Villain Path

Chapter 80.1. Start Of The Countdown

In the evening, even before the teacher returned to his room, Al noticed that Annis was shifting impatiently from foot to foot, as if she could not make up her mind.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Huh?" the girl started. "I was just thinking of going to town for herbs for morning tea, but I'm not sure if I should do it now."

"Well, when else? If you don't hurry up now, all shops will close. Go, I can handle it alone."

Annis gave him a look as if she were saying 'You can handle it alone, sure! Everything here will be lost without me!', but nodded anyway and quickly walked away.

Al, like an invisible shadow, had been accompanying the teacher until the evening, training his own stealth skills. It seemed as soon as he concentrated on hiding the aura, he almost immediately started to get pretty good at it.

Night fell on the estate of General Ir Shuer, candles lit up Shen's room, and after a while Master Muan came out from there. After his appearance in the morning, the teacher was acting weird, but Al could not understand the reason.

Muan was walking through the courtyard when Al called out to him, as he appeared behind. Lord of the Glory Peak turned abruptly and raised an eyebrow in surprise: was he really so lost in thought that he did not notice someone else's presence?

"Master Muan, why did you come?"

Muan's frown grew even deeper.

"Do I have to report to you?"

"I swore to protect the teacher from danger. Any danger," Al said gravely.

"I don't pose a danger to him!"

"Really? You did something that upset him very much," Al's voice was quiet and insinuating.

Muan snorted indignantly.

"Bite your tongue, boy. And... Lord Shen's feelings are totally none of your business."

"It's my business!!" Al saw red and drew his sword.

Muan looked mockingly at the tip of this sword pointed at him.

"Decided to challenge me? Well, come on, attack. Let's see how good Shen's 'protector' is."

Al rushed forward with a roar.

***

It was almost the only night that nothing happened. Shen would not be able to tell for sure if he fell asleep or lost consciousness altogether. In any case, he did not remember how he went to bed, he simply passed out without undressing.

The morning did not bring him joy, and yet he made himself look presentable and, as usual, went out at the teatime. Annis was already waiting on the terrace, tray in hand. Al stood beside the pillar with a very somber expression.

"Is everything all right?" Shen asked him.

"Master Muan has already defeated him several times in the morning," Annis told with a snicker. "Brother Al, don't beat yourself up so much because of this! It's only natural that Master Muan can easily defeat you, you won't rise to his level for many years!"

"We'll see," Al muttered gloomily and turned away.

Shen was still looking at him. It seemed that the silver outfit he had given him was a little shabby. Shen was about to tell Al not to worry about it and reassure him that he would buy a new one, but immediately realized that that could embarrass and anger the disciple even more, so he bit his tongue. Instead, he turned to the stone table where he was going to drink tea, and only now he saw that Muan was already sitting there. Suppressing the restless emotions rising in his chest at the look at his proud unapproachable appearance, Shen smiled and walked towards him.