There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Chapter 32. Where Thing Spilled

"Low! This is low!" Ron interjected with all his might for the side. "Don't get swayed, Zen!"

Zein, for his part, had never been seduced using sweets before. Whether he would be swayed or not was another matter, but he sure as hell enjoyed it. While candy was a luxury in the red-zone, chocolate was a mythical dream children talked about in a hushed tone.

So rather than replying to anything, he just tore the package Bassena dropped into his palm and savored it. Watching the guide eat the chocolate with pure, unadulterated bliss, Bassena spoke to the scout.

"Why don't you just come with us too, then?"

Han Shin snapped his fingers before using them to point at the scout. "Right, Ron! You come to Trinity too!"

"I respectfully decline," the answer was swift.

"Why??"

Han Shin might as well experience a culture shock being dodged and rejected back to back by their two top recruitment list. It seemed like common sense didn't really apply in the end zones. He was sure that back home, people still lined up the audition for Trinity's entrance test.

Why were these people so attached to the Borderland anyway?

Bassena played with a milk chocolate package, the one he first gave to Zein, and saw the blue eyes follow it like a cat to its toy. He glanced at Ron briefly, scrutinizing the firm expression on the scout's face. "Is it about your mercenary group? I believe we have a place for all of you in Trinity."

It wasn't just empty words or an attempt to flaunt their financial prowess. Despite its fine reputation, Trinity was still considered a young guild. They were mid-size at best, with the treasury coffers of a big-size guild. There were a lot of funds in recruitment still, and the Guildmaster wouldn't object to using it for snatching some top-quality espers that could be used to build another strike squad or forming a spec-ops group. It was there in their annual white book for guild framework.

"No—well, yes..." Ron rubbed his neck with a soft smile. "But that isn't all,"

Han Shin tilted his head, averting his gaze from the way Bassena was taking out the chocolate and swaying it in front of Zein. He looked at the scout keenly instead. "What then? I think we can work out some kind of—"

"No," another swift rebuttal. Ron chuckled, his eyes moved to stare at the guide and esper's pair that was in the middle of a chocolate snatching game. "But I think Sir Vaski would understand me best."

Bassena stopped his movement at that, turning his face to meet the deep, narrowed eyes of the scout. Zein used the opportunity to grab Bassena's hand and freed his favorite flavor from the clutch of the esper.

"...I see," Bassena gave the scout a deep smile, before looking at the guide again, which was in the middle of popping the cube into his mouth. "There's nothing I can do then," he smiled, wondering who was it that made Ron adamant to stay in the Borderland. He had a guess though—there were not many whose presence was a must and couldn't leave the Borderland no matter what. Someone shackled by duty, for example. "But you're both free to come when there's no need for a borderland anymore in the future,"

Ron widened his eyes, and for a while didn't even blink. That single sentence managed to tell him a little confirmation about his initial thought regarding this expedition—about Mortix and Trinity's 'big plan' for the Deathzone—as well as the fact that Bassena knew who it was that compelled him to stay.

The scout laughed, and gave Bassena a smirk. "I'll remember that."

"What is? What about Zein??" Han Shin frowned and looked at the two espers while pursing his lips in annoyance.

"That's different, of course," Bassena took out another package and dropped it to Zein's palm again, lips stretched into a genuine smile and eyes full of warmth. "Naturally, I would want nothing more than to bring mister guide over."

"I told you I still have a contract," Zein stared at his palm. There were three packages there, and he put them carefully inside his pocket. He picked up the box and put it on Bassena's palm, blue eyes staring firmly. "I won't breach it under any circumstances."

Zein wasn't the type to succumb to any bribes or threats. He was someone who still worked in that damnable place of a rogue guild until the end, even while bearing the bad reputation it caused. That integrity was his value.

Bassena smiled at the firmness of the conviction contained inside the pretty orbs. Radia Mallarc would like that—the Guildmaster probably would covet the guide himself. "What about after the contract ends then?"

Han Shin perked up while catching the box thrown at him by Bassena. "Right! We still have some time, so why don't you come to Trinity after your contract ends?" the healer stared at Zein with his glittering, pitiful black eyes. "Pweaasee~?"

It was the tactics he always used to appease his fiancée. But Zein, whose mouth had been filled with sweet things, preferred to focus on the various savory sandwiches their dear tanker/driver/cook had re-done and brought over.

"Ahem! Mister Zen, I'm pleading you as a fellow human being here, but your connection to the shard is pivotal in dealing with the shards. Even if you don't want to go to Trinity, won't you sign a contract with Mortix?" just like earlier, the researchers started to join Han Shin's pledge.

"Yes, I believe having you there while we conduct the research for the shard will be a tremendous help!" even the usually stoic and flat Anise clasped her hands in front of the guide.

Zein, in the middle of biting into his sandwich, paused. "Wait, you want to take the shard?"

"Well, yes? That's the whole point—"

"I thought you just want to locate it?" Zein frowned, looking at Bassena. But it was the researchers that answered him.

"We are, but we also want to take the shards if it's possible. Much of our plan ride on this—and finding more of the shards."

Zein still looked at Bassena, his meal neglected in his hands. "Why?"

This time, the esper did answer himself, but not before grabbing Zein's hand and guiding it to the older's mouth. "So we can make a fragment."

Ron glanced at the shards in the lake, pressing on his lips. Making a fragment of Setnath. Erasing the borderland. So his hunch was true all along.

But while the scout more or less figured it out, Zein wasn't that keen about the elites' grand scheme of things, so he needed things to be spelled out. He chewed on his meal quickly so he could ask further. "And what? What are you going to do with the fragment? What is this 'plan' you keep on saying?"

Zein didn't usually have any interest in other's business, in the matter outside of guiding. He seldom questioned any mission's objective, unless it seemed to be harming others.

However, the whole situation with the shard was different, since the shard proved to have something to do with his body. Not to mention, they seemed to be keen on involving him in this matter.