"...Aeloria?"

The name slipped from his lips before he could stop it as the world around him seemed to freeze for a moment.

HUH?

The elf woman’s eyes widened, a flicker of recognition and overwhelming emotion crossing her face as she stared at him.

Her silver hair swayed gently as she slowly stood up and her eyes moistened with tears.

"Irakiel...?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief and longing. "Is it really you?"

Klein’s heart pounded in his chest as memories from his past life flooded back.

Aeloria... the woman who loved him, followed him, and ultimately sacrificed herself on the battlefield because she couldn’t bear a world without him.

"It’s me," he replied as he took another step closer.

"Aeloria..." his voice softened in lingering disbelief "how are you here? In this world? As an elf?"

Aeloria let out a soft, shaky laugh, tears streaming down her cheeks as she closed the distance and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

*thud* The force of the hug caught him off guard, sending both of them stumbling before they fell together onto the soft grass below.

Klein hugged her back fiercely, his arms wrapping around her slender body as he held her close.

Aeloria’s body trembled against him, her hair spilling across his chest as she buried her face in his shoulder, her voice trembling with years of grief and longing.

Her fingers clutched at his back, digging into his clothes as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go.

Tears soaked into his shirt as she whispered "Irakiel... Irakiel... IRAKIELL..."

Klein’s eyes were moist as he held her, his hand gently stroking her hair as his throat tightened in grief.

"I am here..."

His voice was hoarse as the words barely made it past the lump in his throat.

He held her tighter as he pressed his face into her hair, breathing in her scent.

Aeloria’s sobs gradually softened, but she didn’t let go

"I thought I lost you... on that battlefield... and I couldn’t... I couldn’t live without you."

"Irakiel... IRAKIELL..."

Klein’s gaze trembled hearing her sobs "I-I am sorry..."

She hit his chest repeatedly, her fists thumping against him with a mix of anger and relief.

"You Idiot... YOU IDIOT!"

Her voice cracked as she uttered "I was alone... How could you leave me alone? YOU BASTARD!"

Klein’s arms tightened around her, his own tears falling silently as he held her close.

"I know. Forgive me. I never wanted you to suffer because of me. I thought... if I died protecting Zrryha, it would be enough. But I was wrong. I hurt you-"

Aeloria’s sobs quieted, "I don’t regret it," she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.

"I would do it again. A thousand times. I followed you into death because a world without you wasn’t worth living in."

Klein closed his eyes for a moment, his heart aching with the weight of his past mistakes.

’What a fool I was in my past life...’

He pulled back slightly, cupping her face with his hands as he looked at her tear-streaked cheeks.

His thumbs gently wiped away her tears, "You’re here now... In this world as an elf. I don’t know how, but I’m grateful. I won’t lose you again. I promise."

Aeloria smiled through her tears, her hands covering his as she leaned into his touch.

"I’ll follow you anywhere, Irakiel. No matter what world, no matter what form. My heart has always been yours."

She went into the hug again, wrapping her arms around his neck as she buried her face in his shoulder once more

Orpheus watched them in silence, ’Do they already know each other?

The Mother of Spirits tilted her head slightly, her long green hair flowing around her as she looked at them.

The Spirit Realm around them seemed to hold its breath as the two souls who loved and lost each other in a previous life reunited in this one.

Aeloria pulled back slightly, "I don’t know how I got here. I woke up in this world after everything. I thought I died. But here I am. And now... you’re here too."

Klein’s arms tightened around her, "We have a lot to talk about. But for now... I’m just glad you’re here."

For a while, neither of them moved.

They simply stayed like that, holding onto each other as if letting go too soon might somehow break the fragile certainty of this moment.

The Spirit Realm remained quiet around them.

It felt... peaceful.

Eventually, Klein let out a slow breath, his hand still resting gently against Aeloria’s back as he eased back just enough to look at her again.

His fingers lingered for a moment before sliding away from her shoulder.

"We should sit," he said quietly.

Because there is too much to talk about to stay lost in that embrace forever.

Aeloria nodded faintly, though her hand remained wrapped around his sleeve for a second longer before she finally let go.

Neither of them moved far.

They sat down on the soft grass, close enough that their shoulders still touched.

Aeloria drew her knees slightly closer, resting her hands lightly in her lap, though her gaze never strayed far from him.

Klein leaned back on one hand, turning slightly toward her.

For a moment, they just looked at each other again.

Still adjusting and grounding themselves in the reality of this.

However... not being able to hold herself back even a moment away from him, she moved.

*puff* Closing the small distance between them in an instant, she dove into his arms again, wrapping her hands tightly around him.

"I still can’t believe this is real, Irakiel..." she whispered, pressing herself to him.

Klein stiffened slightly at the sudden movement, caught off guard for a second.

Then his arms came around her naturally.

His hand slid up her back slowly, coming to rest against her head as his fingers moved gently through her hair.

"I’m right here."

Aeloria shook her head faintly against him, her grip tightening instead of loosening.

"No... I mean-" her voice faltered slightly and her breath was uneven as she tried to steady herself, "I thought I would never see you again..."

Her fingers clenched into his shirt again, just like before.

"Even when I woke up here and realized I was alive again... I never thought I would see you again, Irakiel."

Upon hearing this, his gaze lowered ’I wonder if she also awakened her memories like me or was born with memories.’

"Would you like to sit in my lap, Ria?"