The two entered the three-story restaurant and looked around, the first floor was full.
Alex looked around at the busy tables. An old couple eating side by side, one glass of wine each, studiously bent over their meals. A group of young women who seemed in their thirties collapsing with helpless giggles as a stern woman dining alone nearby looked on and frowned.
''Welcome to the Golden Nugget. As you have seen the first floor is full. I suggest going to the second floor.'' A waitress said with a polite bow.
The two nodded and followed the waitress to the second floor.
They sat on the second-floor terrace, which overlooked the commercial street waiting for their orders.
The waitress arrived shortly after with their food.
Alex's food was a grilled fish served with rice, salad, and black beans. Leena's food was a simple salad. It seems Gracier and Leena share some similarities in this regard, they both love salad, Alex noticed that Gracier didn't like eating meat too much, maybe it Elves things, who knows. Alex shook his head and ate.
After finishing eating Leena stared at Alex for a few seconds before finally asking.
''You are an otherworlder like the others who are in the capital aren't you?"
Seeing there was no need to hide it anymore because he was sure she had already done her research and knew he was otherworlder like the other seven. Even the first time the Guild Master asked him and he denied, he was sure Leena did not believe him, same goes for the Guild Master.
''Yes, I am,'' Alex answered honestly.
''Oh? When I was thinking you'll deny it like last time.'' Leena said amused.
Shrugging his shoulders Alex explained his reason for acting as he did previously,
''Why would I when I already knew you were aware of my status from your information's network? Nah! I won't. I denied it for the first time because I didn't want to acknowledge it when I was sure you'll start questioning me, questions which I would want to answer, is too bothersome. As for why I answered now, it simply because we are going to discuss important stuff better be a little bit frank. Beside why continue denying something the other party is already aware of, it is unwise. You'll look like a fool in the other party eyes and like a fool nobody gonna take you seriously.''
''I see, not bad. Let's talk shall we?" Leena said with a weak smile.
''Tell how the others are doing in the capital,'' Alex asked.
Leena's smile widened as though she was expecting this question.
''They are doing well. Especially Leonardo and crew, they are leveling up faster compared to the other. Normal if you consider they are going in a dungeon to fight Monsters-"
''Let me guess, the second princess personal dungeon. He became her personal dog. Am I wrong?" Alex cut Leena off and asked.
Leena was surprised because Alex had arrived at that conclusion.
''Well, if personal dog equal to him is working under her then yes he became her personal dog. As for her personal dungeon, it's not quite right but let's say the second princess let them use one of the Imperial family's dungeons. Tell me how do you come to this conclusion?" Leena asked in turn.
Alex smirked and said, ''It's not too complicated. I know Leonardo since kindergarten, the moment I saw that princess and how Leonardo was behaving I was sure that once they went to the capital he will work for her, to put it simply he will join her faction. Now you confirmed it I'm not surprised. He can't let go of an occasion like that, it's Leonardo after all. That princess must be happy to have an otherworlder, a Hero class otherworlder under her, it will increase her chance in the race for the crown I guess.''
''Nice analysis. Tell me if I'm wrong but Leonardo is not a fool who is blindly following the second princess you seem to hate, there must be a reason for him to join her.'' Leena asked because when she saw the boy back then, he did not look like a fool who was blindly following the princess because he was enamored, there was something in the depths of his eyes, something she didn't quite like.
And with how old she is she had an idea of what that thing is, she was probing Alex to see whether her hunch was right or wrong.
Smirking Alex explained,
''Hell no, Leonardo is not the kind of man who will do something that isn't beneficial to him. How should I put it, he likes to be at the center of attention, to the one everyone spoke about, he wants to be the strongest, the star, the first in everything and everywhere. For this purpose he will do anything, him going under the princess is a means to achieve his goals. Imagine a Hero saving the world, then marrying the Princess who had become the Empress with his help, everybody will talk about him, I don't know the status of this Empire but I bet it's one of the strongest, him becoming the Emperor is probably his current goal. What is his end goal I dunno.''
''As though he is hungry for power. It will be good if he didn't become too greedy or else-"
''He will be branded as the next Demon king and will be eliminated am I wrong?" Alex cut Leena off and said.
Astonished Leena asked ''How did you know?"
''No need to be surprised things like this happened often in our homeworld.'' Alex lied not explaining that he had read it in fantasy books.
Hell, he is living in a fantasy world presently, a world of Sword and Magic. Previously if one had asked him whether this was possible or not, Alex would have answered without hesitation saying it was impossible, fantasy is a fantasy different from reality, it's a product of one imagination and yet now he was living in a fantasy world something he deemed previously impossible.
Then come a question 'Considering that this is a real-world not some kind of lucid dream why nobody is aware of it on Earth?'
〖Maybe they are aware of it but in another way.〗Silveria said surprising Alex who was not expecting her.
'In which way then?' Alex asked.
〖It's not hard to guess. Remember fantasy books?〗Silveria asked.
'Yeah, I do. Why are you asking me this? No way you are not suggesting that we are aware that they are a lot of other worlds out there in form of fantasy books do you?' Alex asked bewildered.
〖Obviously I do. It's doing some higher being. Why? I can't answer and before you went your way saying maybe fantasy worlds are created after someone read your Earth fantasy books then I will say you are thinking highly of yourself. Do you remember what that Little girl said? What is her name again? Aha! I remember I think it's Mea.〗
Hearing Silveria's words Alex's lips twitched especially when Silveria call the Self-proclaimed Goddess a little girl.
'Yeah, I do. She said she was in charge of world N° 7543, it is to say Earth.' Alex answered not understanding why she asked him this question.
〖Exactly if Earth is N° 7543 then the first 7542 worlds are what? They are also world like Earth. Some are dead worlds, some are inhabited like Mars or Pluton. Worlds with magic like Mysthia are called fantasy worlds by you earthlings but what you don't know they are real. You can't access it by a normal means, if you do, it will be either because you got selected. After all, you are special or it's because one the supervisors wanted you to, it's why these worlds remained unknown for safety purposes, you are aware of them but in form of imagination and you know people will think imagination is imagination not real. A pretty good way of handling things.〗Silveria explained.
Alex was speechless, back then when he heard that Earth was number 7543 he didn't click in his head that the first 7542 worlds before Earth were real as her, he didn't think too much ahead, none of them had, they have already forgotten it by the time they got here.
〖Worlds are classed by Realm. Let's take Earth, for example, it is a part of the Lower Realm (comprised of dead worlds, inhabited worlds, and manaless worlds, it's too say a world without Magic), Earth may have been a world with magic previously but it's not the case anymore. After the Lower Realm, there is the Middle Realm, Mysthia is part of it. Then comes the last Realm, the Higher Realm. Be aware that each Realm is classified by Lower, Medium, and Higher. By the way, Mysthia is part of the Higher Middle Realm.〗
Silveria continued her explanation, it was more like a little lesson she was giving him.
'Thank you for the lesson. What kind of worlds are in the higher Realm?' Alex asked with shining eyes.
〖I dunno.〗
That was all Silveria said. Alex was dumbfounded by this answer and when he wanted to ask her again he was brought out of his discussion by a Leena who seemed a little bit concerned, probably because he was not answering her since a while ago.
''Alex, Alexander what's happening to you? Why are you not answering?"
''Sorry, I was lost in thoughts. What are you saying earlier?" Finally, Alex look at Leena and asked.
Smiling Leena says, ''Let's continue our previous conversation shall we?"
''Let's continue I'm all ears,'' Alex replied with a smile in turn.