There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 737: Side Story 4. Endless Journey - 20

"So...she’s an awakened?" Radia glanced at the children before returning his gaze to the lake.

"Yeah."

"Esper? Guide?"

"Both," Zein replied while squinting his eyes at the surface of the lake. "She should be able to guide like me, and convert the miasma into mana to be used."

"Damn..." Han Shin whistled and swayed his fishing rod impatiently, feeling bored already after half an hour.

As usual, they had their annual summer vacation. This time, they decided to visit Ishtera’s lakehouse to escape from the heat of Lucre and celebrate the owner’s wedding anniversary. Everyone gathered in Ishtera Hills before moving through the portal that Radia’s summon opened, ensuring the baby wouldn’t have to go through a rigorous long journey.

The lakehouse was now under the full care of Ria and Sherry, who happily took little Lucy so Zein could enjoy the day with the others. As a retired guide, both of them did not have any problem handling the mana coming out of the baby.

They spread blankets beneath the tree and let the children have a picnic with little Lucy while the adults were trying to get them lunch.

I’d advise against letting the world know about her," Radia said. He wasn’t fishing like the others, just sunbathing lazily on a beach chair. "But I know you wouldn’t let the world know in the first place."

"Obviously," Bassena scoffed.

If the world knew a baby awakened on her third day, there would be countless inquiries that even his terrifying reputation and Ishtera status couldn’t block--including one from the Sentinel Association. She would be a sensation all around the world, and as someone who had experienced being a sensation around the world as an adult, Bassena wouldn’t want that for a child. Especially not his child.

"Besides, the way her system works is probably different," Zein said. "The Guardians will teach her in the future, but whether or not she’ll use her power is up to her."

"I know you’d say that," Han Joon chuckled. "Well, as long as you don’t let outsiders near her until she can control the mana, no one would know."

"I hope so," Zein let out a long sigh. "At least until she’s of age, I want her to grow up normally."

"That is too late," Han Shin laughed. "No one can just grow up normally as your children."

"Well..."

Whether they would be awakened as a guide or an esper, people would have high expectations of the offspring of the strongest esper and the legendary guide from the Eastern Federation. So far, the twins had been quite isolated from the world because their circle consisted of people who knew their parents personally. But once they entered school--which would happen the next year--they would face people’s expectant stares.

If Lucy’s conditions were to be known, the expectant stare would get doubled. People would already talk about what kind of things she would be able to do in the future, putting all kinds of responsibility and hope while also fearing her at the same time. Just like what they did to Bassena. freeweɓnøvel.com

The world might be a slightly better place, but not by that much.

"She’ll probably face a hard life, but rest assured that we’ll help her as much as we can," Radia said.

Zein chuckled while patting his fishing rod. "I know, Godfather."

Radia rolled his eyes as they were laughing and scaring away the fish. In the end, they gave up on fishing and just took out the ingredients Bassena had already prepared just in case. They brought out the grill from the warehouse and had a barbeque while the children were playing on the lakeside. It was fortunate that Rina wasn’t there, or they would already asking for an ice skating rink.

Watching the children not carelessly jump into the lake, Zein muttered her observation. "Nari doesn’t seem to be affected by Lucy, but Byul is..."

"Yeah," Han Shin nodded. "I think Nari might awaken in the future, but not Byul."

"Oh, so Lucy can act as a detector?" Reina raised her brows in interest, turning toward the newest addition who was having her lunch earlier than everyone else, sucking from the bottle held by her grandma Sherry.

"More like testing mana compatibility."

"That’s interesting."

Byul had been surprised when he saw little Lucy again. The last time, in the hospital, everything was normal. But then, suddenly, he couldn’t get close. Little Byul couldn’t understand it, but he said he felt itchy, prickly, and they had to calm him because he was crying. Not because he was terrified, but because he was sad he couldn’t play together like the others.

The other children almost cried in confusion too, and the adults had to explain to them as best as they could. Byul was still sad, but Zein told the little boy that he would be able to play with little Lucy once she grew up. Well, it wasn’t like the other children also hung around the baby too much--all they could do with a baby was just stare at her anyway. After a while, they were bored and played among themselves.

Still, Kar took it upon himself to play with Byul instead so the little boy wouldn’t get lonely. He even made sure Asa and Nari did not jump into the lake, acting like a proper older brother. It seemed like gaining a little sister made him feel even more like the oldest one--despite only being taken out of the womb five minutes before Asa.

Perhaps because of that, Byul clung to Kar and followed the oldest twin everywhere with his wobbling steps. Meanwhile, Asa and Nari were running around in chaos, rolling on the grass, and dancing on the pier. It was like looking at two different worlds.

Little Lucy, who could yet respond to the children, enjoyed being pampered by the two grandmas. They kept crying and smiling at the same time, saying how pretty little Lucy was. Sometimes, Lucy would reward them with a little yawn that made them squeal.

Like a good girl, she fell asleep just in time for the adults to have their lunch. Bassena and Han Joon had diligently made a spread of grilled food both for the adults and the children, who had their own lower table and chairs--except for Byul, who still needed the assistance of a baby chair. The difference between the neat-eating twins, the chaotic Nari, and the still-learning Byul was worth a show for the adults.

"They’ll cry so much when school comes and they can’t play too often anymore, won’t they?" Han Shin laughed.

"It’s an inevitable rite of passage," Han Joon nodded. "You were crying so much every time I had an overnight activity in the academy."

"Did I?" Han Shin grinned while scratching his neck. Well, that was understandable. Being alone in that house with just the indifferent house staff was not fun for a toddler.

"Talking about academy..." Zein glanced at Radia, who raised his hand and made an okay sign.

"The only thing left is the operating license. It’ll probably pass quicker if you’re the one presenting it," Radia said. "Do you have time?"

Zein glanced toward his daughter in contemplation. It would be harder for him to go out since he had to be the one caring for Lucy--mostly alone. But if he had to get out, it was probably better to do it before Lucy could move too much.

"In two weeks," he finally decided, and Radia nodded before picking a date on his commlink.

"Is this about that esper-guide joint academy you were planning?" Han Shin asked curiously.

"Mm," Zein nodded.

So far, the academy for Esper and Guide had been separated, and they never really met one another until they had their licenses. But with Zein’s guide academy, there had been joint practices between the guide and the esper students. After all, the guide also needed practice to face the dungeon and the beasts.

So, why didn’t they have an academy catered to both? It might even create a bridge between espers and guides, shattering the wall between their standing. The wall had been easing up the past few years, but it still needed more to be shattered completely.

But it was alright. Centuries of wrong sentiment couldn’t be toppled in just one or two years after all. They just have to be steady and patient.

Talking about patience...

"Does your revenge go smoothly?" Zein asked curiously. He still had no interest in the rest of the world, so he had no idea what the Western Republic situation looked like.

"Oh, I haven’t told you?" Radia smiled. "The Hammers are facing management takeover."

"What’s that?"

"It means they might lose management right over their own companies," Bassena explained. "They had lost a lot of their share percentage and are no longer the biggest shareholder--foolishly so. The existing shareholders lost their confidence in the family and a voting will be held to determine whether or not the family will still retain management rights."

"And if they lost it?"

Bassena shrugged. "They won’t be running the companies anymore. They might hold onto the share they still have--if they decided to keep it instead of selling it to the new management--but they won’t be the owner anymore."

"Hmm," Zein nodded, pretending to understand. "At any rate, they are screwed right?"

"Of course," Radia sipped on his sparkling water. "There’s nothing more humiliating for conglomerates than losing their wealth."

Zein turned to look at Han Joon. "How about your personal revenge?"

"Oh, haven’t you heard?" Han Joon copied his husband while curling his eyes. "It seems like one of the Hammers had been having nightmares about a ghost coming after him several times a week."

"Is the ghost doing a night excercise in his room or something?" Zein raised his brow.

"Sharpening their knives, probably."

"Not wires?"

"It’s dark," Han Joon shrugged. "Who would know the difference?"

Zein laughed and shook his head while Han Shin raised his glass. "What a great day, isn’t it? It calls for a party!"

"Not again..." Radia groaned as the children perked up at the word party.