.
"The only conclusion is that he's a Reincarnated Soul from the future." Aiden stated, leaving both in silence thereafter.
"Huh what did you say." Rey said as he finally broke the silence.
"A reincarnated soul from the future is one who has traveled back in time to correct the mistakes that led to their demise..." Aiden was explaining when Rey interrupted him.
"Wait, I know what it is, but what do you mean by 'he is reincarnated'? I don't recall him acting like he returned from that time in class, nor did he ever mention it, nor has his behavior changed as depicted in those manga or novels," Rey interjected, still perplexed.
"Life is not a novel or manga, and while the concepts of isekai and reincarnation are real, only the elite can accomplish such feats. Only certain high-ranked treasures can facilitate such extensive time travel without any damage to the soul, and behavioral changes can be concealed," Aiden retorted, growing increasingly frustrated with the boy's references to novels in every serious conversation.
"Okay, sorry, but seriously, Evan was a returnee from the future and never told us? If I find out that's true, be ready to face my wrath for hiding such an amazing thing," he said, his anger rising.
"Hey, nerdy boy in the right-side stall, would you end your call and let me sit for a minute? You can chat with your nerdy friend outside and not disturb everyone else here," a voice demanded from his right as other students knocked on the wall, embarrassing him. He left the restroom quietly, covering his face with his hand, fearful of being seen and becoming the subject of rumors, not remembering that today was his last day at school.
"Okay, so I have to at least go to his place to tell his landlord to offer his room to someone else. It will help someone without a home to find a more affordable apartment," he said as he walked towards his classroom.
He arrived at his class door where James was already waiting for him outside.
"Huh, James, what are you doing here, and why aren't you in your class? I remember your homeroom teacher is quite strict," he asked as he approached him.
"Oh, you're finally here," James said upon seeing him.
"You really don't know anything, do you?" James remarked, noticing Rey's confusion.
"Yes, I was on leave for two days," Rey replied, maintaining a straight face.
"Okay, so the thing is, yesterday our teacher informed us that today would not be a study day. Instead, we were only to receive information about the exams, and then our classes would be dismissed for a half-day," James explained, recounting the previous day's events.
"Oh, that's why the kids seem so relaxed in class today," Rey realized, recalling that the students appeared unusually free compared to other days, though he had grasped a bit of the situation even without James's explanation.
"And what was it you said last in the classroom? And please, stop making that face," James said, clearly annoyed by Rey's expression, which he found cringeworthy, especially since it was a face Rey used to make in his past, which had suited him then but not now.
"So, I was suggesting that we visit his house after school," Rey stated, straightening his face, while James nodded, showing his approval of the idea.