A bird chirped too loudly for Ren Tenkai's liking.
"Ren, wake up already! You'll miss morning training!"
Hana Tenkai's voice rang like a bell as she yanked open the wooden shutters of their humble home.
"Ugh… just five more minutes, Mom…" Ren mumbled, rolling over and hugging his pillow like it was his last defense against the cruel morning sun.
Hana smacked his foot with a slipper. "You said that five minutes ago. Now get up before I summon a wind spell under your blanket again."
"Okay, okay!" he groaned, dragging himself up and rubbing his sleepy eyes.
Their village, nestled in the quiet, misty hills of the Havana Kingdom, wasn't exactly thriving. There were no large machines, just stone houses, magic-run wells, and merchant wagons pulled by enchanted golems. The only technology around was a rusted clock tower that never told the right time.
After breakfast, Ren wandered outside. The cobblestone paths were damp with dew, and flowers swayed lazily under floating lanterns. He bumped—almost literally—into Haruka Ishikawa, who smiled sweetly.
"Still half-asleep, Tenkai-kun?" she teased, brushing her dark bangs from her eyes.
"Hard not to be with my mom launching magic tornadoes at me," he replied, laughing awkwardly. She giggled, the kind of sound that made his heart skip like a badly tuned harp.
Just down the road, his best friend Kobayashi Ryota waved at him, holding two rice buns. "Breakfast part two?"
"Don't mind if I do," Ren said, snatching one and biting in.
They talked about local gossip, training, and magic exams. Then, out of nowhere, Ren's expression turned serious.
"The ruler of Havana… that guy's a demon in human skin."
He didn't say it loudly, but even the birds quieted.
"Worst in our kingdom's history. Magic abuse, unfair laws, and that weird tax on fishing nets? Total tyrant."
Later that night, after reading a boring chapter on magical fungus and eating too much sweet mochi, Ren crashed into bed.
And then... everything changed.
"Ren! Wake up!"
Again?
His mother's voice jolted him, but this time, it sounded... softer. He opened his eyes—and blinked.
The house was unfamiliar.
No, it looked the same, but something was off. The walls had cracks he didn't remember, and the air was colder.
He stumbled to the mirror.
"What the—!?"
His face had matured. His voice deeper. Stubble clung to his jaw. He was no longer 16. He was 21.
Ren's heart raced as he dashed outside.
The village—his village—was unrecognizable. Buildings were shattered, some replaced with stone towers. Roads were cleaner, paved with glowing runes. Familiar faces were gone. Floating sentries patrolled the air.
Magic was everywhere—stronger, sharper, and colder.
He passed a market where a talking cat tried to sell him exploding cucumbers.
"Buy now! Only one soul required!" it meowed.
Ren, dizzy and confused, wandered toward the village square.
There, a woman stood reading a spellbook. Her hair shimmered like obsidian under the sun. Her robes looked royal but enchanted—alive. She turned, locking eyes with him.
He knew her. Tanaka Yui.
But… how?
"You're staring," she said calmly. "Do you remember me yet?"
Ren opened his mouth. No words came.
Trying to steady his thoughts, he ran to the village library, which somehow hadn't changed much. He flipped through a history book, his eyes widening.
"Celestia Kingdom…"
That wasn't right.
It should've said Havana Kingdom. But here, the name was different. Everything was.
Worse, there was no mention of Havana Kingdom at all. No records, no crimes, no sign that a different ruler ever existed. It was like history had been scrubbed clean.
Celestia Kingdom's current ruler was praised for peace, fairness, and magical reforms. Ren felt a chill.
"The same face... but a different history? What happened to the truth?"
He stared at the pages, pulse quickening.
"Am I losing my mind… or did someone rewrite reality itself?"
A librarian golem beside him sneezed and dropped a stack of books.
"Bless you," Ren muttered, still dazed.