Villain Path

Chapter 55. Evil Zither

A quiet, flowing melody penetrated right into the heart of the only listener. It could not tear at the feelings of anyone who heard her, but it was not intended for prying ears. The melody drowned in darkness, went somewhere inside the chest, reviving deeply hidden emotions.

Another disciple of the League RR died that night. This time the girl belonged to the Peak of Blue Stars. Shen learned about this quite early, when Lord Lev, not afraid, ran to his black castle and swung, intending to punch him in the face.

Shen looked at that hand, stopped in the swing, with a long, thoughtful look. Lev lowered her, embarrassedly hiding it behind his back.

"Did you really come to blame me?" Shen asked curiously, putting aside the bowl and rising from the table.

"I at least accuse you of incompetence!" Lev flared up. "You've promised that you would figure it out in a situation, and instead the student of my peak was killed."

"I've promised I would get proof of my innocence," Shen corrected.

"And how?" Lord of the Peak of Blue Stars asked tartly. "Have you?"

"Not yet," Shen had to admit grimly.

"But you find time for morning tea!"

Shen looked down at a low table on which stood a tray with a teapot and bowls and a flowerpot with a flower.

"Should I pour you?" He offered. "The tea has just brewed."

Lord Lev snorted and sat down on the sofa. Shen poured and handed him a bowl of tea.

"Tell me the details," he demanded as Lev took a sip.

"It's just a catastrophe," he stated calmly. "She was found by the students when they went to their morning meal. Lord Zag said the causes of death were the same: strangulation with his swollen tongue. He assumes some kind of poison, but..."

"But?"

"But they began to talk about the curse. Khm. Spreading from the Cursed Peak..."

Shen sipped more tea furiously.

"About the Cursed Peak, let's say, idle speculation, but the very idea of a curse is not so improbable..."

"Why do you think so?"

"Does it remind of anything?" Lev leaned towards him like an old friend.

Shen had the thought that System could have already considered that task completed... But let's not be distracted, Lev said meanwhile:

"Don't you remember? You told me yourself about some coursed musical instrument. I don't remember where you got it, but you bragged that you added it to your collection, while saving the poor fellows who intended to play on it. And that instrument killed similarly. Sometime after the person played on it, he was found suffocated by his tongue. Do you still have this instrument?"

"Zither!"

"Exactly, the evil zither."

"Shen thoughtfully raised his folded hands to his mouth and froze for a couple of moments."

"Who could steal it and why?!" He exploded then.

"Steal?" Lev jumped up.

"I just discovered her missing yesterday! But I completely forgot about its destructive properties and didn't immediately attach importance to it!

Lev stared at him.

"Did you tell anyone else about zither?"

"I don't remember! But even so, who would need to kill the students with its help? What for?"