6 What the hell is happening?(3)

"You all must remember this," echoed a commanding voice that stirred me from my slumber.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, only to be greeted by a woman in her thirties with striking red eyes and a cascade of spiral hair. She stood confidently on a massive stage, positioned at the heart of an enormous auditorium.

Her words resonated through the space, addressing the thousands of individuals seated before her. With a single glance, I could discern that the auditorium was brimming with more than two thousand attendees, yet it appeared sparsely filled, a testament to the grandeur of the building. In fact, it could accommodate ten thousand people at the very least.

"You are all the heroes who would lead the future generation of the great Mauryan Empire," she declared, her voice carrying a weight of responsibility.

As I surveyed the scene, something about it felt eerily familiar. The monotonous speech, the sea of children in similar uniforms attentively listening—it all seemed like déjà vu.

"And with that title comes the responsibility that you all must bear, you have to protect the great Mauryan from all the external and internal threats"

"That is your calling and duty as the citizen of great Mauryan"

A sense of recognition stirred within me, leading me to doubt if this was reality or a vivid dream.

"It doesn't matter if it is out of duty or due to personal gain..."

This boring speech and the children wearing similar uniforms listening to it attentively...

It all seemed familiar.

"Please remember, wherever you are or how powerful you may get, at the end of the day you are the children born in the bosom of the great Mauryan, and protecting this land is your obligation"

Familiar to the extent that I doubted if I was dreaming.

"Welcome all the freshmen who have joined us and become the sons and daughters of the great Freljord Academy"

Wait a minute...Freljord Academy?!!

"As you all know, this academy has a long history of 500 years..."

Ah! Now that I remember it, doesn't this scene feel too familiar to the freshman welcoming ceremony when I attended the Freljord Academy?

"We provide the best education with state-of-the-art training and well-informed lecturers...."

'...'

As I looked around, I was pretty sure that it was the same scene from what little I could remember.

The boring lecturer, enthusiastic children, the uniform, Mr. Kill Joy who was annoyed at the fact that he had to be present listening to this boring and useless speech.

There was no doubt about it!

It was the same day when I arrived at the Academy of Geniuses, Freljord for the first time!

"What the f*ck is happening??!!!"

***

As my eyes widened, I took in the appearance of my current body—a young physique that defied its mere fourteen years. Cascading black hair framed my face, complementing the enigmatic presence conveyed by my deep, piercing eyes.

"This...!" I whispered in disbelief, startled by the realization that this body bore an uncanny resemblance to my former self.

The freshman welcoming ceremony concluded, and the other students began to follow the instructions to receive their dorm keys from their assigned teachers. Meanwhile, I remained rooted in place, standing before the academy building with a bewildered expression.

"This scene... It's exactly the same as the day of Freljord Academy's entrance ceremony."

Today, on the 14th day of the month of the Snake, in the 300th year according to the calendar of Chronos, Freljord Academy held its freshman welcoming ceremony for the 149th batch. And within that batch, I, Eren Pendragon, the firstborn of the Pendragon family, had found my place.

"Everything is the same as I remember," I mused, taking note of the students bustling around—the green-haired girl stumbling over a small stone, the brawny but dim-witted young man wandering aimlessly, the arrogant blond displaying his father's wealth.

It was all the same as I remember.

But questions plagued my mind. What had happened to the battle? The monster I fought? Was this all just a dream?

I distinctly recalled leaping off the cliff after ingesting the mysterious artifact found in its pouch. Vague memories of cryptic words flashed before me.

"I'm certain I died," I murmured, recalling the sensation of losing my arm for the second time.

"Could it be... regression?" I pondered aloud, searching for a plausible explanation. Yet, I knew of no magic capable of turning back time. Even the most powerful archmages, who had reached the 8th circle, couldn't perform such a feat.

"Then, this must be..."

Only one explanation seemed viable, even if fantastical in nature.

"This is a dream!" I exclaimed, considering the possibility. After all, I was just an ordinary human, not some protagonist in a random novel destined for rebirth.

-pinch

To test my theory, I pinched myself, hoping to awaken from this bewildering experience. Yet, the sensation of pain was all too real. 

-Slap

I slapped myself as hard as I could and was about to bite my arm when I realized this was not a dream.

The pain was too real for that.

"So, did I truly get reborn?" I questioned, grappling with the implications of such a notion. My lost arm had miraculously returned, a testament to the second chance I seemed to have been granted.

'My beautiful and muscular right arm!'

"Rebirth," I whispered, contemplating the concept that had once seemed like a wild imagination. Now, standing before the very institution that had cast me out in my past life, on the very day I had entered as a freshman.

I, as a person who had suffered throughout my life also thought it was a wild man's imagination, but...

I couldn't explain the memories running through my head if it isn't rebirth.

I remember swallowing the artifact that the monster was holding on to and there are even faint memories of some bluish text that appeared before me.

"What brought me back...?" I wondered, touching my stomach instinctively, only to realize the absurdity of my actions.

It was clear that something extraordinary had occurred when I ingested the artifact snatched from the monster's grip. But was it the artifact's doing? Was it even an artifact to begin with?

The memories of the bluish text that materialized before me added to the mystery. I strained to recall every detail, but the fragments were elusive, slipping through my grasp like a mirage.

"In any case, whatever the cause may be..." I trailed off, determination igniting within me. 

The Pendragon family which still stood tall...

My father, mother, and family who were still living happily...

The Mauryan empire which still hasn't fallen...

My master who is at the neighbor kingdom...

And all my past-life comrades who are still living in some part of the world...

"I will ensure their safety," I declared with unwavering conviction, sparing only my virginity as a sacrifice.

This time, I would safeguard everything else.

---***---