There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 255 - 248. A Bug In His Stomach

Chapter 255: Chapter 248. A Bug In His Stomach

"How was it?" Radia asked as they walked back from the main house to the annex.

"It’s short, so it’s nice," Zein shrugged.

He thought he would have to go through some kind of nerve-wracking event, but it turned out to be a casual short affair. The time they took to walk between the annex and the main building was longer than the meeting itself.

The Matriarch is also more amiable than he thought. The title made him think of a queen-like figure, but if he looked at Radia’s situation, this casual feeling was actually more fitting.

Letting her son resign and roam around the world while giving the Chairman position to the young grandson? Seemed very flexible, this family.

Radia let out another hearty laugh that further proved Zein’s conjecture. The man seemed to be more relaxed and free in this estate, just like how Rina would shed her chic persona once there were no public eyes. The fact that he didn’t bring out his summoned secretary and let Jock stay in the annex meant that he trusted the security of the estate.

Truly the fortress of Althrea.

"We never really liked serving glib," Radia told the guide with a smirk.

Zein arched his brow. "Even though you’re a merchant?"

Well, calling the Mallarcs a merchant was, of course, an understatement. But they were a family whose main power was in the economy; producing things and selling them. Even though the members of the family held high positions in the group, it was still a profession in which the magic of bullshit and glib was prevalent.

"That’s exactly why," Radia chuckled. "We’ve been spending our time working with our tongue, so why should we do that again at home?"

"Huh..." Zein tilted his head. So...like a butcher who was sick of eating meat, or a fisherman who got fed up with fish, perhaps. "Make sense," he nodded.

Zein didn’t think he would stay in this place for long, despite the kind invitation. But even this short time opened his mind and perspective a little bit. How nice, perhaps he should roam around a bit more instead of staying in the compound. Going to places without any goal seemed like a fun option now, perhaps because he started to find his ’home’. Indeed, having a place he could return to make the prospect of a journey away more insightful.

Looking at the sky that was perfect for an outing, Zein was reminded of the many places he still hadn’t visited with Bas. The aquarium, the sea, the Temple...

The Temple...

"Be honest," Zein turned to look at Radia, who was raising his brow in confusion.

"About what?"

"About the Temple,"

Zein stopped walking. They were in the middle of the bridge over an artificial river separating the main building from the rest of the estate, and upon hearing Zein’s tone, Radia walked to the railing, staring at the flowing water with a suppressed smile.

"As I told you, we’ll wait for the investigation result," he said, with an uncharacteristic distress in his voice.

"So you are investigating them?"

"Of course," Radia tapped on the railing slowly, but firmly, the clanking sound and vibration reflected his uncomfortable indignation. "I don’t like being blindsided."

"But can we do anything against them?"

Radia let out a sound that felt like a mix between a chuckle and a choke. "It’s a tricky question in which I have no definite answer to," he leaned against the railing and intertwined his fingers, looking up with a wry smile. "Can we go against them? Of course, we can. Whether or not we can win, however, is a different thing."

Zein leaned his back to the railing, propping his elbow on the red-painted iron. "That’s rare," he said. He could feel that Radia hoped his--their--suspicion was just that...suspicion. That they didn’t have to go against a place backed by deities.

"You think I’m some omnipotent being?" the man chuckled. "I can’t even go against the President."

"Because you’re not the Patriarch yet?"

"Yep," Radia smirked. While he was the Chairman of Mortix, he wasn’t the head of the family. Not yet, anyway. Whether or not he could make a move was decided by the Matriarch. Of course, as long as it was something that would benefit the family, Ludya would give the representative token to the heir, but for something as tricky as going against an Old House or divine entity?

Better not count on it.

"Haa...I can’t even ask a man to stay," Radia muttered bitterly.

"Hmm," Zein glanced at the rare forlorn gaze. Was this why Radia went into this pessimistic spiral? Did he get into another argument? Or a bitter path down memory lane?

Radia’s melancholic mood made Zein think about his own lover.

"Bas..." he muttered. "Is he there because of this?" Zein frowned then, as he realized the possibility. "Is he looking for an answer rather than looking for support?"

Radia only answered after a few long seconds had passed. "Yes,"

"Then why--"

"No one knew," Radia’s quiet response stopped Zein from snapping. The crimson eyes looked at him with a serious gaze. "We don’t want to make an allegation to the Temple without any clear proof. It would be too psychologically damaging if we found out the Sentinel’s supporting pillars betrayed us."

And that was exactly why Radia wished it wasn’t the Temple. Their whole society was built upon the grace of those two entities, who gave them the light and barrier against the miasma. Should the trust in those two pillars were to be broken, chaos would ensue.

"You didn’t even tell Shin?"

"No," Radia shook his head. "It’s only between me and Bas," and because it was only between them, Bassena decided he would look for a clue himself. He had to get away from Zein in the meantime anyway, so he might as well use it for something productive to help his beloved guide. "I don’t plan on telling you, but you realized it by yourself, so..."

Zein looked down, frowning slightly at the dilemmatic situation. It was merely their conjecture that there was a powerful entity behind the guide movement, and it might not be true at all.

But, should their conjecture prove to be true, it would make sense for the Temple to stand behind the guide movement. Moreover, Zein did make a critique against them, so the motive was there.

Zein let out a long sigh, throwing his head back in frustration. When he lived in the end zones, he didn’t really need to watch what he said. Offending people and being offended was just a daily occurrence. The powerful people there were merely espers with bad training and scum.

Living in the high zone might be comfortable, but it was also complicated.

As Radia and Zein sunk into their momentary dismay above the bridge, they suddenly heard the cheerful voices of two girls.

"Radia, Radia!"

The two men turned their heads at two girls running toward them from the direction of the annex. Zein almost froze when they saw them, because the girls seemed to be in their teens; around thirteen to fifteen.

Just around the age of the twins when their clock stopped ticking.

"My nieces, from my older cousins," Radia told him. It was apparent from their strawberry curls. They didn’t have Radia’s crimson eyes though, but there was a reddish tint around their brown iris.

"Ah..."

It seemed like they were cousins rather than siblings, as aside from their hair and eyes, the other features were rather different. They practically jumped to hug their uncle, clinging to Radia’s arms while peeking at Zein with giggles.

"Who is this pretty man?" the younger girl asked with a sheepish smile and a slight blush on her cheek. Since they were there to meet the Matriarch, Zein did not put on his mask as a sign of respect, so the girls could see his face clearly.

Radia patted the girl’s head and told them solemnly. "He’s the Patriarch of House Ishtera, so act properly."

"Oh!" the girls gasped, and then proceeded to let go of Radia’s arms, straightened their backs and curtsied elegantly. "Good afternoon," they said in unison, with a trained melodious voice that bore no trace of their earlier cheekiness.

"...yes, good afternoon," Zein replied with a raised brows. Was changing their vibe in the blink of an eye a genetic trait in Mallarc’s bloodline?

And then, right a second after, they clung to their uncle again, forgoing the elegant act. "Radia! Radia! We meet the younger Han before, but is it true that the Serpent Lord is in the Temple?"

Zein raised his brow and Radia tilted his head. "What about it?"

"Eeeh...why is he still going there?" the older girl purses her lips in annoyance.

"Yeah, we don’t like the Saintess!" the younger one stomped her feet on the bridge. "Isn’t the Serpent Lord her favorite? I heard an insider rumor that she actually likes him,"

"Yeah, yeah!"

Zein felt the corner of his eyes twitched, and something was bothering his stomach again.

"What if she tried to seduce him again?" the older girl pulled on Radia’s arm and whined. "Isn’t that why he stopped going to the Temple long ago?"

Radia heard a creaking sound then, and glanced at the guide’s hand on the railing. "Is that true?" Zein asked. His tone was calm, but his voice was cold.

"There’s a rumor like that," Radia looked at the pretty but cold face with an amused gaze. It never crossed his mind that Zein would have this kind of reaction. If it wasn’t clear from his expressionless face, then the handprints on the slightly dented railing should be enough proof of the turbulence inside the usually aloof guide.

"But we heard it from a guide who learned in the Temple!" as if it wasn’t bad enough, the girls provided even more supporting statements.

"Yeah! So that must be true!"

It took Radia a minute to tell the girls--and Zein, indirectly so--that someone loyal like Bassena wouldn’t be swayed by anyone, not even the Saintess. After calming themselves, and making Radia promise to give them updates, the girls proceeded to move along, going back to their own residence after waving shyly at Zein.

"Anyway--"

Before Radia could say anything more, Zein already shot him a glare. "Get me to that Temple."