Chapter 416 - 409. The Second Demand
There was a lot to unpack within that statement;
That Zein called them money-grubber, that he thought the templars were useless, and that it was only the first demand.
How many would there be, exactly?
"Excuse me, Sir; did you just call our guards...dolls?" Rounan asked as politely as he could while clenching his fists beneath his wide sleeves.
"Aren’t they?" the blue eyes swept over the guards in scrutinizing gaze; at the people who were clad in expensive and sturdy armor and kept high-quality weapons by their side. "What’s the use of guards in a place called the safe-zone? Rather laughable, isn’t it?"
The word safe was uttered in such mockery and hatred that rather than angry, they felt embarrassed instead.
"Guarding a place protected by the Goddess’s barrier while most of the guides still lived in danger," Zein chuckled. "And you don’t wish to be called useless? If you’re not a coward, you should at least have self-awareness."
It was harsh words upon harsh words that stung like nothing before. As a part of Temple Management, they were elites within the elites, and no criticism had managed to reach their ears. After all, the only voices they would hear were those coming from the Temple, whereas members of the Temple would never dare speak against the Temple Management’s policy.
Zein looked at the templars whose eyes were hardening. "Do you not feel guilty, hearing about the awakened kids being trafficked to be sold in auction houses and brothels?" Zein asked sharply, with cold anger that he did not bother to cover. "Or perhaps...you’re going to tell me that you have never heard of those cases?"
Ruonan flinched. Honestly, before he read the articles mentioning Zein’s words in the guide conference, he never knew about it. He came from an affluent family in the green-zone, and once awakened, had spent all his life in the Temple. If his vessel was slightly bigger, he might even become a Saint candidate.
That was why he didn’t believe Zein’s statement at first, thinking it was merely a hoax concocted by those who wanted to have equal authority with the Temple. Fortunately, he was quite rational and tried to seek information about it first before condemning the speaker. What he found out was...disturbing.