Chapter 5

"So it's true that you're finally back," the man in front of me stated. I was surprised for a second before looking at him puzzledly. "You don't have to hide it from me, Morana. The moment you step inside my shop, I already know who you are." He smirked at me and motioned for his fairy to get out and close the shop.

My bewilderment is probably visible on my face right now. I had never met this guy before, but he immediately recognized me. "There must be something wrong with your senses, Gentleman; I am not Thelea's feared villainess but a princess of this kingdom, and my name is..." Before I could finish what I was saying, he had already cut me off.

"Fertheriya Irene Arcan, your vessel," the man continued. "I know everything, Morana. Denying it won't change the fact that I, Harbin, know everything about you. From the way you walk to the way you smell." My eyebrows almost touched each other because of what I heard. This guy must be a perv for knowing what I smell.

"What do you mean? I have never met you before." The man walked towards a small table and took a seat. He pointed to another chair, indicating for me to sit as well. When I sat down, his smug face from earlier was gone. Now, seriousness and an unknown air surrounded him. I admit that this guy became sexier in my eyes when he became serious; his tightened jaw gave him a more defined, gorgeous face. I am not here to praise this guy's looks, am I?

"That is because you have never met me, but that doesn't mean I have never met you. Confused? Let's just say I saw you grow up from being a beggar to a villainess. Your parents and mine were close before we were born; I am a hundred years older than you. You might have never heard about who and how your parents died, right? Your evil uncle never mentioned them to you, but I wanted to ask if you're ready to listen before I start." Harbin waited for me to respond, but I was preoccupied momentarily. Harbin cleared his throat, which got my attention.

"Yes, I am ready to listen," I answered. I have never asked or talked about my parents because I was driven by anger. Why did they leave me? Why did they let me starve for years in the mortal realm? Why did they let me suffer? Those are the questions that have been crossing my mind for centuries.

"Alright. As I have said, your parents and mine are close friends; when you were born, everyone knew you would be a great leader and a queen. Your parents were the rulers of Clementia Kingdom, and just like hundreds of years ago, Clementia has always been a mixed kingdom. Different beings like mythical creatures, mages, vampires, werewolves, and even fugitives and criminals live and coexist in Clementia, but it was peaceful when your parents ruled the kingdom. Unfortunately, your parents and mine died during the war against your uncle. Yes, your uncle was the reason behind our parents' deaths, but before they died, your parents asked me to take you into the realm of the mortals, away from your uncle. Since your mother was from the elven tribe, she was able to teleport us to the mortal realm, but your mother was dying, and to teleport both of us would cause her a lot of power, so I was teleported to a different place."

Before Harbin could continue, I had already concluded what had happened next. "Since you were teleported into a different part of that realm, you had difficulty finding me. Am I correct?" I asked. The man before me nodded before I continued asking, "You mentioned earlier that my mother is an elf; my uncle is not an elf, so probably he's my dad's brother or relative, right? Why would he wage war against my parents if he's a relative? And what does it have to do with me? Why do I need to be sent into the mortal world away from him?"

"Yes, he's your dad's brother. He declared war against your parents because he was in love with your mother. It's because of a love triangle. He doesn't want to harm your mother, but it was your mother who caught an attack for your father. Your mother was the kindest elf I have ever met, but because of her anger after your uncle hurt you and your father, she cursed your uncle. I did not know what curse it was; what I know is that your uncle also died after a century. And what does it have to do with you? Since your father was from the bloodline of Furian Royalty and your mother is a powerful elven enchantress, you might be able to break his curse because you're a hybrid. The blood that runs through your body is the key to break his curse, which is why he made a lot of effort to find and train you. He did not just ask you to go to Clementia for nothing; he trained and honed your powers, but sadly, you didn't figure out how to break his curse then," Harbin explained further.

"But I thought my uncle was cursed by a witch? And I thought you had witnessed me growing up? Why didn't you save me from my uncle? Why didn't you appear in front of me to say these things? Why just now?" I asked once again. All the questions running through my mind for centuries have been answered, but there are still questions bugging me.

"Maybe your uncle made it up. I did witness you being a beggar; however, when I was ready to approach you in the mortal realm, your uncle also appeared. I didn't save you because I wasn't powerful enough to fight your uncle. Despite that, I've watched you from afar, waiting for this moment," the man explained.

"Are you now powerful enough to help me?" I asked directly.

"Yes, your majesty."