Chapter 32. Where Thing Spilled

"Low! This is low!" Ron interjected with all his might for the side. "Don't get swayed, Zen!"

Zein, for his part, had never been seduced using sweets before. Whether he would be swayed or not was another matter, but he sure as hell enjoyed it. While candy was a luxury in the red-zone, chocolate was a mythical dream children talked about in a hushed tone.

So rather than replying to anything, he just tore the package Bassena dropped into his palm and savored it. Watching the guide eat the chocolate with pure, unadulterated bliss, Bassena spoke to the scout.

"Why don't you just come with us too, then?"

Han Shin snapped his fingers before using them to point at the scout. "Right, Ron! You come to Trinity too!"

"I respectfully decline," the answer was swift.

"Why??"

Han Shin might as well experience a culture shock being dodged and rejected back to back by their two top recruitment list. It seemed like common sense didn't really apply in the end zones. He was sure that back home, people still lined up the audition for Trinity's entrance test.

Why were these people so attached to the Borderland anyway?

Bassena played with a milk chocolate package, the one he first gave to Zein, and saw the blue eyes follow it like a cat to its toy. He glanced at Ron briefly, scrutinizing the firm expression on the scout's face. "Is it about your mercenary group? I believe we have a place for all of you in Trinity."

It wasn't just empty words or an attempt to flaunt their financial prowess. Despite its fine reputation, Trinity was still considered a young guild. They were mid-size at best, with the treasury coffers of a big-size guild. There were a lot of funds in recruitment still, and the Guildmaster wouldn't object to using it for snatching some top-quality espers that could be used to build another strike squad or forming a spec-ops group. It was there in their annual white book for guild framework.

"No—well, yes..." Ron rubbed his neck with a soft smile. "But that isn't all,"

Han Shin tilted his head, averting his gaze from the way Bassena was taking out the chocolate and swaying it in front of Zein. He looked at the scout keenly instead. "What then? I think we can work out some kind of—"

"No," another swift rebuttal. Ron chuckled, his eyes moved to stare at the guide and esper's pair that was in the middle of a chocolate snatching game. "But I think Sir Vaski would understand me best."

Bassena stopped his movement at that, turning his face to meet the deep, narrowed eyes of the scout. Zein used the opportunity to grab Bassena's hand and freed his favorite flavor from the clutch of the esper.

"...I see," Bassena gave the scout a deep smile, before looking at the guide again, which was in the middle of popping the cube into his mouth. "There's nothing I can do then," he smiled, wondering who was it that made Ron adamant to stay in the Borderland. He had a guess though—there were not many whose presence was a must and couldn't leave the Borderland no matter what. Someone shackled by duty, for example. "But you're both free to come when there's no need for a borderland anymore in the future,"

Ron widened his eyes, and for a while didn't even blink. That single sentence managed to tell him a little confirmation about his initial thought regarding this expedition—about Mortix and Trinity's 'big plan' for the Deathzone—as well as the fact that Bassena knew who it was that compelled him to stay.

The scout laughed, and gave Bassena a smirk. "I'll remember that."

"What is? What about Zein??" Han Shin frowned and looked at the two espers while pursing his lips in annoyance.

"That's different, of course," Bassena took out another package and dropped it to Zein's palm again, lips stretched into a genuine smile and eyes full of warmth. "Naturally, I would want nothing more than to bring mister guide over."

"I told you I still have a contract," Zein stared at his palm. There were three packages there, and he put them carefully inside his pocket. He picked up the box and put it on Bassena's palm, blue eyes staring firmly. "I won't breach it under any circumstances."

Zein wasn't the type to succumb to any bribes or threats. He was someone who still worked in that damnable place of a rogue guild until the end, even while bearing the bad reputation it caused. That integrity was his value.

Bassena smiled at the firmness of the conviction contained inside the pretty orbs. Radia Mallarc would like that—the Guildmaster probably would covet the guide himself. "What about after the contract ends then?"

Han Shin perked up while catching the box thrown at him by Bassena. "Right! We still have some time, so why don't you come to Trinity after your contract ends?" the healer stared at Zein with his glittering, pitiful black eyes. "Pweaasee~?"

It was the tactics he always used to appease his fiancée. But Zein, whose mouth had been filled with sweet things, preferred to focus on the various savory sandwiches their dear tanker/driver/cook had re-done and brought over.

"Ahem! Mister Zen, I'm pleading you as a fellow human being here, but your connection to the shard is pivotal in dealing with the shards. Even if you don't want to go to Trinity, won't you sign a contract with Mortix?" just like earlier, the researchers started to join Han Shin's pledge.

"Yes, I believe having you there while we conduct the research for the shard will be a tremendous help!" even the usually stoic and flat Anise clasped her hands in front of the guide.

Zein, in the middle of biting into his sandwich, paused. "Wait, you want to take the shard?"

"Well, yes? That's the whole point—"

"I thought you just want to locate it?" Zein frowned, looking at Bassena. But it was the researchers that answered him.

"We are, but we also want to take the shards if it's possible. Much of our plan ride on this—and finding more of the shards."

Zein still looked at Bassena, his meal neglected in his hands. "Why?"

This time, the esper did answer himself, but not before grabbing Zein's hand and guiding it to the older's mouth. "So we can make a fragment."

Ron glanced at the shards in the lake, pressing on his lips. Making a fragment of Setnath. Erasing the borderland. So his hunch was true all along.

But while the scout more or less figured it out, Zein wasn't that keen about the elites' grand scheme of things, so he needed things to be spelled out. He chewed on his meal quickly so he could ask further. "And what? What are you going to do with the fragment? What is this 'plan' you keep on saying?"

Zein didn't usually have any interest in other's business, in the matter outside of guiding. He seldom questioned any mission's objective, unless it seemed to be harming others.

However, the whole situation with the shard was different, since the shard proved to have something to do with his body. Not to mention, they seemed to be keen on involving him in this matter.

It was quite endearing that Zein was staring at Bassena during all of this conversation. Perhaps because he knew that among everyone here, Bassena would be the most likely to indulge him on anything—just like the chocolate. It was indeed, however, working out, since there was no way the esper could withhold any information in the presence of those deep blue eyes staring keenly at him.

"Reclamation,"

The esper opened his mouth, and said it in a normal tone. But since everyone was keeping their mouth shut, his voice seemed to be echoing loudly inside the tree fortress.

"In the coming year, the government will launch a Deathzone Reclamation Act, and put an auction for guilds and companies to spearhead the project," Bassena explained further, facing the inquisitive stare with amber eyes that spelled sincerity, so Zein would know that he didn't intend to hide things from the guide.

"The development of purification device was made with this Act in mind. But truthfully, it will be difficult to expect significant advancement in a year," Han Shin followed further.

"Which is why you look for the fragment?"

The researcher, Eugene, nodded. "Confirming the existence of the fragment would steer our direction clearer."

Should they be able to get the fragment, they had to find a way to harness its power, making a pedestal following the one on the Tower's peak. It would secure the means to reclaim the Deathzone by establishing a permanent safe zone in the middle. All they had to do then was to rid of the remaining beasts.

If they couldn't, then the best resort would be in developing the purification device until it reached the safety radius that could at least encompass a settlement.

But it was easier being thought of than done. The initial development of the device itself had been going on for decades already, but all they could do was establish twenty meters wide barrier.

Eugene made eye contact with Anise, and seemingly came to a tacit understanding, both researchers sighed. They scooted closer to the meal that Balduz had kindly spread in the middle of the mat and started to put food in their mouth to ease their heavy heart.

Seeing the researchers begin to eat, the rest of the espers picked up their food too, and the 'picnic' resumed, albeit with a slightly more tension.

Zein looked at the researchers, and then at the shards. For him, the purification device was already a miraculous invention, so he couldn't really get the dejectedness on their part. "Why not wait until the device is ready then?"

In the first place, there was no guarantee that there would be other shards enough to create a fragment. What if one of the shards fell into the sea?

But suddenly, he could see the amber eyes harden. The esper swallowed the food in his mouth, and looked at Han Shin first—who shrugged—before speaking up.

"Because of a revelation from the Temple."

This got the rest of them paused. So it seemed like no one knew aside from the two executives.

"Revelation?"

Zein didn't know much, but he heard about the things called 'oracle'. The reason why Temples had Saints was that they acted like an apostle, in which sometimes the Temple's patron Deity would give their word to the mortals.

And it seemed like there was an oracle being passed down among the higher-ups of society.

"It seems like there are movements from the Deathzone," Bassena elaborated, looking far in the direction of the mountain from where they emerged yesterday. "In the future, there's a possibility that the beasts would make a move."

"What?!" it was fortunate that Ron haven't drunk the water in his hand or he might choke with how startled he became.

"We are here to see if that might be true."

The scout's widened eyes suddenly narrowed. This kind of information...shouldn't they tell the Borderline Unit first? But he was sure there was no such warning from the government—if there was, Agni would have told him already.

Ron frowned, drinking his water in annoyance. He had to inform the Captain and check on the activity reports once he got back.

"We haven't really gone to the densest place, so we had no idea as of now, but..." Han Shin's voice trailed at the end, finger tapping on his chin in contemplation.

"The existence of the Earth and Wood Specter itself is a sign," Bassena finished the words. "It's quite clear that the beasts here are different from the ones inside the dungeon."

"So that is why the government devised this Act, and we got the leak from my father," Han Shin chimed in with a grin, as if he didn't just reveal what was supposed to be a government secret to a bunch of outsiders.

"So, basically, this is a preparation stage?" asked Ron.

The healer used his finger gun and winked. "Exactly!"

"I see..."

And then, Han Shin moved his finger to point at Zein, and spoke in an excited voice. "Which is why, Zein, we need you!"

The guide didn't reply quickly, taking his time to finish the meal in his hand. When he opened his mouth, however, his tone was impassive. "In that case, can't I just join once the reclamation project starts? You'll be coming here again anyway,"

Han Shin gasped, lips parted in flusters. "Ugh—well, that's true but...that's true right?" he turned his head to Bassena with a face that clearly asked for help. His glare was all saying 'it's you who want him more than anyone else so do something!' to the other esper.

Bassena sighed, very much wanting to tell his friend that Zein wasn't the type of person that could be forced to do something. If he was, Bassena would already have his way with the guide. Zein had to will for it himself, and all they could do was just keep on asking. But being too forceful in asking would only result in him being distant.

Since Zein already said no the first time, all they could do was bid for time and asked again some other time. Patiently, but persistently.

With Bassena choosing to stay quiet, the usually quiet Anise became the one who spoke up. "Unm, but we might need your help to subdue the shard inside the lab."

That was a sound argument, but Zein looked like he was suddenly being reminded of something. "Ah, right!" he looked at the shard, which serenely floated and gave out warmth light that kept everything alive. "I forgot to mention it, but...you can't take the shard away."