The Hidden World's
Eps.23 Forecast of the Abyss
The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense. I never felt this awkward when I was with them. Even Mery and Seli were silent. Usually those who start scratching first.
"Before we start the discussion, I want to make sure of something. Lina, how long have you been here?" Harry opened the conversation with a question. I was a little surprised. Isn't it clear that we just arrived?
"I mean how long has it been since you left the tent?" Harry looked at me seriously, but there was no intimidation like Percy and Liya.
"Maybe about two weeks." I answered briefly while shrugging my shoulders. I'm not sure how long it's been since I left the tent.
"Aren't you guys looking for us for two weeks?"
"Whatchu mean? That night on the same day, the four of us set out through the forest to look for you. And since you guys didn't come back we're stuck like this!" I raised my voice, looking at them annoyed. Could he have said we weren't looking for them for two weeks?
"Calm down, Lina. I just want to make sure the time difference." Harry looked up, closed his eyes. He seemed to be thinking hard.
"It's been over a month since we left the tent. While you are only a few hours different from us only about two weeks. Than I expected, a month here is more or less the same as a day there."
"Why does it have a time difference? We are in the same dimension."
"That's because of the system."
"System? You kidding?! Do you think we're in a game?" Suddenly Arthur interrupted our conversation.
"Huh! You guys are compatible. The same people who are impatient and always misunderstand." Harry looked at Liya who was sitting next to him.
"Next let Liya explain to you."
Right after the sentence ended, Liya stood up, walking towards the empty white board. Is he going to be a 'teacher' now?
"Alright, listen carefully. I won't repeat it and if you have any questions, wait until I let you ask. No one interrupts the explanation." Liya sternly warned us. We nodded in unison.
"Exposure begins with a curse." Liya drew something on the board. I don't know what he's drawing, but it just looks like an irregular scribble.
"The curse has no form, but the curse is real." Liya pointed at the picture she had just made. It is only fitting that he just doodled, it turns out that it does not have a shape.
"And this place is one of the manifestations of the curse. Whatever has been cursed, it will have a faster period of time than usual. Like we are now. The Abyss experienced a curse three years ago. Means about thirty-six days of normal time." Liya paused for a moment. He walked towards the bookshelf, retrieving one of the books from that place.
The book that Liya picked up was a book with a dark red cover with a leaf motif—aku taste. The book cover was designed to lock. Maybe it's a very important book. Liya threw it at me. I quickly caught the book.
ዪልጠልረልክ ጠቿጠልፕልዘጕልክ ጕሁፕሁጕልክ
I don't understand what's on the cover of the book. This post is exactly the same as the one I met.
"In the book there is a prophecy that says there will be at least nine people coming from the outside world to restore the light of the Abyss." Liya threw her back at the back of the chair.
"Yeah, the innkeeper also told us that maybe we are the ones in the prophecy. Now, you can ask." Liya folded her arms, taking a comfortable sitting position.
"Are we going to do it?" I hesitated to ask. Do we have to do as the prophecy says?
"I don't know either. We may not be what the prophecy meant. But, can we leave the Abyss without providing any help?"
"Why indeed? They just experience a time difference. There's nothing bad about that, right?" Arthur frowned. I think he disagrees about being a figure in the prophecy.
"That's not the case, Arthur!" Mery who had been silent since then finally opened his voice. Her face was not like Mery's usual. He lowered his head. His eyes were staring blankly, as if there was something he was thinking about.
"Then what?"
"They are eternal beings. Despite the time difference, but they can't die and just continue to give birth to offspring."
"Isn't that even good? I just want to have eternal life like them."
"No, you don't understand. It's a curse."
"What if it's a curse? Tell me why we should help them when they live in peace like this."
"SILENCE!!!" Percy's voice echoed in the room. The veins on his forehead look very clear. His face was red with anger.
"Let me explain, Mery. You shut up if you can't explain well."
Mery shrieked at the sentence. He flipped over, walking towards the wooden door that was beside the bookshelf. Percy sat quietly. Although the look on his face did not describe the calm atmosphere.
"There are some crazy researchers who caused this curse. They were somewhere not far from the Abyss. The Abyss Dwellers could not leave the Abyss due to the rules of the curse. If they break, then they will experience an incurable disease. They would only suffer constantly and could not die. Free to kill yourself. It will only add to the pain they feel."
I bit my lower lip. I initially agreed with Arthur. Why help people who feel peaceful like that? But after hearing Percy's words, I became a little pity.
"Then what's so hard? They just needed to not get out of the Abyss. Maybe that's what you think. But settling in the Abyss is no different than breaking the rules of curses." Percy picked up the glasses perched on the trunk of his nose, wiping his face.
"Those who are cursed will experience a time difference and become immortal. That sounds perfect. But a curse is still a curse. Actually for those crazy researchers they are just a cattle that can produce a lot of offspring in a short time. Those who are researchers are not cursed. So when a generation has been going on here, they've only been through a few years or maybe a few months."
I can't say anything. Arthur is too. He who had been annoyed from earlier finally put on a flat face without expression. Are all of the people here the objects of research? Are those mad scientists going to do the same thing they did to Yamato?
"And about what happened three years ago..."
