Chapter 201 - 195. To Grow New Sprouts
"That’s smoother than I thought," Bassena whispered, leaning on the railing of the terrace as his eyes followed the movement inside from the window.
Logan was in the middle of finalizing things with the Elder and Senan, and since Zein discussed everything he wanted to with the attorney, he asked to be pardoned for a breath of fresh air--which was why they were on the terrace right now.
"Why, do you wish for a fight?" Zein raised his brow, to which Bassena responded with a chuckle.
"I can go for a few spars,"
"Have some shame, Mister Saint-class," Zein flicked the grinning face on the forehead, although he had a smirk on his own face.
But soon the smile faded, and he was back to staring blankly into the air. Bassena tilted his head, watching the brooding face. He held his sigh and reached for the guide’s hand, stroking the tense knuckles. He recalled what Radia said to him; to keep reminding Zein of the thing he should not forget.
"Talk to me?" he said, gently, shaping it as a request rather than a suggestion. "Are you thinking about the house?"
Bassena could feel the hand flinch under his palm, so he knew he was right.
After they were done talking about the company and the foundation, the middle-aged man took out a box. It was filled with keepsakes; things belonged to Roan and Lucia, as well as a few things left behind by the previous patriarch, Zein’s grandfather. There was that wedding picture, and they saw a small photo album, a pocketwatch belonging to every head of Ishtera, and a box of Lucia’s jewelry--something that the group brought over because they thought they would be reunited with Lucia. Clearly, they didn’t.
Zein had to pause for a bit when he saw a ring that most definitely belonged to his father, but that wasn’t the thing that affected him the most. It was the folder beneath all of those things. Contained inside, was the deed to a lakeside house and a small piece of land surrounding it.
It was the house where Roan and Lucia spent their last days together; the house where he was conceived, and perhaps, where he was named.