There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 615 - 609. Guardians

Chapter 615: Chapter 609. Guardians

"We have to go back now."

Before Zein could observe each one of his new siblings, Cliff clapped his hands and announced the unfortunate news. It had only been less than five minutes, and the younger-looking kids were terribly disappointed.

"Aww..."

"We still getting used to this form, so we can’t maintain it for too long for now," the voice of reason reminded them with a calm tone but unwavering gaze. "It’s not like Brother Zein will go back right away."

The twins and the little boy turned their heads at Zein swiftly, and the guide could only chuckle and nod. "I’ll stay a bit longer around this area."

Naturally, he would have to go back sometime soon since they didn’t have permanent residence yet. Besides, staying there would disturb the development plan which he was sure Radia already had the blueprints on. Still, he would probably stay around for another week or two, and once they had their house here...

Yeah; let’s just say he would stay around.

Once again, the twins jumped and hugged him tightly. "See you later, Brother!"

"See you..." the boy swung his hand again before reluctantly letting go and walking back while holding the twins’ hand.

Zein spent a couple of minutes more with Cliff to talk about stuff before all the shards finally went back to the giant tree and the door disappeared as if it never existed in the first place. If it wasn’t for the cameras recording it, they would probably think it was nothing but a collective daydream.

Walking along the roots, Zein felt it was fascinating. He kept looking down to enjoy the pristine water flowing like rivers between the roots. It didn’t look deep, so it would probably be safe enough for children to play around. At the edge, some of the roots were gathering again, keeping the land that was supposed to be a lakeside before intact. The reporters and the members of Trinity were still congregating there, both their eyes and the camera lens were focused on him.

Hmm...it had been a while since he faced something like this. Almost three years had passed since they started the operation, and he had been successfully avoiding the media ever since, so being swarmed with reporters--even if there were only five of them--made him stiffen.

"Sir Luzein, an inquiry, Sir!"

"Sir, a word or two, please!"

"Sir Ishtera--"

Thankfully, his pack of bodyguard brigade--who had become even more protective ever since he nearly died two weeks ago--immediately rushed to provide a fence.

"Step back," Senan spoke with the low, authoritative voice he usually used in shareholder meetings. "You will be thrown out if you push forward."

Since the Iron Shield brigade was composed of defenders, all of them had a big build and threatening aura, which effectively made the reporters quiet down and merely fidget restlessly. They were still trying to move here and there to gain some footage, however, grasping their microphone desperately for any scoop.

Behind the human fence, Radia approached Zein who was starting to regain his composure. "Thank you," he said with a smile.

"It’s for myself too," Zein shrugged, accepting the handshake that Radia gave as a formal symbolism of their fulfilled contract.

Still, they couldn’t run away from the media forever, so Radia tilted his head toward the reporters, and Zein nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, alright--calm down everyone," Radia clapped his hand and this time, the reporters truly stopped moving. They looked at the Guildmaster with sparkling and pleading eyes, and Radia did not betray their aspiration. "We’ll have a short session, so please make it concise since the Patriarch is tired."

The reporters’s hands immediately shot up in the air and cameras were flashing in attention. Radia pointed to a poor, petite reporter who had been jumping up and down as if the root was a trampoline.

"Sir!" the reporter paused to wheeze and managed her breath before continuing rapidly. "Can you tell us more about the Tree and the...the people coming out of it? Is it a Tower? Are they administrators?"

As expected, they would ask about that. That was why Zein and Cliff stayed behind to talk earlier, because he needed to know what he could tell the outside world about them. It would require a lot of context if they said those kids were the personification of the shards.

"It is neither a Tower nor a Temple," Zein replied with the answer he had prepared earlier. "The power infused into the fragment is not something from a patron deity, but something borrowed, so it’s not enough to create a fully functioning Tower or Temple. However, it’s enough to hold the same purification ability."

"Then, those people..."

"They are..." Zein paused briefly. "You could say they are the guardians."

The reporters murmured at the same time. "Guardians..."

"Their duty is to protect the Tree from any disturbance or danger so that this place would not turn into a Deathzone anymore," Zein turned slightly to look at the Tree for the first time. It was quite different from looking at it from right beneath the canopy. "You might see them walking around the whole area in the future, but please refrain from disturbing them--believe me, they are as strong as those administrators."

The reporters flinched at the sharp flash of the guide’s blue eyes and gulped. "Understood."

Seeing the answer had come to an end, another reporter shot their hand without missing a beat. "Sir, Guildmaster Mallarc called you ’Patriarch’ instead of ’Guide’ earlier; Is there a significant meaning to this?"

This time, Zein turned toward Radia, letting the summoner answer it. "It means Guide Luzein has fulfilled his contract with me, and as of now no longer a member of Trinity."

Sharp gasps came from all over the place; not just from the reporters, but also the members of Trinity.

"Ah, I might as well announce it now," Zein tilted his head in short contemplation, prompting the reporters to perk their ears. The cameras immediately panned closer and focused on him as everyone was waiting with bated breath. "I’m going to retire as a regular guide."

Another series of sharp gasps--even a small shriek--echoed around the valley. The group of guides huddling on one side looked like they were catching a sudden mass heart attack.

Someone--a senior-looking reporter--raised his hand and asked with a twinkling gaze. "Sir--what do you mean by ’regular’ guide? Do you mean you’ll still guiding? Perhaps...exclusively?"

Ah, how sharp. Zein replied nonchalantly with a nod. "Yes."

Immediately, everyone glanced toward Bassena. If there was someone who Zein would guide exclusively, there was no other answer than his very own boyfriend. Whether or not they would speculate about something more--that wasn’t for Zein to care about.

He glanced at Radia, who understandingly clapped his hand again. "That will be all," the summoner announced, and the Iron Brigade resumed their role as a human fence.

"Wait--Sir!"

"Any other information regarding the operation and reclamation effort will be relayed in the near future," Radia added in a lighthearted tone while walking away with Zein.

"Sir Luzein--"

"Any personal inquiry regarding the Patriarch must be made through the House’s formal system," Senan said firmly, staring down at anyone trying to breach the line.

And thus, the first live broadcast from the region formerly known as the Deathzone finally ended.

* * *

"Phew..." Zein exhaled slowly as he walked down one of the stairs that the root made. This one was leading to the original bottom tier where the second lake was, and where their tents were located.

Getting away from the swarm of reporters, Zein immediately found himself swarmed by the guides, who forever would look like a bunch of chicks in his eyes even though the youngest of them already aged by three years.

"Captain!" Dheera was already full of tears when she clung to him.

Haa...how could he ever think these kids had grown up?

"Captain, is that true? Are you retiring for real?" this time, even the usually composed Dean grabbed his arm and shook it anxiously.

Zein swallowed his sigh and replied firmly. "Yes."

"W-why?"

"It’s time," Zein said, staring at the bright sky and lush landscape stretching on the horizon, savoring the sense of accomplishment spreading in his soul. He smiled as he caught the confused look on their faces. "I look like this, but it has been twenty years since I became a guide."

If it was someone who worked through the ’right’ way, twenty years meant that guide had reached their forties. At that point, guides had started to think about retirement because the mental burden had become more and more unbearable.

No matter how naive they were, the guides could see the exhaustion in those blue eyes.

"Oh..."

Zein chuckled at the dejected response. "Also...even if I’m not retiring, I can only guide one person from now on anyway."

"Huh?"

They blinked and looked at each other, before Nadine clasped her mouth, and Dheera and Leehan gasped. "Oh!"

"Oh, wow..."

Brisk stroked his chin like a profound scholar and nodded repeatedly. "Hmm...about time."

Look at this kid--Zein shook his head and smirked. "Well, I also want to focus on the academy more. I think it’s good to take it easy from now on."

"Yeah, I agree," Nadine smiled in agreement. Honestly, if he was the one who had her chest pierced...would she still be able to work?

No--Nadine thought she would probably curl up in her room and wouldn’t come out until at least ten sessions of therapy.

"That’s why," Zein patted his ’former’ deputy. "Please take care of the division from now on, Captain Nadine."

Nadines froze and blinked in surprise, while the other guides perked up and looked at her; their lips slowly stretched into grins.

"Captain Nadine!"

"Captain Nadine~"

"Oh, stop it!"

They giggled at their blushing new Captain, until Dheera tugged on Zein’s hand again. "But...can we still call you Captain?"

Zein frowned, but the kids flooded him with a series of pleaseee, that he became rather lost for words.

"Please?" even Nadine asked with a helpless smile. "It’s rather weird calling you Sir Luzein."

"You can just call me Zein..."

"No!"

A strong rejection came immediately, along with aggressive head shakings. Zein sighed and relented. "Do whatever you want."

"Can...can we still visit you too, Captain?"

"Sure," Zein let out a defeated smile. "I’ll make sure to visit Trinity when I’m in Althrea."

"Promise!"

"Yeah, yeah...I promise."

He chuckled and patted Dheera’s head, who giggled happily until Leehan shoved her aside to receive a pat on his own. Just like that, Zein suddenly found himself patting the guides one by one--even Dean and Nadine queued to receive one.

When his hand landed on the last queueing guide, Brisk, a husky chuckle came behind Zein. "Can I get a pat too?"

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