There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 325 - 317. Artificial

Chapter 325: Chapter 317. Artificial

"Ah...what should we say to the construction workers?" Zein stared at the house, which was scarred with gash and crack.

"That you’ll give them more funds," Bassena shrugged. "Radia said workers won’t question anything as long as you pay them enough."

It wasn’t just the house, though. The estate, especially around the house and the lake, looked like there was a hurricane passing through--which wasn’t wrong either. Bassena had tried his best to minimize damage, but the female esper’s wind magic already wrecked the place before Zein summoned Bassena. It wasn’t too apparent when it was still dark, but now that the sun was already up...

Zein sighed. Ah, his vacation house...

And then he blinked when he realized the growing attachment to the place. Ah, right...this was what it should feel like when owning a property.

Fortunately, except for a few trees situated closest to the lake, the forest was pretty much unscathed. Also, the orchard was completely safe, so they didn’t have to purchase another expensive booster.

"Well...at least it’s my own place," Zein muttered. Even if he had to lose something, it was his own money. If he had to do this in the apartment, or anywhere else really, he would be too guilty about the damage and the disturbance he caused for other people.

"You can tell Radia to demand compensation," Bassena said, pointing at two people they spared.

Yeah--in the end, they decided to leave two; one of the scouts that had direct contact with Varion, and the male five-stars with a hell of a grudge. The scout was obvious, but they also needed someone with a connection to the one behind Varion. Unfortunately, Bassena was so upset at the female esper who attacked Zein that not even the guide could hold him from ending her life.

Looking at the glaring male esper, Zein tilted his head toward Bassena. "But are you sure we can get something from him?"

"I don’t know, who cares?" Bassena smirked. "I might have a way, but I’ll let Radia play with them first."

"Hmm..." Zein looked around the estate--his estate--once more. Compensations sounded good. "He’s in Rexon now, right?"

"Uh-huh,"

Zein accessed his commlink to send a message to Radia, but as if the summoner had a sixth sense, a text from him came first. Bassena looked at the guide’s arching brow inquisitively. "What is it?" he asked.

"Hmm...he asked if it’s alright if he showed the recordings to that former Guildmaster," Zein told the esper while typing a reply.

Bassena frowned slightly. "Which recording?"

"Both," Zein said, and, before Bassena could protest, he added. "It’s fine. He won’t show everything, just enough. I don’t mind if it gets a result."

"Zein..."

Smiling, Zein patted the upset esper’s cheek. It was endearing that Bassena was more upset about the whole situation than he was, even after Zein told the esper he was fine. He shifted closer and stroked the bronze cheek, whispering softly;

"What? You’re not calling me ’honey’ anymore?"

"...urk--"

* * *

"Hmm...this is nicer than I thought it would be," Radia patted the fishing rod’s handle beside him, watching the buoy bobbing on the surface of the artificial sea.

Sea...they should be able to fish in the real sea five years from now without having to go so far as to visit the southern kingdom. Radia smiled at that thought. Even if it wasn’t for the peaceful atmosphere, it would be nice enough for a motivational push.

"I understand now why you visit this place often; I should start doing it from now on."

Darleon glanced at the younger man, who looked like he genuinely enjoyed the experience--even after fumbling with the bait earlier. It gave a perfect illusion that they were there for a relaxing talk, and it didn’t sit well with him.

"Do you have time for that? Being a Chairman and a Guildmaster must have eaten up your time," Darleon said in a dry tone.

Radia chuckled, leaning back on the folding chair and took a drag of a golden needle. "You’re right," he said, with a smile that did not reach the crimson eyes. "If only people stop causing trouble and piling more work on me."

Darleon twitched; the buoy on the calm water jolted slightly as he put the fishing rod on a holder. He took a deep breath and exhaled rather harshly before turning his head toward the summoner.

"Alright. Let’s not waste any more time with glib," he stared sharply at the younger esper. "What do you want, Mallarc? Why do you want to meet me?"

Despite the sharp tone of the veteran esper, the crimson eyes never lost their calm; the man didn’t flinch or lose his smile. He casually leaned back and tapped on his commlink. "Please enable the linkdrop function, I’m sending you something."

It was honestly upsetting being led by someone half his age--literally the same age as his youngest son--but Darleon did it nonetheless. Immediately, he received a folder, which he wasted no time to open.

As he did, the screen in front of him was suddenly filled with pages of espers profile, a land deed, and a video of CCTV recording. He recalled what Askan had said then; evidence, they have a lot of it.

It seemed like his disciple told him the truth.

"I believe the Steel Blood already told you about what happened, so I won’t waste your time talking about that horrid event anymore," Radia gave the older man a charming smile. "But you might find it hard to believe it, so I’ll grace you with the evidence we gathered."

His heart was heavy, but Darleon couldn’t run away from it. He perused through the document while the summoner enjoyed his smoke and fishing time.

The profile came first, and it contained everything from the information stated publicly, to the notes about their connection to Varion Belthera. Even their activity for the last three years, which was...less than savory.

Darleon had to rouse his mana just so he could maintain his temperament. After all, it wouldn’t be so advantageous if he lost his composure so early in the game.

And he certainly needed that composure to watch the event unfolding in the recording. He could see the espers on that list, coming out of a car with someone slung over their shoulder, entering a building. The recording was cut and shifted into another camera angle, inside an office right now. The espers had thrown the person they carried to the couch, and then they proceeded to surround that person. It was bad enough at that point, and yet...

This time, the old man could no longer maintain his stoic poker face.

The recording stopped before anything too graphic was shown, but it was enough for him to understand what happened afterward. Horrid. How horrid. He understood now why Askan looked so guilty when he talked about the guide.

But still...there was nothing here that led the case toward Varion, except for the fact that Espers was his subordinate. At least, that was what he thought until he looked at the last document; a land deed, which, after being traced back, led to a financial agent, which led to a small company, which periodically sent money to a fake account owned by none other than Varion Belthera.

It was a paper chase worthy of national-level investigations. Even if it wasn’t for this particular case, it could be used to accuse Varion of tax evasion.

For the next five minutes, no one uttered a single word; very fitting for the setting. Only the sound of an artificial breeze and waves could be heard, adding to the atmosphere. Radia enjoyed it very much, but the same couldn’t be said for the old man.

"Are you bringing this case to the court?" the old man asked, caution apparent in the sharp edge of his voice. "Or to the media?"

That caution was returned with a sound of light chuckle. "If I’m going to do that, there’s no reason for us to meet like this, no?" Radia said with a calm smile that had never left his lips. "Although...well, that would depend on this conversation too."

Darleon had to hold back his indignation from how humiliated he felt being talked down to by this youngster. Clenching the handle of the fishing rod to calm himself, he asked. "What do you want, then? What is your objection?"

Instead of answering directly, Radia threw his gaze toward the sea; toward the horizon and the bright blue sky. This establishment was so good that they could even create an artificial sky, complete with real-looking clouds and weather control. Apparently, they could request a storm should they like, experiencing the excitement of fishing in harsh water.

Of course, while safely inside the yacht.

The sentinel society, in his mind, was as artificial as this sea. It could be created, it could be changed, it could be destroyed.

"When a big tree falls, it will hurt those taking shade beneath its canopy," Radia said, the first hint of weary could be heard from his sigh. "I don’t wish for that to happen."

Darleon stared at the younger man. Due to his stoic personality, he wasn’t good with words or innuendo. But he understood enough what the summoner was trying to say.

"But if a tree got poisoned, the venom might spread to its surroundings," Radia turned his head toward the old man, crimson eyes gleaming darkly under the shade of the yacht. "In that case, I would rather fell the tree even if I have to dirty my hands."

Although the man was half his age, Darleon could feel the coldness of a merciless conviction from those eyes. It was the eyes of someone with thousands of lives in his shoulder; the eyes of someone who had made countless difficult decisions in his thirty years of life.

"Is that a threat?" Darleon clenched his fist as he felt an involuntary chill in his back.

Radia laughed. "Threat?" he leaned his head back to stare at the blue sky. That too, was artificial. "No, no. If I want to threaten you, I wouldn’t give you a chance, no?"