King Aurelius

The revelation didn't actually come as a complete surprise, considering their shared traits of handsomeness, mysteriousness, and authoritative demeanor.

"But why doesn't Liam want to be called a prince?" I mused aloud, recalling his reaction earlier when he seemed irritated by the title.

Leaf chuckled softly. "Liam has his own way of thinking," she explained. "In fact, both of them do." Her words hinted at a deeper complexity underlying Liam and Ludwig's personalities and histories.

I watched expectantly as Leaf settled into her seat, waiting for her to offer further insight. However, she remained silent, prompting me to wait in anticipation for her next words.

Eventually, Leaf shifted in her seat and turned her gaze towards me. "I can see in your eyes that you have so many things to know and understand," she said, her voice gentle and reassuring.

I sat up and returned her smile. ""Ever since I arrived in this fantastical world, my mind has been overflowing with questions, each one leading to even more questions." I confessed.

The endless streams of questions seemed to plague my mind nonstop. I had never divulged the truth about where I really came from to anyone.

Fortunately, we were all seemingly alike—normal and humanlike. Even Leaf and Lily were unaware of my origins. They simply believed I resided near the castle within this kingdom. Little did they know, I was from a world entirely different from theirs. 

Leaf spoke. "What do you want to know then?" She asked.

I took a deep breath, my voice barely above a whisper as I voiced my deepest desire. "I want to know how I can return to my home," I murmured.

I was afraid of anyone else overhearing me. Above all, I dreaded the thought of Ludwig hearing my plea. After all, he was the one who had purchased me for reasons unknown.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards him, however inexplicable it may have been. 

"Where did you come from anyway?" Leaf's voice broke through the silence, her expression a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Are you not from here?"

"I am from Earth," I replied, feeling somewhat foolish for stating the obvious. As Leaf's puzzled expression persisted, I sighed and attempted to clarify. "I mean, I come from the world of humans. You know, normal ones without powers, no…"

"You're human?" Leaf interrupted, her shock evident in her wide eyes and disbelieving tone. She moved closer, grasping my shoulders and staring deeply into my eyes.

"You're human? Really?" she repeated. "But why couldn't I sense it? And if you really are, how in the world did you get here? The Transcendence has been destroyed for ages!" Her surprise was visible as she continued to examine me. "Are you really?"

I simply nodded in response, my mind reeling with questions about the portal and how I had ended up in this mysterious world.

Leaf's heavy sigh echoed in the room as she settled back down beside me. "You and my world were once interconnected," she began. "There was no other way to cross between our worlds except through the portals, known as Transcendence."

She paused, as if gathering her thoughts before continuing. "But then the war began, between the Dreadspawns and the Seers. Most of the portals were destroyed in the chaos of battle. And when the Aetherius and the Regalis clashed, the few remaining portals were obliterated completely."

She glanced at me, her gaze filled with sadness. "The last portal was destroyed almost a decade ago," she finished. 

Leaf's words hung heavy in the air. "T-then," I stuttered, struggling to comprehend the situation, "how did I end up here? When there was no portal left for me to enter? Perhaps there is still one that you're unaware of?"

Leaf sighed once more. "As a Fae, we are the first ones who would sense if a new portal had been created," she explained, her tone heavy with certainty. "Besides, the Transcendence portals originated mostly here at the continent of Etherealis, and we are also the stewards of nature."

"Fae?" I asked, my confusion evident. Leaf's eyes blinked in surprise at my question. 

"Fae," she repeated with a grin. "As in Faeries."

"Fairy?" I asked, dubious. "You mean those small, magical creatures with glowing wings, granting wishes and sprinkling fairy dust?"

Leaf's eyes narrowed at my misinterpretation. "Faeries," she corrected firmly. "Not Fairy. And I do not know what you're talking about."

"So besides spelling, what's the difference?" I inquired, puzzled by her insistence.

"Numerous," Leaf replied simply, leaving me with more questions than answers.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of hopelessness creeping in. If what Leaf said was true, then the prospect of returning home seemed increasingly uncertain, if not impossible.

"But don't worry, Louise," Leaf said gently, her hand resting reassuringly on my shoulder. "I'm sure Princess Alexa has been using her magic to search for the portal and bring you back home."

Her words offered a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty, and I nodded in gratitude. I wiped away the tears that threatened to fall. I couldn't afford to surrender to sadness. I needed to stay strong and hopeful.

The mention of Princess Alexa sparked a new question in my mind. "Princess Alexa?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. "Are she and Prince Ludwig cousins?"

Leaf nodded reassuringly as she handed me a glass of water.

"Is she a Fairy as well?" I asked, taking a sip from the glass. "I mean, a Fae?"

Leaf shook her head. "Princess Alexa is a Witch."

"How did that happen?" I inquired, my confusion going up as I waited for her explanation.

Handing the empty glass back to Leaf, I watched as she returned to my side, gracefully settling onto a pillow.

"Once upon a time, King Aurelius had three children," she began, her voice steady as she patiently unraveled the tale.