Chapter 156 - 151. Crossroad of Fate
Visiting his mother...
Bassena said it as if they were just going to the countryside where his mother was alive and kicking, living peacefully in a wonderful villa with nice scenery.
Which wasn’t really incorrect too--except for the part where she was alive and kicking.
From how Bassena described it, the cemetery they were headed to was on a hill with nice scenery overlooking farmlands. It should be a nice, serene place where the family could spend peaceful time with the remnants of their beloved.
As long as they were in the right mind to do so, of course.
Zein turned his head and stared at Bassena. Fortunately, the esper was no longer in his zombie state like last night. Zein did spend the night enduring the tight embrace as they sleep, and there were a few occasions when he woke up to the sound of restless whines. Wondering if it was the nightmares that Radia told him about, Zein would caress the esper’s head soothingly, until Bassena calmed down again. He let the esper nuzzle on his nape, sleeping while inhaling his scent. During a particularly rough nightmare where Bassena even groaned and frowned so miserably, Zein took the liberty of guiding the esper through that nightmare.
He understood now why Bassena chose not to sleep. Zein ended up spending the night stroking the platinum strands, wondering what kind of dream this man saw, until he drifted to sleep himself.
Thanks to that, Zein felt sleepy in the morning. But since Bassena looked better, he thought it was worth it. The flame inside the amber eyes had lit again, dancing as they greeted Zein good morning. And then here they were, taking an absence of leave--which the guildmaster readily provided--driving outside Althrea again.
The hill was located in the green-zone area outside the city, between the valley used for farming, and the plateau where a resort was built. They drove through the northern gate, where the roads were flanked by orchards. The road was filled with fallen leaves that swirled around the car as they passed through, and it brought a sense of melancholy to the silent car.
While Bassena looked better, he talked less than usual. As the car drove closer and closer to the hill, the esper just stared at the road wordlessly. He didn’t look tense though, just leaning slightly to the side, propping his elbow on the windowsill as if savoring the journey.
And Zein, being Zein, just followed the silence. Rather than worrying, it just felt serene, as if Bassena was in the middle of digesting his hatred and fury, so he didn’t have to show an awful face in front of his mother’s grave. In that case, the guide just decided to wait until Bassena was ready to speak.