Chapter 36: Red Zone (2)

Farrah looked away when Calson glanced at her. The two communicated awkwardly before Ayen, using their gaze.

Normally, one person would be curious enough to ask and press Calson to continue. That should be the case in a normal situation. However, Ayen was clearly not in the same category.

He was not one to share things about himself, so why would he ask about others? Ayen merely nodded at that, getting the gist of what brought their reactions.

Yet, he did not dwell deeper on that. That was not a story for them to tell.

“It’s fine.” Ayen’s indifference, which usually put off people, reassured the two instead.

“Thank you, Sir.” Calson sighed in relief, then rubbed the back of his head again. “If I may request… I’m afraid if the leader heard…”

“Mr. Ayen,” Farrah finally realized the implications and almost knelt if Ayen did not stop her. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her and pleaded. “I’m sorry for talking too much. I’m just a blabbermouth, and, uh… can you please not tell the leader?”

Her tone sank low at the end. Their obvious fear made Ayen wonder if Khal was truly that scary. If anything, he always found Khal calm and assuring.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell him,” Ayen reassured.

The two clearly felt relieved at that answer. Luckily for them, Ayen was not a playful one who would trick them. If he said it, then he would do it.

Just as he intended, he did not linger in the living room and went to the room. Only after an hour, Ayen went downstairs again and started cooking their lunch.

The two S-class espers volunteered to help, and he let them. Aside from the sounds of kitchenware, they spent cooking in silence. Ayen’s dishes were not complicated and were mostly common recipes.

When it was almost noon, Khal and Devion returned as if on cue. They had just finished cooking by then.

“Oh? You’re still here?” Devion first noticed the two when he entered the kitchen. He sounded rude even; the two did not even frown and acknowledge him.

“We’ll also collect the spoils for this day, as the leader said,” Calson answered Devion politely.

Devion glanced at him and left it with that before turning his attention to Ayen. “Did they bother you?” He whispered, although he knew the two S-class espers could hear him clearly.

Farrah lowered her gaze while Calson pretended to be sorting out the plates on the table.

“They didn’t.”

Ayen noticed that Devion’s relationship with the two was still distant; at least, they were not acting very familiar with each other.

Devion was clearly not talkative around them either.

“Sure?” Devion shot an eyebrow. He was unconvinced.

Ayen did not know why Devion looked so suspicious.

“No. I stayed in the room,” he added after shaking his head.

With that, Devion seemed visibly at ease. It looked like he did not like the two espers that much.

Khal then entered the room, saving the awkward atmosphere or not. At least, the two espers became even more stiff with his arrival. His eyes swept over the two and nodded at them before greeting Ayen and smacking Devion’s back again.

“Why?” Devion glared at him.

“I just want to.” Khal shrugged with a soft tone. “Let’s go eat.” Then he addressed the two. “Since you’re here, eat lunch with us.”

After saying that, he sat first, and soon the rest also did the same. Farrah sat first before Calson.

The lunch was not exactly a comfortable one. It was more apparent for the two espers, and Devion was not talking that much. For Ayen, he prefers to eat in silence, and thus it was welcome.

In the end, the two espers bid goodbye after Khal and Devion returned in the late afternoon.

The rest of the night was spent in the guiding session, and so the backlash arrived. This time, it was a bit different than usual.

Ayen suddenly craved alcohol.

This was out of nowhere.

He had never even tried any liquor before, and now he was craving a taste. Fortunately, they had some beer in stock. As SS-class espers, even hard liquors barely made them drunk, and so, drinking alcohol was sometimes just a whim.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” Devion asked Khal, who also looked unsure. Ayen was staring at the beer can in Devion’s hand.

“There’s nothing we can do.”

They both knew this point, but they could still not stop themselves from being worried.

Ayen’s rationality often came off as a mess during a backlash, but he was still conscious.

“I don’t know how I’ll handle liquor,” Ayen said, licking his lips and trying so hard to look away from the beer. And lifted his gaze to look at the two. “Make sure to look after me.”

After hesitating a bit, Devion still handed the beer to Ayen. As Khal said, there was nothing they could do. They sat on the floor. Ayen was at the end of the table while the two were on each side of him.

The moment he took a sip of the beer, Ayen shivered, and if not for the effect of the backlash, he would have spat it out. His expression twisted, but he was satisfied just the same.

He was insane.

“You good?” Devion asked, watching as Ayen drank a mouthful once more.

Ayen looked at him, eyes already misty. He was not that drunk, but with his mind a mess because of the backlash, his body’s reactions were more intense than normal.

“I think…” Ayen swallowed and licked his lips. He turned slowly to Khal and blinked. “…I need ice. It’s hot.”

Khal quickly complied, and clusters of small and big solid ice rained down behind Ayen until he was surrounded.

“More?” Khal probed Ayen, who was once more gulping down the beer.

“Uhh…” Ayen breathed and hiccupped after he emptied the beer. His face was now flushed, and he began sweating.

He felt so hot, like he wanted to strip everything. Only his last shred of rationality was keeping him from doing so.

“More… I need more.” He spoke in an unhurried tone.

Khal and Devion exchanged glances.

Ayen’s a mess after one can of beer. And the backlash was not over. Khal silently added more until Ayen was half submerged in it.

Khal was aware it would not work, but still did it anyway.

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