Villain Path

Chapter 30.1. Villain is always unlucky

Muan, who had taken up defensive positions in front of the eastern road leading into the city (and deployed locals around the eastern perimeter of the town), saw Al flying quickly on his sword over their heads. He and Annis immediately followed.

Landing in the courtyard of the inn, they froze in a mute scene as Al turned to face them. He hugged the shrinking and bloody master of the Maledicted Peak.

There was so much blood that it dyed half of his clothes red. (Well, maybe Muan, seeing this, exaggerated slightly.) Black threads of filth crawled down a pale jade neck and cheek. His eyes were tightly closed, and his brows furrowed in tenseness. Muan took a step forward and saw Shen clutching a ball of gray wool.

Even more gloomy, he walked towards them, shouting:

"We must throw out this beast!"

Shen opened his eyes and hissed at him angrily:

"Now I'll throw out some other beast!"

The pain gave a special flavor to his anger, and even in this state, he inspired some fear. Muan froze, pondering whether to be indignant, laughing or still worrying.

"Why are you all frozen?!" Shen got angry when after a while no one moved anywhere. "Muan, prepare a potion against plague! Al, either let me go or carry me to the room!"

"Where can I get the ingredients?!" Muan resented these demands. "Se Annis, run to some shop for ingredients! Do you know what is needed?"

The girl shook head. Muan walked over to her and began to list, and Al chose the second option and carried the teacher to the inn.

"Now let me go," Shen demanded when they were in the room.

Actually, he meant «let me go right there», but Al, like a good boy, carried and sat him on the couch.

"Teacher..." Al said, taking a step back and peering intently into his face.

While he was carrying it, he did not see that the filth had already spread so much that black threads, like spider webs, covered his cheeks and cheekbones and stretched to his eyes. Al's hands shook with helplessness. Looking at the ball of wool in the teacher's hands, which is the source of this infection, he felt that a violent hatred for this creature was rising in his chest.

"Let it go!" Al demanded.

Shen looked up at him in surprise.

"Because of this beast, you are in such a state now! Release him immediately!" It sounded almost like a command.

«Doesn't he allow himself a lot?..» Shen thought distantly. He was now not in a state to be seriously indignant, but he was ready to remember for the future this imperative tone directed at the teacher... Where did he turn the wrong way so that the student considered it possible to talk to him like that? Is it because of him, or is it that Al is finally becoming a strong main character? What will happen next if he is already so impudent? And it would be necessary to somehow put him in his place, until Shen completely lost all the remnants of his teaching authority... But he is clearly not ready to do it now.

"Teacher!.."

"Shut up, Al!" Shen hissed, bending over the gray ball of wool in his hands and as if covering it from the whole world.

Al continued to stand in the middle of the room, looking at him. A sense of powerlessness filled his chest and sounded like an alarm bell in his mind. He was ready to do anything to become stronger and protect those who are dear to him. He always thought there would be enough strength. But there was a man in front of him, an incredibly strong man, but who does not value his life at all! Which is impossible to just protect! Because!.. What's the matter with him?! Al thought he was incredibly strong to withstand such wounds and pain, but maybe... Maybe he just doesn't care? He doesn't care about his own life, which is why he is constantly exposed to such attacks. Ah... that would explain a lot. He always seems to be looking for death. As if tired of life and only looking for an excuse to end it. What's going on in the soul of this person?!