Chapter 8: Too Good to Be Real

Chapter 8: Too Good to Be Real

I nodded thoughtfully at his words, then cautiously asked for his name. After all, I didn’t even know who this man truly was.

"Um... I mean, before I call you Grandpa, c-can I ask your name?" I said softly.

I deliberately lowered my voice.

I didn’t want to reveal anything about my true nature here. It was far too dangerous. So I waited quietly for his response.

"Hmm... I suppose I was too quick to talk about my past," he said gently. "My true name is Zach. I don’t have what you would call a last name. I was born from the phenomenon itself. As for how to address me, just call me Gramps Zach."

He spoke calmly, his amethyst eyes glowing faintly as he smiled at me with warm affection. I couldn’t tell if the kindness in his expression was real, but I smiled back, playing along, responding politely though my smile felt awkward.

“T-thank you for telling me, Gramps Zach. I… I guess I should tell you my name too. Um… m-my real name is Nerine Anemone. A-and like you said earlier, I’m twenty-two years old. I used to live in a secluded village, but it was destroyed. S-so… pleased to meet you.”

I kept up my timid, cautious persona just like before.

I controlled my breathing and timed it with my heartbeat, just in case he was still listening to detect lies. I needed everything to seem natural and effortless.

He didn’t seem bothered by my hesitation.

Instead, he smiled again and spoke kindly.

“All right, our relationship is still new, so I understand if it feels awkward for you to call me Grandpa just yet. Now that everything’s settled, let’s get some rest. I know you might not feel tired, but I’ll take you to my real home. It’s far more comfortable than this place.”

He stood and motioned for me to follow. I nodded and rose slowly. As I held his hand, I was startled by how cold it felt.

I couldn’t help but wonder how a body like his could still function.

His earlier words echoed in my mind, saying he was born from a phenomenon. I still didn’t understand what that meant, but it sounded extraordinary.

Pushing the thoughts aside, I quietly followed him.

As we walked deeper into the cave, a new confusion bloomed in my chest. If we were heading to his home, why were we going further into the darkness?

Gramps Zach noticed the puzzled look on my face and smiled as he answered the question before I could ask.

"You’re probably wondering why we’re going deeper instead of heading outside, aren’t you?"

I nodded slowly. I had no idea what was happening.

"This cave isn't what it appears to be," he explained. "Humans refer to it as a magical formation. This one, however, wasn’t created by humans, though it shares similar properties."

His words only deepened my confusion.

A formation?

I didn’t understand.

I stared ahead, pretending I understood, but my expression must have betrayed my thoughts.

He looked at me and smirked before casually snapping his fingers.

The air shifted around us.

My vision blurred. For a brief moment, everything went dark. When I opened my eyes again, we were suspended in the sky.

Beneath us stretched a vast forest, encircling a grand mansion with a crystal-clear stream flowing beside it.

The view was breathtaking, almost unreal in its beauty.

I stood frozen.

Amazed. Terrified.

How had we ended up in the sky? What had just happened?

Before I could speak, Gramps Zach answered the question lingering on my face.

"If you still don’t understand, that’s strange. Even the humans who call themselves mages know about this. People in the capital are also familiar with it. Just how isolated was your village, for you to know nothing about formations?"

His tone was casual, but there was an edge to it, as if he was trying to probe into my past. My stomach twisted. He was right. I truly didn’t know. I wasn’t from this world. The system had only told me that this was a high-tier dimension. I still didn’t understand what that meant.

But now I was beginning to see how strange and advanced this world really was.

I stared at him and gave the most believable reaction I could. I kept my expression blank and confused, relying on the rhythm of my heartbeat to stay consistent. I couldn’t risk slipping up. If I said anything strange, I would look even more suspicious. I had to stay simple, harmless, and forgettable.

He seemed to pick up on my silence and responded with a soft chuckle.

"It’s fine. In fact, it’s better this way. If no one knows your background, it makes it easier for you to be my granddaughter. No one will question it."

His voice held a quiet satisfaction.

I said nothing, just nodded as a slow wave of relief washed over me.

My lie had worked.

For now, I was safe.

Without another word, we headed down toward the mansion.

As we approached the grand entrance, an elderly man was already waiting.

Judging by his presence and posture, he was likely the butler.

"Greetings, Your Highness," he said with a refined bow.

Gramps Zach responded with a silent nod. His mood had changed completely.

The fierce energy from before had vanished. He now seemed calm and detached.

I didn’t know what caused the shift, but I couldn’t question it.

I kept my head down, pretending to be the obedient girl he believed me to be.

“This way, Your Highness. As you ordered, the bath has been prepared.”

As soon as I heard that, a sting of envy touched my heart.

That’s the life.

I wanted a bath too.

Memories rose from the past.

I had once lived in a sleek, luxurious apartment. My bathtub had been filled with rose petals and rare whitening herbs. My skin was my pride. I hired a private nurse to monitor my health daily.

I had been obsessed with youth and longevity, avoiding work whenever I felt even a little tired.

My life back then had been soft, comfortable, and indulgent. Now it was gone.

All of it taken from me by some absurd system that threw me into a world where death waited around every corner.

I had no right to complain. I was still breathing. And I would keep breathing. Dying was not an option.

I turned my eyes toward the butler. His posture was graceful, his black suit sharp and perfectly fitted. Everything about him whispered refinement and nobility.

While I was caught in that observation, Gramps Zach spoke again.

"I asked for the bath to be prepared, but it is not for me," he said, casting me a faint smirk. "My granddaughter Nerine will be using it. Wash her with care."

The butler's expression remained calm, but I caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes.

It didn’t matter. What caught me off guard was how Gramps Zach had arranged all of this.

When had he even issued the command? Could he talk to his people from far away? Was there some kind of magical link?

I glanced up at him, confused but silent. I didn’t understand this world or its rules.

Before I could think further, the butler turned to me and spoke.

"Young miss, please come this way. These two maids will escort you."

Startled, I nodded quickly.

Two women stood beside him.

I hadn’t even noticed their arrival. That fact alone told me they weren’t ordinary. Then again, nothing in this world was.

They were stunning. Tall and elegant. Their maid uniforms were perfectly pressed and clean, shaping their graceful figures. Yet they looked entirely human. No horns. No tails. Nothing unusual, unlike Gramps Zach.

Curious, I activated my Divine Vision.

"..."

What I saw stole my breath.

Their natural energy was overwhelming. Vast and boundless. If my mana was a single grain of sand, theirs was a mountain, unshakable and absolute.

A cold fear crawled up my spine. If I tried to run, I wouldn’t make it a single step.

Not even half.

I would never escape.

I shook my head and forced the thought away. No sane person would even attempt it. Just imagining it made my legs feel weak. You would fall to your knees before taking the first step. It was foolish to even think about it.

I gave the butler a polite nod and moved forward. Gramps Zach and the butler continued speaking behind me as the two maids silently joined my sides.

As I walked with them, I noticed their hair. Long and black. A common look from my old world. On the surface, they could have passed for regular maids. Without my Eye of Origin and Eye of Silence, I might have been fooled.

With a quiet sigh, I kept moving. I nodded to them with respectful gestures, and they returned the same with simple bows.

Then they began to guide me toward the bath.

We walked for about a minute before arriving. The path seemed long, stretching far within the mansion’s massive walls. One of the maids had mentioned that the mansion covered about 900 square meters. That was nearly 9,700 square feet. The size of four or five average homes. Or two basketball courts.

It was ridiculous. From the sky, it looked like a normal mansion.

I had been wrong.

This was luxury on another level. Something I had only seen in television shows. If this were Earth, it would have cost more than a hundred million dollars. A fantasy beyond reach.

That realization sparked something deep inside me.

The man who adopted me wasn’t just powerful. He was rich beyond imagination. Maybe I had ended up in a place worth living for.

I entered the changing room, pulled off my clothes, and stood tall. I didn’t feel shame.

It would be ridiculous to be embarrassed by your own body. Some men might think undressing was shameful, but that was nonsense.

This body was mine now.

As someone who had once been male, there was still some curiosity. But this wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

I was here for one thing.

The bath.

The maids handed me a towel, and I accepted it calmly.

My heart raced with anticipation as I stepped forward into the bathroom.

And I froze.

This wasn’t a bathroom.

It was a palace.

My eyes widened. The space stretched far, lined with towering stone pillars. Warm water flowed from beautifully carved spouts. Amber light bathed the room, soft and golden, casting an ancient glow across the walls.

The warmth in the air wrapped around me, pulling me in like a gentle embrace.

This was something straight out of a fantasy novel.

"Amazing," I whispered. "This is what real wealth looks like. A nine out of ten bath."

Without a moment of hesitation, I slipped into the water.

Warmth engulfed me.

Every part of my body relaxed under its touch. The tension in my muscles faded.

My fear.

My exhaustion.

Every piece of weight I had carried since being thrown into this cruel world slowly melted away.

The heat quieted my thoughts. My breathing softened.

And before I even realized it, my eyes began to clos

The bath cradled me like a mother’s arms.