Chapter 26

"This place sure is something," X mused, his eyes sweeping over the central square of Grealand. His gaze settled on a towering statue, nearly twenty feet tall, depicting a man draped in vines. A single sunflower bloomed from the top of his head, defying logic, while lotus flowers sprouted delicately from each of his outstretched palms. The plants grew from the stone as though nourished by invisible roots, giving the whole figure an ethereal quality.

"It's magical, really, isn't it?" X smirked beneath his skull mask, turning toward Sarandel.

"It is magical," she replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes tracing every detail of the statue with an almost distant fascination.

"This city's protected by three dryads—Gaia's children," she explained, her tone slipping into one of mild disinterest, as though she had little care for this fact.

X raised a brow beneath his mask, tilting his head in mild curiosity. "Oh yeah? I thought dryads were all about forests and critters, not..." He gestured broadly to the sprawling city, the stone buildings wrapped in vines and greenery.

Sarandel shrugged, her posture relaxed. "These dryads are more progressive than their sisters, I suppose." She crossed her arms and gave X a side glance. "Or did you expect all dryads to be the same?"

X raised his hands defensively, a chuckle rumbling beneath his mask. "Whoa, hold up. I'm not trying to sound like some kind of racist or speciesist. I mean, look at dark elves—every last one of them is evil as sin, so you can't exactly blame me for thinking all dryads are tree-hugging nature lovers."

The goddess let out a tired sigh, crossing her arms as she glanced at X. "Is this all you wanted to do? Or can we move on?" Her tone carried a faint edge of impatience.

X shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back on his heels. "Hey, you're the goddess of this planet, right? So, you tell me—what's there to do for fun around here?"

Sarandel took a step back, her eyes scanning him with mild interest. "Define your idea of fun." Her eyebrow raised as if she already suspected his answer would be disappointing.

X rested a hand on the chin of his mask, tapping it thoughtfully. "How about meeting the dryads? That sounds like fun." His voice carried a hint of curiosity, as if he was genuinely intrigued by the idea.

Sarandel pondered for a moment, her lips pressing together in a thin line. "Hmm..." she mused, glancing at the people strolling around the city square. Without missing a beat, she called out to an elderly woman passing by. "Excuse me?"

The woman paused, turning with a gentle smile. "Yes, dear?"

In the background, X chuckled softly, the sound muffled beneath his mask as he watched Sarandel switch to a sickeningly sweet persona.

"Could you tell me where the park is?" Sarandel asked, her voice suddenly adopting a soft, innocent tone. "I'm new here and a bit lost." Her wide-eyed expression was a perfect blend of charm and helplessness.

The elderly woman's eyes lit up with motherly warmth. "Oh, don't worry, dearie! Everyone gets a bit lost sometimes," she reassured, pointing down a nearby street. "If you head straight down that way, about ten minutes or so, you'll reach the park."

Sarandel gave her a grateful nod, her tone as sweet as sugar. "Thank you so much, Granny. Take care of yourself, okay?"

The old woman beamed, waving her off with a wrinkled hand. "You too, dearie. Stay safe!"

As the elderly woman resumed her walk, Sarandel turned back toward X, her expression slipping back to its usual stoicism. "Well, let's get moving," she said, her voice now back to its usual, unbothered tone.

X smirked under his mask, gesturing toward the street with a sweep of his arm. "Lead the way, your majesty."

Sarandel rolled her eyes, but didn't respond to his jab as they began their walk toward the park.

After a few moments of silence, X broke it with an amused tone. "I gotta say, it's almost creepy how fast you can switch personalities like that."

Sarandel didn't look at him, her focus ahead, but she shot back with a question of her own. "Why were you chuckling when that woman was talking to me?"

X exhaled sharply, amused all over again. "Because she called you dear and dearie, like you're some sweet, innocent young woman. Meanwhile, you're... well, you're way older than her. By, what, millennia's?"

Sarandel glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "And what's so funny about that?" she asked, genuinely perplexed, as if the irony was lost on her.

X waved her off dismissively. "Ah, forget it. You wouldn't get my sense of humor, even if I tried explaining it."

"But since we're on the topic, could you clear something up for me?" X asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Hm?" Sarandel glanced at him, her expression neutral.

"How old are you, exactly?" X inquired, his tone casual but clearly interested.

Sarandel looked back to the street, her expression thoughtful. "Time doesn't exactly flow the same in the realm of gods and goddesses," she said, her voice calm.

X gave a knowing nod. "I'm aware of that."

She seemed to contemplate for a moment before offering a vague answer. ""I suppose you could say I'm from the 2nd generation. That's when prayer to me began."

X raised an eyebrow beneath his mask. ""Huh, so over a mil?"

Sarandel simply nodded in confirmation.

"Neat," X commented, letting the topic fizzle out as the two continued down the street. 

After a short, quiet walk, they arrived at the entrance of the park. A sprawling garden greeted them, framed by tall, ancient trees whose branches intertwined to form a natural archway overhead. The ground was lush with soft grass, and winding paths lined with vibrant flowers stretched out in every direction. The park was tranquil, with birds chirping in the distance and a faint breeze rustling through the leaves.

X rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Alright, let's head—" 

Before he could finish, a loud voice interrupted him.

"Wake up, people! She isn't real! You're praying to a false deity!" A man in strange red robes stood nearby, surrounded by scrolls, books, and crude paintings laid out around him, shouting at the passersby. 

X glanced over, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth underneath his mask. "Welp, looks like we found something else to keep us entertained."