There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 417

Chapter 417: Chapter 410. Real Sanctuary

Changing the whole system...

"This..."

Even Agatha seemed to be hesitating, unlike before. The first demand was about building something new, so it was rather passable. But to change what had been practiced for centuries...

’Even the supportive Elders might object,’ she pondered inwardly.

If Agatha was hesitating, then Rounan could only blink in a daze. For someone whose life consisted of the Temple and only the Temple, it was akin to a paradigm shift. His brain couldn’t quite comprehend the idea.

"Why? You can’t?"

Agatha moved nervously in her seat. "Sir Ishtera, I understand what you meant--and please don’t take it wrongly, but..." she let out a sigh, "You know it won’t be easy convincing the whole Temple that what they had been doing is...incorrect."

Zein did not show much reaction in his face, unlike the intense emotion just a few minutes ago. He just shook his head. "Why are you doing so much politics when you’re not even part of the government," he sighed. "You are given power so you don’t have to be consumed by other’s power, but you’ve been doing it for your own--"

He did not finish his sentence, because he couldn’t hold another long sigh from coming out. It felt pointless, just like talking to espers who used their power to kill civilians instead of protecting them. The essence of what the Towers and Temples should give to humanity was getting marred by this kind of people.

Perhaps because Zein had a close connection with the fragments that enabled those towers and temples to give their power to humanity, he felt even more frustrated.

So much that his nape was tingling.

And as Zein waited in silence for the tingling to subside, the two High Priests were getting pricked left and right by their conscience. It was embarrassing, for the rotten side of the Temple to be served on a plate like this.

"Then what can you do?" Zein asked after rubbing his nape, prompting his head to tilt slightly. "If you can’t change the system, you should at least make an effort to step into a change--or are you telling me you can’t even do that?"

"That is not something in my power to--"

"But I ask you," Zein looked at her sharply. "I’m not telling you to make a decision. I ask you."

He leaned forward and took a piece of cake, before adding nonchalantly. "Think of what you could do in accordance with my demand," he said as he leaned back and brought the cake near his mouth. "I’ll give you time to think of a plan while I eat this."

It was a small piece of cake that Zein could eat in one bite if he was willing, but he intentionally bit on it little by little as if pitying the priests who came without preparation. Perhaps because they were only here so Zein would accept the apology and listen to his demand--not for impromptu quizzes and sudden brainstorming sessions.

But they had no choice except to follow, because the Goddess’s decree was absolute; the Saintess would not get out of the isolation unless Luzein Ishtera gave his forgiveness. Agatha had no idea whether it was the Goddess’ own whim, or whether another Goddess from another Temple pressured Her somehow.

No, that wasn’t for her to question or speculate.

Fortunately, Agatha hadn’t been merely living in a bubble all her life. Well, at least...her bubble was a bit wider than the others. It wasn’t like she was completely blind to the discrimination among the guides, and it wasn’t like she joyfully let everything happen. She just didn’t have enough power to oppose the Elders and the other members of the management.

Although, she could also say it was born out of cowardice.

But Zein was right; changing things must be hard. But that didn’t mean they shouldn’t try to change things. It might need a lot of time, years, for it to go as intended. And there would be a lot of fights, arguments, factions...

The Temple would no longer be in peace until the new system settled.

But there were a lot of guides whose lives had never known peace, so what was their excuse?

Agatha took a deep breath and exhaled it long and slow through her mouth. Little by little, small thing; she didn’t need to look far. "We could start by putting the people we rescued, and those awakened without guardians or supports, in the Temple, regardless of their class," she said, reflecting on what Zein said earlier. "As you said, we should be able to accommodate those in need of protection."

"Hmm," Zein swallowed the last bite he had been savoring for half a minute and hummed, but nothing more.

Seeing that Zein didn’t seem to be satisfied yet, Agatha racked her brain to once again recall what Zein had told them before. "School," she blurted; her eyes darted quickly to think of something to add. "If...if we involved or support the established institutes, it might lessen the view that the Temple’s education and the other schools’ education is different."

Rounan exclaimed silently and nodded to support his senior. In that case, the change would feel softer inside the Temple, but the effect would be significant outside.

Perhaps, the image of elitism couldn’t be changed so easily, but at the very least...it might help elevate the status of the guides at the bottom to shorten the gap. It would, in turn, leverage the rates of employing a guide’s services, increasing their salary.

Behind the teacup that Zein held, his lips stretched slightly. "Not bad," he said, brightening the complexion of the two priests. "In that case, let’s add another thing."

"Yes?"

"You know what kind of guide I am, don’t you?"

The priests blinked, and Agatha widened his eyes slightly after she realized what Zein was talking about. "Y-you’re...a combat guide."

"I am a combat guide," Zein repeated. "And it’s my professional opinion that there should be more combat guides out there." _{frёeweɓηovel.coɱ}

It wasn’t just about the awareness of survival; combat guides were less likely to become victims of Espers--not because they were stronger, but because Esper realized these guides were more useful. Also, just like what Trinity had done, combat guides had the right to be rather higher, thus, those who chose this path could demand more payment.