There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 651

Chapter 651: Side Story 2. Dance of Flame and Shadow - 10

"I’m going to stay."

That single sentence drove away all kinds of thoughts from Agni’s head. The sadness and the guilt, anger, and annoyance, nothing existed in his head anymore because what the fuck?!

They talked for so long and consumed his whole weekly coffee rations, and what--he’s going to stay?! Agni looked at the young scout incredulously. Wasn’t this entire conversation enough to convince this kid that this place wasn’t a good place to stay?

Agni clenched his jaw and inhaled deeply to control his emotion. What an ordeal for a berserker. Thankfully, he was just pouring out his feelings earlier, so he calmed down quickly. "Hey, listen--"

"You said you’re sorry," Ron cut him off with a sharp gaze. "Then you should let me stay."

"That’s exactly why I’m not letting you sta--"

"I said it’s alright, not that I forgive you," Ron crossed his arms and scoffed.

Agni blinked, totally dumbfounded. This kid was so mature earlier, so what was this sudden shift into a brat? Look at that petulant tone! Did he...did he just purse his lips?

Ron was indeed pursing his lips and grumbled. "My father’s death is not your fault, but I can’t forgive you for the ban."

...fuck.

"I won’t forgive you if you don’t let me stay--hmph!"

Hmph? Hmph?! Agni was beyond dumbfounded. Licensed esper, my ass! He was just a kid. A brat!

"Why?!" Agni asked aggressively. "Why do you want to stay in this place?! You already know you can’t--"

"I know!" Ron snapped back, and they were locked in a glaring contest for three seconds before the scout retreated in his seat and spoke more calmly. "I’m not staying to search for my father’s remains..."

"Then?"

"I want to understand."

Agni blinked slowly--once, twice, and then tilted his head. "Huh?"

Ron lowered his gaze, fiddling with the manual and scratching his father’s writing. "I want to see his world. I want to understand why he did what he did."

What was there to see? What was there to understand? Agni could not comprehend what this kid wanted by staying in a place with no future like this. A twenty-year-old kid...wouldn’t people usually want to scour the world and make a name for themselves out there at that age?

At least, Agni knew he was.

"I know you don’t understand," Ron gripped the manual tightly. His spiky tone had softened considerably, but there was still uncompromised firmness there. "I don’t need you to--just sign the paperwork."

It was almost like a copy, the soft voice yet firm tone that Nolan usually used. Looking at how tightly Ron gripped the manual, which had become the only remains of his father in this place, Agni felt like his conscience was getting beaten left and right.

But what about his promise? Hadn’t he promised that he would protect this kid and prevent him from doing anything foolish?

Was there anything more foolish than staying in the Borderland?

Sensing that his pitiful display wasn’t enough, Ron pressed his lips and resorted to threat. "Or I’m going to escape to the Deathzone now."

And to amp his threat level, Ron even willed his eyes to moist, pursing his lips and hugged his father’s box tightly.

"Fuck!"

Under the barrage of guilt-tripping stabbing into his already wounded conscience, Agni couldn’t help but curse and relent.

"Fine," he gritted his teeth and pointed at the younger’s face, staring at the eyes that were no longer wet, easily so. "But once you become a member, you should follow the rules and do as I say."

"I’ll follow the rules."

"Do as I say!"

Ron pursed his lips and spoke from the corner of his mouth. "Only if it has something to do with the rules."

Agni pressed his trembling lips, before closing his eyes and fists. Damn it--he was too old to argue with a kid. "Haa..." he sighed heavily. "Come with me."

He stood up, and Ron followed almost too eagerly. For his sanity, Agni decided to ignore the grin stretched on the sneaky squirrel’s face.

* * *

At first, Agni just wanted to avoid Ron throwing another tantrum and flip his bedroom upside down. He thought that after spending some time in the Borderland and experiencing how shitty life here was, the kid would feel enough and leave.

But he forgot that this kid was Nolan Hertz’s son, and it seemed like tenacity and stubbornness was a genetically inherited trait in the Hertz household.

Agni felt like he was just closing his eyes for a nap and woke up with Ron already befriending most of the Unit personnel as if he had already been there for a year rather than a month. Agni went off guard for a second and the kid already laughed and was buddy-buddy with the veterans.

It was baffling.

The fact was, being the son of Nolan Hertz helped. People who felt thankful for the Captain treated Ron like their younger brother or nephew, and there were a lot of them. Once the kid befriended the veterans, it was practically an open door, because people easily approached him after that. And so, rather than seeing at a shitty hellhole, the kid was making it home.