Chapter 56 - Conjecture

Two pairs of similar dress shoes clacked in an intermittent rhythm. The owners of the pairs of shoes didn't seem to mind as they strolled calmly and leisurelessly, both were content at the silence each other provided. 

They walked passed numerous halls, with one leading the other. Whether the shorter one was too trusting or the silent understanding he had in the other, he let the taller of the two lead him to a more secluded area. 

The taller man with dark brown hair brought him towards a spacious garden that was shaped like a labyrinth, more like a maze when one looked closely to it. 

There was a complex multicursal branching built in. Reaching the center of the maze would be a difficult task to do. Lynn whistled when he saw the maze, impressed when he saw the large glorious oak tree in the center of the maze. 

It was massive. Its trunk was thick enough that even a grown man wouldn't be able to make a complete circle even if he tried. 

"That's the thousand years tree the Zero had always been boasting for decades?" Lynn finally broke the comfortable silence. 

Zion shrugged his shoulder as he stood under the shade of the estate, looking at the huge maze that stretched across him. While in this distance, the green walls might have looked short, but if he had stood side by side, those walls would tower over him. 

Lynn watched him warily from his spot a few feet away from the dark brown haired butler. The other man was still looking at the maze, not a word spoken. The comfortable atmosphere had dissipated. 

Or maybe there wasn't anything close to comfortable beforehand, just a mere facade, enough to lure nescient preys. 

Lynn shifted his weight side to side, from his left, then to his right as he waited in such an uncomfortable silence. There must be a reason for Zion to choose such a secluded area. There were almost no maids nor butlers loitering around the area. Even the walls had ears, they said. 

The smell of freshly cut grass wafted into his nostrils. Lynn always enjoyed it as it gave him the sense of security, however, not now, it wasn't working at all, not enough to calm his nerves. 

After a while, Zion finally turned his head towards Lynn and gave him his full attention. His brown eyes swept over him, prim and tight, despite the amiable smile stretched on his face. 

The gray-haired male felt dread washed upon him as he predicted the restrained verbal sparring that was about to come. 

"I like to believe there is always trust between friends," The brunette began. 

Lynn frowned at the vagueness of his words. He had no idea of the topic to be touched upon this impromptu meeting of theirs. Unless it was about-- Lynn shook his head. That's quite unlikely. 

"That's true," The shorter man answered, treading the lines carefully. 

Friends. He wouldn't actually use those terms to describe them. Comrades? Not even close. They just coincidentally had a common enemy. While the Rodericks had been working for centuries as the Queen's watchdog, this man here was sent by the Queen herself to monitor everything. 

He was one of the important officials. Many had been fooled by his appearance, by how he carried himself. On the outside, he was courteous, polite, and his words always dripped with honey. But in reality, he was none of those. 

The way he settled problems was aggressive and vicious despite how effective it was. If Lynn had to describe more, he would say it was to the point of barbaric, inhuman. 

This man was seriously suffering from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. 'He wasn't like this before…' 

Besides, he had his own hidden agenda that no one knew of as it was quite unconvincing that the Queen had only positioned him to monitor them. 

So, the term 'friend' was too intimate to express their mock up alliancy, especially with their 'history'. 

"Just a little advice from lil' me," The smile on the man's face didn't quiver, but his next words were tailored sharper than ever. "Stop drawing legs to a snake, wouldn't want to accidentally awaken a dragon, would you?" The man hinted. 

"Oh?" Lynn questioned, sounding a careful mixture of surprise and interest. 

There were many things Lynn despised about this man and this was one of them. It was his cryptic ways of conveying messages. 'Can't he just… Spit whatever it is out?' 

"Or was it your intention all along?" Zion didn't lose his composure or the sickening smile on his face. 

The other man might be younger than him, but he was a hell lot more intimidating. He was creepily unpredictable, if Lynn had to say. 

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Lynn held his ground for as long as he could, however, he knew it wasn't going to last. 

His mind was racing and searching all over in his head, trying to come up with something that caused this man to raise such a question. They had reached a certain level of understanding to not cross each other's boundaries in doing their respective jobs. 

While the Rodericks acted their part as the Watchdogs, Zion infiltrated the Zero's by becoming the Head Butler. 

Lynn didn't think they had done anything to anger him. He couldn't think of anything. Derek had made sure about it--

"You don't?" The brunette asked. 

"I can't say I do." 

They held each other gazes, no words were spoken, until Zion finally let out a sigh. He stalked towards Lynn, gloved hands swiftly reached into his suit and procured a few snapshots, waving them directly in front of Lynn's face. 

Lynn's eyes tried to take a quick glance at the moving picture but it was momentarily pulled away from him before he could, except he couldn't shake the feeling that he caught a glimpse of a grotesque image flashing through his eyes.