The guard's explanation for why it took him so long to report the news to Creon is that he was hesitant to bring such disturbing news to the king. He was afraid of the repercussions and consequences that may come from delivering the message that Polyneices' body had been buried against Creon's orders. Additionally, the guard feared being punished or blamed for the act, which caused him to delay in reporting the news to Creon.
