Max's fingers trembled slightly around the mug.
He had not heard the name of his world for so long, not from another person's mouth, not from anyone who should have known it existed, and now, here it was again, spoken so casually over tea as if Earth was some neighboring village this strange man had visited once or twice when he was bored.
He did not understand how this person knew.
"Don't be so shocked," the man said, taking another calm sip from his mug. "You are in my realm. All of your memories, desires, fears, and even parts of your potential future are open for me to read as I wish."
He said it so casually that Max felt flabbergasted for a moment.
The man spoke as if invading someone's entire existence was no different from checking the weather.
"You're scary in a way," Max chuckled, shaking his head as he looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Since you know so much about me, how about you finally explain what you really are?"
"I have no name."
