Chapter 51 - 50. The Crimson Flower
Finally sitting on the expensive-looking couch, Zein focused his gaze on the man across from him. Looking at the crimson eyes and deep red hair, at the smooth and relaxed way the man carried himself, Zein instantly thought of the red flower in Trinity’s emblem.
A red, poisonous flower.
Aside from Zein, no one else was sitting down. Bassena stood behind his chair, and the others, including Han Shin, stood by the side. Zein had heard that Radia Mallarc was the only one that could control Bassena and Han Shin, and he finally believed that now.
"It’s quite a boisterous event," the man said with a smile, leaning back with his elbow propped on the chair’s arm. "Your entry, that is."
"I never intended for that," Zein shrugged. Now that his defensive instinct had waned, he could face the man with a more relaxed attitude.
"Of course, you didn’t," Radia let out a crisp chuckle. "If you want to make an uproar, you could simply take out your mask in a crowded place," the man held up his hand, and someone in a neat butler livery put a small, thin tablet screen on his palm. The crimson eyes looked at the screen, as a deep smile bloomed on his face. "Haa—without even any make-up. Ahh~beautiful people are truly scary..."
It was then that Zein knew this man was looking at his guide license picture. The government’s guide directory that could be accessed publicly never included the guide’s picture for safety reasons. The photograph was only available on the license card and the internal directory that was only accessible to government agents.
Even then, Zein only agreed to put his masked picture there, and the unmasked one had to be accessed with high-rank clearance since he was an A-class. Except for those who worked in the Center today and the higher-ups, other people shouldn’t be able to access Zein’s unmasked picture.
And yet, Radia Mallarc easily fished out that classified information like he was looking at a social media account.
It was a show of power, Zein realized.
Except for Bassena and Han Shin, no one in that room had laid their eyes on Zein’s face, and the guide still wore his mask even now. So they unconsciously stared keenly at the guide, successfully garnering a cold glare from the esper standing behind the man like some kind of bodyguard.