32. Dark Guide

Until the entire arena announced the results, the Blue Prison team’s Sentinels piled onto each other in celebration—this victory, long craved yet almost unbelievable, finally felt real.

They had truly done it.

Anri was on the verge of tears, and you ran over to embrace her.

Joyful tears streamed down her face as she held you tightly.

You gently patted her back. “Anri, you really worked so hard…”

She had never once given up on her dream of bringing the World Cup championship to the country, and now her efforts had not been in vain.

Carrying the hopes of so many, Blue Prison had finally stepped onto the global stage.

Your eyes met Eshin’s; his tense nerves finally relaxed a little now that the dust had settled.

You quietly gave him a thumbs-up from behind Anri.

“...”

Eshin pushed up his glasses, swiftly masking his previous expression and returning to his usual impassive demeanor.

...What’s he playing at? He’s clearly happy too!

You glanced toward the lively Sentinels on the field, where eager reporters were itching to interview them; Rin Itoshi remained seated on the ground, his intense mental fluctuations having quieted; Saeru Itoshi passed by the exhausted national team lying on the grass and stopped about two meters from Rin, seemingly engaged in conversation.

After a moment’s thought, you decided to head toward Kiyosei and the others first.

“Ah… playing football is exhausting.”

You turned around to see the seemingly spent Naruki Shiro lying on the ground, wriggling toward you.

“...”

You lifted your foot to walk away, then glanced back again to find Naruki wriggling even faster.

A towering Sentinel standing 1.9 meters tall was too tired to stand, but still able to crawl.

After just a brief hesitation, Naruki succeeded in becoming a large ornament dangling from your calf.

His fluffy hair brushed against your leg. You tried to pull away but failed, a faint ticklishness forcing you to maintain your composure.

“...If you’re tired, just go to sleep.”

Neither leaving nor staying felt right. You awkwardly ruffled his head, his soft white hair becoming tousled.

A Miffy rabbit keychain tried to look up and say something from this angle—thankfully, you were wearing pants today.

When you turned your head, the furry sensation vanished, replaced unexpectedly by a soft cheek pressed against your bare calf muscle.

You instantly got goosebumps, nearly hopping on one foot.

The culprit’s cheek, squished out of shape, still wore an innocent expression: “?”

Mauro, passing by, saw this and turned back, grabbing Naruki by the back of his collar and dragging him away. “Embarrassing.”

“Then carry me to the locker room. I can’t walk anymore.”

Carry him? King Mauro would never do that.

Dragging him along, Naruki didn’t resist at all—his backside scraping the ground the whole way, which even a Sentinel would find uncomfortable.

The giant rabbit tried to shift his rear a bit, but Mauro was stubborn. In the end, Naruki had no choice but to stand up and walk himself.

“...”

You wanted to say something but hesitated, then bent down and patted your calf.

It was, indeed, a little embarrassing. Hopefully, no one but Mauro had seen it.

Free of Naruki, you finally reached Kiyosei and the others to congratulate them. But before you could exchange many words, Igarashi excitedly called Kiyosei over for an interview.

The young Sentinel’s sweat-drenched face showed a hint of embarrassment. He said goodbye to you with both anticipation and nervousness, then approached the backdrop prepared for interviews.

Various cameras nearly pressed into his face; they all showed intense interest in this rising star and Blue Prison.

You watched from a short distance as he gave the interview, then stepped back and turned to check on Rin Itoshi.

Rin sat on the ground with his back to you, seemingly trapped in some extreme emotion once again.

A dense, dark mass of mental energy—repeated fluctuations throughout the match had long surpassed the threshold.

No, he was fine just moments ago; his mental state was very stable...

You reasonably suspected it was something Saeru said that caused Rin’s condition to change.

Saeru stood before Rin. Your eyes met, and you both clearly read each other’s expressions.

Saeru saw your puzzled yet concerned look, and your movement to come closer.

...The match is over—why do you still care about Rin’s state?

He walked past Rin, frowning, about to scold you for poor taste, but reporters beat him to it.

Yes, rather than interviewing him as usual, the reporters swarmed you with questions.

Blocked by the reporters, Saeru lost the chance to talk with you and stepped back a few paces to wait.

This barrage of machines was now aimed at you. Several microphones thrust forward bore labels such as “Guidance Association” and “Sentinel Management Association.”

You could sense that among these people were guides.

“Are you the chief guide responsible for this match?” someone asked first.

“Chief? What kind of title is that?”

Caught off guard by the sudden interview, a dazzling white light shone on you. You felt dizzy and nervous, your mind unable to think clearly.

Is this interview live? How many people will be watching? What if I say something wrong?

“Although guiding both teams did not violate any rules, this is the first time such a situation has occurred. May I ask on what basis you approved the applications from both teams?”

“Also, guiding two popular players simultaneously—is it because their compatibility scores were equally high and you couldn’t choose? Could you elaborate?”

“The current number of Sentinel guides is disproportionate. Does your example indicate that blood relations affect compatibility?”

“There are rumors that you are the chosen one of a certain German Sentinel. Is this true?”

“German player Michel Kaiser recently entered the country. Is there any connection with you?”

“I…”

You never expected post-match reporters to interview a guide, and this segment had never appeared in broadcasts you’d watched before.

Clearly, they weren’t going to ask politely about your feelings or future plans, but instead sharply pressed you with pointed questions.

You opened your mouth but couldn’t answer, only wanting to escape immediately.

The young guide’s troubled, nervous face appeared on camera. The reporters probably understood but if you didn’t respond, they would have to ask more directly—

“These questions are off the record. Use your brain and hands to find out yourselves.”

Eshin Nanba’s voice was picked up by the equipment as he entered the camera frame.

He raised his slender arm slightly, shielding you in a more protected position behind him, standing firm before everyone’s gaze.

All the glaring lights were absorbed by his pure black presence.

His height of over one meter eighty felt especially reassuring at this moment. You looked up at Eshin’s calm, composed profile, then at the crowd and equipment in front of you. Your nervousness gradually eased.

Eshin stared directly into the camera, catching a glimpse of Saeru standing in the same direction.

His jet-black pupils fixed unwaveringly; his words seemed meant for Saeru as well.

“We have officially submitted the approval process for Dark Guides to the Sentinel Management Association. Everyone, please wait for the results.”