In the quiet hospital room, the dim light from the bulb cast shadows on the stark white walls. More than a dozen patients lay scattered on the beds, each connected to a steady drip of intravenous fluids. Among them, the image of Rei and Ashe lying next to each other on two adjacent beds stood out. The atmosphere was suspended as if time had stopped, suddenly both slowly opened their eyes, clarity gradually returning to their gaze.

Rei slowly sat up, her eyes still lingering with a dreamy look as she glanced around the room. The dim and quiet scene was disrupted when a nurse on duty nearby accidentally caught that moment. Astonished, she immediately shouted, her voice filled with excitement:

"Doctor! A patient has woken up! There's a patient waking up!"

"What?" Rei exclaimed in confusion, his eyes filled with bewilderment. Next to her, Ashe had just woken up, unable to hide her confusion

"Rei, What's happening?" Ashe spoke in a hoarse voice, clearly still not fully awake.

"I... I don't know anymore..." Rei shook her head, trying to piece together the scattered fragments of memory in her mind.

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed. The doctor and nurse rushed into the room, urgency evident on their faces.

***********************************************************

A moment later, the tense atmosphere seemed to freeze. Rei suddenly exclaimed:

"What did you just say?" Her voice trembled, unable to believe what she had just heard.

The doctor maintained a calm yet serious expression and replied,

"That's right. You two were affected by a type of hypnotic magic from the prince. Fortunately, both of you have recovered now."

"Well..." Ashe hesitated, his voice tinged with caution and embarrassment, "How long has it been since we were like this?"

The doctor lowered his eyes to the notes, then slowly replied, "About... 10 years."

"What!? Are you mistaken?" Rei shouted, anger and shock clearly visible on her face.

In that time, Ashe suddenly paused, her gaze becoming contemplative. She seemed to have just remembered something important. "Doctor," she asked, her voice small but full of urgency, "Do you know how Lihan is doing now?"

The doctor shook his head, his face showing concern. "I don't know who that is, ma'am," he replied, his tone sincere yet cold, making the atmosphere even heavier.

Hearing that, the worry on Rei and Ashe's faces became even more pronounced. They looked at each other, then both turned their gaze towards the doctor.

"What happened 10 years ago?" Ashe asked, his voice tense. Ashe asked, her voice tense.

The doctor replied slowly, as if trying to weigh his words: "Well, there was a revolution. Now it is called the August Revolution."

"Revolution?" Rei frowned, unable to hide his surprise.

"That's right," the doctor nodded, his gaze seeming to recall the horrific events.

"The Bonshevik revolutionary army successfully overthrew the prince's government and established a new regime. Now, our country is the Socialist Republic of Elysia, no longer the Kingdom of Elysia."

The room seemed to freeze, the doctor's words leaving a heavy feeling in the air. Rei and Ashe both fell silent, each word gradually sinking into their thoughts.

***************************************************************

After being discharged from the hospital, Rei and Ashe were provided with clothes, identification documents, and some essential items to start their lives anew. Stepping outside, they were confronted with a completely unfamiliar scene.

Throughout the city, bright red propaganda posters were plastered on every wall and lamppost. Up high, the red flags emblazoned with the hammer and sickle fluttered gently in the pale sunlight.

"Has it really been 10 years already..." Ashe whispered, her dazed eyes sweeping over the scene before her.

Rei, unable to hide her curiosity, casually bought a newspaper from a nearby stand. Standing in the middle of the street, she opened the newspaper, her eyes scanning each line.

"Lihan?" Rei suddenly exclaimed, her eyes brightening as she saw a photo on the newspaper page. She clutched the newspaper tightly, her heart racing, as if she had finally found the long lost companion.

But then, the hope within her quickly faded. Rei's gaze fell as she read the name of the person in the photo.

"Mikhail Suslov... this is not Lihan's name..." Her voice trailed off, carrying a heavy sense of disappointment.

Ashe placed a hand on Rei's shoulder, her eyes silently sharing that sense of disappointment.

"Rei, maybe it's just someone who looks like Lihan," Ashe spoke up, her voice gentle yet comforting.

"Besides, it's been 10 years, maybe that kid doesn't look the same anymore." Rei remained silent, her gaze still fixed on the photo in the newspaper.

Rei remained silent, her gaze still fixed on the photo in the newspaper. She knew Ashe was right, but the fragile hope that had just been kindled now seemed to be extinguished.

"Maybe you're right..." Rei whispered, gripping the newspaper tightly in her hand before folding it. "But I still want to believe that he is out there somewhere, still waiting for us to find him."

Ashe looked at Rei, the determination in her friend's eyes made her feel the intense longing.

Ashe looked at Rei, the determination in her friend's eyes made her feel the intense longing. Although her heart was also filled with anxiety, Ashe did not want to extinguish that hope.

"Yeah, if Lihan is still out there, we'll find him," Ashe replied, her voice firm. Both of them walked on, blending into the crowd on the street, amidst the atmosphere of a new era, carrying a flickering hope that never quite extinguished, even though both were harboring a sense of guilt they did not understand.