Chapter 8: Real or Fake?
Jaden looked around the hall as he thought of where he was. Soon, he remembered that he was within the hall of the Church.
’Church? What church?’
"Gold." A heavy voice resounded from beside him. Jaden turned his head to look at who it was and questioned.
’Who is this- Ah, The Curator... Who?’
He suddenly felt his body go cold; every heartbeat resonated within him like a gunshot. He knew everyone here; at the same time, he knew no one here.
He knew two lives, one in which he was an orphan and used to do photography challenges for his social media followers... and he was quite good at it. In the second, he was never an orphan; instead, he was the son of the mayor of Nightshade City, he had a beautiful fiancée, and right now he was taking part in his awakening ceremony.
He didn’t know what was reality and what was an illusion, but he did know that he had died in his first life, so how was he even alive- ah, I transmigrated... but is that even possible? What if all of that was an illusion? Was his life as the son of the mayor his true life?
He stepped down from the platform with a blank expression, and the crowd murmured about him as they looked at him with hidden jealousy; many were already envious of him, but now that envy had turned up a notch.
His steps weren’t as graceful as before, but they had a slight wild charm in them; his whole demeanour appeared different from before he had walked upon the platform.
Navin looked at him with a wide grin as he stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
"Of course, you obtained a gold grimoire... as expected of you, Jaden."
Jaden, who was still burdened by the thoughts of his true and fake life, replied meekly.
"Mhm."
Navin raised an eyebrow and looked at Jaden with a worried expression. He let go of the hug and grabbed him by the shoulders as he asked.
"Is everything alright?"
Jaden finally looked at him and nodded before replying.
"Yes... I just need some time to think."
Navin looked in his eyes for a few moments before nodding.
"Alright."
Jaden gave him a forced smile as he stepped forward and reached Selina. She stepped forward to greet him, but he walked right past her as he made his way out.
She raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a frown as she mumbled.
"What happened to him? Is it finally happening?"
She turned and looked at Navin as she questioned.
"Do you think the same?"
Navin heaved a sigh and nodded.
"I do..."
"Get the others." She added as she followed Jaden, who was about to step out of the church.
Jaden had a blank look on his face as he walked out of the church. He looked around him with confusion-filled eyes. He didn’t know what was real and what was an illusion, but he did know that he had to find the answer to it as soon as he could.
He moved his hand in his pocket and took out his camera. He stared at it with a bittersweet smile as he mumbled.
"You are always with me... Huh? I don’t think there are supposed to be cameras in this city."
"So it must mean my first life is the real one... but is it truly? What if... this too was an illusion?"
He knew he was being paranoid about everything, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Finding out that the people you considered your family, your friends, your subjects were nothing more than an illusion isn’t an easy pill to swallow. Jaden was being told just to do that.
He let out a defeated sigh as he sat on the nearby bench and stared at his camera.
"Staring at that box again?" a soft voice asked from behind him.
Jaden turned to look who it was and found Selina standing there. He smiled forcefully to hide his dilemma and answered.
"Miss Selina, I don’t think I can join you today."
She looked at him and blinked her eyes a few times as she questioned with a frown.
"You don’t remember?"
He also frowned at her question and asked in a confused tone.
"What am I supposed to reme-"
He suddenly stopped in his words and thought of a possibility that made the most and the least sense at the same time.
’Don’t tell me...’
"I see... Let’s wait for others, then."
"Others?"
"Hmm, you really don’t remember."
Right at that moment, three figures walked towards them as they chattered within themselves.
"Did he really wake up?"
"I believe so..."
"About the damn time."
Jaden turned towards the voices with curiosity and saw Arden, Jamie, and Navin walking towards them. His eyes widened as he remembered that all of these people had met him and befriended him in his second life as the son of the mayor.
As the trio reached both of them, they stopped and looked at Jaden with curious eyes.
Navin stepped forward and called out.
"Jaden."
Jaden lifted his head and looked into Navin’s eyes and asked...
"What’s going on, Navin?"
Navin frowned and turned towards Selina. He looked at her with a questioning look. Selina shrugged under his gaze and held Jaden’s hand. Jaden let her do that... he felt safe when he held her hand.
Navin shook his head and heaved a sigh as he added.
"Let us move somewhere else."
"What about the cafe a few streets away?" Arden suggested with a cheerful voice as he looked at Navin with his bright yellow eyes.
"Tch... Why do you like sweets so much?" Jamie added with a look that bordered on disgust.
Arden looked at him and smiled widely as he answered.
"Hehe... I just have a sweet tooth, I guess?"
Navin shook his head at their nonsense and added strictly.
"No, we should go to the mayor’s mansion to talk, as she is there."