"What do you mean?"
"As I said before, I can see a person's soul. And the current soul within Arthur's body is that of… Kylrus. Which means, You are Kylrus."
"What the hell are you saying? Didn't I tell you before that I'm from another world? My name is Allen, not Kylrus."
"Names and bodies change overtime, but what remains for eternity is a person's soul. Just because you don't have memories, doesn't mean you're not Kylrus."
Arthur stood there, completely still. His expression slowly stiffened, his mind struggling to process what he had just heard. None of Valthyrix's words made sense to him. It felt as if someone had just told him that his entire existence was false, that everything he believed about himself was a lie.
"Impossible"
"I don't have any reason to lie"
"Then explain more properly."
"I'm not an all knowing God, but my guess is that after dying here you reincarnated in another world, without your memories. But one day you were summoned back to your original world, by Arthur himself."
"And why would he do that? Because of guilt and regret?"
"Hah I told you before, a selfish person like him won't sacrifice himself whatsoever, whether it be out of regret, guilt or even for his best friend's sake."
"You're contradicting yourself"
"Don't make me repeat my previous words, I told you he probably encountered an opportunity, which required someone else to possess his body. I don't know if he knew you are Kylrus or some random person, but whatever might be the reason. It's not favorable to you"
"I can make a few guesses regarding his plans."
"Go back Kylrus, you need some time to process all this. Talk to me when you're composed"
Arthur left the cave and returned to the palace, but everything about him felt different now. The walk back felt longer than usual, his surroundings blurred as his thoughts spiraled uncontrollably.
It was an identity crisis.
Who was he?
Allen? Arthur? Kylrus?
Why was he here?
This wasn't like the transmigration stories he had read in his previous life, where the original soul simply disappeared or died. This was real life. It felt as if he had been placed here intentionally, like a puppet being controlled by the original Arthur.
A lingering fear of the unknown began to grow within him.
At the same time, a strange, burning desire of revenge surfaced
But even that felt confusing, because despite everything, he still perceived Kylrus as someone else. Accepting such a massive truth in a single moment was impossible. His mind resisted it, clinging to what it already knew.
He sat on his bed, holding his head tightly, as if trying to stop his thoughts from tearing him apart.
"Arthur!"
Seraphina suddenly entered the room without knocking, her expression tense.
"This is bad, the eastern region has rebelled! All the nobles and peasants of the east have turned against the throne, led by Grand Duke Erwin… they have teamed up with the southern region and have built a massive army, and it seems they also have a dragon. Even a few nobles of the central region have fled to the East"
"Are you listening?"
Arthur didn't respond.
He remained seated on his bed, his fingers digging into his hair as he clutched his head. Seraphina's words reached him, but he ignored them
The weight of his identity crisis overshadowed everything else.
The continent of Eldrosia, ruled by the Drakenhart family, was divided into five regions: north, south, east, west, and central. The central region was under direct control of the royal family, while the other regions were governed by Grand Dukes. These Grand Dukes held the highest authority after the Emperor, each ruling over an entire region with significant autonomy.
The eastern region was the largest among them. It was ruled by Grand Duke Erwin, a man who had recently killed the Grand Duke of the South and claimed control over both territories. Now, he effectively ruled over nearly half of the empire.
His rebellion was clearly not sudden. It was the result of years of planning.
In a massive mansion located in the eastern region, a figure stepped out onto a wide stone balcony overlooking a large gathering below. The structure itself was grand and imposing, reflecting both wealth and power.
The man who stepped out had grayish-black hair, slightly disheveled, and eyes that appeared empty at first glance. Yet beneath that emptiness lay something deeper. His presence alone carried weight, the kind that could only come from surviving countless battles.
As he walked forward, the crowd below fell silent for a moment before erupting into cheers. Hundreds of peasants stood gathered, their faces filled with anticipation and admiration.
They looked at him as if he was their savior.
He raised his hand slowly.
"The proud people of Eldrosia! We won't tolerate the tyrant Caelus Drakenhart as our emperor anymore!"
"We will gain our rightful freedom and show him the true power of unity!"
"LONG LIVE KING ERWIN!"
"LONG LIVE OUR LORD ERWIN!"
The chants grew louder, echoing through the air with overwhelming intensity.
The devotion of the people was absolute.
His face carried confidence, even righteousness. He appeared like a leader who truly believed in his cause.
But his eyes told a different story, they revealed something broken.
'Caelus… How long has it been? 27 years? I've waited so long for this, you will soon regret keeping me alive after what you did…'
Painful memories resurfaced in his mind