"How can you not know what dating is? How did you manage the feat of losing that much memory?!" Yumi said.
"Arthur" scratched his head and let out a small laugh. He was clearly uncomfortable.
"Well… sorry for not knowing that, Yumi. I'm really sorry. I ended up losing all my memories." "Arthur's" eyes trembled.
Seeing that, Yumi took long steps forward, grabbed her beloved's hand, and with her emerald eyes shining intensely, said, "Together… we will recover your memories!"
"Arthur" nodded.
Letting go of his hands, Yumi turned away, slightly blushing in embarrassment. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she said, "I-I… I'll go get your food!"
Walking toward the door, she opened it and looked back at her boyfriend.
"Stay here! While I go get your food, okay?"
"Sure, I'll stay here."
As the door closed, he lay back down on the bed.
Closing his eyes, everything turned black.
Suddenly, the sound of explosions, desperate screams, and heavy roars echoed.
He looked at his arm, which was covered in icy threads. No—those weren't ice threads. They were parasite-like antennas.
Raising his head, he saw a massive being clad in blue armor. Its limbs were wrapped in those antennas, blood dripping down the strands.
For some reason, he wanted to tighten his grip more and more. Seeing that being's blood brought him immense pleasure.
A strange excitement surged within him. A dark smile appeared on his pale face.
The giant being groaned in increasing pain, its blood flowing thicker and heavier.
Suddenly, the ground began to be consumed by ice.
The area beneath his feet started to tremble as the white, pure ground rose upward.
It kept rising until he could no longer see the ground below. The blue threads vanished along with the antennas on his arm—his robe returned to its place.
When it finally stopped, Arthur fell flat on his backside.
Around him, white mist enveloped the dark, cold space.
Standing up, he took a step forward as the mist ahead began to dissipate. A figure resembling an emperor came into view—but the throne he sat upon was nothing more than a simple chair.
His skin was pale. His ice-made armor and floating, cracked crown were smeared with blood. His arms were covered in antennas.
His expression was serious, weary, and broken.
"Could this be something that reflects my past? A fallen Emperor?"
"Your name is 'Arthur,' right?" the Fallen Emperor asked.
Arthur nodded.
"Y-yes… my name is Arthur. And who are you?"
Closing his eyes and laughing melancholically, he said, "My name is… Poul!"
"That name feels so… familiar!"
"Doesn't that name sound familiar, 'Arthur'?"
At that moment, Arthur stepped back, sweat sliding down his face.
"H-h-how… do you kn—"
"How do I know? That's simple!" Taking two steps forward, Poul continued. "Because I am you, Arthur!"
White eyes pierced straight through Arthur's pupils.
"Do you know what that means, Arthur?"
"N-no!"
"It means that damn elf lied to you." Grabbing the collar of Arthur's robe, he snarled. "You never knew her. She's going to sell you as a slave—or even kill you. A failure like you…"
Arthur shook his head as Poul spat harsh words at him.
The arm gripping Arthur's collar began to dissolve into white particles.
"…shouldn't even be alive," Poul said, before evaporating completely.