"There was a Great Migration some thousands of years ago when the intermediary realms were weakened. Worlds meshed together and people were separated from their families. Back then, the inhabitants of Alopea, the fox realm, originally could only maintain their humanoid form for a brief period of time. But after the Great Migration, they adapted to living longer in their humanoid skins in order to avoid detection by humans. It is the same for other species that made Anthropa—your world—their home as well. They can pass as human, but they are not human. You will notice that others prefer their non-humanoid form in this game, and that is because they are endemic to a different world," Ze explains.

"That's a lot to take in," I swallow.

"There is more to it that I will not get into at the moment, but the aim of intermediary realms is to keep individual worlds at peace and independent. The only beings who can traipse freely are deities."

"What about demons, then? They are able to move between worlds too, are they not?"

Ze straightens his spine, his hands behind his back as he paces back and forth while talking.

"They can only travel between worlds in their spiritual form. Once they become corporeal, they are stuck in that world. But you do not need to concern yourself with demons. They are unlikely to make their home in P'davi because there are no souls to consume."

"One less problem to think about. Yay?" I laugh nervously before I quickly sober up. "But how come you guys are able to cross worlds?" I raise a brow. Now that I know they are from a world called Aperion, that only raises more questions as to what they are. I don't doubt that Ze and Cer are part of the military, or that Thea failed some exams, as Ze is prone to point out, but I don't know more than that about them. What's their relationship with the game? Or with the deities hosting the game, for that matter, since they seemed to be familiar with them?

"We hunt demons," Ze replies curtly.

I nod thoughtfully. That makes sense, but why do I feel like there's more to it? It hasn't escaped me that they've been quite cagey with their identity aside from a few crumbs that they let drop here and there. It's odd that despite that, my gut is telling me that I can trust them. And so far, all evidence points to the same conclusion. Their origins might be mysterious, but they are on my side.

For now, that's enough for me.

If what Thea said was true and their presence here would endanger them, then I will not force them into revealing their identities. I trust that they will tell me themselves when the time is right.

"Does that mean you don't need the plants?"

Both Thea and Cer turn to look expectantly at Ze.