Analyn's Dream

He slept quite soundly when Emil asked the residents not to disturb Xavier who was trying to calm his mind. Cytherea who settled temporarily in Cliffside Village got good service and comfortable rooms from the village leader. The goddess understood a little bit why the former soldier did not let foreigners or immigrants into this village without a definite purpose.

While waiting for the man to come to her, Cytherea decided to go out of the house to get some fresh air. Not stopping there, even he did not hesitate to leave the village leader's house and planned to take a look at the very deep abyss that separates the plain on the other side. As per Emil's statement, some residents obeyed his remarks that Cytherea, the Goddess of Beauty, was not a suspicious figure and should be treated like a royal princess.

If yesterday their behaviour was very intimidating, now warm smiles and greetings do not hesitate to be chanted from their mouths. Almost no one tried to hurt or stab him in the back because they would get direct punishment from the remaining gods even though no one knew.

When her eyes could see a ravine behind the village, Cytherea decided to put her feet right on the edge of the cliff. Her head lowered, confirming how deep the abyss was. But unfortunately, he couldn't see the bottom of the abyss, only darkness and emptiness could be felt.

She could also see a separate plain on the other side yet there was not a single house or village as far as the eye could see. Cytherea was a little amazed to learn the villagers were able to survive without having diplomatic relations with other villages.

"I'm curious about the conditions down there. But I can't go back if it's down." Cytherea was a little disappointed with the limitations of her abilities.

As her head dropped further and almost her entire body didn't step on the ground, the sound of a little girl from behind startled her and made Cytherea almost fall when she had time to lift her body a little faster. Their hearts were both pounding when Cytherea almost lost her life and Analyn felt guilty if the village leader's highly respected guest died because of her actions.

"Don't shout when someone is caught off guard, fool! Do you want the gods to punish your village?"

"No, I don't! I'm sorry, stranger. I realize my mistake and will not repeat it." Analyn almost cried as her snot began to descend her nostrils.

Cytherea stroked her chest and then exhaled a long breath. Standing up and trying not to get close to the abyss, now he tried to calm Analyn down, rubbing the top of her head while hugging her. "Why did you come here, human child? Are you following me?"

Analyn nodded, her hand rubbing her nose. "I just want to know what foreigners are doing in this village. Since I was born almost no strangers have come. Meanwhile, I am still too young to leave this village."

"Don't you feel at home living here?"

"That's not it, stranger. No matter how far I go, this village is still my home and the last place I come back. It's just that I'm curious and want to see this world with my own eyes. My father said the earth is vast and it takes more than 10 years or even 15 years to surround it. What my father said is true?"

Cytherea herself has circled the earth more than ten times and often exchanges places with gods who need help in the other half of the earth. "Your father is right, little girl. The earth is too vast for a kid like you and there's still a lot you have to learn before deciding to leave this village."

"Yes, I understand!" Analyn nodded hard, the two corners of her lips pressed high.

"Good." Then Cytherea took three flower stalks that she kept under her clothes, then gave them to Analyn. "For you. I heard that young children are very interested in something beautiful like dolls and flowers."

"Wow, thank you, stranger. You gave me a beautiful flower when Uncle Xavier disappointed me because of his lies." Analyn grinned and then inhaled the three flowers.

Cytherea knew that the three flowers belonged to Xavier, who had previously accidentally fallen. When in front of the village yesterday, he also saw Xavier immediately intercepted by the little girl while he said he was already very exhausted. A coincidence they met and the flowers were already in the hands of the target.

"Oh, right. I heard from Mr Emil that you are a brave woman who has circled the world many times. Tell me what kind of world I live in, stranger." Analyn immediately remembered and immediately asked Cytherea to tell a story.

The smile on her face constricted, saying, "Little girl, didn't that guy tell you that I was one of the goddesses?"

Analyn was also confused. "No. Mr Emil told me that you have conquered this world many times. After all, who is a goddess? What is a person's name? I never heard anything about it."

"That guy..." Instantly Cytherea was furious, but in front of the little girl the goddess did not try to muddy her mood when just now Analyn expressed her disappointment.

He already knew Emil still harboured his doubts and fears regarding the understanding of gods. But Cytherea didn't expect that she would decide to cover up his knowledge and let the villagers understand based on their curiosity without the slightest coercion. As one of the goddesses, she was rather disappointed and forced him to be more courageous in expressing his thoughts.

"Why are you daydreaming, stranger? Are you lying to me if you are not an earth adventurer?" Analyn surprised her.

Shaking her head, Cytherea asked. "Take care of your remarks, little girl. What did I lie to you for? Now tell me what you want to hear from my story."

"Everything!" Analyn shouted. 

"Everything? It will never be finished." After walking for more than 500 years, even Cytherea was exhausted from imagining the tragedy and various rejections that weighed heavily on her heart. Therefore, she decided that he would tell a little about the experience that made her memorable and the reason for circling the earth dozens of times.

Hearing her story was very interesting, Analyn was excited to ask something she didn't know and it made Cytherea a little cautious in answering when the little girl turned out to have a high intention of seeing the vast world.

"Your story is so amazing, stranger. I just found out that in this world there is such a stressful and thrilling mystery. So far I've been forced to play and forget my dreams."

"Oh, what a poor little girl." Cytherea stroked her hair.