A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

True to Dash's word, the Between Realms wasn't just another hidden dimension—it was an entire tiered world, divided into regions that reflected layers of status, power, and exclusivity beyond anything I'd seen in Mythica.

The place I had been before, where the Ziggurat Bookstore stood, was in the remote outskirts known as the Foot—a quiet, almost desolate borderland wedged between different realms.

It was the kind of place beings rarely visited unless they had a very specific reason. Knowledge, it seemed, was something you had to journey for, tucked away in isolation as if to say, only those who truly seek wisdom will find it.

Now, the Peak—that was an entirely different story.

If the Foot was the ground floor, the Peak was the penthouse, nestled high in the mountainous region of the Between Realms. This was where the elite of the elite resided—the beings who didn't just possess incredible magic, but also obscene wealth.

And the Tündér Spirit Folk, more famously known as the Tündér Faes, were among the richest of them all.

The contrast was almost laughable. A bookstore, a place of knowledge, exiled to the far reaches of existence, while the pinnacle of luxury and indulgence perched high above everything, basking in its own radiance.

Just like a towering skyscraper had different levels of prestige, so did this world.

And I was about to step into its highest, most exclusive tier.

Not going to lie, I was nervous.

What would the Faes demand? According to Usum, their wines were ridiculously expensive—not just in terms of money, but in whatever cryptic, magical forms of payment they might ask for. I had no idea what I was walking into.

Then, just before we left, Trauco handed me a card.

A platinum card.

I stared at it. "What… is this?"

"My VVVVIP card," Trauco said weakly.

"V… V… V… V… I—wait. You have a VVVVIP black card?" I blinked at him, then at the card, then back at him. "How?"

Behind me, Agnos let out a snort. "Oh, this is priceless."

"Shut up," I muttered.

Trauco sighed, rubbing his temple. "Owner, I worked at the Ziggurat for a long time. We dealt with many high-profile clients, including some from the other realms. And when you handle transactions for centuries, well… certain privileges come with it."

I held the card up like it was some holy artifact. "So, what you're telling me is… you, a former bookkeeper, somehow ended up with this?"

"Do you want the card or not?"

"Want it? I'm taking a selfie with this after we're done!"

Agnos outright cackled at the back, while Eva shook her head, clearly unimpressed with my antics. Dash, on the other hand, just huffed. "Are you all quite finished? We have a journey to make."

I cleared my throat, tucking the card safely into my pocket. "Right. I'm all set. Let's go."

Now, back in the present, standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the dazzling city of the Peak—because, let's be real, that's what it was—I had to admit, my mind was officially blown.

Skyscrapers of enchanted crystal gleamed under a twilight sky that never faded, and floating bridges of stardust flickered in and out of existence. The entire place looked like someone had cranked the luxury dial to absurd and then decided that still wasn't enough.

"Hey, Dash," I said, still taking it all in. "Since you're such a nosy—uh, I mean—knowledgeable creature, why is the Between Realms separate from Mythica?"

Dash snorted, the sound deep and resonant, almost like a dignified neigh. "Isn't it obvious? That's because the Between Realms doesn't belong to any specific Owner of Relams. It's neutral. Like the Heavens."

"Neutral? Ohhh, I get it. So it's like Switzerland."

Dash tilted his head slightly. "The mortal realm country? You could say that."

I blinked at him. "Wow, Dash. I'm impressed. You're not just a polyglot—you're basically a galloping encyclopedia."

Dash flicked his tail smugly. "Glad you're finally catching up, two-leg."

"You do realize I have a name, right? It's Carl," I said flatly.

Dash flicked his tail, completely unimpressed. "Two-leg suits you better."

Eva, who had been quiet up until now, chuckled under her breath.

As we dismounted from the divine horse, I turned to her. "Alright, so how exactly are we supposed to buy this wine? Do they have a special store or something?"

Eva nodded and gestured toward the tallest building in sight, its crystalline towers practically glowing with opulence. "Yeah. They have one store. And there's something you should know—it's first come, first serve."

I frowned. "Please don't tell me there's a ridiculous line."

Eva hesitated. "There's usually a long queue."

"A queue?" I groaned. "Great. Because we're totally not in a rush or anything."

"They only sell a limited quantity at a time," she added carefully.

I sighed, already feeling my confidence wane. "Fantastic. Well, let's just get there and see what we're dealing with. Maybe, by some miracle, the line won't be too long."

I wasn't holding my breath

It was beyond ridiculous.

The line stretched so far that we weren't even close to the building yet. We'd barely walked a few minutes before running into a massive crowd—people, creatures, and all sorts of beings queued up in an endless line.

Curious, I tapped the shoulder of the person in front of us. "Hey, what's this line for?"

Without even turning around, they replied casually, "The famous Tündér Spirit Wine, of course. Been waiting here for eight days now."

I felt my soul leave my body. "Eight days?!" My voice cracked as my eyes nearly popped out of my skull. "You've got to be kidding me! This—this is insane!"

Eva shot me a look—the classic I told you so—but I ignored it.

My mind was spinning.

No, this couldn't be happening.

There had to be another way. Some shortcut. Some loophole.

I didn't have the luxury of spending eight days waiting in line. Heck, I didn't even have one extra day to waste in the Between Realms.

I clenched my fists, trying to push down the rising frustration. If I lost my patience now, I might just snap and have a full-blown meltdown right here at the Peak.

And knowing my luck, that would end up going viral—not just in Mythica, but probably in the Between Realms too. I was willing to bet this place had its own social media platform, one where gossip spread like wildfire.

After all, this was the Peak—the heart of wealth, status, and overpriced luxury.

Think, Carl. THINK.

I scanned the line again, taking in the people waiting—creatures, beings of various shapes and sizes, all standing there patiently. And that's when it hit me.

Something was off.

Not a single high-ranking creature was in this queue. No elites, no aristocrats, no beings with obvious power. These were all common folk.

If the Between Realms really had a hierarchy, like Dash had said, then there was no way the wealthy and powerful were waiting in line like the rest of us. They had to have a separate system. A privilege. A backdoor.

A slow smile spread across my face.

I turned to Eva. "Let's go straight to the building."

She hesitated, eyes flicking between me and the massive line. "…Are you sure about this?"

"Very." I took the lead, heading straight for the towering entrance. Whatever VIP system existed here, I was about to find it.