I'm having major deja vu. That's because I just got through translating this part of the book into spanish. In an earlier part of the chapter he does say that the real time zone and the etheric are two ways of saying the same thing, only 'etheric' is not descriptive. So, my interpretation to this is:
The etheric and real time zone are essentially the same body, that he names according to the environment they're in (for descriptive purposes)- so the body mind, when expanded and reflected its consciousness into the etheric copy, is called the 'etheric' because it's still in the body- but after ejection, it's then called 'real time body' because it is now located in the real time zone, and as such is independent from the body mind. I.e. he's using the descriptors to show where/what the energy body is perceiving, but the essential body is the same- the 'first' subtle body.
However, I'd advise you ask him you ask him this same question in the 'Ask Robert' section, as he may have a completely different answer.
Another poster (and I'm not sure who it is, but it's someone knowledgeable) has written that the etheric body is just slightly closer to the physical than the real time body, but essentially the same- a subdivision of the same body, so to speak. So take this as you will, I think they're the same in graduations away from physical reality anyway.
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