There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 336

Chapter 336: Chapter 328. A Pillar Needs Foundation

"That’s the first time I see Shin getting angry for real," Zein muttered on their way home.

It was always unnerving to see someone like Han Shin, who was always grinning cheekily or pouting childishly, giving them a cold look. He didn’t even ask why they hid it from him, either because he already knew why or because he didn’t care for any explanation. So there was no space for them to apologize, and it deepened their guilty conscience.

"Ah, I experienced that once," Bassena said. "Not to me, though. It was after that incident, when Radia sliced Joon’s neck. He was so angry that those two suddenly became...hmm...enemies."

"I see..."

"He stopped talking, not just to either of them. He didn’t even talk to me and Reina."

"Even Reina?"

Bassena chuckled. "It was like he was on a strike. But Radia locked himself inside his room for a whole week anyway, and Joon had to depart for the military base, so in the end, Shin had no choice but to end his strike so he could say goodbye to his brother."

Ah...Zein covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. He knew they were talking about something serious, but it was just funny that the people whom the silent protest intended to didn’t get affected by it at all.

"Well, Shin is the type that will cool down on his own after a bit, because he can’t stand being alone," Bassena smiled wryly. "I’ll apologize after he’s willing to talk again."

"Yeah, we should do that," Zein nodded. "But why did Radia go as far as slicing Joon’s neck?"

"Hmm..."

Bassena frowned slightly and propped his cheek against the windowsill, using only one hand to steer the car. He tapped on his temple as he recalled the event eleven years ago, trying to see it in a different light now that he knew one hidden piece.

"The thought of making Trinity; it was made for me to be able to get out of the Vaski household and the Golden Viper. The plan was for those two to create a guild first, and I would join as soon as I received my license," Bassena started the story. "But as you know, Joon suddenly told us he’d go to the military instead, which means the plan we had been cultivating for two years got scrapped."

"Hmm..." Zein crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to insert himself in that situation. "Did you not think he was doing it so Shin wouldn’t have to?"

"No," Bassena shook his head. "We’ve talked about it before. Joon had said he didn’t want to enter the military because then, no one would be home to protect Shin from their father’s violent tendencies. So we had agreed that the moment we made the guild, Joon and Shin would move elsewhere, preferably Mortix Hill, for protection."

Zein raised his brow. Now that was strange. No wonder they immediately got emotional. But that also meant something happened shortly before then that changed the soldier’s mind.

Something to do with Radia’s safety—although Zein couldn’t think what. What kind of safety problem had to be solved by making themselves apart instead of keeping the summoner close by? And from who? Which force wanted to harm the heir of House Mallarc?

"At first, I thought that Radia was angry for my sake, but...it wasn’t like we couldn’t make a guild without Joon," Bassena said, eyes narrowed and finger tapped on the steering wheel as he pondered about the event. "And then I told myself it was because Radia felt betrayed, since Joon broke their promise and joined the military even while knowing the Mallarcs didn’t have a good relationship with them."

"But it doesn’t seem like something that warrants a slice to the neck."

"Yeah," Bassena grimaced as he was thinking back to that moment. Even in his anger, Radia looked shocked; probably because he thought Joon would dodge it. "But now, I tried to see it from another angle, such as...what if their promise is not just about creating a guild? Now that I know they are lovers—or at least they used to be—well..."

Bassena shrugged, a wry smile on his face as he glanced at the guide. He didn’t think he would be able to ever hurt Zein, but seeing how agitated himself when Zein followed the priest to the Temple of Frejya...

Well, Bassena could never bring himself to hurt Zein, but he sure as hell had no qualms about tearing apart a whole Temple.

"So you’re saying that the feeling of betrayal went above and beyond?"

"Mm," Bassena nodded with a sigh. "Who knows? They probably made a promise to be with each other forever, to live together after they made the guild, to finally let people know about their relationship," the esper shrugged, lamenting the way those two ended up in this...chaos.