There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 143 - 138. Constant Obstacles

Chapter 143: Chapter 138. Constant Obstacles

There were only two kinds of treatment a powerful being would receive; respect, or fear.

And Bassena Vaski received both.

The man himself knew it well. He witnessed that fear firsthand from the eyes of his own family members. The fear that branched into hatred and envy. The fear that led them to look for controlling tools. The fear that killed his mother.

Bassena had used to it. Too used to it. From his colleagues to his best friend, or the guides in charge of cleansing him; they were all scared of his power. His darkness. So even when the people he saved shivering in fear in front of him, he didn’t really care. It didn’t matter to him. He didn’t try to get stronger for them. He did it for himself.

And for him.

For the guide that said he didn’t like to work with a brat. For the guide that said he would only become his exclusive guide if Bassena became the best esper in the world.

This time too, he didn’t care when the civilians that got dragged inside the [Nightfall] were trembling and looking at him as if he was a Demon Lord.

When he saw the blue eyes looking at him with that beautiful, clear gaze; with a twinkling light that tell him the man was smiling beneath that mask, Bassena didn’t care about anything else.

As he landed in front of Zein, Bassena muttered shamelessly, with a playful grin. "Praise me."

For some reason, Zein didn’t scoff or rolled his eyes, and gently tapped the esper’s cheek. "Good job," the guide said, in a soft tone as if they were still in the middle of a date.

With a blank mind, Bassena parted his lips in stun and let the dome of darkness crumble around them. The sunlight that replaced the darkness shone above the most beautiful person Bassena had ever laid his eyes upon, even while the ground around them was littered with dead creatures and blackened blood.

Yeah...everything was for this man. As long as Zein was there to accept his existence, then Bassena didn’t care about how the rest of the world perceived him.

It would be really nice if they could continue the ruined ’date’ earlier. It wasn’t too late to make a dinner reservation. Or perhaps he could finally try asking Zein to visit his apartment? He wasn’t really a good cook, but he could make something simple...

"Sir Vaski,"

But of course, life wouldn’t give him a proper break. It couldn’t even let him have a proper date, so what could he expect? Baring a stony face, he turned toward the voice calling his name.

"Miss Astraea," Bassena stared at the woman walking toward them--a woman in a neat pantsuit that looked like a beautiful ice queen; cold and uncompromising.

The woman stopped within a respectable distance, bowing her body in perfect manner and politeness. "I would like to extend my gratitude in the name of the Association," she said curtly, in a formal tone. But it didn’t show unfriendliness, it was just how she spoke usually.

When she straightened her back, her gaze fell on the Zein, and she nodded again as a greeting. "I believe this is the first time we meet. I’m Lyla Astraea from the Sentinel Association."

Zein stared at the woman’s pale grey eyes, which seemed to match her overall disposition. The way she conducted herself felt like a mirror to Zein, so he didn’t really hesitate to respond. "Luzein," he said with a nod. Thanks to Radia, he finally get used to hearing his full name, and it started to get less awkward for him.

--it’s a good name given by your mother, so embrace it.

Radia told him seriously one day, and Zein had been thinking about it since. Perhaps because he had started to know more about Lucia, the name didn’t sound so burdensome anymore. It gave him a sense of connection with her too.

"You brought a lot," Bassena said right after Zein and the Association’s representative finished introducing themselves.

Zein followed the esper’s gaze, and saw a number of people in black suits and the association badge on their chest. There was also the staff from Trinity, but they stayed in the distance, waiting for instruction as Lex and someone from management walked toward them.

"It couldn’t be helped since it’s happening in a crowded area," Lyla replied in a diplomatic tone. "Please don’t think that we doubt your prowess, Sir Vaski. It’s just a minimum number required for responding to an outbreak happening inside the city. We also need enough manpower to keep the media at bay, and those in charge of purification and revitalization."

"You’re efficient as usual," Bassena responded. Zein looked at the esper in surprise; he thought Bassena didn’t like the woman at first, since his initial response was quite cold. But that didn’t seem to be the case? Was this man just annoyed because he was tired?

"It’s my duty," the woman bowed politely. "There’s also some researcher tagging along, since we knew you’ll take care of it swiftly."

Just then, as if on cue, a group of researchers came running toward them, eyes sparkling despite the sweats on their foreheads from the light exercise.

"Oh, Sir Vaski! Thank God you’re still here," the one who reached them the fastest spoke hurriedly, before pausing to manage his breath. "Can...can I bother you to give me an account of this--huff--phenomena?"

"Hmm..."

"If you could spare your time, Sir," Lyla added to the researcher’s plea. "We also need to settle the compensation and transfer of resources."

Bassena looked at the eager researchers and the stern woman, before casting a gaze toward Zein, who just shrugged. He looked at the sky then, swallowing his sigh in lament.

It was so hard to have a decent date.

* * *

Sentinel Association. It was a global organization that managed the affairs of espers and guides. From creating treaties and norms to be upheld between the awakened, to mitigating conflict between guilds, the Sentinel Association was an autonomous body with no affiliation to any of the regions in the continent.

For this, a special area in the middle of the continent was established, where the association’s main office was placed. The head of the association was voted by guilds and mercenary groups, as well as specially designated individuals, and had to denounce their nationality the moment they were chosen. Espers and guides who did not wish to affiliate themselves with any regions would come to live there, but they had to go through rigorous tests and scrutinization first.

As an organization that managed awakened people, Sentinel Association had branch offices all over the continent, including in every major city and zones. But of course, there was none in the red-zone. So Zein did not really have a favorable opinion of the association.

This woman named Lyla was pretty alright though, not much bullshit and straight to the point while still being polite. Well, they probably sent the appropriate person to deal with each important people, since there was no benefit in offending someone like Bassena Vaski or Radia Mallarc in Althrea. They quickly made settlements over the event according to regulations; from the spoils of the dungeon to the incentive from the Federation. There was no negotiation involved, and everything went by smoothly.

What took rather long was talking to the excited researchers, who constantly asked about how they could find out about the outbreak, and then started a discussion among themselves before the account even finished. It was understandable though, since this was something that never happened before; an immediate outbreak in the middle of a green-zone.

Throughout the conversation, Zein felt that Bassena was speaking rather coldly to these people. The esper still gave his full cooperation, but there was a spike in his tone that got Zein thinking the man was in a bad mood. The researchers didn’t seem to notice, but the woman from the association did, and it was her that tried to steer the conversation back to its course.

Thanks to her, the interview could be finished faster, so Zein’s impression of her grew quite a bit--not necessarily toward the association, though. Still, the sky was already dark by the time they finished, and Zein could hear Bassena sighing a lot on their way back to the car.

He wondered if the man was exhausted from today’s surprise event. Or was it due to the civilian’s reaction? Zein remembered the question he often got from the others; wasn’t it scary guiding Bassena?

From that, Zein realized that it was a rather usual phenomenon. Was Bassena always had to face this kind of reaction, even from those whose life he had just saved? It wasn’t gratitude that he received, but fear instead?

Well...no wonder the man looked annoyed. Zein would be too, if his effort was met with that kind of resistance.

"Are you tired?" Zein asked suddenly once they were back on the road. It came out of nowhere that Bassena was quite surprised. He didn’t think anyone had ever asked him if he was tired, even--thanks to his monstrous stamina. "Do you have enough sleep these days?"

"...I sleep well the other day...in your room," Bassena answered, feeling happy that Zein seemed to grow more caring of him, but also uncertain of where this conversation would go. "Why?"

Zein turned his head to look at Bassena keenly, before replying with a shrug. "I don’t think you disliked them, but you act pretty cold today..."

Ah...was that why? Bassena chuckled bitterly before answering. "I’m not tired, just...kind of miffed that this had to happen today..." he paused for a bit, and then just go straight up into a grumbling frenzy. "It just had to be today, and it just had to be in front of us. And I tried to finish it up as soon as I can, but got to waste more time with the association and those researchers. What a way to ruin a day!"

Zein blinked as the esper pursed his lips and gripped the steering wheel in annoyance. The man looked as if his entire fortune had been robbed or something, and Zein unconsciously let out a fond smile at that. "But thanks to that, I got to see something cool today," he said, and then added when Bassena looked at him with surprised eyes. "It’s quite a show you put there earlier. Making me excited."

Bassena almost hit the brake hard at that. He would, if he hadn’t been practicing his restraint in front of this man. How dangerous. So dangerous. How could this man say something like that so casually? With that deep eyes and a simple smile that felt as if he was flirting and inviting...

Bassena gulped slowly. Should he try it?

"...hey, do you want to come to--"

"Wait," Zein suddenly raised his hand, as his commlink beeped in a specific tone that was different from others. The guide immediately checked the message, but Bassena did not need to ask about what it was because the same text was delivered to his own commlink.

[Report now. Mortix.]

It was from their dear Guildmaster, in a tone that seemed like he would give them an earful if they didn’t come immediately. Bassena gripped the steering wheel even tighter, tempted to slam his head there.

"For fuck’s sake!"

Zein’s clear laughter resounded within the car as they drove to Mortix Hill.