Chapter 177: The Regular Customer
You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough.
But for Xavier, he seemed to have fondness for the weapon he chose from the shop.
He even named it.
"Death In Hellven."
"Hellven? What is that?" Zane asked.
Xavier pumped his chest. "I merged Hell and heaven and came up with that."
Leave the merging to me.
"That’s... unique."
"Yes. Since this weapon could cut as well as hit hard, I chose the name." Xavier explained.
Zane had already understood it but for the sake of Xavier, he pretended to be impressed.
But after hearing Xavier...
Can I name my weapon too?
[ Yes. ]
A smile crept up on his lips.
Nice. I will do that in the bathroom.
Zane made his plan and ignoring the fighting Draxus and Tesla, who were rolling on the floor, he found a spot to sit down.
Xavier and Jammy sat on his either side.
Zane watched his followers taking their weapons, laughing and swinging them.
"Sometimes I think I don’t have it in me."
"Hmm?" Jammy asked.
Zane sighed.
"I feel I can’t take care of them. They followed me seeing my rage but that was because of Milo. To be honest, if a gutterborn was getting hurt, I wouldn’t have done what I have done in the Cathedral. They followed me for something I did for my sister."
"Heh." Xavier scoffed.
Zane raised one brow.
"What?"
Xavier smiled. "Why do you think I follow you?"
"Because I have courage. That’s what you said at least."
Xavier nodded.
"Exactly."
"Huh?" Zane didn’t get it.
"He is saying he didn’t follow you because you love your sister. He followed you because you have the courage to fight." Jammy explained.
"But anyone would fight for their sister. It doesn’t make me special." Zane argued.
"No. A coward will stay a coward. He will watch his mother getting raped in front of his eyes, he will watch his father being killed. A coward will not say anything. He will face it all with his head down. But you, you are brave."
Jammy turned his gaze at Zane.
"You fought for your sister against someone many times higher and stronger than you. The courage was already inside you, Zane. Your sister brought it out in the form of love.
These people followed you because they knew you are a man who knows what is right and wrong and has the courage to speak.
Even if you fought only because it was Milo, they know that if they become closer to you, you will fight for them as well. They followed you because they needed strength to speak. They already had a voice, they were lacking strength. And with you in front of them, they now have strength as well."
Zane went silent.
Jammy’s words hung deep inside his heart as he thought about them.
And not only Zane, Xavier also heard the man and his eyes were wide open.
"Dude, you are actually smart. Why are you a Janitor? Become a writer or something."
"Nah. Writing is the last thing I would choose."
"Why is that?"
Jammy sighed. "I won’t be able to write for a zero audience everyday in hopes of that one day when my hard work will finally pay off."
"... So you became a Janitor instead?"
"Don’t forget. I am also a Gutterborn. Janitor is the best job compared to what others of my age are doing. Enough about me, tell me about yourself."
Xavier rested his head on the wall.
"I am a simple man who is passionate about the truth. That’s all."
Zane knew that as well.
"What about your parents? And your friend whose parents are living with you?"
Zane tensed up.
He knew about Xavier’s parents and he wasn’t sure whether Jammy should ask about them or not.
Zane watched Xavier’s face but instead of anger, the man simply lost his smile.
"My parents are dead. Suicide. And my friend, Romero, is also dead. My parents killed him. That’s all for now."
Zane sighed in relief.
Jammy slightly nodded as well.
"So you have enough thrill in your life as well."
"What did you say? Thrill? That sounded thrilling to you?" Xavier glared at Jammy.
"To be fair, yes." Jammy wasn’t afraid.
Zane pressed his forehead.
"I am going to give the new clothes to Milo. Don’t kill each other in the meantime."
He stood on his feet and left the basement.
Tesla and Draxus were busy duking it out.
Xavier and Jammy were busy glaring it out.
Hena and Milo would probably be busy washing it out.
He laughed at his own thoughts but as his thoughts came, he also imagined Hena taking a bath.
Shit. Calm down.
He jerked his head left and right.
He purified his thoughts by imagining Milo’s smile as he came out of the basement.
"Where is the bathroom anyway?"
Zane didn’t know.
"Wait. I know. I took out plastic from there."
Zane remembered.
He climbed upstairs slowly and he would just knock on the door and leave Milo’s clothes outside.
No peeking.
He reached outside the door and raised his hand.
Before he could knock...
"Do you like my brother?"
Zane’s heart skipped a beat.
What are you asking, Milo? Leave it.
Zane couldn’t even stop her. Hena might think he was eavesdropping.
But he didn’t want to get rejected by a girl he didn’t even ask out.
"I don’t know about such things." Hena replied, her tone didn’t appear flustered.
Zane sighed in relief.
At least she isn’t annoyed.
"The women around my home love him. One of them kissed him too."
Don’t tell her that.
"The woman around your home. The slums, right?" Hena asked.
"Yes. They love him."
"Those women love anyone though. Don’t mind them."
"No. They love my brother more!"
It’s okay, Milo. Leave it.
"Oh. So does your brother visit those women often?"
"Yes. I think so. Why else would they like him if they don’t meet him often?"
"I see." Hena said and this time, her voice was filled with emptiness.
Zane smacked his head.
I haven’t even touched a girl much less those women. What did you do, Milo? I am not a thirsty man.
Zane wanted to correct the misunderstanding now.
Wait. I can stop them from talking.
Before Milo could say anything again, Zane knocked on the door.
THUD!
"Who is there?"
"It’s me."
"Oh. The regular customer."
"I am no- what do you mean?"
"Nothing."
That was close. I almost exposed myself.
Zane was about to say he wasn’t a customer but if he had said it that would prove he was listening to their talks.
"What is it, brother?"
"I brought your new clothes. I am keeping them outside. Alright?"
"Okay."
"Nice try." Hena said.
Zane frowned.
"Sorry?"
"Nice try bringing her clothes as an excuse..."
Hena paused.
Zane gulped.
I don’t like where this is going.
His thoughts proved right as Hena deemed the act of Zane bringing Milo’s clothes as an excuse...
"To peek at my body."
To see her naked.
