Villain Path

Chapter 72. Night 2

That evening Shen decided to take a closer look at the "cursed objects" lying in the box. He did not consider them really cursed, it was clear at first glance, but there was still something dark in them. And, perhaps, that dark could lead to the perpetrator as a thread. He was worried about the very thought that that family might be hurt. That next time a dangerous object could be as strong as the cursed dagger, that anyone could touch it and...

Shen took the box out from under the couch and placed it on top. Sitting down next to it, he opened the lid and ran his hand over the objects inside. Now he remembered that he had seen them in his strange dream about a mirror. Shen thoughtfully passed his hand over the objects and took the hairpin.

He sat in front of the mirror. The exact huge mirror that had not shown him his reflection. This time he was reflected in it. Loose hair flowed down his shoulders, in the palm of his hand he still clutched the hairpin. Slowly, as if in a dream, he separated a lock of hair and pinned it. The hairpin with green stones gleamed in his black hair, catching glints of moonlight.

In the reflection he saw a black-haired girl in a white undergarment approaching from behind. The skin of her hands, and her bare legs, and her face was ashen gray, the burgundy net of veins showed through on her face. Shen turned sharply, but the room behind him was empty. Meanwhile, in the mirror, the girl was approaching. She came close, stood behind him. Then she put her hands on his shoulders. Shen felt their pressure, although there was still no one behind. They looked at each other in the mirror. The girl opened her chapped lips and croaked out something. More and more, but Shen couldn't make out anything. Her throat. Something was wrong with her throat, she could not really say a word. And then she reached out and tore hairpin off his hair.

***

Shen saw dark floor in front of him. He sat there for a long time, clutching a hairpin in his hand, unable to understand what... had just happened. Finally, he came to his senses and looked around. He was not in his room. He sat in the gallery in front of the white door.

The very same door which Shuer did not allow him to walk through.

Shen got to his feet and turned the handle, trying to push the door, but it was indeed locked.

Do I sleepwalk? System, do I sleepwalk?

The System did not respond in any way, apparently, this question was not within its competence, like many other things recently.

But I don't even remember going to bed. I'm still wearing my outer garment.

Shen felt somehow uncomfortable with what was happening. He's not going crazy, is he?

He heard a child crying from afar.

It was very chilly outside. Shen shivered and hurried back to the Winter pavilion.

He opened the door to his room. The candle he had left on the table had recently burned out, and the room smelled of smoke from an extinguished wick. Shen entered slowly and closed the door behind himself. He pulled out a talisman from his pocket, and a moment later it lit up with a bluish light. Shen walked over to the table and saw that the candle was not burnt out even by a half. He re-lit it and extinguished the talisman.

The box with the cursed objects was still on the couch. Shen put the hairpin back and closed the lid. Then he turned round and sat down next to it, staring thoughtfully at the candlelight.

He sat there for a long time, not thinking about anything or thinking too much to remember the train of his thoughts, and then he untied his belt, took off his upper red robe and pulled the lower one down his shoulders. Brown-blue marks were clearly visible on both of his shoulders. It was difficult to see without a mirror, but Shen did not doubt that those marks were shaped like human palm prints. He touched the mark on his left shoulder and grimaced in pain.