Down System

Chapter 21

"This happy land will eventually turn into a place full of sorrow, suffering, and sin. Can you see these people?"

The smiling faces of Hadessian hooked my attention as the old woman pointed them out. There were families having picnics under the trees. Some were jubilantly gazing at the blue skies above. The children were playing carefree together with the swaying wind. Elders were not physically lively, but gaiety could be perceived by their hearts.

"After a decade, you can't see them beaming anymore. Never again."

I let out a deep sigh and looked worriedly at the populace. I knew how would it feel to undergo such a system because I once experienced it.

These people had no idea of the future. They didn't know the cruel governance that would be going to emerge once Ferno had his throne again.

However, as a resurrected human, I had to believe Namika at this point, I had to follow my instinct, that I went back to the past because of a certain purpose— to save Hades and its people, and to halt Ferno from taking the highest place he didn't deserve having.

I opened the 1578 photo album I was holding and went to the very end of the page. Why did it take me a hard time to realize that the image of the king in the bound was the same person as the boy I treated as my friend— the one who saved me once?

"He has ruined my life before," I uttered, "and I won't let him again destroy me and these innocent people."

"It's a good thing you know your purpose now," Namika said. "But anyway, will you take a look at these beautiful houses?"

I wandered my eyes throughout the countryside. Even though the land and scenery were of nature, the structures built there were like urban. The houses were towering, and even the exterior looked elegant because of the rubies designed on the wooden walls.

Hades was prosperous.

Even the ones who worked in the lowest sector had their mansions. There was no beggar at the side street. Everyone had their dwellings.

"These houses will be possessed by Hadessian men. After a decade, women will lose their shelters. There will be pauper staying on the road."

I looked at Namika in disbelief after hearing those words from her, as if I had not known this.

Hades would remain rich after a decade, but only for men. On the contrary, inequalities in treatment would fall women into mendicancy.

I suffered most in the time of scarcity, particularly when I was still living with Mom Priscilla. A day would pass that I couldn't be eating even a spoon of rice; if blessed enough, I could have a taste of a dried fish. Even collecting water to drink was torture; it couldn't be sufficient. Aside from not having ample food, a haven was also a problem.

The house I had with Mom Priscilla was big enough for the two of us but wasn't adequate to cover us from the severity of rain and the heat of the sun. Whenever it was raining, the two of us had to catch the drops with jars to avoid the place from flooding. When the sun would also come at its highest point, we had to cover the rooftop to prevent the radiance from peeking.

"Is ten years short enough for the preparation?" I asked the old woman. "What do you think?"

"Things will be turning around. The progress will be fast; it's like blinking your eyes for a second, and everything changes," Namika said. "A decade is truly short to stop things from happening."

"So, you're saying we can't make it?"

The old woman shook her head. "The future still depends upon you, young girl. If you rest assured your very best to be done, expect great things to happen. However, if you are complacent enough of things, what will you think to surprise you?"

"I admit, it's hard, especially that it's only the two of us who know," I mouthed. "Why can't we just announce it to the public, so they'll know?"

"And, you think that would be effective?"

I bit my lip. "I don't think so."

The old woman walked towards a tree and leaned on its trunk, which made me follow her. She picked up a twig and showed it to my face. She cracked it before turning her gaze at me.

"What?" I asked, feeling awkward with her stare.

"Do you think this twig will still live?" Namika questioned.

I shook my head. "It's now dead because it was separated from the root."

"And because it was no longer connected from the main, it means-"

"It's not useful anymore," I cut her off.

"No," the old woman said, affirmed. "It will still be useful, but deficient. Its purpose will not be the same as before. Did you see the logic?"

"I don't guess so..."

Namika smiled a bit. "This twig is like your thought; if you don't rely on your ideas to the knowledge needed, to the root— the wisdom you secretly have, you'll come up with a not-so-certain conception.

"Like a tree, you have to make sure your little branch wouldn't fall. You always have to connect them all for you to have a not perfect, but significant goal.

"It's like you suggested announcing things to the public when, in fact, you didn't think clearly about it. You didn't use the root of your brain, and that's why you fall into a vague notion," the old woman said. "Telling people about this matter will not help, even so, how much you push it. Do you think they will believe you, us, that we can see the future?" she asked. "No, unless we have justifiable proof."

"The 1578 photo album," I said, "it's a proof. All the details of the future were written on it. The pictures of the people and the scenes were attached here."

"They will just this of that bound as a fictional storybook," Namika mouthed, letting out a sigh. "I told you, revelation is no use; otherwise, people will encounter things by themselves."

"So, are you saying we have to wait for them to suffer before being enlightened?"

The old woman looked up at the sky and released a sigh. "Enlightenment comes from experience, after all."