ANOTHER WORLD

Chapter 015 ANOTHER WORLD

Unlike Halvir who almost always has a blank face. Hans can show many expressions and is polite. The similarity between the two is that they are both straightforward. Wisely, Hans can casually bring the conversation between himself, Halvir and Anindira to a situation where he gives Anindira the freedom to be honest without feeling hesitant or afraid of the consequences.

''From what I have experienced for three months... I can tell that this world is not my world.''

Anindira's statement that she trusts Hans as Halvir trusts her is quite surprising.

Halvir and Hans, who initially only wanted to find out what happened, now became more serious about listening.

''In my world, there is no such thing as a human being able to change their form into an animal. Likewise, your powers, although I only saw Kak Halvir from our conversation earlier. I conclude that it is a common thing here... That's why it does not exist in my world.''

''Anindira,'' Hans called her, ''If men cannot change their form and also do not have powers like us. Then how do they protect you, women?!''

''Men, women, it's the same. No one can change their form in my world, as I've seen with Kak Halvir,'' Anindira answered honestly.

''Halvir, you don't know anything about this?'' Hans asked, glancing at Halvir with a probing gaze.

Halvir answered by shaking his head, ''He even spoke a different language,'' Halvir added, ''We had difficulty communicating at first.''

''No wonder your accent is so strange...''

Anindira smiled at Hans' words even though she didn't know the word ''accent'', but she could guess if that was what he meant.

''Who did you get to the forest with?'' Hans asked again.

''Alone.''

''Were you abandoned?'' Hans asked again, ''There?! Alone?''

''Of course not!'' Anindira exclaimed, answering firmly, ''I was suddenly there.''

''Forgive me. But it's strange to me. I don't know anything like that. This is the first time I've heard of it... how could there be a human who can't change shape?! I only know women who can't. But if men can't either... are you perhaps the only one left of your Clan?''

''Of course not!'' Anindira answered firmly, ''Only men can change shape, women can't. Why?''

''We don't know. It's been like that for a long time. That makes you women vulnerable to danger. That's why we guard you carefully.''

''Ah, I see... But I'm not the last, there are still many others.''

''But you said earlier that no one can change their shape in your world?!'' Hans exclaimed with a shocked face.

Just like Hans, Halvir also thought about the same mindset.

''Yes,'' Anindira said confidently, ''That's how it is. But we survived and are still alive today.''

''What are the men like?'' Hans asked, still curious.

It was Hans' nature to always want to know more clearly about something.

''It's normal. But, of course, in general, men are stronger than women.''

''Doesn't that mean your Clan is very weak?!'' Hans exclaimed firmly, ''How could they possibly survive until now?''

''Huh?!?!'' Anindira shrieked in surprise, her forehead wrinkled, feeling like she was being belittled.

''Listen,'' Hans said immediately because he could feel Anindira's bad mood because of his words, ''When we change shape our strength will also increase as well as our body size. That clearly shows how far we have developed. Therefore, I think if you can't change shape, it means you are weak. Because if that's the case, then how will you face the ferocity of wild animals? Especially when there is an attack from a Clan that could change shape like us?! How many members of your clan? Are they almost extinct?''

''EXTINCTED?!'' Anindira shouted, almost laughing at Hans' statement, ''We are humans, that's impossible!''

''What do you mean?!''

Hans and Anindira were very active in talking, while Halvir was more passive but still listened to the conversation seriously.

''There are many of us. About the Clan, if what is meant is a tribe. There are various, many... although some are no longer there, I think extinct is not always true. It's just that, modernization has made most people forget the origins of their past descendants. Not to mention inter-ethnic marriages. But humans are extinct?! That's impossible! Wild animals are dangerous?! We are humans, much more dangerous.''

Halvir and Hans frowned in surprise at Anindira's words, but they could also feel that there was no lie in every word she said.

''Is that so?!'' Hans asked curiously.

Anindira nodded in response to Hans' question.

''But I still find it difficult to understand, how do you live every day?'' Hans asked again.

''That's it... work, earn money. Parents raise and educate their children... What else?!''

''You said strong men are something that doesn't exist in your world,'' Hans replied. He who had a great curiosity was certainly curious to understand to the smallest detail, ''Then how do they work? Without enough strength, it would certainly be difficult.''

''Tools...''

''Tools?!''

Halvir and Hans parroted in a questioning tone at the same time.

''We use tools to make our daily activities easier.''

''Only relying on tools, what if they break or get lost?!''

''Buy another one, what's so difficult?!''

''What if there's an emergency and the tool breaks...''

''Disaster, of course.''

''Then, are you comfortable with that?!''

''Are there any other options?!''

''That's right... Can your women live prosperously with a life like that?''

''Most of them, yes.''

''What about you? Are you one of those who live prosperously?'' asked Halvir, curious about Anindira's personal life.

''Of course. My mother is a doctor while my father is a lecturer. Eating enough to meet the *four healthy and five perfect foods, as well as clothing and shelter. Our education is also very well provided for.''

(Four healthy five perfect (4 sehat 5 sempurna/4S5S) is a healthy eating pattern concept that recommends the consumption of complete nutritious food, which is always taught in Indonesia.)

''I'm still confused. No matter how I hear what you say, I still don't understand how you can survive. Look, in this village, there are six clans that mix together. If added up, there are about eight hundred people in all. This village is called the Blue Forest Village, one of hundreds or even thousands of villages surrounding the KINGDOM ruled by the Lion King.''

Hans still found it difficult to accept something that contradicted something that had become the natural law in this world. So did Halvir.

''How many people are there in the KINGDOM?'' Anindira asked immediately.

Anindira assumed it was a large country, hearing not the Chieftain but the King mention it.

''Around three hundred thousand,'' Hans answered.

''I don't know the exact number of each tribe in my place, but we are all under the same government, our number is almost three hundred million.''

''Million?!'' Hans exclaimed. She and Halvir did not understand the word, ''What is that?''

''Um...'' Anindira tried to think of an answer, ''How to say... Three hundred thousand... Around, eight hundred and thirty-three times of three hundred thousand...'' Anindira said with an innocent face, ''Not only that. The world I come from is one of more than two hundred regions... Sorry, not a region. But a country. There are more than 200 countries in my world. And our population is not the largest. My country is in fourth place with the largest population. As for the area, my country is in fifteenth place. Then for the tribes, there are thousands of tribes. Very many...'' Anindira said again, adding her explanation.

Hans and Halvir were surprised by Anindira's words. They couldn't believe there were so many people in one place. Even if the KINGDOM and the surrounding villages were added together, that number would not be obtained. The most astonishing thing for Halvir and Hans now was, it turned out, it was only from one region and there were many other regions that were even bigger.

They were surprised and shocked to the point of feeling that Anindira was making things up. But they also did not deny that they did not see any lies from Anindira. They were sure that what Anindira said was true without being made up. They could guess from the look in Anindira's eyes and the sound of her heartbeat, which was normal.

''How many women are there?!''

Halvir and Hans both asked in unison.

*****

Women are the Most Important Treasure. Not only for a family but also for a village and even a GREAT KINGDOM.

Women will be guarded and protected even if their lives are at stake, even if the men do not know them. Losing women means a Village or Clan will lose the ability to have the next generation. And if that continues to happen, then it won't be long until finally the Village, or even worse, the Clan will disappear.

That is not only a fairy tale, but there have been many villages or Clans that have been destroyed because they lost their women. Clans or villages that lose women will be looked down on because it means they are weak. Even though they could enter another Clan or Village, they would almost never be glanced at by women because of their inability to guard and protect women.

*****

''Huh?!?! Anindira exclaimed in surprise, ''I-I... Don't know...''

Two handsome men suddenly asked about women at the same time with serious faces.

''I said there are eight hundred of us in this village, right?!'' Hans replied enthusiastically, ''Do you know how many women there are? There are only thirty-three, plus you, it makes thirty-four. In the great Lion Kingdom, there are three hundred thousand people. Not very different from this village, the number of women is also small. There are only less than one thousand five hundred women. That's what I know, five years ago, because I hadn't been there for a long time...'' Hans explained.

''Wow, very few. I think I can imagine something. In my world, women and men have a balanced proportion. In fact, there are more women than men... I think so.''

Hans and Halvir did not respond. They were still confused, amazed, as if they couldn't believe it. The Anindira people were weak but had an extraordinarily large population. But no one had ever known about this before. The biggest question on Halvir and Hans' minds right now was, what was their secret to having such a large population.

''Um... How old are you?'' Hans asked, changing his question. He wanted to find out more.

''Seventeen years old.''

''You're still young, have you entered your adulthood?'' Hans asked further.

''Hm... What do you mean?'' Anindira asked. She didn't understand what Hans had just said.

''Your heat cycle,'' Hans replied.

Hans had just wanted to explain to Anindira but was immediately cut off by Halvir.

''Let's go home!'' Halvir shouted, cutting off Hans' words. He immediately lifted Anindira, carried her, then took her out.

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