There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 334 - 326. Traces of the Night

Chapter 334: Chapter 326. Traces of the Night

"Is it really fine to use this? I’m fine going back by bus or train," Senan looked up at the whirring helicopter across the field.

"It’s fine. We’re the ones who brought you here suddenly, so it’s just manner to send you back safely," Bassena waved his hand dismissively. "It’s almost dark already. When will you arrive if you use public transportation? Tomorrow?"

Senan glanced at Bassena, a subtle smile formed on his lips. Honestly, it was still rather hard for him to accept that his young master ended up in a relationship with someone growing up in the household that caused the demise of the young master’s parents. But it was also this Vaski that got rid of those people, taking revenge when they couldn’t.

What a convoluted fate. Senan sighed, looking at his young master’s unmasked face. Without Zein needing to spell it, Senan knew Bassena was the one who helped Zein regain the courage to face the world without hiding anything.

It was rather complicated; the feeling of relief and envy.

"Senan,"

The old man blinked, back unconsciously straightened as he shifted closer to his young master.

"The brigade that you talk about..." the blue eyes stared at the darkening sky, and Senan felt his heart stuttered from nervousness. Was his young master going to reject it after all? He waited, holding his breath as Zein turned to look at him. "How do you plan to make it work?"

Senan widened his eyes, seconds passed without any word managing to reach his mouth, and once it did, he was shaking slightly. "Y-young Master--that’s..."

"I told you I’m going to think about it, and I thought about it," Zein shrugged, trying to make it sound casual and light-hearted to not make Senan too hopeful. "But I’m still confused about how this thing can work when we’re staying in different areas."

From how Senan worded it, the old man seemed like he was keen on replacing the shadow guard’s position. But Jock and his subordinate’s job was guarding him every time he went out without Bassena--or if he needed to be driven somewhere. Obviously, they would need to be around him every time, ready to move anytime with a single call, and arrive as soon as possible.

But right now, no one but Arlo was in Zein’s vicinity, and the young esper was affiliated with Trinity instead of Iron Shield. Although he looked at it more favorably now, having his ’extended family’ helping him in his endeavors, he still couldn’t see how it would work.

"So please discuss it with the Elder and the other members, and we can talk about it more the next time we meet again," he said.

"Yes, yes, of course!" Senan replied swiftly, as if he was afraid Zein would change his mind if the old man was just a bit late.

Because there was no way he would miss this sign for a green light. Even as he spoke, he already made up his mind about moving temporarily to Althrea. All they needed to do was set up a branch office of Iron Shield in Althrea, which would be feasible once they put their money in Celestia. Sure, it needed time, but the thought of finally serving his young master properly relighted the flame in his old heart.

That being said, there was something he couldn’t afford to wait. With a straight back and solemn gaze, Senan looked at Zein. "In the meantime, please use us in this case as well," he said with a clenched jaw. "If the one behind your abduction is behind the Golden Viper, it means we, the Templars...no, the Iron Shield, have our business with them too."

"Ah, you’re right," Bassena clapped his hands, finally remembering that they had a common enemy.

"Alright, I’ll give you an update on this, and..." Zein paused a bit to ponder. "I’ll...call you when we decide to make a move."

Senan smiled brightly despite the guide’s still hesitant voice. "Please call us anytime you need help, Young Master--it doesn’t have to be for a mission."

"...alright," Zein nodded, his movement firmer now.

"Then," Senan bowed his head to Zein, and when he lifted his head, he shifted his gaze to Bassena. "...please take care of him."

Bassena scoffed. "You don’t have to tell me that."

"Until next time, Young Master."

"Mm, send my regards to the others."

They watched Senan walk toward the helicopter, and while Zein felt he would have to take a big responsibility by letting those people officially come under him, he also felt somehow more lighthearted. It was similar to the moment he decided to stop wearing his mask; a liberating feeling of taking a significant step.

And Bassena’s words cemented his state of mind. "That’s a great leap."

"Well...I’m the one who told them they could do anything they want," Zein smiled as he watched Senan climb the helicopter, and made a little wave. "So if I deprive them of doing that, it would be unfair."

"...did Radia tell you that?" Bassena whispered teasingly.

"Yeah,"

Bassena laughed, the sound muffled by the noisy propeller as the helicopter took off to Mimera. When the belting sound and the ringing laugh subsided, Zein spoke in a low, grave tone. "Bas,"

"Hmm?"

"I think Joon is in trouble."

The smile instantly evaporated from the esper’s lips, and Zein relayed what Radia told him earlier. At the end of it, Bassena couldn’t help but curse. "Damnit! One after another!"

Zein smiled bitterly. Yeah...it felt like the closer they got to the reclamation project, the more trouble coming their way. It was almost like there was a force that wanted them to get distracted from the preparation effort.

"So let’s not tease Radia anymore about this, okay?"

"Yeah, I feel bad now," Bassena sighed and scratched his neck in regret. Calling Radia with the name Han Joon had for him, admittedly, was crossing the line. "But...is there really nothing we can do?"

"How can we do anything if we don’t know where he is? And if even Radia can’t find where he is, I don’t think anyone can," Zein shrugged.

"Haa...you’re right," Bassena looked at the sunset in exasperation. "Although..."

Zein tilted his head, eyes widened slightly in intrigue. Bassena bit the inside of his cheek in contemplation, before sharing his mind with the guide. "There’s another Old House that is better at information-gathering out there. I wonder if Radia will try that route..."

As a family dabbled in commerce, the House of Mallarc was good at gaining information, which Radia had proven time and time again. But there was an Old House that specialized in espionage, and had been a part of the Federation’s intelligence agency.

"There’s a risk, though," Zein narrowed his eyes. A group specializing in espionage didn’t sound very trustworthy.

"Yeah, we don’t know if we can allow others to know, since the military seems to hide it," Bassena clicked his tongue in frustration. This was why he was rather hesitant to bring it up. "And with the impending fight against the House of Horin, it’ll be best to be cautious."

"Let’s just wait, and once Radia finds something, we can just help him," Zein said while turning around to leave the helipad.

"Sounds good," Bassena agreed, although it frustrated him to do so. Joon was his mentor, his idol, someone he respected even to this day. It felt like one of his family was in danger, and it got him restless.

And then he remembered that Joon had a real younger brother.

"... I kind of feel bad about Shin, though."

"We should talk to him," Zein nodded. "Not about what we know about Joon’s situation--I’ll let Radia handle that--but at least...we have to see how he fares. He must be wondering about his brother too."

* * *

"Hyung?"

The black eyes blinked, looking at the couple hovering over his research desk. Fortunately, Han Shin was in the guild’s research room instead of Mortix, so they could immediately see the healer.

"Yeah," Bassena nodded, trying to sound and look as casual as possible to not make the healer alarmed.

Han Shin returned his focus to the rows of metal sheets in front of him, which he had been calibrated for the past hour. "What about him?"

"Have you heard anything from him?"

"If you’re talking about texts or calls, then no, I had nothing," the healer shrugged.

Zein and Bassena looked at each other, feeling confused at the lukewarm reaction. Shin usually made a lot of fuss about his older brother, seeing that Joon was almost like his only family--because what was the use of a father who was never there?

And yet, despite not hearing anything from his brother for almost three months, the man with a slight brother complex looked all calm. "You...don’t seem to be worried at all?"

Han Shin looked up from his sheet and tilted his head. "Why would I? He still visits me a few times."

Zein and Bassena widened their eyes. "What?!"

"Well, I didn’t see him exactly," the black eyes blinked in surprise at the unexpected reaction. Bassena was one thing, but seeing Zein look flabbergasted was something else. "Uhh...he just left a small box of materials each time. I found them in the morning so I guess he visited me during the night," he explained. "He always does that if he’s too busy or doesn’t have any day off, so I know he’s still alive. But...why are you looking like that? What happened?"

"Ah, no," Zein replied in a daze. "Just feels relieved...I guess."

"When was the last time he left something?" Bassena asked carefully. There was a possibility that Joon did come to Shin before his last mission, which wouldn’t mean anything.

Han Shin leaned back on his chair and looked up to dig into his memory. "Let’s see...it’s right before the weekend, so almost a week ago?"

Bassena looked at Zein, who had the same thought as him right now. Han Joon had been officially missing for a month, so the fact that he was in Althrea a week ago was...

What? It only gave them even more questions.