The Old Man of the Alley

Volume: Volume 2

Title: Chapter 123 The Old Man of the Alley

“This place is…”

Following Anna, Ewan walked through narrow, shadowy alleys.

They finally arrived before a small shop.

It was a small, ancient shop, nestled at the end of a similarly old street.

A massive tree, too wide for a single person to embrace, stood before its door.

Its leaves were withered and yellow, rustling as they fell.

The shop bore no name and had no customers.

Indeed, it was so secluded that it was difficult to imagine any passersby, let alone a shop existing there.

Anna brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

She gazed at the old, faded plaque and spoke softly, “This place is quite remote, which is why…”

“This is where I can return to for a while, I suppose.”

“Return…”

Ewan mulled over the word.

Anna stepped into the shop, her gaze sweeping casually before settling on the old man behind the counter.

He seemed to have been sleeping there forever, never having moved.

The old man was incredibly ancient, his wrinkled skin dotted with age spots.

His eyes were closed, as if dozing, and he didn’t seem to notice anyone entering the shop.

“I’m back,” Anna said softly.

*Ding-a-ling.*

Ewan accidentally bumped the wind chimes hanging overhead.

He offered an apologetic smile, quickly silencing the untimely clamor.

The shop fell quiet.

After a long moment, they heard a single word, a low “Hm,” hummed from the old man’s nose.

“Is my room still available?” Anna continued to ask.

Again, after a long pause, another soft “Hm.”

“Alright then.”

Anna turned back, smiling at Ewan.

“Junior, wait here. I’m going to change clothes.”

“Uh… alright.”

Ewan had instinctively almost replied with a similar “Hm,” but sensing it wasn’t quite right, he quickly changed his response.

“Feel free to look around.”

Anna skillfully navigated past the piles of clutter behind the shop.

She then ascended the creaking stairs, disappearing from Ewan’s sight.

Ewan craned his neck, his gaze following Anna’s retreating figure until she vanished.

He let out a helpless sigh.

‘Changing clothes is one thing, but is a gentleman to be guarded against?’

‘Where was the trust between people?’

However, after Anna disappeared, Ewan suddenly noticed the shop’s atmosphere become… stagnant.

‘Why does it feel… so awkward?’

Ewan lowered his head, cautiously glancing at the old man.

The old man seemed completely oblivious to his presence, continuing to doze without even opening his eyelids.

Though many questions swirled in his mind, Ewan found it inappropriate to disturb him in this situation.

He chose to distract himself, pretending to admire the goods in the shop.

This appeared to be a general store.

The shop wasn’t large, yet the items within were substantial, albeit strange and cluttered.

Many were tools or instruments Ewan had never seen before, and there were even clay figurines and cloth dolls resembling beautiful girls.

Ewan could sense faint magical energy emanating from them.

“Are these all magical artifacts?”

Ewan was somewhat surprised.

These magical artifacts all looked peculiar, utterly unlike the standardized goods found on the market.

‘Does that mean… the old man made all of these?’

Ewan cautiously stole another glance at the old man.

To be capable of crafting so many magical artifacts, the old man was likely far from simple.

However, given Ewan’s status, he wasn’t in need of any magical artifacts, and his interest quickly waned.

His gaze gradually shifted elsewhere.

“Eh?”

At that moment, Ewan discovered something, his eyes lighting up.

He retrieved a book from a high shelf, placed in a conspicuous spot.

It was less a book and more an album, its cover adorned with a striking image of a beautiful young woman.

The maiden clasped her hands together, her face pure and sacred, as if in prayer.

Yet, she wore extremely revealing attire, vaguely discernible as a modified nun’s habit.

“Holy crap…”

Ewan looked at the text beside the cover, his hand nearly trembling, almost dropping the book.

“A… a saintess’s photo album? Is it really that provocative?”

As the son of Duke Campbell, the original owner had seen portraits of several saintesses.

Thus, Ewan could vaguely discern that the beautiful girl on the cover indeed bore a striking resemblance to a certain saintess from the Church of Life.

Though he knew it couldn’t be the real person, the forbidden sensation brought by this similarity was stimulating enough to jolt one’s nerves.

So, Ewan swallowed hard, instinctively reaching to open it…

“You’re secretly flipping through a lewd book while your girlfriend is changing clothes?

If she were to leave you for a moment in the future, would you be juggling multiple lovers?”

Ewan’s hand, poised to open the book, instantly froze.

He slowly turned his head, discovering that the old man had, at some point, opened his cloudy eyes and was silently watching him.

For some reason, despite not knowing this old man, Ewan felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, like a kitten caught stealing fish.

“No, no, I wasn’t looking at a lewd book. I was just curious about the esteemed appearances of past saintesses.”

Ewan offered an awkward laugh, silently placing the saintess’s photo album back.

“Besides, my senior and I aren’t in that kind of relationship yet. You’re overthinking it.”

“Is that so? She’s never brought a man back here before,” the old man said expressionlessly.

“Before? Back here?”

Ewan seized upon these two keywords, his conjecture growing more plausible.

His heart began to pound, and he nervously swallowed, looking at the old man as he asked, “Could it be, you’re Senior’s…”

“I am merely a lonely old man.”

The old man beckoned Ewan closer. “Come here.”

Considering the old man’s possible identity, Ewan couldn’t muster any thought of resistance.

He obediently walked over.

“Give me your hand.”

“Oh, alright.”

Ewan extended his hand, allowing the old man to place his dry, branch-like palm on his wrist.

The moment they touched, Ewan felt an intense sense of scrutiny, as if his entire being had fallen under the old man’s gaze.

This caused Ewan’s heart to seize up, for only now did he realize the old man might be a powerhouse beyond his imagination.

‘If I let him scrutinize me like this, what if it’s like with Teacher Mera…’

Fortunately, the old man didn’t seem to delve too deeply, or perhaps Teacher Mera’s situation was the abnormal one.

He didn’t discover Ewan’s abnormalities.

“Only a warrior at the late second stage, and magical attainment pitifully low.

Though the foundation is decent, he doesn’t seem to be a match for that girl yet.”

The old man released his hand, his gaze sweeping over Ewan’s face as he remarked, “He’s good-looking, though. Is he that girl’s kept boytoy?”

“I am not!”

Ewan was furious at the words.

As the dignified son of a Duke, he was always the one to keep others, never to be kept!

‘Though being kept by Senior does sound rather nice…’

‘Ahem, no, I must stand firm! I’m a man who aspires to be on top; how could I fall so easily?’

“Old man, what exactly do you want?” Ewan forced a smile and asked.

“Nothing much.”

The old man lifted his eyelids, taking another deep look at Ewan.

“Just wanted to see what kind of toyboy that girl kept.”

“I already said I’m not a toy…”

“But to be able to appear here shows commendable courage,” the old man suddenly interjected.

“It doesn’t sully the Campbell name.”

“Eh?”

Ewan was stunned.

‘He knows my identity?’

‘And what does he mean by his words?’

Before he could voice his myriad questions, he found the old man had closed his eyes once more, appearing to ignore everyone.

“In that case, try to struggle a bit…”

Only a faint, aged voice, like the wind, echoed in Ewan’s ears.

“I will buy you time, until the final moment arrives.”