Utopian System

The celebration of the "System's Great Snack" had ended, leaving behind a city brimming with hope and expectations.

But for Elio, the real work was just beginning.

In the meeting room of the central building, Elio found himself surrounded by his closest allies: Lucien, Selene, Ivan, and his friends. The air was thick with anticipation and a sense of responsibility.

"Well," Elio began, his voice firm but tired, the weight of leadership evident in his tone, "we have a lot to do and little time. Lucien, I need you to take charge of keeping the wall functioning while we distribute the cores."

Lucien nodded. "Understood. I'll make sure our defenses remain strong."

Ren furrowed his brow, mentally calculating. His fingers twitched as if working an invisible abacus. "With around 650,000 people over 18, and counting only the six of us, we should be able to do it in a few weeks. Maybe a month..."

"Elio," Lucien said softly, "there's another matter that can't wait. The families..."

Elio sighed. The complexities of leadership were already weighing on him. "I know. What do you suggest?"

Selene intervened, her voice firm but compassionate. "We can't leave them in the central building. It's too powerful a symbol of the old regime. Besides, with all the space they have there, it would be easy for them to conspire or cause problems."

Elio frowned, his moral compass conflicting with practical necessities. "I don't want to take revenge against 'the families'. Not all of them are guilty of Fathoran's crimes... Besides, I said in front of the soldiers that I wouldn't act like that..."

"Nobody's suggesting reprisals," Lucien said gently, placing a reassuring hand on Elio's shoulder. "But we need to integrate them into the new society. Getting them out of the central building and making them live in common houses would be a good start."

"The 150,000 houses are already almost full," Elio pointed out, his mind racing through logistics. "And the central building is huge. Thousands of people live there. Where will we put them all?"

Selene stepped closer, her voice soothing. "It doesn't have to be overnight, Elio. We can do it gradually. Start with the youngest, perhaps. Those who are more open to change… Then maybe fill the space with families of soldiers loyal to you."

Elio nodded slowly, the beginnings of a plan forming in his mind. "Okay. We'll work on a plan. But if possible, avoid violence." Varick's beaten face appeared in his mind, causing a pang of guilt. "If we're going to build a better society, we have to start with compassion."

Lucien and Selene exchanged a look, pride evident in their faces. "We'll make it work, Elio," Lucien promised.

Elio turned to Selene and Ivan, his voice taking on a more authoritative tone. "I need you two to take charge of gradually emptying the central building. Start with the youngest, as you suggested, Selene."

Looking at Zara, Micah, Kriz, Brok, and Ren, he continued, "We'll dedicate ourselves to finishing the distribution of invocations to everyone."

As Elio finished assigning tasks, he noticed Lucien seemed worried. The older man's brow was furrowed, his eyes distant.

"What's wrong, Lucien?" Elio asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Lucien hesitated for a moment before speaking, his words careful and measured. "Elio, there's something else we need to talk about. It's about Fathoran's genesis book."

Elio felt his heart rate quicken... "The book? Have you seen it?"

Lucien shook his head, his expression grave. "No, and that's the problem. No one has seen it since the battle. It should be in Fathoran's private room in the central building, but with all the chaos..."

Elio immediately understood the implications. "It could be anywhere. Or in anyone's hands."

"Exactly," Lucien confirmed.

Elio took a deep breath, centering himself. "Alright, have them search for it, but I suppose it's not that important. I've already read it and intend to make public all the information I didn't give in the speech soon."

As the meeting came to an end and everyone prepared to begin their tasks, Elio couldn't help but feel the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. It was a burden he had chosen, but one that felt heavier with each passing moment.

"Very well," Elio said, raising his voice so everyone could hear him. "We have a lot of work ahead of us. But together, we can achieve it. For a better city, for a better future for all."

A chorus of nods and words of support filled the room as everyone prepared to face the challenges ahead.

♢♢♢♢

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when Elio and his friends were already at their posts, ready for another day of core distribution.

The line of eager citizens snaked through the streets, disappearing into the distance. The air was filled with excitement and nervous anticipation.

Kriz, with dark circles under his eyes but an unbreakable smile, stretched dramatically. His exaggerated movements drew amused glances from those in line. "Ah, another beautiful day of slave labor for our benevolent leader."

Brok, beside him, let out a hearty laugh. "Slave? Please, slaves at least receive food. We only get the pleasure of seeing Elio's happy face."

"Oh, pardon me," Kriz brought a hand to his chest, feigning remorse with all the theatricality of a seasoned actor. "I forgot we're in the charity business. Maybe we should put up a sign: 'Tips accepted in the form of cores'."

A woman in line, who had been listening with growing amusement, let out a giggle. "If the tips are in cores, wouldn't you basically be returning them?"

Kriz winked at her, his charm on full display. "Exactly, ma'am. It's the perfect circular economy."

♢♢♢♢

Meanwhile, at the other end of the square, Ren was muttering to himself, his fingers moving rapidly as he calculated. His brow was furrowed in concentration, oblivious to the bustling activity around him.

"If we consider an average of 10 seconds per person, multiplied by the total number of citizens, divided by daily work hours and the number of distributors..."

Micah, passing by, gave him a friendly pat on the back, nearly causing Ren to lose his mental calculations. "Ren, my friend, breathe. The numbers aren't going anywhere."

"But we need to know how long it will take us," Ren protested, his eyes wide with the urgency of his calculations. "If my calculations are correct, we'll need approximately 4 weeks to complete the distribution."

Zara, who was nearby, whistled impressed. "Four weeks of seeing happy faces and hearing endless 'thank yous'. Every core distributor's dream."

Micah noticed an odd tone in Zara's voice. Her usual confidence seemed slightly dimmed. "Everything okay? You seem... distracted."

Zara glanced sideways at Elio, who was busy explaining the process to someone. Her eyes lingered on him, admiration and something deeper evident in her gaze. "It's just that... I don't know how to approach Elio. With all this distribution and his new responsibilities..."

Micah followed her gaze and smiled understandingly. He'd seen the way Zara looked at Elio, the subtle changes in her demeanor when he was around. "Ah, the old heart dilemma. Have you tried the direct approach? Something like: 'Hey, Elio, I like you. Want to rule the city together?'"

Zara gave him a playful elbow, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Very funny. But seriously, what if I mess everything up?"

"Zara," Micah looked at her seriously, his tone gentle but firm, "we've faced monsters, overthrown a tyrannical regime, and now we're handing out summons like they're candy. I think you can handle a conversation about feelings."

At that moment, a young woman approached Elio's stand, her eyes bright with excitement. The crowd seemed to part for her, drawn by her enthusiasm.

"I can't believe I'm in front of Elio Von Elian himself!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe and admiration. "Is it true that you fought an army of monsters all by yourself?"