There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 393

Chapter 393: Chapter 385. The New Old Tree

"It’ll be this Saturday," Radia told him when Zein and Bassena went to Mortix in the afternoon.

"On the weekend?" Bassena whistled. Zein looked at him with a bit of a scrunched nose and blinking eyes--something the guide always dis when he wanted an explanation. "The trial will be open to the general public, so doing it on the weekend means more people will tune in."

"Ah..."

The trial, as requested by the achievement-hungry President, would be broadcasted onlink. It would have been held behind closed doors if it was a regular House Trial. However, the victims of Operation Kronos came from all layers of citizens, so it was deemed to be best for the citizens to know about the trial’s proceedings.

The trial for Ishtera vs Horin, however, would be held as a House Trial--which meant the judge would be the appointed House Inquisitor, and the rest of the prominent Houses’ representatives would be the jury, using their voting right to decide on the punishment.

"I’m going to bring the prosecutor to where Varion is tomorrow," Radia said as he stood up from his chair. "I’m going to have lunch. Do you want anything?"

Zein raised his brow at the mention of a name he had already forgotten--even though it had only been a few days ago. "Huh...I want a salad."

"Ah, right. Kind of forget that he’s supposed to be a witness," Bassena tapped on his chin and pursed his lips. "They have braised ribs down there, right?"

"Anyway, didn’t know he had that recording," Zein leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms as he tried to recall that eventful night.

Radia tapped their orders on his commlink, scoffing at Zein’s remark. "He said he forgot."

"You believe that?"

"No," Radia smirked, signaling to his summoned secretary to make them some drinks. "However, it could also be the effect of the core. Well, it doesn’t matter since we have it now."

And since it became key evidence to start an investigation, they could forgive the man a little bit.

"Hmm...he must be thinking he won’t be able to go out forever if Torodeo Horin doesn’t get maximum punishment," Bassena said.

At first, Varion probably just wanted to avoid getting killed, since he knew now that the Horins wanted him dead and just exploiting him without even meant to give him any position. But during the idle time he had within his...’protective confinement’, it seemed that he realized dragging the Horins fully until they were no more of a threat would be difficult. And his memory ’returned’...or so he said.

While waiting for their lunch to come, Radia explained to Zein that the prosecutors would have to brief the man first, because his testimony would be used for both cases. Varion would most likely demand a lot of things--since he was sly and shameless like that--including being free of any accusation on the basis that he was being brainwashed. Radia explained it now so Zein wouldn’t get too surprised--and annoyed--when he found out later. After all, he was the main victim of the crime that Varion enacted.

"So...he’ll get out free after the trial?"

The one who asked was Bassena, but Radia glanced at Zein’s face as the staff put their lunch on the meeting table they used as an impromptu luncheon room. He had thought Zein would be annoyed, but the guide looked calm and nonchalant, as if he didn’t care about that man anymore. "That’s the deal in place of him spelling everything against Torodeo," Radia finally replied with a subtle smile.

"Hmm..."

The summoner glanced at Bassena then. "Why? Are you afraid Celestia will go back to its former state?"

"Well, kind of?"

This time, Zein looked perturbed. He didn’t care about Varion--whose name still failed to get etched in his head--but Celestia had become his investment now, and he quite liked the new one. Senan had shown him the new guide policy that the current executives made as the result of pressure from Iron Shield, and he wanted it to be implemented. If Celestia reverted back to how it was under Varion, why did he even invest there anyway? He had better use for the clan’s money elsewhere.

So now, ignoring his fresh salad and spring rolls, he stared at Radia keenly, waiting for an answer.

"Well, there’s a possibility, but..." Radia tilted his head and tapped the table with his fingers in contemplation. "I don’t think you need to worry much."

"Really?" Zein narrowed his eyes skeptically. If there was something he learned while living in this world, it was that people with powerful backing got away with everything.

"The trial won’t end until the end of this month, at the very least, and Varion will be under witness protection until then," Radia explained with a smile. "It’s enough time for the acting guildmaster to consolidate her position in the guild."

Bassena, who had been mixing Zein’s salad with the dressing so the guide could eat it right away, chimes in. "But, won’t Varion’s old people do something when they know--"

"What they will know is that Varion had something to do with the crime of kidnapping you, even if he was being brainwashed," Radia said, leaning on the table to look at Zein and Bassena with curled eyes. "Now, what do you think the people in Celestia would think?"

Bassena and Zein looked at each other inquisitively. That he’s bad? But Celestia members and staff already knew Varion had a bad personality. They were sure Celestia people knew Varion had been targeting Zein and were openly hostile to Radia and Trinity, and this mannerism was followed by his members. They even heard about how awful he treated the regular staff and those who weren’t part of his faction. For three years, no one seemed to criticize him for it.

Radia smiled at the doubt written on the couple’s faces. "That he’s a weak link."

Still skeptical, Zein tilted his head. "Is that so?"

"Let me take you from the start," Radia straightened his back and finally started to slice his steak. "What do you think Varion’s strength is? How did he get the Guildmaster’s position?"