Chapter 389 - 381. Suicidal Loyalist
Zein looked around the table; they had brought several tables and put them together to form one big feast table, filling it with a rich and decadent spread of food. Bassena even took out his grill and let the young members of the Iron Shield--Arlo and his younger cousins--man the expensive meat he brought.
The highlight of it was the cured dragon meat which he grilled himself, since no one was brave enough to handle the kind of meat they never even dreamt of eating. Senan decorated the feast table with the flowers he personally picked from the garden, showing off an old man’s delicate side.
For this occasion, they even brought a cask of wine, generously served to everyone. Even the teenage kids were given a small glass, since it was a family event anyway. Those who were younger, however, were only allowed to take a sip from their parents’ glass.
"It’s Master Roan’s favorite," the Elder told Zein. "I’m glad they still produce it."
Ah, another thing to remember. Zein stared at his glass, which shimmering in a pale gold glow. Through the glass, he could see the others were looking at him; the Kovacs, the Euiya ladies, and his esper. He knew they were waiting for him to say something before starting the feast.
It wasn’t exactly his thing, but Zein had used to talk to his chicks back in the guild, so it didn’t disturb him anymore, to address a crowd. He stood up, rubbing his thumb on the side of the glass. The crowd, who was already looking at him, put their attention even more.
"I’m hungry, so I won’t say much," Zein said, and the younger Kovacs were cheering from the grill side. "I just want to say that today, for me, is a good day. To let my parents have their reunion at last, so they could travel the journey of the afterlife together. And so, I hope everyone also sees today as a good day," he looked up at the bright sky, a smile subtly drawn on his lips. "A day to be celebrated."
Zein raised his glass, and after staring at the Elder’s smiling face--albeit still with tears in his eyes, how worrying--he took a sip, to be followed by the others as they cheered.
Indeed, smiles and laughter were more suitable for a day such as this.
"I thank you too, for granting me the selfishness of putting two names in the family registry, although you have no idea who they are," the smile on Zein’s lips turned into a forlorn one, as the blue eyes dimmed a little bit. "But they are my younger brother, and I shall not let anyone say otherwise."
Unlike him, the twins had no Ishtera blood. Worse, they had the blood of the man who put Lucia and Zein in danger. For loyalists like them, it might be difficult to accept, having some strangers take the name of those they had served. But Senan raised his glass and spoke with a smile.