The Guardian

¹Chapter 47: Don’t regret it

Clémentine watched Professor Santulli take her leave as she watched the live projection of the class.

“Why did they make us watch this class?” Clémentine asked doubtfully, but as she was alone in the car, no one answered.

Looking at the Cosmos Portals, Clémentine was about to get out when her holographic watch vibrated.

“Have you gone to that group yet?” a voice asked as Clémentine answered the call.

“No, Father,” Clémentine replied in a serious voice.

“You still have time to repent. That group will do nothing to help your development, and you will only waste time,” said her father from the other side, his voice not hiding his contempt.

Without Clémentine being able to respond, the voice continued.

“You can join the company or an affiliated guild and even go with your brother... But a small group with no name? I agreed to let you sign up for the hero academy, but going to a girl group to play is not what I expected,” her father stated, in a voice that didn’t hide his irritation. Letting out a low growl, he added. “No, maybe a group of rich girls would have been better... But you’re in a nameless group that it’s doubtful if they can have a mission all month, or if you’ll sit behind a desk for that entire month.”

“Father, we’re not going to go play, and I don’t care if I have to sit behind a desk. I have chosen this group. A group that was approved by the academy itself,” Clémentine replied calmly and coolly.

The times her father or brother intervened in her decisions were many, but since she enrolled in the academy, she was looking for more independence.

“Tch...” A click of tongue came from the other side, and before Clémentine could respond, he added. “I’ll see if I can get some assignments for you, so at least you’re not stuck in an office.”

“Father...”

Before Clémentine could refuse, the call was over.

With a sigh, she shook her head, slightly exhausted.

She came from a lineage of psionics, that meant her entire family were psionics and had a high probability of ‘awakening’ psionics in the future.

Her family was so focused on psionic or psionic energy that it made Clémentine herself act for the benefit of her family.

She loved her family, but... She wanted to be a heroine; it was that simple.

“Miss, I believe your friends are waiting for you,” reported the chauffeur from ahead.

Clémentine changed her expression and got out of the car, heading with the group waiting for her outside the Cosmos portals.

“Sorry I was getting a call,” Clémentine said and then greeted them all.

“I thought you were nervous... I’m nervous,” commented Nicole with a shy chuckle.

“Well, it’s my first time going to Africa. I’m nervous and excited too,” Andrés added with a half-smile.

“I think we’re all going to Africa for the first time,” Leslie muttered, looking at the others, and they all nodded, unable to deny her words.

It was tough to think that they would ever travel to Africa.

With small talk that did not hide their excitement, the group moved forward.

Everyone who had joined the mercenary group was present today to travel to Africa and begin their month of practice.

Leslie, Nicole, Clémentine, Érica and Andrés.

In a row, the group passed the controls of the Cosmos Portals, and when they entered that great celestial layer, their view was unlimited light blue, then their vision changed utterly.

Unlike what they expected from Africa, they did not encounter a large crowd of Africans.

Instead, between the portals, many people from different regions and countries were coming out of the portal.

When they came out of the cosmos portals, they found huge buildings of considerable size that occupied the entire downtown area.

Cars of all kinds, lights, billboards, lively atmosphere, large businesses and glittering stores.

Although some of them had seen pictures, there was a precise phrase for this situation.

“I didn’t expect it...” Érica muttered with a serious expression.

The image of Africa after the ‘Great Cataclysm’ had become more fixed because of the fall of governments, the expansion of the magic forest, destruction and warlords.

The image of a ‘poor’ continent was ingrained even in these times.

It might sound prejudiced, and it was, but no one could deny that this image still lingered in their minds.

As all sorts of people wandered to head to their jobs and the streets were crowded with cars, as in any city, from the front, a young man approached.

“We meet again,” Liam greeted with a smile as he approached the group.

“Good morning, sir...” replied each member of the group in unison.

They were now part of the mercenary group and had to treat their ‘elders’ with respect in order to maintain the ‘hierarchy’, but...

Liam momentarily froze, feeling old.

“Don’t give importance to hierarchical issues. As long as everyone knows who their bosses are, it’s all good,” Liam commented with a smile.

Giving them a signal to follow him, the group made their way to the parking area and then climbed into a van that had plenty of room for everyone present.

“Ha, believe it or not, Alice made fun of me for buying this car,” Liam commented with an amused smile and started driving.

This kind of car was usually what large families bought to carry their entire family group.

No one knew what to say to Liam’s comment.

As they drove through the streets of Zerzura City, the group did not cease to be surprised.

The surprise came not only from the large buildings or modern infrastructure, but also from the drones roaming the sky and some magical flying beasts.

“Usually the city has many visitors whose profession is beast tamers. It is normal to see some flying beasts. Although they are regulated only to fly in certain spaces,” Liam explained with a smile and, looking at the group in the rearview mirror, added. “You know, the beasts dump their waste and...”

“Yes, yes, we understand,” Clémentine replied with a smile, trying to push away from her mind the image Liam sought to create.

For his part, Andrés just let out a chuckle.

Excreting was a natural action for any beast... And pigeons were well known for doing it while flying, and flying beasts were no exception.

It was all-natural.

“So, what do you think?” Liam asked with a smile, and looking ahead, he detailed. “Zerzura City, known as the ‘Oasis of Africa’, or the ‘Jewel of Africa’. A large city with over twenty million residents. Which was created about five years ago.”

The members of the group had already been informed of those facts, but still hearing and seeing it was certainly a surprise.

Zerzura City was known as a city-state, but a country or Nation did not control it and belonged to a particular group of people.

Like Atlantis City, which was created by the Multinational Company Cosmos, Zerzura City was founded with the support of another multinational.

The Apicius Company had invested in the city to turn it into what it is today, and after diplomatic negotiations, it had become an independent city-state recognized by all the countries of the world.

The government was administered by the Apicius Multinational, the Church of Time and Space, a Minister elected by the people, the Adventurer’s Guild representing the city’s guilds and a special seat of representation.

The sovereignty of the people in these lands lost strength when monsters, beasts and creatures attacked, destroying most of the countries in Africa.

Now what the African people sought was to be protected rather than to elect their rulers or exercise their sovereign power in their lands.

That was given by the Apicius Company, which was furthermore limited by the Church of Time and Space while having as an opposition in extreme case a Minister representing the citizens and the adventurer’s guild as a last separate power representing a large part of the skill users.

In a sense, the Apicius Enterprise represented the legislative branch, the Minister the executive branch and the Church of Time and Space the judicial branch, if one followed a traditional system.

But that was in theory and far removed from reality.

Érica, who had researched Zerzura City, knew that control rested with the Apicius Company and the Church of Time and Space.

Like the government of Atlantis City, which was a council system with one member represented by the people, the Cosmos Company made the most important and final decision.

After walking around the city a bit and heading to a slight incline that overlooked the city, Nicole walked over to the window to look out over the city and...

“Is that a wall?” asked Nicole with surprise as she saw in the distance where the city ended a large wall could be seen.

“Yes, the city wall. It serves as a protection for the magical beast losses as well as serving to deal with the waves of monsters when the dungeons were overflowing... Sure, it’s been quite a while since a situation like that happened, but the wall still continues to improve and expand as the city grows,” Liam explained with a smile.

He had come this way to show them part of the city; after all, he had been a person who had been here since the city was a small city in emergence.

He, like many of the adventurers and mercenaries they had worked with, was proud of the city they had created together.

“I’ve read that the wall is created with a special malleable metal that can be extended without tearing down the wall,” Érica muttered with sparkling eyes.

“Yes, the city is still expanding, and Africa is still a chaotic place, so refugees coming from other places with terrible situations are always accepted,” Liam replied to the murmur and noticing that he had let out a slightly heavy voice, he changed the subject and added. “So the wall can be extended with the correct procedure so that no one is left out of Zerzura’s protection.”

“It must have cost millions,” Leslie added in surprise.

Liam just gave a smile and commented. “You can’t even imagine the number.”

The knowledge, the technology, the materials... And many other elements, all to create a wall to protect themselves on the most dangerous continent on earth.

Liam drove some more, and eventually, they came to a four-story building.

It had a trellised front yard, and to the back, it had a large backyard area that was not visible due to the green barrier of plants as a wall.

Liam stored the car in the front building, opening up a private garage with its holographic clock.

Inside were different cars of all kinds, and when the group looked at Liam, he just shrugged.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m not parking my car outside, and the nice building over there doesn’t have a garage,” Liam replied, pointing at the building with a garden, and grumbled. “All that because Alice doesn’t like to drive.”

With a look, so they wouldn’t give him away by his last words, Liam led the group and walked into the courtyard of the building.

This building design without the fences that stopped the passage looked like that of an eco-friendly administrative building, an eye-catching design and more so, in a concrete city.

When they entered, they realized that the interior was not a corporate building but an anteroom like any home.

“The entire building is ours. It’s our headquarters, but we use it as our regular residence,” Liam reported, writing on his holographic watch, but seeing that the students were still shy of a new place, he explained. “On the first floor are the kitchen, dining room, entertainment rooms, the bar, the lounge, you know all the normal stuff. On the second floor are the alchemy labs, craft and high-tech rooms with a private drone design room.”

Liam couldn’t help but hold back his grin when he saw Andrés’ eyes sparkle, and he stated with a cocky tone. “That one was built for me.”

“After you cried for months,” interrupted Alice, munching on her chips as she entered the room, and with a smile, she looked at the students and stated. “Welcome to the group. I hope at the end of the month you won’t regret your decision.”

Her tone had an amused touch to it, but the group was excited to have someone familiar and greeted her in a friendly manner.

Although most could be considered adults in many countries, and three of them came from important families, there was nothing better than being with someone they knew to help them adjust more quickly and calmly.

“Come along, I’ll take you to see who’s in charge,” Alice said, hiding her amused smile.

The group looked at each other.

A nameless mercenary guild had no enrolled leaders and only members; it was for that reason that the quintet had thought Alice was the leader.

Leading them to the first-floor office, the group entered a rustic, book-lined office.

At the desk sat Aurora, checking some documents on several screens.

The expression with which she was reading was very different from the lazy expression she always wore at the academy and had in class.

Now she wore a serious expression, and that she was frowning gave her a heavy feeling... That the group could not describe.

Aurora, sensing the presence, cancelled the holographic screens and looked at Alice.

“Giving them the presentation was your job, Alice.”

Aurora commented with a sigh, but noticing that Alice only gave her a smile and stood by her side like a subordinate, she turned her gaze to the group and, with a smile, commented. “Welcome to Africa.”

Keeping her smile, Aurora looked at each of them, and her smile only rose subtly.

“I hope at the end of the month you don’t regret your decision,” she said in a serious tone and an amused smile.

The group’s expression quivered.

Why did they keep telling them that they hoped their group would not repent?