Forgotten Child

Twenty-sixth Chapter

"Bakit hindi ko napag-aralan ang data ng mga Underground World's Officials?" taka kong tanong kay Spade.

We're sparring right now, as a daily routine na namin every morning. He stopped as I asked the question.

"Huh," he let out a quick breath. "That is because the Officials' data are highly confidential. Any information about them are only recorded by the Historian of the Underground World, and who knows how they keep the records."

Nagtaka naman ako. "Eh bakit 'yung info about kay Bianca, the current Sgt. At Arms, napag-aralan ko?"

"Sweetheart, she's not the real official," Spade stated. "It does not run in their family to be one. Kaya lang naman siya ang Sergeant ngayon ay dahil ang tatay niya noon ang pumalit sa tatay mo because of the false accusation. Although her info is still classified, hindi ito kapantay ng tulad sa mga totoong Officials. You understand me?"

Tumango ako. "Kaya pala, pero teka, ang sabi mo sa'kin at according na din sa mga napag-aralan ko, there are only four officials sa Underground World: the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Sergeant At Arms, bakit may Historian? Kasama din ba 'yun sa officials?"

Lihim na napangiti si Spade. "Yes and no."

"Excuse me?"

"Yes and no," he repeated before he attacked me. I blocked him and attacked him back.

"What does that even mean?" I asked as he blocked me this time. He tried to hit me with his foot and I stopped it with my forearm.

"It means the Officials are not just what their title says they are," he explained as I tried to hit his side with my leg.

He got my leg at hinawakan niya ito ng mahigpit dahilan para tumayo ako with just one leg. Pero sige pa din kami sa pag attack at counter-attack sa isa't isa.

"Elaborate please," I asked.

"The President, Vice, Secretary, and Sgt. At Arms can be the Historian or the Treasurer or whatever. Sometimes the Pres can be the Vice, and the Vice can be the Pres, or this can be that, or that can be this," he grunted as I landed a blow on his arm.

Sa totoo lang, ang hirap tumayo gamit ang isang paa, pero dahil sa training na din for the last months, medyo mahirap na lang ng unti.

"Pwede pala 'yun? Eh di parang wala din palang kwenta ang title," komento ko.

He smirked. "Sweetheart, titles are a big deal in the Underground World. Just because the officials can be like this and that, do not mean they hold the power of that title."

"Pero 'di ba, kaya nga siya ang Acting President, pag palagay na nating ganun, eh may power siya just like the real president. Tsaka, base din sa napag-aralan ko, kahit biglang bumalik yung totoong president, kailangang kusang-loob na ibabalik ng Acting President yung position bago makuha 'yun ng totoong president."

Dahil nasalo ni Spade ang kamao ko gamit ang right hand niya, napastop kami ng saglit at nagkatinginan. "One can act as the other pero once na magsalita ang titleholder and the remaining three, believe me, the substitute is nothing, Adria, especially if she's not part of the Royals."

"Royals?" I got my fist back and we continued.

"The real officials, those people na tumatakbo talaga sa dugo nila ang pagiging official," he grunted as he blocked me. "But the thing is, since what happened during your father's generation happened at nagkaroon ng substitute up until now, nakalimutan na ng generation ngayon ang orihinal na patakaran. And it is, once all the Royals decided what action to be taken, whether the people wanted it or not, it will be process and happen. Parang Executive Order lang, but in the Underground World's terms, Royals Order ito kung tawagin."