Dark Path to Heaven [Demon Romance]

Chapter 24

Chapter Music: "Darkwood Forest" by Derek Fiechter

We did as asked and walked up to him.

"You drink this," he gave me another potion – a red one this time.

I took it and gulped it down, no questions asked. It would probably protect me from injuries.

"Vincent, I trust that you'll be careful not to hurt her. Use one dagger today," he told him then.

"Um, Mr. Astar–" I wanted to ask, but he cut me off, somewhat annoyed.

"What's this? Did you forget what I told you the last time?"

Did he mean the name? Did he want me to call him just 'Astar'?

"But there are so many students around," I looked down, embarrassed.

"So? We work together now, don't we?"

"Okay, err, Astar can I ask something?"

He'd just told me how he wanted me to call him but he looked a bit stunned when I spoke his name. In fact, that awkward expression was rather cute.

"Go ahead," he said.

"Do I have to attack as well? Because I don't know any techniques."

"No, today it's only defense for you. Try to avoid Vincent's blows."

"Okay."

"Mr. Astar," Vincent barged in, "Don't we have to tell her a little about the fighting style so that she'll know what to expect?"

"Observing the others until now must have made it quite clear," he pointed out glancing at me. "But let's do this in case she was distracted," his tone sounded accusatory.

How was I supposed to focus on them while he was talking to us?!

"What he means," my friend kindly started explaining to me, "is that being absentminded is a serious hindrance when fighting. Especially Mr. Astar's lessons are based on sudden attacks without warning. One should be swift and precise."

"Being fit also helps," added Astar.

"Is this supposed to mean something?" I narrowed my eyes. He was only referring to the lesson, wasn't he? He wouldn't be interested in me if he had such superficial criteria. In any case, I needed to know.

"About what you have in mind? No," he shot me a disapproving look, "I personally don't care how much you weigh. But I don't believe that the attackers outside the campus will be very liberal."

"Guys, guys, stop flirting," Vincent interrupted with a half bothered, half mischievous smile causing me to almost jump up in shock.

Well, I was already dumbfounded by Astar's remark. Was he obviously admitting that he liked me no matter how I looked? And, interestingly enough, he hadn't denied my demon friend's accusation.

"Sorry, I was the one who got off topic," I apologized.

Astar only looked at me with interest. He seemed to be making his own assumptions.

"Okay, so do we start?" Vincent asked him.

At his nod, we took a few steps away from him and concentrated on our tasks. I forced myself to stop thinking of him for a while because I wouldn't achieve anything like this.

In a quick move, my opponent launched an attack at me and I jumped in the opposite direction to avoid it. I hardly made it and the sad thing was that he was evidently trying to match my pace.