ã€ŠThe Freak Show Foremanã€‹


 Chapter 1: Devil Ringmaster

    In a rural field,

    At a campsite surrounded by travel carriages,

    I was facing a group of monsters.

    Huge, muscr beings with horns and tusks.

    Living skeletons.

    A woman with six arms.

    A giant wrapped in bandages.

    Twins with three heads each.

    A dwarf with a missing head on a long neck.

    As I looked at them, they averted their eyes and bowed their heads.

    When I spoke, they closed their eyes tightly and trembled.

    As I took a step forward, they stepped back.

    They resembled herbivores facing a predator.

    They were afraid of me.

    To them, I was the heartless devil ringmaster.

    In the end, today too, I couldn¡¯t approach them and returned to the carriage.

    "Sigh."

    As I sighed, the man in the mirror also sighed.

    A lithe and well-built body, towering height.

    A face that seemed carved from marble.

    Short, dark hair .

    A smug smile on his lips.

    Familiar.

    A face that was all too familiar.

    There was no way I couldn¡¯t recognize it.

    The ck Magician.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    The ringmaster of the Monster Circus.

    The ultimate viin throughout the Tril Trilo Trilogy.

    I had be him.

 Chapter 2: Patron Anais (1)

    "How¡¯s it going?"

    "It¡¯s the same as always. He told me to leave it in front of the door."

    A towering giant, over 2 meters tall, scratched his head.

    Rough, reddish skin and well-developed muscles.

    Sharp horns protruding and tusks reaching down to his neck.

    He looked like a demon straight out of hell.

    But the girl sitting cross-legged in front of him showed no fear whatsoever.

    In fact, her expression remained unchanged, making the massive monster unsure of what to do.

    "What¡¯s that guy up to anyway? He¡¯s been holed up for days."

    The girl propped her chin up with one hand and tapped the table with the other.

    The ringmaster¡¯s behavior had been strange these past few days.

    Not only did he avoid encountering the other performers, but he also refused to leave his carriage.

    "Hmm, what are you doing there? The ringmaster used to pop up out of nowhere and startle the performers."

    He had always been so careless in his actions, so this cautious behavior was peculiar.

    E was bothered by it.

    "What wicked scheme is he nning now?"

    No description suited him better than "Devil."

    The image of people dying at his slightest gesture still haunted her.

    Knights d in armour turned into piles of flesh and gore in an instant, rolling across the field.

    Twisted bones, spilled entrails, clinging flesh,

    "Ugh, let¡¯s not think about it... Let¡¯s not think about it..."

    Not only his unbelievable power but also the nonchnt smile he wore whilemitting such acts was astonishing!

    He was truly a devil in human form.

    Slish...

    "Hmm?"

    A sound of snorting.

    The monstrous being with red skin was eyeing the food on the table, salivating.

    He desperately wanted to dig in, but he held back because the girl hadn¡¯t given permission.

    "Sorry, I got lost in thought for a moment. You did a great job today. Sit down and have breakfast."

    "Yes."

    The monster, in an incongruous manner, chuckled and sat down across from the girl.

    Then, he slowly began to eat his food.

    Chewing loudly.

    His razor-sharp teeth glistened as he tore into the pork, bone and all.

    Even in the face of his terrifying appearance, the girl didn¡¯t flinch.

    She knew.

    She knew that the "monster" in front of her was just a child, barely ten years old.

    A child with a tender heart who wouldn¡¯t harm a single bug.

    Womon.

    To the girl, he was merely the cute youngest member of the circus.

    "I¡¯m sorry for making you work every morning. I can do it myself, but I make you do it..."

    The girl said, and Womon wiped the seasoning from his mouth with a grin.

    "It¡¯s okay, sis. This is what the youngest member is supposed to do."

    "Aren¡¯t you scared?"

    "What¡¯s there to be scared of? I¡¯m just bringing food."

    Womon thumped his chest confidently.

    The girl nced over at another corner of the campsite.

    It was the table where the other performers were eating.

    Some of them had been watching her and Womon.

    They averted their gazes with uneasy expressions.

    Are they embarrassed?

    They¡¯re pushing all the hard work onto the youngest.

    It¡¯s not a big deal to me, but...

    "Others can¡¯t do what you do, you know. They¡¯re all too scared to even get close to the carriage. Silly big brothers and sisters, aren¡¯t they?"

    "Hehe, I like it. I get to eat delicious side dishes every meal."

    Womon picked up a whole rib and chewed on it.

    For the past few days, he had been having meals like the ringmaster and assistant ringmaster in exchange for running errands.

    Approaching the carriage where the ringmaster was alone.

    Even if they offered them multiple servings of food, the others would hesitate.

    "To be honest, I don¡¯t understand why everyone is so afraid of the ringmaster. He¡¯s kind to us, doesn¡¯t hit us, and takes good care of us, you know."

    The girl frowned at Womon¡¯s words, as if she couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    How naive can you be?

    "It¡¯s been about three weeks since you joined, right?"

    "Two weeks."

    "Two weeks... Well, nothing much has happened during that time. You¡¯re lucky you haven¡¯t seen the crazy things he does. Don¡¯t trust that man. Don¡¯t even think of him as a fellow human. The vile intentions he harbors..." [AN: Well human here doesn¡¯t mean human in literal sense.

    I guess a better term would be fellow humanoid but that just sounds peculiar.]

    Womon¡¯s eyes rolled around in the sockets in the face of E¡¯s angry voice.

    "E, here we go again..."

    It was a well-known fact among the circus members that Assistant Ringmaster E despised the ringmaster.

    Defending the ringmaster in front of her was like pouring oil into a burning house.

    There were three attitudes towards the ringmaster within the circus.

    Expressions of anger like E¡¯s.

    Indifference, like Womon.

    And fear, which was the attitude of everyone else towards the ringmaster.

    E cast a sharp look towards the ringmaster¡¯s carriage. It was true that she despised him, but she wasn¡¯t without fear. She just forced herself to appear strong in front of him.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    The ringmaster of the Monster Circus.

    A devil cloaked in human skin.

    "Sigh."

    Regardless of his motives for staying in the carriage, she couldn¡¯t just leave things as they were. After all, helping him properly fulfil his role as the "ringmaster" was her duty as the "assistant ringmaster."

    E made her way across the campsite to the ringmaster¡¯s carriage. Since everyone in the circus wanted to keep their distance from him, the ringmaster¡¯s carriage upied a secluded corner of the campsite all by itself.

    As she got closer to the carriage, E felt a chilling aura. There was no real change in temperature, but her uneasy emotions made her shiver.

    Thump, thump.

    She knocked on the carriage door, and she could feel a reluctant response. However, there was no answer.

    E reached out and ced her hand on the carriage, letting out a deep sigh.

    "They¡¯ll probably send someone from Vergsong soon. Surely you haven¡¯t forgotten our agreement with the Vergsong?"

    "Hehe, has it been four days already?"

    A voice that tried to sound lively, but it was the same as the usual ringmaster.

    Hisughter and expressions were awkwardly imitated from humans, creating an unsettling valley of difort.

    Even the devil who could do anything struggled with that.

    "You are still the same. I don¡¯t know what you are nning inside, bute out soon. Do your role as the ringmaster. That¡¯s part of the ¡¯contract.¡¯"

    "I understand. I¡¯ll be out soon."

    "...Hurry up. People from the Jajak side will be arriving soon."

    With that, she left without saying more.

    ***

    I watched E¡¯s retreating figure through the carriage window and let out a sigh. I could manage as long as things went smoothly, but how long could I keep this up?

    I leaned against the hard backrest of the carriage seat. Currently, I was inside a game called "Tril Trilo."

    The Tril Trilo series was an action RPG where three characters formed a team to conquer dungeons. It had the ssic setup of a melee-focused knight, an agile rogue specializing in rangedbat, and a magician unravelling mysteries and creating variables with their magic.

    Each character had unique abilities, and there were dozens of support characters with distinct abilities. The game featured vast stages with hidden secrets, unique enemy patterns, and distinctive bosses. The series consisted of three parts, and it was known as "Tril Trilo Trilogy" or TTT for short.

    It was my favorite game, and it was the main content of my YouTube channel. So, when I heard that Tril Trilo 4 was going to be released, I was genuinely thrilled. However, could I really return and y TT4?

    Frank Wonderstein.

    The ringmaster of the Monster Circus.

    The ultimate viin throughout Tril Trilo 1, 2, and 3, appearing as the "final boss" in each instalment.

    More famous by the alias "ck Magician."

    I was, indeed, upying the role of that Wonderstein.

    Thud...

    I summoned a screen into the empty space.

    "Wee to Tril Trilo Zero¡¯s world! You are now ying the past of Frank Wonderstein, the final boss of the Tril Trilo series. The clear condition is simple: Survive until the beginning of Tril Trilo 1!"

    I had read this message repeatedly over the past ten days. I could recite its contents even with my eyes closed.

    Main Quest - Prequel:

    Prequel must lead to the main story.

    Objective:

    Survive until the beginning of Tril Trilo 1.

    Sess Reward:

    Return to reality.

    Failure Penalty:

    Death in reality.

    When I was eagerly anticipating Tril Trilo 4 after watching its teaser, I received a proposal from the game developer. It wasmon in the gaming industry to release a prequel whenunching a new title. I was the most famous Tril Trilo YouTuber, so I readily epted the offer. And this was the result: I had been transported into the game.

    However, I couldn¡¯t possibly think of it as a game. Everything I saw and felt was incredibly vivid, to a horrifying extent. Just looking at that monster who brought me food every day was enough to prove it. With his terrifying size, crimson skin, sharp teeth, and horns, it was undoubtedly "Vampire" Womon from TT1 Stage 3.

    Crunch, fresh human!

    With his insane defense and health, he was a nightmare for beginners in TT, who would rush in without a strategy and be defeated instantly. Seeing warriors who charged recklessly and fell in an instant was an experience that any TT yer could rte to.

    But his infamy wasn¡¯t limited to the game difficulty. The sight of skinned and hanging male and female corpses, human bodies roasting on a metal te, and the bloody apron and cleaver were all part of TT1 Stage 3 ¨C a true horror movie.

    Did that stage deserve to be ssified as a horror game genre?

    However, when I observed them over the past few days, they were merely superficially simr to their game counterparts. The monstrous behavior from the game was absent.

    They talked and acted like regr people. Should I feel safe around them?

    Come to think of it, there was no reason for me to fear them. In fact, they were afraid of me.

    "Ri-Ringmaster!!"

    "S-Sorry!"

    They jumped in fright and moved away whenever I approached. When I looked at them, they lowered their heads and broke out in a cold sweat.

    This was a crucial moment for me to learn how Wonderstein had treated them. But I was just superficially Wonderstein; the core was a regr person. I had stayed inside the carriage, not wanting to be discovered by acting awkwardly.

    As days passed, I became ustomed to my new body and my mind grew calmer. I could ept the situation I was in. Yes, I had entered the world of TTT.

    Although I didn¡¯t understand the details, it had already happened. I had my pride too. I was the world¡¯s best TTT YouTuber, with over a million subscribers. Given that, I would clear the game, no doubt about it.

    First, let¡¯s check my abilities again.

    I confidently shouted at the empty space, "Status screen."

    Name: Frank Wonderstein

    Age: 27

    upation: Biomancer

    Debulroots: 10/10

    Muscle Strength: 1.0 (Weak)

    Tissue Hardness: 1.0 (Naked)

    Cell Regeneration: 1.0 (Sluggish)

    Traits:

    [The Smiling Man]

    [Biomancer]

    I had the same abilities as Wonderstein had in the game, specializing in manipting genes to transform bodies. I could absorb the genes of various creatures, gather Debulroots, and modify my own physique.

    Wonderstein¡¯s abilities were just as they appeared in the game - the power to manipte bodies, whether his own or others. In the game, he used this ability to create monsters and even modify himself into a monstrous form. However, at this moment, nothing had been modified. My body was nothing more than an empty vessel, just like an ordinary human.

    "Well, it¡¯s like any other RPG," I thought.

    Even the characters I controlled in the game, the knight, the rogue, and the mage, were simr in this regard. Despite their impressive backgrounds and traits, they all started with basic level 1 abilities when actually ying.

    Being the final boss didn¡¯t change that fact. Based on the reactions of the circus members, it was clear that until yesterday, Wonderstein had been wielding demonic powers, but overnight, he had be powerless.

    Debulroots: (10/10)

    That was the basic capital I had been given. Debulroots were the resources needed by a Biomancer to modify the physique, equivalent to basic stats in the game.

    But what could I aplish with just ten Debulroots? At best, I could add another arm to my back.

    Trait: Extra Arms

    Applied Area: Shoulder.

    Effect: Adds one extra arm identical to your own. No fingerprints on the extra arm.

    Required Resources: Debulroots x10

    Even this required removing two fingers and their fingerprints to barely meet the cost.

    What use would I have for something like this? It might be somewhat helpful for someone without arms, but it had little practicality.

    As an experiment, I input the powerful abilities that appeared in the original work. They required several times more resources than this, and the path ahead seemed bleak.

    But there were the initial abilities to consider, too. Disyed on my status screen was the "Smiling Man" trait. Maybe these basic abilities were quite useful?

    I checked the contents of "The Smiling Man."

    Trait: The Smiling Man

    Applied Area: Facial Muscles

    Effect: Always wears a smile. Maintainsposure even in the face of fear, astonishment, or sadness.

    Cost: Unique trait. Cannot be removed.

    Smiling was considered an ability? Having a smile as a unique trait? Wow. Seriously?

    Of course, the original Wonderstein was such a character. He smiled even when his limbs were cut off, when his belly had holes, when he spouted venomous words, and when hemitted cruel deeds.

    But to consider this a superpower... Wasn¡¯t that a bit much?

    "Hey, a guest has arrived!" E¡¯s voice called out.

    Well, whatever. Game on.

    I looked into the mirror. A handsome man with short, dark hair and a fake yet exquisite smile. I was The Smiling Man.

    In a different way, I would have to approach this new Wonderstein. I smiled at my reflection while donning a hat.

 Chapter 3: Patron Anais (3)

    The "Vergsong Estate" served as the prologue stage of TT3. It was where the heroes, who had thwarted Wonderstein¡¯s schemes twice in TT1 and TT2, started their story. They had heard rumors of monsters appearing in a certain region and went to investigate.

    Vergsong Estate.

    The ce was already shrouded in an ominous atmosphere. Each vige set up defenses, recruiting soldiers to guard against monster incursions.

    "Oh, you must be the legendary heroes. Wee."

    "Yes, the rumors of monsters appearing are true."

    "The monsters... areing out of our lord¡¯s mansion. The mansion has already been upied by monsters. Our lord might..."

    Vergsong Mansion¡¯s owner, Anais Vergsong, was one of the unfortunate victims entangled with Wonderstein, and in the context of TT3, if you visited her, you could encounter the mansion¡¯s residents who had turned into monsters and face her as a boss.

    "Ahh, I¡¯ve been deceived. I brought that demon into the mansion! He said he would cure Lady Anais¡¯ illness..."

    A womanmented, shedding tears. Examining the journals left behind in the mansion, it became evident that Anais Vergsong was a patron of the Monster Circus, and in exchange for curing her illness, Wonderstein had received sponsorship. However, there were always traps in deals with demons. Wonderstein had treated her illness but nted the seed of a monster inside her.

    It had burst forth at the time of TT3.

    Of course, this was a story that unfolded yearster.

    For now, Anais was still afflicted by her illness, and I was on my way to secure her sponsorship.

    I hadn¡¯t done anything to her yet.

    "Please follow me."

    The guide who led us was the mansion¡¯s butler, a person who had served the Vergsong family for a long time.

    I knew him.

    He had also appeared in the game, albeit in the form of a ghost.

    "It¡¯s all because of me! I brought that demon into the mansion! Promising to cure Lady Anais¡¯ illness..."

    He cursed himself in front of his master, begging to be allowed to bring peace by killing the now-monstrous Anais.

    It was quite eerie for me to see him alive and well from Wonderstein¡¯s perspective.

    The carriage to the mansion was quiet. E, besides official business, maintained her attitude of not interacting with me.

    E.

    The assistant ringmaster of the Monster Circus.

    I knew nothing about her. She was a character who hadn¡¯t appeared in TTT at all. I examined her appearance closely, wondering if she had appeared under a different name.

    Short, ck hair. Was she around 16 years old? She hadn¡¯t turned 17 yet. In Earth terms, she would be a sophomore in high school. She had a cute and youthful appearance that made her seem younger than her actual age. She wore a red military uniform with golden shoulder pads on top of a white blouse.

    A ck belt was tied like a ribbon around her neck. Below, she wore a ck skirt with white knee-high socks and brown shoes.

    "What are you looking at?" E grumbled, ring at me. Her attitude was far from friendly.

    I wondered what had transpired between us. Considering the "backstories" of the other members like the vampire, the spider woman, the skeletal jester, the mummy-wrapped man, and the twins, it was clear that E had not experienced anything pleasant with Wonderstein from the start.

    I tapped the silver ornament attached to the end of my staff.

    No matter how much I thought about it, nothing came to mind regarding E.

    I decided to observe her a little longer.

    For now, she wasn¡¯t the most important thing.

    Sub Quest - Patron

    This circus troupe needs sponsorship.

    Conditions:

    Obtain sponsorship from Anais Vergsong.

    Reward upon sess:

    [Debulroots x5]

    No penalty upon failure.

    This is a sub-quest.

    Do I have a choice in this?

    But if it¡¯s a prequel, don¡¯t I have to follow it exactly as it happened in the main story? Do I have to nt the monster seed inside Anais¡¯s body just like in the original story?

    While pondering this for a moment, I shook my head.

    In TT1 and TT2, there were choices in sub-quests too. Whether to help certain characters or not, whether to kill or save them. Depending on the yer¡¯s choices, parts of the ending would change. In the sequels, the fates of the supporting characters who appeared in the previous games were sometimes hinted at.

    These choices generally stayed consistent, regardless of what the yer decided. In other words, while you could enjoy changing the ending based on your choices, the "main story" was already set.

    Conversely, it also meant that it didn¡¯t matter what choice I made here. Regardless of whether I cure Anais¡¯s illness, secure her sponsorship, or not, the world would continue on its course.

    I didn¡¯t need to act exactly like I had seen in TTT. Whether to dismantle the circus troupe and go hunting in the mountains or not, the system only demanded that I "survive" until the starting point of TT1.

    Still, I had no intention of running away immediately. Following the quest would be overwhelmingly advantageous for utilizing the information from the original game, not to mention the potential rewards.

    While thinking along these lines, the carriage was almost at the mansion.

    Anais Vergsong.

    The illegitimate daughter of Geralt Vergsong, the lord of Geralt¡¯s holdings. Two years ago, upon Geralt¡¯s death, she inherited his title and entire estate. Along with the title came a small territory in southern Charlotia and a modest mansion, but she also received a substantial inheritance.

    Geralt was the owner of the Grand Assembly. He had made an immense fortune through pioneering ventures in various fields. He was such a titan in the business world that even the Vegas Bank had assigned a dedicated banker to this rural estate.

    The inheritance process involving what Geralt left behind was soplex that dozens ofwyers and ountants were involved.

    However, no matter how much money was left to her, it couldn¡¯t make Anais¡¯s lifefortable. She suffered from an incurable illness.

    Shh, shh.

    A constant sound like wind blowing filled the room. In one corner of the room, there was a contraption about the size of a calf. The machine continually pumped air into her back through sharp metal tubes.

    She wore a mask covering her mouth and nose, through which high-pressure oxygen was injected.

    It was an artificial respirator packed with thetest magical engineering technology. She had worn it since the age of four. The only times she could take off the mask were for a few minutes to wash herself. Otherwise, she had to wear it at all times.

    Eating was almost impossible.

    Could she even drink water for a short while?

    Nutrient purifications were injected through a different tube inserted into her back. These costly elixirs were supplied by Castya¡¯s Alchemy Guild.

    Her food expenses were about the same as eating a few mushrooms for each meal.

    Shh, shh.

    It was annoying, especially today.

    Anais put down the documents she had been reviewing on the table. In addition to the documents, thick stacks of paper were piled on top of each other.

    Just looking at it made her tired.

    She pressed her forehead with her fist.

    The estate her father had left was enormous, but maintaining it required a considerable amount of diligence and foresight. Dealing with the daily influx of documents to the mansion and processing them over and over again...

    It was physically exhausting.

    If Anais had been a typical noble¡¯s daughter, she would have hired a professional manager to handle the estate¡¯s affairs and enjoyed a luxurious life with the ie that flowed in month after month. However, she had grown up watching her father¡¯s work from a young age. By the time she became proficient in penmanship, she even helped handle her father¡¯s work.

    She could havefortably lived off the ie, even if it wasn¡¯t hereditary. She could have enjoyed a life of luxury with hundreds of millions.

    But she never expected any of this. What was the point of spending hundreds of millions of dors to live in a magnificent mansion and be treated like a king when she couldn¡¯t even go outside freely or enjoy delicious food? If she could just throw away this oppressive respirator and breathe freely, Anais would have dly abandoned all her fame and sess.

    Her curse was that she couldn¡¯t breathe for even a moment without the assistance of a cumbersome machine weighing several tens of kilograms. The reason she invested heavily in medical and magical engineering developments was right here. If she could either cure the disease or make the respiratory support device morefortable...

    If only she could do that, she could leave this stuffy mansion behind and travel freely to see the world with her own eyes...

    Shh, shh.

    Tap, tap.

    A servant knocked on the door.

    "Miss, a guest has arrived."

    Anais guessed who it might be. The butler had mentioned bringing a wandering magician today. Perhaps he knew something about her illness. Despite the butler¡¯s unwavering dedication, she had no expectations.

    Such individuals had frequently visited the mansion ever since her father was alive. Most of them were scammers who thought they could squeeze a few pennies out of her father. They pretended to be great wizards with little tricks and illusions that fooled no one.

    Even after she had expressed her annoyance multiple times, the butler never gave up hope. Every time he went outside, he brought back miracle-working magicians who sold panaceas or lifted thezy beggar¡¯s curse, it was all part of their cunning schemes.

    "The guest brought by the butler?"

    "Oh, no. Master hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Pierre hase to visit."

    "Uncle?"

    "Yes. He¡¯s waiting in the drawing room."

    Anais brightened up.

    Pierre was one of the co-founders of the Grand Assembly and Geralt¡¯s younger brother. Unlike the stoic and conservative Geralt, he was a man who loved adventure and challenges. Anais had always referred to him as her uncle since she was a child. Unable to go outside and befriending only books, Anais had enjoyed his witty conversations and the stories he told about the world.

    Anais gathered some documents she needed to show her uncle before heading towards the drawing room.

    That¡¯s right. Before she went, she should prepare some documents to show her uncle.

    Servants pushed a wheeled machine behind her.

    "No, it¡¯s been a while!"

    Pierre, who was sitting in the drawing room enjoying tea, got up from his seat with a wide smile upon seeing his beloved niece enter.

    "Three months, I suppose."

    "Hehe, has it already been that long?"

    They shared a short hug.

    Pierre examined his niece¡¯splexion with a somewhat worried expression.

    Anais was a beauty, resembling her mother, but her illness affected not only her health but her beauty as well. Extremely pale skin that almost looked translucent, a body so frail it seemed precarious, and most of all, several metal tubes inserted into her back and a mask that made wind-like sounds when she breathed, covered her mouth.

    Not only did it hide her pretty face, but it also made it impossible for her to live her life properly even if she wore nice clothes. Pierre¡¯s eyes were filled with sympathy.

    "You look even paler," Pierre remarked.

    "I¡¯ve had more work to do," Anais replied.

    "More work? Haven¡¯t you already handled all the major matters for this quarter?"

    "It¡¯s because of the Caribbean investment from before."

    Pierre¡¯s face creased in a frown. "Isn¡¯t that matter already settled?"

    "It seems there were some iplete details in the reports. You know, I need to double-check everything."

    "Right. I remember now..."

    For a moment, the worried expression of an uncle concerned for his niece disappeared from Pierre¡¯s face, reced by a faint annoyance. However, Anais was too busy reviewing the documents she had brought, and she didn¡¯t notice the change in his expression.

    "I specifically asked for a summary from you because I knew you¡¯d overwork yourself. So, how was it? Did you find any issues?"

    "Yes, there are some suspicious points."

    As the conversation turned to business, Anais¡¯s gaze turned cold.

    At times like this, she wasn¡¯t the young Bergson heiress or the sickly Anais. She was a shrewd merchant.

    She calmly pointed out every suspicious detail she had found in the business n. Sometimes, she even showed the documents directly to illustrate what the problem was.

    The more she exined, the graver Pierre¡¯s expression became.

    "So, the Flnde branch is colluding with pirates?"

    "They¡¯ve been sending a regr supply of goods to a specific route under the pretext of tolls. Most likely, those goods have flowed into Pirate Ind, Freeport."

    "Pirate Ind... where funds are untraceable."

    "Among the goods sent under the pretext of tolls, there are also special alchemical substances. Those items are exclusively traded by one of the Pirate Ind¡¯s pirate lords, the one who owns the ind we¡¯re considering for investment¡ªthe Marquis."

    Pierre took out his handkerchief and wiped away some cold sweat. It was his habit to sweat when he felt worried or tense.

    "So, you¡¯re saying our money is being used to sponsor pirates?"

    "We should audit the Flnde branch."

    "Understood. From here on, I¡¯ll investigate."

    Pierre snatched the documents from Anais¡¯s hand as if he were taking them away.

    Anais looked slightly surprised at his attitude.

    Pierre quickly offered an exnation as if making excuses, "I¡¯m embarrassed... When your father was alive, we didn¡¯t have such problems. Geralt¡¯s charisma was so strong. Butst year¡¯s financial irregrities and now this... It¡¯s a clear sign that I can¡¯t match my brother¡¯s abilities."

    After Geralt¡¯s death, the atmosphere within the Vergsong Trading Company had be turbulent. Problems of various sizes cropped up everywhere. However, Anais didn¡¯t me it all on her uncle to the extent of being shameless.

    "The problem is me. How can there be order within thepany when the chairman is holed up in a rural mansion?"

    "You¡¯re doing well, Anais. Thanks to you, thepany¡¯s profits have increased significantly."

    "But running apany isn¡¯t just about paperwork and numbers, right? It also involves going to the field and meeting people. The fact that thepany is still holding up is mainly because of all the efforts you¡¯ve put in, Uncle. So, don¡¯t me yourself too much."

    She was known for her outspokenness and arrogance.

    Years of istion in the mansion had prevented her from developing proper social skills.

    But on the flip side, when she opened up to someone, she relied on them to a degree that bordered on innocence.

    Pierre pretended to regain hisposure and silently sharpened his resolve in his heart, thanks to his niece¡¯sforting words.

 Chapter 4: Patron Anais (3)

    "What kind of hospitality is this? We made an appointment four days ago," Eined, tapping her foot impatiently.

    We had been at the mansion for a whole three hours, and yet the owner of the mansion had not shown her face. When we inquired about the situation, all we received were repeated requests to wait.

    "In my next life, I better be born as a noble. Seriously," E muttered, not caring that one of the maids was listening.

    Her purpose was to show that she was angry from the start.

    But no matter how much she frowned and grumbled, to others, it looked like nothing more than a cute tantrum from a young girl.

    "Just a little more patience, miss. I believe they will arrive shortly," the maid replied calmly, causing E to have no more words to say, except to scratch her head awkwardly.

    No wonder she seemed just like a petnt child to others.

    The maid seemed to share the same thought and let out a smallugh.

    ***

    E raised an eyebrow. "Uh, is there something funny?"

    "Hehe, my apologies."

    E checked her watch and said, "...At this rate, lunchtime will be over."

    "Should I bring some snacks then?"

    "Never mind. What about the master... no, never mind."

    She seemed like she wanted to press further, but when she looked at me, she quickly dropped her head.

    As the head of the group, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for her to say more in this situation.

    Of course, I wasn¡¯t always easy-going either.

    I was getting bored and irritated just sitting in this room. It wasn¡¯t as if I enjoyed being cooped up here.

    But I couldn¡¯t get angry.

    I couldn¡¯t even furrow my brows.

    I was the smiling man.

    A unique trait of Wonderstein.

    Thanks to this absurd trait of always maintainingposure and only smiling, I could appearposed even when I wanted to scream inside.

    "Anyway, can you tell us what the n is?" E asked. "What¡¯s the scheme?"

    "Scheme?" She made a displeased expression at my simple reply.

    "What are you going to do now? You said we might find some money here when we came."

    "The Vergsong heiress is quite wealthy."

    E raised her head. Her short ck hair swayed slightly.

    "If she¡¯s wealthy, so what? Judging from the way we¡¯re being treated; it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s much chance of getting anything."

    "We won¡¯t know until we ask."

    "If she were a proper noble, she wouldn¡¯t just give money to a wandering magician who asked for it."

    At that moment, another voice interjected.

    "That¡¯s right."

    The reply came from the entrance of the parlor.

    A woman with long hair that seemed to emit a green light entered. Her slender frame made her pale skin look almost fragile.

    "I apologize for making you wait. We had an unexpected important guest."

    Apletely meaningless apology.

    I felt my mood sour as soon as I heard it.

    Gee, does that mean we¡¯re unimportant guests then?

    "I am Anais Vergsong, thedy you mentioned. Are you the person who could cure my illness?"

    "...Yes. I am Frank Wonderstein. Nice to meet you, Lady Vergsong."

    I stood up and offered a friendly handshake, but Anais stared at me,pletely ignored the gesture, and walked past me to take her seat.

    "It seems you may not know etiquette, but Charlotia nobles do not engage in physical contact lightly."

    At times like this, I was truly grateful for being the "smiling man."

    If it had been my usual self, my face would have turned bright red from unexpected provocation, and my expression would have crumbled.

    I would have felt self-conscious about reacting to the other person¡¯s provocation.

    But now, I was not my usual self.

    I am Wonderstein.

    I am a smiling man.

    "Haha, I didn¡¯t know that. I¡¯m sorry."

    I sat opposite her with a rxed smile.

    She looked at me with a surprised look.

    I confidently raised my head and looked at her.

    Her appearance reminded me of the one I saw in the game.

    The upper body of a person protruding like a tentacle from the head of a giant frog-like monster.

    The monster and the person were entangled, as if their skin, veins, and muscles were intertwined, making them seem like one organism.

    The person attached to the monster was tearing at her hair, sobbing as if in agony.

    I just wanted to be free... to wander the world.

    The entire mansion trembled as her cries resonated throughout.

    The entire mansion pulsed as if it were a living creature.

    The knight drew their swords and prepared themselves, the thieve raised their bows and took abat stance, and the mage bit down on his staff.

    The battle turned the entire mansion into a stage.

    With the strength of the knight, they broke through stone walls, the thieve used their bows to bring down decorations, and the mage used his magic to obstruct the monster¡¯s path.

    The frog-like monster chased the three of them and followed them to the mansion¡¯s entrance.

    Victory was within reach now.

    The frog took a deep breath, and its cheeks swelled.

    The monster tried to bury the three heroes under the copsing mansion with an explosive st of air.

    At that moment, the ghost butler appeared on the chandelier in the ceiling.

    He struck the chandelier with his staff.

    The ornate chandelier adorned with sharp golden decorations and jewels.

    It fell onto the monster¡¯s head.

    Crash! Thud!

    The central axis of the chandelier pierced through the monster¡¯s head, and the chandelier¡¯s decorations and jewels pierced into the person¡¯s body without mercy.

    Aah!

    ck blood spurted out, and the woman who had merged with the monster let out a sharp scream and crumpled forward.

    The ghost butler slowly descended from the ceiling to the floor.

    The lower part of the woman¡¯s body, which had been merged with the monster, became loose.

    The ghost butler held the fallen woman¡¯s body.

    Vergsong smiled faintly at the ghostly figure that caressed her cheek.

    Her eyes, which had been filled with madness and bathed in red, returned to those of an ordinary person.

    "I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m sorry, everyone. Thank you, Butler..."

    "Now you can rest, Lady Vergsong."

    Vergsong closed her eyes.

    The ghost butler bowed to the three heroes.

    Soon, his body faded and disappeared.

    With that, the prologue stage of TT3, Vergsong Estate, was cleared.

    The woman in front of me was not a monster, but a fragile and delicate woman.

    "Is the show over now?"

    It seemed she misunderstood my gaze.

    Her expression became cold.

    Next to her, E gave me a disdainful look.

    I thought I had a serious expression, but the "smiling man" forced me to have only one expression.

    A slightly artificial and insincere smile.

    I tried to make some excuses, but Anais intervened, extending her hand to stop me.

    "Well, it¡¯s over, rude magician. So, what do you think? I heard you have a lot of knowledge about medicine, but can you tell something just by looking?"

    "Well, it seems like you have some respiratory problems."

    "Wow, you noticed that I have a respiratory illness just by looking at my appearance? You truly are an amazing person."

    Sssss...

    The sound of a pump filled the quiet room.

    Anais¡¯s words were filled with sarcasm.

    She red at me with a probing gaze.

    "Excuse me, but may I ask which university you studied medicine at?"

    "I didn¡¯t attend a university."

    "Then what do you do now?"

    I replied with a broad smile.

    "I lead a small circus troupe."

    "Ah."

    That "Ah" held a lot of meaning. I could tell from Anais¡¯s expression change.

    She let out a loud sigh.

    "Another wasted day."

    "Ma-Master..."

    The butler looked awkward.

    A smirk yed on Anais¡¯s face.

    "Until now, I¡¯ve been amodating to the butler¡¯s wishes, but please stop bringing in people like this now. Traveling circus performers... what do they know about anything?"

    For a moment, I seriously considered nting the seed of a monster in her. Her words had crossed the line, even considering the difference in status. While I was ignorant of the customs of this world, I could tell from E¡¯s reaction that herment was excessive.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    E suddenly stood up.

    I quickly raised my hand to stop her.

    "E, calm down."

    "...Okay."

    She bit her lip and sat back down roughly.

    Anais Vergsong.

    She was just as I expected.

    As I read through the records left behind while investigating Vergson Estate stage, I could learn quite a bit about her. She had been fragile since childhood, surrounded by people who worried about her, spending most of her life within this small estate.

    Thanks to her exceptional intellect, she grew up hearing terms like prodigy and genius, and while handling the affairs of the estate, she gained confidence in her abilities. As a result, she never learned how to build proper human rtionships. To her, a friend was someone kind and devoted, and the world was just words and numbers written on paper.

    Her cynical and sarcastic nature stemmed from there.

    Of course, I had no intention of backing down now. I had promised to clear this stage confidently just this morning. If I couldn¡¯t even aplish a quest like this, how would I endure the next two and a half years?

    "Your impatience is quite evident, huh? Well, I do have a way to cure Lady Vergsong¡¯s illness."

    She stared at me intently.

    There was a hint of surprise in her eyes.

    Well, considering how she had been reacting so far, most people would have found herments unpleasant.

    But I didn¡¯t show any reaction.

    My inherent trait, "The Smiling Man," ensured I never lost my smile regardless of the situation.

    Did she find something interesting about my attitude?

    After hesitating for a moment, she sat back down.

    "Fine. Fool me."

    She gave me a sidelong nce with a pout.

    "What¡¯s this method then?"

    "It¡¯s my magic."

    "Magic?"

    Anais let out a scoff.

    "Quite a believable method, I must say. So, what kind of magic is it?"

    I smiled at her and replied, "I will rece Lady Vergsong¡¯s lungs. With healthy ones."

    I was quite confident.

    In front of me, there was a status window.

    The [Evolution Research Lab] showed me a quote for the conditions I had requested.

    Trait: Healthy Respiration

    Applied Area: Lungs

    Effect: Rece with normal lungs.

    Cost: [Debulroots x8]

    "Recing the lungs... Are you serious? There¡¯s no way something like that is possible!"

    The looks they gave me were full of disbelief. Even I, having experienced modern medicine, found it hard to believe that you could simply swap out human organs like spare parts.

    E, the only one who seemed nervous, nodded slightly.

    She must have seen Wonderstein¡¯s power up close and knew what it was capable of.

    Anais, after scrutinizing me for a while, finally spoke.

    "So, what do you need? Can you use that magic right now?"

    "Of course. I can do it right now."

    Anais stood up and ced her hands on her hips.

    She looked down at me with a haughty expression and said, "Alright. Go ahead and try it. If you can really cure my illness, I¡¯ll grant the conditions you requested from the butler."

    That was surprisingly easy!

    For my first quest, at least. It was practically a freebie.

    I thought it would be over with just a few words exchanged.

    I extended my hand. Activating the Biomancer skill was simple. I didn¡¯t even need to memorize any spells.

    Just...

    Just...

    ...Damn it.

    I stopped my actions.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Do you need to charge mana or something to use it, is that the pattern?"

    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to respond to her teasing.

    Wonderstein¡¯s ability.

    To use it, there was a condition.

    A very simple condition, but...

    "Lady, my magic requires physical contact with the target... their... bare skin..."

    My words made Anais furrow her brow slightly.

    ¡¯Weren¡¯t Charlotia¡¯s nobles cautious about physical contact?¡¯

    Fortunately, she obediently extended her hand.

    But I wasn¡¯t pleased at all.

    It was just that much, not enough to make me flustered.

    I nodded.

    "You need to touch a location close to the affected area."

    "Affected area? Where should you touch..."

    Anais couldn¡¯t continue her sentence.

    The expressions of everyone in the room stiffened.

    It¡¯s a serious situation.

    This is about treating an illness.

    I tried to maintain myposure by putting myself under a trance.

    But my efforts were in vain.

    "May I touch you?"

    The smiling man smiled.

 Chapter 5: Patron Anais (4)

    It was not surprising that mocking nobles could lead to trouble.

    "Guards, escort this man out immediately!"

    Sharp shouts and the sound of military boots briefly echoed through the mansion.

    "A perverted magician like this!"

    "For now... lock him up in the dungeon!"

    Wonderstein and E were led away by the soldiers and confined to the underground dungeon of the mansion.

    "I had good intentions, but I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this."

    Wonderstein lowered his head and sat on the prison bed.

    "In such a situation, it¡¯s no wonder they¡¯re upset. I wonder if they¡¯ll listen seriously or not."

    Even now, he was smiling as he spoke.

    E was bing increasingly irritated.

    Was everything just a joke to that guy?

    The girl muttered to herself.

    A crazy devil.

    "Traveling with you probably shaved a few years off my life."

    E sighed and sat on the bed.

    On the opposite side, Wonderstein was sitting by the barred window.

    He smiled broadly as he looked at her.

    "Is the situation really that serious?"

    "If you¡¯re asking that... well, it¡¯s not really a big deal. Not a major crime. At most, we¡¯ll spend the night here and then be thrown out of the mansion by the soldiers. The most serious situation is having to continue our poor journey... No, wait a minute, you...!"

    She seemed to recall something, and herplexion turned pale.

    "You¡¯re not nning to do anything to the people in the mansion, are you?"

    "Hehe, what do you mean by ¡¯anything¡¯?"

    He chuckled with a smirk.

    That disgusting guy!

    He always followed this pattern!

    His friendlyughter and mild tone were just his mask.

    Even when insulted, he took it without any reaction.

    But at the moment when his opponent let their guard down...

    He revealed his true self.

    She remembered how the townspeople who had been rude to him had ended up.

    It would have been better if they had been killed.

    But they had be something worse than dead.

    People turned into something that was no longer human.

    The eyes of those who had begged her to kill them still haunted her.

    E¡¯s pupils were filled with fear.

    The devil couldn¡¯t harm her because of the contract.

    That¡¯s why she could be rude and disrespectful to him.

    But it was different for others.

    He could y with and kill anyone else.

    She was afraid of that.

    "Ah."

    Wonderstein also realized what she was worried about.

    The atrocitiesmitted by Wonderstein were often seen in the game.

    A mad devil who treated humans like toys.

    Despite that, he maintained politenguage and a contradictory kindness.

    Such a unique charisma was the driving force behind his potential appearance as the final boss in the three-part series.

    A figure symbolizing the identity of TTT alongside the three main characters.

    But he wasn¡¯t that now.

    He didn¡¯t have the ability to turn people into monsters or kill them just because he felt like it.

    He didn¡¯t have such powers to begin with.

    He was just an ordinary human with a mere ten Debulroots.

    Wonderstein looked at E, who was showing hostility towards him.

    Once again, he couldn¡¯t reveal his weakness.

    If the current him were to be exposed as an incapable, ordinary human...

    "Kill the demon!"

    "Let¡¯s fight for our freedom!"

    The image of members wielding weapons and rushing at him came to his mind.

    And also himself, helplessly falling to them.

    To avoid that, he had to somehow continue to y the usual Wonderstein.

    Brazen and self-assured.

    Wonderstein attempted his self-hypnosis, which had failed once before.

    "Hehe, I understand what E is worried about. But you don¡¯t have to worry too much. I haven¡¯t given up on securing Lady Anais¡¯s sponsorship yet. Even if I have to, I won¡¯t do anything to harm the people here."

    The progression had already deviated from the original work.

    However, the quest window was still active.

    That meant there was still an opportunity.

    He could roughly guess what it might be.

    E looked at him sceptically.

    "Just give up. Lady Anais probably won¡¯t meet you again."

    "I still have a chance."

    "How? Are you going to force your way in?"

    "If necessary, yes."

    "You...!"

    E¡¯s expression turned hostile.

    Wonderstein raised his hand to calm her.

    "I used the term ¡¯force,¡¯ but I won¡¯t do anything harmful to the people in this mansion. So don¡¯t worry too much."

    E pursed her lips and grumbled.

    "...Really?"

    "Hehe, can¡¯t you trust my word?"

    "...You bastard."

    "So just rx and rest. Don¡¯t worry about unnecessary things."

    She red at him for a moment before going to a corner and lying down.

    She went to great lengths for others.

    She was a good kid.

    Wonderstein smirked and soon became lost in his thoughts.

    There was a reason he had mentioned that he wouldn¡¯t harm the people in the mansion.

    He remembered the faces he had seen as he was dragged out of the reception room by the soldiers.

    A man with a neat beard and a flushedplexion.

    "No, what¡¯s going on here?"

    "Oh, Uncle. It¡¯s nothing, really. Just some scammers."

    Anais had called that man "Uncle."

    The important guest who had suddenly appeared today was undoubtedly him.

    Wonderstein remembered his face.

    Pierre Mopasan.

    He was one of the characters who appeared in the prologue stage of TT3.

    And if he was the same person he had seen in the game, something bad would happen tonight in this mansion.

    Quest Objective: Secure sponsorship from Lady Anais Vergsong.

    The quest wasn¡¯t about "curing Lady Anais¡¯s illness," but rather "securing sponsorship."

    As long as he could somehow show Lady Anais some favour...

    Wondersteiny on the bed quietly. ¡¯Tonight¡¯s the night, no doubt.¡¯

    ***

    Anais knew that she was special.

    She easily understood books that even adults found difficult.

    She could easily see the logical connections between numbers and figures.

    Living confined in the mansion was frustrating, but she didn¡¯t dislike a life where she was treated like a princess.

    The saying that life is difficult without everyone¡¯s care could be reversed to say that she was so special that she received everyone¡¯s care.

    The machine that always followed behind her symbolized that specialness.

    Who else could afford a machine more expensive than an entire mansion?

    Who else could afford to eat nutrition meals as expensive as gold every meal?

    She was a special existence.

    A youngdy who would spend her entire life confined in the mansion.

    A youngdy who had to rely on machines to live.

    Pitying nces from the servants and maids.

    Humph. They can babble on about their own sympathy all they want.

    Am I the one to be pitied?

    You suffer because you don¡¯t have a few pennies, and you say my life is pitiable?

    I am not pitiable at all.

    I am a noble.

    I am rich.

    I am a genius.

    I am special.

    I am...

    Haah.

    Haah. Haah.

    Anais covered her face with her hands.

    It¡¯s stifling!

    I¡¯m so frustrated I could go crazy!

    The oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth!

    She wanted to rip it off right now!

    She wanted to feel the outside air!

    Anger boiled up within her due to the stifling feeling.

    "I am special. I am special."

    She repeated these words to herself several times a day.

    She kept reminding herself continuously.

    But this was self-deception.

    The thoughts she had just conjured up weren¡¯t her true feelings.

    What she truly wanted wasn¡¯t this sense of "specialness."

    She wanted to breathe freely.

    She wanted to eat whatever she desired.

    She wanted to go wherever she pleased.

    She didn¡¯t need to be hailed as a genius.

    She wanted to share her warmth with someone she loved...

    But would such a day evere?

    Anais looked at her slender arms and legs revealed through her nightgown.

    Her body, sickly and pale to the point where veins were visible.

    Metal tubes inserted into her back in various ces.

    A wretched sight.

    Just looking in the mirror made her feel depressed.

    Who could possibly love a woman like her?

    Many men approached her.

    But they were all despicable individuals.

    Their excuses varied, but they all wanted her money.

    iming they could cure her illness or whispering sweet nothings about love.

    They were all the same kind of ordinary humans.

    "May I touch you?"

    However, she never expected a man who would use both of those lines at once.

    First, pretending to cure her illness, then suddenly trying to touch her body.

    That too, my...

    Her face turned beet red.

    Such a perverted person.

    The way he approached her was despicable.

    Until now, the noble gentlemen who had proposed to her had at least maintained their dignity...

    But in their own ways, they all tried to impress her...

    "I have a way to cure Lady Anais."

    A shameless liar.

    Regarding his appearance... well, among the faces she had seen so far, his was the most decent.

    But judging by his actions...

    Her face had turned red.

    What a pervert.

    His methods of approach were vile as well.

    But the audacity in his actions was what irritated her the most.

    "Pleased to meet you. I am Frank Wonderstein."

    From the first moment she saw him, something about him didn¡¯t sit right with her.

    He exuded more femininity than herself in both his skin and actions.

    And that nauseating smile and simpering tone!

    It was evident that he lived off his looks and charm.

    An extroverted, party-loving kind of man, the pr opposite of herself, who was confined in the mansion, immersed in the scent of paper and ink.

    Certainly, he had met many women outside.

    But he was an individual who lived in apletely different world from her.

    There were many men who came to the mansion and proposed to her.

    But she couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated by the way he approached her.

    "Thump."

    She still couldn¡¯t calm down.

    It was because of that damn machine.

    Anais kicked her nket with frustration.

    Today of all days, this should not have happened again.

    She should have told her uncle about that man immediately...

    That man...

    What should she do?

    Ugh...

    Anais shook her head.

    No, this won¡¯t do. My thoughts are getting longer.

    I need to sleep. I have a lot to do tomorrow.

    Let¡¯s think about tomorrow¡¯s tasks tomorrow.

    Get up at the set time, work at the set time, and go to bed at the set time.

    But today, why can¡¯t I fall asleep?

    The machine is not making any noise right now...

    Wait... the machine¡¯s noise...?

    Anais listened carefully for any sounds from the adjacent room. While she slept, the machine was ced outside the room, and they connected it through a pipe under the door. Even though the pump¡¯s sound was usually quite loud, she couldn¡¯t hear it at all now.

    Five minutes a day.

    Just five minutes of rest for the machine before midnight, during which it cooled down its power source and performed a self-diagnostic check. During this time, the machine¡¯s functions temporarily stopped, but it didn¡¯t affect her breathing significantly because the diaphragm was capable of moving on its own due to inertia.

    She never consciously noticed these operations that urred while she was asleep, and they usually went unnoticed.

    But today, she was awake.

    The machine had stopped for more than ten minutes.

    She had heard the midnight chime about five minutes ago.

    Normally, the machine should have resumed its operation by now.

    Less than twenty minutes remained if that statement was true.

    Anais struggled to get out of bed. Her body was uncooperative. She thought the drowsiness was a signal to sleep, but it wasn¡¯t. Her breathing was gradually slowing down.

    Anais grabbed the cord by her bedside. It was a call bell for the maid. When you pulled it, a maid would enter within ten seconds.

    However, today was truly a day of distrust regarding statistics.

    The door did not open.

    Could she be fetching ate-night snack? Or perhaps...

    "No, if she had been on duty properly, she would have known that the machine had stopped!"

    Anais began to move, determined not to passively wait for death.

    "To the next room..."

    The next room contained a manually operated artificial respiration device for emergencies. If the maids took turns pumping, she would have enough time until the mechanic arrived.

    Anais leaned on the door handle as if her life depended on it and pulled.

    Creak.

    Through the flickering light, she saw the living room. The roaring firece and the softly illuminated room, just as usual. A maid lying on the sofa, sleeping as if she were dead. The artificial respiration machine had stopped.

    So far, everything was as expected.

    But tonight, once again, she was confronted with the limitations of statistics.

    There was a person in the living room she had never imagined.

    He sat there, examining a pocket watch, and clicked his tongue.

    "Oops. It would have been better if you had just quietly gone to sleep."

    Anais stood there, unable to move, for a moment.

    Why... Why was he here?

    "Uncle Pierre...?"

 Chapter 6: Patron Anais (5)

    Title: TT3 Prologue Stage - Complete Walkthrough

    Author: Torch Dancer

    Hello.

    I¡¯m Torch Dancer.

    The TT3plete walkthrough series has now reached TT3, before the prologue, so the content isn¡¯t too long, and we can wrap it up in just one episode.

    First, let¡¯s take a look at the table of contents.

    Full Map and Item Locations

    Main Quests

    Mansion Cleanup

    Defeat Airdra

    Defeat Anais Vergsong

    Side Quests

    Collect Anais¡¯s Diary

    The Maid¡¯s Final Meal

    The Man Who Couldn¡¯t Leave Prison

    Birthday Gift for the daughter

    Support Characters

    Porsche Kyeong

    Hunting Dog Mars

    Endings

    If You Don¡¯t Receive the Kill Switch

    If You Receive the Kill Switch

    2-1) Defeat Airdra

    Afterpleting "Mansion Cleanup" as part of Ghost Butler¡¯s request in the side quest, "2-1) Mansion Cleanup," you won¡¯t be able to find the "Anais Room Key."

    The Ghost Butler suggests that the key might have been swallowed by the "monster in the annex."

    Head to the annex.

    Here, you¡¯ll encounter soldier monsters stronger than the maids and butlers.

    Just be cautious of the ones in Armour.

    Defeat them reasonably, and when you reach thest room, you¡¯ll encounter Airdra.

    Somewhere... a creature resembling a digging machine?

    A form thatbines biology and machinery...

    A long neck...

    As you collect the side quest items, "Anais¡¯s Diary," you¡¯ll learn about the identity of this creature.

    It used to be a machine used before Anais¡¯s illness was cured.

    A machine to assist with breathing...

    An artificial respirator?

    I¡¯ve been feeling this way for a while, but the science in this world is quite erratic...

    Anyway, since it¡¯s a fusion of an artificial respirator and a monster, it uses wind-based skills.

    This is essentially a boss battle.

    Once Anais reaches the entrance, the Ghost Butler event will trigger, and it will end automatically.

    [Stage 1: Inhtion]

    Basically, this creature attacks by swinging its neck.

    It¡¯s a simple 3-beat pattern that¡¯s easy to dodge.

    After attacking a few times, the creature will use "Inhtion."

    *Make sure you¡¯ve picked up any necessary items beforehand!!

    Objects in the vicinity are sucked into the creature¡¯s mouth like a vacuum cleaner.

    Use the knight¡¯s "Push" skill to quickly escape its range.

    Otherwise, you¡¯ll be dragged in within an instant.

    Then, move away from the knight and wait outside his attack range for the inhtion to end.

    Do not attempt to shoot arrows as a rogue. Due to the creature¡¯s steel exterior, all damage is reduced by half.

    This creature is a prologue mob, but it¡¯s an elite, so it has 300 health points.

    Our equipment is just basic equipment.

    To kill it with a sword, you need to strike 120 times, and to kill it with arrows, you need to shoot 300 times.

    It¡¯s just easier to follow the walkthrough.

    Anyway, after Inhtion, the creature will open its mouth wide and begin spewing breath.

    At some point, Anais escaped to the entrance, and the Ghost Butler event will end automatically.

    [Stage 2: Exhtion]

    This time, Airdra exhales wind.

    Before that, the creature will attack by swinging its neck several times. In this phase, it performs a 3-beat pattern with one big swing at the end.

    When the creature is preparing to exhale, use the magician¡¯s "Barrier" skill.

    Simply create it, and you¡¯ll be pushed back, so use pirs or columns to lean on and create a dome shape.

    Wait for the creature¡¯s exhtion to end.

    Furthermore, when it starts breathing deeply,

    Switch to the knight and use the "Push" skill to get close to the creature¡¯s mouth and thrust your sword into it.

    Here, the fire arrow won¡¯t work.

    Earlier, it sucked in air, but now it¡¯s exhaling air. When we breathe heavily, we open our mouths wide, and when we exhale, we close them slightly, right? So, it¡¯s hard to find the right angle to insert the fire arrow into its throat.

    Anyway, keep repeating this pattern to umte 100 damage, and the creature will enter pattern 3.

    [Stage 3: Brainstorm]

    With two-thirds of its health gone, this creature goes berserk.

    Now, it¡¯s not a 3-beat but a 6-beat pattern. It attacks twice quickly on the 4th and 5th beats.

    Simultaneously, it starts spewing lightning on the ground, making it impossible to get close.

    Use the rogue¡¯s double jump to step on the decorations on the wall and approach it.

    See the creature¡¯s head area?

    There¡¯s the core of this creature, which was once an artificial respirator.

    Climb up to the 3rd-floor decoration shelf by stepping on the wall, switch to the magician, and create a barrier in a "T" shape around the creature¡¯s neck like a cor.

    Just like in TT1 and TT2, our magician¡¯s barrier also has "mass."

    You can solve weight-reduction puzzles with the barrier and even create bridges to cross traps.

    After putting on 3-4 barrier pieces in this "T" shape, the creature¡¯s neck will break without being able to ovee the weight.

    Then, as you plunge its head into the ground while it¡¯s spewing lightning, the machine¡¯s core takes 100 damage, and the creature falls.

    Afterward, it will spit out the "Anais¡¯s Room Key."

    *Alternative Method

    The above method is the standard strategy for the mansion stage.

    However, as is typical of this game, there are hidden strategies.

    After the opening, instead of going straight to the mansion, explore the vige thoroughly. You¡¯ll find a character named "Pierre Mopasan" under a tree behind the inn.

    Speak to him.

    "She was my nephew by blood, but I treated her like a daughter. She called me Uncle and followed me all around."

    "That monster... for five minutes before midnight, he sleeps. The original machine did the same. If you use ¡¯this¡¯ while the monster is asleep, you can defeat it."

    "[Received the ¡¯Kill Switch.¡¯]"

    After receiving the switch, roughly set up a "camp" in the vige or in front of the mansion and choose to "rest" to advance time automatically.

    Then, when you enter the mansion at the right time, the monster will be sleeping inside the annex.

    Whirring... whooo...

    Inspect the panel of the machine core,

    Do you see the orange burn message?

    "[Equipment is being checked.]"

    Open the connection terminal below the panel, use the "Kill Switch" given by the man, and activate it. This will end the strategy.

    Zi-zi... Zi-zi...

    "Th-this... equipment... is... che... cking... the...

    sys... tem..."

    Whirring... Kung!

    Again, the "Anais¡¯s Room Key"es out of its mouth.

    Afterward, return to the main mansion and unlock the sealed Anais¡¯s room door to enter the final boss battle.

    Once the boss battle is over, it will automatically transition to the ending, so be sure toplete the side quests and recruit support characters before entering.

    Endings

    5-1) If You Don¡¯t Receive the Kill Switch

    In the ce where the ghost butler disappeared, there remains a scrap note with newspaper articles.

    Itpiles news about people who had received "help" from Wonderstein in various parts of the world and turned into monsters.

    And there¡¯s a rumor collected from an ind in the Caribbean that says, "He has resurrected the dead."

    It seems the butler did some investigation in his own way.

    Could it be another resurrection angle?

    5-2) If You Receive the Kill Switch

    After the boss battle, Pierre Mopasan opens the mansion¡¯s door and enters.

    He looks at the deceased Anais¡¯s body and sheds a tear for a moment.

    Then, he stands up and starts talking about Wonderstein. (Wonderstein is everywhere...)

    "I¡¯ve seen Wonderstein too. On the day Wonderstein visited this mansion, I was here too."

    "Do you know? The ¡¯Kill Switch¡¯ I originally gave you was meant to be used at midnight that day."

    "That¡¯s right. On that day, I came here to kill Anais. I was going to disguise it as an ¡¯ident.¡¯"

    "Wonderstein used his mysterious power to heal Anais, so I couldn¡¯t even try..."

    "I could feel it with a merchant¡¯s intuition. Behind his friendly smile, there¡¯s something chilling."

    "Oh, why was I trying to kill my niece, you ask? Well, that¡¯s..."

    ***

    "Uncle Pierre...?"

    Her uncle looked at her with a cold expression, an unfamiliar face, yet familiar in a different way. His facecked the usual warm smile and affectionate gaze.

    "Uncle... Why are you here?"

    "Because you became an obstacle."

    "What...?"

    "It¡¯s me, Anais. It¡¯s me."

    He ced a stack of documents he had been holding onto the table. It was the information he had taken to investigate during the day.

    "Do you understand what I¡¯m saying? If you¡¯re as smart as they say you are, you should."

    A traitor within the inner ranks closely associated with pirates. She knew that only a few of the employees in the highest ranks could pull off something like that.

    She thought that someone at the top of thepany was involved... could it be?

    The person she trusted more than anyone else...

    "Why did you suddenlye today of all days?"

    "I heard the report that you were investigating the Flnde branch. I rushed here as soon as I found out you had finally learned about the ¡¯ind.¡¯"

    "A person who dedicated their life to thepany... why?"

    Pierre¡¯s lips twisted as he spoke with disdain.

    Pierre got up from his seat.

    "And as for the machine... Well, IMT¡¯s engineers... they should be more humble. In the Underground Guild, there are talents just as exceptional as they are."

    Pierre fiddled with the Kill Switch in his hand and put it in his pocket.

    He looked at his fallen niece for a moment, feeling a pang of guilt, but he quickly hardened his heart.

    "I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s no other way."

    "Ugh..."

    Her breathing was sobored that it was almost impossible to control her body.

    Her limbs went weak, and her muscles trembled with spasms.

    It was the suffocation she hadn¡¯t experienced in 15 years.

    She couldn¡¯t even scream.

    Sweat dripped profusely from her back and forehead.

    "How much did I suffer when I was just 5 years old?"

    Tears flowed from her eyes.

    "While she was dozing off, the machine malfunctioned in such a way that you suffocated."

    "Ugh..."

    "But don¡¯t worry. I just gave the maid a light sleeping pill."

    Blue lines gradually spread on Anais¡¯s pale skin.

    The onset of cyanosis had begun.

    Pierre picked up a scroll from the table.

    Now all he had to do was wait for the unfortunate news in his own bedroom.

    Pierre nced at Anais for a moment with aplicated expression before passing her by.

    Tears flowed down her cheeks.

    Her life was built on such a fragile foundation, like a sandcastle that would crumble with just one ident.

    Even her genius intellect and her influence in the business world couldn¡¯t help in a situation like this.

    Anais closed her eyes.

    If it was to be an ident, she won¡¯t be a burden to the people who had loved and cared for her, even if it was thest bit of consideration she could offer.

    It was all she could do.

    And so, at the moment when she epted death...

    Creak.

    The door opened.

    Cold night air flowed into the room.

    Anais instinctively raised her head.

    Her tear-soaked irises quivered.

    A corridor where the moonlight had settled.

    There, a ck shadow stood.

    She blinked once, and his figure became clearer.

    Tall stature, a sturdy physique, and dazzling blonde hair that fluttered in the cold breeze.

    His pale face was like a work of art, exuding calmness and enjoyment.

    "It¡¯s not toote, is it?"

    Frank Wonderstein.

    He smiled at Anais.

    "Miss Anais?"

 Chapter 7: Patron Anais (6)

    Today, Pierre aims for his niece¡¯s life. It was an opportunity to save Anais¡¯s life and repay the favour. Despite being an enemy, Pierre was just one person. He was a typical merchant character with no remarkablebat abilities. The only problem was that I was in a simr situation. I had ten Debulroots, which represented all the resources I had.

    I needed to find a way to resolve the situation with these.

    "I need to leave eight Debulroots. I might need them for Anais¡¯s treatment in case of an emergency. I have to ovee this challenge with just two Debulroots."

    Normally, investing in basic attributes like muscle strength, tissue hardness, and cell regeneration, which contribute to things like RPG games, made sense. But this wasn¡¯t a game; it was a real and urgent situation. To solve the problem, I needed abilities that were immediately useful.

    "I should wait until Pierre takes action before making my move."

    If I were to break into Anais¡¯s room before the designated time, it would only confirm the suspicions of being a pervert. Pierre¡¯s intentionscked evidence until he took action. The problem was how to escape this prison with just two Debulroots.

    Koo... Koo...

    In the cell across from me, E was sleeping on a makeshift bed. She had turned her back to me and was now facing this way.

    Thanks to her confident plea for help to Wonderstein, she appeared mature, but seeing her sound asleep, she looked like an ordinary girl.

    "Member Management."

    An interface appeared before me, simr to TTT¡¯s interface. The "Party Management" window for managing support characters had been reced by a "Member Management" window.

    I selected the topmost entry from the list of members¡¯ statuses.

    Name: E

    Age: 16

    Affection: 0 (Next Reward: Affection 15)

    Title: Assistant Ringmaster

    upation: Beast Tamer

    Dub: Pigeon

    Chick: Mouse

    Traits: None

    The profile window was simr to that of support characters. In the end, I needed to raise the affection of the members to gain their assistance. But this might not be easy, considering the image Wonderstein had built up.

    "Raising pigeons and mice?"

    Despite being called a Beast Tamer, these were rather modest animals. However, they might prove to be more useful than lions or elephants when quietly escaping from prison.

    I checked the time through the status window. With this, I didn¡¯t need to carry around a heavy pocket watch.

    It was past 11 PM. It was time to make a move. I got up from the bed and approached the iron bars.

    The guards had already gone to the break room and were probably snoring. There was no need to be on high alert here; it wasn¡¯t a prison, and we weren¡¯t major criminals.

    I tapped on the bars.

    "E, wake up."

    "Ugh..."

    E tossed and turned in her bed. She had initially turned her back to me but had somehow twisted her body this way.

    "E, it¡¯s time to get up."

    "Ugh... I want to sleep a bit more..."

    E groaned andined, sounding like a child. Strands of hair stuck to one of her cheeks and fell down slowly.

    "E, wake up."

    "Ugh... I don¡¯t want to..."

    She whined like a child, rubbing her eyes. Her voice seemed reluctant.

    I called her name in a louder voice.

    She blinked her eyes, realizing where she was and who had called her.

    Her expression turned cold.

    "What are you doing? I was sleeping so peacefully..."

    "I¡¯m sorry for waking you up from a nap."

    "Hmph."

    She nced at me and yawned.

    "What time is it?"

    "It¡¯s 11:15."

    "Eleven...? Have I been sleeping that long?"

    E sat up abruptly from her bed, looking around, but there were no clues to indicate the time. This was an underground prison, and it didn¡¯t matter whether it was day or night.

    "Actually, it¡¯s still night-time. You¡¯ve only been asleep for three hours, E."

    "11 PM? That¡¯s why I felt so heavy."

    She stretched herself out, and the sound of her body awakening could be heard.

    "Why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?"

    E rubbed her sleepy eyes and scratched her head, looking at me with puzzled eyes.

    "We need to get out of here."

    "What?"

    "To do that, I need E¡¯s help. And please answer quietly. The guard might wake up."

    E nced around cautiously and then came closer to the bars, whispering.

    "Suddenly, what¡¯s all this about? Getting out? Escaping?"

    "Yes. There¡¯s something urgent we need to take care of. We have to leave right now."

    "What urgent matter... Wait a minute. Aren¡¯t you here to help these people too?"

    I quickly reassured her.

    "No, E, it¡¯s not what you think. It¡¯s the opposite. I¡¯m here to help these people. Tonight, it¡¯s E¡¯s life that¡¯s in danger. We have to go now."

    I tried to look as desperate as possible, but the "Smiling Man" trait offered nopromise when it came to control over my facial muscles.

    Without even looking in the mirror, I could sense it. There was a mischievous smile on my face.

    E¡¯s face grew even more suspicious. Damn that Smiling Man!

    She was bing even more distrustful of me, and I hesitated for a moment.

    However, I soon understood her feelings. Wonderstein¡¯s "help" often involved horrific modifications, and if E had been by his side all this time, she must have seen many victims of his experiments. My words could easily be misunderstood.

    Convincing her was hopeless, so I decided to take a different approach.

    "Hehe, should I use force then? If it¡¯s better for some people to get hurt...?"

    If Wonderstein deliberately attacked, then dealing with these bars would be no problem at all. I could easily crush the entire mansion.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t have that kind of power...

    Initially, it was more effective to threaten her with this kind of false intimidation than to persuade her honestly, considering that she saw me as an untrustworthy opponent.

    "You devil..."

    E red at me with eyes filled with hatred. Her anger and contempt for Wonderstein were palpable.

    She clenched her lips and took something out of her pocket.

    Squeak.

    It was a white mouse. Wasn¡¯t its name "Chick"?

    E ced the mouse on her palm and whispered something to it, seemingly directed at me.

    The mouse seemed to understand her words, listening attentively. As soon as she finished speaking, it immediately sprang into action,ing down from E¡¯s leg like a slide and quickly escaping through the bars.

    Because of the angle of my prison cell, I couldn¡¯t see the mouse enter the guard¡¯s room.

    Could the mouse really bring back the key?

    Both E and I were silently waiting for the mouse¡¯s return.

    Ding, dong.

    The sound of keys dropping on the floor! Simultaneously, the snoring stopped abruptly. E and I made eye contact.

    Had we been caught?

    A few coughs from the guard followed a momentter.

    Drung, drung.

    The guard fell asleep once more.

    It seemed like the mouse had been waiting for this.

    E was anxiously patting her gloved hand.

    The intelligent little creature, huh.

    The sound of keys being dragged along the floor was heard again.

    The sound was much quieter this time.

    The mouse was ced down on E¡¯s open palm.

    "Well done. Good boy. I¡¯ll give you some sunflower seeds when we get out."

    We silently escaped from the cell.

    Finding Anais¡¯s room was rtively easy.

    It was simr to tracing the traces of "Airdra" in the game.

    Searching for the marks of wheels on the floor.

    Unlike the game, which had be a ruin, the mansion was well-maintained. However, hiding the umted traces of over a dozen years was not easy.

    The wheel marks were concentrated in one direction.

    That must be Anais¡¯s bedroom.

    The difficult part was avoiding the gaze of the guards and servants.

    Fortunately, E¡¯s powers were useful here as well.

    Using mice and birds for reconnaissance, we could track the movements of the mansion¡¯s upants.

    So, we waited, avoiding people¡¯s eyes.

    The corridors where people rarely walked.

    Both of us stood in the shadows.

    There were no lights around, no light from the windows either.

    It was so dark that even if someone passed right in front of us, it would be difficult for them to notice us.

    Whooosh.

    The corridor was quite cold. It was still early spring, and the temperature fluctuations were significant.

    A chilly breeze continued to caress our feet.

    E hugged herself, shivering.

    "How many minutes are left now?"

    "20 minutes."

    "Only 5 minutes have passed?"

    With every word E spoke, a white breath escaped her mouth.

    Even I, a grown man, felt cold, let alone a teenage girl like E.

    Hmm, should I try some goodwill?

    I took off my suit jacket and put it over her.

    "What...?"

    E blinked her eyes in surprise, looking at me.

    Her pupils were filled with astonishment and confusion.

    She simply couldn¡¯t believe it.

    "What are you doing with that jacket?"

    E tried to take the jacket I was putting over her and throw it away.

    "Shh, shh. Please be quiet."

    "What...!"

    I put my hand over her mouth to prevent her from yelling.

    Her attempt to escape and my attempt to restrain her turned into a brief struggle.

    Her resistance was quickly subdued.

    Even though my body hadn¡¯t undergone any modifications, there was still a significant difference in size between an adult man and a teenage girl.

    "Hey, what are you doing...!"

    "Please be quiet."

    "Hey...!"

    I covered her mouth with my hand, holding her arms and waist with one arm each. Our bodies struggled back and forth.

    Then, she used her remaining two legs to kick my groin.

    I wanted to cry tears of pain and scream in agony, but the smiling man wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    "Hehe, this really hurts."

    Hisughter seemed to mock her, making him appear like a heartless viin, even to himself.

    She red at me with fury in her eyes, her determination to shout evident in her gritted teeth.

    "Ugh, ugh, ugh!"

    "If you stay quiet, I might let you go," he said.

    "Ugh, ugh!"

    It seemed persuasion was futile.

    I lowered my voice and whispered, "E Yang, if anyonees here, we¡¯ll have no choice but to eliminate the witnesses."

    "Ugh¡­"

    She shot me a resentful look, and gradually, her struggling subsided.

    Threats were indeed effective.

    I released my grip on her arm. "Do you agree?"

    "Ugh..."

    E, now freed from her restraints, moved away from me.

    She took a handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping the part of her face that my hand had touched.

    "What kind of stunt is this?" she asked.

    "You were being too noisy. I had no choice," I replied with a smirk.

    E red at me, clearly not pleased.

    After she finished wiping my face, she suddenly extended her hand to me.

    "Come here," she said.

    "What for?"

    Without a word, she grabbed my wrist, the hand that had been covering her mouth.

    His hand was damp from her breath and saliva.

    "It¡¯s unpleasant," she said.

    E wrapped my hand with the handkerchief and meticulously wiped away the moisture, focusing on each finger joint.

    Then, she confidently tossed the damp handkerchief out the window.

    It was a clear expression of not wanting to use what my hands had touched again.

    I chuckled inwardly.

    "I didn¡¯t expect to be so disliked for just lending you a jacket."

    "You¡¯re not the kind of person who would do this out of kindness. What do you want?"

    She shot me a sharp look.

    Do you think I am doing this to gain some Favour? Why!

    I bit back the words I wanted to say and replied with a brazen smile.

    "There was no other intention. I just thought E looked cold."

    "You¡¯re joking, right? It¡¯s not that... it¡¯s just a little chilly. I don¡¯t need it. Take it back."

    When E tried to take off the jacket again, I calmly pushed her shoulder.

    "You¡¯re keeping it on."

    "It¡¯s not cold, so why... What¡¯s your game?"

    "There¡¯s no game."

    "Don¡¯t mess with me."

    "Or are you going to make a big fuss again? I can use a little more force if needed."

    I whispered threateningly while looking at her face.

    I knew that at times like this, Wonderstein¡¯s smile looked very wicked.

    E bit her lip as she nced at me.

    "You devil."

    "I heard your thanks loud and clear."

    E shrugged off the jacket again and turned away from me.

    The suit jacket was long enough to reach her thighs.

    She looked much warmer than before.

    The trembling had stopped.

    However, she seemed more wary than grateful for some reason.

    When I checked the status window, the affinity gauge was still stuck at zero.

    Is this the result of Wonderstein¡¯s reputation?

    I rolled my tongue at her hostile attitude.

    If even someone like her is acting this way, how should I deal with the other members of this mansion?

    I¡¯ll have to think about it.

    Then, something white came running down the hallway towards us.

    Squeak, squeak.

    It was Dub, the scout I had sent.

    "Someone¡¯sing."

    E quickly caught the bird and put it in her pocket.

    We heard footsteps approaching from the other end of the hallway.

    "I didn¡¯t hear anything."

    "No, that was definitely a human voice."

    It must be the patrolling soldiers.

    They probably heard our scuffle.

    They shone their shlights all over the corridor and came towards our location.

    "What should we do?"

    "For now, let¡¯s avoid them."

    "Okay."

    E seemed relieved that my decision wasn¡¯t to fight the soldiers.

    We cautiously walked to the opposite corridor, avoiding any exposure to the light.

    Unfortunately, we ran into another patrol on the way.

    In our efforts to evade the guards¡¯ searches, we ended up circling the mansion almost entirely.

    We arrived at the chamber of secrets past midnight.

    I checked the time on the status window.

    It was 12:14 AM.

    Fortunately, the quest was still active.

    I opened the door.

    Creak.

    Inside the room, there were three people: Anais, Pierre, and the maid.

    The maid had fallen asleep on the couch, and Pierre, who seemed to be leaving the room, hastily stepped back when he saw me.

    Anais had copsed on the floor, looking pale, and she gazed up at me with a distressed expression.

    She seemed to be alive.

    Thank goodness.

    "It¡¯s not toote, is it?"

    I smiled at her.

    "Lady Anais?"

 Chapter 8: Patron Anais (7)

    The sudden appearance of an entirely unexpected figure.

    Anais was taken aback, and Pierre was equally surprised, not knowing what to do.

    Contrasting against his pitch-ck suit was his fair skin and dazzling dark hair.

    His appearance in the moonlight exuded an eerie charm.

    His rxed smile, inappropriate for the tense situation, added to the strange atmosphere.

    Anais couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him, as if she were captivated by him.

    Am I dreaming?

    Is this a hallucination due to oxygen deprivation?

    Just moments ago, she had been ready to give up everything.

    But now, she was desperately lifting her head.

    That man is right there.

    The man you thought of as...

    She bit her lip tightly.

    Don¡¯t cry.

    Don¡¯t cry already.

    There¡¯s no evidence of anything.

    Don¡¯t get your hopes up.

    Don¡¯t rely on people.

    You saw it, didn¡¯t you?

    How the person you trusted the most changed.

    It¡¯s your uncle.

    Pierre, your beloved uncle, wanted to kill you.

    What kind of irresistible offer could it have been?

    Why did you betray me, Uncle?

    Why do you want to kill me?

    Was everything fake from the beginning?

    Did you never consider me family?

    That man is probably the same.

    He only intends to use you.

    Look!

    He¡¯s smiling.

    He¡¯s smiling while you¡¯re in so much pain.

    He enjoys seeing you suffer.

    Amidst her tangled thoughts, Anais¡¯ consciousness became hazy.

    "W-who are you... ugh!"

    Pierre, who had been stepping back hesitantly, stopped with his foot caught on a table.

    "I¡¯m falling behind in a retreat?"

    Pierre swallowed hard.

    He felt a dangerous aura emanating from that man.

    The man briefly scanned Anais¡¯ condition and greeted Pierre.

    "We met briefly earlier, didn¡¯t we? I¡¯m Frank Wonderstein, the ringmaster of the wandering monster circus."

    An overly cheerful voice that didn¡¯t suit the situation.

    It was as if they had crossed paths while taking a night-time stroll in the garden.

    In an instant, the tension dissipated, and Pierre felt himself growing weak and nearly copsing.

    What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s this situation? What does he know?

    Wait, if he¡¯s from the wandering circus...

    "Oh, you mean the one who was imprisoned during the day...?"

    "Oh, I escaped."

    Wonderstein replied shamelessly, as if asking what was wrong with that.

    But Pierre was even more astonished by his next words.

    "Because there was information that you were targeting Lady Anais¡¯s life. You were nning to sabotage the machine and stage an ident to disguise it as a death, right?"

    Wonderstein casually revealed his secret.

    Most people would be more flustered in such a situation.

    But Pierre, on the contrary, suddenly regained hisposure.

    The change in the situation actually made him calmer.

    Like a reflex honed through countless crises.

    He quickly assessed the situation of his opponent.

    A wandering circus magician.

    Was his argument with Anais all an act?

    No, that wasn¡¯t it.

    She seems surprised too right now.

    Above all, he didn¡¯t bring the butler or anyone else.

    How did he know and find his way here?

    A seer? irvoyance? Precognition?

    If he¡¯s a magician, it could be possible.

    Among artists and acrobats, there are often people who disy strange powers.

    But no matter what.

    The situation is in his favour.

    "I see."

    Pierre casually turned his waist.

    It was to hide his hand going into his pocket from the opponent¡¯s view.

    "Yes, I did."

    In his pocket was a weapon he had purchased not long ago.

    A robust revolver with thetest technology from the Deloros Republic, the Col viper S32.

    It was a weapon he carried for self-defense, as it was difficult to inflict harm on knights in armor or mages with protective shields.

    But it was sufficient for a surprise attack.

    "Um, excuse me... Are you okay?"

    Is she the magician¡¯s assistant?

    A girl who couldn¡¯t be more than in herte teens approached Anais.

    A girl of simr age to his daughter.

    He hesitated for a brief moment.

    But that moment didn¡¯t evenst a second.

    Pierre drew his revolver and shouted.

    "Guards!"

    All he needed to do was kill Anais somehow.

    The ident would turn into a murder case, but that was fine!

    That¡¯s right. These shameless swindlers had even escaped in addition to their n to deceive Jacque.

    And they had intruded into the room, threatened him, and tried to steal the valuables.

    In the midst of that, they attacked him, took his gun, and killed his niece.

    Soldiers would rush in upon hearing the gunshots.

    Desperately calling for them would only strengthen his case of innocence.

    It was a hasty n, but it was good enough.

    There were even advantagespared to the original n.

    The technicians of the Underground Guild were confident that no traces would be left, but Pierre was no fool to blindly believe that.

    He would somehow manipte the evidence, but if, by any chance, Anais¡¯s death revealed itself as not an ident...

    But in this situation, there would be no problems at all.

    They would surely argue, of course.

    That he was trying to kill Anais.

    But with no clear evidence in this situation,

    An escaped wandering magician and the younger sibling of thete Lord.

    Whose testimony will the people of the mansion belief more?

    Pierre pulled the trigger.

    Bang! Bang bang! Bang bang bang!

    Pierre wasn¡¯t a fool to shoot once and check if the opponent was dead.

    The instructor who helped him with shooting practice had said.

    Always shoot twice.

    He was more cautious.

    He fired all six rounds that were loaded.

    Once he shot, he had to throw the gun away at the magician¡¯s feet.

    At least he couldn¡¯t be holding it.

    But what if that guy tried to shoot him with it?

    The gun needed to be emptied.

    His quick thinking and action even in unexpected situations stemmed from the cunning inherent to a merchant. The decision to fire all six rounds was born from the meticulousness typical of a merchant.

    However, there was one thing he couldn¡¯t predict.

    That was...

    A mere wandering magician...

    Stumbling, stuttering...

    "Hehe, this hurts a bit..."

    Could it be that he threw himself in front of Anais to protect her...?!

    "...Are you okay?"

    Even after being hit by all six bullets, the man was smiling.

    Anais couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.

    Why...?

    The man she had just thought of as a street hustler...

    The man she had thought was a smooth-talking con artist...

    He had taken all the bullets with his bare body to save her.

    "Ah... Blood..."

    Red blood was spreading across the man¡¯s shirt, and torn flesh stained his suit and the floor.

    A total of six bullets.

    Even if he was a knight, he couldn¡¯t remain unscathed after being hit with them bare-skinned.

    But he had jumped in without any protective gear.

    Why?

    She had never done anything to earn his favour.

    She had teased, ignored,belled him a pervert, and thrown him in jail.

    Yet, he had thrown himself in harm¡¯s way to save her.

    Bullets are fast.

    He had jumped in almost reflexively.

    There was no room for any sly intentions of trying to score points with her.

    No, even if there were such intentions, who would willingly take bullets with their bare body?

    You could die from that.

    "Lady Anais..."

    He seemed precarious, as if he might copse at any moment, but he didn¡¯t take his eyes off Anais.

    "I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe..."

    A forced smile hung on the man¡¯s lips.

    It was evident to anyone that it was forced.

    Looking at his paleplexion and the red-stained shirt hem, it was clear.

    He was enduring what seemed like excruciating pain to reassure him.

    Idiot.

    Both sacrificing his life for others...

    And enduring his own pain to smile for others...

    He seemed like a fool.

    A fool?

    Is he really?

    Didn¡¯t her father say so?

    Commerce arises from human selfishness.

    If the world were filled with altruism,merce wouldn¡¯t exist.

    People who sacrifice themselves for others are fools.

    Is that so?

    Then that¡¯s it.

    To him, you¡¯re not like others.

    What?

    No, no, that can¡¯t be.

    Look at me?

    Look at me!

    With metal tubes stuck in my body, always wearing a mask, with a creaking body...

    Who would truly...

    Ahaha!

    Why are youughing?

    You¡¯re right.

    It¡¯s not great.

    You can¡¯t be in love with someone like that.

    ...Right.

    But hey.

    What was that man nning to do to her?

    ...Oh.

    Ah, Anais sighed inwardly.

    "Ugh!"

    "Good job, Chick!"

    Pierre wriggled on the floor, his finger bitten by a mouse that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

    But Ana?s didn¡¯t hear anything.

    Even her uncle, who had tried to kill her, was now beyond her concern.

    All her attention was focused on the man holding her.

    His smile, his voice, his trembling, the smell of his blood.

    She was feeling everything about him.

    "Are you okay?"

    "Does it hurt?"

    "Why did you do that?"

    She wanted to say so much.

    She had so many questions.

    But now her breathing was almost stopping.

    Even holding onto her consciousness was a struggle.

    But unlike earlier...

    Tears didn¡¯te.

    Instead,ughter did.

    She couldn¡¯t believe it herself.

    In a dying situation, she couldn¡¯t help butugh,

    Truly delighted.

    Even though her lungs had stopped working and no sound came out,

    "Haha."

    This was clearlyughter.

    But she shouldn¡¯t be doing this,

    At least not in front of the man who had sacrificed himself for her.

    "Ahaha."

    She was too happy, and herughter wouldn¡¯t stop.

    "I too... from someone... truly."

    She hadn¡¯t expected it at all.

    She had never expected it in her life.

    Even the love she had as a family member had been denied.

    But now, at the very end...

    From an unexpected direction...

    Love hade.

    "I knew... I actually knew..."

    Why her nerves had tensed the moment she saw him.

    Why her heart had fluttered when she heard his voice.

    Why she had been angry that he was someone outside her world.

    She knew.

    From the moment sheid eyes on him,

    From the moment she heard his words,

    From the moment she saw his confident smile.

    "...I fell for him."

    Why she had been so harsh with her words,

    When she looked into his heart,

    She was afraid of finding something different from what she had hoped for.

    "Why couldn¡¯t I be honest?"

    Regret camete.

    And eventer, she felt the joy of confirming his feelings.

    Mixed with these two emotions, tears streamed down her cheeks.

    "Thank you..."

    All she wished for him now was that he didn¡¯t think too badly of her, even if she seemed like a terrible woman.

    Was it a heart-to-heart connection?

    He smiled at her too.

    But the words that came from his mouth were not a farewell.

    "I won¡¯t have time to ask for permission. I¡¯ll get to work right away."

    Huh?

    What is he talking about...?

    "Lady! Are you okay?"

    The butler and the soldiers rushed into the room.

    And in front of them.

    Wonderstein...

    Tore the clothes off of the mistress and ced his hand on her chest.

 Chapter 9: Patron Anais (8)

    It hurts.

    Damn... it hurts like hell!

    The pain, like fire, has been coursing through my entire body since the bullet pierced me.

    I wanted to scream and cry right there.

    Back in the orphanage days, I¡¯ve been beaten with a stick by the caregivers.

    It hurt just as much as that.

    It was astonishing that such a tiny bullet could deliver such a shock.

    "Heh heh."

    But all that cane out of my mouth isughter.

    I always strive to maintainposure, not allowing for reflexive cursing or screams.

    To curse, I had to line up words neatly in my mind as if having a conversation.

    Of course, such curses didn¡¯t help with the pain and frustration.

    People from the mansion barged into my room.

    They dragged me and E out and separated us.

    I ended up in the underground prison, while E was somewhere upstairs.

    There were no first aid measures for the wounded.

    In the eyes of those mansion people, I was a viin trying to attack the owner.

    They left me lying there on the cold stone floor to die.

    There was no room for excuses.

    I unfastened her own clothes right in front of them and touched her own body.

    The reason they didn¡¯t hang me immediately was that taking care of their owner was more urgent.

    The floor was sticky with my spilled blood.

    Lost in a sea of blood, I teetered on the edge of life and death.

    How did I ever think I could take a bullet for someone else?

    It was a reckless move beyondparison.

    In games, even if you have only little HP left, you can win as long as you clear the quest.

    You can return to a safe ce or talk to a healing character, and your health will be fully restored.

    But reality was different.

    Having low HP left meant you were on the brink of death.

    In the corner of the mansion¡¯s prison, I had to fight against impending death.

    I had to cling to fading consciousness and endure.

    I¡¯ve seen this in movies before.

    If you fall asleep at a time like this, you just die.

    When you sleep, your bodily functions slow down, and your life support shuts off.

    I had to endure, even if it was tough, even if it hurt.

    "You idiot."

    I cursed myself.

    I was already aware that this was reality.

    Yet I acted so carelessly, as if it were just a game.

    The mansion from the prologue of TT3. It¡¯s a familiar ce.

    Anais Vergsong, is it? I know who she is.

    I even know what¡¯s going to happen tonight.

    All you have to do is save her, right? It¡¯s that easy.

    If I had really wanted sponsorship from the aristocrats, I should have approached the situation more cautiously, with a humble attitude.

    If I truly believed that my life was at stake, as soon as I opened the door, I should have unleashed an attack and mutted Pierre¡¯s arms and legs.

    But I didn¡¯t do that.

    I underestimated the one I needed to convince, and I looked down on the one who posed a threat.

    I knew why my guard had dropped so low.

    It wasn¡¯t just because of the arrogance of being a 1 million subscriber YouTuber.

    "Theughing man."

    This damn characteristic of mine.

    Theughing man always maintainedposure no matter the situation.

    Even when my body had six holes in it, I could think about healing my character thanks to this trait.

    But theughing man had it¡¯s ws too.

    When Iughed, my guard dropped. I gained reckless confidence.

    In other words, Icked tension.

    Didn¡¯t they say thatughing releases dopamine?

    If you thought about it that way, theughing man was a terrifying trait.

    Dopamine was called the ultimate addictive painkiller.

    I was constantly in a state of being high on it.

    Immersed in the role of Wonderstein,

    I spoke dreamily and acted on instinct.

    Looking back now, all the actions I had taken over the past ten days were somewhat strange.

    The events at the campsite and what had happened when I came to the mansion had both taken ce in a semi-distracted state.

    I had fallen into an entirely different world, and shouldn¡¯t I have been shocked and terrified enough, almost to the point of death?

    No matter how unconventional my life had been, I was still just an ordinary modern person.

    But I had epted this situation too nonchntly.

    A life-and-death game in a game world.

    It was madness.

    I only realized it when I stood on the brink of death.

    Theughing man.

    This bastard trait had disrupted my normal thinking.

    Always maintainingposure, huh?

    Forcingughter and enjoyment in situations where I should have been tense and cautious was nothing short of a curse.

    Not losingposure even in the midst of mes was fine.

    But considering jumping into the mes without a care, that was a problem.

    Theughing man was a double-edged sword.

    If I got too absorbed in my role as I had in the past few days, the situation would flow out of control.

    As if watching a variety show on TV.

    I would be charging toward death while foolishlyughing.

    If I couldn¡¯t pull myself together, I could really die next time.

    Heh heh, next... will there be a "next" for me?

    Thanks to theughing man, I hardly felt any pain, but it didn¡¯t heal the wounds.

    My body was rapidly deteriorating.

    Trait: Rapid Stiffening

    Applied Area: Blood Vessels

    Effect: When bleeding urs, the tissue around the blood vessels stiffens, dying bleeding.

    Cost: [Debulroots x2]

    It was a makeshift ability, and it barely kept me alive for now, but all the other specs were just ordinary humans. Without proper treatment, there was no guarantee of survival.

    No, even if I miraculously survived,

    What if Anais died?

    Then everything would be over.

    It wasn¡¯t a matter of quests.

    The mansion people wouldn¡¯t leave me alone.

    Original Quest - Sponsor

    Conditions for Completion:

    Obtain sponsorship from Lady Vergsong.

    Reward for Sess:

    [Debulrootsx5]

    No penalty for failure.

    Since the quest hasn¡¯t shown as failed yet, it seemed that: Vergsong was still alive. However, judging by the grim atmosphere of the soldiers, she might not have regained consciousness yet. No, perhaps she would never regain consciousness. It might have been toote for treatment. If Lady Vergsong was to die, how would I prove my intention to heal her illness as I had stated?

    "Hurry, hurry!"

    I heard people shouting from upstairs. What could have happened? The sounds were getting closer. A group of people wasing down to the underground prison. I grasped onto the bed and forced myself to get up. I couldn¡¯t just let things happen, even if I was close to death.

    I would struggle in any way I could. However, my body didn¡¯t move as I wanted it to. My hand slipped off the wall, and I copsed onto the bloody floor. At that moment, the underground prison door opened with a loud bang.

    "Hehehe..."

    I lost consciousness in front of the people surrounding me.

    In my dream, I saw the ending of Lord Vergsong¡¯s mansion in the prologue stage of TT3.

    "Why did I try to kill my niece? It¡¯s because... I received an offer I couldn¡¯t refuse."

    "What kind of offer was that?"

    Instead of answering, Pierre opened his pendant. Inside was a picture of a girl. She had brown hair like Pierre and simr eyes.

    "They said they could bring my deceased daughter back to life."

    "Mopasan... sir..."

    The knight let out a mournful sigh. The rogue looked at him with a pitiful expression. When he looked back on the path he had taken, he realized that such offers had never led to a happy ending.

    Pierre¡¯s self-deprecating smile confirmed their expectations.

    "Because of that, I embezzled funds from the council to support them. A shrine to revive the dead. I helped them build it."

    "What happened next...?"

    "I couldn¡¯t kill Anais, so I went to see them. I told them that things might get exposed if we continued like this, that we needed to take some measures. But when they heard my story, they told me not to worry. They said that Wonderstein and they were very well acquainted. If Wonderstein got his hands on Lord Vergsong, there would be no hindrance. And that was the truth."

    Pierre sighed.

    His breath was filled with regret for the years gone by.

    "I resigned from the council after that. There was no reproach or investigation. My niece¡¯s body and mind were already under the control of Wonderstein. Or perhaps she became even more dependent on that ck mage due to her betrayal of me... My niece, how... is she?"

    "They kept their promise. After about a year, they sent my daughter back to me. But that girl... she had the appearance of my daughter, but she wasn¡¯t my daughter... Every night, the vige¡¯s livestock died, and people suffered mysterious attacks... Ah, I was a fool.

    I pretended not to know until the end... Even though I knew in my head... I couldn¡¯t deny that my daughter hade back to life..."

    Pierre wiped away tears.

    The knight trembled with anger at the cruelty of those wicked people, and the tender-hearted rogue shed tears at the sad story. The stoic wizard only slightly furrowed his brow.

    Pierre took a deep breath and spoke calmly.

    "Lately, people who received ¡¯help¡¯ from Wonderstein all around the world, including my niece, have been turning into monsters."

    "Yes. We heard the news and have been taking action ordingly."

    "Why is that?"

    "I don¡¯t know yet, but..."

    "The friends of Wonderstein I mentioned. The shrine that revives the dead... I received information that the ind where they reside is bing active again."

    "Reviving the dead... Could it be?"

    "Yes. Perhaps... the ck mage is back or on his way."

    The rogue clenched his teeth at his words.

    "That damn bastard!"

    "Go to Flnde. You can hear more detailed rumors there."

    "Thank you for the information, Mr. Mopasan."

    "However..."

    Pierre hesitated for a moment, then spoke with determination.

    "One request, please."

    "A request?"

    "I have a vi to the northwest of Flnde. In the basement there, there is a... monster that looks like my daughter. Please... kill her."

    He uttered thest sentence in a voice that was almost scratching the bottom of the barrel.

    The heroes couldn¡¯t imagine the father¡¯s feelings as he asked for his daughter¡¯s death, even if she had turned into a monster that looked like her.

    "Understood..."

    ["Sub Quest - Resurrected Daughter" has been activated]

    "Then go."

    "Mr. Mopasan, we can¡¯t consider the mansionpletely safe yet. Why don¡¯t youe with us..."

    Click.

    Pierre took a revolver from his pocket.

    "I always carry a gun for self-defense. Don¡¯t worry and go."

    The heroes couldn¡¯t persuade him any further and left the mansion.

    They had onlye to exterminate the monsters, but they heard a more important story than they had expected.

    The shrine that revives the dead.

    And Wonderstein¡¯s resurrection.

    "We must go to Flnde."

    "If Wonderstein has truly been resurrected..."

    "We¡¯ll have to deal with him."

    The heroes left the mansion.

    After they hadpletely left.

    Gunshots were heard from the direction of the mansion.

    Bang.

    Just one shot.

    And the mansion fell silent again.

 Chapter 10: Patron Anais (9)

    "Yes, please don¡¯t worry. We are doing our best to provide the best treatment, even utilizing the highest-grade healing potions from the Alchemy Guild," the butler said confidently, but Anais¡¯s expression showed no sign of relief. She had epted that Wonderstein¡¯s condition was severe enough to require even the use of the highest-grade potions.

    "I must see him in person," Anais said as she got up from the bed. The elderly butler was taken aback and tried to gently urge her to lie back down.

    "Madam, you mustn¡¯t overexert yourself."

    "Overexert myself?"

    Wonderstein pushed the butler¡¯s hand away roughly. "Hah, hah. How dare I say I¡¯m overexerting myself when he... when he endured what happened to him... What... he...

    did... even with those wounds... on the cold floor... Hah, hah..."

    Anais clenched her chest as she gasped for breath. The butler¡¯s face grew pale.

    "Madam, you must calm down. Your body has not fully recovered yet."

    "No... it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just not used to it yet... he... he healed me. Look!

    I¡¯m breathing! I have to see him..."

    Despite her gasping breaths, Anais looked around for Wonderstein. The butler felt a surge of unknown emotions as he watched Anais refer to another man as "him" and push away his own hand.

    "Prepare my clothes. I have to go see him."

    "Yes, I understand."

    However, what the butler saw under the mask was definitely a great joy in seeing his mistress smile for the first time in fifteen years.

    After various big and small matters were settled, only Wonderstein and E were left in the room. There was no hint of worry on E¡¯s face as she looked at Wonderstein lying halfway covered in bandages.

    He was not someone to be worried about.

    "Unfortunately, you lived, didn¡¯t you?" E said.

    In response, Wonderstein gave her a disappointed smile. "E, even after I took six bullets?"

    E¡¯s words sounded like mockery, but Wonderstein merely smiled without offering any retort.

    "Oh,e on. It¡¯s all just smoke and mirrors, right? What¡¯s a little bloodshed? Humans are resilient creatures. The one who reattached his head even after it was severed by an axe..."

    E¡¯s words flowed without expecting any response from him. She perceived his calmness as audacity, as if he intended to repay his debts by healing her.

    So, even when he blocked her path.

    Even when he was baptized with bullets.

    She didn¡¯t worry about it at all.

    E had seen his true form.

    Whaty beneath his skin was not human.

    She came into the room along with the servant, who then bowed respectfully and said, "Madam will be visiting shortly."

    The attitude of the mansion residents towards them had changed drastically since they heard that Wonderstein had awakened and had healed Anais¡¯s illness earlier.

    The maid who had been keeping an eye on E grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously, expressing her gratitude as soon as she heard the news. However, E, while epting their greetings, couldn¡¯t be happy along with them. Everything had gone exactly as that devil had nned.

    His kind smile and miraculous powers easily enchanted anyone. E had been the same way at first.

    Up until now, everyone who had met him had experienced despair and terror.

    Whether it was bing ves like E or the circus troupe members or suffering even more gruesome fates, they all fell under his sinister ns.

    Doubts suddenly arose in her mind. Had Wonderstein really cured the illness of the madam? Was there a trap somewhere? How many times had she seen what kind of monsters he turned people into while iming to "help" them?

    "Should I expose his true identity to the madam?" She pondered, but she knew that would not be enough. Wonderstein was holding her family hostage. If she interfered with Wonderstein¡¯s ns, he would not hesitate to go to her homnd and kill her family, or even worse, transform them into monsters. She had no choice but to continue facilitating the emergence of other victims to save her own family.

    "I... I¡¯ll be back in a moment."

    E got up from her seat, unable to face Wonderstein. If thedy were to express her gratitude, her conscience wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.

    "Where are you going?"

    "Just for a walk."

    "Maybe we will get a gift?"

    "Take care of it yourself. I haven¡¯t done much. I just... fed Chick. He likes fingers."

    Pierre Mopasan, the man with the severed finger. He had used them as the culprits but left as soon as he heard that Anais had awakened. Wonderstein thought about the game¡¯s storyline. Perhaps he had gone to Flnde. And he probably visited one of the "Three Witches," Wonderstein¡¯s friends. Had I somehow twisted the original plot?

    He couldn¡¯t tell yet.

    In the original story, he hadn¡¯t been able to kill Anais, and it was the same this time. However, the process was slightly different. Would this be some kind of variable in the future?

    "I see?"

    As she was about to leave, E noticed something covering her body. It was Wonderstein¡¯s suit jacket. She had still been wearing it. She threw the jacket onto Wonderstein¡¯s legs.

    "I was still wearing it."

    "It keeps you warm, you know? The morning air is cold."

    "Hmph... I told you from the beginning! I¡¯m not cold at all!"

    With that exmation, E closed the door and left. Wonderstein looked at the closed door and smiled silently.

    *

    [You havepleted the sub-quest "Sponsor."]

    [As a reward, you have received "Debulroots x5."]

    [The main quest "Circus Grand Prix" has been activated.]

    Circus Grand Prix. He had expected this. Ever since he saw the sub-quest "Prologue" that instructed him to survive until the start of TT1, he had thought of Circus Grand Prix.

    Circus Grand Prix was the backdrop for TT1. Unlike the sequels that traveled around the world, TT1 took ce in a single city where the festival was held: Hippodrome. True to its name, all main quests converged spatially and temporally to the starting point of TT1.

    But for now, he had no time to think about Circus Grand Prix. The woman in front of him was the reason for that.

    Anais, who hade to express her gratitude, had been engaging in a repetitive conversation that seemed to be going nowhere.

    "You saved my life, Master."

    "That¡¯s right."

    "You also treated my illness."

    "I did."

    "I told you that I would do anything if it¡¯s what you wanted."

    "Yes."

    "But... is that request just to sponsor a Circus Troupe?"

    "Yes."

    "Is there nothing more?"

    "There¡¯s nothing more."

    Anais¡¯ expression as she looked at me was hostile.

    Was the way I had treated her still an issue?

    ¡¯She poured her heart out in front of everyone earlier. Moreover...¡¯

    Anais¡¯ illness had been quickly cured.

    As soon as my hand touched her chest, the Biomancer¡¯s skill instantly transformed her body. She no longer needed to rely on artificial pumps to survive.

    However, her breathing didn¡¯t return immediately.

    There needed to be one more stimulus, like a new-born baby taking its first breath.

    At that moment, I had only one choice.

    I didn¡¯t know about the existence of a manual resuscitator.

    I opened her lips, kissed her, and blew air into her mouth.

    Artificial respiration was amon-sense action for modern people in emergencies, but not here. It looked like nothing more than an aggressive act, covering her lips.

    Surviving the situation on the scene from the soldier was a miracle. I had saved her life, but it was inevitable that she would be shocked when she woke up and heard the details.

    From her attitude yesterday, it was clear that she despised Wonderstein.

    How embarrassing it must have been to show such an appearance to someone she disliked.

    Since I was the one who saved her life and treated her illness, she had no choice but to endure it.

    I decided to try to smooth things over at this point.

    "Please forget about what happenedst night."

    "...Forget?"

    "Yes, just know that it was for the sake of saving your life. I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand."

    "Misunderstand...?"

    "In case you thought I had different intentions towards you. I have no feelings for you."

    "...No feelings at all?"

    "None."

    "Not even a little?"

    "Not even a little."

    I didn¡¯t expect that these words alone would calm Anais down immediately, but I hoped they would at least soften her.

    However, my expectations backfired.

    Upon hearing my exnation, Anais¡¯ expression became incredibly stern.

    Was the glint in her eyes that I mistook for a moment a figment of my imagination?

    "I see."

    "You do?"

    "It was a misunderstanding."

    "Oh, yes! It was a misunderstanding. It was just a transaction."

    "A transaction?"

    "Yes, a transaction. I hope that makes you feel more at ease."

    Anais¡¯ face returned to a peaceful state.

    She had a smile on her face.

    The word "transaction" seemed to resonate with her, likely because of her merchant nature.

    Thank goodness. I thought I had made a mistake for a moment...

    Sheughed and got up abruptly.

    Anais, who had been calm, suddenly twisted her face.

    Her face turned red; tears flowed from her eyes.

    She red at me and shouted.

    "You are truly... for the sake of others... sacrificing yourself... Ugh, you... idiot!"

    Bang!

    She stormed out of the room.

    I was dumbfounded and contemted her words.

    Idiot? What did she mean by that?

    I would have understood if she had called me a pervert...

    In any case, it was clear that she was feeling shame and anger.

    It might not be resolved so easily after all.

    Still, she will sponsor, won¡¯t she?

    I nervously opened the message window, wondering if a quest reversal would appear.

 Chapter 11: Patron Anais (End)

    "These are the promissory notes issued by the Chamber of Commerce here. And this is the item you asked for earlier."

    Lunchtime.

    The two members of the Monster Circus decided to leave the mansion.

    The mansion¡¯s residents had wanted to entertain them for days, but the ringmaster refused.

    He said he was in a hurry, so it was hard to persuade him any further.

    "Thedy won¡¯t evene out to see them off."

    "Yeah, that tall girl even showed her naked body. How is she supposed to face him?"

    "I wouldn¡¯t mind if a handsome man like him undressed and performed some magic for me."

    "Shh, the butler will hear you. Keep it down."

    Normally, the old butler would have scolded the maids who chattered without any restraint.

    But now, his mind was elsewhere.

    He recalled the moment he had seen hisdy crying in his room after meeting Wonderstein.

    He hadn¡¯t heard the details, but listening to her sobbing, he could vaguely guess that she had been hurt.

    The butler held his breath.

    What had she expected from a man she had just met for the first time yesterday, with whom she hadn¡¯t even exchanged a word?

    Thedy, who had always yearned for the outside world, had a fantasy about love.

    He had saved her life and treated her, so she naturally imagined that a passionate love would blossom.

    But he never expected that it would happen so quickly, let alone in such an intense manner.

    He didn¡¯t even imagine it would be that intense!

    "Well then, we¡¯ll see you next time. Please give my regards to thedy of the house."

    The butler wanted to grab the insolent magician by the cor and ask what wascking in ourdy.

    But as a seasoned butler, he didn¡¯t reveal his emotions in front of guests.

    He just cursed silently in his mind.

    On the other hand, he couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved.

    A rtionship between a wandering stranger and ady could cause quite a scandal in Charlotia, where lineage was highly valued.

    The carriage was filled with gifts prepared for Wonderstein. He was all ready to leave.

    He just needed the assistant ringmaster to arrive.

    As if on cue, E walked in from the garden.

    "Where have you been?"

    "Oh, just...admiring the garden."

    E avoided Wonderstein¡¯s gaze as she casually strolled around.

    Seeing the dirt and grass stains on her dress, it was clear that she hadn¡¯t just been admiring the garden.

    Wonderstein suspected something, but he didn¡¯t show it.

    "Then I wish you a safe journey."

    As they were bid farewell by the mansion¡¯s residents, the carriage departed.

    During the return journey to the campsite, the carriage was silent.

    E kept ncing back at the mansion as if she had left something behind.

    "Vergsong gave us many gifts."

    "Oh, did she?"

    "I also received several local specialties. I¡¯ll share them with the members when we get back."

    "I see."

    "I will eat alone. I think the other members might feel ufortable."

    "That¡¯s how it usually goes."

    After a few words, the carriage fell silent again.

    E didn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood.

    Wonderstein smiled slyly as he watched her give half-hearted responses.

    He took out a bundle from his pocket, a gift that the butler had prepared earlier.

    "Take this."

    "I don¡¯t need it."

    E turned her head sharply.

    How could she after being deceived by this devil?

    And right now, this gift is not important.

    She was more concerned about... damn it.

    A few minutes passed like that.

    Wonderstein still held out the gift, not retracting it until she took it.

    ¡¯What a persistent devil¡¯

    E sighed deeply as she reluctantly epted the package.

    It was very light.

    "What¡¯s this?"

    "Open it."

    She gave a skeptical look at Wonderstein as she carefully unwrapped the package.

    It seemed too light to be jewelry.

    But what she found inside was something she had never expected.

    "Oh..."

    Her fingers touched a piece of fabric adorned with delicate embroidery.

    A handkerchief.

    E knew exactly what this was.

    It was the handkerchief she had thrown out of the windowst night.

    She had been searching for it all the time in the garden.

    But why was it here now?

    "I asked the butler to find the handkerchief that fell in the garden."

    "..."

    "That thing you went looking for this morning."

    E couldn¡¯t say anything and just caressed the handkerchief in her hand.

    She might not remember her mother, but this was the only heirloom she had left.

    She had asked Wonderstein to leave and go retrieve it because she didn¡¯t want him to see her cryingst night.

    She had nned to send other servants to pick it upter.

    But when she actually went to search the garden today, she couldn¡¯t find the handkerchief anywhere.

    She thought she had lost it forever.

    She regretted her unnecessary pride and had been crying all morning.

    But why did he have this item now?

    "E values it dearly."

    "..."

    "I¡¯ve cleaned it thoroughly, used magic to dry and sterilize it, so don¡¯t worry and use it."

    E fidgeted with the handkerchief, trying to find the right words.

    But she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say.

    She just kept repeating herself.

    "Why...?"

    "What?"

    "Why... did you?"

    Wonderstein seemed to smile as if wondering why she was asking such a question.

    "We made a deal."

    "What?"

    "You agreed to help me. If E is distracted elsewhere, how can she be of assistance to me?"

    "..."

    E stared at the handkerchief for a moment, then clenched it tightly.

    It was ridiculous.

    Talking about devil.

    "It was a pointless endeavor."

    "What?"

    E put the handkerchief back into her pocket and spoke.

    "I can easily have bird or mice find it for me. But why did you have to interfere and make thingsplicated? I went through unnecessary trouble since this morning."

    "Come to think of it, you¡¯re right. Hehe, I apologize."

    Wonderstein smiled and bowed his head.

    "Ugh."

    E couldn¡¯t say anything more.

    She remained silent, gazing out of the window until they reached the campsite.

    Wonderstein also spent his time staring out the opposite window.

    Of course, he wasn¡¯t really taking in the scenery.

    ["Chapter Quest - Handkerchief" has beenpleted.]

    It was the activated chapter quest that appeared after E had thrown the handkerchief out of the windowst night.

    A message popped up indicating itspletion.

    Chapter Quest - Handkerchief:

    The handkerchief you just retrieved is a very precious item to E. Completion Condition:

    Return the handkerchief to E.

    Reward upon Sess:

    [Debulroots x1]

    Penalty for Failure:

    None

    Chapter quests were simr topanion quests in games. The six support characters who apanied him in real-time would make various requests based on their interactions to the surrounding environment. Fulfilling these requests would slightly increase their favorability or grant simple items.

    Usually, it was things like:

    "Hey, let¡¯s take a break here for a moment." "Can I take off my armor? It¡¯s too humid." "I can¡¯t stand being with that brat. Me or him, one of us has to go." "I really want some ice cream."

    These were the kind of minor requests they usually made.

    This chapter quest was no different. It involved returning a handkerchief, a simple task, with a reward of just one "Debulroot." But still, he cared about it genuinely. It was frustrating that the favorability didn¡¯t even increase by 1 point. Maybe the disy was just showing 0, but in reality, it was in negative?

    If that was the case, she could reach the favorability of 0 by the end of the game. That would be terrible.

    "Ringmaster! Assistant Ringmaster! We¡¯ve arrived at the campsite!"

    The carriage came to a stop.

    The coachman was so dedicated to his role that he wouldn¡¯t even touch the luggage, and we carefully unloaded it ourselves.

    "Well, I¡¯ll be on my way then! Have a pleasant journey!"

    With a cloud of dust, the carriage headed back to the mansion.

    E still hadn¡¯t said a word and had her back turned to Wonderstein, was looking towards the departing carriage.

    "Miss E?"

    Even when he called out to her, she neither responded nor moved from her spot. She just tapped her foot lightly on the dusty ground.

    A little whileter, she opened her mouth ever so slightly and muttered in a tiny voice.

    "...Thank you."

    "What?"

    Still, E did not respond to his words, and she simply turned and headed towards where the rest of the members were.

    Now she wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge people. She had been so cute before, but that darn kid...

    If it weren¡¯t for the contract, I¡¯d really give her a piece of my mind...

    I don¡¯t have the energy for it...

    Come to think of it, without E, he wouldn¡¯t have a way to run the circus ormunicate with the members.

    Wonderstein could only smile.

    With the luggage in hand, he was about to return to the carriage, but then...

    Beep.

    Suddenly, a message appeared.

    That was...

    [E¡¯s favorability has increased by 3. Current favorability: 3. (Next reward: Favorability 15)]

    ***

    I returned to the campsite and once again found myself alone.

    We had decided to leave this ce tomorrow morning.

    The one in charge of organizing the camp and directing the campers was E, the assistant ringmaster.

    I had to sit quietly in my carriage like an old man.

    It was morefortable for me that way, and it made it easier for the campers to work.

    While waiting like this, Anais¡¯s servant came by.

    Anais had written me a letter.

    "I promised to sponsor you, but I still can¡¯t trust you! Are you really giving proper treatment? You should visit regrly for check-ups! And send me a detailed report every week on what happened and where the money was spent! You need to show somemitment if you want sponsorship! If you wrote the letter carelessly!

    I can withdraw my sponsorship anytime!"

    Why did she use so many exmation marks in the letter?

    I folded the letter and put it in my pocket.

    This youngdy is quite something.

    Asking me to write a letter every week.

    Really. Save her life, cure her illness.

    I¡¯ve done everything for her,

    and after saying she¡¯ll fulfilling any request, what¡¯s with the talk of withdrawing sponsorship at any time?

    Wasn¡¯t she a great richdy? The lion, the witch and the audacity of this bitch!

    Thud!

    Oh, it¡¯s finally dinner time.

    Womon must have brought my meal as usual.

    "Leave it in front."

    But the person didn¡¯t leave.

    I realized from the silhouette reflecting in the carriage window that it was unusual.

    "Is it E?"

    There were only two people who woulde all the way to my carriage, Womon or E.

    "Yeah."

    "What¡¯s going on? Are we all packed and ready to leave?"

    "Yeah. We just need to leave early tomorrow."

    "But why?"

    "Eat."

    "Did E bring it to me?"

    It was unexpected. Wasn¡¯t it her pride that made her always order Womon?

    "Don¡¯t make meugh. Am I your maid? Why would I do such a thing?"

    "Then why did youe?"

    E hesitated for a moment before speaking rapidly.

    "Just eating in there feels suffocating, you know? It¡¯s better toe out and have a conversation while eating."

    This was unexpected.

    I opened the door.

    E stood there awkwardly, extending her fist for a handshake.

    E trying to be friendly.

    I wondered if the charm of "Favorability: 3" had this much power.

    E raised her eyebrows and stared at me.

    "Don¡¯t twist it! Who would want to eat with the likes of you?"

    "So, what¡¯s the matter then?"

    "It¡¯s about our future ns. As you said, we¡¯ve gathered the members and secured sponsorship. It¡¯s time to start revealing what we¡¯re going to do next, right? We don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going tomorrow."

    Hmm, was that the kind of conversation we were having?

    I thought E was handling all the schedules.

    It was true that there were some important matters to discuss.

    "Alright. Let¡¯s talk while we eat."

    We went to the campsite table and had dinner.

    As dinner wasing to an end, I brought up the main topic.

    "E."

    The most important thing she needed to know for our future ns.

    "Have you heard of the Grand Prix Circus?"

 Chapter 12: Spider Lady Yurakne

    In an age when airships roamed the skies, there was still ack of affordable andrge-scale means of transporting goods. Thanks to the development of steamships, even the remote ind areas were now essible for the transportation ofrge quantities of cargo, with markets thriving around ports and harbors.

    These markets of the era were not just ces to buy and sell goods. Bards sang songs, jesters disyed their skills, and actors performed ys. People looked forward to visiting the market, wondering what new attractions awaited them each time.

    In the small harbor town of Aksville, nestled along the Dragoneu River, there were only poor territories and small viges nearby. Therefore,pared to other markets, Aksville had fewer goods to offer and limited entertainment.

    However, this time, intriguing news had spread around Aksville. The Monster Circus Troupe had arrived.

    "Just the name gives me chills!"

    "Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Why would an interesting circus troupee to Aksville?"

    "Well, maybe this time it¡¯s different. It¡¯s called the Monster Circus Troupe, after all. They might not have been epted anywhere else."

    "Really? Should we go check it out?"

    "Let¡¯s see what kind of terrifying monsters they have."

    Thanks to the anticipation surrounding the Monster Circus Troupe, Aksville was livelier than usual this weekend.

    Restless residents.

    Lovers out on a date.

    Local kids sneaking around for a peek.

    Nobles who hade seeking a new source of entertainment, and so on.

    The square in front of the fairground was bustling with people filled with anticipation for the Monster Circus Troupe.

    Ding, ding, ding.

    The bells of the fairground rang out, announcing the start of the show precisely at 1 o¡¯clock. Right on cue, the curtain at the entrance was drawn back, and two figures emerged from within.

    One was a beautiful young girl dressed in a long, crimson costume with a ck skirt, and the other was a jester with a mask and hood covering his head.

    Among those scrutinizing their appearance, voices of disappointment were heard.

    "They look ordinary."

    "We heard it¡¯s the Monster Circus Troupe, and I thought they¡¯d have some unique monsters."

    "Is there anything special inside?"

    Despite the grumbling of the onlookers, the young girl remained unfazed. Instead, she smiled warmly and waved her hand.

    Though she appeared young, her confident demeanor suggested she had considerable experience in performing.

    The girl waited for themotion to die down.

    And then...

    Ahem.

    It was a small cough, but it instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention to the girl.

    She didn¡¯t miss this moment.

    Taking off her hat, she extended her arms and legs, and bent at the waist to greet the audience.

    "Hello, everyone! I¡¯m E, the trainer of the Monster Circus Troupe!"

    Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it carried a lively tone that reached the ears of the audience. Even in front of hundreds of people, her voice remained steady.

    Even those who had been making sarcastic remarks about her being a young child thought, "She¡¯s quite confident for her age."

    "Our circus troupe has brought some truly dangerous monsters from all over the world! Inside, please follow our guidance carefully. Otherwise... you might end up being eaten by the monsters! So, those who are prepared for that, pleasee on in!"

    Although her words were chilling, they did not match the adorable girl¡¯s voice. Some people even chuckled, seemingly not taking her warning seriously.

    "What¡¯s so special about these monsters?"

    "Do they even have monsters?"

    "Right! We paid money to get in, what if there¡¯s nothing special?"

    "Show us the monsters!"

    Despite the crowd¡¯s reaction, E simply smiled, turning around to face the tall jester standing beside her.

    "Shall we show them, Sven?"

    "Hehe, then we should show them."

    The jester, known as Sven, stepped forward. He scanned the audience and singled out a man who seemed strong and full of himself, judging by his attire as aborer at the fairground.

    "Hey, you there, looks like you have some strength!"

    "Did you call me?"

    The man raised his biceps arrogantly, as if he had received a challenge.

    Sven chuckled at his response.

    "No, I was actually referring to your bearded wife next to you. You seem quite feeble."

    "What did you say!"

    Laughter erupted within the tent.

    Of course, there was no wife or spouse next to the man. His burlyrade with a thick beard was the only one beside him.

    Both the man and the burly man were embarrassed when the jester teased them about having a wife.

    "Are you angry? Are you? Are you really? Huh? Are you going to hit me? Will you?

    Try hitting me. Huh? Try it. Try it."

    The jester hopped around the man, arms outstretched, yfully taunting him. His agile movements were those of a seasoned acrobat.

    The audience pped and cheered, even though they weren¡¯t quite sure what was happening; the show had begun.

    The dockworker, perhaps realizing that this was part of the circus¡¯s act, soon calmed down and licked his lips. His well-trained muscles, ustomed to waterfrontbor, tensed.

    "It¡¯s going to hurt a bit!"

    He raised his fist, ready to strike the jester who had been teasing him.

    However, the jester¡¯s movements were lightning fast. He twisted his chest, dodging the man¡¯s fist, and jerked his headically.

    "Why are you so mad, trying to impress your wife?"

    Laughter erupted again.

    "Well, um..."

    The man, perhaps wounded in his pride, threw a more vigorous punch.

    But the oue of the second and third punches that followed was the same. Every time the man threw a punch, the jester bent his neck, twisted his waist, and bent his legs to avoid the attack.

    His movements were so exaggerated that every time he dodged a punch, it elicitedughter.

    However, even the most amusing act could be tiresome when repeated, and both the audience and the man throwing punches were starting to get tired.

    That¡¯s when something unexpected happened.

    Thud.

    The man¡¯s fistnded squarely on the jester¡¯s face.

    The jester staggered, seemingly shocked by the impact.

    "Is that even allowed?"

    "He got punched while clowning around."

    "It¡¯s a ghost!"

    People screamed, some crouched down, and others fled the scene. The square in front of the fairground turned into chaos in an instant.

    This was because the jester¡¯s head had actually fallen off.

    The person most surprised was theborer who had thrown the punch. He looked as if he might faint, his confidencepletely gone. However, something even more shocking happened.

    "Hey, could you pick up my head for me?"

    The detached head was speaking!

    Theborer looked puzzled.

    Even the onlookers were stunned and took a step back. Clearly, the detached head was speaking!

    "It doesn¡¯t seem like you can do it, so I guess I¡¯ll have to pick it up myself. Hot, hot, hot!"

    And then, the body that had been left behind began to move on its own.

    Was it puppetry?

    No, it didn¡¯t feel like someone was controlling it. The movements of the arms and legs were all natural.

    Even if it were puppetry, it didn¡¯t exin how the head was speaking on its own.

    "Hey, body! Over here! Pick it up quickly!"

    The body searched the ground, bumping into things along the way.

    Maybe because it couldn¡¯t see, it even hit a pir.

    The actions were exaggerated andical, but no one wasughing.

    It wasn¡¯t funny; it was... eerie.

    "Hot, hot, hot! It¡¯s quite spicy, isn¡¯t it? My head almost fell off!"

    The jester eximed in a cheerful voice.

    However, the atmosphere inside the tent was chilling.

    No one had any idea what this bizarre magic was all about.

    The jester¡¯s body lifted the head and continued with its antics.

    "Oops! My hand slipped!"

    To anyone watching, it seemed like a deliberate act of clumsiness.

    Then, the head emerged from between the mask and hood.

    Inside, instead of blood and flesh as one might expect from a severed head, there was only...

    A hollow skull.

    And then...

    "Ha, ha, ha! I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t show my face without makeup!"

    With an empty skull, devoid of muscles or eyeballs, the jester cackled withughter.

    ...!!

    A storm of emotions swept through the audience.

    Astonishment, fear, and curiosity had their time and passed.

    After a momentary pause, the time of excitement arrived.

    "Hey! Why are you cutting in front of people there?"

    "I was originally standing in this line!"

    "Make way!"

    "Hey! Let¡¯s observe proper etiquette!"

    People pushed and shouted at each other, eager to get in.

    After seeing a living skeleton, they had set aside all their suspicions about the circus.

    Even now, at the entrance of the circus, the skull jester was juggling with his own head, captivating the audience¡¯s attention.

    "Hehehe! I¡¯m the talking one! I¡¯m not a match for the terrifying monsters inside! A little push, and everything copses! So that¡¯s why I¡¯m entertaining the guests from outside!"

    Sven¡¯s antics further excited the crowd.

    Was there something even more bizarre than a living skeleton?

    What kind of monsters could they be?

    "Hey, humans! Over here! In line!"

    "One at a time! Enter! One at a time!"

    Inside the tent, the stagehands came out to organize the scene.

    The squeaky rat-men were employed asborers in the circus.

    In this world, they could always be found in the most bottom-tier jobs, working hard and in dirty ces.

    So, all the first-row spectators lined up.

    "Alright then, let¡¯s proceed!"

    The girl who had introduced herself as the monster tamer led the way, guiding the audience.

    No one looked down on her because of her young appearance, just as they had earlier.

    Sven¡¯s show had left asting impression.

    As they were about to cross the entrance again, another "show" prepared by the circus was triggered.

    Thud!

    It was as if a rock had fallen, shaking the ground.

    What, what was that?

    Did a cannonball fly in?

    People were startled and couldn¡¯t move as a deafening roar echoed from inside the tent.

    "Kroooooo!"

    It sounded like the roar of a furious beast, even lower and more menacing.

    The air trembled, and people felt a chill down their spines, their arms covered in goosebumps.

    Some staggered, their legs trembling, and sat down on the ground.

    The circus girl looked serious and whispered softly to the audience.

    "Our circus¡¯s most wicked creature, the ¡¯Red Vampire,¡¯ seems to have caught the scent of humans and is getting excited. This might be more dangerous than usual, but are you still willing to enter?"

    The Red Vampire.

    Just hearing the name conjured up all sorts of horrifying images.

    Frozen in fear, no one said a word. But from inside, the sound of a loud pounding was heard several more times.

    "Is, is there something wrong?"

    "Th-this is just... a performance..."

    "They must be well-trained. They must be."

    "Don¡¯t say it so lightly. It¡¯smon for acrobats to put their heads in a lion¡¯s mouth and end up dead."

    "I, I¡¯m going! Damn it! Does a man die just once or twice!"

    People lined up once more.

    They followed E, their movements somewhat hesitant.

    Looking back at them, E clenched her fists tightly.

    "Maximum effect! Well done, Womon."

    Inside the tent.

    Several booths formed a circle, surrounding the courtyard. Each booth had curtains drawn, creating an air of mystery. In thergest booth, the sound of a beast¡¯s cry echoed ominously, causing people to stay at a distance. They feared that even a single hand might reach through the curtains and snatch them.

    Despite the audience¡¯s curiosity, E pretended not to notice themotion. After all, Womon was the circus¡¯s ace, and she had no intention of revealing him at this moment. She knew that the best acts camest.

    She stood in front of the leftmost booth and addressed the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, please pay attention over here! The first monster we are about to introduce is arguably the most dangerous in the entire circus. Even more so than the vampire trapped over there."

    As the sound of chains being pulled emanated from the iron bars, the vampire growled lowly, as if questioning how there could be anything more dangerous than itself.

    More dangerous than that monster?

    Can we still leave now?

    Doubts filled the minds of the people who had entered.

    "The man carrying the world¡¯s deadliest disease on his body! Introducing..."

    When E gave the signal, the stagehands lowered the curtains. "The Bandaged Man!"

    Inside a ss-walled rectangr chamber, a man sat on the floor,pletely covered in bandages.

    "What is this?"

    "Looks like writing..."

    Red letters, whether paint or blood, were scribbled all over the ss surface. Those with schrly knowledge recognized them as ancient imperial scriptures.

    "Spreading like a devil... Save those afflicted with the deadliest disease... with holy and pure water..."

    Those who understood the words were astonished and eximed, "It¡¯s from the Bible! Bible verses!"

    "It¡¯s the Secretary of Saint Victor!"

    The writings on the ss were all passages from the Secretary of Saint Victor. Saint Victor was a priest renowned for his efforts inbating the ck gue with his vast knowledge of medicine and healing. Not only did he save countless lives with his exceptional medical skills, but he also defeated the demon known as the gue Lord with his unwavering faith.

    When the gue spread, it wasmon practice to ce amulets with his writings all around the house. But now, there was a monster confined within those same writings.

    What could this mean?

    The Bandaged Man was, in fact, a person afflicted with a terrifying disease.

    E leaned in, as if sharing a crucial secret. "He¡¯s the sole survivor of a small coastal city in the Neva Desert, a ce wiped out by this deadly disease."

    Despite their curiosity, the audience took a step back. Even with the seal of the Bible, the presence of the disease was unsettling.

    The girl smiled as if encouraging such curiosity and approached the ss wall without hesitation.

    Then, she yfully pounded the wall with her fist. "Hey, Bandaged Man! Wake up! You owe me lunch!"

    At E¡¯smand, the man lifted his head from between his knees. The long bandages unravelled and revealed the man¡¯s skin, which seemed to have suffered severe burns. His skin was covered in blisters, and ckish pus oozed from them. His eyelids had already melted away, exposing round eyeballs.

    His scalp was cracked like a parched field, and the few remaining strands of hair resembled weeds in a barren wastnd.

    With gums that looked like dried-up riverbeds and decayed teeth on disy, he grinned, causing the onlookers to shudder.

    "What a horrifying sight, something out of a nightmare."

    "Is that a disease? No, it¡¯s a curse! A curse!"

    The crowd¡¯sments grew more ominous, but the man seemed to pretend to listen, though he had no ears. His twisted holes were the only evidence of where they had once been. And from one of those holes, a maggot quickly crawled out.

    "Ew! I can¡¯t watch this! Please, make it stop!"

    "Enough! Next! Next!"

    "These monstrous creatures are like cursed offspring!"

    The curtains closed.

    Sweating profusely, the audience members took deep breaths. They exchanged opinions about what they had just seen.

    E gave them a moment to catch their breath and then went on to introduce the next members of the monstrous troupe: the spider woman, the triple-headed triplets, the cursed fairy, and even the Red Vampire, known as the worst of the circus.

    Although it hadsted only twenty minutes, the audience left the tent feeling dizzy and exhrated.

    There were manyters moring to be let in.

    It was a resounding sess!

 Chapter 13: Spider Lady Yurakne (2)

    After a sessful day¡¯s performance, the members of the Monster Circus troupe gathered at the campsite for a celebration.

    No matter how sessful their performance was, they couldn¡¯t expect cheers and apuse.

    They put in sweat and effort, but all they received were disdainful looks.

    Providing people with a target for their contempt, anger, and humiliation¡ª that was the essence of the Monster Circus.

    That¡¯s why asions like this were especially significant to the troupe members.

    Even though it was just a post-show gathering, it meant a lot to them.

    There wasn¡¯t much to the celebration.

    They simply congratted each other on their hard work.

    "Everyone did an amazing job. People were truly fooled by your performances!"

    The assistant ringmaster, E, went from one member to another, highlighting what surprised people and what was remarkable about each of them.

    The troupe members had spent four hours locked inside their booths, performing all sorts of messy acts.

    Their struggles extended far beyond just performing. Acting aside, baring one¡¯s ws and bing a subject of ridicule was not something one could easily do with mental strength alone.

    Even a simplepliment or word of encouragement provided great sce.

    "You did great."

    "You, especially."

    "Haha, it was tough for everyone."

    "Ugh, my shoulders are killing me."

    Many of the troupe members had sore arms and legs from being cooped up in a cramped space.

    Especially Womon, the biggest member, was groaning as he massaged his shoulders.

    Standing at over 2 meters tall, with rough, reddish skin resembling alligator hide, horns on his head, and fangs protruding from his mouth, he looked intimidating. However, he was just a boy who had recently turned ten.

    As the youngest member of the circus, heughed while his older siblings gave him massages.

    "Hehehe, it tickles!"

    "We¡¯re giving it all we¡¯ve got here!"

    "This leather is way too tough."

    "Ouch! I got pricked by that sharp part!"

    "Haha! Be careful. Remember when I almost got my neck sliced off ying with this guyst time?"

    "It wasn¡¯t that bad!"

    "Yeah, yeah."

    The monster acts took a toll on both the body and mind.

    In a way, it was a show that stimted their traumas.

    But there wasn¡¯t a single member who regretted joining the Monster Circus.

    Most of them thought that they had finally found true friends here.

    They understood each other¡¯s pain because they had all been discriminated against in society due to their appearances.

    Just being together provided a sense of healing.

    "Alright, dinner is ready!"

    Six arms appeared, each carrying trays filled with food.

    The owner of these arms was a mature woman with purple hair tied up with hairpins.

    As she walked towards them, carrying the trays, her steps seemed alluring, perhaps due to her precarious bnce.

    Her cheeks were flushed from the heat of the stove, and sweat beads adorned her forehead.

    The Spider Lady, Yurakne.

    She had exceptional cooking skills and was in charge of the circus troupe¡¯s meals.

    E finally realized and stood up from her seat when she saw Yurakneing out of the kitchen.

    "Sister, did you do everything by yourself again? You should have called me. I offered to help."

    "Hehe, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just take your feelings. I can¡¯t ask the assistant ringmaster to do such work."

    Yurakne smiled warmly, and E scratched her head sheepishly.

    Despite being the oldest, E used informalnguage even with Skeleton Sven. However, for some reason, she used honorifics when speaking to Yurakne. Unlike the often-grumbling Sven, Yurakne exuded an aura of dignity as an elder, which made E naturally use politenguage with her.

    "I¡¯ll help with breakfast tomorrow morning."

    "It¡¯s okay. I can handle it on my own."

    "You don¡¯t need to feel burdened."

    "No, really, it¡¯s fine..."

    Yurakne seemed increasingly anxious.

    "You don¡¯t have to go out of your way to consider me."

    "No, it¡¯s not that..."

    In truth, Yurakne decision not to let E help in the kitchen wasn¡¯t solely due to her consideration for others. There was another reason, and everyone except her knew it.

    Some of the less talented members were now protesting against E.

    "Assistant Ringmaster! please...!!"

    "Why can¡¯t you understand what we¡¯re saying?"

    "E¡¯s dishes are... well..."

    At that moment, Womon, who had been quiet until then, spoke up seriously.

    "E¡¯s food is torture!"

    "Well said, Womon! E, do you remember the day we all got food poisoning?"

    "Squeak! Human! Stay out of the kitchen! Period!"

    Even the timid rat men who usually stayed in the corner joined themotion. E¡¯s face turned bright red at the members¡¯ints.

    "Enough! How can you bring up that incident again? Besides, it was because the ingredients were bad! I can cook just fine now! And you rat men! What right do you have toin about leftovers?"

    "Squeak! There¡¯s still dignity in leftovers!"

    "That¡¯s right!"

    It was the first time E had seen her usually timid rat members speak up so strongly and share their opinions. E felt embarrassed and shouted at them.

    "Ugh! Fine, then you guys can help!"

    Everyone shrugged in response to E¡¯s words.

    There was Sven, who would drop his arms at the slightest provocation, the triplets who constantly fought for control of their bodies, Benedict, who worried about his scales and pus getting into the food, and many other members who were unsuitable for cooking due to their inherent conditions. The rat men, who had poor hygiene, were a whole different story.

    That¡¯s why Yurakne had to prepare the meals alone.

    "E, I really am okay," Yurakne reassured her.

    "But the amount of cooking has increased a lot recently. We used to get by with just a bowl of soup, but now we have proper meals twice a day..."

    Thanks to the increased budget, the dining table had be more abundant, but that also meant more work for the person preparing the meals. And starting today, they were also performing on stage.

    E was worried that Yurakne might be pushing herself too hard.

    "Hehe, don¡¯t worry. I can handle it on my own. We¡¯re not a big family, and besides, I have six arms," Yurakne said shyly, gathering the two arms behind her shoulders and the other two on her waist.

    "If I didn¡¯t have these extra four arms, I might have been considered quite a beauty," she continued, her skin surprisingly fair for someone from the countryside. Despite the hard work she did every day, there wasn¡¯t a single blister on her hands. Her waist was slender, and she had a well-defined figure.

    ¡¯If only she didn¡¯t have those four extra arms...¡¯ E thought for a moment.

    ¡¯My goodness, what am I thinking? This kind of thinking is disrespectful to her. She¡¯s still beautiful and a wonderful person. Just because she looks a bit different from others doesn¡¯t make it a problem. There¡¯s a perfect example of the opposite right there.¡¯

    E nced briefly at the head chef¡¯s carriage.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    He was undeniably handsome, to a fault. His smile was equally charming.

    Even E had to admit that much, though she disliked him.

    But beneath it all was a cunning devil who could only mimic humans.

    To him, appearances were as meaningless as shells.

    For the past few weeks, he had been behaving so quietly but E couldn¡¯t be fooled.

    She knew he could turn around at any moment and be ruthless.

    "Today¡¯s MVP of the performance is Ms. Yurakne!"

    "Woo-hoo! Oh, right! Yurakne, you¡¯re the best!"

    "Agreed! One hundred percent agreed!"

    The members were suddenly discussing and critiquing today¡¯s performance amongst themselves.

    Among the most mentioned individuals were Womon and Yurakne.

    Womon¡¯s overwhelming presence needed no mention, but Yurakne, who had rtively subtle makeup, was also frequently mentioned.

    Because her acting today was so different from her usual image.

    Hehehe! If only I didn¡¯t have this cage! I would eat you humans again! Come here! Come here! Kehehe!

    Shy and considerate Yurakne performed the role of a man-eating ogre with a terrifying makeup.

    The audience was scared, but the other members watching her act had to hold back theirughter.

    "Oh,e here! Come here!"

    "Kehehe! Kehehe!"

    Skeleton Sven and dwarf Jobel, who never missed a chance to make fun of others, imitated the "Spider Woman" act, pretending to be her clumsily but capturing the essence well enough to bring the character to mind.

    All the members watching burst intoughter.

    E couldn¡¯t help but giggle too.

    Yurakne¡¯s face turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

    "Woo! Both of you will get no desserts!"

    "Oh, Yurakne! Don¡¯t you know? I don¡¯t eat anyway. Don¡¯t eat? Don¡¯t eat?"

    The skeleton shrugged his shoulders and danced.

    The other members pped their hands, getting into the spirit.

    Yurakne understood how the poor beach worker she had performed with earlier must have felt.

    She wanted to blow his head off.

    "Really..."

    Yurakne pouted and nced at him.

    "Sorry~ Sorry~ Hehe! Sorry~"

    "Ah, I should stop talking. Well, let¡¯s all enjoy our meals."

    The meal that used to be distributed ording to rank had now be a buffet.

    When the circus was poor, there was no choice, but with generous sponsorship, everyone could now enjoy the same quality of food.

    "Oh, right! I forgot to mention that the merchants¡¯ guild sent gifts saying they were satisfied with today¡¯s performance. It¡¯s roast pig! It¡¯s almost done cooking now, so I¡¯ll bring it out!"

    Yurakne was about to head back to the kitchen.

    At that moment, E signaled to Womon.

    Despite his seemingly dull appearance, Womon was a smart 10-year-old.

    He stood up abruptly.

    "Sister Yurakne, please stay seated. You¡¯ve been working all this time. E and I will go get it."

    "You rest. This isn¡¯t cooking. Just the two of us will be enough."

    "Um... alright! Okay then. Please do."

    Yurakne watched E and Womon walk side by side, thinking.

    E, the only ordinary human in the circus.

    She was thankful to E, who always said she was grateful.

    Grateful for ying the role of the emotional support for the members, even though she was still so young.

    But did E know?

    That the gratitude she received from Yurakne was nothingpared to what Yurakne felt.

    E gave hope to them all.

    Hope that they could also live normally among humans.

    If she approached like this without fear and realized they were not so different from them.

    Why did other people fear them?

    At that moment, a thought shed through Yurakne¡¯s mind.

    A circus where everyone lived like a family.

    But even within that family, there was someone who received treatment simr to what they faced in society.

    Ringmaster Wonderstein.

    Did they also consider him a monster and fear him, avoiding him?

    "Does the ringmaster feel the same way?"

    The director who always made peopleugh.

    He had never been seen getting angry or raising his voice.

    There had never been a hint of fear or disdain in his eyes towards them.

    Could he be lonely too?

    Yurakne soon realized that she was extending her empathy even to the unreasonable areas.

    If the other members had known, they would have told her not to talk nonsense.

    The ringmaster being treated like a devil was not because of his appearance.

 Chapter 14: Spider Lady Yurakne (3)

    After sessfullypleting the first day¡¯s performance, around midnight.

    When all the troupe members were asleep.

    I sneaked out of the carriage and wandered around the campfire at the camping site.

    Everyone seems to be startled when they see me, so I¡¯ve developed a habit of taking walks at night.

    The sensation of the ground with every step I take always feels new.

    How about the cold night breeze that tickles the palm of my hand?

    The warmth of the campfire.

    The sound of the remaining firewood crackling.

    The chirping of crickets.

    The moon¡¯s blue light rising in the sky.

    Everything was vividly perceptible to my senses.

    A game, huh.

    Can all of this really be called a game?

    I left my self-made territory and travelled the world for ten days.

    People, environments, cities, materials, technology, culture, and so on.

    Everything I saw was moving organically.

    Even a single brick from a ce not featured in the game, or a single de of grass, each had their ownpelling history.

    My senses were speaking.

    This ce is reality.

    But...

    Still...

    No matter what...

    This ce is a game.

    I don¡¯t want to say that this is a fake world.

    This ce could be a real world existing somewhere in the universe.

    The Tril Trilo series might have been a test to select someone to send to this ce.

    But anyway, in two and a half years, I will disappear from this world.

    Whether I return to the original world or simply cease to exist through death.

    No matter how vibrant the stage is set,

    Even if everyone sincerely immerses themselves in their roles in the y,

    When the y ends, the actor has toe down from the stage.

    I was the sole actor on this stage.

    The character¡¯s name is Frank Wonderstein.

    The leader of the Monster Circus Troupe.

    Whether this ce is truly real or not didn¡¯t matter to me.

    It¡¯s just a stage, after all.

    A two-and-a-half-year-long one.

    Long if it¡¯s long, short if it¡¯s short, when the y ends, I have to give up my role and return to reality.

    When that happens, I...

    Ding¡ª

    Ding¡ª

    The constant notification sound from the status window continued.

    Messages from the ¡¯Evolution Research Centre¡¯ were being automatically calcted.

    Ah, this is difficult to get used to.

    Trait: Arm

    Applied Area: Shoulder

    Effect: Normal arm.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x16]

    Trait: Leg

    Applied Area: Pelvis

    Effect: Normal leg.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x24]

    Trait: Leg

    Applied Area: Pelvis

    Effect: Normal leg.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x24]

    Trait: Arm

    Applied Area: Shoulder

    Effect: Normal arm.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x16]

    Using the status window and muttering to the empty air or waving my hand every time felt quite embarrassing.

    So, I had turned on the option ¡¯Use the status window with thoughts,¡¯

    Which asionally seemed to operate on its own when I was lost in thought.

    Especially, the ¡¯Evolution Research Center¡¯ often caused malfunctions.

    It unconsciously calctes the abilities and resources I need whenever I thought I needed something.

    If I was reading a bookte at night, it would rmend ¡¯Owl¡¯s Eye,¡¯ and if the carriage was shaking too much, it would suggest ¡¯Gravity Ring Channel,¡¯ and so on.

    I guess I need practice with this, too, like moving my body.

    I closed the status window for now and sat down in front of the campfire.

    Traces of the troupe members who had gone to have fun were scattered everywhere.

    It was truly a bustling evening.

    It was the first performance that wasn¡¯t part of the original n, but all the members did well.

    Originally, we didn¡¯t n to stay in Aksville for so long.

    We had received sponsorship from Vergsong and decided to move towards the river.

    Taking a boat was the fastest way to reach our first destination.

    So, after a week of traveling, we finally reached Naruta.

    But we couldn¡¯t find a boat.

    "What? The Monster Circus?"

    "Are you crazy? If we let those guys on board, the river spirit will get angry!"

    "Ah, seriously, what bad luck! Can¡¯t they just go away?"

    The boatmen were a superstitious lot.

    They were the kind of people who would get anxious just by looking at a ¡¯tailless mouse¡¯ or ¡¯snake¡¯s discarded skin.¡¯

    Let alone talking about people known in the world as ¡¯cursed.¡¯

    Even if we offered to pay three times the usual fare, no boat appeared.

    In the end, E proposed an alternative.

    "Why don¡¯t we contact our sponsor? They should have plenty of boats, right?"

    I inwardly sighed at her suggestion.

    I didn¡¯t want to ask that woman...

    Moreover, Anais Vergsong, had recently replied to my letter, saying that the content of the letter I sent her not long ago was inadequate.

    "If you send such careless letters, I might withdraw my sponsorship!"

    Although I had attached the requested invoice and filled in the travel schedule to the brim, I didn¡¯t understand what the problem was.

    How much trouble will this request to send a boat cause?

    But I had no choice.

    I definitely needed her sponsorship.

    Main Quest: Grand Prix Circus

    With the sponsorship secured, a new main quest had been added.

    Unlike the ¡¯Main Quest - Prequel,¡¯ which had ¡¯real-world death¡¯ as a penalty for failure, this quest had no penalty for failure.

    Instead, the rewards for sess were incredibly appealing.

    The moment I saw the quest notification window, my breath nearly caught in my throat.

    What I had always wished for was on the line as a reward.

    Grand Prix Circus

    No matter what the cost, I had to make it to the main event.

    "Alright, let¡¯s send a letter to Lady Anais Vergsong."

    So, I sent the letter, and not long after, a reply came.

    They would send a boat within a week.

    A few days to wait after sending the letter.

    And a few more days until the boat arrived.

    We ended up staying in Aksville for about ten days.

    "It¡¯s a waste of time just waiting around."

    "I have a good idea."

    E took me to Aksville¡¯s Merchant Guild.

    Her suggestion was as follows:

    Since we have to stay here for ten days anyway, we should do a performance at the fairground.

    "Will the Merchant Guild wee us?"

    "Sailors are a sensitive bunch by nature, but merchants are different."

    As E said, the Merchant Guild dly epted our performance offer.

    Merchants were people who valued profit over prestige.

    As long as we could attract many customers, it didn¡¯t matter who we were.

    Even without us asking, they also helped us promote the show in nearby viges.

    Thanks to that, the show was a sess.

    It achieved more sess than we had anticipated.

    [You havepleted ¡¯Sub Quest - First Performance.¡¯]

    [As a reward, ¡¯Debulroots x10¡¯ will be granted.]

    Name: Frank Wonderstein

    Age: 27

    upation: Biomancer

    Debulroots: (7.8/20)

    Muscle Strength: 2.0 (Exercise Department)

    Tissue Hardness: 2.0 (Leather Armor)

    Cell Regeneration: 2.0 (Walking)

    Traits: [Smiling Man], [Rapid Stiffness]

    During the past 10 days, there have been some changes in my attributes.

    I increased the maximum capacity of Debulroots from 10 to 20, and I also raised the three basic attributes by 1.0 each.

    In the three basic attributes,

    Muscle strength represents physical strength,

    Tissue hardness represents D¨¦fense,

    Cell regeneration represents recovery.

    You could roughly gauge their power with the metaphors in parentheses.

    Muscle strength went from ¡¯Weak¡¯ to ¡¯Exercise Department,¡¯

    D¨¦fense went from ¡¯Bare Skin¡¯ to ¡¯Leather Armor,¡¯

    Recovery went from ¡¯Crawling¡¯ to ¡¯Walking.¡¯

    Raising the basic attributes by 0.1 required Debulroot x1, and even increasing the maximum capacity of Debulroot by 1 required Debulroot x1.

    There was a reason I quickly expanded the maximum capacity.

    It was because of the Debulroots supplied daily.

    In the member management tab, there was ¡¯Average Favorability.¡¯

    There was a hidden function there.

    On the night when I obtained Favorability 3 with E, a message appeared.

    [The current average favorability of the members is 0.3. The members provide ¡¯Debulroot x0.3¡¯ each.]

    An unexpected benefit.

    Thanks to the favorability of the circus troupe members, Debulroot was provided every midnight.

    So, from that day on, I did my best to increase the members¡¯ favorability.

    [You havepleted ¡¯Member Quest - Ufortable Sleeping Arrangements.¡¯]

    [You havepleted ¡¯Member Quest - Insufficient Food Supply.¡¯]

    To ensurefortable sleeping arrangements, I changed the bedding and improved the quality of the food.

    I told E not to worry about money and to spend it as she pleased.

    After all,pared to the sponsorship funds, the luxuries a wandering circus troupe could afford were peanuts.

    And most importantly!

    I stayed away from the members.

    Originally, Wonderstein used to suddenly appear from anywhere and startle the members.

    It was a tremendous source of stress for them.

    Once, I had quietly approached them from behind and said something, and when they noticed me, the message told me that their favorability had dropped.

    Since then, I refrained from going outside the carriage as much as possible.

    Thanks to being cautious, my average favorability now exceeded 2.

    Take good care of them, feed them well, and don¡¯t stand out.

    Is this what being the best boss is like?

    Ding.

    I heard the bell of a night watchman from far away, announcing midnight.

    I checked the time with the status window and waited for messages to appear.

    Midnight.

    [The current average favorability of the members is 2.6. The members provide ¡¯Debulroots x2.6¡¯ each.]

    [The current reputation of the circus troupe is 7. The circus troupe provides ¡¯Debulroots x0.7.¡¯]

    Reputation? Does it also provide Debulroots?

    As expected, there was something to it.

    Apart from the reward list, there was no mention of it, so I thought it might just be a ceholder value.

    : [Unlock at 10]

    : [Unlock at 25]

    : [Unlock at 40]

    : [Unlock at 60]

    : [Unlock at 80]

    : [Unlock at 50]

    : [Unlock at 150]

    : [Unlock at 300]

    : [Unlock at 500]

    : [Unlock at 800]

    Even if reputation increases when performing...

    Can Wonderstein really umte an average favorability of 80?

    Considering the fear the members have of Wonderstein, it seemed impossible to build up a favorability of 80 with just one person.

    Should I just keep solving member quests?

    Is that enough?

    I never really knew how to build favour with people in the first ce.

    I was alone in this world, just like in the other world.

    I yed games all day, participated in onlinemunities, recorded game strategies, and watched TV.

    Except for the helper who came from the welfare Centre, I had no one to contact.

    I didn¡¯t have any family or friends either.

    That¡¯s when it happened.

    A noise that broke my trance.

    Bang.

    Something rolled and hit my foot.

    It was a potato the size of a fist.

    "Oh, oh...."

    An overturned tub.

    Potatoes scattered on the floor.

    And a woman in her mid-20s trembling as she looked at me.

    Her purple hair radiated a faint light in the moonlight.

    Herrge pupils shook as she looked at me.

    I knew who she was.

    A member of the Monster Circus Troupe.

    A woman with six arms.

    Spider Woman, Yurakne.

    "It¡¯s a good night."

    I greeted her with a smile.

    But I didn¡¯t expect her to respond to the greeting.

    She would probably bow her head and apologize while trembling.

    It hadn¡¯t been more than two weeks, but I was already used to it.

    The reactions of the members I happened to meet were all the same.

    But her reaction was something I hadn¡¯t expected.

    "Ah, hello... Go-good night..."

    Although her voice and body were trembling, she responded to my greeting properly.

    Except for E and Womon, it was the first time.

    "What brings you out here at this hour?"

    I spoke in the gentlest tone possible.

    I hoped it wouldn¡¯t sound like I was prying or probing.

    Fortunately, my wish seemed to be granted as Yurakne stammered but answered properly.

    "Uh, well... I have to peel the potatoes in advance to prepare for tomorrow morning..."

    "Do you have to do it at 1 in the morning?"

    "Oh, no!... I heard that the early morning fish market in this neighborhood opens at 2 in the morning..."

    "Early morning fish market?"

    "Well, since we¡¯re here, I thought I should try making some fresh fish dishes..."

    Fish, right. Now that I think about it, back on Earth, it was easy toe across seafood like fish, shellfish, and seaweed, but sinceing to this neighborhood, I hadn¡¯t had a chance to eat seafood dishes.

    "I¡¯m looking forward to it."

    "Really?"

    "I¡¯ve enjoyed Yurakne¡¯s cooking so far. Can I look forward to it tomorrow as well?"

    "Well, um..."

    Blushing, she shyly lowered her head, and when I didn¡¯t say anything more, she began picking up the scattered potatoes on the floor.

    I couldn¡¯t just sit there and watch, so I got up to help her.

    "Uh, Ringmaster-nim, there¡¯s really no need for this..."

    "It¡¯ll be faster if we do it together, right?"

    "Uh, well... Thank you."

    He picked up the potatoes, but her favorability didn¡¯t increase.

    Well, it¡¯s not something that can be resolved so easily, right?

    But I couldn¡¯t miss this chance for a favorability operation that hade after a long time.

    "Shall I help you peel the potatoes?"

    I offered my help with as gentle a tone as possible, trying not to make her feel ufortable, as if it were something I always did, with a smile on my face.

    I hoped Yurakne would enthusiastically wee my proposal, but...

    Bang.

    The tub fell to the floor again. The potatoes I had just picked up rolled on the floor again.

    "I, I¡¯m sorry, Ringmaster-nim... I, I messed up..."

    Yurakne sat down in front of me with her face turning pale.

    Wonderstein¡¯s sudden kindness.

    That¡¯s what scared her.

    ¡¯The road ahead is really long.¡¯

    As I looked at the spider woman who was lying in front of me, I sighed deeply in my heart.

 Chapter 15: Spider Lady Yurakne (4)

    In a remote forest far from the vige.

    Under the dense and gradually fading shade of trees.

    In an old wooden house rumored to be inhabited by a creature that seduces and devours men.

    There lived a woman.

    Her name was Yurakne.

    She was a distinctive woman with dark purple hair and clear,rge eyes.

    It was a day in the past winter.

    She was going about her daily routine as usual.

    Walking through the forest to pick fruits,

    Collecting firewood,

    Checking traps,

    Tending to her garden,

    And taking care of her husband¡¯s grave...

    A small mound covered in lush grass behind the cabin.

    Below it, yellow winter flowers were in full bloom.

    Perhaps it was a message from her deceased husband, a flower she had nurtured by his gravesidest year.

    That one flower had managed to bloom more flowers around it.

    She plucked two of them and ced them on the mound.

    "It looks like a birthday cake, doesn¡¯t it?"

    Speaking to an audience that would never respond, she slid down and leaned against it as if sliding.

    With each touch of the grass at her fingertips, she could recall memories with the man she had leaned on.

    From the pounding in her chest to the gentle whispers in her ear, from the big moments to the small.

    But the more she remembered, the more she felt.

    The realization that the man who used to make her heart race and whisper love in her ear was no longer there.

    The 10-year-old boy whoplimented her beauty as he took the beating meant for her...

    The close friend from her childhood who promised to be with her while tying the broken flower to her finger at 15...

    The handsome young man who held her hand and ran away to an unknown ce at the age of 20...

    In that ce where they had fled to together.

    He left to pick starlight even before that day arrived.

    It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay.

    Don¡¯t me yourself.

    Please, keep on living.

    The man who worried about her even as he left.

    Yurakne struggled to hold back her tears.

    Foolish person.

    Starlight?

    The brightest thing she had wished for was already beside her.

    Just one word whispered by you.

    That would have been enough...

    Idiot.

    Did he ever realize how important he was to her?

    He probably didn¡¯t.

    If he had, he would have known how difficult it was for her to be left alone, asking to live on.

    A foolish man who always focused on worthless things instead of beautiful and valuable ones.

    But...

    Wait for me.

    Just a little while longer.

    Soon...

    It was at that moment.

    Rustling.

    The sound of branches and grass being crushed.

    The sound of something alive.

    Was it a beast?

    She wiped away her tears.

    Living alone in a forest like this was not easy.

    Yet she had lived without any problems for the past two years.

    She had learned some magic from an old wandering fortune teller.

    The magic involved making poisons and remedies from flowers and herbs, and how to ward off intruding beasts.

    The magic that surrounded her home had the power to deter beasts with a strong scent of blood.

    She maintained the magic every day, so there were no issues.

    It was probably a small animal.

    Like a rabbit...

    "Hello?"

    Yurakne¡¯s heart sank.

    She turned to where the sound hade from, and there was someone standing in the darkness.

    Dressed in all ck with a ck cloak.

    A particrly pale face and dark hair gleamed in the darkness.

    Yurakne gripped her sickle and stood up.

    The man smiled faintly and greeted her.

    "Are you the one with six arms?"

    Her initial thought was, ¡¯We¡¯re done for.¡¯

    She thought of the cultists who had pursued them, iming to hunt demons.

    Could he be someone from the cult?

    But if he was, he wouldn¡¯t have said the words he did.

    "You are truly beautiful. Won¡¯t youe with me? It¡¯s better than staying here alone."

    His proposal was unexpected.

    He didn¡¯t seem surprised by her appearance.

    He called her beautiful.

    He smiled.

    Just like her husband used to...

    "Come with you? Where...?"

    "To the circus! There are many colleagues like you there!"

    "You¡¯re joking, right? Out of nowhere, you¡¯re talking about a circus. How can I trust you..."

    But the man continued to approach her, seemingly ignoring her objections.

    "Hehe, if a guest hase, it would be nice if you could offer a drink."

    "Hey, don¡¯t just enter my house like that..."

    "Oh? You have tea leaves. Could you make some tea?"

    "Listen to people!"

    They struggled and argued for hours...

    They spent several hours together, drinking tea with the condition that he would leave tomorrow...

    They spent several more hours as he pulled out a bottle from his pocket like magic and they drank...

    Throughout the night,ughter and tears alternated with each story they shared.

    The next day, he left as promised.

    With her.

    At first, she was just happy.

    Because there were colleagues in simr situations.

    Because there was a man who smiled at her.

    She was happy.

    Until she learned his true nature...

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    "What do you mean?"

    Yurakne was taken aback and asked.

    She scolded herself for daring to have different thoughts in front of that devil.

    "Potatoes."

    The man shrugged and held out a potato in his hand.

    Her expression froze when she saw it.

    The round, plump potatoes she had expected were nowhere to be seen.

    The potato in his hand...

    Had been shaved and reduced to half its size.

    The floor was filled with potato peels that had been chopped into chunks.

    No, looking at these chunks, could they even be called peels?

    "Are you doing this continuously since earlier...?"

    "...I¡¯m sorry."

    He bowed his head, seemingly ashamed.

    His basket was piled high with misshapen potatoes. They all looked simr to what he was holding now. Uniform and... pointy... and small... It was a disaster.

    ¡¯I wonder how skillfully he cut them, as the volume of potato peels in his bag was simr to the volume of potato chunks in the tub. Um...,¡¯ she tried to maintain herposure. ¡¯Could the devil do things like this? Ruin a meal by messing up the ingredients?¡¯

    "You said you were good at cutting..."

    "Well, I thought it had a Y-shaped de in the middle... Haha, looks like I was wrong. My apologies."

    He said, but there was a mischievous smile on his lips. ¡¯He doesn¡¯t seem sorry at all. If he was sorry, he shouldn¡¯t be smiling like that. I was doing it alone anyway, why did he have to interfere?¡¯

    His actions reminded her of the past when her husband used to help in the kitchen and only made more work for her. Annoying.

    Annoying.

    Annoying.

    Ugh.

    ¡¯...?¡¯

    ¡¯...Ah.¡¯

    Yurakne was shocked by her own actions. Her left arm had moved without her realizing it. Like she used to do to her husband...

    She had just smacked him on the forehead!

    "Umm...crap!"

    The boss looked at her with an amused expression. She quickly threw the knife down and kneeled in front of him.

    "Boss... this is..."

    "Oh, it¡¯s fine."

    "I, I made a mistake..."

    "Not at all."

    "Please... please..."

    "Miss Yurakne!"

    Yurakne took a deep breath. Wonderstein was staring at her, still with that same smile. It sent shivers down her spine. She remembered how others had reacted after encountering that smile, how they had transformed into dreadful creatures.

    Could this happen to her too?

    His hand rested on her shoulder.

    Yurakne trembled each time his hand touched her. But nothing happened. There was no malice in his actions, just an intention tofort her.

    "Please calm down."

    His hand gently patted her shoulder.

    Each time his hand made contact, she flinched, but nothing happened. There was no malice, just an attempt to console her.

    "Boss?"

    "Yes."

    The boss smiled.

    The same as always.

    Somewhere awkward,

    Somewhere pretentious,

    Somewhere mischievous,

    That kind of smile.

    It was the usual Wonderstein.

    "Are you... not going to punish me?"

    At her words, the boss tilted his head quizzically.

    And then he smiled.

    As if it were amusing.

    "Just because you hit me once? It didn¡¯t even hurt."

    It was strange.

    Really strange.

    He was the devil.

    All the things he had done so far came to mind.

    Hemitted all those atrocities with a smiling face.

    Just like his usual smile.

    Without remorse or hesitation.

    A human couldn¡¯t do that.

    Only a devil could.

    But now the devil was trying to reassure her?

    Was it the devil¡¯s mercy? Or the devil¡¯s caprice?

    Either way, it couldn¡¯t be trusted.

    He would mock and insult with a smiling face and then destroy his opponent with that same smile.

    All she could do was toply with his whims.

    To not cross him.

    "I¡¯m sorry. I overreacted a bit..."

    Given what he had done so far, it was not an overreaction at all.

    But she had no choice but to say that.

    If the devil wanted to pretend to be merciful, she had to go along with it.

    "You don¡¯t need to apologize."

    "I¡¯m sorry... I mean, well..."

    "That¡¯s enough."

    "I¡¯m sorry..."

    "Oh,e on... Alright, I understand. If you¡¯re so sorry, you should be punished."

    He raised his arm.

    Ah, as expected.

    The devil was ying with her, enjoying her reactions.

    She closed her eyes tightly.

    And then.

    Whack.

    A clear and refreshing sound struck her forehead.

    And...?

    ...That was it.

    His gentle fingertips touched her reddened forehead.

    "Boss?"

    "This is how I am repaying you."

    He chuckled and withdrew his hand from her forehead.

    She felt a wave of relief and almost copsed to the ground.

    "It¡¯s already 2 o¡¯clock ."

    He stared into the empty space for a moment and muttered.

    In the distance, the bell of a temple rang out with a ¡¯ding, ding, ding¡¯ sound.

    "Let¡¯s go together."

    "...Huh?"

    "It¡¯s too dark for a woman to go alone at night. I¡¯ll apany you."

    Yurakne looked at him, who was smiling brightly at her, with a bewildered expression.

    Am I dreaming right now?

    She held her pounding heart.

    5 months ago.

    Just like when she first met him.

    Her heart started beating again.

 Chapter 16: Spider Lady Yurakne (4)

    I checked the status window.

    Yurakne¡¯s affection level remained at 3.

    It hadn¡¯t increased by even a single point.

    Not that I expected it to rise. I¡¯d be grateful if it didn¡¯t drop any further.

    When I first volunteered to help her, I naturally assumed there would be some fancy gadget, like a double-edged potato peeler or something, in this world of steam engines and flying airships.

    But there wasn¡¯t.

    Even when I tried exining it to Yurakne, she seemed clueless about such things.

    That¡¯s when it hit me...

    I remembered that the potato peeler was invented in the early 20th century,pletely unrted to technological advancements, born out of someone¡¯s inspiration.

    It seemed ridiculous that with all the progress in technology, there was no equivalent tool here. I struggled just to walk, let alone master the use of a knife.

    I reluctantly attempted to use a knife, but the result was far from impressive.

    It was downright embarrassing.

    I felt sorry for Wonderstein himself.

    His charisma couldn¡¯t even peel a potato.

    Trait: Finger Peeler

    Applied Area: Fingers

    Effect: Forms dual bone des between the index and middle fingers, great for peeling potatoes or fruit skins!

    Requires Debulroots x1

    Auto-suggestions again.

    I deleted the message.

    It was toote.

    At that moment, Yurakne emerged from the tent¡¯s entrance.

    "Master, um... Is this sufficient?" She turned around, wearing the outer coat.

    The coat perfectly concealed her back and waist.

    Her four arms clung closely to her body, revealing no distinction from a normal human.

    With her arms hidden, she looked just like any other ordinary person.

    Now I understood how she managed to shop in town.

    "It¡¯s truly beautiful."

    "Uh...really?"

    Even I, who was socially awkward in real life, knew that when a girl asks if her outfit looks okay, you should always offerpliments.

    Let¡¯s go, increased affection!

    However, she nodded with a puzzled expression, and there was a somewhat lonely smile on her face.

    Hmm? Was mypliment too nd?

    But isn¡¯t it a bit ridiculous to heap excessive praise on someone for just wearing a worn-out travel cloak?

    Ahem, and to be honest...

    At that moment, my mouth moved on its own.

    "But I think you look even better without it."

    "...Huh?"

    She looked at me with a perplexed expression.

    Oh, damn!

    Cursedughter!

    It was a trait that maintainedposure while having weak self-control, meaning it suppressed impulsive profanity and anger but allowed one to casually speak their mind.

    Hadn¡¯t I once boldly asked if I could touch something in the Vergsong Mansion?

    It was the same now.

    Honestly, I thought she looked better without the coat.

    Is having many arms really such a repulsive thing?

    There are so many people in the world who wish they had them.

    But I shouldn¡¯t have said such a thing to her.

    Members of the Monster Circus were outcasts in society due to their alien appearance.

    I knew how much anger they harbored, especially after transforming into monsters in TT1.

    They cursed their own bodies and were disgusted by them.

    Yet here I was saying that it was better this way.

    Well, from Wonderstein¡¯s perspective, it probably was.

    After all, he¡¯s the guy who takes pleasure in modifying and enjoying the grotesque appearance of others.

    However, I couldn¡¯t raise her affection this way.

    "Uh, let¡¯s hurry..."

    Yurakne rushed past me and ran ahead.

    I messed up.

    I really messed up.

    Completely messed up.

    I nced at her as she walked ahead.

    She kept looking back at me, ufortable with me following her.

    It was supposed to be a sessful escort proposal, but I messed it up like this...

    Fortunately, her affection didn¡¯t seem to have dropped, but it must have been close.

    We walked in silence all the way to the fish market.

    "Ah, Master, over there..."

    Before I knew it, we had reached the riverbank.

    The intense light of the searchlights and the darkness of dawn intersected deeply.

    The smell of fish and the squelching sound of boots mixed in the confusion.

    Aksville was bustling with people.

    "Departure of Naru No. 9! Recement for Naru No. 3, quickly!"

    "Naru No. 4 is docking! Naru No. 4 is docking!"

    "It¡¯s been a while since I visited the fish market."

    She didn¡¯t walk with me, but she didn¡¯t walk separately either. She maintained an awkward distance.

    She was worried that being too close would be intimidating, and being too far would offend me.

    I had to make up for it somehow here.

    I spoke first.

    "Miss Yurakne, what kind of fish are you thinking of buying?"

    "Well, probably... since it¡¯s the season for sturgeon, sturgeon would be good. You can grill it or make stew. Cooking crab would also be fine. Do you have anything you¡¯d like to eat?"

    "I¡¯m not sure. Um... do they have mackerel here?"

    I mentioned a fish name that I knew.

    Yurakne looked at me with a vague expression.

    "Mackerel is usually salted and brought up from the sea. It¡¯s mainly traded inrge markets. It¡¯s hard to find fresh mackerel in a small fish market like this. You might have better luck at the daytime fish market."

    "I see, Miss Yurakne. I didn¡¯t know that."

    "Is that so?"

    Once again, Yurakne made a somewhat awkward expression, as if talking to a Wonderstein made her ufortable.

    She quickly moved through the auction stalls, buying items.

    "Naru No. 3! 200 kg of sturgeon!"

    "Naru No. 5! 100 kg of Spanish mackerel! 120 kg of sturgeon!"

    "Naru No. 2! 250 kg of crab!"

    As the boats unloaded their seafood, the auctioneers shouted loudly.

    Aksville¡¯s fish market wasn¡¯t very big, so most of the customers were cart drivers and nearby restaurant owners.

    Yurakne and I squeezed ourselves in among the people and watched the auction.

    "5 Spanish mackerel, 12.4 kg. Starting at 100 Lotties. Yes, 102 Lotties. 103 Lotties. 105 Lotties. 108 Lotties!

    Any more for 108 Lotties...? Yes! 110 Lotties. 112 Lotties! 115 Lotties! 117!119 Lotties, sold!

    Anymore? No. 119 Lotties, sold!"

    The auctioneer scribbled something on a note and handed it to the winning bidder.

    The winner handed the note, along with the money, to the cargo handler and received the goods, loading them onto a cart.

    All of this happened in less than 10 seconds.

    Setting the price, exchanging the goods, bringing in the next item ¨C these actions flowed like water, resembling a circus performance.

    Even in such a small ce, there was a world of experts.

    Merchants examined the quality of the fish, nodded or shook their heads, pped boards, or exchanged quick signals with the people next to them.

    There was no room for beginners to intervene.

    How do you even do this?

    As I stood there dumbfounded, the auctioneer weighed the next fish on the scale.

    His fingers quickly moved to push and pull the weights.

    "Sturgeon, 8 pieces... weight... 10.5 kg!"

    Yurakne had found the sturgeon she was looking for.

    "It¡¯s sturgeon, aren¡¯t you going to buy it?"

    "We should probably skip that one," she said, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "Out of the eight, two of them have bleeding. Do you see those dark spots underneath their bellies? They got caught on the edges of the¡¯s hooks, and it messed up their flesh. And one of them has been dead for a while now. You can tell by looking at its eyeballs.

    It¡¯s already dposing."

    I nodded in response to Yurakne¡¯s precise analysis, impressed by her ability to assess the condition of the fish in such a short time. Perhaps it was her experience as a homeworker that allowed her to do so.

    But I wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by her exnation. The auctioneer, as well as the other participants in the area, were all looking at us. They didn¡¯t seem to be admiring her skills; their expressions held a sense of bewilderment.

    The auctioneer approached Yurakne, scolding her aggressively, "What the heck! Are you trying to jinx our luck? Don¡¯t you know the unwritten rules of the auction? Huh? You just put a curse on us! Do you think you can bargain with just your fingers?

    Where did you crawl in from, disturbing our business?"

    Were there really such unwritten rules in the auction? Judging from the atmosphere around us and Yurakne¡¯s changingplexion, it seemed she had indeed made a mistake. Her mistake... was because of me. It was my question that led to this.

    How could she refuse when Wonderstein asked a question?

    "What are you going to do?"

    The auctioneer aggressively approached Yurakne, making her step back in fear.

    I had caused trouble by following her. It seemed like my chances of gaining Favour with her were slipping away.

    I sighed inwardly and stood in front of the auctioneer, blocking his path.

    "Well, what is it? Who are you?"

    "I¡¯m... her husband."

    Rather than offering a convoluted exnation, I chose the most convenient excuse: husband and wife. It was enough to exin our rtionship and the reason for my interference.

    "Husband? So what? What are you going to do, huh? Why are you interfering with the auction and making a scene? You better take care of your wife!"

    The auctioneer, who had put up a defective item for sale, was shouting loudly. It was frustrating, but I responded with a calm smile. A man whoughed couldn¡¯t be shaken by such things.

    "Double the price."

    "What... what did you say?"

    "If paying the price will settle it, then I¡¯ll pay double. That¡¯s 160 Lotties."

    The auctioneer looked at me in surprise. ording to Yurakne¡¯s exnation, the sellers usually bought the fish at wholesale prices after winning the auction and made a profit equal to the amount over the minimum bidding price. Since the minimum bidding price was often less than 30% of the actual value, this meant a significant profit for the auctioneer.

    "No, I... I understand. Please don¡¯t do this again in the future. I mistook you for someone sent by another trader... everyone here is sensitive to such tricks, haha."

    He quickly stepped back, his earlier anger fading. Money seemed to solve everything.

    The auctioneer dered the winning bid, and the workers packed the sturgeon neatly into a basket.

    "Who is that man?"

    "He spends money so casually. He looks noble, doesn¡¯t he?"

    "The woman is pretty too."

    "They seem like a well-matched couple."

    People around us murmured as they watched us. Yurakne approached me and bowed her head.

    "I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I caused unnecessary expenses..."

    "It¡¯s okay. We have plenty of money."

    She nced around for a moment before whispering.

    "Um, why did you, um, insist on calling us a couple...?"

    "I didn¡¯t really n it; it just came out. It seemed natural... I¡¯m sorry if it made you ufortable."

    "Oh, no! If anything, it¡¯s because of me that this happened..."

    "Well, it all started when I asked you, Yurakne. Hehe, if anything like this happens in the future, just let it be. It¡¯s okay."

    "...Alright."

    She looked at me with aplicated expression, seemingly confused about my intentions. I felt a simr barrier as I did with E.

    Back then, I had helped with good intentions but ended up being doubted in return. Changing things wouldn¡¯t happen overnight. I decided not to rush it. There was still plenty of time.

    "That aside... could youe a bit closer?"

    "What?"

    "It looks strange for a couple to be so distant."

    People around us kept stealing nces at us, and it wasn¡¯t just because of our appearance. Her standing so far away from her husband looked unnatural to anyone who saw it.

    "It¡¯s because you were standing so far away that you had to raise your voice earlier."

    "Ah..."

    She hesitated, and a look of understanding finally appeared on her face. I reached out my arm.

    "Come on."

    "...Okay."

    A couple of steps closer would be enough, I thought. One step. Two steps...

    But she didn¡¯t stop there.

    Rustle.

    Her purple hair brushed past my vision. Something soft touched my side. It was an unexpected surprise. She hade into my arms, pressing her body against mine, so close that we could feel each other¡¯s heartbeats.

    My outstretched arm naturally wrapped around her shoulder.

    "Is... is this alright?"

    "..."

    "...?"

    "..."

    Being approached so suddenly by someone was not something I was used to. For a moment, I almost pushed her away. But the "smiling man" always maintained hisposure.

    I didn¡¯t show any sign of being flustered and just smiled calmly.

    "I meant for you toe only as far as my arm."

    "Oh... I, I¡¯m sorry!"

    The spider-woman finally realized the situation. Her face turned bright red.

 Chapter 17: Spider Lady Yurakne (5)

    It had been five months since Yurakne joined the circus.

    It might be hard to believe now...

    Back when she first joined, the rtionship between the ringmaster and the troupe members wasn¡¯t bad at all.

    No, in fact, the troupe members rather liked their ringmaster.

    "Everyone, we have a new member today! Miss Yurakne, pleasee forward!"

    "Oh, hello? I¡¯m Yurakne."

    "Wow! The ringmaster did it! We finally have a female member!"

    "Huh? Dunedol, we already have E, right?"

    "The assistant ringmaster is just a little kid, hehe."

    "Hehe, you¡¯ll get in big trouble if E hears that, shh!"

    The ringmaster was different from the people she had seen before. He didn¡¯t fear or despise the monster troupe members. He always wore a friendly smile, and he treated them without hesitation, even throwing jokes their way.

    "E, is the wee cake ready yet?"

    "Hey, you... you¡¯ve been eating it for three days straight..."

    "Oh, was that what he has been having for dessert every time?"

    "...Pathetic."

    Assistant ringmaster E seemed to find it annoying, but back then, she simply thought of her as someone who acted differently for her age.

    "Ringmaster, would you like to join me for a meal and go to the market together?"

    "Hehe, that sounds good."

    Yurakne liked the ringmaster a bit more than the other troupe members. She had spent two years hiding in the woods after losing her husband. She had thought she had lost the ability to care for anyone else. But it seemed like there was still warmth in her heart that she could share with someone else.

    "Ringmaster, could you watch me juggle?"

    "Juggle? Well, you need to use all six arms to fully utilize them..."

    "Ringmaster, I¡¯m scared to go down to the vige alone! Pleasee with me!"

    "Hehe, I guess I can¡¯t help it."

    Yurakne made excuses after excuses to stay close to the ringmaster. You could say that a woman in her mid-twenties who had been married once could easily be considered clingy. (Sven actually said that.)

    Still, she wanted to be honest with herself.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    She liked that man.

    He had reopened her heart, which she had once closed.

    She was happy when she was with him.

    "Ahh!"

    "Run!"

    "It¡¯s a devil! That guy is a devil!"

    And then, while traveling together one monthter.

    She saw the real side of Wonderstein.

    With every swing of his hand, people¡¯s heads burst like balloons.

    Flesh and blood rained down like a downpour.

    In that hellish scene, Wonderstein wasughing.

    With the same kind and bright smile as usual.

    And in an unaffected tone, he said this.

    "Isn¡¯t it beautiful? The scene of human fireworks exploding..."

    Was it after that day?

    That the troupe members started avoiding the ringmaster?

    "Oh, everyone. Have you finished your meal already?"

    "Ah... I... um... Oh, I didn¡¯t want to disturb the ringmaster, so..."

    "Oh, yes, yes. I... I already ate first."

    "...Is that so?"

    And she felt the same way.

    "Yurakne, we were supposed to go shopping together today, right?"

    "Yes, we... I mean, I think I can go alone!"

    "..."

    "Well, it¡¯s not that much..."

    "...I see. Alright then."

    Eventually, as this situation repeated, E took charge to sort things out.

    "Do you think the members will treat you like they used to after seeing you like that?"

    "Hehe, it must have been quite a shock."

    "Anyway, if you n to continue leading this circus, just leave it to me from now on."

    "...Alright. I¡¯ll do that."

    Wonderstein nodded with a calm expression.

    The same smile, the same tone of voice.

    One might have expected him to show anger or disappointment to appear more human, but he behaved as usual, unaffected.

    Now, his true nature was revealed.

    A profoundly artificial smile.

    A tone of voice so fake it sent shivers down one¡¯s spine.

    He was imitating human behavior.

    "Just because I took care of you a littlest night? It was not a big problem."

    "It¡¯s dark on the streets at night for a woman alone. I¡¯ll go with you."

    "I¡¯m... the husband."

    The devil¡¯s sweet voice.

    His smile was still beautiful, and his actions were overflowing with consideration.

    And yet, something...

    Something...

    Had changed in him...

    It was just a moment, but her heart was shaken.

    She found herself embracing the devil¡¯s embrace that she had always feared and avoided.

    Thump, thump.

    Her rapidly beating heart was not due to fear.

    The heart she thought she had discarded was now throbbing.

    Yurakne scolded herself.

    Even though she knew his true nature, she felt so easily swayed.

    Don¡¯t trust his kindness.

    Don¡¯t let your guard down.

    Don¡¯t let your heart open.

    "Herring is usually salted and brought up from the southern side. It¡¯s mainly traded inrge markets. It¡¯s hard to find it fresh in small fish markets like this. You might find it easier if you go to the daytime fish market."

    "Indeed, you¡¯re knowledgeable I didn¡¯t know that."

    "Is that... so?"

    We had talked about herring on the day we first went shopping. I gave the exact same answer I did then.

    But you act like you¡¯ve never heard it before.

    Praising me mechanically.

    A quite ordinary imitation of human behavior.

    Your words.

    Your smile.

    It¡¯s all just an act, isn¡¯t it?

    There¡¯s no real emotion behind it.

    Remember the knights who exploded like fireworks, the townspeople who turned into a single mass, and the fellow troupe member turned into a stone statue just because she cried too loudly.

    He¡¯s a devil.

    Yurakne firmly grasped her loosening heart.

    "Should I let go?"

    She was still in his embrace, but her heartbeat had be so calm that it felt cold.

    Is he feeling it too?

    It was impossible to tell from his expression.

    There was no change in his smile.

    "Do as you wish, Yurakne."

    What does the devil want?

    To stay close or to let go.

    While Yurakne hesitated for a moment, the packaging for the auctioned item waspleted.

    "Number 29! Number 29!"

    It was the perfect timing.

    "I¡¯ll be back in a moment."

    Yurakne naturally slipped out of the ringmaster¡¯s embrace and approached the loading area.

    The stevedore handed her money and exchanged a receipt.

    Theborer handed her a basket filled with fish.

    "No."

    He tried to hand it to her.

    "Oh, um? You...?"

    Theborer¡¯s mouth hung open.

    His gaze was fixed on Yurakne.

    When she saw his dting pupils, it was already toote, and she had a bad feeling.

    "Ahh! I-it¡¯s a monster!"

    He screamed and threw the basket, causing amotion.

    Could it be one of the people who hade to the circus?

    People¡¯s attention focused on them.

    "I-it¡¯s a monster! The monster hase to eat us!"

    "Hey! What¡¯s wrong with you?"

    "Ugh, did this guy eat something bad?"

    Theborer writhed on the ground as if he were hysterical.

    Otherborers from the dock rushed over to calm him down.

    On her part, she was trying to retreat due to his unusual behavior.

    At that moment, theborer raised his trembling hand and pointed at her.

    "T-that woman is a monster!"

    "Come on, calm down! What nonsense are you talking about?"

    "No, really! It¡¯s the Monster Circus that came to the fair today! The one who eats men... the spider woman! That¡¯s right, the spider woman! She has six arms!"

    People¡¯s gaze shifted towards Yurakne.

    Dark purple hair, a face that looked somewhat sad in some way, and an attractiveness that was regrettable because it couldn¡¯t be examined closely right now. It was undeniable that she was a beauty.

    At first nce, calling her a monster was not appropriate.

    However, a few people who examined her face closely murmured.

    "Come to think of it..."

    "Doesn¡¯t she look like her?"

    There were quite a few people who had seen the performance during the day.

    Although there were no bright red lips, no blood-red eye makeup flowing around her eyes, her beauty was not easily concealed.

    Word spread among theborers and some of the guests recognized her.

    "How did the monster get here?"

    "She said she was cursed, didn¡¯t she?"

    "She said she ate people."

    "Is it okay for her to wander around like this?"

    Amidst the murmurs, a hostile atmosphere began to spread throughout the marketce.

    The menacing sounds soon followed.

    "Show yourself, monster!"

    "You said she has six arms?"

    "Why are you wandering around like this, cursed one?"

    Threats, jeers, and mockery filled the market, making it noisy.

    This was not their of monsters; they had more people on their side. Moreover, their opponent was not a menacing monster but a seemingly defenceless woman.

    People could be much braver than usual in such situations.

    "Hey, get out of here!"

    It was a sudden attack.

    Someone emerged from behind and grabbed Yurakne¡¯s cloak.

    Yurakne btedly held onto her cloak, but it had already slipped down to her waist.

    Flutter.

    As her cloak slid down, her six arms, which had been crouching underneath, were revealed.

    They were the slender, pale arms of a young woman.

    She simply had a few more of them than others.

    However, she was perceived as a monster by the people.

    That¡¯s the definition of a monster.

    Being different from the norm.

    "Ahh! She really has six arms!"

    "She really was the spider woman! I didn¡¯t see wrong!"

    "It¡¯s disgusting!"

    "Ew, she looks so weird."

    "Ugh, is that even a human?"

    Contempt and disgust spread among the crowd.

    Malicious mockery and scorn were directed at her.

    Some expressed their disdain not only in words but also in actions.

    "Disgusting monster! How many men did you seduce with that face?"

    Whish, thud.

    A pebble flew and hit her shoulder.

    It didn¡¯t hurt.

    But it triggered her trauma.

    The day she had been locked in a cage and pelted with stones.

    "What bad luck brought you here?"

    Shack, smack.

    A small fish, no bigger than a hand¡¯s palm, hit her chest.

    This time, her body trembled slightly.

    The lifeless eyes of the fish that had fallen to the ground looked at her.

    Dark and eerie.

    Hello? Are you alone like me?

    There was no one around to support her.

    Then, suddenly, a man crossed her mind.

    Yurakne turned to look at him.

    The spot she had vacated.

    Amidst the crowd that had gathered, the man was standing there.

    He remained still, without a hint of movement, despite the situation.

    As if he was enjoying this spectacle.

    Every time the crowd surged, his shadow also revealed its outline, then quickly hid, shaking roughly.

    Through a briefly revealed gap of light.

    His face briefly came into view.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    He was looking at himself...

    And smiling.

    Evil

    Laughing

 Chapter 18: Spider Women Yurakne (7)

    The first day I arrived in the world of Tril Trilo.

    What surprised me the most was not the fact that this ce was a game world, nor the fact that I was a character named Wonderstein.

    The most difficult thing for me to adapt to was....

    Trait: Arm

    Application Area: Shoulder

    Effect: It¡¯s an ordinary arm.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x16]

    My body felt incredibly awkward.

    Unfamiliar things I had never experienced before were attached to my body.

    I stood up, touched, walked, and grabbed things.

    People usually feel fear when facing something unfamiliar.

    The strange sensation I felt was also something I had never encountered before.

    But the emotion I felt was not fear; it was joy.

    It was a moment where something inside me that had been suppressed since I arrived here suddenly burst out.

    The smile on my face was not because of the "Laughing Man."

    I was standing alone for the first time in my life.

    Without anyone¡¯s help, without the aid of any tools.

    The feeling I had dreamed about dozens of times a year.

    It was a bit different from what I had imagined.

    Nevertheless, I was more certain than anyone else that this was "real."

    But being happy was one thing, and the unfamiliarity was another.

    It took me a day to handle this body naturally.

    Actually, not even a whole day.

    Babies take months to start walking.

    I went through the process of realizing what I had learned rather than learning something new.

    No one thinks about each step they take.

    No one thinks about the movements of each finger when picking something up.

    What moves the human body is not so much a skill as it is a "habit" engraved in the body.

    Walking and running became familiar in less than a day.

    Because Wonderstein¡¯s body remembered.

    Complex actions like using chopsticks took some time to adapt to.

    So, I had to eat alone in the carriage for a few days.

    Yeah. Only two and a half years.

    There¡¯s no regret in going back to the previous life.

    It¡¯s nice to live, but it doesn¡¯t matter if I die.

    But I wanted to enjoy this body for a long time.

    Somehow, I wanted to feel this sensation for a long time, filling up two and a half years.

    Trait: Arm

    Application Area: Shoulder

    Effect: It¡¯s an ordinary arm.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x16]

    "Ugh! She really has six arms!"

    "She was indeed that spiderdy! I didn¡¯t see it wrong!"

    "It¡¯s so disgusting!"

    "Ugh, is that what a person looks like?"

    The ufortable scene of a festival.

    In the midst of it, a young woman crouching and trembling.

    I knew the past of the members of the Monster Circus.

    I didn¡¯t know the details, but the game provided enough information about the process they had gone through.

    Honestly, when I saw their past in the game, I felt disgusted.

    Was it because of the misfortune I had experienced?

    Or was it the difort of the material itself?

    I didn¡¯t want to understand their motivation and didn¡¯t want to empathize with them.

    So what?

    Just because I went through such a thing doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll be a crazy murderer like you guys, right?

    I sneered at the arm with a backstory.

    But when I actually saw this sight in front of me, I didn¡¯t have such thoughts.

    I closed my eyes.

    Suddenly, memories I didn¡¯t want to remember came to mind.

    ¡¯Ugh, I used to be able to walk around like that.¡¯

    ¡¯Shh, why are you here? From that orphanage on that expose program...¡¯

    ¡¯Oh dear, tsk tsk. I¡¯d rathermit suicide than live like that.¡¯

    People could show mercy to insects digging in the ground, but they felt difort towards flying insects.

    I only realized that after leaving the orphanage.

    He was the only one who survived.

    The mitted suicide...

    The foundation offered all of the remaining funds, totaling billions of cash, to me...

    Wherever I went, people recognized me.

    It¡¯s amazing that some couldn¡¯t recognize me even with all the extensive media coverage.

    There were people approaching me, aiming for the estate and funds left by the director.

    They had strange hostility, picking fights or giving me resentful looks.

    It was better to crawl on the floor and work for a living back then.

    Truly, it was just a pity.

    "Can you have a meal alone?"

    "Can you go to the restroom alone?"

    Trait: Legs

    Applied Area: Pelvis

    Effect: Ordinary legs.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x24£Ý

    My lips twisted.

    The "Smiling Man" still forced a smile on me.

    But I didn¡¯t want to smile right now.

    I didn¡¯t want to make that expression when looking at her.

    No, at least I didn¡¯t want to show her that expression.

    "Once you get used to the eye tracker, it¡¯s much faster than a mouse or keyboard."

    "Every day, a helper wille from the welfare Centre."

    "Bathing and meals will be at a fixed time every day..."

    Trait: Legs

    Applied Area: Pelvis

    Effect: Ordinary legs.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x24£Ý

    It wasn¡¯t because of the affection value.

    I just didn¡¯t want to show her a face like those trashy expressions surrounding her.

    Ttideek.

    Ttideek.

    Ttideek.

    Ttideek.

    Trait: Arms

    Applied Area: Shoulders

    Effect: Ordinary arms.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x16£Ý

    Trait: Arms

    Applied Area: Shoulders

    Effect: Ordinary arms.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x16£Ý

    Trait: Legs

    Applied Area: Pelvis

    Effect: Ordinary legs.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x24£Ý

    Trait: Legs

    Applied Area: Pelvis

    Effect: Ordinary legs.

    Required Resources: [Debulroots x24£Ý

    Yurakne¡¯s situation brought back memories of that time.

    The things I wished for the most back then.

    Things I didn¡¯t have.

    Things I wanted to have.

    The Evolution Research Institute was calcting those things on its own.

    But resisting the smiling man, no matter what ufortable emotions I felt, was impossible.

    I smiled and made eye contact with her.

    "Ringmaster...?"

    It was too noisy, and I couldn¡¯t hear her voice, but just by looking at her mouth, I could tell.

    Her pupils were clearly filled with despair.

    ***

    "That¡¯s what it was."

    Yurakne realized everything the moment she saw the smile on the ringmaster¡¯s face.

    Why he had been forgiving of her mistakes since earlier.

    Why he had wanted to follow her so badly.

    He knew how to hurt people more than just physically.

    The day she first met him.

    She had confessed everything to him while drunk.

    She had told him everything except for the most painful memories.

    The story of being dragged out by the townspeople when she was young and locked in a cage, subjected to the stoning baptism.

    He remembered that story.

    Recreating that story was his intention.

    "You disgusting monster!"

    "Who do you think you areing here!"

    It was just like that day.

    Surrounded by people filled with hatred, she became the target of a lynching.

    The only difference from that day was that there was no husband to protect her.

    Thud. Thump. ng.

    Rotten seafood.

    Fish heads.

    Crushed snails, and more.

    All sorts of foul-smelling and dirty objects struck her body.

    She had to endure the violence in silence.

    She knew from experience that any form of resistance would only make people more ruthless.

    She had to endure it.

    Tears streamed down her cheeks.

    It hurt.

    Her chest hurt more than the ces she was hit.

    There, in the crowd under the light.

    The Ringmaster watched all of this with a smile.

    He stood there without moving.

    He simply enjoyed watching her despair.

    An evil devil who trampled on people like insects, turning them into monsters,ughing as he did so.

    What had she expected from him?

    She had told her not to trust the devil.

    You¡¯re a fool.

    I know.

    I know, but...

    Still, there is...

    Still, I thought...

    "Monster, get lost!"

    Then, someone picked up a heavy iron and threw it at her.

    It was different from the tfish or fish she had been hit with earlier.

    It was something made of metal, something that could truly hurt a person.

    Oh, that must hurt a lot.

    She closed her eyes tightly.

    Yes, if she sheds some blood here, the people might hesitate.

    They might spit out insults and turn away in disgust.

    A few people who had been watching the situation woulde forward and pretend to have a bted conscience.

    They had done it several times.

    They always did.

    It would stop at that level.

    If they just hit her once...

    Thud.

    A dull sound of impact.

    But Yurakne felt no shock.

    The iron didn¡¯t reach her.

    Something blocked it.

    A lump of metal, the size of a human fist, rolled to the ground.

    "Hehe, this hurts a bit."

    A yful voice that didn¡¯t match the seriousness of the situation.

    No way... No way...

    She slowly raised her head.

    ck shoes.

    Familiar ck shoes.

    There was no way...

    It must be a mistake.

    She slowly raised her head.

    ck pants, a ck jacket, and even a ck cape.

    It was not the kind of clothing one would wear to a dawn fish market.

    But that man always stuck to that outfit no matter when or where.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    He stood in front of her.

    A streak of red blood trickled down his forehead.

    He had taken the iron directly.

    "Blood is red..."

    A sudden thought crossed her mind.

    He turned to her with a smile.

    As if he hadn¡¯t felt any pain at all.

    "Are you alright?"

    Alright?

    It was just like that day.

    The day she first met her husband and the day she first met Wonderstein.

    Her husband had also stood in front of her, protecting her from the crowd.

    But...

    But why had he?

    "If anyone does anything more to my wife, I won¡¯t stand still."

    There was no hint of anger in Wonderstein¡¯s words.

    He just smiled and said it calmly.

    There was nothing threatening about his appearance or behavior.

    But the people who saw him felt a chilling sensation in hisughter.

    A stunningly handsome man,pletely out of ce in the situation, with a friendly smile that didn¡¯t match.

    It made people feel fear.

    The frenzied madness of the crowd, burning like fire, disappeared in an instant.

    No one approached Yurakne anymore.

    "I think it¡¯s best to leave now."

    He reached out his hand.

    Yurakne contemted his words.

    Wife.

    In that moment, the shadow of her husband fell upon Wonderstein¡¯s broad back.

    Don¡¯t hold on.

    This is also a trick.

    Is he trying to deceive her again?

    "I... I¡¯m dirty..."

    Her body covered in filth.

    Full of the stench of seafood.

    It¡¯s not even a matter of holding hands; she doesn¡¯t even want to get close.

    He had always been strict about wearing clean suits.

    Oh, could this be a trap too?

    If she approaches him in this state, he might say it stinks and wave his hand to cut her throat...

    Step by step.

    He approached her.

    A smile still hung on his lips.

    He bent down and roughly brushed off the dirty things clinging to her body.

    His suit got dirty, but he didn¡¯t seem to care at all.

    He examined her body and asked if she was hurt anywhere.

    "Let¡¯s go back. To our lodging."

    Such a bright smile.

    Tears.

    Tears flowed.

    Two streaks of starlight running down Yurakne¡¯s cheeks.

    They were the same tears, but they held an entirely different meaning from before.

    "Yes... Honey..."

    Yurakne stood up with his support.

 Chapter 19: Spider Lady Yurakne (End)

    On the way back to the campsite.

    Wonderstein, who had distanced himself from the marketce, released Yurakne¡¯s hand that he had been holding.

    There was no need to continue their performance as a couple where no one could see them.

    His head throbbed.

    Thanks to the ¡¯Rapid Stiffness,¡¯ there wasn¡¯t much bleeding, and thanks to the ¡¯Smiling Man,¡¯ the pain was minimal.

    But what truly angered him wasn¡¯t the fact that he had been hit.

    "I¡¯ve done it again."

    He was angry with himself.

    To what extent was he just ying a role in the game,

    He had boasted about being Wonderstein, just acting the part,

    But just now, he had genuinely stepped forward.

    It was a different situation from when he had taken bullets for the sake of a quest.

    But now?

    "Because of the Smiling Man."

    An impulsive and reckless act.

    It was all because of the curse that afflicted his body.

    Otherwise, he would never have thought of taking on such a piece of lead with his bare body.

    He scolded himself like that, but the uneasy feeling didn¡¯t dissipate.

    An eye tracker.

    The controller for an electric wheelchair.

    The assistance of caregivers from the welfare Centre.

    He had never once stood up and acted on his own since the day he was born.

    He was ustomed to passive, defensive, and dependent choices.

    For personal reasons, not for game strategies or quests,

    It was difficult for him to ept the fact that he had taken the initiative for someone else.

    Yurakne looked at him with a mixed expression of doubt as she walked along.

    He had protected her and got hurt.

    She made an effort not to think too sentimentally about that fact.

    He was a man who could deflect des with his bare body and crush skulls with his fingers.

    Getting hit by a mere piece of iron wouldn¡¯t be a significant danger.

    But... she couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    Because it was a wound he received while trying to protect her.

    "Um..."

    "I don¡¯t have any intention of causing harm to those people."

    "Huh?"

    "Weren¡¯t you asking about that? E often worries about it whenever I get into even the smallest trouble. Even when I refused to board the ship the day before yesterday, she was like that."

    Considering the things he had done so far, it was a reasonable concern.

    But it wasn¡¯t what Yurakne wanted to ask right now.

    "No, it¡¯s not that... um, well, you see..."

    There were many things she wanted to ask.

    But when it came time to speak, she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    She hesitated for a moment, then finally asked the biggest question she had always had.

    "...Why, Ringmaster, don¡¯t you get angry? How can... you keep smiling?"

    Wonderstein stopped in his tracks.

    He took a moment to catch his breath before answering.

    "Why are you curious about that?"

    "Just... I just want to understand you better."

    Yurakne blushed at the confession-like words that slipped out unintentionally.

    Fortunately, the ringmaster interpreted it differently.

    "...I suppose you won¡¯t understand from your perspective. I...."

    He looked into the empty air without looking at Yurakne.

    Quest Window - Smile of Truth

    : Yurakne is curious if your smile is genuine.

    Conditions for Completion

    : Make her believe whether it¡¯s true or false.

    Sess Reward

    : [Debulroots x2£Ý

    Failure Penalty

    : [Yurakne¡¯s affection -1£Ý

    Seeing the quest pop up, he felt relieved.

    The guiding star he should follow.

    The instructions given to him on this stage.

    He had no confidence in weaving lies.

    So he decided to speak honestly.

    "Miss Yurakne, it hurts when I get hit too."

    He said as he wiped the blood on his forehead with his hand.

    "When I¡¯m insulted, I get angry, and when I face death, I feel sad."

    He was speaking as a human who could feel emotions.

    Not a devil or a monster.

    "Why then...?"

    "An illness? No, it¡¯s not quite right. It¡¯s more like a curse. Yes, a curse. I¡¯m cursed tough. No matter how angry or sad I am, I can only express it byughing.

    I can¡¯t even shed tears. I can onlyugh."

    "Is that true...?"

    That was the simple reason.

    Yurakne looked at him with disbelief.

    Even when the members turned their backs on him.

    Even when she avoided him.

    The smile he wore... was it all just a fa?ade?

    "Then... why didn¡¯t you tell us until now? If you had, there wouldn¡¯t have been any misunderstandings..."

    "What misunderstandings?"

    "What?"

    Wonderstein turned to look at her with a smile.

    It was the same smile as always.

    Seemingly crafted, mocking, contrived.

    But now that she knew the truth, his smile seemed different to her.

    Bitterness, pain, sadness, and... loneliness.

    It might just be her misconception, but...

    "Even if you know the truth, will it change anything? You¡¯ll still fear me and avoid me. I understand."

    With those words, Wonderstein turned away.

    epting that it¡¯s okay for her to hate him.

    He said so and walked away.

    Yurakne followed him, pondering his words.

    Even if she found out the truth, would nothing change?

    ...No.

    No, that wasn¡¯t true.

    There was something that would change.

    "When I was surrounded by people..."

    Since she heard his confession, there had been something she had been curious about.

    "...The Ringmaster was smiling."

    Wonderstein¡¯s steps came to a sudden halt.

    "What kind of expression did you really want to have back then?"

    Wonderstein stood still in his ce, not making any move.

    As Yurakne followed behind him, she got closer and closer to him.

    When there was just one step left in that distance, Wonderstein finally spoke.

    "I hated this curse more than anything at that time."

    Yurakne¡¯s footsteps also came to a stop.

    Right behind him.

    "When I saw you crying while surrounded by people, I... also..."

    Wonderstein looked back at Yurakne.

    A bright smile adorned his lips.

    "If I said I wanted to cry, would you believe me?"

    Without waiting for an answer, he walked quietly toward the tent.

    Yurakne stood there for a long time, pondering theughter he left behind.

    ***

    The next day, breakfast at the Monster Circus was not as satisfying as usual.

    Yurakne had promised fish stew the day before.

    It was disappointing, to say the least.

    There was no trace of fish meat, and even the potatoes seemed strangely small.

    "It¡¯s because of Wonderstein," Sven said with conviction, his bones creaking.

    "I saw him yesterday morning, and he was bothering Yurakne. He even followed her all the way to the market."

    In the middle of the night?

    The members were all surprised by the news that Yurakne had confronted Wonderstein on her own.

    "What did you do?"

    "I came back and went to sleep again."

    "You¡¯re fearless."

    "Do I have the audacity to confront the ringmaster? Anyway, something bad definitely happened. I saw Yurakne when she returned, and she was aplete mess."

    Everyone was curious about what had happened overnight, but Yurakne, the person involved, remained tight-lipped.

    When I woke up, the sun was hanging in the sky.

    I had overslept due to wandering around until dawn.

    All the wounds had disappeared and were nowhere to be found.

    Thanks to the "Rapid Stiffness" that suppressed bleeding and the cell regeneration I had set to 3.0 before going to sleep.

    Name: Frank Wonderstein

    Age: 27

    upation: Biomancer

    Attributes: (2/20)

    Muscle Strength: 2.0 (Physical Training)

    Tissue Hardness: 2.0 (Leather Armor)

    Cell Regeneration: 3.0 (Sprinting)

    Traits: [Smiling Man], [Rapid Stiffening]

    The description of cell regeneration had changed from 1.0 to "Crawling," then to 2.0 as "Walking," and now it was "Sprinting."

    My walking speed had increased fourfoldpared to crawling.

    Did that mean my running speed was four times faster than walking?

    Recovery speed also seemed to have increased proportionally.

    In other words, I now had about 16 times the normal person¡¯s regenerative ability.

    It was an unexpected expense, but it wasn¡¯t a bad thing.

    The basic attributes had to be increased eventually, and among them, tissue hardness and cell regeneration took priority.

    This wasn¡¯t a game; there were no retries or the so called ¡¯Return by death.¡¯

    I only had one life.

    I had to survive somehow to seize the next opportunity.

    D¨¦fense and recovery were the first steps.

    Thunk.

    Someone knocked on the carriage door.

    From the silhouette alone, I could tell who it was.

    There were only two people who coulde to my carriage anyway, Womon and E.

    It was definitely E, as her shadow was smaller.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    But the voice I heard was unexpected.

    "Um... it¡¯s Yurakne."

    I was surprised to hear the spider-woman¡¯s voice, but I quicklyposed myself.

    I recalled the message I received before going to sleep.

    [Yurakne¡¯s affection has increased by 9. Current affection: 12. (Next reward: Affection 15)]

    E had 9, Womon had 4, and the rest had 1 or 2, but she had gone from 3 to 12 in just one night.

    Whether it was because he helped with the shopping, prevented the lynching against her, or because I told her about the ¡¯Smiling Man,¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure, but I was relieved that my efforts from the previous night had not been in vain.

    I see. It was all for the sake of improving favorability.

    So, there was a justification for me.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    "Well... Since you skipped breakfast... and you went through something like that yesterday... I thought I should make some porridge."

    Gulp.

    I opened the door.

    Yurakne was standing there with her violet hair tied back with a hairpin, wearing an apron.

    A tray in her hand.

    A bowl of porridge on top of it.

    I smelled a familiar aromaing from there.

    "Abalone, huh?"

    "Yes... It¡¯s a gift to apologize for what happened in the morning at the merchant¡¯s meeting."

    "Hehe, giving something so valuable. It seems our performance was quite sessful."

    I epted the tray.

    Shake, shake.

    Her hand was trembling slightly.

    Not out of fear.

    I saw the sweat running down her forehead and the shadows under her eyes.

    "You didn¡¯t get any sleep at all, did you?"

    "Oh, no. I slept for an hour or two earlier."

    Taking care of three meals for the members alone was not an ordinary task.

    Even though we divided the time and took turns sleeping, when unexpected situations like yesterday arose, it led to overwork.

    "Thank you. I¡¯ll enjoy it."

    I smiled at her.

    But she gave me a strange look.

    A hesitant expression as if she wanted to ask something.

    "Well, um... What kind of expression do you want to make right now?"

    Did she really want to know that?

    Iughed and replied, "Just be yourself."

    Hearing my words, she nodded in relief.

    "Now, go get some sleep. We have another performance in two hours, right?"

    At my words, she nodded.

    "Hehe... Yes!"

    Huh?

    As she quickly walked away, I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

    Did I hear wrong? It seemed like she was smiling... now.

    Maybe she can finally get some rest.

    I sat down in front of the carriage and ate the porridge.

    I could see some of the members in the distance, huddled together and chattering excitedly.

    They scattered in a hurry when they caught a glimpse of me looking their way.

    We still have a long way to go.

    But It can¡¯t be helped.

    I had to lead them all and challenge the Circus Grand Prix.

    I couldn¡¯t make choices like giving up everything and living in the mountains now.

    Main Quest - Circus Grand Prix

    The Sky City Hippodrome is calling for Wonderstein.

    Objective:

    Advance to the main round of the Circus Grand Prix.

    Sess Reward:

    Ability to bring all acquired Debulroots and Biomancer abilities into reality.

    Failure Penalty:

    None.

    Someday, I would walk on my own two legs and feel the world with my own two arms.

 Chapter 20: Assistant Ringmaster Ella (1)

    Today is the day the ship sent by the Vergsong Family is due to arrive.

    We loaded all our baggage onto the wagon and waited for the ship.

    Perhaps it was thanks to the warning from the Aksville Merchant Guild, but this time, there was no one causing trouble or disputes.

    Some even gave us friendly nces among the crowd.

    It was all because we had injected new life into this rural market town for the past few days.

    The promised time was approaching.

    In the distance, we could see the g of the Vergsong family on the approaching ship.

    The members started to murmur as they confirmed the ship¡¯s appearance.

    "That¡¯s it?"

    "Nah, it can¡¯t be."

    "It¡¯s probably just a passing ship."

    However, contrary to the members¡¯ expectations, the ship didn¡¯t change its course.

    It was clearly heading straight towards us.

    As we watched the ship approaching Aksville, the members couldn¡¯t hide their astonishment.

    "Wow..."

    "Look at that."

    "Why is a ship like thating here?"

    "Hey, everyone, clear the way for the ship!"

    "Hurry up!"

    The ships that had been docked haphazardly quickly moved to the edges.

    Even to an outsider like me, the difference between the old ships and this state-of-the-art steamship was apparent, both in size and elegant appearance.

    The overwhelming grandeur was enough to fill the port to the brim.

    We weren¡¯t the only ones surprised; even the local residents who had been working came out to watch the steamship entering the port.

    "Is that the ship the ringmaster requested...?"

    "Well, well, well. I only received a reply from Lady Anais saying they would send a ship."

    "Surprising, isn¡¯t it? I thought at most we¡¯d get a cargo ship to carry our stuff..."

    I agreed with the words.

    This was beyond our expectations.

    Anais had been so strict about sponsorship, even demanding that I write letters every week for expenses, and now she was sending such an extravagant ship.

    "Is it expensive?"

    "Expensive? Ha!"

    E chuckled.

    "Even if we pooled our earnings from the past ten days, it would be difficult to rent a cabin for a day."

    "Are you saying that for just one cabin?"

    "Just one, indeed and with Just Womon we won¡¯t be able to fit in."

    The money we had earned in the past ten days was not insignificant.

    Despite the incident at the market, the performance continued to thrive.

    It was a full house every day. They even gave us morepensation than what was written in the contract, thanking us for our efforts at the Merchant Guild.

    We had earned quite a bit, or so I thought...

    "Steamships are generally expensive. And this one is among the most luxurious."

    "Is that so? This is... Anais¡¯s intentions are hard to understand."

    I pondered, and E turned to me with a narrowed gaze.

    "Hey, what are you talking about?"

    "You know. She asked me to send letters every week... she was so strict with our expenses. And now she is sending such an extravagant ship... Is it because she is stingy or generous...?"

    What could be her motive?

    While I was contemting, E looked at me with a pitiful expression in her eyes.

    "Why are you saying that?"

    "Sending letters... it¡¯s just that..."

    She pursed her lips as if about to say something but soon sighed and turned her head down.

    "...No, it¡¯s nothing."

    What was she trying to say?

    At that moment, a familiar voice came from the ship.

    "Hello! Ringmaster Wonderstein!"

    I looked up at the deck and muttered in admiration.

    Certainly, this ship was too grand for just our use.

    It was not onlyrge, but also very expensive.

    But if important figures from the Merchant Guild were on board, it made sense.

    A slender woman with green hair leaned on the railing.

    Anais Vergsong.

    She was the heiress of the Vergsong Domain and the chairman of the Vergsong Merchant Guild (Grand Assembly).

    She waved and smiled warmly at me.

    "It¡¯s been a while."

    It had only been two weeks, but she looked significantly different.

    Her pale face had regained its rosy color, and her once feeble gait was now confident.

    She wore a bright dress suitable for outings instead of her sombre indoor clothes and a wide-brimmed hat, giving off a fresh vibe.

    But most notably, her tone of voice had changed.

    I no longer sensed that edgy, prickly atmosphere.

    Could it be because she had removed her mask?

    Or perhaps something within her had changed?

    I couldn¡¯t tell for sure, but it was a much more pleasant voice to listen to.

    "Are you checking on the result of the surgery, Ringmaster?"

    I snapped out of my thoughts as she spoke in her refined voice.

    To examine a woman¡¯s body so closely like this.

    It was the same mistake as when we first met.

    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem angry.

    Instead, she raised her chin and looked at me with a strange smile.

    "So, how is it? ording to the expert. Is there any problem?"

    "Yes, thankfully. You look healthy."

    "Well, I see... But can you really tell just by looking?"

    She pulled down her cardigan slightly.

    I examined her respiratory function through the [Evolution Research Institute].

    There didn¡¯t seem to be any abnormalities.

    "Just by looking is enough. You seem fine."

    "Is that so? Well... I guess I can¡¯t help it... Oh, no... I mean, that¡¯s a relief! If I had to let someone else touch me again...

    it would have been awkward..."

    She blushed and quickly pulled down her cardigan.

    It seemed like that day¡¯s memory was quite embarrassing for her.

    Well, I did something like that to a human who didn¡¯t like it...

    "Anyway... Oh, I see. You needed a ship, right? It was lucky for me that I happened to pass by this area. Well, I mean... lucky for you, I guess.

    Thanks to that, you get to ride the best ship in our tradingpany."

    Ding, ding, ding.

    Suddenly, a bell rang.

    It was a sounding from the ship.

    "Please step back for a moment!"

    With the shouts of the crew, a section of the ship¡¯s wall slowly descended.

    Could it have this kind of function?

    With a thud, the cargo hold of the ship was opened.

    The inside of the ship was revealed, like a drawbridge being lowered.

    The entrance to the cargo hold was wide.

    It was big enough for a carriage to fit through.

    "Load the big cargo first! The smaller ones cer!"

    Following the crew¡¯s instructions, the members began to load the cargo one by one.

    I tried to help, but...

    "The crew is watching you. Don¡¯t interfere and just stay up here."

    E¡¯s cold response left me with no choice.

    My favorability had increased considerably, but her attitude towards me was bing increasingly blunt.

    Especially since her favorability had surpassed 10, she didn¡¯t even greet me properly.

    It seemed like she was even kinder when the favorability was at 5.

    What did I do wrong?

    Anyway, there was nothing wrong with what she said.

    Except for Yurakne and Womon, the other members were still ufortable making eye contact with me.

    How long would I have to remain in this awkward position?

    I went up to the deck.

    Anais had set up a makeshift table and was waiting for me.

    Behind her stood a middle-aged adjutant in a blue coat, serving as her escort.

    A typical ¡¯adjutant¡¯ with a wide-brimmed leather hat adorned with feathers, a long, crooked nose, and a prominent mustache.

    His gaze was imposing, as if he was looking down on someone.

    On his back was a long rifle nted diagonally.

    But most importantly, the fact that he was here with Anais.

    I knew who he was.

    "You must be Adjutant Porsche."

    I greeted him with a smile, not because of the ¡¯smiling man¡¯.

    I was genuinely happy to see him.

    "Do you know me?"

    "The reputation of an adjutant like yourself is famous even among wanderers like us."

    "Hahaha! Reputation, you say! I¡¯ve only piled up a few insignificant ones!"

    Porscheughed heartily.

    A typical adjutant¡¯s arrogance.

    Simple charm thates with a fewpliments.

    He was exactly like the Porsche I had seen in the game.

    He was a support character in TT3.

    Support characters are generally immortal and cannot be controlled, but instead, they automatically use support skills while following the main character.

    There are dozens of support characters avable in each game.

    Support characters could be recruited into the party as the main quest progressed or by meeting specific conditions.

    Up to 6 support characters could be brought along at once, and the choice of support characterbination could drastically change the gamey style.

    Name: Porsche Grape

    Age: 43

    Favorability: 100

    Title: Devotee of Vergsong

    upation: Gunner

    Recruitment Condition: Discover the "Devotee Pledge" at Vergsong¡¯s Mansion and have a conversation with him at the refugee camp.

    Abilities:

    [Automatic Firing]: Fires prating bullets every 1 second. [Gunner¡¯s Pride]: Favorability 15 Reward: Ovees challenging situations on their own. [Explosive Shot]: Favorability 30 Reward: Fires explosive bullets dealing 5 damage every 10 seconds. [Reload!]: Favorability 50 Reward: Increases the attack speed of all ranged characters by 15%.

    [Paralysis Shot]: Favorability 75 Reward: Fires bullets causing 1-second paralysis every 12 seconds. [Leave It to Me!]: Favorability 100 Reward: Receives yer-targeted skills every 80 seconds.

    Gunner Porsche Grape.

    A gruff personality, middle-aged with a mustache, and some unfavorable attributes.

    Due to his sometimes-tactless remarks that had adverse effects in certain dialogue choices, he was often referred to as "that mustache" among fans.

    However, despite this image, he was an excellent support character in terms of performance.

    His favorability reward, "Reload!", was essential when forming a ranged party, and his favorability reward "Leave It to Me!" was a rare skill nullification in the game.

    Any game wide-area buffs and survival skills.

    While he might not have reached S-tier, he was always present when discussing A-tier supports.

    And he was my "originalrade" in this world aftering over.

    My happiness in seeing him was genuine.

    Members of the Monster Circus.

    Anais, Pierre, the butler, and so on.

    I had only seen people meet unfortunate fates until now, but finally, I met someone without any burdens.

    "I heard that you saved Lady¡¯s life... but as an expert, I couldn¡¯t help but notice a few shorings. Well, I can¡¯t me you for being less experienced than us professionals..."

    Hmm, is this a bit ufortable?

    Whether in the game or here, he was always chatty.

    Unfortunately, there was no skip conversation function like in the game.

    "If I was there, I would have quickly deflected the revolver even with it on my back. Even like this, thanks to my reflexes trained through practice, I could aim urately in less than a second..."

    "Grape!"

    Anais red at him fiercely.

    His momentum, which was bragging just a moment ago, was instantly broken by her.

    Was it just my imagination that his mustache seemed to droop like that?

    "Captain wants to have a conversation with you, so please step aside."

    "Oh, alright."

    Porsche Grape moved away with a slightly surprised look on his face.

    Anais corrected her expression and looked at me again.

    "I¡¯m sorry. Porsche is the patron saint of our territory, so even if he receives a modestpliment, he tends to get carried away... and endlessly boast until you scold him."

    "Haha, where can you find a gunner who doesn¡¯t brag about themselves? If I ever meet one who doesn¡¯t boast about their marksmanship or guns, I thought I¡¯d have to buy them a drink someday, but I haven¡¯t had the chance yet."

    Anais burst intoughter at my words.

    This was a joke thieves made when traveling with Porsche Grape as a supporter, but it was well received even here

    I was seated across from her.

    A waiter who had been waiting in the distance approached and served me a refreshing drink as well.

    "But is Lady also going with us?"

    In response to my question, Anais twitched her shoulder.

    She frowned as if implying something.

    "I¡¯m not, not necessarily because I want to go! It¡¯s just that if you show us in a pathetic light and ruin our reputation, it¡¯s not good for our guild... We¡¯re going to monitor you!"

    "Hehe, is that so? Thanks to you, it seems like it will be a pleasant journey."

    It wasn¡¯t an empty word.

    I genuinely enjoyed herpany.

    I got tired of the carriage trip after just one week.

    To modern people used to traveling by car, this era¡¯s carriages, which were slow and ufortable, would never be tolerable.

    That would be the same for ships, I thought.

    Ships rocking on the water would make me feel seasick just by looking at them.

    I thought I should create the "Gravity Ringr" feature rmended by the Evolution Research Lab.

    In the meantime, I was relieved that I could ride on such a luxurious cruise ship.

    "Will you continue to travel with us in the future?"

    Traveling in luxury on an airship, howfortable it would be.

    "Will I continue to travel with you...? Well, I¡¯m a busy person, you know? Well, I guess I could consider it if you really want me to..."

    Anais avoided giving a clear answer, turning her gaze away.

    I guess she couldn¡¯t give a straightforward reply.

    Well, it was nice to travel together for a while.

    On such a beautiful ship,

    "I hope we can continue to travel together."

    Anais blushed and turned her head as if she were embarrassed.

 Chapter 21: Assistant Ringmaster Ella (2)

    The journey from Aksville went smoothly for four days.

    There were no idents or incidents to speak of.

    It was a routine of eating andzing around, eating andzing around.

    Was there anyone among the crewining?

    Of course not.

    These were the people who used to sleep in the carriage and in tents every day.

    Being able to shower with hot water every day and sleep in a bed was already a tremendous luxury for them.

    They embraced thisfortable and pleasant cruise journey.

    Among them, Yurakne must have been enjoying it the most.

    Because there was food provided on the ship.

    Thanks to that, she could take a break from her role as the cook for a while.

    "Ringmaster, today I tried a different kind of tea than yesterday."

    But sitting still didn¡¯t suit her temperament.

    She needed to keep herself busy with something.

    Was it a kind of upational disease for housewives?

    These days, the task Yurakne enjoyed the most was brewing tea.

    "Yurakne, do you know how to make tea?"

    "Tea?"

    "Yes. We use these leaves to make it."

    "Why are you suddenly...?"

    "Oh, it¡¯s just that I felt like having some tea that you made."

    If it were in the past, she might have been trembling with anxiety.

    Was the ringmaster trying to find fault and start a fight?

    But not anymore.

    Perhaps it was because she had received a piece of his secret.

    His true identity was still a mystery, and his intentions were unfathomable, but she was no longer afraid of him like before.

    In fact, it made her happy that he had asked her for something.

    She liked being asked for favors by someone.

    And she enjoyed fulfilling those requests and seeing the other person smile.

    It must be another upational disease of a housewife.

    The tea she made with her own hands.

    She even crumbled the tea leaves a bit more with her fingers.

    She looked closely at the ringmaster¡¯s face as he drank it.

    When a smile appeared on his face, her own lips naturally curled up.

    "How is it?"

    "Well, the aroma is definitely stronger than yesterday¡¯s. He He He, thanks to you, Yurakne, I don¡¯t think I can live without tea now."

    Upon hearing the captain¡¯s praise, a "Hehehe"ughter flowed from Yurakne¡¯s lips.

    Oops, was thatugh too cheerful?

    No, no. She was just smiling back at the ringmaster¡¯s smile.

    She also took a sip of the tea in her hand.

    The sweet sensation tingled her tongue.

    It was strange.

    It was tea without sugar...

    There shouldn¡¯t be any sweetness to it.

    Yurakne realized that this was a sensory transfer.

    It was a sweet taste due to the sensory pleasure she felt when looking at that man.

    "The variety seems so luxurious, probably because it¡¯s the ship the chairman travels on."

    Ah, the chairman.

    She must be doing well. She had a lot of money.

    But what does that have to do with anything?

    The ringmaster only drinks the tea I make.

    Hoho.

    I saw it all on the terrace yesterday.

    Even though she rmended a different drink, the ringmaster chose to drink what she was holding and said something like this.

    "I like this the most."

    Too bad, youngdy.

    Don¡¯t you know the meaning behind the ringmaster¡¯s smile?

    I know, hehe.

    Pff, pff, pff...

    The ship was two days away from its destination.

    On the terrace of the bridge.

    Wonderstein, Yurakne, and E, the three of them finished their lunch and, as usual, had some tea.

    Unfortunately, other crew members couldn¡¯te up to the deck casually.

    The sailors were superstitious enough as it was.

    If the crew members were seen on the deck, they might receive fierce ints."

    Besides, there was no other cargo in the hold, and the facilities were very well equipped, so there were noints anyway.

    "E, how does the tea taste?"

    "What, it¡¯s fine, I guess..."

    E seemed somewhat distant.

    Even when Yurakne tried to engage in a friendly conversation, she just nodded her head dryly.

    She had been like this since they boarded the ship.

    No, there had been signs even before that.

    Something was making her ufortable, and the atmosphere had been tense for a while.

    Yurakne had a suspicion about the cause, but she didn¡¯t feel the need to bring it up.

    "Ringmaster, by the way, I haven¡¯t seen Lady Anais much since the first day. She is our sponsor, and I wanted to make sure to treat her well."

    "Lady Anais has been busy with work and hasn¡¯t had much time toe out of her cabin. I only briefly saw her yesterday."

    Yurakne smiled at Wonderstein¡¯s words.

    "Well, she¡¯s the head of a majorpany, so being busy is expected. But it¡¯s still strange. Why would someone so busy take a cruise trip like this?"

    Yurakne¡¯s tone had a subtle edge to it, unlike her usual self.

    But Wonderstein didn¡¯t seem to notice at all. He simply smiled and replied in a calm voice.

    "She has been confined in the mansion for a long time. Maybe she wanted to breathe some fresh air and see the world?"

    "That... makes sense, I guess?"

    Yurakne chuckled awkwardly and averted her gaze.

    Doesn¡¯t the Ringmaster know? Or is he pretending not to know? If he just takes my words at face value... he probably doesn¡¯t know, right?

    She felt a sense of relief for no reason.

    As she was suppressing herughter, Yurakne met eyes with E, who was watching her closely.

    Yurakne felt guilty, like a child caught misbehaving.

    The Ringmaster might not know, but someone as sensitive as E could probably sense the hidden meaning behind her questions, herughter...

    Refraining yourself?

    Y-yeah, refraining.

    Gee, refraining, huh?

    She didn¡¯t say anything more.

    The conversation was all in her imagination.

    They weremunicating through subtle nces and changes in facial expressions.

    "I¡¯m more curious about you than Lord Anais."

    "Me?"

    "Yeah, why do you keep pretending to be friendly with that devil?"

    "Well... I just... Because he¡¯s the Ringmaster. We¡¯ve been avoiding him for so long..."

    "Lies."

    "..."

    In the past few days, they had exchanged their opinions on this topic.

    They never talked about it openly.

    They just tested each other¡¯s intentions with passing remarks.

    Dialogues like the following had never actually urred:

    "Did you like that devil from the beginning?"

    "Yeah... but..."

    "Why are you getting close to him again?"

    "Well, that¡¯s... You too, aren¡¯t you?"

    "Me?"

    "Yeah! You were so repulsed and hated him, but recently, you¡¯ve eaten together a few times, talked all night in the carriage..."

    Yurakne had tantly prodded E with this.

    She wondered if spending the night with the Ringmaster had made them close. She wondered if that had touched something in E.

    E¡¯s eyes, which had red fiercely, still remained in Yurakne¡¯s memory.

    "It was because of work! Work! Do you think nning a performance is easy? I had to worry about the stage, costumes, and even write the script! Who would want to be with that devil willingly?"

    "Sorry... I was just curious..."

    "No, it was nothing. I was just being overly sensitive."

    ...

    ...

    In truth, there was no need for interrogation or self-reflection. The reason for Yurakne¡¯s behavior was clear.

    "Just because... I like him. That¡¯s why."

    "You like someone who kills and tortures people while smiling?"

    "Well, of course, the things he did were a bit extreme... And as for the smiling..."

    "The smiling...?"

    Yurakne hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

    "I can¡¯t say. That¡¯s a secret between the ringmaster and me."

    "Oh, I see. If you tell me, it wouldn¡¯t be proper for the one who shared the secret."

    "Ah, sorry. Let me be honest. I want to be someone special, the only one who understands the ringmaster."

    "That... No, anyway, I am not as afraid of the ringmaster as I used to be."

    "Sister..."

    "He¡¯s not your average person. There¡¯s something... broken about him. Not valuing human lives... But I¡¯ve seen another side of him... You may not believe it, but...

    he was crying."

    "He was crying. That man?"

    "No, he... wanted to cry. It didn¡¯t seem like a lie to me."

    "Sigh..."

    "I want to believe. That¡¯s why I decided to ept his words and actions as they are."

    "I see. That¡¯s a bit foolish. Maybe you have fallen into the devil¡¯s temptation again."

    "I am a fool. That¡¯s true. Heh."

    "Do as you please. I¡¯m not going to tell you what to do with the ringmaster unless he forces you to do something."

    "Thank you. And... I¡¯m sorry."

    "It¡¯s fine."

    E didn¡¯t want to admit it, but she could understand.

    Strictly speaking, there was no reason for the members to be hostile towards Wonderstein.

    The problem was that his past actions were so cruel and inhumane that it was hard to ignore, not that he had mistreated the members. In fact, he had always treated them with courtesy and refrained from making rude remarks. He took care of basic needs like meals and sleeping arrangements and didn¡¯t harm the members despite having control over hundreds of lives. Well, except for one.

    There was one member who had turned into a stone.

    Nevertheless, for the past month, he hadn¡¯tmitted any evil deeds. Instead, he seemed to be making more efforts to consider the members. The members were starting to let their guard down around the ringmaster. Yurakne, in particr, had feelings for the ringmaster from the beginning, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that her feelings had developed faster than others¡¯.

    However, E was different. No matter how kind he was, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to like him. No, she shouldn¡¯t like him.

    "E... run away... a monster..."

    "A man in ck clothes..."

    "It¡¯s a devil! A devil has appeared!"

    "Don¡¯t go to school..."

    The Circus School where they gathered homeless children and taught them skills. It was located along the path frequently taken by travelers in the desert.

    E had been there since she could remember. It was more like an orphanage than a circus school. It was poor, and the facilities were modest, but she had friends she had trained with since childhood. There was also a strict but kind old master and friendly vigers. There were also merchants passing by who would stop for a while to enjoy their performances. All of them were precious.

    But Wonderstein had destroyed everything. Half a year ago, the devil who came to their vige had killed most of the vigers and her school friends. Some melted like candle wax, some had their heads split open with tentacles sprouting, and some vomited their insides with their mouths.

    "If Ees with me, the others can survive."

    That was his only goal. That was his way of thinking. Oh, there¡¯s someone useful. I should get rid of anything that might be an obstacle. So, he killed all the vigers and circus friends. He left some, including the old master, and casually asked if she wanted to go with him.

    A devil.

    But E didn¡¯t tell the circus members what had happened to her. She was afraid they might treat her with hostility, just like the vigers did. Wonderstein had a contract with only E. The rest were expendable. Just look at the member who had angered him and turned into stone. Yurakne might have seemed close to Wonderstein, but it was better to leave her alone.

    It was better for her too. The same went for the other members. But what about me? What should I do?

    "Have you heard of the Circus Grand Prix?"

    Of course, I know. I¡¯m a circus school graduate, after all. I¡¯ll be upset if your dirty mouth spreads rumors about it.

    "Hello, everyone! I¡¯m E, a trainer from the Monster Circus!"

    Most of the friends who promised to go there together have already left this world... She herself...

    "Today¡¯s performance was a great sess!"

    She was enjoying herself. She was excited at the thought of possibly performing on the dream stage. Her life... this journey... she was enjoying it.

    She couldn¡¯t forgive herself for thinking that there were some good things about Wonderstein while looking at him, for finding her...

 Chapter 22: Assistant Ringmaster Ella (3)

    The night was deep.

    I sat by the window in my cabin, enjoying the gusts of wind hitting against it.

    My unfamiliar short hair still tickled my face.

    The sound of water sshing against the wheels.

    The noiseing from the engine room.

    The asional creaking of the ship.

    The ship was moving slowly enough not to disturb people¡¯s sleep, just as it was customary in these upper reaches of the river. However, since there was still a considerable distance to our destination, we were pushing on even at night.

    I turned on my status screen to check the time.

    Oh, has it already been an hour?

    Should I have another cup of tea?

    This quest is getting annoying.

    There was a cup of tea on the desk, which Yurakne had prepared and left for me in case I needed it. Since I couldn¡¯t call her at this hour, I had taken it in advance.

    I poured some tea into the cup.

    "Ugh."

    As I looked down at the tea in the cup...

    Well, of course, I must be smiling.

    The smiling man always smiles.

    But...

    It wasn¡¯t how I truly felt.

    Just smelling the tea¡¯s aroma was getting on my nerves by now.

    I had already had nearly twenty cups of tea today.

    Ugh, how annoying.

    Honestly, I preferred the sweet and refreshing fruit drinks.

    I felt sorry for Yurakne, who worked so diligently to prepare the tea, but I had to drink it out of obligation.

    My purpose was not to enjoy the tea but to engage in the act of drinking it.

    "Ringmaster really loves tea!"

    Yurakne, who would cheerfully watch me whenever I drank tea. Besides, I couldn¡¯t exactly say I didn¡¯t like it. I just nodded in agreement when shemented like that.

    It was fortunate that there was a smiling man by my side during such times. I didn¡¯t have to force a reluctant expression and choke down the tea.

    There was a reason why I was diligently drinking a tea that I suddenly didn¡¯t like.

    "Subordinate Management."

    The TTT interface appeared before my eyes, and among the ten subordinates, I selected Yurakne¡¯s profile.

    Name: Yurakne

    Age: 26

    Favorability: 23 (Next Reward: Affection 30)

    Title: Spider Woman

    upation: General Acrobat

    Special Trait: [Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity]

    Her favorability had unexpectedly risen to 23. Annoyed by the constant stream of messages, I had turned off real-time notifications, but it seemed to have continued to rise without my knowledge.

    The day before the ship¡¯s arrival, Yurakne¡¯s affection had surpassed 15. Ever since the incident at the fish market, her affection had been increasing by 1 point each day without me doing anything. On days when we went for a night stroll together, it even went up by 2 points.

    Compared to other subordinates who didn¡¯t move an inch like bricks, this was a wee development.

    [Yurakne¡¯s affection has increased by 2. As a reward for reaching Affection 15, this reward is granted to Yurakne.

    Current Favorability: 16 (Next Reward: Favorability 30)]

    Special Trait: Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity

    Applicable to: Tea brewed by Yurakne

    Effect: Drinking tea increases the three basic attributes of Wonderstein by 0.1% for 1 hour.

    Requirements: Yurakne¡¯s affection must be 15.

    When I drank tea prepared by Yurakne... my abilities increased for 1 hour...?

    So, this was a growth-type trait.

    I paid attention to the "0.1%."

    Ah, this is an incremental trait.

    As if on cue with my muttering, a message appeared in the notification window.

    *Subquest - Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity: Yurakne will continue to brew tea with even more sincerity every time you drink it.

    Conditions for Completion: Drink 1000 cups of tea brewed by Yurakne (with intervals of at least 1 hour).

    Rewards upon sess:

    [Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity] +0.1% increase per cup

    Failure Penalty:

    None

    "Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity" was indeed an excellent attribute to unlock early on, offering a significant advantage. With a 0.1% increase per cup, drinking 1000 cups would result in a whopping 100% increase in ability.

    In situations requiring a boost in ability stats, her tea could double your capabilities. However, this growth-oriented attribute couldn¡¯t be used immediately; it requiredpleting sub-quests to unlock.

    That¡¯s why I had been asking Yurakne for tea every day. Thanks to her, I had been steadily sipping tea for the past ten days, and today I finally surpassed 50 cups. Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity had now increased my abilities by 5%.

    Name: Frank Wonderstein

    Age: 27

    upation: Biomancer

    Debulroots: (22/30)

    Muscle Strength: 2.0 (+0.1 Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity)

    (Fitness Club -> Fitness Club Senior)

    Tissue Resilience: 2.0 (+0.1 Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity) (Leather Armor -> Cowhide Armor)

    Cell Regeneration: 3.0 (+0.15 Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity)

    (Sprinting -> Dash)

    Traits: [Smiling Man], [Rapid Stiffening]

    Currently, the effects might be minor, but once all quests arepleted, achieving +100% will be significant. It shouldn¡¯t take more than two months to finish it....

    Ding. Ding. Ding. Huh? Continual message notifications. Did I unknowingly request something from the Evolution Research Lab?

    I raised my eyebrows as I read the popping notification window.

    [E¡¯s Favorability] [E¡¯s Favorability] [E¡¯s Favorability] [E¡¯s Favorability]

    What¡¯s going on with her?

    There were no sails on the steamship, but there was still something that yed a simr role to masts. Arge column stood tall in the center of the ship¡¯s deck, a chimney. The g attached to it represented the ship¡¯s status, and thedder hung from it served to climb high for distant observations. The height and size of it symbolized the power the ship could exert.

    A smoking chimney emitted hot brown smoke. It connected directly to the engine room, the heart of the steamship. The engine room at night was less hot and less noisy than during the day. The ship was cruising at a slow speed to ensure passengers¡¯ peaceful sleep.

    There were only two people in the engine room: a young engineer and one stoker. The stoker was checking the condition of the furnace while humming a tune, and the engineer was dozing off in a corner chair.

    Ding-a-ling.

    A bell hanging in the center of the engine room rang. The engineer, who had been dozing, jumped up. It was a signal from the bridge. He approached a pipe next to the bell.

    The pipe served to transmit sound and was called a "Sono phone."

    The engineer opened the cap of the Sono phone and put his ear to it. He heard the voice of the navigator on duty in the bridge. The navigator ordered to increase the speed slightly.

    The engineer checked the engine¡¯s speed and instructed the stoker on how much coal to put in. As the stoker threw coal with a shovel, the engineer watched the mes and then started to doze off again.

    mes roared as new coal was thrown in.

    While the old-style boiler heated the entire boiler room like a giant cauldron, the modern boiler used heating coils. This was more efficient than heating the entire boiler room at once. The heat transferred through dozens of coils rapidly heated the water.

    The high-pressure steam thus generated was conveyed through the pipes to the cylinders.

    In contrast, the old steam engines pushed steam directly into a single cylinder, which was a rather primitive method.

    It was riskier due to the back pressure of the steam and the energy wasted due to friction and rebounding forces.

    However, the modern steam engine was different.

    Some of the steam that entered the first cylinder naturally sprayed into the next cylinder due to the pressure. The sprayed steam pushed the second cylinder, and some of it flowed into the third cylinder.

    Air had the tendency to move from a narrow space to a wider one.

    By making the first cylinder the smallest and progressively increasing the cylinder size, it created a path for the steam to move forward.

    The three cylinders worked in an alternating fashion to rotate the engine¡¯s shaft.

    This was simr to the way galley rowers operated in the past.

    Three people would row arge oar: a small, sturdy person on the inside, and a tall, long-armed person on the outside. When the two on the outside rowed, the one in the middle pulled, and when the two on the outside pulled, the one in the middle pushed. Since the force of a person¡¯s effort depended on their weight, pulling was easier than pushing.

    Mixing the rowing forces by having the rowers sit alternately made propulsion much more stable.

    Of course, the rotation of three cylinders was entirely unrted to this.

    It was merely a result of the design.

    As the shaft rotated, the paddlewheel pushed water out, propelling the ship forward.

    In a corner of the engine room, a mouse watched all of this happening.

    But the mouse couldn¡¯t understand the engineering process.

    The girl who watched with the mouse was no different.

    They both simply observed for a moment because the three thick cylinders rotating reminded them of a circus act with three identical twins.

    If they got along so well, they might live morefortably.

    They were always arguing over who was in charge.

    The mouse twitched its head.

    Lately, the ringmaster¡¯s voice had been ringing in its head.

    Even in situations where the ringmaster was not present, it felt like the ringmaster was constantly following her.

    As the mouse scurried around, E¡¯s field of vision moved with it.

    Right now, she was inside Chick¡¯s body, seeing the world through Chick¡¯s eyes.

    In reality, her body was sitting quietly in the room above, with her eyes closed.

    It was like a magical and mysterious phenomenon.

    Acrobats called it "Inspira."

    Inspira was the power that circus performers and talented individuals received from the circus god, Kirku.

    A magician who walked in the air.

    A fire dancer.

    A strong man who could chew rocks.

    All the world-famous circus performers received Kirku¡¯s grace.

    The Kievan Orthodox Church might have considered Kirku nothing more than a minor deity, but for those in the performing arts, epting Kirku¡¯s blessing was a once-in-a-lifetime honor.

    E had felt the same way.

    A blessing that only a very small number of circus performers could receive.

    She had dreamed of the day when she would obtain such a wonderful Inspira.

    But now that she had actually obtained Inspira, her emotions were incredibly confused.

    A few days ago, after sessfullypleting the performance in Aksville, E had been full of a sense of aplishment.

    "E, join another team. You¡¯re getting in the way."

    "That¡¯s right. Animals like mice and pigeon can¡¯t attract the audience¡¯s attention."

    "Because of you, our team¡¯s earnings have dropped this month."

    Just a year ago, she had been ranked at the bottom in terms of recruitment at the circus school.

    But now she was a deputy leader of a circus troupe, the ringmaster, and the star of a show.

    She had walked the path she had always dreamed of.

    She might even have to thank Wonderstein for that.

    In that moment, she had a ridiculous thought.

    A voice prated her mind.

    "Call the name of the friend you¡¯ve tamed in your heart three times. Then that friend will see the world through your eyes and hear the world through your ears."

    As soon as she heard that voice, tears welled up in her eyes.

    This had been a description of the moment when the assistant ringmaster of the circus received blessing from Kirku.

    A sense of abundance, ecstasy, and exhration...

    An indescribable sense of fulfilment had flowed throughout her body.

    What E was feeling now was exactly the same.

    Oh, it¡¯s wonderful. It¡¯s so wonderful.

    This is the blessing of the circus.

    Inspira.

    Her attempt to use her newfound ability as an experiment had worked perfectly.

    She looked at herself through the eyes of the mouse, and then she looked at herself through the eyes of a pigeon.

    The happiness of being a trainer, able tomunicate with the beast she had tamed!

    It was a great joy as a trainer.

    She wanted to show it to her friends.

    What she had achieved.

    Leaving school, how she hade this far, she wanted to brag...

    To brag...

    A smile slowly faded from E¡¯s lips.

    Her expression froze rapidly.

    Fear and anger spread.

    To show her friends...?

    Her friends...

    Most of them...

    At a moment when E should have been extremely proud, she felt intense self-loathing.

    Her heart sank coldly.

    The voice of Wonderstein came to mind.

    His voice mocked her.

    Are you happy, E?

    Are you happy, E?

    Are you happy, E?

    Are you happy, E?

    How...

    How did youe this far?

    Haha.

    Hahaha.

    Are you going to say it?

    Huh?

    Are you going to brag?

    In front of your friends¡¯ graves...?

    Haha.

    You¡¯re garbage, you know that?

    You¡¯re trash.

    You thought it was okay, didn¡¯t you?

    You thought it was fine?

    That you came on this journey with Wonderstein.

    Getting out of that boring school made you happy.

    Oh, really?

    It¡¯s probably not true.

    But you did think for a moment.

    That it seemed okay.

    Suddenly, tears welled up.

    She wanted to sob uncontrobly.

    Corpse. Monster. Corpse. Monster.

    The people of the vige.

    Her friends.

    The merchants.

    They¡¯re all dead. Almost everyone except a few.

    I¡¯m sorry.

    I¡¯m sorry.

    I¡¯m so sorry to all of you who thought of me as a friend, even though I¡¯m so selfish.

    Hatred for Wonderstein.

    Self-loathing.

    Regret for the time that had passed.

    All of it mixed together.

    In that moment, the Inspira that hade to her disappeared.

    Kirku must have withdrawn his blessing from her.

    Why was that?

    Because she was disappointed in herself?

    She felt oddly relieved.

    Yeah. I¡¯m not qualified.

    I¡¯m just a novice.

    After putting down her worries like that for only a few hours,

    Inspira came back to her.

    E was confused, overwhelmed by self-me and anger again, and Inspira left her once more.

    She had been wavering like this for days.

 Chapter 23: Assistant Ringmaster Ella (4)

    E opened her eyes.

    A luxurious single room.

    Though she had only stayed here for a few days, the view inside the room had be quite familiar to her.

    Honestly, she felt more at home here than in the carriage she had been traveling in for the past six months.

    It was a cozy, soft, and warm space.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel regret that she would be leaving here tomorrow.

    Chick would find its way here on its own.

    It was a clever one.

    She took off her hat.

    She intended to continue practicing Inspira.

    This time, it was Dub¡¯s turn.

    Inside her hat, a white dovey nestled, sound asleep.

    "Dub, wake up. Let¡¯s fly."

    It blinked its eyes and then lightly pecked at her hand a few times, a signal that it found it bothersome to be awakened from his sleep.

    But it didn¡¯t refuse the walk.

    Dub managed to get up from the hat, hopped out, spread its wings, and flew out of the window.

    The dove quickly disappeared as if it had been released from a cage.

    The ship continued on its course, whether or not passengers were still on it or not.

    E waited calmly.

    Before long, she saw something bright approaching from the sky.

    Although it was night-time, the area around the ship was brightly lit by navigation lights, so Dub¡¯s flight was clearly visible.

    What would the view from the sky be like?

    E closed her eyes and silently called Dub¡¯s name three times.

    Inspira was activated.

    Her vision brightened significantly.

    She could see what the dove saw and hear what the dove heard. Simr to a warg

    Ah!

    At the sudden exmation in its mind, Dub was taken aback and wobbled in mid-air a few times.

    Despite experiencing this several times in the past few days, it seemed that hearing her voice in its mind was still unsettling for it.

    E reassured it and then enjoyed the night sky from above.

    The dark sky adorned with the bright moon and stars.

    The ship¡¯s lights illuminated the surroundings, making it easy to see, even at night.

    She couldn¡¯t distinguish where the sky ended and where the ship began.

    Even if she was there directly, she probably wouldn¡¯t notice any difference.

    It¡¯s getting better now.

    She wasn¡¯t hearing the loud engine noises from the engine room.

    Although she could only share visual and auditory senses, it was enough.

    Her once stifling chest felt like it had been pierced.

    Then, a glimmering dark strand caught her eye in the corner of her vision.

    Dub seemed to have seen it too as he turned its head.

    Oh, damn.

    E recognized the object of her admiration and swallowed the scream she was about to let out.

    Because Dub could be surprised again.

    The object of her admiration was a strand of hair from the person she hated most in the world.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    He was leaning against the window, drinking tea.

    His dark hair fluttered in the wind.

    E tried to calm herself.

    She knew from the past few days¡¯ experiences.

    If she got lost in hatred, Inspira would leave her.

    She had just enjoyed the feeling of rity while looking at the night sky, and she didn¡¯t want to return to the corner of the room and sigh in defeat.

    Stay calm.

    Stay calm...

    But despite repeating it in her mind, her heart boiled even more.

    Is this okay?

    To suppress the hatred for that devil just to keep this meagre talent?

    Regret and self-me grew.

    Suddenly, her vision turned ck and then returned to the sky.

    The connection with Inspira had been severed, even if only briefly.

    Yeah. Let¡¯s just look away. There¡¯s no need to dirty my mind by looking at something disgusting, right?

    "Dub, get closer so he can¡¯t see you."

    Dub?

    However, Dub only hesitated with its head and stayed in ce.

    Her vision turned ck again and then returned.

    Inspira was weakening.

    "Fly forward! It¡¯s an order!"

    Dub whimpered.

    If E had been a bit calmer, she might have realized the warning in its cry.

    But due to her anxiety about when Inspira might disappear again, she acted hastily and didn¡¯t hear what Dub was trying to say.

    Whooosh...

    E suddenly encountered a strong gust of wind as she followed the directions.

    It was an instinctual reaction for the winged creature to perceive and avoid.

    The headwind created as the ship moved forward.

    She collided head-on with it.

    "Ouch!"

    E instinctively leaped forward.

    She felt herself being pushed backward, a natural reflex like response.

    The problem was...

    At that moment, her connection with Inspira was cut off...

    E¡¯s original body was in front of the window.

    E was thrown out of the window.

    "Ah."

    Her body was plummeting towards the river.

    She had to scream.

    But E couldn¡¯t make a sound; her throat was blocked.

    The ck river filled her vision.

    Ssh.

    A fairly loud sound of water as a person fell.

    Normally, the deck crew should have heard the sound, but unfortunately...

    Because of another ship approaching from the other side, they were signaling with a loud noise, and E¡¯s fall went unnoticed.

    No one on the ship knew she had fallen.

    Except for one person.

    ["Party Quest - Save Me!" has been activated.]

    Wonderstein read the quest notification in shock.

    E had fallen into the river?

    What on earth...

    An unexpected rescue message.

    Wonderstein immediately requested what was needed from the Evolution Research Institute.

    It happened to be past midnight, and he had umted a significant number of debulroots based on his average likability and reputation.

    Thirty or so debulroots disappeared in an instant.

    Membranes grew between his fingers and toes, and gills opened by his neck.

    This form of Wonderstein.

    He had seen it once in the game.

    He took off his shoes and jumped out of the window.

    His body submerged into the cold, dark water.

    Bo- Boong-

    Fortunately, the ship they were on had slowed down due to the approaching ship.

    E was not far away.

    He saw a white dove circling a certain point, crying out pitifully.

    Damn it. I don¡¯t know how to swim.

    Should I just paddle my arms and legs?

    But it was fortunate that he could breathe through the gills.

    The problem was that E didn¡¯t have such abilities.

    Wonderstein swam towards her in haste.

    ***

    A small town near the Nevada desert, mo.

    Originally, it was just an ordinary town with nothing special, where merchants passing through the desert briefly rested.

    But fifteen years ago, a retired old acrobat established a circus school, and the town became quite lively.

    The school¡¯s operator, known as ¡¯Master,¡¯ always wore a mask due to his face being badly disfigured in an ident.

    However, even the townsfolk who had never seen a proper circus in their lives could feel that his skills were extraordinary.

    He took in orphaned children and taught them various talents.

    "Our trio of strongmen will show off their strength in 5 minutes!"

    "First, I¡¯ll give you a simple demonstration! Here we go!"

    A boy with a crew cut took a sturdy-looking rock in his hand and smashed it against his forehead.

    The onlookers gasped, but when they saw the rock split neatly in half, they eximed in amazement.

    The boy raised the broken rock, showing it off with both arms.

    "Come see our show!"

    "You won¡¯t regret it!"

    "We¡¯ll even throw a mountain for you!"

    These kids had a surprising amount of charisma.

    The merchants were impressed by their showmanship and apuded.

    "These kids are pretty good for their age."

    "They¡¯re not bad at all! Should we go watch this after all?"

    "I saw them in the morning, and those tightrope-walking kids were amazing."

    "I¡¯m going to watch the kids rolling barrels."

    The students of the circus school performed for travelers passing through the town.

    The school provided them with a ce to sleep, two meals a day (breakfast and dinner), and a practice space.

    The rest had to be earned with their respective talents.

    Thanks to the Master¡¯s versatility, the students could choose talents that suited them and earn pocket money.

    Strength performances.

    Juggling.

    Tightrope walking.

    Animal taming.

    Archery.

    The five basic acrobaticsmonly referred to as the "traditional five" in the circus.

    He was a master who excelled in everything, but there was something he couldn¡¯t teach here due to circumstances.

    That something was animal training.

    While it was easy for him to personally create training tools by hammering and nailing for other skills, he couldn¡¯t do that for animal training.

    Elephants, lions, horses, and more.

    Therge animals often used in the circus required a huge amount of money just for their food.

    In a situation where even the funds for the children were tight, there was no money to feed the animals.

    So, there was no one here who specialized in animal training.

    Except for one person...

    "Three minutes until the start of E¡¯s animal show!"

    The energetic voice of the girl turned the heads of passing travelers.

    However, after confirming the two animals in front of her, they wore disappointed expressions and continued on their way.

    Pigeon and mice...

    At the very least, they should have eagles...

    There were asional inquiries about other animals, but every time, the girl would answer that these two were all she had.

    "E. It looks like you¡¯re disappointed again today."

    "Are you skipping lunch again? Hehe."

    "Well, she¡¯s not that tall, little E."

    Friends passing by teased her like that.

    E red at them with a resentful expression.

    "If you¡¯re not going to help, then get lost."

    "Tsk, why does the kid who¡¯s good at other tricks keep insisting on animal training?"

    The children left, clicking their tongues.

    E sat down on the ground with a sulky expression.

    She was not someone who didn¡¯t know the reality.

    Even if it was her, she wouldn¡¯t watch an animal show with just pigeon and mice, leaving other circuses behind.

    Should she really switch to a different skill?

    But I really want to do animal training.

    If only she could get an offer from a wealthy circus.

    She sighed deeply while looking at the ground with a vacant expression.

    At that moment, a voice addressed her.

    "Three minutes have passed."

    Huh?

    E raised her head.

    In front of her stood a tall man.

    His ck suit was out of ce in the midsummer Nevada.

    With a handsome face and fair skin, he had dazzling dark hair.

    Naturally, his presence was striking.

    He smiled at E and said, "The animal show. Are you not doing it?"

    "Uh... well, I was just about to..."

    E got up from her seat and straightened her disheveled clothes.

    After greeting him, she began her prepared show.

    What she presented were various tricks that made good use of the characteristics of pigeons and mice.

    There was no grandeur, but thanks to the right timing and pacing, once you started watching, it didn¡¯t get boring, and you could immerse yourself in it.

    She had worked all night to revise the script and had practiced with the children countless times to prepare.

    Expectation, satisfaction, surprise.

    She incorporated all three elements of a good performance.

    "And that¡¯s the end of the performance!"

    E, Dub, and Chick bowed in unison to the audience.

    The man apuded enthusiastically, mixed with expressions of admiration.

    "Really impressive, isn¡¯t it? Did you prepare all of this by yourself?"

    "Well, yes... hehe."

    It was the first time E had received such praise from an audience.

    Her master and friends who understood scripts, acting, andposition could recognize her efforts, but the audience, who only enjoyed the spectacle, often dismissed her show as mundane.

    But today, a man she had never seen before acknowledged her show.

    He was undoubtedly someone with an eye for the circus.

    "Are you also affiliated with the circus?" E asked.

    The man, with a smile as generous as his words, replied, "Hoho, I¡¯m a magician preparing to establish a circus."

    "A magician..."

    Indeed, it made sense that someone in this field would be here.

    "What¡¯s your name?"

    "I¡¯m Frank Wonderstein. Oh, you don¡¯t have to strain yourself trying to remember. I don¡¯t have much of a reputation."

    E nodded.

    At this point, she had more or less made up her mind.

    Or maybe she wouldn¡¯t have followed him around untilte afternoon.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    Kind, trustworthy, and someone with a knack for the circus.

    He was reliable.

    "But my master might object. He always tries to ce us in a circus at least two ranks higher. He might oppose it if it¡¯s a fledgling circus..."

    At her words, Frank Wonderstein¡¯s eyes sharpened like a sudden glint in the sunset.

    Was it a trick of the twilight?

    He smiled as steadily as ever and said, "Don¡¯t worry. I have confidence in convincing him. Perhaps, if the two of us have a conversation... he¡¯ll understand."

    Wonderstein extended his hand for a handshake.

    E shook his hand firmly with both of her hands.

    "Well then, I¡¯ll take care of the business. Let¡¯s meet again in a few weeks, E."

    "Yes. Mr. Wonderstein... I mean, Ringmaster! Pleasee take a look! You muste!

    Definitely!"

    E waved him off with a bright smile.

    Wonderstein kept his promise.

    A few weekster, he returned to mo, having resolved the issue of convincing her master.

    In a rather terrible way.

 Chapter 24: Assistant Ringmaster Ella (5)

    Thanks to the pigeon showing the way, finding E was rtively easy.

    Today, the moon was bright, and the lights on the ship¡¯snterns provided enough illumination, making it possible to distinguish a person¡¯s silhouette even in the darkness.

    She was floating on the water, seemingly unconscious, perhaps due to the shock of falling down.

    I shook her a few times, and fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to have ingested too much water.

    The calmness of the river helped with that.

    I held her in my arms and swam towards the riverbank.

    However, it was not as easy as I had thought.

    The surface of the water was calm, but the current was quite fast.

    Before I knew it, I had passed the rock that I had set as my target.

    Gasping for breath

    Since this was my first time swimming, it was difficult to move in the desired direction.

    The fast current and limited visibility made it challenging, and I found myself drifting away from the riverbank.

    The only reason I had been able to catch E earlier was not because of my swimming skills, but because she happened to be in the exact path of the river¡¯s flow.

    What should I do now?

    My current muscle strength is 2.1, ording to the description, which is the level of a "sports club senior."

    With this level of strength, it would be impossible to swim against the fast current while carrying another person.

    What should I do?

    I have no other route to take...

    As I pondered, E and I continued to drift downward.

    The ship was now far away.

    In the end, it seemed like I had no choice but to gamble...

    My special abilities are simr to "equipment."

    Once I created a special ability, I could deactivate it at any time.

    In other words, I didn¡¯t need to openly disy any unusual modifications I made to myself; I could activate or deactivate them as needed.

    However, the concept of "dposition" of abilities was entirely different from "deactivation."

    Dposition involvedpletely destroying the created ability, reducing it back to Debulroots, which could then be consumed again.

    The return rate was 50%.

    Although it was a pity to dpose an ability I had created just ten minutes ago, I had no other option at the moment.

    I guess I¡¯ll have to live with it.

    ["Rapid Rigidity" is being dposed. 1 Debulroot will be returned.]

    ["Gills" is being dposed. 9 Debulroots will be returned.]

    I only left the "water ws" on my hands and feet and dposed everything else.

    The bubbles rising from my throat disappeared.

    I no longer had gills.

    My lungs eagerly began to inhale air again.

    Cough

    A few drops of water sshed into my lungs.

    I coughed.

    There was no time to hesitate.

    I quickly invested all 10 points that were returned into "muscle strength."

    *Muscle Strength: 3.0 (+0.15 from Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity) (Beginner-> Three Sets of 300kg)

    I recalled something I had seen on a humor website.

    If the sum of the three main exercises in weight training is 300kg, it¡¯s considered a benchmark that an ordinary person leading a healthy social life can achieve.

    I exerted all my strength to swim while taking deep breaths.

    Even though it was still challenging, I at least had some basic techniques now, better than beingpletely clueless.

    With my enhanced strength, I could more easily swim against the current and approach the riverbank.

    Gasping for breath Cough Cough

    My feet sank deeply into something.

    It was soft but solid at the same time as I stepped on it.

    Is it mud?

    I lifted my foot off the weight pressing down on my ankle, and with effort, I moved my next foot forward.

    Then my shoulders emerged from the water.

    Haha, finally!

    One by one, my chest, stomach, waist, and knees surfaced.

    I took one step after another and moved out of the water.

    "Phew!"

    Completely out of the water, Iid E next to me andy down on the ground with a thud.

    The clear air tickled my lungs.

    My wet dark hair clung to my cheeks.

    With a deep breath, I looked up at the sky.

    [You havepleted the "Chapter Quest - Save Me!"]

    [As a reward, you receive 15 Debulroots.]

    "Huff, huff."

    I moved my arms and legs and it felt like I had aplished something for the first time.

    Unlike the quests that had been resolved through favorable circumstances, this time, I had moved, judged, and decided on my own.

    With my own arms and legs...

    "Huff, huff."

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ***

    Tadak, tak.

    The sound of a crackling campfire.

    The warmth of the fire warming my body.

    I had be ustomed to it during my travels over the past six months.

    Driving the carriage, lighting a fire at the campsite, sitting around with fellow members and sharing stories.

    I had often dozed off just like today.

    It seems like today is no different.

    It¡¯s nice...

    Hmm, but where were we traveling to?

    She paused to think.

    Her memory quickly returned.

    Oh, right. We were sailing up the Dragoneu River on Vergsong¡¯s expensive cruise ship.

    Then, if we were on a ship...

    Where did we build this campfire?

    E opened her eyes.

    Under a tree by the riverbank, in a ce she couldn¡¯t quite recognize.

    A small me crackled, making a tapping sound.

    There were no other members around.

    She was alone.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    As she tried to get up, E suddenly realized that she was drenched.

    Her clothes were soaked and heavy.

    "What¡¯s this, as if I fell into the water... Oh!"

    Her memory finally returned.

    She had been desperately trying to hold on to Inspira.

    But she had identally fallen into the water.

    Water had entered her mouth and nose, and her head had be dizzy as she lost consciousness.

    She had even thought she might die.

    But why was she in a ce like this now?

    Had she been swept ashore by the river?

    No, then who lit this fire?

    Coo, coo.

    She heard a familiar cooing sound right next to her.

    It was the White Dove.

    He affectionately nuzzled her cheek, expressing its joy.

    "Were you very worried?"

    Coo, coo...

    The dove¡¯s pitiful cooing.

    "I¡¯m sorry. I gave you unnecessary orders..."

    She gently stroked its feathers.

    "But what exactly happened? Did a passing fisherman rescue us?"

    At that moment, there was a rustling sound from the dense grass on the opposite side.

    The dove happily flew over and circled around someone who emerged from there.

    Gruk! Gruk!

    E narrowed her eyes after confirming the man¡¯s presence.

    "You..."

    "Are you awake, Miss E?"

    It was Wonderstein.

    As always, he greeted her with a cheerful voice.

    In his arms, there was a bundle of twigs.

    "If we want to dry our clothes quickly, we should probably make the fire a bit bigger."

    "Dry our clothes?"

    "Yes. We can¡¯t just stay in wet clothes."

    It was only now that E realized that Wonderstein¡¯s clothes were also soaked.

    It was only then that E realized Wonderstein¡¯s clothes were also wet.

    "Why are you..."

    She felt like she knew the answer, but she asked anyway.

    His smiling face seemed to prate her thoughts.

    "E, I heard the sound of you falling into the water, so I rushed to save you."

    "...You saved me?"

    E suddenly felt mncholic.

    To hear directly from him that he was her savior

    Humiliation, misfortune, frustration.

    A sense of defeat.

    She felt her strength drain from her body.

    "Before we talk, you should at least take off your clothes."

    "What... what?"

    "You need to dry your clothes, right?"

    E¡¯s forehead wrinkled at his teasing tone.

    This mischievous devil!

    "You expect me to undress in front of you?"

    "Your clothes are right here."

    Wonderstein pulled out a leaf from his hand.

    It was an ordinary leaf about the size of a human palm.

    "What am I supposed to do with that?"

    "Do you not know the power I possess?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, the leaf in his hand twisted and began to grow, as if it was alive.

    A rapidly growing leaf.

    Soon, in his hand, there was a leafrge enough to wrap E¡¯s entire body twice.

    He smiled and handed it to her.

    "This should do, right?"

    This human certainly surprised people in various ways.

    "You¡¯re not going to watch me change in this, are you?"

    "I need to change too, hehe. I¡¯ll go over there into the bushes."

    In Wonderstein¡¯s hand, a leaf had grown to three times the size of what he had given to E.

    She confirmed that he hadpletely disappeared into the bushes and then undressed.

    She hung her wet clothes by the campfire and wrapped the "leaf nket" he had given her around her body. Strangely, there was something soft like cotton inside the leaf.

    She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but it felt great.

    It was quite soft and warm.

    "I should use this skill more gracefully in the future."

    She sat quietly by the campfire, warming herself, and then Wonderstein emerged from the bushes.

    Poof.

    The moment she saw him,ughter burst from E¡¯s lips.

    Wonderstein, who had always insisted on wearing a perfect ck suit, was now wrapped in leaves like a forest fairy.

    His hair was a mess too.

    It was a sight she could never have imagined...

    Somewhat disheveled.

    "It¡¯s funny."

    "You look the same way, E."

    Wonderstein sat across from her with a mischievous smile.

    There was a moment of silence between them.

    He stared at the mes in silence.

    What should she say?

    After all, he was her Saviour.

    Should she express her gratitude?

    As E pondered, the words that came out of her mouth were unexpected.

    "You¡¯re good at it."

    "...Good at what?"

    "Yeah."

    Silence again.

    E frowned for a moment, wondering if that was appropriate, but she continued.

    "The script."

    "Oh, you mean the one you and I co-wrote?"

    She made a somewhat puzzled expression at his words.

    "Together? It was mostly your work..."

    When Wonderstein dered that he would participate in the Circus Grand Prix, E was the first to start working on the outline of the performance. She had in mind an exhibition format reminiscent of a monster circus.

    The problem was the script.

    Who would y what character, what makeup to use, how to deliver the lines¡ªeverything was a challenge.

    In a monster circus, the emphasis was on highlighting each performer¡¯s physical features.

    Human elements had to be excluded.

    The weirder and more mysterious, the better.

    There could be a background story, but it had to be minimal.

    The lines had to be not too cheesy and realistic.

    The characters had to suit the performers.

    The acting and skills had to be within the performers¡¯ capabilities.

    Building everything from scratch was daunting.

    Even though she had trained at a circus school from a young age, she was only 16 years old.

    Doing this alone was impossible.

    That¡¯s when Wonderstein stepped in.

    "May I help you a bit?"

    "Heh. You, of all people?"

    She reluctantly gave up her seat, thinking he was going to drop out soon.

    "kufu! humans are quite difficult," he said as he piled on such remarks.

    But the result was the opposite of what she expected.

    The characters he assigned to the performers.

    Matching makeup and lines.

    Appropriate acting.

    Skills that were easy for each of them to learn.

    Adequate stage direction.

    Everything was perfectly nned.

 Chapter 25: Assistant Ringmaster Ella (End)

    With each page of the script, E suppressed her sighs.

    Utilization of three-dimensional stage settings.

    Elegant use of everydaynguage.

    Scientific and realistic background settings.

    It skillfully incorporated thetest trend in the performing arts, naturalism.

    The script was so impably crafted that it seemed almost inhuman.

    What was astonishing, however, was not just its technical aspects.

    This script also contained a human insight.

    The dialogues were infused with a deep understanding of the personalities and behaviors of the characters, such as the conversations between the triplets or the mutterings of the dwarf Jobel.

    It was as if he had thoroughly examined the characters and their usual conduct, and this attention to detail permeated every line.

    Perhaps, if she was the leader of a circus troupe, one could understand such dedication, but the other party was no ordinary person.

    Wonderstein...?

    The man who treated everything in the world as a pretense

    Did he genuinely have that level of interest and affection for the performers?

    It was hard to believe.

    That¡¯s when it all began.

    E had lived in the world of acrobatics since she was born.

    She had talent, and an eye for watching performances.

    Her love for the circus field itself ran deep.

    So, when she saw this high-quality script, her admiration for Wonderstein became difficult to suppress.

    And she couldn¡¯t forgive herself for feeling that way.

    He was a devil. A murderer who killed neighbors and family members!

    But look at this script. Let¡¯s admit it. He¡¯s a genius! There¡¯s no doubt he loves the circus.

    He¡¯s a mad killer!

    What does that matter? Perhaps even such madness is the attitude an artist should have!

    Ah, circus life...

    Our god was always a bit crazy, wasn¡¯t he?

    For the past two weeks...

    A war had been raging in her heart.

    Her hatred and admiration for Wonderstein.

    The desire to enjoy the current situation and her self-loathing for feeling that way.

    Her conflicting emotions had tormented her.

    And now, finally, today hade.

    "The fact that Wonderstein saved my own life... Why bring this up now?"She was conflicted.

    Tears streamed down her cheeks.

    "Back then, I could have just said, ¡¯Let¡¯s go together¡¯... on that day when we first met."

    Her first performance, where she received recognition from the audience.

    "The promise that he had the confidence to persuade Master."

    Master, who had be a body that could never step onto the stage again.

    "Why did you have to kill my friends... Why did you have to kill the people in the vige!"

    The destroyed vige.

    The dead people.

    "I would have rather... I would have rather... hoped you....kept wearing the mask until the end..."

    The form of the man who revealed his true self.

    Dozens of tentacles wriggling.

    Thick spider legs piercing through human flesh.

    Hundreds of sharp teeth.

    Reptilian eyes embedded all over his body.

    A sticky, meter-long tongue.

    Threatening thorns protruding from his shoulders and back.

    Pulsating green blisters.

    "Why did you have to deceive me like this!"

    The man at the center of it all, as if erasing everything like an eraser, appeared.

    The man who had extended his hand to her, saying, "Let¡¯s go together."

    The man who still smiled at her.

    "Why are youing now to disturb people¡¯s hearts again!"

    He found a handkerchief and handed it to her.

    He helped her prepare for the performance throughout the night.

    The one who leaped into the water to save her.

    She had never shown any weakness in front of Wonderstein, at least as far as in front of him.

    But now, her sturdy fortress had crumbled in an instant.

    She had pretended to be strong, but she was still just a 16-year-old girl, she was still just a kid.

    She couldn¡¯t bear this suffocating, irrational, contradictory situation.It simply wasn¡¯t fair.

    With tears streaming down her face, she wailed loudly.

    Wonderstein didn¡¯t know exactly what she was struggling with.

    But he knew it was because of him.

    He recalled the messages that had suddenly flooded in.

    [E¡¯s favorability has increased by 1. As a reward for reaching affinity 15, she receives <Inspira: Spirit Link>. Current favorability: 15 (Next reward: favorability 30).]

    [E¡¯s favorability has decreased by 2. She loses the <Inspira: Spirit Link> reward for reaching below favorability 15. Current favorability: 13 (Next reward: favorability 15).]

    [E¡¯s favorability has increased by 2. As a reward for reaching favorability 15, she receives <Inspira: Spirit Link>. Current favorability: 15 (Next reward: favorability 30).]

    [E¡¯s favorability has decreased by 1. She loses the <Inspira: Spirit Link> reward for reaching below favorability 15. Current favorability: 14 (Next reward: favorability 15).]

    E¡¯s favorability was fluctuating continuously.

    Her emotions were clearly in turmoil.

    As he scrolled through the message history, he noticed that E¡¯s favorability had been fluctuating around the 15 mark for the past few days.

    Wonderstein could roughly understand her feelings.

    It was probably because of the difference between his current self, who was desperately trying to gain favorability and his past insane pyscho demon self.

    And it was manifesting as this "Inspira" that was tormenting her.

    Inspira.

    He knew what it was.

    It was from the first installment of the series, Tril Trilo 1.

    Unlike the sequels that took ce in various locations around the world, TT1 was set in a single city.

    The sky city of Hippodrome.

    A city in the midst of a circus festival.

    It was thanks to this setting that most of the support characters that could be recruited for the party in TT1 were acrobats.

    Acrobats with various skills.

    This raised a question.

    Why did these mere performers have special abilities?

    The exnation for this was the "Inspira."

    A deity revered by the clowns and acrobats.

    Kirku, the mischievous and humorous deity, bestowed this gift upon his followers.

    Trait: Inspira - Spirit Link

    Target: Creatures tamed by E

    Effect: When E silently calls the target¡¯s name three times in her mind, she shares their vision and hearing. To release, she simply calls their name three times again.

    Required Resource: [E¡¯s favorability 15]

    He heard that she had tried this spirit link and had suddenly lost contact with a pigeon, falling out of the window.

    Unlike Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity, it didn¡¯t directly help him, but it could be useful for reconnaissance purposes.

    He decided to help E get her emotions in order.

    Forget about the affinity rewards; her current state would make future progress difficult.

    This circus troupe couldn¡¯t function properly without her.

    "E."

    Wonderstein called her name softly.

    She had been crying for a while, but now she was trying topose herself, wiping her swollen eyes with a leafy nket.

    She turned away from his gaze, and her nose twitched.

    "Oh, stop it."

    "Didn¡¯t you want to ask me something?"

    She sighed in frustration at his words.

    "You used to pester me like this before. Why did you do that? And you always answered like this, ¡¯I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to be with E.¡¯ Oh, forget it. It¡¯s my fault for getting bitten by that crazy devil. Ah, I thought I had already sorted out my feelings a long time ago, but these past few days have been so turbulent...

    Ah, it¡¯s over now, so don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll just live like this. I won¡¯t bother you anymore... "

    E rambled on and on.

    Her anxious mental state was palpable.

    Her favorability remained at 14.

    At this rate, if it continued to rise to 15 and she received Inspira again, she would likely agonize, fret, and even have a fit...

    Wonderstein decided to throw the words he had prepared suddenly.

    "Two and a half years more."

    E¡¯s expression stiffened.

    "Promise. Two and a half years. If we make it to the Grand Circus Prix finals and finish the performance safely, I¡¯ll leave. I won¡¯t show up in front of E or anyone else again."

    "W-What are you talking about...?"

    Her trembling eyes.

    Confusion and hope flickered in her gaze.

    Two and a half years?

    She had thought she would be a devil¡¯s prey for the rest of her life...

    "Really. I promise. I won¡¯t harm E or E¡¯s family, or any of the troupe members, whether before I leave or after I leave. My only goal is to make it to the Circus Grand Prix finals."

    "Are you serious?"

    Wonderstein chuckled at her words.

    Human persuasion was pointless.

    It would only have the opposite effect.

    I am the antagonist.

    I just need to talk about the contract.

    "Isn¡¯t it obvious why I treated the troupe members well from the beginning, and why I needed E? If you cooperate well with my goals, I won¡¯t harm anyone."

    "Two and a half years... two and a half..."

    E clutched her nket and took a deep breath.

    It wasn¡¯t so bad.

    There had been times when she had felt desperate walking this endless road with this devil.

    It was worth a try at that level.

    She got up suddenly from her seat and ran to the riverbank.

    And she washed her face, which had been smeared with tear marks, with water.

    E, who had be much clearer in her mind.

    She looked at Wonderstein sharply.

    "Alright. I¡¯ll make sure our circus troupe makes it to the Circus Grand Prix finals, no matter what happens. Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not just because of threats. It¡¯s a good challenge for me as an acrobat."

    "Hehe, that¡¯s right."

    "...Phew, okay."

    E suddenly extended her hand.

    Wonderstein looked at her with an interested look and then shook hands with her.

    "It¡¯s two and a half years. Without harming anyone. Got it? Promise me."

    "Of course.I give you my word."

    At that moment, E felt Inspira returning to her.

    Kirku seemed to be asking her.

    Is the wandering of your heart over now?

    And at the same time, a message appeared in front of Wonderstein.

    [E¡¯s favorability has increased by 1. As a reward for achieving favorability 15 (next reward: favorability 30), <Inspira: Spirit Link> has been granted to E.]

    ***

    The riverside was bustling since early morning.

    This was because the ringmaster and deputy ringmaster of the circus troupe, who were important guests, had gone missing.

    Anais, who had been holed up in her office, finally came out and urged people to find them, and the crew members were able to find various pieces of evidence about their whereabouts.

    "We found a slipper stuck on the window-sill of the deputy ringmaster¡¯s room."

    "And over here, judging by the fact that the leader left his shoes and socks by the window... "

    "Come to think of it, a crew member sleeping in the lower cabin heard a sound of something falling into the water twice in a row..."

    The situation was clear.

    The deputy ringmaster had fallen into the water, and the ringmaster in the room next door had realized it and rushed to save her.

    "Let¡¯s go back and look for them."

    "Captain, I¡¯m sorry, but the chances of both of them being alive are low. Judging by the time, it was after midnight, and in such a situation, it¡¯s not easy for sailors like us to get out. Moreover, isn¡¯t the ringmaster a serious person? How could such a person... "

    Upon hearing the captain¡¯s words, Anais raised her head.

    She had been annoyed for a while, but she was fundamentally level-headed and rational.

    She was seeing the situation more calmly than anyone else.

    "That gentleman is a remarkable magician. Haven¡¯t you heard the story of him curing my illness? And acrobats are generally physically fit and skilled. There¡¯s a good chance they¡¯re still alive."

    At that moment, amotion outside the door caught their attention, and a crew member entered with a troubled expression.

    "Um, um, Captain, Chairman... one of the circus troupe members wants to meet the Chairman..."

    "Let her in."

    Yes, they might have some useful information.

    Anais greeted the woman who came to see her. She appeared to be in her early to mid-20s.

    Anais, who had been bedridden for a long time and had be thin, felt a sense of withering when she looked at the woman¡¯s body.

    The crew members had said that there was a woman who was close to the ringmaster, but...

    They must be on good terms...

    Anais tried her best not to think of the nonsense brought up by the quartermaster, but her eyes couldn¡¯t help but wander to the woman¡¯s chest, waist, and hips.

    Damn it.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Yurakne hesitated for a moment in response to Anais¡¯ somewhat chilly response, then straightened her shoulders and stepped forward.

    "This is... our deputy ringmaster¡¯s pet mouse. It seems this little one has something to say to the Chairman."

    "A mouse...?"

    An albino mouse with red eyes.

    Cheeks, riding on Yurakne¡¯s arm, climbed down onto Anais¡¯ desk.

    Then it dipped its foot into Anais¡¯ ink bottle and began to draw something on the paper.

    It was... writing.

    ***

    The sun was shining on the riverside.

    The two of them, dressed in their original clothes, sat side by side to greet the morning.

    Wonderstein extended a fruit that looked like a human head towards her.

    "What¡¯s this?"

    "It¡¯s a fruit from the rice-opening tree."

    "...Where is it even from?"

    Instead of answering, Wonderstein shook his own hand.

    That was quite a convenient ability.

    She epted the fruit he offered.

    It didn¡¯t feel as strange to E as before.

    They had secured their promise.

    After they finished eating, about an hour passed.

    E, who had been lying down quietly, suddenly opened her eyes.

    "It¡¯s almost here."

    Woosh.

    In the distance, they could hear the sound of a boat approaching.

    Wonderstein and E got up from their seats.

    "It¡¯s been a short time, but I had fun."

    "I think it¡¯s long..."

    E¡¯s response made Wonderstein awkwardly lower his head.

    "Hehe, don¡¯t be like that. We¡¯ll still see each other for two and a half years more."

    "But we won¡¯t see each other again after that."

    "What if we want to see each otherter?"

    "That won¡¯t happen. Not with a human like you."

    In the distance, the boat they were leaving on approached.

 Chapter 26: How to evade a Hunting Dog

    The Emerald Silk, sailing up the Dragoneu River.

    Equipped with state-of-the-artpound steam engines, this ship was one of the gship vessels of the Vergsong Merchant Guild.

    Legend had it that the name "Emerald Silk" was bestowed upon the ship by the inebriated owner when he praised the color and softness of his daughter¡¯s hair at her christening.

    Of course, the current chairman vehemently denied this legend.

    However, the crew of the Emerald Silk, both in the past and the present, had no hesitation in calling the ship "Anais¡¯s Tresses."

    Sailors preferred to give ships feminine names, authoritative names, or soft names, believing it could appease the fierce sea gods.

    And Anais¡¯s Tresses satisfied all three criteria.

    The owner of Anais¡¯s Tresses sat hunched over in her office just below the bridge, running her fingers through her dishevelled hair.

    "Ah."

    She had been awake for two nights straight.

    Dark circles marred her eyes, and her pupils were bloodshot from the burst of veins.

    She hadn¡¯t had proper rest or a bath due to the increasing workload.

    Her whole body was worn out, leaving her unable to move a muscle.

    Even moving the pen was now a challenge.

    She tossed the documents she had been reading onto her desk and leaned back in her chair.

    The merchant guild¡¯s work kept piling up, no matter how much she tried to handle it.

    She was now even taking on the responsibilities of the Vice Chairman, which went far beyond her original duties.

    Could that man really handle all of this?

    Anais tightly shut her eyes.

    Unwanted memories resurfaced, memories of someone she missed.

    "Uncle..."

    Pierre Mopassan.

    Someone who had been like family to her.

    And someone who had tried to kill her.

    His presence had loomedrge in the Merchant Union.

    Why had he abandoned the Merchant Union?

    It couldn¡¯t be because of the coup, could it?

    In recent days, she had been muttering this unlikely hypothesis.

    It was far from a conviction based on human trust.

    It was about practical gain.

    What could he have possibly gained by relinquishing his position as the Vice Chairman?

    He must have received an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse.

    And who could have made him that offer...

    Anais let out a deep sigh.

    There were too many problems to handle.

    Pierre had been the effective leader of thepany¡¯s operations.

    Without him, the internal order of the Merchant Union was falling apart.

    If only he had stepped down through proper channels.

    He was currently wanted for the attempted assassination of the Chairman.

    Naturally, those who had regarded him as their patron were vehemently defending him, while rival factions were waiting to pounce, seizing every minor misstep to attack.

    The eldest statesman on the current board had stepped up to fill in, but it wasn¡¯t easy.

    Was it really a wise decision to embark on this journey in the midst of all this turmoil?

    Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to simply board a flight to Vegas and focus solely on work?

    Then, his voice brushed against her mind, unbidden.

    "I wish we could continue to be together."

    That one sentence, delivered with that face, that smile, and those eyes fixed on her.

    "Hehe... That¡¯s right..."

    It was hard to hold back theughter.

    He clearly desired her.

    He, too, clearly had feelings for her.

    Yes, he must have felt embarrassed at the mansion.

    He couldn¡¯t admit to having feelings for her for the sake of treatment.

    ¡¯Especially since I had alreadybelled him a pervert.

    I feel a surge of power.

    Yes, this journey has meaning.¡¯she thought.

    ***

    The port city of Lamancha, on the eastern coast of Castya.

    A man, wearing a deeply pressed hat, walked quickly along the beach.

    It was still April, but Lamancha, close to the equator, had a warm climate year-round.

    However, the man not only concealed his appearance with the hat but also wore a thick coat to hide himself thoroughly.

    But the merchants and even the soldiers who roamed the beach didn¡¯t pay much attention to the man whose movements were suspicious.

    asionally, such words were exchanged:

    "Is he a guest going to Pirate Ind?"

    "You don¡¯t have to hide like that; they don¡¯t care. Foreigners looking for Pirate Ind have been increasingtely."

    The residents, as well as the soldiers, casually mentioned Pirate Ind as if it were a friendly neighbor.

    Pirate Ind, known as Freeport, was an ind ruled by pirates, located not far from Lamancha in the nearby waters.

    However, to the people of Lamancha, they were not infamous ouws. They were seen as bold rogues who plundered the ugly republican merchant ships and excellent trading partners who sold quality goods.

    Since the pirates needed a ce to sell the booty they plundered, they did not harm Lamancha. In fact, they paid taxes to the local aristocrat.

    Although it was portrayed as being taken by the great aristocrat¡¯s navy due to external appearances...

    The visitor who had hidden himself was well aware of Lamancha¡¯s local circumstances.

    But he didn¡¯t reveal his disguise.

    He wasn¡¯t just a simple visitor going to Pirate Ind for shady deals.

    He was wanted for attempted assassination of a nobleman from Charlotia.

    Even though it was a distant foreign country, he had to be cautious.

    Especially more so than the rxed local soldiers, he had to be careful of the merchants.

    Those who carried the mark of Vergsong went without saying, and other merchants were no different.

    He was once the vice-chairman of the Grand Assembly.

    There was a high chance that someone would recognize his face.

    "Why didn¡¯t I just go to Flnde?"

    Although his actions in that direction were all known to Anais, at least he had his loyal followers and an established base there.

    If he had gone there, he could have taken a ship without having to go through this troublesome task.

    Moreover, Delos, to which Flnde belonged, was proud of its republic, and they were lenient when it came to crimes rted to the nobility.

    In Charlotia, where ss distinctions were strong, there were rumors like this:

    "If youmitted a crime, just hit a passing noble and run away. You¡¯ll be treated as a hero by the Delos rebels."

    But Pierre soon shook his head.

    Delos was indeed a ce that was lenient with the personal sanctions of its residents.

    Even if he was forcibly taken by the Republic, it was highly likely that the Republic would let go and say, "I don¡¯t know him!" to the mercenaries hired by Vergsong Army or Anais.

    It was better to stay here.

    "Rouage, sir?"

    The designated meeting ce.

    A man dressed as a merchant called out to him.

    Rouage was his alias used when dealing with pirates.

    The man was neatly dressed, but his actions and stern gaze were no different from those of the pirates.

    Unless the port authorities were foolish, they wouldn¡¯t think he was really a merchant and stamp his entry permit with a seal.

    The secret rtionship between Lamancha and Pirate Ind was as rumored.

    "I¡¯ve heard the word. Let¡¯s go."

    He followed the man onto the ship.

    As the man had said, it took until the next afternoon for the ship to arrive at Pirate Ind.

    Pirate Ind was surrounded by steep cliffs for most of its coastline, and the only entrance to the ind was through the entrance of the bay, which was filled with numerous reefs.

    It was a narrow ce to the point that even one ship¡¯s passage would be difficult, but the ship he boarded skillfully rode the waves and entered the inner part of the ind.

    The bay inside the ind was quiterge.

    A crescent-shaped pier surrounded them.

    There were at least dozens of pirate ships anchored in the harbor.

    Despite its infamous reputation, Freeport was very tidy.

    Strictly speaking, it was not the pirates¡¯ hideout.

    The leader of the pirates, "mp," frequented this ce.

    It was a ce visited by his gang often.

    "Hahaha! Hey, that¡¯s funny! Let¡¯s do it again!"

    "Bring another crate of booze over here!"

    "Hahaha! This is a riot! Those Navy guys!"

    Inside the resort, a lively party was in full swing.

    Pirates were gathered around the pool, under parasols, making a ruckus and smelling strongly of alcohol.

    Prostitutes were serving them drinks.

    Kids were having serious swimmingpetitions in the pool.

    An old man with white hair was floatingzily on a tube.

    A young man, after teasing the prostitutes with cheerful jokes, looked at Pierre and greeted him.

    "Long time no see, Mr. Rouage."

    "How have you been, Octopus Leg?"

    "Haha! You remember me."

    "It¡¯s your right leg I remember, not you."

    The pirate known as "Octopus Leg" had an actual octopus leg instead of a human one, just as his nickname implied.

    But that was not all.

    Every pirate here had body parts that were not human. One had snake eyes on one side of his face, another had shark teeth in his mouth, and yet another had a hairy animal¡¯s foot instead of an arm.

    And under thergest parasol, a massive man with a protruding belly held a giant w in one hand.

    He was the leader of this pirate crew.

    "Wee, Pierre."

    "...Rouage."

    What¡¯s with this guy¡¯s memory? Every time we meet...

    Pierre muttered to himself.

    "Oh, right. Come on, have a seat here. Hey, bring some drinks over here! Uh, what was it again?"

    "Coffee."

    "Oh, yeah! Coffee!"

    Shortly after, a maid in a bunny costume brought a cup of coffee.

    Instead of human ears, the girl had rabbit ears.

    ¡¯Is she a pirate too?¡¯

    Pierre took a sip of the coffee and nodded in approval at the delightful aroma.

    "Good coffee."

    "Oh, what was it? We raided a Republican cargo ship not long ago and got this."

    The man with the giant w spoke as he examined Pierre¡¯s hand closely.

    "One of your fingers is missing."

    "A rat bit it off."

    "Oh, rats are scary, aren¡¯t they? I once had my testicles almost bitten off... Anyway, don¡¯t worry. If you ask, Father will attach a new one for you. What would you like? A tiger?"

    "That would be nice if you can. But there¡¯s something more important to discuss."

    "Something more important than a finger? What is it?"

    Pierre exined in detail what had happened at the mansion.

    The leader listened with a rxed expression, evenughing at some strange parts.

    Damn, this guy is impossible to pin down.

    This won¡¯t work.

    "You shouldn¡¯t beughing at a time like this. I don¡¯t know all the details, but I understand that your situation won¡¯t be good if your activities be known to the world. So please, arrange a meeting with that priest."

    Despite Pierre¡¯s earnest request, the man with the giant w continued to chuckle.

    He took a sip of strong rum and shrugged.

    "It doesn¡¯t seem like a big problem."

    "You, did you really listen to what I said?"

    "Of course! That...hehe...the guy you shot."

    "Wait a minute."

    Interrupting his words, a voice entered the room.

    It was the voice of a young girl.

    She was the bunny-eared maid who had been standing by with a tray.

    She raised her arm to stop the man with the giant w.

    "What did you just say?"

    She stared straight at Pierre.

    Her tone carried an imposing presence.

    Pierre¡¯s long experience told him that this was not the voice of an ordinary servant.

    Something felt majestic about it.

    A sudden change in the situation.

    Pierre¡¯s mind began to race faster.

    The only person who could interrupt and be treated with such respect was...

    "Are you the priest...?"

    "Yeah, that¡¯s right. You catch on quite fast."

    She disdainfully addressed Pierre.

    Pierre was quite surprised.

    Was she the secretive leader of the growing cult in the Caribbean these days?

    The bunny girl continued without giving him a chance to dwell on it.

    "We¡¯ll talk about the detailster. But first, tell me again. You said you shot that man?"

    "Well, yes, but..."

    "No, tell me again. You said you shot a woman named Anais, and he intervened and took the hit for her. Is that true?"

    "Yes, that¡¯s urate."

    A smile formed on the bunny girl¡¯s lips as she heard his words.

    However, it was not a joyful smile, but one filled with ominous energy.

    The man with the giant w, who had been sitting beside her, stiffened his expression, and his eyes rolled around.

    "Zehaha, and the plot thickens!"

 Chapter 27: The Ghost of Cabaret (1)

    Dragoneau River and Ali River.

    The sources of these two rivers were far apart, with their respective endpoints at the northern and southern tips of the continent.

    Surprisingly, these seemingly distant rivers came very close, within 100 kilometers of each other, in a section where they flowed in opposite directions.

    People were able to connect these two sections by constructing a canal, revolutionizing the logistics between the northern and southern regions of the continent.

    Luz was one of the prosperous cities thanks to this canal.

    Originally a small ferry on the middle reaches of the Dragoneau River, it had expanded over time and had now evolved into a bustling trade satellite city where ships docked, and sailors stayed.

    In cities of this kind, it was easy to spot sailors drinking soju at bars and grabbing prostitutes on the streets.

    However, during the transition from the era of sailing ships to the era of steamships, there had been a significant shift in maritime culture.

    Young sailors, ustomed to the slow and stable navigation of steamships, had different preferencespared to the older sailors who had sailed rough sailing ships.

    They enjoyed beer with a smooth foam more than harsh soju, and they preferred socializing over drinks and conversation, naturally leading to their preference for going to rooms instead of paying for prostitutes.

    The canal was essentially in a windless zone where water didn¡¯t naturally flow.

    Since sailing ships couldn¡¯t operate there, the entertainment culture of cities near the canal had developed from the beginning to cater to the tastes of the younger generation.

    Cabarets were one such form of entertainment that emerged to adapt to this new trend.

    Cabarets taught women to dance and sing.

    Singers and actors showcased their spectacr vocal abilities and choreography.

    They even employed writers to stage musicals or ys.

    Among these cabarets, the most famous one in Luz was the "Rose Windmill."

    Its name came from therge windmill covered in rose vines that towered on top of the hall.

    The Rose Windmill employed over a thousand staff members, including actors, singers, dancers, musicians,posers, writers, choreographers, managers, and hostesses.

    And this ¡¯Rose Windmill¡¯ was one of the six theatres where the preliminary round of the Circus Grand Prix was held.

    Luz, with its harmonious red-brick walls and reddish-brown roofs, was a beautiful city.

    When I first set foot in Luz, I felt a sense of familiarity.

    That was because Luz was one of the ces featured in TT2 as a main stage.

    The Sky City Hippodrome, which was the backdrop in TT1, had crashed into the Arctic ice after the conclusion.

    The heroes managed to evacuate everyone and escape themselves, but Wonderstein¡¯s body sank into the sea along with the sky city.

    And then, sometimeter.

    An excavation team salvaging the crashed sky city made an important discovery.

    They found a gemstone known as the "Eye of Circus," said to inspire artistic creativity simply by gazing upon and touching it.

    The gemstone had broken into six pieces and was donated to famous theatres around the world.

    Artists from the six cities were captivated by the magic of the Eye of Circus.

    But as time passed, those obsessed with the gemstone began to show signs of madness.

    They used human blood and flesh as paint, created music from the screams of torture victims, and staged performances with corpses hanging on ropes.

    These symptoms spread beyond the artists to the citizens of the city.

    The Eye of Circus contained the soul of the deceased Wonderstein.

    It drove people insane and transformed them into monsters.

    Hearing rumors about this, the three protagonists of TT1.

    They gathered once again and embarked on a journey to destroy the six gemstone fragments.

    That was the storyline of TT2.

    The six theaters where the Circus Grand Prix preliminaries were taking ce.

    Those ces were the stages in TT2.

    I wandered around the streets of Luz, lost in memories.

    The ce where I had diligently hunted monsters andpleted quests in the game was faithfully recreated here. Of course, there were no copsed or burnt buildings, and no corpses littered the streets. The city was bustling and lively.

    Being a trading city and an entertainment hub, there would soon be a festival here. I asionally passed by people I knew.

    The owner of the flower shop that gave me sub-quests was sitting in front of the store, making flower bouquets. The young officer from the mounted police who had transformed into a field elite was kindly guiding tourists. The young dancer from the cabaret who had revealed the secret passage was running with a snack in hand.

    And then, as I crossed the final stone bridge and faced the windmill covered in red roses, I felt like I had returned to my hometown after a long time.

    The Cabaret of the Rose Windmill!

    Supervisor Yug Maroine, manager Brul¨¦, owner Mustan Fuhak, singer Sha, actor Paris, choreographer Mare, dancer Sol, ywright Romeo, and other named characters appeared here. They were people who had been captured by the specter of Wondend and transformed into monsters. Many of them had tragic stories like Anais.

    However, unlike Anais, they had little connection to my current life. Their transformation into monsters had happened in TT2. Now, the most I might encounter them is during the preliminaries.

    I recalled the skills, stories, and weaknesses of the characters that appeared here. Some of them might serve as helpers during the preliminaries. Perhaps my knowledge could help me find clues to pass the preliminaries.

    Lost in thought, I heard a familiar, teasing voice beside me. "You can¡¯t seem to take your eyes off it. Do you really want to go in that badly?"

    I turned and saw Anais¡¯s cold blue eyes gazing at me. I was taken aback. Despite the cabaret¡¯s emphasis on music and dance, it was an entertainment establishment where men went to enjoy thepany of women. What did she think I was looking for by staring so intently at it?

    I felt unjustly used. I had been purely thinking about the game. "Well, I have been there often, but..."

    "You were thinking about the women there, weren¡¯t you?"

    I wanted to deny it outright, but unfortunately, I just chuckled awkwardly. Anais seemed to know what I was thinking and chuckled as well. "You can¡¯t lie to me, you know."

    Damn, I thought to myself. This character trait of mine limited my ability to react or behave impulsively. I couldn¡¯t curse or scream. To lie or swear, I had to remain calm andposed. It was just the way it was.

    The monsters in the Rose Windmill were exaggerated female figures with sexual characteristics. Some would sway their hips under their skirts, others would open their thighs with their teeth and tongues exposed, and others had bodies fused with beautiful female faces.

    I had thought about them in terms of game strategy, which was why I couldn¡¯t immediately deny the question, "Were you thinking about the women there?"

    I tried to gather my thoughts and spoke again. "Miss Anais, you misunderstand. I was just thinking about how to participate in the preliminaries..."

    "Right. I¡¯m sure someone like the Ringmaster frequented ces like that. Just a smile and women would flock to you, right?"

    "I did go there asionally, but..."

    "Well, you were thinking about the women just now, weren¡¯t you?"

    I wanted to say no, but sadly, I just awkwardly smiled. Anais seemed to take it as confirmation and let out a knowingugh. "You¡¯re quite shameless. Now you¡¯re trying to shift the me to someone else? If a woman holds you and pulls close, you will naturally respond. I don¡¯t think the ringmaster is weaker than a woman, are you?"

    A day before arriving in Luz, I had an encounter with Anais. I had been missing, and when I returned, I spent the entire day sleeping in my room and only went out to get some fresh air at night. That¡¯s when I happened to run into Yurakne.

    She suddenly clung to me, saying she had been worried sick when I was missing. I hadn¡¯t thought anyone would be worried about me, Wonderstein, in that way. Her favorability was at 24, so that¡¯s what I thought.

    I epted her embrace, patted her on the back, and listened to herints about how worried she had been when I went missing. Until a bottle of ink flew into the room and hit me in the head...

    After that incident, a week had passed since I arrived in Luz, but she kept bringing up that story. It was surprising that she was still thinking about it. I appreciated her believing in my promise to aim for the Circus Grand Prix without causing trouble for the members or sponsors.

    But I didn¡¯t like being pushed into this kind of situation. If I had epted her advances, it was because I wanted afortable journey and not having to write letters. But if I had to keep apanying her like this, it didn¡¯t suit my taste. How repulsive!

    "Did you really not know anything?"

    "About what?"

    "...Never mind."

    No need to tell her. She¡¯s probably just trying to use my emotions again. I noticed E retreating with a displeased expression.

    I silently chuckled to myself. I knew why Anais cared about me, just like I did back then. Why she wanted to go out with me. I had experienced it myself.

    "Hello, Teacher. I contacted you because we¡¯re changing our helper. Yes, I heard our helper asked you out. Yes, I know. No, it¡¯s just that... our customers often misunderstand something.

    We¡¯re here to assist our customers, and in the process, we always emphasize kindness and consideration so our customers won¡¯t get hurt. Speaking to the other party is also an extension of that kindness. Yes, we understand that the people receiving help from our welfare center are often physically ufortable...

    We appreciate that our small kindness touches and moves them, but we hope it doesn¡¯t get misinterpreted as affection or love. Our dispatched helpers are all going to work for money. So please..."

    After that day, I switched to a differentpany. They sent me male helpers who were stoic and focused on their tasks, and it was also cheaper. Anais had been mistaken too, just like I had been.

    She thought that someone¡¯s kindness and smile were proof of being loved. She thought that someone¡¯s sacrifices and assistance were signs of love. But our rtionship was merely an exchange. There was no numerical affection gauge to confirm it in her case.

    I didn¡¯t have the ability to improve human rtionships without the help of the system. No, that¡¯s a rather fatalistic way to put it. It would be more urate to say I didn¡¯t have the power to do so.

    In the carriage on the way back to the lodging, I stole nces at Anais who was looking outside with an annoyed expression. I inwardly sighed and felt sorry for myself.

 Chapter 28: The Ghost of Cabaret (2)

    It was three weeks until the opening ceremony of Circus Grand Prix. The group had rented one of the most expensive hotels in Luz.

    Even after filling it with Vergsong¡¯s attendants, there were still plenty of rooms left, allowing all the members to have private rooms. The hotel rooms were more spacious andfortable than the Emerald Silk¡¯s rooms, and the food in the restaurant was fresher and more delicious than what had been served on the ship.

    The bathtubs in each room wererge enough for everyone except Womon to fully stretch out and enjoy a bath.

    Moreover, this ce was not just a ce for leisure and rxation.

    There was arge and beautiful garden in the hotel backyard, which the circus members could use freely. The garden was surrounded by high walls, making it perfect for practicing without worrying about people passing by.

    At first, the hotel staff, curious about what kind of training they were doing, used to watch the circus members practice. However, by now, at this time of day, they didn¡¯t even approach the garden.

    It wasn¡¯t because the circus members were frightening. It was because they looked too pitiful.

    "Argh!"

    "Ugh, ugh!"

    Pained screams and agonizing moans alternated in the air.

    The circus members were practicing acrobatics in the garden. But judging by the soundsing from their mouths, it seemed like they were being tortured collectively.

    "Womon, you didn¡¯t straighten your back! Your posture isn¡¯t correct!"

    As E¡¯s eyebrows raised, Womon involuntarily hunched his neck.

    She didn¡¯t use profanity or violence. She simply looked at him with eyes full of disappointment.

    Just that look made Womon feel like azy good-for-nothing.

    "But sis, I did it five times yesterday... That should be enough, right?"

    As he watched E¡¯s expression grow increasingly stern, he realized his mistake.

    As feared, her response was a cold one.

    "You think that¡¯s enough?"

    "Um, well..."

    "Ugh, do you remember how many days we performed in Aksville?"

    Don¡¯t ask questions like that.

    Womon found her ¡¯asking¡¯ tone the scariest.

    If he gave the wrong answer, he¡¯d get scolded, and if he gave the right answer, he¡¯d still get a scolding.

    He swallowed hard and gave the correct answer.

    "One week..."

    "Just one week. Just one week! All you did was scream inside the iron cage or hold onto the bars and shake them. But even that exhausted you to the point of copse. But now you have to perform high-level tricks. What if you make it to the Circus Grand Prix finals?

    You¡¯ll have to do that for a whole month. And you can¡¯t pant or wheeze like you did before! You have to maintain your form at least up to the level just below the top. Do you think excuses like ¡¯I did a lot yesterday, so I can¡¯t do it today¡¯ will work on the stage?"

    "Oh, no..."

    Feeling like he had stirred up a ho¡¯s nest for no reason, Womon hung his head low.

    He couldn¡¯t help but gaze at the things on the ground.

    ¡¯Ants really work hard.

    The cracks between the brick tiles are fascinating.

    Oops, an ant just fell through there.¡¯

    The sight of a giant, over 2 meters tall, crouching in front of a girl half his size was quite amusing. However, the members who saw the same scene several times a day, for a whole week, didn¡¯tugh anymore.

    They just pretended to be gloomy and showed that they were reflecting together.

    But the 16-year-old instructor saw through even that pretense.

    "Sven! Are you resting on the ground like this at a time like this? Get up right now!"

    "Triamere! All three of you are fooling around, showing off your tricks. I told you to guess the doctor, but two of you are just standing there, and one is moving alone! So how can you train?"

    "Jobel! Don¡¯t just hang on the rope, make moves like you¡¯re really flying with wings!"

    "Benedict! Don¡¯t swing the bandage randomly, use the snaps!"

    E¡¯s scolding gaze, which continued like that, finally fell on Yurakne, who was lying under the rope.

    She was sweating profusely and breathing heavily.

    In the past, they would have shown some consideration for her, who was in charge of the circus troupe¡¯s meals, but now it was out of the question.

    The moment she was about to say something to her.

    The sound of a carriage stopping at the entrance of the hotel was heard.

    The hotel was currently rented by them all.

    No other guests could enter the main building.

    It seemed that Anais and the ringmaster had returned from their outing.

    Anais¡¯s angry voice and the ringmaster¡¯s calm voice alternately echoed.

    They couldn¡¯t hear the exact content, but the calm attitude of Wonderstein seemed to exacerbate Anais¡¯s anger.

    A littleter, Wonderstein, with a smile on his lips, came into the garden where the members were practicing.

    "Good job, everyone."

    Wondersteinughed as he looked at the faces of the members looking at him.

    There was even "joy" in the eyes of the members looking at him.

    The practice was scheduled until the ringmaster arrived.

    E shouted at the members.

    "Okay. Training for today ends here. Everyone, go wash up!"

    As E¡¯s words fell, the members rushed into the building.

    It remains a mystery who they were trying to stay away from, the ringmaster or the assistant ringmaster!

    Yurakne stood still for a moment, but quickly disappeared into the building, smelling the sweat from her body.

    E sat down on the bench with a thud.

    "You came earlier than I thought."

    "Oh, Anais got angry."

    "...Don¡¯t mess with the sponsor¡¯s feelings too much."

    Wonderstein looked around at the sweaty dirt and grass.

    There were many rough traces here and there.

    "Is training too harsh?"

    "Do you have anyints? You said you wanted to go to the Circus Grand Prix finals."

    "No, I¡¯m fine... But I wonder if E is starting to be disliked."

    The only outlet for Wonderstein tomunicate with the members was E.

    If E starts to be disliked for no reason, it would be difficult for him too.

    "Just say it. If you work hard for another two and a half years, you can be free from me."

    "...It¡¯s not the time to say that yet."

    "Why not? If you say it, everyone will work hard, and there won¡¯t be any resentment towards E."

    E took off her hat.

    The dove inside jumped out and flew into the sky.

    She scratched her head.

    "I don¡¯t know exactly either. But I have experienced it at the circus school. When the teacher moves to gain the favour of the student... Well, things don¡¯t go well. And until the reward in the distant future that hasn¡¯t evene yet, the motivation only increases for a while. About two weekster, everyone just imagines that they have received that reward.

    To endure hard work, you need evil and guts. But our members don¡¯t have that yet. Until they have it, I won¡¯t tell them."

    She was like an adult.

    She had more social experience than the average 16-year-old and was skilled at dealing with people.

    It was a bit embarrassing.

    Even he finds it difficult to build minimal interaction without the disyed likability score.

    "At least raise it to 20% before thepetition starts."

    "What percent is it now?"

    "10%... A little less..."

    E had been mentioning the percentage she had in mind for some time now.

    It meant how much of the script written by Wonderstein they could digest out of a total of 100%.

    The script he wrote was perfect in every way.

    The problem was that the members¡¯ skills were stillcking to fully implement it.

    Acting, talent, costumes, makeup, equipment, direction, everything wascking.

    What had been performed in Aksville was referred to as a "summary version" and it was embarrassing to call it that.

    Basic structure was the only thing left, and acrobatics or difficult acting were all omitted.

    For example, performances like the Spider Woman¡¯s entrance performance, "hanging upside down from the ceiling anding down on a rope," or the vampire, "oveing something with horns," or the skeleton clown, "splitting arms and legs into several pieces and crawling separately before merging at the same time" were like that.

    Those movements required advanced skills in tightrope walking, strength showmanship, and ground acrobatics.

    It was by no means an easy task.

    Even for acrobats who had practiced for several years since childhood, it was difficult.

    However, all the talents assigned to them wereposed of things that they could digest perfectly.

    Their unique body structure and synergy allowed them to achieve many times greater effects with much less effort.

    Two and a half yearster.

    It was enough.

    "I¡¯m confident. If I can fully utilize everything in this script, it¡¯s not just about advancing to the finals, but winning is not a dream."

    "Hmm, is that so?"

    In fact, the script he wrote merely described the backgrounds and props of each boss stage in TT1, as well as the lines and actions of the members who appeared as bosses, and their attack patterns. While TT1 received decent reviews in terms of art, it wasn¡¯t considered the pinnacle of storytelling. Most of it was homage to existing monster and horror genres.

    But this was a time when there were no games, let alone movies.

    The scenes of the game he wanted to create contained ideas and direction that exceeded the imagination of the people here.

    "Well, then I should shower before dinner."

    E stood up from her seat.

    Wonderstein had prepared something to say to her.

    "E, would you like to go see a performance with me tomorrow?"

    "...What? You and me?"

    Her expression deteriorated as if she had heard something unbearable.

    Since the incident ten days ago, the two of them had been able to have quite necessary conversations for work, but they had never thought of going out together for leisure.

    "It¡¯s for work."

    "For work...?"

    E looked at him suspiciously.

    Wonderstein smiled mischievously.

    "I¡¯m just going to watch ¡¯The Rose Windmill¡¯ in advance. Today, I went there and the ticket scalpers were giving out free tickets. Aren¡¯t you curious? The power of the ¡¯Six Great Theaters¡¯ selected as the trial venues for the Circus Grand Prix Preliminary."

    At his words, E¡¯s disgruntled expression softened, and her eyes lit up.

    The Six Great Theaters.

    It was a term that didn¡¯t even exist until a year ago.

    But this time, they had been selected as trial venues for the Circus Grand Prix, and it was annoying that it felt like they were being carefully judged, as if they were the world¡¯s best theaters.

    She wanted to see it with her own eyes.

    "...I¡¯m curious, but isn¡¯t it a ce where only adults are allowed? It¡¯s a cabaret."

    "They also have performances for local residents during the day. Everyone can enter there."

    "...Well, okay. I guess I¡¯ll have to let the members have self-practice tomorrow."

    At E¡¯s words, Wonderstein smiled contentedly.

    ["Member Quest - Day Off! Day Off! Day Off!"pleted.]

    ["Member Quest - I Want to Rest"pleted.]

    ["Member Quest - Can someone please take the deputy ringmaster?"...]

    [Sven¡¯s favorability has increased by 2. Current favorability: 5 (Next reward: favorability15)]

    [Benedict¡¯s favorability has increased by 1. Current favorability: 4 (Next reward: favorability15)]

    [Womon¡¯s affinity...]

    It was a long-awaited harvest of affinity.Oh goodie!

 Chapter 29: The Ghost of Cabaret (3)

    The next day, we had lunch early and left our amodations.

    As befitting a first-ss hotel, there was always a well-dressed bellhop waiting in the lobby.

    "Where would you like to be escorted today, sir?"

    It was the same bellhop who had driven Anais and me yesterday.

    "Please take us to the Rose Windmill, my good man."

    The bellhop nodded politely and opened the carriage door.

    "Are you going to see a performance today?"

    "Yes."

    "Shall I take you directly to your destination, or would you like to arrive in time for the performance? Depending on the time, you can also visit other attractions in Luz."

    Indeed. It lived up to its reputation as a first-ss hotel.

    It was considerate of them to help us avoid wasting time by arriving at the theatre early.

    I threw a questioning look at E.

    She shook her head.

    "Never mind. We¡¯re not just going to see the performance. It¡¯s the venue for the preliminary rounds, so it¡¯s good to arrive early and check out things like seating, the hall, and the atmosphere of the theatre."

    The bellhop said it would take about 20 minutes to reach our destination.

    "Isn¡¯t this veryfortable?"

    The hotel carriage was far morefortable than the travel carriage we had been using.

    She sat down and shifted in her seat from time to time.

    Each time she did, her beige dress rustled along with her movements.

    She had always worn a long coat like a red circus ringmaster¡¯s uniform with golden epaulettes.

    It was the first time I had seen her in such ordinary clothes.

    "Why do you keep staring?"

    "Well, E, you have such clothes too?"

    She replied with a mumble as if making excuses.

    "Well... I mean, I can¡¯t go to someone else¡¯s theatre wearing a Ringmaster¡¯s uniform, right? It would draw too much attention... It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate as an audience member. It¡¯s like advertising ¡¯I¡¯m participating in the Circus Grand Prix¡¯ for no reason... I, I¡¯m not used to these clothes either!

    Even though it looks strange..."

    I burst intoughter at her words.

    Strange?

    "It suits you well."

    "Hmph. Why are you saying things like this..."

    E turned her gaze out the window.

    Her face had turned even redder than before.

    I felt a little awkward.

    Thispliment wasn¡¯t a calcted move to raise her favorability.

    It was sincere.

    Seeing her in an ordinary dress, I could now truly feel that she was a 16-year-old girl.

    "Today, Ivonne is ying the leading role."

    When the Rose Windmill came into view in the distance, the bellhop pointed to the sign.

    The sign for Cabaret that was filled with sensual illustrations and phrases in the game.

    Now, since it was daytime, there was an illustration of the performance scheduled for today.

    Thergest one depicted a woman with red hair, dressed like a princess.

    "Is she a famous actress?"

    "Of course. There¡¯s no one in this city who doesn¡¯t know Ivonne. She¡¯s so famous that she¡¯s called ¡¯The Flower of Luz.¡¯"

    Ivonne?

    It was a name I had never heard before. She hadn¡¯t appeared in the game.

    However, I had heard that nickname before.

    The Flower of Luz.

    But the owner of that nickname that I knew was someone else.

    "Do you happen to know a singer or actress named Sha? Maybe she¡¯d be in her mid-teens by now."

    "Sha? Well, there are a few actresses of that age in the Rose Windmill, but I¡¯m not sure."

    Is she not famous now?

    Sha, the Flower of Rouge.

    Four and a half yearster, she would be known by that nickname.

    The carriage dropped us off in front of the Rose Windmill and departed.

    There were about two hours left until the performance.

    Before entering inside, we walked around the theatre.

    "It¡¯s quite big, indeed. In Vegas, there were only a couple of theaters this size."

    I nodded in agreement with her words.

    The cabaret building wasrger than most multiplex malls I had seen in reality.

    "It seems to be designed more to let light from the inside out rather than bringing in outside light. It¡¯s interesting. I bet it shines like a lighthouse at night, like the building alone would attract customers. Just by its architecture!"

    E, with her light and energetic steps, passed me by and circled the exterior of the theatre carefully.

    She seemed to be in a good mood, maybe even singing asionally.

    [E¡¯s favorability has increased by 1. Current favorability: 17 (Next reward: Favorability 30)]

    I thought maybe I should bring her to ces like this more often.

    She seemed to be in her element at performances.

    Maybe raising her favorability would be easier than I expected.

    After circling the theatre, we returned to the entrance, and the atmosphere had changed quite a bit since earlier.

    The scattered crowd had gathered in one ce.

    My dear sister, who had lost her smile.

    Look at me and bring back that spring day.

    A man was singing on a stage at knee height.

    His face, his voice.

    I recognized him immediately.

    He was Paris, the actor who could be considered the star of the Rose Windmill.

    But why was that gentleman singing there?

    "That¡¯s an Agapene."

    E said in a matter-of-fact tone.

    "Agapene? What¡¯s that?"

    "...I¡¯m sometimes surprised by your ignorance. You¡¯re a circus director, right? Agapene is a technique often used in performances with music. It¡¯s a way to give a preview of the songs that will be performed in front of the theater. It¡¯s like showing the confession part of a romantic y or the resolution part of a revenge drama.

    It can attract people who didn¡¯t originally n to watch the performance and build anticipation among those who are waiting to see it. They usually have lower-ranking actors from inside the theater perform it. But he¡¯s singing Agapene so well, isn¡¯t he? Look at the crowd that¡¯s gathered around."

    That¡¯s right.

    Four and a half yearster, he would be the number one actor at the Rose Windmill.

    He must have an incredible talent.

    We joined the crowd and enjoyed Paris¡¯s performance.

    He sang so well that when the preview part ended, the crowd demanded that he continue singing.

    "Well, the rest of it... you should see it inside the theatre"

    "Oh, I already bought the tickets! We¡¯re going in. We¡¯re going. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to stop in the middle of this! Finish what you were singing!"

    "Yeah! Why do you keep pulling out when you have a chance?!"

    However, despite his talent, hecked experience on stage, and his inexperience was evident.

    I could tell because I had been a YouTuber.

    Dealing with such demands required firmness or flexibility, depending on the situation.

    If the demand was reasonable, it was important to respond appropriately, even if it meant slightly altering the schedule.

    But Paris was just floundering, not knowing how to handle it.

    That would only irritate the audience, including those who had no other intention than to watch the performance.

    "Why does he keep hesitating instead of just refusing? He is not cut out for this."

    E seemed to be thinking along the same lines as she stood next to me.

    She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

    "It¡¯s natural not to be able to sing the back part. It¡¯s a duet that requires someone to receive it."

    "Is that so? Then why not just say it can¡¯t be done..."

    However, even though I didn¡¯t know much about singing, I knew that Paris was just acting helpless without a n.

    If you don¡¯t handle this properly, even those who were just watching might get annoyed.

    So what can we do?

    What should we do?

    "That¡¯s right... sigh."

    E suddenly released my arm and stepped forward.

    I grabbed her shoulders.

    "E, what¡¯s wrong?"

    "I thought I¡¯d help a bit."

    "How? Do you know the song?"

    "Are you kidding?"

    E turned to me with a smile.

    "I sung all the Christie¡¯s works before I was 10."

    Pushing through the crowd, E walked up to the stage.

    Her stride was so confident that people instinctively made way for her.

    As she stepped onto the stage, something about her demeanor suddenly changed.

    A timid gait.

    Hunched shoulders.

    Lowered head.

    Nervous fidgeting fingers.

    It was the unmistakable image of a "shy servant girl."

    Then, her mouth opened, and the song began to flow.

    It wasn¡¯t the voice I was used to hearing from her.

    It was the voice of a woman deeply in love, somewhere in her sadness and longing.

    "I¡¯m right here, right next to you. Turn around, my master. I¡¯ve always been by your side."

    The buzzing crowd fell silent in an instant.

    No one could take their eyes off E¡¯s performance.

    With each word she sang, you could feel the heart breaking sorrow of the servant girl who loved her master unconditionally.

    Amidst the hushed audience, she finished her song.

    I lost track of time.

    Paris, who had been watching her sing in a daze, quickly snapped out of it.

    Though he lookedposed, he was a skilled performer on stage as well.

    He began singing in response.

    They exchanged verses a few times, and their duet came to an end.

    The audience erupted in enthusiastic apuse.

    Paris, still bowing in all directions, wrapped up the performance.

    But the girl he had partnered with was already gone from the stage.

    She had silently returned to my side.

    "Wow, it¡¯s been a while since I stood on stage."

    "..."

    "What¡¯s wrong? Something strange?"

    I looked at her with a burning gaze.

    A prepared line to increase her favorability.

    My genuine feelings.

    It was the first time our intentions had aligned.

    "You were amazing."

    "Hmph."

    She chuckled lightly and turned her head.

    But she didn¡¯t seem displeased.

    [E¡¯s favorability has increased by 1. Current favorability: 18 (Next reward: Favorability 30)]

    "By the way, you¡¯ve been teaching the troupe members all these talents, haven¡¯t you? There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do, E."

    "...Ugh, so noisy."

    [E¡¯s favorability has decreased by 1. Current favorability: 19 (Next reward: Favorability 30)]

    Oops, that was a mistake.I guess she can¡¯t take apliment sometimes.

    While we were talking, the stage for Agape was dismantled.

    The theatre staff came out and carried away the makeshift stage and banners.

    But Paris¡¯s hurried departure towards the theatre seemed urgent.

    ***

    Hall 1, thergest hall at the Rose Windmill.

    An hour before the performance, the atmosphere among the troupe members gathered here was somber.

    An ident had urred.

    Ivonne, the lead actress of this y, had been struck when a prop cab suddenly copsed while she was passing by.

    "What¡¯s the situation?"

    A chubby man in a suit spoke up.

    "Um..."

    One of the actors who had apanied him to the hospital hesitated.

    The chubby man impatiently urged, "Be honest! Tell me everything!"

    "Well, you see... while handling props, a medicine bottle broke, causing a chemical burn on the face... and the fragments caused extensive injuries. Even if we use alchemical potions, the doctor said the scars will still be prominent..."

    Upon hearing the actor¡¯s words, the chubby man pounded his chest in distress.

    Bouvallet, the owner of the Rose Windmill Cabaret, was someone who prioritized the theatre¡¯s profits above all else. Cancelling a single performance wasn¡¯t a big deal, but losing Ivonne was the problem. Now that she had reached adulthood and could perform on the night stage, her face was ruined. If that was the case, it would be over.

    While they opened the stage during the day for the local residents, the essence of the Rose Windmill was the cabaret. The profits from the night performances far exceeded those of the day.

    However, losing their biggest prospect for the next three years was a devastating blow.

    "Bouvallet."

    "Ah, it¡¯s over. What do we do now?"

    "Bouvallet."

    "What was the point of raising her... thinking I could make a big profit..."

    "Hey, Bouvallet, you pig!"

    Only the theater¡¯s chief supervisor, an elderly man, dared to call Bouvallet a pig.

    "No, Director."

    Apart from the elderly theatre director, no one else could call him that.

    "...Well, it¡¯s unfortunate about Ivonne. But you know, the show..."

    "It must go on!"

    In the entertainment industry, it was like a rule.

    The show must go on, no matter what idents or circumstances urred.

    "So, let¡¯s first worry about the performance in an hour."

    "I... I can¡¯t do it. Director, you handle it. Sob."

    Bouvallet left, tears and sweat flowing equally from his face. Maroine, who usually didn¡¯t like Bouvallet¡¯s light-hearted behavior, remained silent this time. Ivonne was someone he cherished...

    "Director, who should y the lead role?"

    "First, let the auditions decide, starting with Ivonne. Then..."

    "Sha."

    "Sha? She¡¯s only 14, how can she..."

    "Ah, shut up. Sha will y the lead."

    No one dared to object to Maroine¡¯s decision.

    Yug Maroine, who had led the Rose Windmill¡¯s Day and night for over ten years, was the director and a charismatic figure of the cabaret.

    "So, who will y the role of the maid that Sha was supposed to do? None of us have practiced for the maid role..."

    "Well..."

    Maroine hesitated.

    The maid role wasn¡¯t significant in this y. Training one actor for an hour or so would be the best solution. However, Maroine, a perfectionist, couldn¡¯t easily ept such a stage.

    But when he considered the idea of disguising Sha so that she yed both roles, he hesitated.

    "Director."

    "Yes?"

    A neer actor who hadn¡¯t even been with them for a year stepped forward. The others watched in silence. Even seasoned actors couldn¡¯t speak up against Maroine.

    But this fearless neer was someone Maroine had been keeping an eye on. He was a young talent with great potential.

    "I think there¡¯s someone who can take on that maid role..."

    Paris.

    The audacious young man who had dared to criticize and praise Ivonne¡¯s acting. If he said this, it meant he had confidence in his abilities.

    "Who is it?"

 Chapter 30: The Ghost of Cabaret (4)

    There are 40 minutes left until the performance begins.

    We stopped in front of the concession stand, hoping to buy some snacks.

    It was unbelievable.

    The prices listed on the concession stand were higher than what we had seen in the hotel¡¯s restaurant.

    Considering that we were staying in a first-ss hotel, this was an outrageous rip-off.

    E let out a dryugh.

    I also nodded lightly.

    "Hmm, so that¡¯s why they collected food at the entrance," I said.

    I had asked Yurakne to fill a bottle with tea for us. When you added the time for the show to the time we spent waiting, it seemed like we could achieve about six sses for the "Yurakne¡¯s Sincerity" quest.

    However, the bottle didn¡¯t even make it past the theater¡¯s entrance.

    The security guard inspecting tickets at the entrance saw the bottle in my hand and said they were taking it away to maintain a pleasant environment inside the theatre. They told me toe back for it when I left.

    It was disappointing that I couldn¡¯t progress with the quest, but it couldn¡¯t be helped if it was against the theater¡¯s rules.

    But once we actually entered, it made sense.

    Inside the concession stand, they were selling all sorts of sticky, crumbly food and drinks.

    "It¡¯s not really free admission, is it...?"

    Now I understood why the ticket scalpers were giving away tickets for free.

    The snacks and drinks they sold at the concession stand were several times more expensive than what you could get outside.

    They sold a bottle of water for the price of a cup, and a bag of candy for the price of one piece.

    And that wasn¡¯t all.

    There were also premium items specially made in-house by the theatre.

    "Here it is, Princess¡¯s Red Velvet Dress Tea."

    "Two orders of the Count¡¯s Family Pendant Cookies, please?"

    Double the price of other snacks and drinks.

    But among them, there was nothing that lived up to the name "premium" in terms of quality.

    The pictures of the products on the concession stand sign were shy, but the actual contents were far from impressive.

    Some had syrup drizzled over crushed ice, and a few colorful toppings added, that¡¯s all.

    They were selling these items with the images of the main characters from the y.

    The duke¡¯s something-or-other.

    The Princess¡¯s something-or-other.

    But they were selling well despite that.

    It was because not eating anything throughout the few hours of the performance went against the purpose of the people who hade to enjoy entertainment and leisure.

    It was a setup that reminded me of modern amusement parks and movie theatres.

    I had a rough idea of whose idea this was.

    It was Bouvalle, the owner of the Rose Windmill.

    His ideas were unmistakable.

    Whether in the game or here, he had a mind for making money.

    "Wee, brave adventurers, to the Safe Zone where monsters can¡¯t invade! Supplies avable! Health recovery food! Various cocktails with special effects for purchase!"

    Even after transforming into a monster, Bouvalle was an entrepreneur who provided safe zones to adventurers in boss mob themes and sold items. (He even sold strategy items for fellow monsters.)

    He was a man who had a great head for business, even in the decadent and gloomy atmosphere of the cabaret map, where he wouldugh and have a great time all by himself.

    Until yers reached his office on the top floor, he was a friendly character to the adventurers because he provided a safe zone.

    The items and services he provided were excellent.He was just simply locked in.

    But it wasn¡¯t a good idea to buy too much.

    Because for every gold coin a yer spent at the cabaret, Bouvalle became stronger in boss battles.

    "Hey there, guest! Guest! It¡¯s thanks to you that I...I...I was able to grow this much!"

    I had once made a video experimentally titled "How Far Can the Boss of the Rose Windmill, Bouvalle, Go?" where I collected almost all the gold in the game and spent it all on him, raising his health to a whopping 68,000. It was three times higher than the final boss, Wonderstein.

    "Is there a guest who wants to pass through here? You need 10,000 gold to buy the key. You don¡¯t have the money? Then...uh, um, now! Guest! Wait, not a guest!"

    Of course, as in the Tril Trilo series, there were always multiple strategies prepared, and you could also buy the key for 10,000 gold without fighting.

    But that was an action that had no benefit other than clearing the challenge.

    It meant giving up money that could be much more useful elsewhere, not to mention the experience points and items you could get from defeating Bouvalle.

    Bouvalle, the entrepreneur who brought the concept of money and business among artists obsessed with self-realization.

    He was one of the memorable bosses in the Tril Trilo series.

    "Just buy it."

    But I didn¡¯t expect to get pickpocketed even aftering here.

    I was really thankful that I had Vergsong as a sponsor.

    "Ah, just a month ago, I used to tremble at every single coin."

    "But now we have plenty of money."

    With that, we ordered a few items from the menu and were about to head to our seats when a familiar voice came from across the aisle.

    "I found you! There you are!"

    It was Paris, the actor we had met at the theatre entrance earlier.

    ***

    He led us to a practice room in the back with a shout, "I brought them!"

    With Paris¡¯s announcement, all eyes in the room turned towards us.

    No, to be more precise, they turned towards me.

    Everyone looked at my face with curiosity.

    "Who is that person?"

    "Maybe he is an actor."

    "Is this the person Paris brought?"

    "I thought he will cast as the servant."

    Everyone except for one man with a cane.

    He had not taken his eyes off E since we entered the room.

    His gaze reminded me of an old lion stalking its prey.

    Finally, as we stood in front of him, he slowly spoke.

    "You¡¯re an acrobat, aren¡¯t you?"

    E smiled at the old man¡¯s words.

    "Yes, that¡¯s right. How did you know?"

    "Just by looking at your muscle development and the way you walk, I can tell roughly."

    "Really?"

    "When people lift their feet, their center of gravity shifts left and right, and when they step, their center of gravity shifts forward and backward. But acrobats who practice tightrope walking are different. They always keep their center of gravity fixed in any movement. You can tell an acrobat¡¯s skill level by just looking at the degree of that movement."

    After the old man¡¯s words, the middle-aged woman who had been behind him turned her gaze away from me and scrutinized E¡¯s entire body with an interested look.

    Mare, the choreographer.

    She was also one of the key characters in the Rose Windmill.

    "She¡¯s simr to you when you were young."

    At the old man¡¯s words, the middle-aged choreographer made a sound of interest.

    She was the leader of the Rose Windmill dancers.

    If he thought E was simr to her in her youth, it was clear that E¡¯s talent was extraordinary.

    Before I could say anything, E spoke up first.

    "Wait a minute! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I just came here because he asked me toe in a hurry. And strictly speaking, I¡¯m not a former acrobat; I¡¯m still an active one."

    At her words, Mare, the choreographer, covered her mouth in surprise, and the director Maroine frowned slightly.

    "An acrobat...? Could it be someone from the Circus Grand Prix?"

    "That¡¯s right."

    At E¡¯s words, the old man scratched his head.

    "Oh, I see. I thought you sang on the spot, so I thought you were a singer or an aspiring actor... I made a mistake. Wait, is this person..."

    Finally, Maroine looked at me.

    I smiled at him and said, " Wonderstein, Frank Wonderstein. I¡¯m the head of the circus troupe that E belongs to."

    "Oh, I see. I made a mistake there. It seemed like I was trying to pull a member out in front of the ringmaster."

    And then, listening to his subsequent exnation, I understood the situation.

    "I see. That¡¯s a big problem. The lead actor being rushed to the hospital..."

    "Luckily, she had just recently auditioned, so there¡¯s someone who can take over her role. The problem is that there¡¯s no one to rece the role she was ying."

    "That role..."

    "Yes. The one E sang as earlier, ¡¯the maid¡¯."

    I nced at E.

    She had revealed her identity as the assistant ringmaster, trying to maintain herposure in front of the other theatre members, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her happiness.

    The "Member Quest" that operated through the members¡¯ desires.

    Ah, the timing...

    "Ding!"

    As expected.

    Member Quest - Substitute Appearance

    : E really wants to stand on stage after a long time.

    Conditions for Completion

    : E must perform the role she¡¯s been assigned perfectly.

    Sess Reward

    : [Debulroots x25]

    Failure Penalty

    : [Random trait destruction (excluding unique traits.)]

    A reward of 25 Debulroots. Her "Save Me!" quest back then had 15...

    Is her desire stronger now?

    It seems like she¡¯s been yearning to stand on stage for a long time.

    The failure penalty is strong, but I¡¯m not worried.

    With her skills, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.

    I was about to ept the offer without hesitation, but E blocked my path.

    "What if I ept this without thinking?"

    It seemed like she had something in mind.

    She looked at the theatre members with an unwilling expression.

    "Alright, I understand the situation. If it¡¯s something like that, I¡¯m willing to help too. But I have a condition."

    "Oh, if it¡¯s money, we can match it to the fee of an A-list actor..."

    The choreographer Mare¡¯s words were cut off as E shook her head.

    "The fee is not necessary. Just the opportunity to perform in Director Maroin¨¦¡¯s y is an honor."

    "Then what¡¯s the condition?"

    "When the curtain call happens, please introduce me separately. Say, ¡¯Thanks to E, the assistant ringmaster of Wonderstein Circus, for taking on the role, today¡¯s performance was a sess.¡¯"

    The director and the choreographer stiffened at E¡¯s words.

    Only Paris seemed clueless about the situation.

    Of course, I was in the dark too.

    Is it that difficult?

    The theatre¡¯s pride?

    But I didn¡¯t show any confusion.

    I smiled as if it was only natural, standing behind her and looking at the director.

    The condition was epted.

    There was no other way now.

    After Wonderstein and E left, Maroin¨¦ smirked.

    "Haha, that cheeky kid."

    "Why, what¡¯s wrong?"

    "In three weeks, this ce will host the Circus Grand Prix preliminaries."

    "What does that have to do with... Oh!"

    Finally, Paris realized E¡¯s intention.

    Maroin¨¦ nodded as if he hadnded a punch.

    "But as judges, our theatre was selected. So promoting one of the contestants like this? They are starting off with a slight advantage, to say the least."

    "Ah... Is that... not allowed?"

    "No, there¡¯s no problem ording to the rules. The other five theatres are probably making deals behind the scenes too. We¡¯ve just been avoiding Bouvalle¡¯s solicitations."

    Paris chuckled in disbelief.

    To think she made such a judgment at her young age.

    She was truly an amazing youngdy.

    "There must be a reason why she¡¯s the assistant ringmaster at such a young age. I wonder how impressive the leader next to her is."

    At Paris¡¯s words, Maroin¨¦ tilted his head.

    "Well, I wouldn¡¯t cast that man as an actor, at least."

    "Why not?"

    "Did you see that man¡¯s smile?"

    "It was impressive, wasn¡¯t it?"

    The elderly Maroin¨¦ toyed with his sunsses.

    Impressive?

    Yeah, that¡¯s right.

    If it was his younger self, who only pursued artifice, he would have thought the same.

    But now, with his dimmed eyesight, other senses had developed.

    There was something else behind that smile.

    Something chilling.

 Chapter 31: The Ghost of Cabaret (5)

    It was one of the works by the genius ywright Christie.

    Christie was a pioneer of the genre that can be called ¡¯musical¡¯ in modern terms, actively incorporating singing and dancing into theatre.

    The Tril Trilo series didn¡¯t provide detailed settings separately.

    Most of the backstory had to be guessed by the yers through elements ced within the game.

    In the roles the actors yed,

    In the songs sung by the singers,

    In the pamphlets that could be collected,

    In the pictures appearing in the background.

    The reconstructed stories were neatly organized on the TT Walkthrough Wiki.

    Count Wolfenstein.

    The plot vaguely came to mind.

    A young man called the Count resorted to the power of the sinister ¡¯sorcerer¡¯ to resurrect his deceased sister.

    To obtain the materials for the dark magic, the ¡¯Count¡¯ seduced the kind-hearted ¡¯Princess,¡¯ and the Count¡¯s ¡¯maid¡¯ gradually watched her master corrupt and lose his sanity.

    The resurrected ¡¯sister¡¯ was in an iplete state, unable to smile, and among the people who gathered to amuse her, a ¡¯jester¡¯ fell in love with her while she remained expressionless, leading to a heart-breaking tale.

    A tragic ending where no one was saved.

    It was a fitting y for the eerie and ambiguous Tril Trilo series.

    I saw E rehearsing with Paris backstage as she yed her role.

    E, dressed as a maid, immersed herself in her acting, and it felt like a character from the y hade to life in reality.

    With herplexion turning pale, she looked at the actor ying the Count and shouted.

    "You¡¯re going to seduce the princess to obtain the heart of the one you love?"

    "Yes. There¡¯s no other way. To increase the chances of the spell seeding, we need the bloodline of the royal family, which has the most powerful magic flowing through it. The heart of the one who loves me is the condition for dark magic. To obtain it, the princess has to fall in love with me."

    The actor ying the Count was a man in his early thirties with a gentle demeanor, and Paris had mentioned that he was one of the star actors in this theatre. Even for someone like me who knew nothing about acting, his expressions and gestures were impressive.

    "Someday, I want to stand in that ce too."

    Paris mumbled, watching the Count¡¯s performance closely.

    His eyes were burning with intense passion.

    Knowing the future, I nodded confidently.

    "You will. I guarantee it. In four years, Paris will be standing there."

    "As the lead in the Rose Windmill at 25? Haha, even hearing that is reassuring."

    The Count and the maid.

    Their voices grew louder, and the scene was now reaching its climax.

    The maid asked the Count if he could feel her heart beating, and the Count inquired if the humble maid had the strength to rece the royal bloodline with her love.

    "And then, the Count approaches. He roughly grabs the maid¡¯s arm. And he forcefully kisses her."

    Paris murmured the stage directions.

    What I knew was just a rough outline of the plot that could be found in the game.

    I didn¡¯t know the specific scenes.

    A kiss.

    Well, for someone who takes the stage, that should be a routine urrence.

    Confessions, hugs, and such.

    And since E had said she memorized the entire script, she must have epted the role willingly.

    "Can you prove it? Can you prove your love?"

    The Count slowly approached E.

    E hesitated, swaying back as if frightened.

    The Count firmly grasped her arm.

    E¡¯s back froze as if it had hit a wall.

    And then, the Count¡¯s face...

    "E, hey!"

    All eyes in the waiting room turned to me as I shouted.

    Ignoring the curious nces, I approached E.

    She blinked in surprise as she looked at me.

    I knew I had interrupted her practice, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. This was important. I almost forgot about it.

    "Why, what¡¯s going on?" E asked.

    "I need to talk to you for a moment, outside now!" I replied.

    I led her outside the waiting room.

    It was just minutes before the y was about to begin. In the busy hallway, E raised an eyebrow at me.

    "What¡¯s this all about, out of the blue?" she asked.

    "I realized I forgot to pass something along," I said with a rxed smile. In times like this, I was grateful for my ability to keep a cheerful demeanor.

    "And?"

    "Our choreographer, Mare, upgraded our seats. We¡¯re now in the central section on the second floor. She also gave usplimentary tickets to the evening performance and a free fruit tter."

    E tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "Hmm... But?"

    "We should probably factor this into our expenses. We are incurring a debt, after all. Given that we received all this, if E gets asked to perform again tomorrow, can we really refuse?"

    "Well... It wouldn¡¯t be easy to turn that down," E said with a somewhat perplexed expression.

    Despite her excitement about returning to the stage after a long break, E had a strong sense of responsibility. As the troupe leader, she couldn¡¯t simply abandon the practice of her troupe members to dabble in another troupe¡¯s performance.

    "So, why are you telling me this now?"

    "After your role ends,e straight to our seats. Instead of going to the after-party or debriefing, we could make ns for tomorrow and maybe catch up."

    E nodded in agreement. "Alright, I¡¯ll do that."

    With that settled, E hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "By the way, this is unexpected."

    "What? What do you mean?"

    "Just that. It¡¯s surprising to see you thinking about things like this now. Managing the troupe and negotiating with others has always been my responsibilities."

    "Ah, I just had a sudden change of heart."

    "Hmm. You should ask for my help more often, even in regr situations."

    At that moment, a bell rang, signaling that the performance was starting in three minutes. The actors in the waiting room rushed out.

    "I¡¯ll be back soon," E said and joined the other actors on stage.

    I watched her retreating figure for a moment. "You seemed quite anxious earlier."

    Only Mare and I remained in the waiting room. She smirked and looked at me.

    "What do you mean?"

    "I noticed you were worried about E."

    "It¡¯s not my ce to worry about her. E is intelligent and talented..."

    "I guess you were worried about her getting involved with the Count¡¯s role and the kissing scene?"

    Mare¡¯s words left me speechless.

    Did I do that?

    For that reason?

    No, I had something important to say.

    "Oh, my words aren¡¯t implying anything untoward or any such nonsense. I just thought that your concern... It somehow resembled a father worrying about his daughter."

    I chuckled inwardly at her words.

    She was attaching meaning to things randomly.I could give a rat¡¯s ass about her words!

    She was just a piece necessary for my game strategy. To gain favour and boost my abilities, to help meplete quests.

    I had no personal concern for her.

    The only thing I trusted was the ¡¯favorability¡¯ indicator disyed in my status window.

    "Heh, E is a capable assistant ringmaster. There¡¯s no room for other personal emotions."

    "Oh, I see. I¡¯m sorry if it seemed that way. It just felt that way because of my circumstances."

    Mare smiled bitterly.

    What an odd conversation out of the blue.

    I was puzzled, thinking about her setting, and silently sighed.

    Mare, the choreographer.

    She had a hidden backstory.

    She was the concealed daughter of Yug Maroine, the director of the Rose Windmill.

    Both she and Maroine himself knew this fact.

    But this stubborn woman and him had never revealed it to each other until the moment of their deaths.

    Resentment towards her father for abandoning her as a child and her father¡¯s guilt for abandoning his young child.

    Their intertwined destinies revolved around protecting each other, even as they transformed into monsters.

    Using that pattern to shield each other made it easy for yers to exploit them, and their continuing affection for each other despite their monstrous transformations touched yers¡¯ hearts and evoked sympathy for the fact that they had been unable to be honest in their lifetime.

    Well, it didn¡¯t matter.

    All of that was something that happened in TT2.

    It had nothing to do with the present.

    Especially, the pity for parents who abandoned their children.

    It was a story that was difficult to empathize with in the slightest.

    Was there any way to use their rtionship to easily advance through the preliminary round?

    That was my only concern.

    I watched the performance from the audience seats.

    But around the end of Act 1,

    I still couldn¡¯t calm down at all.

    The anxiety was growing.

    It was strange.

    At this point in time, I couldn¡¯t predict anything.

    There were six theatres¡¯ stories that I knew of, and they all happened in the TT2 timeframe.

    There was no reason for me to worry here in Luz.

    "You mean they kissed?"

    "Oh, yes. In the middle of Act 2. It¡¯s the scene where the maid pleads with the departing Count not to take the princess."

    Silly.

    I could be sure of it.

    I knew how to look at myself objectively.

    I didn¡¯t have such emotions.

    But why was I feeling so anxious?

    "Oh, hehe, even though she says no, he keeps touching my butt..."

    "Sigh, that nobleman is at it again. He keeps doing that on stage whenever Director Maroine isn¡¯t around."

    Backstage.

    Conversations between actors and staff.

    When I approached, 14-year-old Sha, who yed the "princess," entered the dressing room with tears streaming down her face.

    A young dancer who was still in the corridor looked at her with pity.

    Paris was standing next to her, looking helpless.

    "That human is trying to do that again? Filthy bastard. Keeps touching the kids."

    "In Act 2, we brought E. I feel ashamed for bringing her here. Where¡¯s Mr. Maroine? He wasn¡¯t like this when he was under his watch, was he?"

    "I heard Ivonne is back to her senses. But she keeps looking for Mr. Maroine?"

    "Why?"

    "I don¡¯t know. She keeps saying weird things. That a ghost tried to kill her or something."

    I shivered in that moment.

    I finally realized the source of my unease.

    A ghost.

    Eureka!

    ***

    The theme of TT2 was art and madness.

    Enchanted by the idea of inspiration, artists who were captivated by gems imbued with the spirit of Wonderstein. Their insanity is at the core of TT2.

    However, amidst this, there were rtively sane individuals.

    In the six cities with six theatres, they acted as allies to the yers.

    At the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    The ally here was a man known as the "Ghost."

    His face had been disfigured in an ident when he was young, and he always concealed it with a white mask. Despite his exceptional talent in art and architecture, he had hidden away inside the Rose Windmill¡¯s building due to the scars on his face.

    One day, he discovered a young talent named Sha.

    Every night, he would visit her bedroom and teach her singing, dancing, and acting.

    As a "Guardian Angel."

    And he retired a senior woman who stood in Sha¡¯s way and unalived a vile senior man who kept touching her body in an ident.

    At first, Sha had thought of him as an angel, but as she gradually learned the truth, she became frightened and distanced herself from him.

    Amidst all this, the TT2 incident unfolded.

    The characters appearing as allies of TT2 were all somewhat twisted individuals.

    Why weren¡¯t they as mad as other artists? The director of the series answered this question like this:

    "They were already mad."

    Ironically, it was because they were already tainted by madness that they could resist Wonderstein¡¯s madness.

    "That woman provided beautiful substances for my face. Giggles. The melted appearance was quite appealing."

    "That guy who touched my little bird. I made sure he could never do such things again, made him t."

    In the 1st hall of the Rose Windmill Cabaret, behind the highest frame.

    The masked man stood there.

    In front of his eyes was argemp responsible for the stage lighting.

    Two of the three iron chains supporting themp had already been cut.

    Themp swayed, but it didn¡¯t go out.

    He intentionally chose amp with the lights turned off.

    And just below, in a perfect position for his intended target to stand alone.

    He held a cutter in his hand.

    The thick iron chains were also something that could be cut with enough force.

    He had already cut two of them that way.

    If he cut the remaining one in time...

    "Please stop."

    The voice came from behind.

    The masked man, the Ghost, turned around.

    There stood a handsome dark-haired man in a ck suit with a cape.

    A smile adorned his lips.

    "Derek."

    His lips called the Ghost¡¯s name.

    Why?

    It should be a name that no one knows.

    Could it be...

    Could it be... my little bird?

    "The show must go on."

    Wonderstein¡¯s cape fluttered.

    There, the Ghost began to question his choices.

    Hiding away to conceal a horrifying appearance?

    He realized that there was a presence on Earth even more horrifying than himself.

 Chapter 32: The Ghost of Cabaret (6)

    The second act began.

    The murmurs of the audience subsided as the curtain rose, and the orchestra started ying.

    With cheerful music filling the air, Sha, who yed the role of the princess, sang with a lively voice that echoed throughout the hall.

    She proudly showed off the count¡¯s letter to those around her, her innocence and excitement evident.

    She was truly a talented actress who is bound to be legendary!

    Her tears, shed while embracing the dancer during breaks, seemed worlds away from her current performance.

    I was walking through the narrow spaces between the iron frames, higher up than the top-tier seats.

    With each step, the creaking of the floorboards beneath me was audible, but it was drowned out by the voices of the actors and the instruments of the orchestra, not reaching any other areas.

    Even as I passed by a staff member leaning on the railing several meters below, he didn¡¯t seem to notice me at all.

    The structure of the Rose Windmill Cabaret was intricate.

    The upper and lower seating areas were entirely separated, and the passageways for the staff connected them asymmetrically.

    However, I had no trouble finding my way.

    I had been in and out of this ce countless times during the game.

    I even discovered hidden paths not marked on the guide map.

    Thanks to that, I could reach this spot without drawing anyone¡¯s attention.

    From the ceiling of the hall, technicians responsible for managing the lighting and lifts asionally passed by.

    So, I had to move even more cautiously. It took some time, but I managed to circumnavigate without attracting anyone¡¯s gaze.

    Finally, I reached the highest frame.

    I looked down at the stage below.

    The backdrop of the y had transformed from the princess¡¯s castle to the count¡¯s mansion.

    The count and the sorcerer discussed what they needed for their sinister sorcery, while a maid eavesdropped from a distance.

    The scene was about to change...

    The count cornered the maid against the wall, mocking her love...

    And then, the count forcibly kissing her...

    Thud!

    The orchestra produced a loud and low sound to signal the scene change.

    I woke from my reverie.

    He realized that the maid had overheard his secret.

    He found a knife.

    The maid knelt.

    "I... I want Miss toe back. I won¡¯t tell anyone your secret, my lord. So, please, don¡¯t point that knife at me. Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes."

    E delivered her lines wlessly on this grand stage, unfazed and unshaking. Well, maybe not entirely unfazed, considering she was trembling. But could you me her?

    She had decided to participate in this y just thirty minutes ago.

    Yet, she didn¡¯t pale inparison to the other actors¡¯ auras.

    "Very well. I shall go to the capital. There, I will..."

    Wait, what am I doing?

    This is no time to watch the y.

    I raised my head and surveyed the space between the iron frames.

    I had been watching the ceiling closely, as I had no idea where the ghost might be.

    I hade about halfway.

    I saw one of the chains supporting the ceiling lights suddenly drop.

    Since it was not lit, only I could see it swaying.

    It was clear that there was a ghost in that ce.

    He was considering dropping the light to kill the Count¡¯s actor.

    Because he was the ruthless one who had his hands on his "little bird."

    While I was scanning the area like that, I noticed another chain falling down with a whoosh.

    There.

    Even in the darkest ces, my eyes could detect slight changes.

    An eye tracker.

    It was a device I used when working withputers in the real world.

    It literally tracked the position and movement of the eyeball, allowing you to control the mouse instead.

    It was a technology that gave me mental arms and legs.

    I used my eyes to turn on theputer, write, browse the inte, and y games.

    After years of relentless effort, I was able to use the tracker within a sensitivity of "1 pixel."

    In other words, I could control eye movement on a 4K-800-million-pixel screen with one-pixel precision, how cool was that!

    For me, analyzing something I saw was as natural as breathing.

    In my field of view, I could detect even the slightest pixel change.

    The ghost¡¯s location.

    As I approached it, I pondered on how to attack him.

    He wasn¡¯t originally a character appearing as an enemy.

    So there was no conventional strategy to deal with him.

    But I was someone who had delved deep into the game called "Tril Trilo."

    Finding ways to eliminate unlikeable supporters or allies was one of my main contents.

    There was a way to get rid of Ghost Derek.

    But it required some preparation.

    For now, let¡¯s just drive him away.

    For the sake ofpleting E¡¯s chapter quests.

    ...So that she canplete all her roles.

    I stood at the highest point in Hall 1.

    There, I saw a man in a ck cloak standing in front of the chain far away.

    "Stop."

    He quickly turned to me.

    He was wearing a mask, so his expression couldn¡¯t be seen, but it was clear that he was surprised.

    "Derek."

    I called his name and made him hesitate once more.

    At the same time, I spread my cloak.

    "The show must go on."

    Currently, the average favorability of the members is slightly over 7, and the circus¡¯s fame is slightly over 20.

    Thanks to that, I received 10 Debulroots every midnight.

    On top of that, bypleting chapter quests and asional sub-quests, I could collect 100 Debulroots in a week.

    Name: Frank Wonderstein

    Age: 27

    upation: Biomancer

    Debulroots: (67/80)

    Muscle Strength: 3.0 (Beginner)

    Tissue Resilience: 3.0 (Chainmail)

    Cell Regeneration: 3.0 (Exceptional)

    Trait: [Smiling Man] [Rapid Stiffness]

    I decided to start developingbat ability little by little.

    So far, most of my traits were developed on the fly in emergency situations.

    Rapid stiffness, gills, water scythe, breadfruit production, breadfruit tree production, spoon branches, and more.

    But developing abat ability like this was a significant risk.

    Attaching tentacles, wings, tails, or other body parts that I didn¡¯t originally have.

    Could a person naturally move new parts of their body that they didn¡¯t have?

    That was impossible.

    I knew that better than anyone else, considering my arms and legs that were already attached to my body.

    Trait: Mant¡¯s de

    Applied Area: Dorsal Fin

    Effect: Attaches a 1-meter-long mant de to the end of a 2-meter-long tarant leg.

    Cost: [Flexible Debulroots x33]

    There were two choices in developing this trait.

    One was to give strength proportional to my three basic abilities, making it "flexible," and the other was to give a fixed strength, making it "fixed."

    Using the fixed cost, I could create much more efficient abilities for the same cost.

    Even now, I could give the Mant¡¯s de the speed of a bullet and hardness beyond steel.

    But if I chose the flexible option, the leg¡¯s strength would be proportional to my "Muscle Strength," and the de¡¯s strength would be proportional to my "Tissue Resilience."

    In other words, it would only give me a de with the strength of "Beginner" muscle strength and "Chainmail" toughness.

    For immediate use, "fixed" would be better, but considering that I would raise all three basic abilities in the future, "flexible" was the better choice.

    I chose "flexible" with a long-term perspective.

    It had been a little over a month since the game started, and I didn¡¯t need short-sightedness.

    The Mant¡¯s de that I developed like that.

    This was one of Wonderstein¡¯s representative skills.

    It looked like a spider leging out of the back, with a de like a scythe at the end.

    Even though I had only made two of them so far, when I tested their power yesterday, I was confident that I could annihte a toon of soldiers armed with swords and armor in under three minutes.

    "A monster..."

    Derek mumbled as he looked at me.

    Until now, I felt a little unfair about the way the members looked at me.

    I¡¯m just an ordinary human.

    But I could finally admit it.

    Yeah. I¡¯m a monster.The baddest damn badass in all the circus troupes.

    "Would you like to put down what¡¯s in your hand?"

    "Don¡¯t make meugh!"

    Swish.

    I moved the de.

    The silvery de sliced through the air and flew towards him.

    At best, the muscle strength of a "Beginner."

    The speed wasn¡¯t that impressive.

    Derek swiftly dodged behind.

    He hid his body behind thest remaining iron chain, intending to prevent me from swinging the de recklessly.

    It was a bit risky.

    The original Wonderstein would have ignored such a clumsy shield and urately pierced his body.

    But now, I wasn¡¯t proficient enough in handling the de.

    When I first arrived here, it took me a day to get used to walking and a day and a half to get used to using chopsticks. It was thanks to my body retaining the memory.

    I had developed this ability only yesterday, inspired by watching the members hone their skills.

    Derek watched my every move.

    I could guess what he was nning.

    I knew about his ability.

    Material pration.

    He could literally pass through walls and floors like a ghost.

    However, there were limitations to using this ability, and he couldn¡¯t carry heavy objects like a wrench while doing it, only light things like clothes or masks.

    He intended to use his material pration ability only when cutting the iron chain while I intended to restrict him from doing so with Mant¡¯s de.

    But I was worried that my inexperience might lead to identally cutting the chain.

    As we faced each other like this,

    A voice from below the stage could be heard.

    "Can you prove it? Can you prove your love?"

    I absentmindedly recalled what had happened in the dressing room earlier.

    The count slowly approaching E.

    E retreating as if in fear.

    The count¡¯s face towards her...

    Ah.

    I momentarily lost focus.

    The Ghost didn¡¯t miss the opportunity.

    He quickly cut the iron chain with a wrench in his hand.

    Swish.

    The light fixture plummeted downwards.

    With a thud, something copsed.

    The Ghost passed through the wall and escaped.

    I rushed to the spot where the light had fallen.

    Was that his n?

    Was he really trying to drop it here?

    What if, just what if he was targeting someone else?

    I took the risk and stuck my head out to look down.

    ***

    Act 2 began, and E took the stage.

    She kept thinking about Wonderstein¡¯s words that he would be watching from the audience.

    She tried her best to keep her gaze straight ahead and avoid scanning the audience.

    It seemed like she would feel embarrassed if her eyes met his.

    But unconsciously, ¡¯my eyes flickered and I could see the empty seats.

    Ha.

    I let out a disappointed sigh.

    I felt like a fool for being so nervous.

    A ridiculous human. Better to keep my mouth shut.

    Still, I believed in his ability to perform and write the script.¡¯

    Then he could at least provide feedback on how her acting was and if there were any awkward moments.

    E decided to stop paying attention to him altogether.

    She focused solely on her performance.

    The y continued, and reached the part Wonderstein had interrupted earlier.

    "Can you prove it? Can you prove your love?"

    The count approached her.

    But his eyes seemed different from the ones in the dressing room.

    Crafty, cunning, and greedy eyes.

    As an unpleasant feeling started to rise, a bolt of lightning struck.

    Crash. Sizzle.

    A light fixture fell from the ceiling.

    It smashed the count¡¯s head.

    Blood and flesh sttered onto E¡¯s servant¡¯s attire.

    The audience screamed and jumped out of their seats.

    If it were a year ago, E might have just fainted.

    But she had experienced worse hells since then.

    She instinctively looked up at the ceiling where the light had fallen.

    From her position, she could only see that angle through the gap between the ceiling¡¯s darkness and the steel frame.

    And there, someone was looking down at her, smiling.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    She blinked once, and his figure disappeared.

    However, E continued to stare nkly at the spot where he had vanished.

    Until the other actors and staff rushed onto the stage.

 Chapter 33: The Ghost of Cabaret (7)

    The walls meant nothing to Derek.

    He could pass through anywhere, and nothing could stop him.

    There were a few limitations, but as long as he followed the rules, there were no issues.

    No one could find him.

    He hid within the walls, observing the monster.

    Two massive spider legs rose behind it.

    And at the ends, sharp des.

    It was not human.

    Truly a monster.

    To think that such a creature existed in the world.

    The monster nced down at the stage below, then retracted the des into its body and left the area.

    Derek cautiously followed behind.

    Fortunately, it seemed like he had no idea that he was tailing him.

    But he had to be careful.

    The same applied to his adversary; they couldn¡¯t identify each other.

    How did it know his name?

    Could it really be that "Little Bird" had told him about me?

    Even so, how did it know I was here?

    Amidst various questions, voices from downstairs started to fill the air.

    "It¡¯s this way!"

    "The top floor frame!"

    The technicians who had figured out the situation rushed back to their original location.

    However, the monster skilfully evaded their pursuit.

    It seemed like it had memorized the entireyout of the cabaret.

    He didn¡¯t encounter a single person as he descended to the audience seats.

    Derek was genuinely impressed.

    Even after living in the Rose Windmill for so long, it was a trick that was hard to replicate.

    The creature moved through blocked passages and hidden alleyways as if it had done this dozens of times.

    Could this also be one of the monster¡¯s abilities?

    Perhaps he knew his name or where he was because of his powers.

    Derek observed him more closely, moving between the walls, floors, and ceiling.

    He hadn¡¯t recognized his terrifying appearance earlier, but he was remarkably handsome.

    Was he over 30 years old?

    Even if he was in his 20s, he had a face that was unbelievable.

    But what was inside him was unimaginable.

    People are truly not to just judged by appearances.

    There were few people in the world who harboured love and altruism like him.

    Except for his Little Bird, of course.

    The theatre staff sent all the guests away.

    Since it was originally a free performance, there was no need for troublesome refunds.

    Bouvalle, the owner of the Rose Windmill, seemed slightly relieved by this fact, in Derek¡¯s eyes.

    That man¡¯s materialistic nature always made Derek feel cheerful.

    ¡¯I may not have a good appearance, but I¡¯m nobler than those worldly people.

    I help My Little Bird with kindness.

    She is grateful to me.

    And she might even love me...¡¯

    "Everyone, gather around."

    Yug Maroine, the director, returned from the hospital.

    After hearing about the death of the actor with the role of Count, he looked pained, but then exined what Ivonne had told him about the "ghost."

    She had received a threatening letter not too long ago.

    "If you don¡¯t leave the theatre or quit acting, it will bring something terrifying," he said.

    At first, she thought it was just a joke, but she kept saying strange things were happening around her.

    Then, today, when the pantry copsed and fell on the supplies, she imed to have seen a blurry figureing out of the wall.

    "If it¡¯s really a ghost, we should contact the church and call an exorcist," Bouvalle said, wiping his sweat.

    His mind was already calcting how much he should donate to the church.

    At that moment, the chief technician who had been searching the ceiling earlier stepped forward.

    "There may not be a need for that," he exined, pointing out the wrench he had found and the traces left on the dust.

    "It seems like it was done by a human, not a ghost."

    Bouvelle¡¯s expression rxed a little upon hearing this.

    "Did anyone leave their seat during Act 2?"

    "Well... I¡¯m not sure..."

    As everyone shook their heads, one of the choir members stepped forward.

    "Yes, there was."

    She raised her finger, pointing at someone.

    At the end of her finger was Wonderstein.

    "The central seats on the second floor were empty."

    All eyes turned to him.

    In the tense atmosphere, he had a faint smile on his lips.

    As if all of this was a joke.

    The faces of the theatre people turned pale.

    Those who had liked him seemed shocked by his mocking demeanour.

    Someone had died.

    And there was an implication that it might have been a murder.

    A man, alone, smiling in the midst of this heavy atmosphere.

    Such a person could not be innocent.

    Everyone knew that.

    "Yeah, yeah, call him a monster."

    Derek chuckled, hiding in the wall.

    No matter how convincingly he disguised his appearance, what was inside him was not human.Not human at all!

    What mattered was the heart.

    Sha, who had just been observing his appearance, seemed scared, and Derek felt relieved.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right. My little bird. People are not judged by their appearance.

    Think about the favour I did for you.

    Who treated you so kindly?

    You shouldn¡¯t be interested in a man you just met today. Ah, whether you believe it or not.¡¯

    Wonderstein looked at the gazes directed at him with a mocking smile.

    "I went to the restroom for a moment."

    "Is there any witness who can confirm your whereabouts?"

    "No, there isn¡¯t."

    A silence filled the dressing room.

    The chief technician took out a neatly folded cloth from his pocket.

    On it were traces of a handprint drawn with ck dust.

    "After the incident, I examined the frames. There seemed to be a handprint. I¡¯d like topare it."

    He was quitepetent.

    Derek thought this was a crisis.

    But at that moment, behind Wonderstein, he witnessed an astonishing sight.

    Creak.

    A sound came from his right hand, and his skin and muscles twisted and deformed.

    Wonderstein confidently extended his hand, and the technician realized at a nce that it was not what he had been looking for.

    "The size of the hand is different... and above all, this hand has a longer index finger than the middle finger... I-I¡¯m sorry. I was mistaken. Still, I needed to confirm..."

    "Oh, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s only natural."

    Wondersteinughed shamelessly.

    Derek was amazed.

    That handprint had clearly been his.

    But in an instant, he changed his hand to deceive and outsmart people.

    ¡¯What on earth is his true identity, this monster?¡¯

    The people attention moved to others.

    The chief technician began to hold the employees and startedparing their fingerprints one by one.

    Then, a girl dressed as a maid approached the monster.

    Derek knew who she was.

    She was brought in to rece Sha¡¯s role, a circus performer.

    Come to think of it, the chief technician referred to this man as the ringmaster.

    It seemed like this circus performer girl belonged with him.

    She whispered as if not wanting anyone else to hear.

    "Is it your doing?"

    "Hehe, what do you mean?"

    "I saw it all. You were watching me from that gap."

    Fire gleamed in her eyes.

    Derek became intrigued by their rtionship. What kind of connection did they have?

    "Could you have seen wrong? The culprit seems to have been someone originally inside the troupe. Just now, my fingerprints were proven not to match."

    "Changing your handprint is child¡¯s y for you, you shameless devil."

    The girl seemed to know the monster¡¯s true identity. She knew he could change his physical form at will. And she didn¡¯t seem to like him. The hatred and fear in her eyes were definitely not an act.

    "So what?"

    The devil smiled.

    "What?"

    "If I¡¯m indeed the one you say killed him, what will you do? Don¡¯t you remember? Hehe, E agreed to a contract. To be my ¡¯ve¡¯ for a lifetime."

    He chuckled and looked at her.

    The girl red back at him, her eyes filled with anger.

    Derek nodded.¡¯So, that was the situation. Aplicated one.

    Compared to that, I must be a real angel,¡¯ he thought, taking pride in his moral values.

    "Hehe, from what I¡¯ve heard, Paris will be ying the role of the Count in tomorrow morning¡¯s performance. Will E stay too? After all, E doesn¡¯t have any ¡¯duties¡¯ in the circus."

    At the devil¡¯s words, E bit her lip in frustration.

    She looked around at the people from the troupe for a moment, then resignedly said, "I¡¯ll stay. I need to help these people."

    "Hehe, you really are a good girl. I won¡¯t doubt E, but I still need a hostage. I¡¯ll take one of the animals E raises."

    At his words, E hesitated for a moment and then reluctantly nodded.

    "Alright."

    She took a white mouse out of her pocket, and Wonderstein put it in his pocket.

    "If you don¡¯te back tomorrow after the show is over, this animal will be inside my stomach. It won¡¯t taste very good, but... Well, maybe it¡¯s better to turn it into a monster?"

    "Promise me you won¡¯t do such a thing. I¡¯ll keep my word."

    She red at him with anger in her eyes.

    The devil didn¡¯t pay much attention to her hostile gaze. He smiled and left.

    Derek pondered for a moment.

    Should he follow the monster or stay around this girl?

    The decision didn¡¯t take long.

    Leaving the theatre was too risky. Besides, staying near the girl seemed like a better option for gathering information. Most importantly, her situation seemed miserable, and he felt he could help her.

    ...

    The lodgings for the staff at the Rose Windmill.

    Late at night, E returned to her room after practicing with Paris until midnight.

    The room looked old and cramped, perhaps because she had be ustomed to the luxurious hotel room in just one week.

    "Back in school, I used to share a room like this with four other people..."

    In the end, the culprit wasn¡¯t caught.

    The culprit might still be nearby.

    Despite the situation, the supervisor insisted on continuing the performance tomorrow.

    ¡¯The show must go on.¡¯

    She knew it, and everyone knew it, but they couldn¡¯t hide the unease in their hearts.

    None of them would sleep well tonight.

    But E¡¯s reason for not being able to sleep wasn¡¯t just that.

    She was waiting.

    Would his words reallye true?

    Then, in the distance, the sound of midnight bells ringing reached her ears.

    At the same time, a strange figure appeared through the wall.

    A white mask and a ck hat pulled low.

    "Hello, Miss Acrobat."

    He¡¯s here!

    E closed her eyes.

    Ten kilometers away from here, in Wonderstein¡¯s bedroom at the hotel.

    A single mouse dipped its paw into an ink bottle.

 Chapter 34: The Ghost of Cabaret (8)

    A vacant lot located 1km away from the hotel where we were staying.

    In this ce, there was a well with its bottom exposed and rendered unusable.

    To prevent curious children from getting hurt, the entrance to the well was blocked with iron bars.

    I took out Mant¡¯s knife from my back.

    With a strong swing, the flimsy iron bars were easily cut through.

    I ced the knife against the wall, using Mant¡¯s leg as support as I descended into the well.

    On one side of the well¡¯s bottom, there was a passage leading to an underground waterway.

    I inserted the knife and, in an awkward position, crawled through the tunnel into the underground waterway.

    Luz was a nned city built near a canal.

    So, the sewage and water systems were well-engineered with thetest technology.

    The underground waterway was wide enough to float a small boat, and the water flowed smoothly without any obstructions.

    I walked along the edge of the waterway, heading towards the ghost¡¯s hideout.

    I had no worries about getting lost; I had been here in the game before.

    Squeak, squeak.

    Chick, who was sitting next to my neck, tickled my neck with her tail.

    She was writing something with her tail.

    E was giving her instructions through a "spirit link."

    Long messages couldn¡¯t be sent because they had to be read through touch.

    "Arrived."

    Already arrived, huh?

    In the game, there were monsters living in the waterways, and you had to navigate through copsed areas, but there was none of that here.

    "Where?"

    "We¡¯ll arrive shortly."

    I gently stroked Chick¡¯s head with my finger and continued walking.

    *Sub-Quest: The Ghost of the Cabaret

    Objective: Defeat the Ghost Derek.

    Sess Reward: [Phantom¡¯s Mask]

    Failure Penalty: None.

    ***

    The boat that was crossing the dark underground waterway came to a stop.

    The ghost lowered the oars and ced them on the edge of the boat.

    "We¡¯ve arrived, miss. Were you scared? You kept your eyes closed tightly."

    "Oh, um, just a bit."

    The masked man extended his hand. E took his hand and carefully stepped off the boat.

    A ghost that suddenly appeared in her bedroom in the middle of the night.

    He introduced himself as the "Guardian Angel" living in this extreme ce.

    He said he wanted to catch the "monster" responsible for this incident, protect the circus, and free E, who was enved by the monster.

    E, despite being a frightened girl, yed her part perfectly.

    And she pretended to believe his lies as she followed him.

    In the middle of the underground waterway, there was an ind carved out of stone.

    A few dim lights illuminated the ce, but it was still dark.

    E held the ghost¡¯s hand and carefully climbed onto the ind.

    The space on the ind resembled an attic.

    In the centre, an oiled torch was burning, and there were beds, bookshelves, musical instruments, and more ced in the corners.

    "Is it really safe here?"

    "Yes, of course. Even the monster you¡¯re afraid of won¡¯t be able to enter here without hesitation. I¡¯ve set traps in various ces along the passage."

    Kind and considerate actions.

    A voice that resonated like a song.

    Although his face was covered by a mask, his words and actions were full of goodwill.

    If E were an ordinary girl, she might have been charmed by his mysterious aura.

    But E was now too mature to be captivated by such simple things.

    A year ago, she might not have been as cautious, but now, she had developed a sense of wariness towards anyone who smiled without reason.

    Thanks to, Wonderstein.

    E felt a simr sense of disgust towards the man in front of her as she did towards Wonderstein.

    Brazen and insincere evil.

    If what Wonderstein had told her was true, this man was even more despicable.

    A few hours ago.

    When the y was interrupted, and the theatre staff gathered in the dressing room, E was lost in thought.

    Was it really Wonderstein who dropped that light bulb?

    Why on earth did it happen?

    Was what she saw urate?

    Such doubts deepened when Maroine brought up the ¡¯ghost¡¯ story after returning from the hospital.

    The ghost had started its activities a week ago.

    It had been since the day they arrived in Luz.

    So she decided to question him.

    Did hemit this incident?

    But he spewed outpletely unrted nonsense.

    "E, you signed a contract. To be my ¡¯ve¡¯ for life."

    Those words triggered something in her mind.

    Code word.

    Once you stepped onto the stage, even fellow acrobats couldn¡¯t tell if your actions were real or act. Especially since spontaneous dialogue or acting based on the mood of the moment wasmon, such confusion was even more pronounced.

    The problem arose when there was an ident.

    It was difficult to tell whether the person was really injured, identally caught fire, or was actually being dragged away by a lion, and even colleagues had trouble distinguishing.

    So, the code word was essential.

    The code word had to be agreed upon among the members for it to work.

    What had Wonderstein and E promised?

    He had promised to set them free if they cooperated for the next two and a half years.

    But he suddenly said that she had signed a contract to be a ¡¯ve for life.¡¯

    She had thought about that too.

    All of this could be a devil¡¯s trick.

    Maybe the other party wouldn¡¯t remember about it two and a half years from now? That could be an argument.

    But just one week after making this promise, he brought up such a thing at an irrelevant time, which was strange.

    His subsequent remarks were even more baffling.

    "After all, E, you don¡¯t really have any ¡¯work¡¯ in the circus."

    She doesn¡¯t have any work?

    Just an hour or two ago, both she and he had acknowledged that she had too much work?

    So E was convinced.

    This was some kind of signal.

    A signal only understood by those who knew the circumstances.

    But why did he suddenly use thismunication method?

    E pondered for a moment, then remembered the words he had just uttered.

    "The culprit seems to be someone originally from the troupe."

    That¡¯s right.

    Even now, the chief technician was examining fingerprints and searching for someone simr.

    The culprit was someone inside the troupe.

    Though the fingerprint seemed to be left by Wonderstein, it could be a deception...

    Regardless, it was clear that he was using this secretive form ofmunication because the culprit was nearby.

    After some small talk, he got to the point.

    "I will take one of the animals E is raising."

    E understood his intentions immediately.

    Her Inspira.

    Spirit Link.

    She could share the vision and hearing of the animal she raised.

    His implication was that they would talk about the details through that ability.

    Wonderstein epted the pet E had brought and left the theatre.

    E told the troupe members that she would go to her room to rest for a while.

    Since they had just witnessed someone dying in front of their eyes, they all agreed.

    Anyway, the night-time stage rehearsal wasing up, and she didn¡¯t need to stay there.

    When she activated the Spirit Link, Wonderstein had already prepared an inkwell in front of him.

    E ordered the pet to dip the finger in ink and write on the palm.

    It was much more skillful than before, as she had done it once.

    Wonderstein exined the existence of the ¡¯ghost¡¯ whomitted the crime in detail.

    Since they didn¡¯t know where he might be hiding on the floor or wall, he had no choice but to use the code word.

    But there was one thing E didn¡¯t understand.

    Why did he unnecessarily provoke hostility along the way?

    Especially when he said he would take her pet and transform her into a monster, it made her genuinely tearful.

    Wonderstein answered with a smile.

    "I thought E might be in danger."

    "What?"

    "He uses a power of material permeation. It¡¯s not easy to catch him. I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it without thorough preparation. If he were to take abat approach against someone nearby, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him either. So, I had to show it to the people there. That E and I have the worst rtionship."

    "Ah."

    "That way, he wouldn¡¯t darey a hand on E, right?"

    "So, you did it for my sake?"

    "For my sake. Without E, who will handle the circus work?"

    "Well, then, I could have left with you."

    "Then he would have chased us to the hotel. He¡¯s the kind of person who won¡¯t be at ease unless he observes people closely. So, there had to be someone there."

    "Poor Sha..."

    "I have a way to catch that guy."

    Wonderstein described the ghost¡¯s personality, appearance, and his actions in detail.

    Even listening to it gave her chills.

    "He approaches a vulnerable girl and constantly bestows ¡¯favour¡¯ to create ¡¯psychological debt,¡¯ andter demands ¡¯love¡¯ in return."

    "A ¡¯psychological debt,¡¯ huh? You shamelessly say that."

    "Oh, did I? I misspoke."

    "No, it¡¯s not that. But I have one advantage over Sha.¡¯"

    "What¡¯s that?"

    "In two and a half years, I will leave on my own."

    "...That¡¯s right."

    "Then, if anything happens, I¡¯ll contact you. Oh, and the sunflower seeds for Chick are on my desk in my room. Don¡¯t give too many at once! Give them one by one."

    "All right."

    The Ghost offered to help E with the rehearsal for the y that would take ce tomorrow.

    Wonderstein had not arrived yet.

    E epted his offer without hesitation.

    E didn¡¯t have high expectations for Ghost¡¯s acting abilities.

    But as she watched him perform, she couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.

    Even though his face was concealed by a mask, his movements, his vocalization, everything was on par with the professionals.

    Today, the Ghost¡¯s skill surpassed even the deceased actor in the eyes of E.

    She finally understood why that child Sha had fallen for this man.

    With such talent, it must have been hard to resist doing anything for him.

    But E knew better.

    Skill didn¡¯t guarantee character, as Wonderstein was a prime example.

    No matter what talents he possessed, he was a madman who would manipte and demand love from a child and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to resort to kidnapping and murder if crossed.

    The y had now reached the middle of Act II.

    Ghost, looking at E, shouted the part that had been interrupted twice today.

    "Can you prove it? Can you prove your love?"

    Ghost approached her.

    Confidence in his eyes and unwavering steps.

    A perfect nobleman.

    But it didn¡¯t matter.

    E was not the maid who loved the nobleman.

    As he came closer and grabbed her wrist, a dagger pierced Ghost¡¯s wrist.

    "Ahh!"

    Ghost screamed and hastily retreated.

    It was an attack.

    ¡¯Someone is attacking me.

    I needs to escape.¡¯

    He tried to transform into his intangible state quickly.

    But his power didn¡¯t work.

    His arm felt heavy.

    Blood stained the floor.

    The dagger was deeply embedded in his forearm.

    ¡¯Why?

    I¡¯m supposed to be invincible.

    Nothing should be able to...¡¯

    "You cannot transform into the intangible state while in contact with other living beings," E said, taking out another dagger from her robe and pointing it at him. "And if a certain amount of mass is embedded in your body, you cannot transform either."

    Everything she was saying had been taught to her by Wonderstein.

    "It¡¯s best not to do anything unnecessary. If I decide to throw this dagger, I can easily pierce through your body like a piece of wood."

    Ghost looked at her in betrayal.

    ¡¯Damned woman.¡¯

    He was deceived again.

    Just like that woman who promised love and then ran away.

    Just like that woman who embraced another man while promising to live only for him.

    "Why, why! Weren¡¯t you trying to escape from that monster too?"

    "Yeah, that¡¯s right," E said, raising the dagger and ring at him. "But no matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t hold hands with you. The devil didn¡¯t seem interested in the likes of you from the beginning. Oh, and there¡¯s one thing that man is better at than you."

    "W-What...?"

    "He talks," E said. "He helped me find my precious belongings and even made a deal. He saved my life and put a contract on it. And he did something simr today too. Because he needed to. That¡¯s something I truly appreciate."

    Doubt filled Ghost¡¯s eyes.

    Why would she appreciate that?

    It would be better if he whispered more affectionately, more lovingly...

    "Thanks to that, I can hate that man as much as I want."

    "W-Why...?"

    "Derek. How have you treated the ¡¯girls¡¯ who have passed through your hands?"

    At the mention of ¡¯girls,¡¯ Ghost shuddered.

    How does she know...?

    "When the teacher acts for the sake of the student¡¯s favour, problems arise."

    E quoted something she had said to Wonderstein yesterday.

    It had two meanings.

    First, strict discipline was necessary for teaching.

    Second...

    "Affection generated in rtionships with clear hierarchies can be oppressive."

    E recited each word to Derek.

    Yes, Wonderstein never demanded respect or love from them.

    Even if they scolded him or cursed at him, he remained impassive.

    If he felt he was needed, he stepped in to help.

    That was it.

    E was grateful to him for giving her the freedom to hate him.

    ¡¯But when is this personing?¡¯

    The person who said he would arrive soon still hadn¡¯t shown up.

    And to make matters worse, Derek was acting strangely.

    He was looking at her and chuckling.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "Hehe, it¡¯s me. I have the magic noose, you see."

    "What? Uh, uhuh!"

    With a swift sound, something caught E¡¯s throat.

    It was a rope.

    A rope had flown through the air and wrapped around her neck.

    "Uh, ugh!"

    E desperately struggled to grab and loosen the rope, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.

    It seemed like some kind of magical force was at y.

    While it wasn¡¯t about to strangle her or anything, her breathing was gradually being restricted.

    Derek stood up from his seat and approached her, suspended in the air.

    Without being pierced by a dagger, he swung his intact arm toward E¡¯s abdomen.

    Thwack.

    "Ugh!"

    "Have you finished talking, you wretch? So, what is it that you want to say, Giggity!"

    Thwack.

    "Ugh!"

    "After epting all my help, are you rejecting me like those harlots for that monster? Huh?"

    Thwack.

    "Ugh!"

    "Haha, die! Die! I will throw your corpse in front of that monster...."

    Then, a silver streak shed.

    The rope was abruptly cut.

    Derek gasped and recoiled in fear.

    A de attached to the end of a long spider leg.

    It was the one she had seen during the day.

    It had cut the rope.

    The other leg of the monster gently embraced E as she fell from the sky.

    She gasped for breath, her life nearly extinguished.

    "How...how did..from that ce...my trap..?"

    A dark-haired man appeared in the darkness.

    He had clearly emerged from the "impassable path."

    He approached step by step.

    His bright smile gleamed in the torchlight.

    "Oh, the traps were easily dismantled. Four pressure traps, two wire traps, three spike traps, and... a sewer ratman nest."

    Wonderstein extended the two des protruding from his back.

    They were covered in thick, clotted blood.

    "The sewer ratmen didn¡¯t know any better. There were none of these when I camest time."

    He stared directly at the ghost.

    His mouth was smiling, but Derek could see it.

    The spark in his eyes.

    "I¡¯vee to reim my assistant."

    And then, he continued, not by emotion, but withposed words.

    "You, you piece of garbage."

 Chapter 35: The Ghost of Cabaret (9)

    The Devil and the Ghost.

    Tension hung between them like a cold breeze.

    Breaking the silence was E¡¯s voice.

    "Cough cough, what¡¯s this?"

    E, barely catching her breath, looked at Wonderstein.

    Her gaze held her incredulous emotions.

    "Who are you to call someone trash?"

    In response to her blunt remark, Wonderstein inwardly groaned.

    Well, who am I to curse someone?

    Considering what Wonderstein had done to her, he had no right to object even if he heard the word "trash" a hundred times.

    Still, Wonderstein didn¡¯t show any signs of confusion. Thanks to the smiling man, he could respond in a nonchnt manner.

    "So, that guy bothered E, and you¡¯re angry on his behalf?"

    "Hehe, yes. E is my assistant, after all. Shouldn¡¯t I get angry as the leader?"

    E¡¯s expression soured as she looked at him.

    This cheerful devil, really.

    Just when she was about to retort,

    The Ghost made an unexpected move.

    "Kraaaah!"

    Swish.

    He suddenly rushed forward, raising his arm towards the edge of Mant¡¯s de.

    It was the arm with the dagger.

    Due to the speed of his charge, the Ghost¡¯s arm was cleanly severed.

    Blood sprayed into the air, and the severed arm tumbled to the ground.

    "Ugh! Crk! Crkk!"

    Derek gripped the wounded area, emitting a mixture of groans andughter.

    He had broken free from the ¡¯mass¡¯ that blocked material pration.

    He opened his eyes and grinned menacingly at Wonderstein and E.

    "What now? I am free again"

    Suddenly, a dagger flew towards him.

    It was E who had thrown it.

    However, Derek had already used his material-pration ability.

    The dagger passed harmlessly through the empty space.

    Derek sneered at her.

    "What¡¯s this,dy? Were you on his side from the beginning? Was everything you told me about your past a lie? Did that monster really massacre your hometown?"

    E¡¯s expression twisted at his words.

    "Shut up!"

    Ghost pointed at her in response to her reaction.

    "Haha, so it was true after all. But even so, you wandered around with circus folks and the like, right? You im to seek mental freedom, huh? Your master became a monster, your friends died, and you pretend to not even know! Giggity! What a remarkable excuse for stockholm syndrome you bitch!

    Hahaha!"

    E heard something snap in her head.

    It was E¡¯s breaking point.

    Wonderstein, the Iron Pir Supporter.

    The current enjoyable life.

    The contradiction of two irreconcble things.

    She had thought she hadpromised with barely two and a half years of time, but now he was digging up painful wounds again.

    E gripped the dagger in reverse and stepped forward.

    Wonderstein tried to stop her by cing his hand on her shoulder.

    But she shrugged off his hand.

    "Don¡¯t touch me! Stop pretending to be close. Damn it... damn it... Devil¡¯s advocate."

    E stared at him coldly.

    "E, he¡¯s..."

    "Get lost. I¡¯ll handle him."

    Standing on the pile of rocks, E faced off against Derek.

    In front of her, a translucent ghost was looking at her and giggling. Although his face was not visible due to the mask, his lips were enough to charm people.

    "Haha, what can you do, huh? Just because you¡¯ve mastered a few tricks, you can¡¯t catch me! My power, truly a blessing from Kirku! Inspira, you see, it¡¯s over nine thousand!"

    At his words, E¡¯s expression turned cold.

    "What the fuck?"

    "Yeah, that¡¯s right. Even Kirku acknowledges me! Recognizes that my actions are part of art!"

    The ghost floated into the air and, in an instant, materialized to grab a switch on the wall.

    With a thud, something descended from the ceiling, sliding down on metal chains.

    The heavy pulley came to a stop.

    Before E¡¯s eyes were swaying figures.

    "This, this is...?"

    "My ¡¯little birds,¡¯ they are."

    At the end of the chains were birdcages hanging.

    Cages of various sizes, somerge, some small, just enough for a person to fit in.

    Inside them were decayed skeletons, one in each cage.

    Judging by their bones and size, they were all young girls, not yet in their teens.

    "These are the children I¡¯ve saved! Some of them even had the audacity to receive my grace and then reject my mercy. Birds that tried to escape, you see. I broke their wings and put them in cages. And on the day the first bird starved to death! Kirku whispered to me.

    He told me to fully unleash my talents!"

    At his words, E bit her lip. They were just children and he killed them in Cold blood!

    Kirku, the deity revered by all acrobats, the embodiment of wit, creativity, and the art itself.

    The fact that such a wretch had received Kirku¡¯s favor was an affront in itself.

    Just then, Wonderstein¡¯s chillingughter interrupted Derek¡¯s words and interjected.

    "Haha, a blessing, you say? A blessing? Hmhm, don¡¯t lie to me now."

    The ghost red at him as he sneered.

    "What, what? What do you know?"

    What did he know?

    He knew everything.

    "Kirku has cursed you. A disappearing curse, to be precise. A punishment for anyone who insults the stage and the actors. You¡¯re supposed to fade away, gradually, into nothingness. But you¡¯ve barely clung to this world thanks to ¡¯one particr element.¡¯ Strictly speaking, your ability isn¡¯t material transference. Material transference is an intermediate stage of the curse.

    Your developed ability is to temporarily break free from the curse and solidify yourself. And for that, you needed ¡¯sulphur,¡¯ right? That¡¯s why you hide in this stinking underground ce. Feces, when they dpose, produce hydrogen sulphide, you see. You need to absorb sulphur to solidify yourself. Isn¡¯t it funny?

    Human consumption and absorption, and the waste they produce, bing the material that can anchor your existence? Only sulphur can affect your illusion. The reason your face melted was because your second bird spread sulphur to escape from you, right?"

    "How, how do you know all of this...?"

    The ghost shivered as if he had contracted a disease.

    Even without looking, it was clear that his face beneath the mask had be as pale as the mask itself.

    Wonderstein looked at E and screamed.

    "E, now!"

    As soon as he spoke, E¡¯s hand moved swiftly.

    What she threw was the stolen "sulfur powder" from Wonderstein¡¯s pocket.

    As Wonderstein had prepared it as a means to capture the ghost, E had snatched it when she briefly held him.

    With a popping sound, the cloth unravelled, and the powder inside scattered into the air.

    The ghost, engulfed in it, screamed.

    "Aaargh!"

    With a hissing sound, mes erupted.

    The ghost¡¯s body gradually regained colour and then plummeted downward.

    E breathed a sigh of relief and watched the ghost writhing in agony on the floor.

    "Excellent skill. You even fooled me with your acting. For a moment, I thought E might be genuinely angry and trying to escape. Until I discovered that my pocket was empty."

    "I was genuinely angry. I told you not to pretend to be close because I meant it. Since you wouldn¡¯t listen to me, I just left you alone."

    "Oh, you know me so well."

    The devil grinned mockingly as he looked at her, and E raised her hand as if she was too tired to react.

    "But where did you suddenly get sulphur powder from? Did you buy it from the Alchemy Guild?" she asked.

    "The Alchemy Guild doesn¡¯t sell ingredients without a clear source and qualifications," he replied.

    "Did you steal it then?"

    "No, I didn¡¯t. I went with someone who had the proper qualifications. One of those qualifications includes being a guild member."

    "A guild member? Ah, the moustached man."

    The muskets used by guild members were loaded with ck powder. However, no guild member carried gunpowder in its final form. Gunpowder was difficult to store due to moisture and could be dangerous if mishandled, so they carried raw materials and mixed them to make gunpowder when needed. Gunpowder ingredients included saltpetre, charcoal, and sulphur.

    Mixed in the ratio of 75%, 15% and 10% respectively.

    While E was at the theatre, Wonderstein had convinced Anais¡¯s bodyguard, Porsche, to visit the Alchemy Guild and buy sulphur. He knew Porsche well, understanding his personality and preferences, so he easily struck up a friendly conversation with him. But even with their close rtionship, he couldn¡¯t avoid asking about the intended use of the sulfur.

    "I am making fireworks"

    "That sounds usible."

    Wonderstein and E approached the ghost. His clothes were riddled with holes, and the exposed skin underneath was discolored from burns. He still writhed in pain, and it seemed like he couldn¡¯t shake off the sulphur clinging to his body.

    "What should we do?" E asked.

    "We should turn him over to the police," she said.

    He hesitated for a moment at E¡¯s suggestion. The quest clearly instructed them to defeat the ghost. However, E didn¡¯t seem to desire that oue.

    What is she thinking? he wondered.

    During their recent encounters, Wonderstein had made two mistakes. First, he failed to stop the ghost on top of the windmill, and second, he let the ghost sever his arm while paying attention to E. Both times, he deviated from the quest¡¯s strategy, from Wonderstein¡¯s character, and acted based on his own emotions.

    Wonderstein wouldn¡¯t have cared if E had not being getting closer to him. He wouldn¡¯t have cared if she cursed him. But now, he needed to make a clear decision.

    "Hehe, I¡¯m sorry, Miss E," he said.

    "What?"

    Thunk.

    Mant¡¯s de pierced through the ghost¡¯s shoulder.

    "Argh, ugh!"

    And then came sessive strikes.

    Thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk.

    Abdomen, chest, thigh, arm.

    Followed by...

    Thunk.

    The head.

    "K-k-kill m-me..."

    With a sigh, the ghost¡¯s body fell backward.

    He was undoubtedly dead.

    [You havepleted the sub-quest "Ghost of Cabaret." As a reward, you receive the "Phantom¡¯s Mask."]

    An alert appeared, disying a silver mask.

    He decided to postpone retrieving the mask for now. There would be timeter.

    Wonderstein closed the window and tossed the ghost¡¯s lifeless body into the water.

    With sshes and gurgling sounds, the body slowly drifted away in the current and disappeared into the darkness.

    "Ah," E sighed as she watched the ghost¡¯s body vanish.

    "Hehe, was it shocking?" Wonderstein asked.

    "Well, it was... butpared to what you¡¯ve done before, it¡¯s nothing. He wasn¡¯t even a target worth sympathizing with."

    "Is that so? I¡¯m relieved."

    After giving him a momentary re, E continued walking towards the boat.

    "I just felt relieved."

    "Hehe, why?"

    "Because you¡¯re still someone I can hate."

    Wonderstein raised an eyebrow.

    Having arrivedte, he hadn¡¯t heard the conversation between E and the ghost. He couldn¡¯t understand why she would feel relieved.

    Why would she feel relieved?

    He followed her, pondering silently.

 Chapter 36: The Ghost of Cabaret (End)

    The first impression I had of E was that she was a "kind girl."

    It wasn¡¯t a statement filled with 100% goodwill.

    It had a hint of sarcasm in it.

    In a society where outcasts gathered, E was the only ordinary human there.

    But despite that, she treated the other outcasts without prejudice.

    The members were grateful to her.

    In my mind, I secretly mocked them.

    Those poor and ugly creatures would do anything if you were just a little kind to them.

    Because they were starving for kindness.

    Kindness and smiles were just means to gain their favor.

    I knew I had a twisted way of thinking.

    But I couldn¡¯t help it.

    It was because of the things I had experienced.

    I had mixed feelings about her ability to lead the members.

    Her support from the members was only possible because there was someone like me.

    Because there was an absolute evil like Wonderstein, her role as vice-ringmaster could shine as a shield.

    So she could act kind whenever she wanted to.

    Like the opposition¡¯s survival strategy.

    I chuckled once again.

    But after hearing the promise of two and a half years, her attitude changed.

    She became stricter in leading the members and didn¡¯t bother to justify her actions behind the scenes.

    Even if she received insults and became the target of resentment, she knew it was for the greater good and epted it.

    Unlike me, who obsessed over the system¡¯s favorability rating and couldn¡¯t grasp the bigger picture without a quest.

    I was no different from when I sat in front of the monitor in the room.

    On the other hand, she made her own judgments, took action on her own, and willingly epted the responsibility.

    That¡¯s when my hesitation began.

    And it became clear when she confidently stepped forward and sang for the struggling actor in front of the audience.

    She was more than ten years younger than Wonderstein,

    More than ten years younger than my original self,

    But in that moment, I thought, "She¡¯s amazing."

    That¡¯s when it started.

    When she started to matter to me.

    Squeak, squeak.

    The boat moved forward with the sound of creaking wood.

    Thanks to my muscle strength of 3.0, it didn¡¯t take much effort to row the boat.

    But I paddled as slowly as possible.

    Coo, coo.

    E was leaning against one side of the boat, asleep.

    Afternoon performances, evening rehearsals, and even amotion in the early morning.

    She must have been exhausted.

    A white rat also sat on its owner¡¯s shoulder, its head buried, eyes closed.

    As I rowed the boat, I quietly gazed at her sleeping face.

    Is this just liking?

    Or is it something more than that?

    It could be either, or maybe something else.

    But for the sake of clearing the game, for my own future, I denied all those feelings.

    The guilt I had kept inside for so long about her.

    The gratitude for taking care of everything in the circus.

    The debt that had formed from the mix of both.

    I mistook it all for liking.

    Just like how Anais felt about me.

    Just like how I used to tell my assistant back in the old days.

    Just as the ghost had intended to nt in his little birds.

    Yes. I was mistaken again.I need to stay locked in!

    I decided to think that way.

    Once again, I returned as a yer in the game and thought about the strategy.

    After clearing the Ghost of Cabaret, two additional sub-quests were activated.

    I read the content, and it was rted to the Ghost quest.

    The so-called final quest.

    Both could bepleted before sunrise this morning.

    ***

    The special room at Luz General Hospital was not open to just anyone.

    Only nobility, those who donated arge sum to the hospital, or those with special fame could be admitted.

    In that sense, it was a great honor for a mere theatre actor to lie here.

    If it was Ivonne, known as the "Flower of Luz", whom people acknowledged.

    But she herself was not at all happy about this fact.

    This special treatment would soon disappear.

    From her forehead to the half of her face, a long red scar extended to her neck.

    No one in the theatrepany had ever stored such chemicals in the cupboard.

    It must have been the work of the ghost.

    The person who wrote the threatening letter...

    "Sob, sob..."

    She buried her face in the pillow and burst into tears.

    Tears soaked the pillow.

    But still, the tears did not stop.

    Why.

    Why did she have to end up like this?

    She had tried so hard not to hold grudges or create conflicts with anyone during her tumultuous theatre life.

    Now that she had be an adult and could spread her wings and be the star of Luz.

    The ghost.

    Who could that person be?

    Who could have turned her into this fugly state?

    The person who benefits the most is the culprit.

    A thought shed through her mind.

    She clenched the nket tightly.

    The person who benefits the most?

    Naturally, the face of the manager, Bouvalle, came to mind.

    He wasn¡¯t a suspect just because of that.

    He was the one who came to mind reflexively when she thought the word "benefit."

    She wiped away her tears, calmed her excitement, and thought carefully, one by one.

    The person who benefits when she steps down from the stage.

    The person with enough resentment to kill her.

    The person who fits the description...

    "Hello."

    Cold sweat broke out on Ivonne¡¯s back.

    This was the special room at Luz General Hospital, the deepest part of it.

    It was surrounded by security guards at her request.

    But a human voice was heard.

    From right above her head!

    "Uh...?"

    She slowly raised her head.

    A dark ceiling.

    In the pitch-ck room, there was nothing.

    Could she have misheard something?

    Was it an auditory hallucination caused by fear of the ghost?

    Then, a white hand covered her mouth.

    "Huh?"

    Ivonne turned her head.

    A white mask!

    She had seen it from the figure that had covered her.

    "Y-Yuree...?"

    "Shh, please be quiet. It would be troublesome if someone elsees."

    Ivonne¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the affectionate voice that tickled her ears.

    It was not the harsh and malicious voice she had vaguely imagined.

    "Will you be quiet?"

    "...Yes."

    Half fear, half curiosity.

    Ivonne held her trembling chest and looked at the figure that appeared before her.

    A translucent colour with moonlight shining through.

    The mysterious white mask and dazzling dark hair matched perfectly with the ck suit he wore.

    This person was the Ghost of Cabaret!

    Ivonne¡¯s eyes filled with resentment.

    "Are you here to kill me?" she asked.

    "No," he replied.

    "Or are you not satisfied with the level of harm so far? Do you want to ruin me even more?"

    "No, I..."

    "Why! What grudge brought you here? You..."

    The Ghost¡¯s hand touched Ivonne¡¯s lips, silencing her words with its gentle touch.

    The man in the mask leaned closer to her face and whispered, "Shh. I have no other purpose. I¡¯vee to heal Ivonne¡¯s skin."

    Her body stiffened at his words.

    What did he say?

    Heal?

    "Oh, don¡¯t be ridiculous! Even the best potions here couldn¡¯t..."

    "Let me show you."

    The Ghost¡¯s hand touched her cheek.

    Her skin, which had been deemed beyond repair, suddenly began to tingle from her forehead to her neck.

    "What? What¡¯s happening?"

    Looking into the mirror, Ivonne witnessed the unbelievable. The red and jagged scars on her skin were disappearing, and a new, even more beautiful and wlessplexion was magically emerging.

    "Ah, ah, ah..."

    She cried for a long time.

    In her eyes as she looked up at the Ghost, there was no longer fear or resentment. Only gratitude and admiration remained.

    "Thank you. Thank you. This can¡¯t be a dream, can it?"

    "Of course not."

    The Ghost smiled brightly. Just seeing his jawline and smile revealed beneath the mask made Ivonne¡¯s heart race.

    "What on earth has happened? I can¡¯t believe everything that has happened today."

    "I came to tell you that."

    The Ghost exined about the malevolent spirit that had long resided beneath the Cabaret, kidnapping talented and beautiful women to sing for him in a cage.

    And today, he finally defeated him.

    "Have there been disappearances from time to time?"

    "Yes. Every year or two, someone would... Mr. Bouvalle said the girls probably ran off with a man, but I never imagined..."

    "Please find their remains and bury them properly."

    "I will! We must."

    "Well then, I must be going now."

    The Ghost¡¯s body floated into the air.

    Ivonne reached out to grab him, but his body passed through her.

    "Where are you going?"

    "I¡¯m disappearing. I appeared to capture the malevolent spirit. Now that the task isplete, I must vanish."

    "Oh..."

    Watching his body gradually fade in the moonlight, Ivonne couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of loss.

    The warmth that had touched her lips and cheeks still lingered.

    And so, the Ghost disappeared before her eyes.

    An hourter, in a room at the Rose Windmill Cabaret¡¯s lodging, a simr event urred.

    "Angel! Don¡¯t go!" Sha cried out as she got up and embraced the Ghost.

    However, her body merely passed through.

    "Be a great actor," the ghost left these words and disappeared without a trace.

    ["Subquest - The Legend of the Ghost in the Cabaret"pleted.]

    ["Subquest - The Legend of the Angel in the Cabaret"pleted.]

    Seeing the messages appear, the ghost removed its mask.

    Name: Ghost¡¯s Mask

    Applicable Area: Full body, clothing, and items weighing less than 5kg.

    Effect: While wearing it, you be semi-transparent and can pass through solid objects. The colour changes ording to the environment.

    Resource Requirement: Stamina

    "It¡¯s over with this."

    Wonderstein smiled with relief.

    The next day, in the morning.

    Rosewind Cabaret¡¯s practice room.

    I sat in a corner chair, watching the actors rehearse.

    Sha was incredibly focused on her acting, to the point of being terrifying.

    There was no trace of the crying and clinging fromst night.

    Could it be that my final words, "Be a great actor," had something to do with it?

    She seemed more determined than yesterday, showing a newfound strength.

    The actor who was supposed to y the role of the Count had fallen due tost night¡¯s escapade, and Paris had taken on the role.

    Yug Maroine looked satisfied as he watched him.

    Even that elderly man, who had gone all-in on the game, was now fully immersed in preparing for the performance, despite his actor being dead and the murderer still atrge.

    The scene finally moved forward after being interrupted three times.

    Paris approached E, saying, "Can you prove it? Can you prove your love?"

    He forcefully grabbed E¡¯s arm, slowly moving his face closer to hers.

    The choreographer, Mare, nced at me, trying to sneak a look, but I watched calmly with a peaceful smile, unlike yesterday.

    As their lips were about to touch...

    Bang.

    The door to the rehearsal room swung open.

    Everyone¡¯s attention shifted to the entrance.

    A graceful redheaddy stood there confidently, hands on her hips.

    "I¡¯m back! Let¡¯s start practicing right away!"

    Bouvalle next to her suggested taking a break for a while, given it was just a morning stage, but she seemedpletely oblivious.

    "We have to! I caused a scene yesterday, so I have to work even harder! Right?"

    The show had to go on...

    I lowered my hat, hiding my dark hair and smiled to myself.

    My appearance and smile were quite distinctive.

    I couldn¡¯t afford for her to recognize me.

    Before she could ask who I was, I quietly exited through the back door.

    A few minutester, E walked out of the theatre with a gloomy expression.

    With the return of the original princess actress, Sha returned to her role as a maid, and there was no reason for E to y an understudy.

    ["Subquest - Stand-In Quest" failed.]

    [As a penalty, one random attribute is destroyed.]

    ["Derick¡¯s Vocal Cords" have been destroyed.]

    The first quest had failed.

    I certainly didn¡¯t anticipate this turn of events.

    Could it be that Ivonne left the hospital as soon as morning came?

    The penalty for this quest failure was the destruction of a random attribute.

    It was disappointing, but at least Manth¡¯s de was spared, which was a relief.

    As for Derrick¡¯s vocal cords, they had no use beyond deceiving Sha yesterday.

    "In the end, I never finished any of them."

    "Let¡¯s go back and train our members."

    I suggested, and E let out a frustrated sigh.

    "You don¡¯t have much to do, do you?"

    I smiled charmingly, and E shook her head.

    She muttered casually, "Well, that¡¯s a relief."

    "What do you mean?"

    I asked, but she didn¡¯t respond, just gazing silently out the window.

 Chapter 37: Magician Maya

    Originally, Luz was a rtively calm city during the day, despite being lively at night. Like most entertainment cities, it bustled at night and quieted down during the day.

    However, as the opening ceremony of the Circus Grand Prix approached with just two weeks left, Luz¡¯s daytime was overflowing with noisy sounds and vibrant colors.

    In order to participate in the Circus Grand Prix, acrobats from all over the world began to gather in Luz. Joyful melodies that could make anyone¡¯s spirits soar flowed through the alleys.

    Acrobats proudly disyed their talents on street corners. There were acrobats skilfully bncing on rolling balls, trainers herding groups of bullfrogs, and clowns with asymmetrically moving arms and legs.

    Uncontroble delight permeated the entire city. Even the strictest parents in Luz took their children to the amusement park every day.

    Most of the performers on the streets were individual or small-scale acrobats, and they showcased their talents in front of main roads, squares, or in front of lodgings where famous circuses stayed.

    To participate in the Circus Grand Prix, there was no choice but to join arge circus troupe. Realistically, it was impossible to evaluate every acrobatic troupe in the world for the Grand Prix.

    That¡¯s why the organizers set certain conditions for participation. First, the number of acrobats in the troupe had to be a meet certain minimum criteria, and among them, there had to be at least one acrobat with the grace of Kirku, meaning they possessed Inspira.

    Naturally, this was considered a basic requirement because such skills were essential forpeting in the Circus Grand Prix.

    However, there was a particrly challenging barrier to entry, the "sponsorship" system. Circus troupes participating in the Grand Prix had to be guaranteed by a prominent figure in society.

    Furthermore, the guarantor had to invest a significant amount of money. It was a system that facilitated personal management, capital attraction, and the smooth operation of thepetition.

    However, this made it nearly impossible for small-scale acrobatic troupes or individual acrobats to participate in the Circus Grand Prix.

    Most sponsors preferred well-knownrge circus troupes.

    For this year¡¯s Circus Grand Prix, around 100panies, businesses, and families hadmitted to investing. In other words, more than 100 acrobatic troupes had qualified to participate in thispetition, a significantly smaller number than the existing acrobatic troupes worldwide.

    Therefore, at this point, two weeks before the opening ceremony, acrobats hoping to perform on the Circus Grand Prix stage flocked to the six cities where the preliminaries were held.

    They aimed to showcase their talents torge circus troupes and secure a spot in them.

    This aligned with the wishes of circus troupes participating in the Grand Prix, as they wanted to recruit as many acrobats as possible before thepetition started.

    Once the preliminary rounds began, there were limitations on recruiting additional acrobats to prevent unfair recruitment and collusion.

    Thispetition wouldst for a staggering two and a half years.

    No one knew what would happen in the future.

    The more excellent candidates, the better.

    Therefore, circus troupes participating in the Grand Prix worked hard to scout outstanding acrobats on the streets, even though it was not an easy task.

    Truly famous and well-known acrobats had been recruited long before thepetition, not just two weeks prior.

    So, those trying to be select searched as if they were looking for buried treasures, while those hoping to be chosen walked the streets with the hope that they were the treasures themselves.

    During this process, acrobats often argued andpeted with each other.

    "It starts in 5 minutes!"

    "In 4 minutes!"

    "Correction! It starts in 3 minutes!"

    "In 2 minutes!"

    "In 1 minute!"

    "We¡¯re starting now!"

    "That woman is a nuisance! She suddenly appears out of nowhere! Go somewhere else!"

    "Get out of here, all of you!"

    "We¡¯ve been here since the day before yesterday!"

    And sometimes, suchpetitions escted into arguments among the acrobats.

    It was happening right now in front of the Metropol Hotel.

    Behind one sign stood two men in ck suits, holding canes.

    Behind another sign stood a young woman adorned with jeweled turbans.

    The two groups red at each other intensely.

    Snake charmer Suab nced up at the hotel¡¯s second-floor terrace and straightened her disheveled turbans.

    On the terrace, there were men and women who appeared to be nobles and a group dressed as acrobats, all looking down in their direction.

    Suab smiled to herself.

    The operation was a sess.

    At least they managed to capture everyone¡¯s attention.

    She hadn¡¯t picked a fight with those two for no reason.

    It was to use them as a means to showcase her talent.

    The audience she wanted was the hotel¡¯s guests.

    Suab had received information that a sponsored circus troupe was staying at the Metropol Hotel.

    Although it was a newly formed circus, their sponsor was a very famous figure.

    Rumor had it that the head of that organization hade personally due to high expectations for the circus.

    They must be a selected elite group organized by pouring substantial resources into it.

    If she could perform well here, she could leave a strong impression on them.

    To do that, she needed to leave a more impressive performance than just disying her talent quietly.

    So, she picked a fight with those two clumsyedians.

    They attempted jokes that were neither funny nor original, but their exaggerated reactions pleased her.

    "Hey, Allen! Help me! I stepped on a nail! Ouch!"

    "Joe! Stop! Stop it! Ouch!"

    She had alreadypleted two days of preliminary research.

    They were individuals with no talent other than shouting and falling over.

    If they could elicit such reactions in front of her snake, it would make for a great show.

    The snake charmer yed her flute.

    The King Cobra in the cage inside raised its head, hissing and flicking its tongue.

    At the same time, the python on her back wriggled.

    Inside it were smaller green snakes smaller than the ck cobra.

    Dozens of snakes crawled out of the python in unison, responding to her flute¡¯s melody.

    The crowd that had gathered to watch the fight recoiled in awe.

    The snakes glided towards the twoedians in ck suits.

    Suab watched them, hoping to see the two shivering in fear.

    However, the two were surprisingly calm.

    No, they were more than that.

    Their expressions were so cold that they were terrifying.

    "Joe, it seems it¡¯s time for the unwanted guests to leave."

    "This chilly feeling, it¡¯s been a while."

    The two drew knives from inside their canes.

    It was the same canes they had been slipping and tripping with.

    She had thought they were just props for pstickedy.

    She had never expected to find knives inside them.

    With a sh of light, the necks of the two snakes near Allen were severed.

    And before Suab could react, a snake that had been coiled around Joe¡¯s neck was pierced through by his sword.

    "These... these guys?"

    Unanticipated skills.

    There was no trace of theical performers in the men expertly wielding their swords.

    They were perfectly trained swordsmen.

    Suab nced back at the terrace.

    The audience she had hoped to captivate was no longer paying attention to her.

    They were all watching the two men swinging their swords.

    They seemedpletely captivated by the skills of the two.

    "Oh no, this would make me a clown," Suab muttered.

    She adjusted her flute.

    She needed to give more aggressivemands.

    Even if it caused some damage... Well, I have an antidote anyway...

    But Allen, who had understood her intentions, reacted swiftly.

    A lightning bolt shot out from his staff-like wand.

    Swoosh.

    The snake charmer¡¯s body remained untouched, and the wand only passed between her neck and shoulders before hitting the ck stone wall, trembling.

    "Easy there. I may not have as much patience as Joe."

    Suab¡¯splexion turned pale.

    She stared at her broken flute with a shocked expression.

    But what came out of her mouth wasn¡¯t a surrender or a venomous word.

    "Crazy! What will I do without my flute? I can only control snakes with it!"

    She screamed, and that triggered the snakes.

    The snakes were excited by their owner¡¯s rmed attitude.

    Suab realized it was a mistake.

    She shouldn¡¯t have shouted like that.

    Not only Suab, but both Allen and Jo were equally shocked.

    One action meant to resolve the situation had only worsened it.

    The snakes spread out in a fan shape, moving towards the people.

    The crowd remained frozen in ce, unable to move.

    The first one to make a move would likely be the target of the snakes¡¯ attack.

    It was a vtile situation.

    Then, the sound of a whistle echoed through the street.

    "Huh?"

    Suab was surprised to hear that sound.

    This melody was the one which is yed to summon the snakes back into their jars.

    The snakes¡¯ hearing range was very narrow.

    So, they could only be controlled by a specific flute.

    But this whistle was ying the exact same pitch.

    Sssss.

    The snakes lowered their heads.

    It seemed like their excitement was subsiding.

    These were well-trained snakes in a good sense.

    They began to slither back under Suab¡¯s legs into their nests.

    The green snakes went into her sack, while the ck king cobras entered a jar made of straw.

    In the center of the now-organized scene stood a dark-haired man dressed in a ck suit and wearing a ck cloak topped with a hat.

    He was the one who had just whistled.

    All eyes were on him.

    Suab recognized who he was.

    He had been on the hotel terrace just a moment ago.

    He greeted the crowd with a slight nod, his head lowered.

    "I¡¯m Frank Wonderstein, the leader of the Wonderstein Troupe. I coborated with the street performers for a brief show. Did you enjoy it?"

    A small dispute had turned into amotion.

    The snakes had startled the crowd, they had admired the unexpected skills of the unknown swordsmen, trembled due to the excited snakes, and finally been swept away by the graceful performance of the troupe leader.

    Now, understanding the situation, the crowd pped their hands and cheered.

    It had all been a well-prepared act.

    Of course, the three people who orchestrated it knew that very well.

    Looking at the three people staring at him in a daze, Wonderstein smiled.

 Chapter 38: Magician Maya (1)

    The police officers of Luz were known for their friendliness towards tourists. Not only did they escort hotel guests all the way to their amodations, but they were also willing to providete-night security when travelers requested it.

    However, their seemingly boundless kindness was now wearing thin.

    Several incidents had urred consecutively over the past few days. Some wereical, while others were serious. These incidents yed out with slight variations each day.

    There were runaway lions, clowns popping out of toilets, department heads suspended in mid-air, twisted wagon wheels, unicyclists riding alone, banana peels that guaranteed a slip, and more. Trouble seemed to spring up everywhere in the city.

    Most of the problems the police usually dealt with could be resolved with their batons, which had an excellent effect on correcting people¡¯s irrational behavior. Drunken sailors causing a ruckus, radio pirates, pickpockets, and rowdy brawlers fell under this category. There was no need to ponder the methods for handling them; the police department had detailed guidelines for such cases.

    However, in the current wave of irrational incidents, no one knew how to wield a baton to bring the situation under control. Runaway tigers, clowns appearing from pots, department heads hanging in the air, mangled carriage wheels, rolling orbs on their own, exploding apples when touched, and other events urred daily, turning the police station into a constant hubbub.

    "Don¡¯t push so roughly!"

    "I heard Luz¡¯s police officers are friendly, but this is anything but!"

    "I used to be a court jester in the Kieff Imperial Pce!"

    As another group of acrobats came in wearing handcuffs, the deputymander of the mounted police was certain that the current mayor, who had decided to host the Grand Prix de Circus next year, had lost significant support from the police officers in the uing elections.

    "Stop taking off those handcuffs!"

    "Hehe, what should I do when the handcuffs keep slipping off?"

    A scuffle broke out as they were being led to the detention centre. The handcuffs were not faulty; it was just that the acrobat¡¯s hand seemed to stretch like rubber and slip right through the cuffs.

    The police officers sighed as they watched the spectacle. Just a month ago, they might have found it amusing, but they had all lost that luxury now.

    "Yenche¡¯s Magic Troupe."

    "They¡¯ve reached an impressive level."

    "They seem to have mastered Inspira too."

    "Is it some kind of bone-melting ability?"

    Watching the scene, the other acrobats exchanged words and shook their heads in disbelief.

    In the eyes of the police officers, it was an astonishing situation. "Don¡¯t act like this is an everyday urrence."

    The deputymander wanted to shout at them, but he had to manage the situation. He approached an elderly man slumbering in a corner chair.

    "Father, it seems we need your help."

    "Ugh. You¡¯re back again?"

    The elderly priest with snow-white hair and a hunched posture struggled to rise. He had always been an old man with wispy white hair and wrinkles, but in recent days, his hair had grown whiter, and his wrinkles deeper. He tidied his priestly robes and approached the acrobat who was ying tricks on the police officers.

    "Um, what are you?"

    The priest didn¡¯t respond but stared silently at him.

    He smelled of alcohol.

    "Inspira is real."

    The priest closed his eyes and began to recite a prayer.

    Several deeply religious police officers standing nearby followed along with the priest¡¯s prayer.

    The man who had been ying around with handcuffs realized that something was going terribly wrong.

    "Uh, Your Grace? F-Father? Please don¡¯t do that! Huh? I¡¯ll keep the handcuffs secure!"

    The man hurriedly pushed his hands back into the handcuffs.

    But the priest did not stop reciting his prayer.

    "I, I beg you!"

    The power of the clergy in the Church of St. John was well-known in the world.

    Other acrobats stepped back, making sounds like deting balloons.

    When the prayer ended, a silver cross appeared before the priest.

    A holy, sacred cross.

    Its long end was sharp.

    Its overall shape resembled a stake.

    "Sacred Stake!"

    Some of the acrobats screamed as they looked at the silver cross.

    Some shivered and tried to move away from it.

    Even the illusionist, who had it right in front of his nose, gritted his teeth.

    "No! Reverend, I made a mistake! P-Please, not that!"

    Despite the man¡¯s pleading, the priest swung his hand with an indifferent expression.

    The silver cross flew at a speed that was neither fast nor slow and impaled the man¡¯s shoulder.

    "Aaaargh!"

    The impact felt like being hit with a solid club.

    There was no blood or visible injury.

    Because the Sacred Stake was not a real physical stake.

    But the man impaled on it would have preferred a real stake.

    Even though he struggled to reason through the handcuffs, he felt his hand stiffening.

    The numbness disappeared. His hand had turned into an ordinary hand.

    "I, I lost the connection!"

    The man screamed.

    Inspira... the blessing he received from Kirku... had disappeared!

    Other acrobats murmured anxiously.

    "It seems the rumors were true."

    "I¡¯ve never seen anyone use a stake like that."

    "Did he really lose Inspira?"

    "This is too much, isn¡¯t it?"

    "Yeah, we didn¡¯t do anything that wrong."

    They had caused trouble, that was true.

    But they had only been locked up for a few days and were prepared to pay a fine.

    But calling in the priests of the Holy Church and stripping them of their faith like a religious trial?

    Astonishment, fear, and humiliation.

    A sense of unusual hostility spread among the acrobats.

    A deputy who sensed the atmosphere quickly stepped forward.

    "Inspira hasn¡¯t disappeared. It¡¯s just temporarily blocked."

    The man, tears in his eyes, looked up at the priest.

    "R-Really?"

    "That¡¯s right. People like the Archbishop or the Heresy Inquisitor couldpletely erase it if they wanted to. But I don¡¯t have that ability. Right now, it¡¯s just a temporary block."

    "Oh, thank goodness!"

    The man jumped in ce, performing a somersault in mid-air.

    The silver stake impaled in his shoulder seemedpletely unperturbed.

    "There was no physical force in it."

    "May the glory of Kirku be with us!"

    At the man¡¯s shout, the acrobats in and around the circus tent erupted into cheers and shouts.

    The elderly priest withdrew with a disapproving expression.

    Kirku this, Kirku that , Kirku!!.

    For the past few days, it had been ringing in his ears like a persistent mosquito.

    Why did people like such nonsense?

    No matter how harmless the fellow may be to the people, he was still just one of the devils dwelling in the Abyss.

    The elderly priest reaffirmed his faith once again andy down with a tired expression.

    The adjutant thanked him and got up from his seat.

    "Where are you going?"

    "I¡¯m heading towards the Rose Windmill. Mr. Bouvalle said he has some matters to handle quietly."

    "Oh, I see. More problems with those clowns, I suppose. It must be tough over there too. Can they handle it on their own without Grand Fini...?"

    "Haha, we¡¯ll have to work together."

    The adjutant gathered the materials he had prepared in advance and left.

    It was records of teenage girls who had gone missing in the past few years.

    ***

    Triplets with one body and three heads, a Triamere.

    From left to right, their names were Hanssten, Dunnadol, and Sevram.

    They didn¡¯t consider themselves to have a hierarchical rtionship.

    But on official documents, they were listed as the first, second, and third, respectively.

    "I have a question."

    "What is it?"

    "Well, it¡¯s more convenient for us to count as one, two, three from the left, but you brothers aren¡¯t like that. Why did you start with one, two, three from the right?"

    Womon asionally asked random questions.

    The curiosity of a 10-year-old child.

    Sevram, the third one, looked at him with a warm smile and thought ¡¯Kid¡¯s these days.¡¯

    "Usually, names are given by the people who see us, not by ourselves."

    "Ah."

    Womon scratched the back of his head.

    Now that he thought about it, it was a natural thing.

    At that moment, at the entrance of the hotel, the guests were being weed by the adjutant.

    The triplets looked somewhat awkward and spoke in unison with strained voices.

    "We¡¯ll check elsewhere."

    "I think our pursuit is in a different direction."

    "We need to consult with our colleague."

    The other membersughed out loud.

    In the past few days, they had heard these words countless times.

    It seemed as if they had collectively purchased lines from somewhere, as their words were almost identical.

    E also smiled with an annoyed expression as she heard theirints from a distance.

    "This time, it¡¯s a tie. One against one against one."

    In the past few days, the Wonderstein Circus worked hard to ept new members.

    The ringmaster and the assistant ringmaster scoured the streets in search of acrobats who seemed promising.

    Bringing them to the hotel was easy.

    After all, they had the sponsorship of the Vergsong Merchant Guild.

    However, the acrobats they brought in changed their expressions drastically after checking the condition of the members.

    Then, they made various excuses and never came back.

    Now, even the members who weed the guests were starting to show signs of irritation.

    Hesitant nces.

    Scornful looks.

    Sighs that seemed toe naturally.

    The attitudes of the acrobats towards them were consistent.

    Their expressions seemed to say, "How dare you perform on stage among us?"

    "Still, I thought it would be different this time."

    "Yeah. I hoped they wouldn¡¯t be so tantly disappointed..."

    "The ringmaster said he helped those three. It¡¯s just a matter of courtesy."

    The grumbling that began like this gradually turned into self-me and self-reproach.

    "Now I¡¯m getting scared."

    "How much will they criticize us when we participate in thepetition..."

    "Can we do it? We don¡¯t have any proper acrobats except E."

    "We¡¯ll just get a lot of insults."

    The members¡¯ discussions escted fromints to self-doubt.

    "I¡¯m worried now."

    "It¡¯s not about the number of people; it¡¯s not about winning."

    "E said so. If we canplete the tasks assigned to us 100%, it¡¯s not just a dream to win. Our skills have improved significantly in the past two weeks, just as E promised. Isn¡¯t that right?"

    Everyone nodded in agreement with Yurakne¡¯s words.

    Indeed, their skills had improved dramaticallypared to before.

    Their abilities to learn new tricks were so well-suited to their physical characteristics that it took only a day or two to master what would normally take several months.

    They had reason to be proud.

    "All right. Let those people perform on the streets for the rest of their lives."

    "Yeah. Let¡¯s go out to the Grand Circus Prix Finals and show off our skills."

    The determination of the members was renewed.

    Yurakne smiled and looked at E.

    E smiled back, showing her gratitude by nodding her head slightly.

    "If it weren¡¯t for you, Yurakne, I would have said something again."

    "Haha, I went first because I was scared."

    When Yurakne yfully rolled her eyes, E burst intoughter.

    "But where did the ringmaster go?"

    "He¡¯s at the square again. He¡¯s looking for other acrobats. I¡¯ve given up by now."

    E sighed slightly as she looked towards the square.

    She had expected it to be difficult, but she hadn¡¯t known it would be this challenging.

    The Monster Circus.

    The prejudice against it ran deep among the acrobats.

 Chapter 39: Magician Maya (2)

    Name: Allen

    Age: 30

    Title: Mind de

    upation: Comedic Actor

    Recruitment Condition: Express ughter¡¯ emotion as a knight or rogue when stumbling and falling forward.

    Name: Joe

    Age: 30

    Title: Wind de

    upation: Comedic Actor

    Recruitment Condition: Express ughter¡¯ emotion as a knight or rogue when stumbling and falling backward.

    Allen and Joe

    Aedic duo appearing as supporters in TT1.

    They are men known for their shabby suits and ridiculous antics.

    At first nce, they appeared to be justedic characters, but in reality, they were exceptional swordsmen.

    While they were building a reputation as mercenaries, one day they saw aedy show on the street and were deeply impressed, leading them to pursue a career asedic actors.

    Their basic abilities matched their background, as they were both highly skilled.

    To the extent that the saying "For beginners, just find Allen and Joe" became a proverb among fans.

    Their performance was so powerful that it could disrupt the bnce of the early game.

    In fact, they were ¡¯hidden supporters¡¯ who could not be recruited through conventional means.

    Other supporters would appear on the roadside, offer quests, or tantly demand something in exchange for their assistance, saying, "If you fulfil my request, I will help you." But Allen and Joe were nothing like that.

    They would appear and disappear like extras, without a trace.

    The fact that they could be recruited as supporters was only discovered weeks after the game was released.

    The conditions were very simple.

    All you had to do was make themugh when they stumbled and fell, ying the role of a knight or rogue.

    The TT series had features that allowed heroes to express emotions such as greetings, dancing,ughter, provocation, and more.

    Using this feature to discover hidden elements of the game was one of the charms of the TT series.

    Of course, at the time of TT1¡¯s release, this fact was not well known, so it took some time to discover.

    "Oh, did youugh at ouredy? Hehe."

    "Kuk, I can¡¯t believe it. You guys are real heroes!"

    So they joined us, the two swordsmen who would mercilessly wield their staff-swords.

    If left alone, they could defeat the Stage 1 boss on their own.

    So when I brought them to the hotel, I was ready tough at any time.

    It was not a difficult task at all.

    Iughed when they stumbled and hit their foreheads while picking up a fallen clock.

    Iughed when they sputtered and spat out hot tea they were trying to drink.

    Iughed when they stepped on each other¡¯s shoces and fell forward.

    Iughed really hard.

    But they didn¡¯t show the enthusiastic response I expected.

    I didn¡¯t expect them to be as moved and teary-eyed as they were in TT1.

    At least I thought they would show some gratitude.

    But instead, they just shrugged their shoulders with a slightly smug look on their faces.

    After receiving my guidance and looking around the circus group, the two swordsmen left the hotel, making various excuses they had rehearsed beforehand.

    It was a clear rejection.

    For the first time, my knowledge of the original work didn¡¯t apply.

    I wondered why.

    As I thought it over, I remembered the description I had seen on their character sheets.

    "They debuted three years ago, but they were struggling to gain poprity. But the heroes made themugh! They will do anything for their fans."

    Three years had passed since their debut...

    The problem was that this information was only relevant to the time of TT1.

    Now it had been two and a half years before TT1.

    In other words, they had only been debuted for six months.

    Their reaction was not as desperate as it was during the three years of anonymity.

    In the end, I had topromise my dignity and pretend to be fooled by those mediocre guys.

    I hoped no one would go around saying things like, "The head of Wonderstein Circus really held them in high regard."

    Our circus¡¯s reputation was already low, and it would be even worse if it fell further.

    So the two swordsmen I had hoped for left.

    I sent the snake charmer woman away with just a formal offer, as she was an unfamiliar character.

    I opened the ¡¯Member Management¡¯ window in the air.

    *Member Management (10/12)

    The maximum number of members that can be recruited is 12.

    Currently, there are a total of 10 members.

    Deputy Ringmaster, E.

    Spider Woman, Yurakne.

    Vampire, Womon.

    Skeleton Clown, Sven.

    Mira, Benedict.

    Dwarf, Jobel.

    First of the Triplets, Hanssten.

    Second of the Triplets, Dunnadol.

    Third of the Triplets, Sevram.

    Cursed Fairy, Marisa.

    There were ten of them, but there were fewer actual performers.

    E was the host, so she didn¡¯t go on stage.

    The triplets had separate counts for their favorability and rewards, but in reality, they were considered as one.

    And Marisa, who had be a stone, was stored in the carriage¡¯s luggagepartment.

    She was excluded from the main performance.

    In reality, there were six people who would be on stage.

    Could they really do it with just them?

    I felt anxious.

    In the original story, the Monster Circus could exert a demonic power because it was backed by Wonderstein¡¯s power.

    But my power couldn¡¯t match the original Wonderstein¡¯s.

    Of course, I had the weapon of future knowledge.

    However, like with Derekst time, the future elements could turn into threats, and, as in the case of Allen and Joe, future knowledge could be useless.

    I couldn¡¯t just rx.

    Lost in thought, I walked and suddenly reached the end of the square.

    A bustling centre square of loose with acrobats performing all around.

    There was also a distinct area here.

    Surrounded by white curtains.

    This was where the illusionists performed their magic.

    Illusion magic.

    Literally, magic that created visual illusions to deceive people.

    They used it to create backgrounds, props, special effects, and more for performances.

    Even on E¡¯s stage, various illusion magics were used.

    I found it fascinating. It was a spectacle I couldn¡¯t experience in the real world.

    "What if we hire illusionists too?"

    "Well, um... Illusions are shy and impressive, but... it feels somewhat awkward and obvious. I prefer sticking to tradition in this regard. Using props skillfully is much more natural and has its own charm."

    E stuck to her preferences with a somewhat uncertain attitude.

    Her words reminded me of something a film director once said.

    He preferred making his own tools and setting up sets over using CGI, if I remember correctly.

    Was it simr to that?

    I respected E¡¯s stubbornness.

    But as we prepared for the preview performance before the opening ceremony, my thoughts changed.

    When Yurakne performed her act of breaking people¡¯s heads, the "Strawberry Jam Watermelon Heads," or when Womon¡¯s mouth produced the "Bone Candy," they were disposable. Once broken, they were done.

    So, E had to spend hours recreating the same things every time they performed.

    Including making backgrounds and costumes.

    I saw her dozing off while making props yesterday.

    Could she handle it once the actual performance started?

    I had the ratmen teach her some skills, but there were clear limitations.

    Illusion magic was needed.

    Before entering the curtain, I read the warning sign next to it.

    "Do not use illusion magic outside this area."

    I smiled wryly as I felt the strength in every stroke of the carefully written warning.

    Over the past week, various illusions had disturbed Luz.

    A mansion-sized spider appeared in the middle of the street, fake mes engulfed buildings, and a silent carriage raced through the air.

    All of these were performances by illusionists.

    They too did their best to showcase their talents to join arge circus troupe.

    ording to the Circus Grand Prix regtions, "magicians" were treated as "those who perform on stage" just like acrobats.

    In other words, they were subject to the same restrictions on entry and recruitment during thepetition period.

    Although there were not many cases of magicians working as actors, it was a natural measure.

    A magician¡¯s magic was simr to an acrobat¡¯s performance.

    You couldn¡¯t say someone who specialized in throwing knives outside the stage wasn¡¯t an acrobat, could you?

    So, they, too, like acrobats, did their best to stand out in any way possible before the opening.

    The magician¡¯s yard was more peaceful than the acrobats¡¯.

    They were more like inventors showcasing their work at a technical exhibition than performers.

    "Now, please look. These are my best works, the 24 dancing mes!"

    One magician opened his palm, and various dazzling lights appeared, tracing colorful paths as they spun around.

    A few people in the crowd eximed in admiration.

    Most of them were local residents and tourists who came to watch.

    The expressions of the circus troupe personnel were coldpared to the ordinary people.

    "Ah, what do you expect from the Circus Grand Prix?"

    "They¡¯re hiding their skills with such simple illusions."

    "The movement of light is too simple. It just goes back and forth."

    "It might pass at a country fair."

    People who knew the circus had a different way of observing illusions.

    They paid attention to intricacy and realism rather than extravagance.

    "Look at the fur on that doe. Doesn¡¯t it look like it¡¯s naturally swaying in the wind?"

    "It¡¯s a very precise illusion. Impressive. How about those metal dolls over there?"

    "The texture feels very real. Can you smell the metal?"

    The skill of illusionistsy in the meticulous and sophisticated creation of reality.

    To faithfully replicate the backgrounds and special effects demanded by the circus, simply weaving mes in the air was out of the question.

    And hiring illusionists would be better than using illusion magic.

    As I walked through the crowd, I observed the illusion magics.

    Then, I noticed amotion in a corner.

    People were murmuring and gathering around someone.

    "Is that an illusion?"

    "Look at the way she walks and moves her eyes! Is it possible to naturally replicate a person like that? Unbelievable. Why is someone like her here in this street yard? She should be submitting an application to a top circus troupe."

    "It could be. Let¡¯s see. Is that girl an illusionist too?"

    "I wonder if her skills match her appearance..."

    I wondered who was causing such amotion.

    I looked to where everyone¡¯s attention was focused.

    Snow-white hair like snow.

    Perfectly proportioned facial features like a doll crafted by a master.

    Icy-cold eyes.

    I sighed internally.

    If I didn¡¯t have the Smiling Man, I would have screamed like everyone else.

    But the reason was different.

    I was surprised that she was here in the first ce.

    One of the three heroes of the Tril Trilo series.

    Magician Maya.

    She looked more mature than I remembered, but it was definitely her.

 Chapter 40: Magician Maya (3)

    As the evening sun cast its gentle glow.

    In the centre of the vige stood a tall stack of straws.

    It caught fire.

    The rising smoke signalled the beginning of the festival.

    People sang to the tune of the ordion and danced to the beat of drums.

    Amidst the zing mes, the head of the hardworking scarecrow for the past year snapped and fell.

    When the heat of the harvest festival enveloped the entire vige,

    A dense shadow began to loom over the hill behind the vige.

    At someone¡¯s scream, people raised their heads to look.

    A massive ind spanned the dark sky.

    Fireworks burst endlessly above the ind, and the cheers of the people echoed endlessly.

    It seemed like a joyful festival was taking ce up there.

    Though it was unlikely to be seen from up high, people waved their hands towards the Sky City.

    "We hope you¡¯re as happy as we are!"

    A crow that had been munching on a rotten pumpkin in a corner of the vige perked up at the sound.

    With curious eyes, it looked up at the sky.

    An ind floating in the sky.

    What could be up there?

    The lights and sounds emanating from it tempted the crow.

    With outstretched wings, the crow headed towards the ind.

    As the crow approached the ind, buildings became visible through the clouds.

    The sight of the city floating in the sky taught the crow, even a mere beast, the feeling of wonder.

    The ornate decorations hanging all over the city excited it.

    Something extraordinary must be happening!

    With rising anticipation, the crow drew closer to the city.

    But gradually, it began to feel that something was amiss.

    The screams of the people.

    They were different from the voices of the vigers down below.

    They were filled with fear and agony.

    "Ahh! Don¡¯te! Stay away!"

    "Eeek!"

    "Save us, save us, help, ack!"

    Screams and cries echoed through the streets.

    Every alley was filled with cries of horror.

    Blood and flesh flowed in the city¡¯s various corners.

    Massacres were taking ce throughout the city.

    The ones doing the killing were mainly the colourful-d jesters and acrobats.

    With their elongated arms, sharp teeth, long tongues, and spikes protruding from their backs, they grabbed, tore, stabbed, and mauled people in ways unimaginable for regr humans.

    They were no longer human.

    "Hehehe! Witness my skills!"

    "Offerings to the Mage!"

    "Will you not watch the show?"

    In the eyes of those who kill and torture, there was a certain thrill and excitement.

    The crow pped its wings even faster.

    Feathers fell off in surprise.

    It was madness. Everything here was going crazy.

    Madness felt throughout the entire city.

    One wrong move, and it seemed like he might get sucked in too.

    With a bang, mes shot up.

    And a firecracker whizzed past him.

    Intermittent gunfire erupted, and gunpowder smoke obscured the view.

    By avoiding and dodging, he had unknowingly reached the central part of the city.

    There, the crow witnessed an unexpected scene.

    Amidst this chaotic hell, there was a man standing inplete tranquillity.

    With dark hair down to his shoulders, wearing a ck silk hat, a ck suit, and a ck cape, he stood at the pinnacle, gazing down at the city.

    His smile was incredibly beautiful.

    The crow descended slowly in front of him.

    There was no hostility in his gaze as he looked at it.

    In fact, he seemed pleased.

    The crow felt relieved.

    He was the only intact human in this ce.

    He approached.

    His hand gently enveloped the crow.

    His mouth opened.

    Wide.

    Wider.

    Beyond his cheeks, his mouth stretched wide open, revealing dozens of sharp-edged teeth and tongues with thorns, twisted like snakes.

    The crow¡¯s eyes were filled with astonishment.

    But he couldn¡¯t move at all.

    The man¡¯s hand that gripped his body had transformed into ws like an animal¡¯s front paws, tearing his body apart.

    And so, the crow¡¯s head disappeared into the man¡¯s mouth.

    Crunch.

    Crunch.

    Crunch.

    Now yers learned how to y as the thief, defeating winged monsters with arrows and using double jumps to escape when the roof copsed due to the monsters¡¯ acid spit.

    If the arrows ran out, she replenished them from the corpses of dead soldiers.

    After clearing the monsters, Sir Ivan thanked her.

    They moved together.

    Utilizing Sir Ivan and the thief appropriately, they advanced through obstacles blocking their path.

    However, the bridge to the other ind had already burned down and was severed.

    The ind was slowly losing altitude, plummeting.

    Sir Ivan and the thief argued.

    The thief insisted on going to the pier and escaping on an airship, while Sir Ivan argued that they should go to the other ind to help people.

    Then, the camera moved into a well beside them.

    Inside, a white-haired wizard was sleeping with her eyes closed.

    Perhaps she woke up because she heard Sir Ivan and the thief arguing, but she blinked and saw that her head was bleeding.

    She had fallen into the well while running away from the monster attack.

    From this point on, yers could control the wizard.

    The wizard¡¯s special ability, "Barrier," allowed her to create a sturdy polyhedron.

    Using the cursor, I ced a dot and connected the edges to form a barrier. By stacking blocks inside the well, I created stairs to exit and meet the knight and thief.

    Creating a bridge in the form of a long nk using the magician¡¯s barrier allowed them to cross to the opposite ind. As soon as they crossed the bridge, the opposite ind crashed to the ground.

    Knight, thief, and magician. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief as they looked around the city¡¯s centre.

    The sky city was engulfed in screams and chaos.

    That¡¯s how the prologue stage of TT1 ended, and the main story began.

    I found myself lost in thought as I looked at the girl with white hair. Her appearance was not much different from the Maya I knew. However,pared to her future self, who wasposed and dignified, there was a hint of difort in her expression. Of course, only I, who had been watching Maya throughout the series, could notice it.

    For anyone seeing her for the first time, it would be impossible to read any emotions from her expression. Maya always wore an icy,posed expression. That¡¯s why only theughter of the knight and thief was effective for the conditions to recruit "Allen and Joe."

    Trying to make her expressughter, her lips only curved up ever so slightly. Whether in a good or bad sense, she was like a doll. Her age was probably the same as E¡¯s.

    In the TT1 timeline, it was mentioned that she had recently be an adult. Maya originally came from a famous magician family in Castya.

    She joined the circus to hone her magical skills. The circus troupe she belonged to was known as the "Veil Circus," a ce renowned for effectively utilizing illusion magic.

    Unlike the knight and thief, who were recruited from the city¡¯s security or came to steal, she had a direct connection to the Grand Prix Circus and its events.

    That¡¯s why I thought she had the highest probability of encountering the three heroes. However, I didn¡¯t expect to encounter her so quickly, especially since she was not yet member of it.

    The opening ceremonies were only two weeks away. In the game world, she referred to the circus people as her colleagues for the past two and a half years.

    Does that mean she will be hired by the Veil Circus here? I suddenly felt greedy. What if I took her with me from here? It would make solving illusion magic problems a breeze.

    But would she be willing to join our circus? I remembered dozens of acrobats I had missed over the past few days. Perhaps her reaction wouldn¡¯t be much different from theirs.

    Then, light emanated from her hand. Her white skin and hair emitted various colours in response to the illusion magic she was casting.

    People eximed in admiration at the mysterious aura her appearance gave off.

    I swallowed hard. In terms of the game¡¯s setting, she was undoubtedly the most brilliant prodigy from her family.

    Her magic was undoubtedly extraordinary. In the game, it was represented as stacking polygons, but how would it manifest here? The mathematical calctions seemed to be over as light burst forth, and the magic began taking a concrete form.

    A brown, round body. Brown, round legs. Brown, round... wait, what¡¯s this? It could be described as the work of a kindergarten student who tried to make something with brown y but gave up halfway. In other words, it looked like a poorly made lump of dough.

    Fortunately, it provided an answer by making a sound.

    "Meow."

    This... is a cat? Only I could tell, but there was definitely a tinge of embarrassment in her expression.

 Chapter 41: Magician Maya (4)

    Maya¡¯s father was a skilled painter. He said he used to paint signs for theaters before he met Maya¡¯s mother. He had always looked down on magic, believing that it couldn¡¯t provide true enchantment.

    Annoyed by his attitude, Maya¡¯s mother unleashed all sorts of terrifying illusions on him when they first met. She imed it was their first encounter. Whenever people asked if they were dating, both the painter and the witch dismissed it as nonsense.

    However, both of them were ustomed to creating something out of nothing. So, they spent three years together creating what they considered their magnum opus.

    Seventeen years had passed since that artwork was unveiled.

    Maya gazed at a lump of mud-colored substance squirming in her palm. It imitated the behavior of a cat she used to raise. Its awkward movements, stretching its neck while wagging its tail, reminded her of her childhood pet. But judging by its appearance, no one could immediately recognize it as a cat.

    Onlookers thought her crude creation was a whimsical circus act.

    After the jokes subsided, they expected her to reveal a real cat hidden inside the dough-like exterior.

    However, Maya disappointed their expectations. Windmills, carriages, swings¡ªshe created these surreal sculptures one after another. People couldn¡¯t fathom her intentions because there were no hints of a cat¡¯s meowing like before.

    "It¡¯s finished," she dered with a chillingly indifferent tone.

    Only then did people realize this was her best work. Disappointment rippled through the crowd, and some made rudements.

    "Why didn¡¯t she be an actress with that face?"

    "Well, she can¡¯t do much besides ying with dolls."

    Maya felt her anger rise but kept herposure. She never showed her emotions outwardly.

    She quietly tidied up her creations. The circus performers, who had openly criticized her earlier, exchanged knowing nces and left without a word.

    No art critic takes a child¡¯s scribbles seriously, meticulously analyzing line and shading.

    Maya looked at the cat in her hand with sad eyes.

    "I¡¯m sorry. I still can¡¯t give substance to my illusions. Actually, I can¡¯t even create proper illusions."

    The cat gazed back at her, seeming curious why its owner didn¡¯t pet it, as if wondering about her intentions.

    There was no reliance or soul within the illusion.

    Every action it took was created by her will. It was as if each movement of the illusion was carefully extracted from the cat she had raised. Maya remembered every detail about the cat: its ears, tail, pupils, fur, colour, and even the tiny details finer than grains of sand. But she couldn¡¯t recreate it as an illusion.

    It held too much detailed information and an unclear perception of "form," both of which were shackles on her creativity.

    Magic is a field belonging to the realm of mysticism.

    It exists in the middle ground between the tangible world of substance and the realm of ideas within the mind.

    When a mage who maniptes the element of ice uses magic, they never think, ¡¯Lower the temperature to below freezing to condense moisture.¡¯ Instead, they rely on the concept within their mind, ¡¯Freeze,¡¯ and infuse it with their magical power, manifesting the actual freezing of ice.

    If you were to ask why this happens, there would be no suitable answer.

    Even the mages who use magic themselves didn¡¯t really know.

    At the academy, various theories were periodically presented, but in reality, no one thought about these theories when using magic. It was the realm of schrs and those concerned with such matters.

    Magic was a discipline rooted in mysticism.

    Magic was a skill passed down through generations.

    Magic was an enlightenment through experience.

    Even the concept of ¡¯illusion¡¯ in illusion magic belonged to the realm of mysticism.

    Maya couldn¡¯t understand any of it.

    ¡¯Maya, can you turn this into a illusion then?¡¯

    The teacher at the academy brought out a canvas. On it was a beautiful, multi-colored flower garden.

    All eyes in the ssroom were fixed on Maya. It was natural for everyone to be interested in Maya, the top scorer in theoretical exams.

    nts were easier to create than animals, but what the teacher demanded was a ndscape¡¯ on a canvas. It was nearly impossible without considerable skill.

    Maya concentrated her magic and created the illusion. Light gathered, forming exactly what she had seen.

    She opened her eyes.

    The result was perfect.

    However, the gazes of the teacher and students looking at her were peculiar.

    They looked at her as if she was a rare specimen.

    Maya tilted her head.

    What she had created was perfect.

    On the square canvas was a picture of a multi-colored flower garden.

    The two were perfectly identical.

    She lived in a world governed by reason.

    She saw a worldposed of information.

    She understood the world through logic.

    Even a single insect or grain of sand we see is created through the umtion of tiny bits of information for each entity. But how could we perceive that through the ambiguous intermediary called ¡¯illusion¡¯?

    Creating pictures was easy.

    While others struggled to understand pictures as ¡¯symbols,¡¯ for Maya, it was a simple task of inputting colour information for each coordinate on a two-dimensional ne. It was her absurdputational ability that made it possible.

    However, on the flip side, she had no idea how to calcte plex forms¡¯ like dogs, pigeons, or flowers.

    She couldn¡¯t grasp what others referred to as ¡¯illusion.¡¯

    Mysticism was a concept too distant from reason.

    Still, she wanted to understand.

    Her father said that if she entered the Institute of Magical Technology in the Delos Republic, she could make much better use of her talents. Maya herself knew that her talents didn¡¯t truly shine in this ce.

    But still, she wanted to learn illusion magic.

    She took a small silver disc from her pocket.

    This was an item used among illusion mages, containing the ¡¯essence¡¯ of information necessary to recreate illusion.

    Recording information on this item and reading it to recreate illusion was only possible among illusion mages who shared the same ¡¯essence.¡¯

    This was her mother¡¯s final message.

    Maya wanted to try reproducing it herself, without anyone else¡¯s help.

    Her father probably knew it was his daughter¡¯s business, so he hadn¡¯t hired anyone to y it for her.

    Someday, she would do it with her own hands.

    Maya carefully ced the disc back in her pocket.

    Looking around, she noticed that all the other onlookers had left.

    They were all admiring more dazzling and intricate illusion than what she had created.

    Some murmured as they looked at her appearance, but no one approached her.

    Her emotionless and cold expression was both intimidating and a sign of her cultured upbringing, so anyone with manners understood it was rude to approach her.

    It was indeed rude.

    Rude...

    ¡¯Rude.¡¯

    "Hoho, is that all? Won¡¯t you create more illusions?"

    Maya¡¯s fist clenched briefly and then rxed.

    There was a man standing across from her table, who had been watching her illusion performance from the beginning.

    Even as people who had figured out the ongoing failures made awkward expressions and left, he remained seated, still looking at her and smirking.

    Ah, this isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to go.

    She didn¡¯t say it out loud, but the expression on her face conveyed that feeling.

    Maya gritted her teeth inwardly.

    Illusions required someone to be deceived for them to have meaning. She believed that performing in front of many people would help her improve her skills. So, she deliberately participated in the Circus Grand Prix, thinking it was the perfect ce to practice her illusion magic. It also held significance as it was a ce her parents had watched before.

    Presenting her work in front of people and receiving their feedback was a prepared task. But what was with that man openly mocking her?

    Maya¡¯s angry expression remained unchanged, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling annoyed by the man¡¯s behavior. He seemed to be enjoying it, judging by his mischievous smile.

    Whether he was good-looking or not didn¡¯t matter. Those who valued appearances less as much as illusionists did, didn¡¯t exist. Looks could always be changed and deceived.

    Maya decided to ignore him and focus on her training.

    She pulled out a wooden cube from her bag. The cube was a basic tool used by illusionists for practicing the most fundamental exercises: forming a cube exactly like the one next to it.

    Visualize the cube¡¯s shape. What does "shape" mean exactly?

    The teacher¡¯s voice kepting back to her.

    "Shape is drawing meaning on the canvas of the mind."

    "People without hearts can never reach the canvas."

    "Maya, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to be a Magic Technician?"

    "Just shut up. I¡¯ll prove myself."

    She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and imagined the image of the wooden cube in front of her. Up to this point, her visualization was impable. But the real challenge was bringing it into reality.

    45.4 x 44.9 x 45.1 mm. Oak wood. Twelveyered Naiyte. Asymmetrical wood grain. Seventeen notches. Four pieces.

    She calcted all the details meticulously. Her head throbbed, but she persevered.

    One cube was created. Two. Another cube formed. Up to this point, she was doing fine. But when it came to the third...

    The shape became distorted, and she ended up with a lump that looked like a badly made loaf of bread.

    Too much information to process. The problem for someone who couldn¡¯t use "shape" to create illusions. Drawing each point one by one had its limits in two dimensions. When she entered the three-dimensional realm, the amount of information she had to process became overwhelming.

    "Hehe, is this the end?"

    She looked up. The man was still smiling, almost as if he was mocking her.

    A condescending smile. A pitying smile. A smile that seemed to ridicule people.

    This guy is insufferable.

    A crack appeared in Maya¡¯s cold expression.

 Chapter 42: Magician Maya (5)

    I could tell right away.

    That she was angry.

    Her eyelids twitched, and her lips tightened.

    It was a subtle change that an ordinary person wouldn¡¯t notice.

    But in reality, I was someone who could distinguish a 4K screen pixel by pixel.

    Plus, Wonderstein¡¯s body had all senses - sight, taste, hearing, smell, touch - heightened to the limits of human capability.

    Detecting her expression changes was an easy task.

    ¡¯How should I handle this?¡¯

    I was momentarily taken aback by her clumsy attempt.

    But as I watched her create the illusion, I realized that she didn¡¯t really know how to utilize her abilities.

    It was an event two and a half years into the future, but she had developed her own unique illusion magic by then.

    I knew that method.

    But right now, she was struggling even to create a simple cube.

    I could use the knowledge of that method as a bargaining chip to bring her into the circus troupe.

    She was always someone who could calmly assess situations.

    If she had to enter a ce like the Monster Circus Troupe, I didn¡¯t know if she would ept it.

    I waited quietly.

    To maximize the chances of sess.

    Until she calmed down a bit more.

    As I was pondering when to intervene, a quest notification popped up.

    Was it because the Devil¡¯s attempt to invite a hero to the party irritated the system?

    The intent of the quest was clear.

    Sub-Quest: Magician

    The hero must take Maya into ¡¯Silver Veil Circus¡¯.

    Sess Condition:

    Induct Maya into the ¡¯Silver Veil Circus¡¯.

    Rewards upon sess:

    [Memory Disk No.1 containing Wonderstein¡¯s memories]

    No penalties for failure.

    The silvery ring of sess rewards floated in the reward window.

    Just like the ¡¯Phantom Mask,¡¯ it could be taken out once the quest was sessfullypleted.

    A memory disk.

    This was an item that frequently appeared in the original work.

    As the game progressed, there was a need for devices that showed past records and background settings, and the memory disk yed that role.

    Many people liked how the settings seamlessly blended into the world¡¯s lore.

    However, some also viewed it as developer convenience.

    It was supposed to be a precious magical item, but memory disks filled with all sorts of misceneous knowledge were lying around everywhere.

    Among the residents of the Abyss, there was no hunter as cunning as a gnoll.

    My favorite story in Christie¡¯s work is not this one...

    My dead wife came back to life. I was happy just because of that. But...

    From information about the monsters in the game to minor background settings, and the tragic stories of extras who appear as corpses.

    There were criticisms of who would put such information on a memory disk just to tell someone.

    In the TTTmunity, the phrase ¡¯a bourgeois world with an MD yer in every house¡¯ was used jokingly.

    Of course, that was all within the limits of the game.

    It wasn¡¯t the case here.

    The memory disk was a genuine magical item, quite rare, and not something anyone could use.

    But this memory disk contained Wonderstein¡¯s past...

    I was curious.

    I had delved deep into the Tril Trilo series.

    From simple gamey to hidden stories and settings, I covered it all.

    Yet, Wonderstein remained an enigmatic presence.

    Throughout the three-part series, a human character who turns out to be the final boss appeared, but very little was revealed about his life. I pondered over the quest window.

    Still, it¡¯s a prequel cantered around Wonderstein, so shouldn¡¯t he learn more about him? The hero was wee, but she wasn¡¯t a significant character at this point in the story. There was no reason to deviate from the official history by sacrificing the reward.

    Completion Condition: Induct Maya into the "Silver Veil Circus."

    I help her join the Silver Veil Circus.

    And I would receive my reward.

    That should be enough.

    The hero would follow the hero¡¯s path, and the final boss would follow the final boss¡¯s path.

    I closed the quest window.

    Maya was still ring at me.

    An apology would be the first step, I suppose.

    I politely took off my hat and nodded to her.

    "My name is Frank Wonderstein. I apologize for the abrupt intrusion. May I inquire about your name, mage?"

    Maya was the coldest in temperament among the three heroes.

    If she were a knight, she would either brush off insults with indifference orugh it off as if it were ridiculous.

    If she were a rogue, she would either retaliate right then and there or respond with a jest.

    And mages would usually ignore it and put up a wall.

    Breaking down her wall was my first task.

    "My name is Maya," she replied, with a chilly tone.

    "Nice to meet you, Maya."

    "Why did you keep staring at me? If you want to watch, there are better ces for that."

    I could sense anger and embarrassment in her tone and expression.

    Well, it must have been hard to present that bread-like illusion as an illusion.

    I made a reassuring gesture with my hand.

    "I just wanted to offer some advice."

    "Are you an illusion magician?"

    "No, I¡¯m not. But I..."

    "It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t need it. You can watch if you want, but please don¡¯t talk to me. You¡¯re distracting."

    Maya dismissed me like that and focused on her training again.

    I smiled with an understanding look, spreading my hands as if to say, "I get it."

    Not needed?

    I didn¡¯t know for sure.

    In the original work, she joined the Silver Veil Circus.

    That was the correct path.

    There was no need for me to step in and do more.

    Perhaps just silently watching was the right answer.

    ***

    The next day, Maya saw the man standing in front of the table and came to a stop.

    The man who had been constantly talking to her yesterday.

    Was his name Frank Wonderstein?

    He had been waiting for her since morning.

    "Hello?"

    He smiled broadly at her as if he were in a great mood.

    A man without any self-esteem.

    Even though he had been rejected by the young girl, why did he keeping back?

    Maya ignored him and went about her business.

    She practiced the basics with cubes and created concrete shapes when people gathered.

    She was truly a genius.

    In just one day, her skills had improved significantly.

    The cat now looked like a furry four-legged creature, the windmill¡¯s wings were confirmed to be spinning, the carriage, while its wheels weren¡¯t rolling, was at least moving, and the swing¡¯s problem was that it couldn¡¯t escape the influence of gravity, but it was clearly a swing.

    "Well, that¡¯s impressive. I hope you¡¯ll consider my advice."

    "...I told you not to talk to me."

    Her voice was cold, but her mood didn¡¯t seem as bad as yesterday.

    There¡¯s no one who dislikespliments, especially when they¡¯re about something you¡¯ve worked hard on.

    "What does that have to do with you if I improve my skills?"

    Maya turned her head sharply and left the tent.

    And Wonderstein was indeed waiting for her in the same spot the next day.

    The smile on his lips was still there.

    A strange man.

    Maya gave up trying to understand him.

    She just gave him a wary look and sat down to repeat what she had done yesterday.

    And so it went on the next day.

    And the day after that.

    And the next day.

    Wonderstein waited for her in front of her spot every morning and stayed with her untilte afternoon.

    Wonderstein admired her passion and talent.

    Her magic was not from the game, but her skills improved rapidly.

    It was a development that was hard to believe, given that she was the same person as just a few days ago.

    Maya found herself gradually engaging in conversation with Wonderstein.

    She realized that there was no mocking intention in his smile.

    And more than anything, she was lonely.

    She hade with the expectation that stepping out in front of people would make her skills skyrocket, whether it was due to pressure or something else.

    But her expectations were shattered on the first day.

    The world was ruthless.

    There were no dramatic changes or improvements.

    She just had to work harder and climb one step at a time.

    In the first few days, her self-esteem eroded.

    When had Maya, the top student of the academy, ever experienced such things as ridicule, contemptuous nces, and mockery?

    The circus troupe¡¯s leader, who did nothing but goof off, was the only sce for her.

    Maya¡¯s goal was indeed to join the Silver Veil Circus.

    The reason was different from what he thought.

    That ce was where her father and mother had met and fallen in love.

    She wanted to be selected with her skills held high.

    And the next day.

    Maya came out with a mask on her face.

    Just in case the leader of the circus recognized her face and she didn¡¯t want to be selected for that reason.

    Inside the tent was filled with the heat emitted by the fantastic magicians.

    Ny-nine mes flew through the air, a flock of doves gathered, and an iron giant staggered.

    Everyone was more focused on the news that the Silver Veil Circus wasing.

    And as the entrance of the tent was lifted, one person entered.

    A person in a white robe with a silver mask on his face, it was impossible to tell if he was a man or a woman, young or old.

    Wonderstein knew who he was.

    He was also a character from TT1.

    He was the leader of the Silver Veil Circus.

 Chapter 43: Magician Maya (7)

    ¡¯Veil¡¯ Arno.

    A master of fantasy magic whose gender, age, appearance, and real name remain unknown.

    A finalist in the inaugural Circus Grand Prix.

    One of the industry veterans who has led a circus troupe for over 20 years.

    The mentor of Magician Maya.

    However, despite such grandiose background, his role in the game was quite insignificant.

    He did not join the party even after being rescued.

    Instead, he sat at the camp and yed the memory disks provided by the yers.

    He recorded event disks and yed them back when the yers desired.

    Simr to a "gallery" in other games.

    While the profession of a illusion magician suited him well, it was quite uninspiring from the yer¡¯s perspective.

    With the title of a mentor to one of the three heroes, there were high expectations, but all he did was y videos at the camp.

    Thanks to that, he acquired an inglorious nickname, such as a ndestine videographer or DVD rental shop owner.

    But that was only his role in the game.

    Here, he exhibited the charisma of a circus troupe leader.

    He carefully examined the illusions in front of him one by one and responded ordingly to their levels.

    He simply passed by poorly crafted illusions that were not worth dealing with.

    For slightly inadequate illusions, he offered somements and then left.

    In front of well-made illusions, he requested variations or movements from the magician.

    Usually, these wereplex movements that the entity could perform.

    And if they executed it excellently, he handed them an invitation.

    And finally, it was Maya¡¯s turn.

    I heard her tense breathing through her mask and realized that she was nervous.

    But there was no need to worry.

    Maya¡¯s illusions were more intricate and lifelike than anyone else¡¯s in the tent.

    Even the invitations received by the previous guests were inferior to Maya¡¯ster on.

    I knew the future.

    Her joining the Veil Circus was a predetermined history. There was no way she could fail.

    "Hmm."

    Arno, standing in front of Maya, touched his chin and looked down at the illusions she had created.

    A cat, a windmill, a carriage, a swing.

    All of them were wless illusions that anyone could admire.

    His evaluation was no different.

    "It¡¯s perfect."

    "Thank you."

    As soon as the word "perfect" was uttered for the first time, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Maya.

    Just a few days ago, she could barely create childlike doodles with her illusions.

    But it was hard for everyone to believe how much she had progressed in just a few days.

    An incredible level ofpletion.

    She¡¯s really got it. She¡¯s a genius.

    From her appearance to her mind, life is really unfair.

    Among the buzzing crowd, envious and admiring nces exchanged.

    "Then."

    When Arno opened his mouth, the people quickly fell silent again.

    He pointed to the cat with his finger.

    "Try getting it to stand on its hind legs and dance."

    He made an absurd request that didn¡¯t match his grave tone at all.

    While he demanded more precise and delicate movements from other people¡¯s illusions...

    What could be the meaning of this action for the illusions magicians?

    Looking around, it seemed that no one knew.

    Except for one person.

    Excluding Maya.

    She clenched and unclenched her hand tightly.

    It was clear that she was nervous.

    "Dance? What kind of dance...?"

    "Any dance. Even a simple one will do. Just any dance that this cat wouldn¡¯t normally do."

    A dance that this cat wouldn¡¯t normally do?

    His words held weight.

    Maya took a deep breath and reached out towards her illusion.

    Light streamed from her hand, and the cat reacted.

    It stood up on its hind legs.

    But... its form...

    It wasn¡¯t what people had expected.

    It was grotesque.

    Twisting.

    Turning.

    The cat¡¯s body rose at an elerating pace, its waist bending backward. Its neck elongated like a snake, and its head dragged along the ground. Its eyeballs protruded through the surrounding skin, and its tongue darted in all directions. Its tail repeatedly pierced through its body, and its raised hind legs copsed like a house of cards.

    The interior fell silent as if someone had poured cold water.

    The illusion of the cat, so cruelly transformed, seemed like an error, a tragic mistake.

    "Ah."

    Her hand was now shaking noticeably enough for others to see.

    Sweat trickled down the back of her neck.

    For her, it was an emotion akin to the ¡¯screams¡¯ of others.

    Why had this happened?

    The master of illusion magic had the answer.

    "Your illusion was perfect, overly so. It was just an automaton that repeated the input of predefined colours, shapes, and actions. Us illusion magicians are puppeteers manipting illusions like puppets. You¡¯re nothing more than a memory disk."

    A memory disk.

    He defined Maya as such.

    The copse of the cat¡¯s illusions was the result of that.

    She hadn¡¯t prepared any movements for it to stand on two legs.

    "Your talent ismendable, making dozens of light particles follow predefined rules to dance in unison. That¡¯s your illusion. It was splendid in deceiving from that perspective. But that¡¯s as far as it goes. Without understanding the mysteries of illusion, you cannot be a illusion magician."

    With those words, Arno turned away and left.

    Maya sat there quietly, staring at the illusion she had created.

    The illusion of the dead cat, still twitching its limbs.

    ***

    The cat she had been raising died.

    It was an ident.

    Its head was struck fatally when andslide urred, instantly ending its life.

    Its skull was crushed, limbs twisted unnaturally, and its internal organs spilled out.

    Maya observed the cat¡¯s condition in a daze and came to a conclusion.

    Ah, it¡¯s dead.

    Then she returned home and continued with her daily life as usual.

    Not long after, people started asking.

    "Where¡¯s the cat?"

    Maya honestly answered.

    The cat died.

    And then people asked.

    What about the body?

    The body?

    Was that really important?

    It was now just decaying organic matter.

    Was it so bewildering to leave it be?

    Of course, through continued teaching, Maya eventually grew ustomed to how people viewed the world.

    Ah, so that¡¯s how people think.

    I see the world differently from them.

    She no longer made the same mistake.

    But deep down, she still didn¡¯t agree with the way they looked at the world.

    Since that day, people worried that she might engage in some devilish behavior.

    That was a misunderstanding.

    Maya was not a monster or a demon.

    She was just like everyone else.

    She cherished family, felt gratitude for love, and knew how to be angry at injustice.

    She just didn¡¯t express it on her face.

    Her perspective on the world was different from others.

    A person without a heart can never be a illusion magician.

    "You can¡¯t be a illusion magician"

    They blurted out as they pleased,

    I have a heart too,

    I¡¯m just different from you.

    But they couldn¡¯t understand her,

    They just kept repeating the same words,

    Feel the prize,

    Embrace the mystery.

    She, who saw beings as a collection of information,

    Could never understand the world of mystery that existed between the concepts and reality people spoke of.

    It saddened her.

    Because that meant she could never understand the world her mother saw.

    It meant she couldn¡¯t unlock the video her mother had left behind.

    In the space where all senses were blocked, she pondered deeply.

    This was her meditation space to experience the mystery.

    While others encountered their past, dreams, and aspirations here, she only faced an empty space.

    She was alone in a world no one could understand.

    Opaque.

    A sound invaded her meditation space.

    She raised her head.

    Her auditory and visual senses partially returned.

    In front of her stood a blond man in a ck suit and a ck cape.

    The man she had found somefort in for the past few days.

    Wonderstein.

    "Go away," Maya said with an indifferent tone.

    But instead of answering, he extended a handkerchief.

    Did he even know how to console someone or anything like that when he was sitting like this?

    "I don¡¯t need it. I didn¡¯t cry."

    "Your hair is wet."

    Hair?

    The meditation space dissolved.

    The world turned white, then gradually regained its original colour.

    All her senses returned.

    Swoosh.

    It was raining.

    The ce where she had been sitting was the backyard of the inn she had found.

    Oh, right. She had returned.

    Sometimes, she got confused about her short-term memories while in her meditation space.

    She had been harshly criticized by Veil Arno, and she had left the theatre and returned to her lodgings.

    Instead of going to her room, she had sat in the backyard, lost in thought.

    And naturally, she had entered her meditation space.

    She hadn¡¯t even realized it was raining.

    "How did youe here?"

    "I followed you."

    He confidently stated, without a hint of embarrassment.

    In fact, he seemed to be smiling broadly.

    Indeed, he was a strange man.

    "You don¡¯t need tofort me."

    "I didn¡¯te tofort you. I was just curious. What are you going to do next?"

    Again, he was being intrusive.

    This man really seemed to have nothing better to do.

    Maya shook her head.

    "I don¡¯t have an obligation to answer."

    Even to her cold response, Wonderstein¡¯s smile didn¡¯t disappear.

    Ah, right. He was this kind of person.

    He asked another question.

    "Are you going to give up on entering the Spirit Veil?"

    Again, Maya hesitated to say that she didn¡¯t have to answer.

    It was too exhausting to engage in parallel conversations.

    "...No. I still have a few days left. I have to try harder."

    "Is that so? Using the same method?"

    He asked with a mocking smile.

    Maya clenched her fists.

    Her pale white palms became even paler.

    It was sickening.

    Such advice,

    From humans who couldn¡¯t understand her, didn¡¯t have the capacity to understand her, and didn¡¯t have the will to understand her.

    Prize, heart, mystery, meditation.

    She wanted to throw it all away.

    "Maya, I¡¯ll help you in a way you can do well."

    She scoffed inwardly at his words.

    A way she could do well?

    What did he know about me?

    We¡¯ve only had a few days of conversation.

    No one could understand her.

    No one had ever seen the world as she saw it.

    But maybe because she had broken down once before.

    With a self-deprecating feeling, she asked, "How are you going to do that?"

 Chapter 44: Magician Maya (8)

    The next day, the leader of the Silver Veil returned to the Illusion Exhibition Hall.

    He walked through the tent, just like he did yesterday, examining the works of the magicians.

    Some people ignored his advice and left their creations as they were, while others made improvements.

    Arno ignored the former and offered a bit more guidance to thetter.

    There were only a few days left until the opening ceremony.

    If someone seemed to be making good progress with the advice, he thought about giving them an invitation.

    Finally, his steps came to a halt in front of the table where the girl to whom he had made a scathingment yesterday.

    Today, it was empty.

    "Was I too harsh?" he wondered.

    She was the youngest of the wizards present, and yet he had spoken more harshly than the others.

    Her created illusion was impressive, but her limitations were clear.

    He felt sorry for her talent.

    If only she would focus on her abilities rather than obsess over illusion magic.

    Even though her face was covered, he knew who she was, thanks to word of mouth.

    She was a friend¡¯s daughter.

    He could have given her more gentle advice.

    But doing so would have rendered her presence here meaningless if she chose a path where she had no talent.

    If she wanted to walk a path where she had no talent, she needed to ovee this kind of criticism.

    If she couldn¡¯t, it might be better for her to leave.

    And so, another day passed, and the next day came.

    Her spot was still empty.

    Had she simply run away?

    Or was she preparing herself with determination?

    Both actions required courage.

    Whichever it was, Arno wanted to support her.

    And so, the next day.

    And the day after that.

    And the day after that.

    She didn¡¯te.

    Time continued to pass, and the final day arrived.

    The chosen ones had been selected long ago.

    The rest were merely subpar wizards.

    Nevertheless, he still came here every day.

    Perhaps hoping for her arrival.

    But she didn¡¯te.

    Had she truly given up?

    It was both disappointing and a relief.

    As he prepared to leave after collecting his thoughts, he saw someone standing at the entrance of the tent.

    White hair like snow, wless features resembling a doll.

    An expression so emotionless it seemed cold, with icy eyes.

    It was the owner of the vacant spot.

    Arno looked at the girl who had once been the object of his affection and jealousy.

    "Back then, the one deemed unsuitable. What brings you here?"

    Arno pretended not to know.

    However, her purpose was roughly guessed.

    Today is thest day of the selection.

    Revealing her face, previously hidden behind a mask, clearly indicated her intention.

    Perhaps she wanted to acknowledge the limits of her talent and use her parents¡¯ name in return.

    However, what came out of her mouth was unexpected.

    "I¡¯vee to demonstrate a illusion."

    Her voice stillcked emotion, but Arno could feel her confidence in her stance.

    Could it be that in that short time, she grasped the mystery?

    Perhaps his entricity served as a shock therapy?

    Was that why she essed the mystery?

    "Give it a try."

    However, his expectations rapidly dwindled when he saw the faint light emanating from her hands.

    Arno had walked the path of illusion magic for a whopping 40 years.

    He could tell what kind of magic she was trying to cast just by looking at her.

    She was attempting to use the same magic as a few days ago, utilizing light andputational power.

    She didn¡¯t realize the mystery.

    It was pathetic.

    Disappointing.

    He wondered how a fallen genius could rise again.

    Suddenly, people began to gather around them.

    The remaining illusion magicians in this tent were essentially confirmed failures.

    Most of them couldn¡¯t admit theirck of skill and clung to stubbornness and resentment.

    That¡¯s why the gazes on Maya were not kind.

    "Isn¡¯t that the one fromst time?"

    "The human memory disk? Pff."

    "Is she here to embarrass herself again today?"

    She received scornful looks andments from the people, but she remained unfazed.

    Arno¡¯s cold gaze pierced her, but she wasn¡¯t afraid.

    She felt one gaze beyond the crowd that was looking at her.

    He was sending an encouraging smile.

    You can do it.

    Maya took a deep breath and recalled what she had practiced for the past few days.

    ***

    Maya¡¯s basic ability was to create polyhedrons with her magic.

    She would mark points and connect them with lines to form shapes.

    In TT1, it was only used for solving puzzles or acting as bridges and walls.

    But as the series progressed, her abilities improved.

    In TT2, a blueprint feature was added.

    She could pre-enter the design of a polyhedron and create the shape when needed.

    Originally, her ability was only used in nonbat situations, but that changed from that point on.

    After the addition of blueprints, a game called "Polygon Art" became popr.

    It involved creating intricate polygon models in the game using hundreds or even thousands of polyhedrons.

    Videos disying the heads of past bosses on disy in the camp became real-time bestsellers.

    In TT3, her abilities were taken a step further as mass and movement were added to the polyhedral.

    This evolution turned Polygon Art into Polygon Engineering.

    Combinations of hundreds ofponent polygons created bizarre objects.

    Siege weapons, cars, and even giantbat robots were made.

    Of course, this didn¡¯t have a significant impact on the gamey itself.

    A single hit from an elite monster would cause the polyhedral to copse like dominoes.

    However, asionally, it offered creative ways to assist in gamey.

    In quests where you had to escort a slow-movingpanion character to the opposite side of the city, there was a y where you would load thepanion into a catapult andunch them to save time, which resulted in bigughs.

    In that aspect, I was the best among TTT YouTubers.

    In fact, my rise to fame wasrgely due to that.

    With my ingenuity to break through the system¡¯s limits, I created all sorts of special feature videos.

    The boss heads on disy and the catapult y I mentioned earlier were both videos I shot.

    Polygon Engineering was my specialty.

    I taught her everything I knew.

    Indeed, a genius was a genius.

    In just a few days, she absorbed all the mathematical knowledge and crafting skills I had umted over the years.

    ***

    The new cube he presented.

    It was a illusion made up of eight points, twelve lines, and six surfaces.

    Only the outer surface was implemented, an illusion.

    The inside was empty.

    To create a fantasy, the magicians imed that you had to visualize the essence in your mind, making their argument into a ridiculous joke.

    Maya had been bound by their methods.

    She had been deceived by their ims and forced herself to mimic the essence.

    She had stacked each grain to form a shape.

    That was her illusion magic.

    Arno called it deception. Illusion.

    He was right.

    But what about the new cube that Wonderstein presented?

    It was even more deceptive.

    Itpletely ignored the existence of essence itself.

    It built only the surface, the appearance, as if such a thing did not exist.

    A radical idea that shook the paradigm of conventional illusion magic.

    His approach was genius.

    "What about the colours?"

    Maya looked at the cube that appeared before her.

    As it was, it was just a shining die.

    Mahogany.

    12 facets of nephrite.

    Asymmetrical grain.

    17 hollows.

    4 fragments.

    What should she do next?

    Wonderstein said in an indifferent voice, "Maya, your father taught you how to paint, right? Try coloring it the way you want."

    Ah.

    With that, Maya awakened.

    Magic power emanated from her body.

    It was a vast and deep magic power, beyond belief for a 16-year-old girl.

    In terms of the quality, quantity, and usability of magic, she had already surpassed the level of the academy¡¯s professors.

    Those who had teased her were taken aback.

    He wondered if she had exploded in anger.

    Maya didn¡¯t waste any of her mental energy on such trivial reactions.

    She focused solely on drawing the image she wanted.

    And she calcted ordingly.

    The light particles created by her magic power moved exactly as she had calcted, without a single error in theposition.

    Points connected to points,

    Lines met lines,

    Surfaces formed shapes.

    Still, within the unimplemented, colourless, transparent illusion.

    Maya picked up a brush.

    She recalled the days when she used to paint with her father in the yard.

    Back then, she stood in front of the canvas and painted the colours she saw.

    Do they think I don¡¯t understand the essence of things?

    That I have no heart?

    That I won¡¯t step into the realm of mystery?

    She would no longer be bound by their way of looking at the world.

    Maya wielded the brush.

    Colours spread over the colourless illusions.

    Everything around her was filled with her colours.

    Visualize, calcte, release magic, shape, and colour.

    All of these processes took only a few seconds whenbined.

    The bright radiance emanating from her body subsided.

    Maya opened her eyes.

    In the distance, a blue horizon of an ind¡¯s coastline, spewing white clouds.

    Waves broke beneath rocks with holes, and water droplets sshed up.

    What she saw in her eyes when she turned around was a sea of yellow.

    The undting waves of rapeseed flowers that descended from the hills tickled her ankles as they flowed into the sea.

    One by one, the petals carried by the wind emitted an indescribable fragrance.

    Bees and butterflies moved silently among the flowerbeds.

    The gentle touch of the wind, imperceptible, brushed against her cheek.

    Her final assignment of the semester, thendscape of an ind¡¯s rapeseed flower field.

    She had recreated it perfectly and more.

    Her immersion in the illusion was only for a moment.

    For a moment, her head felt numb, and people started to appear around her.

    She could hear their voices.

    "Is, is this possible at her age?"

    "She implemented thendscape to this level?"

    People looked at her with expressions of disbelief.

    Perhaps she had just been in a meditative space.

    She had poured all of her focus into activating just one magic.

    Even her abundant magic power waspletely depleted.

    Then, someone walked towards her on the cliff.

    No matter how perfect it was, an illusion was still an illusion.

    That ce had solid ground.

    As her magic power dwindled, the man supported her.

    Normally, she would have detested anyone¡¯s touch, but this time, she epted the gesture without hesitation.

    She was tired, and this magic could not have been aplished without his help.

    "Good job."

    At his words, Maya mustered a faint smile, which would seem faint to ordinary people.

 Chapter 45: Magician Maya (End)

    On this particr night, the stars in the sky were exceptionally clear in Luz.

    The whole city had a somewhat subdued atmosphere.

    This was because the Rose Windmill Cabaret, which had a significant share of the city¡¯s light and noise pollution, was closed for business.

    They had announced that it was due to internal repairs, but most of the city¡¯s residents had their doubts about that exnation.

    The arrogance of the owner, Bouvalle, was well-known.

    When an actor had an ident and died on the daytime stage not too long ago, it was he who continued the show on the night-time stage.

    In the past ten years, you could count the days the Rose Windmill was closed on one hand.

    Considering that the reasons back then were natural disasters and the appearance of monsters, today¡¯s closure was perplexing.

    Reporters tried to pry information from the staff by wandering around the Rose Windmill, but they gained nothing.

    The employees who were questioned passed by with stern expressions, tightly sealed lips.

    In the end, the reporters concluded that the Rose Windmill was indeed undergoing internal repairs, and they retreated.

    Besides, there were plenty of other things they needed to cover apart from this incident.

    Like the brawl between acrobats, interviews with Grand Prix participants, or the discovery of unidentified bodies washed down from the sewers.

    Contrary to people¡¯s spections, the internal repairs were not a lie.

    Several vital devices inside the cabaret, as well as secret passageways leading underground, had been blocked and repaired.

    While the workers were busy, a funeral was being held in Hall 1 of the cabaret.

    It was to soothe the souls of the victims sacrificed to the cabaret¡¯s ghost.

    The funeral proceeded as quietly as possible because they didn¡¯t want to create a gloomy atmosphere right before the festival.

    Sub-Lieutenant Sabo of the Luz Mounted Police also attended the funeral.

    He was overseeing the investigation at the request of Bouvalle, the owner.

    He hadpiled the testimony of Ivonne, who had been attacked by the ghost, discovered secret spaces underground in the cabaret, and recovered the bodies of the victims. Submitting the report would have closed the case.

    However, there were still many unresolved questions.

    The identity of the ghost who healed Ivonne¡¯s seemingly incurable wounds, or the whereabouts of the culprit who murdered the girls.

    The culprit was definitely not a supernatural being.

    There were clear signs that a living person had been hiding underground for several years.

    But where had he disappeared to?

    Sabo had his suspicions about the testimony of the person who imed to be the one who healed Ivonne.

    Could it be that he falsely used an entity that didn¡¯t even exist?

    But if that were the case, was there any need to heal Ivonne and reveal these facts?

    Sabo¡¯s deductions didn¡¯tst long.

    His subordinates from the police station came looking for him.

    It was nothing serious.

    The department head had been found hanging upside down in mid-air again.

    He didn¡¯t know who did it, but someone was determined to make him suffer.

    Leaving the Rose Windmill behind, Sabo looked up at the sky.

    The stars in the night sky looked brighter than usual.

    It was the first time he had seen the streets of this city so quiet.

    Sabo wished for the well-being of the girls who had finally found peace.

    "Huh?"

    He saw something faint rising into the sky from the rooftop of an inn.

    Sabo blinked and looked again.

    There was nothing there.

    It seemed like he had hallucinated something because he kept hearing the ghostly voices.

    Sabo mounted his horse and headed to the scene of the department head¡¯s incident.

    The rooftop of the inn he had just looked at.

    Maya was standing there.

    She returned to the inn and copsed onto her bed and has just woken up.

    She hade out to the rooftop to catch some fresh air, and she had unintentionally created an illusion.

    She remembered the rules of the city and quickly scattered them.

    Magic dispersed into the air like sand.

    It was a fleeting illusion, so vague that she couldn¡¯t even remember what she had intended to create.

    The Illusionist often created illusions unconsciously.

    The rumors of ghosts haunting the dormitory at night turned out to be the work of an Illusionist who dreamed nightmares, a well-known story even at the academy.

    But that was the tale of ordinary illusionists who merely painted images in their minds.

    Maya¡¯s illusions were different; they were meticulously calcted and executed with intent.

    What had she conceived?

    Maya gazed at the brush in her hands.

    It was stained with paint that she had unconsciously conjured.

    She momentarily tilted her head, then looked up at the sky.

    Golden stars sparkled against the ck night sky.

    They matched the colours of her paint.

    Perhaps she had unconsciously tried to recreate the sky.

    Maya sat down on the rooftop bench.

    She took out a letter from her pocket and held it up to thentern¡¯s light.

    It was an invitation from Arno, the ringmaster of the Silver Circus.

    He asked her to join the circus troupe by tomorrow morning.

    He praised the fantastic illusion she had created today.

    He alsomended her talent as the creator of this kind of illusion magic.

    She had finally received the offer she had longed for.

    Her self-esteem had been restored, thanks to the recognition of her talents as an illusionist.

    However, she couldn¡¯t be happy about it.

    She hadn¡¯t created it, had she?

    No, what she had made was not her own creation.

    Creating the form and adding the surface was all Frank Wonderstein¡¯s idea.

    She needed to be honest about it.

    But he didn¡¯t want that.

    During her training under him, Maya had asked him, "What can I do in return for this? Do I join the circus troupe as payment?"

    Maya thought there must be a reason for him to teach her something so extraordinary.

    It wasmon sense that such advanced magical abilities couldn¡¯t be used by just anyone.

    He probably sought someone with the talent to use it and had found her.

    And he believed that her skills as a magician were valuable for this illusion magic.

    However, he listened to her words, smiled, and shook his head.

    "Maya, just follow the path you want to take. Don¡¯t you want to join the Silver Veil Circus?"

    "But¡­ I can¡¯t just ept this without giving something in return. If you ask for money or anything else¡­"

    "I don¡¯t ask for anypensation. Just follow the path you desire, Maya. That¡¯s my only request."

    He didn¡¯t ask for anypensation. He didn¡¯t even want her talent.

    He told her to do what she wanted.

    A strange person.

    He was truly strange in Maya¡¯s eyes.

    She had never needed to work hard to receive an invitation like this from the beginning.

    She took another envelope from her pocket.

    Inside was a letter from her father to Veil Arno, asking him to take care of his daughter.

    Using this letter from the start wouldn¡¯t have caused any problems.

    But she wanted to test the limits of her abilities.

    She wanted to confidently challenge herself and earn her ce with her skills.

    If she couldn¡¯t make it, she nned to use this letter as ast resort.

    But she had achieved her goal without using it.

    It wasn¡¯t solely her own power.

    It wouldn¡¯t have been possible without that man¡¯s help.

    Frank Wonderstein.

    He was different from others.

    He understood how she saw the world.

    He helped her find the best path ording to her perspective.

    He led and cheered from the side.

    He acknowledged the results she had achieved.

    She was happier when she heard words of encouragement from him than when she received recognition from Veil Arno.

    Maya ced the two sheets of paper she held in her hand into thentern.

    The paper caught fire, and Maya watched as the two letters she had thrown on the ground slowly turned into ashes.

    The reason Maya had originally wanted to join Silver Veil Circus was not only to go where her parents had been but also because she believed there was no better ce to learn illusion magic.

    But it wasn¡¯t true.

    Maya looked up at the sky.

    A ck sky with golden stars.

    Unless she was mistaken, she had finally found what she had been looking for.

    Someone she could call "master."

    AN: The master here means like teacher.

    ***

    Waiting for me, who had helped Maya pass in Veil Arno¡¯s test yesterday, was E¡¯s nagging.

    "I¡¯m really grateful! Thank you so much! Was it fun? The tour of Luz? The selection is over tomorrow. Over!

    But the acrobat we were supposed to recruit, you didn¡¯t bring a single candidate! What were you doing? Some are leading the troupe members, preparing the program, making props, and even investigating otherpeting circuses. They¡¯re all so busy!"

    Normally, she wouldn¡¯t have scolded me like this.

    But with swollen eyes on both sides, dark circles under her eyes, and rough skin, it seemed like she had forgotten about minor fears due to the intense hard work.

    I wanted to make an apologetic expression, but I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    "Just a few more days, please bear with it."

    I thought I saw mes flicker in E¡¯s eyes for a moment.

    As I sipped the tea Yurakne had prepared for me in my room, I thought about the reward that woulde soon.

    A memory disk containing Wonderstein¡¯s past memories.

    I nned to hire a skilled illusionist as soon as I received it to try and rey it.

    What secrets could it hold?

    Could it contain the key to unlocking the Tril Trilo Zero?

    I had invested a whopping two weeks in this quest.

    It was a quest rted to the future of the heroes.

    It couldn¡¯t be just a trivial reward.

    I waited eagerly for the day toe.

    Now, the selection deadline was imminent.

    At that moment, E entered my room.

    Her expression was much more rxed than yesterday.

    She cast me a surprised look.

    "You¡¯ve also¡­ put in effort."

    "Me?"

    What did she mean?

    I could tell she was desperately holding back herughter.

    "I still prefer the traditional way, but if you can use illusion magic well, it¡¯s not bad. After trying it for two weeks¡­ I realized that preparing everything, like the background, props, and special effects, is too much for me. My body can¡¯t handle it. It¡¯s not easy working with azy ringmaster like you. Anyway, thanks for bringing in some help."

    "Me?"

    What did she mean by help?

    E opened the door.

    Behind her, a wizard with white hair followed.

    She looked at me with an expressionless face and nodded slightly.

    "Hello, Ringmaster."

    "Why is Maya here?"

    At my words, she gave a faint smile that only I could recognize and said,

    "You told me to walk the path I want. So, I came. To the ce I want to be."

    [¡¯Maya Rendelin¡¯ has been added to the member list.]

    [¡¯Sub-Quest: Magician¡¯ has failed.]

    Suddenly, a wave of fatigue washed over me, and I felt my strength drain from my entire body.

 Chapter 46: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (1)

    Sangye. A mining city nestled in the Apochian Mountains.

    Thanks to the globally surging demand for coal every year, this ce was progressing day by day.

    From factories and power nts to transportation means like ships, airships, and trains.

    In this era, coal was essential in any industry.

    Even in rural areas without a single carriage, coal was needed as a heating fuel.

    However, the increased demand was not matched by the coal mining quantity.

    Mines were being developed all over the continents, but there was a shortage of people willing to work.

    Coal mining was truly dangerous, dirty, and strenuous work.

    As a result, the value of coal and the miners¡¯bor skyrocketed every day.

    Rumors even circted in the Alchemy Academy.

    Stories of a student confidently answering the final exam question, "What is needed to turn a rock into gold?" with "Mining carts and pickaxes," and tales of sending students to gather alchemical materials in the mountains, only to find them picking up coal around the mining area.

    The former student received an A+ grade, and thetter students could buy all the materials with the money earned from selling coal, as the folklore goes.

    Of course, these stories from the Alchemy Academy were nothing more than exaggerated anecdotes.

    Among the substances alchemists dealt with, many had the value of several tons of coal per bottle.

    Such tales only emphasized the significance coal held in this era.

    The coal exchange set up between the city and the mines exclusively handled coal transactions.

    Arge three-story wooden building.

    The exchange regrly updated the current selling price on the first-floor lobby¡¯s bulletin board based on the hourly mined quantity and information from other regions.

    Merchants waiting in the lobby would rush to the counter, hesitate, or step back after checking the price.

    Merchants moving back and forth would see contracts piling up in their hands as banknotes left their pockets, and when they reached their target quantity, they would run to the central market or the airport with a bundle of contracts.

    Customers seeking long-term coal supply contracts were guided to the second floor.

    There, mainly representatives ofrge businesses frequented.

    The third floor was visited by merchants dealing with things other than coal.

    You might wonder what else could be traded at a coal exchange, but this was as important as the significance of coal.

    It was about the rights to mine, own, and manage the coal mines.

    Ownership transactions were no big deal; changing a few names on the documents would do.

    Mining rights transactions were a bit troublesome. It required calling the managers of each mine for negotiations.

    Management rights transactions were the most crucial. They could directly influence the mining quantity and distribution price.

    The 10-year-old girl sitting on the side of the current head of the coal exchange came to trade all three rights.

    Two weeks ago, when she visited the exchange, the head suspected that today was not just an ordinary day, but rather the day of the Festival of Fools, where jesters were forgiven for any pranks or lies.

    April 1st was the day when jesters celebrated their antics.

    As a green-haired girl with a machine and a few crew members prepared to transport several kilograms of what seemed like a calf, anyone would think she was a representative of the business world.

    If the head¡¯s secretary hadn¡¯t given him a hint of "Iron Mask" as he went to meet the guest in the reception room from his office, he might have made a mistake in their first meeting.

    Iron Mask.

    Sure. He had heard of it.

    In recent years, Vergsong Merchant Union, showing tremendous growth, has been the talk of the town. Rumors spread about a brilliant strategist joining thepany.

    Not long ago, it was revealed that the identity of this strategist was none other than the illegitimate daughter of the chairman, Geralt Vergson.

    Anais Vergsong.

    He heard she was a fragile girl, suffering from a gradually debilitating illness since the age of 5, making survival without special machinery difficult.

    Rumors of her intelligence had circted before, but people dismissed them, thinking it was just a proud father boasting about his daughter, as parents often do, hoping for exceptional talents even in simple doodles.

    No one took the talk of her brilliance seriously.

    However, as the rumors turned into actual achievements, people started showing interest in her. Even those who thought she might have some talent assumed it wouldn¡¯t be more than giving a few pieces of advice here and there, certainly not handling important matters as a representative of thepany.

    The director, too, didn¡¯t expect much when he saw the girl sitting across from him. He thought, "Ah, Chairman Geralt must want to give his ailing daughter a taste of the business world, letting her handle something so significant."

    He didn¡¯t imagine that she would be talking about ownership, mining rights, and management rights.

    The shock intensified when he realized she didn¡¯t just want to trade them.

    She wanted to purchase the rights to all the mines in the city.

    Of course, someone like Vergsong could easily buy the rights to all the mines in the city.

    However, whether she could generate profits from it was a different issue. Theplicated web of ownership, mining rights, and management rights, entangled in dozens of mines, wasn¡¯t something that even experienced traders in the field could easily navigate.

    Buying ownership rights might mean paying expensive tolls to pass through other mines and purchasing mining rights might lead to finding all viable ces already exhausted. Buying management rights might reveal unpaid wages of miners and various other hidden costs.

    And all these rights were intricately intertwined in each mine. Some shared profits equally among owners, some had different ratios depending on the depth, and some had obligations like maintaining the railway for other mines, or the right to directly take the mined coal.

    The Coal Exchange yed the role of mediating theseplex threads, collecting and processing all the coal they mined, calcting and settling the costs internally, taking amission in return.

    But the girl was talking about the rights to every mine in the city.

    Could it be¡­?

    Was she nning to unravel this tangled mess?

    The director shook his head.

    That was impossible.

    Of course, with a few months and dozens of employees, it might be possible. It was theoretically possible.

    However, that was worth considering in the Apochian Mountain

    Investing resources and manpower elsewhere was profitable from the perspective of thepany.

    But the girl was confident.

    The director allowed her to ess the Coal Exchange¡¯s data room with the intention of trying it out.

    Hands-on experience.

    Probably.

    However, expectations went awry.

    Within two weeks of her arrival, the girl took down the signboard of the Coal Exchange.

    She sat in her hotel room, rummaging through the documents taken from the Coal Exchange, and unbelievably resolved all the economic and legal issues entangled between rights.

    She untangled a neat thread from the tangled mess.

    It was difficult to grasp how dozens of rights were traded and at what prices.

    One thing was certain: now all the rights of the mines in this city were in her hands.

    As rumored.

    No, it was even more than that.

    The director looked at the girl sitting across from him.

    The sound of the wind rustling and a calm gaze.

    Above all, her expression was unreadable due to the metal mask covering her nose and mouth.

    This was the girl known as the "Reaper of Sangye."

    He admired her skills.

    At the same time, he despaired of his own situation.

    What she handed over was a notice of dismissal for them.

    The first floor of the usually bustling Coal Exchange was locked in a gloomy atmosphere.

    The second floor was no different.

    They, who had created value from the tangled threads, were no longer needed.

    Now that all rights were centralized, it was likely that employees from Vergsong Corporation would be dispatched from tomorrow onwards. And they would directly operate all the mines.

    "Director, please sign."

    A resonance through the mask.

    It had a strangely unsettling power.

    Iron Mask, Anais.

    The director bit his lip and picked up the pen.

    Where should we go now?

    Is there a ce to amodate the massyoffs of Coal Exchange employees?

    At times like this, he envied the miners.

    As he was about to sign, the office door suddenly mmed open.

    Both the director and Anais turned their heads.

    There, a middle-aged man with a red-bearded chin stood.

    Anais looked at him with wide eyes.

    "Uncle Pierre?"

    "How did you get here, Uncle?"

    "To see if you¡¯re doing well."

    He shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

    The director stared at him in astonishment.

    He knew who he was.

    Pierre Mopasan.

    Vice Chairman of Vergsong Grand Assembly.

    A man well-known in Sangye for his skills.

    And also one of the decision-makers who had made them unemployed at this ce.

    Why did he suddenlye here?

    Pierre leisurely walked around the director¡¯s office.

    He even showed the luxury of crossing his legs in front of the other person.

    "Oh, I don¡¯t like this painting. I want to take it down."

    He nodded towards the painting hanging on the wall behind the director.

    Then he looked at the ck jade decoration on the director¡¯s desk and clicked his tongue.

    "Hey, why put coal on the desk?"

    He went around the room, nitpicking at the cracks in the wooden desk, the wrinkles in the curtains, the dust on the carpet, and so on.

    The director¡¯splexion watching this scene stiffened.

    This space had been his office for five years.

    Even though he was leaving, even though the other person was the Vice Chairman of the Corporation, such rudeness was difficult to overlook.

    "Haha, if you live in a room like this, you should receive money instead of paying."

    "Excuse me! What¡¯s this nonsense¡­?"

    "Director."

    Pierre looked at the director and said.

    "How much do you want, Director?"

    The director, about to shout in anger, was momentarily silenced.

    It took some time for him to understand the question Pierre had thrown at him.

 Chapter 47: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (2)

    On the third floor of the coal exchange building.

    Uncle, with his fist clenched, looked unsure in front of his exhausted niece.

    "I¡¯m really sorry about this. I told you I¡¯d leave everything to you, but I showed up like this all of a sudden. But you see, things took an unexpected turn¡­"

    "Don¡¯t lie! It was all nned from the beginning."

    At that moment, a loud cheer erupted from the lower floor.

    The entire coal exchange was buzzing with activity.

    Some seemed to be crying tears of joy.

    The sound of footsteps shook the entire building.

    Everyone seemed overwhelmed with joy, not knowing how to react.

    Of course, they would be.

    They had thought they would all be unemployed overnight, but they had survived. And they would continue doing the same work.

    Pierre spun his hat in his hand and said, "No, think about it. Did we really have the resources to send dozens of our employees here from the beginning? The cost? The conditions for their training? And the chaos that would have urred while they settled in? It¡¯s best to just keep them employed."

    "Then you should have exined it that way from the beginning. What¡¯s the point of all this? Just me. Do you know how hostile those people have been looking at me for the past few days?"

    Pierre smiled as he looked at theining Anais.

    "Thanks to that, we¡¯ve reduced the expectedbor costs by nearly 70%. If we had approached it in a more cooperative manner from the beginning, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to cut it by even 30%. Because you were so determined to cut them all, my appearance came to be seen as a Saviour to them."

    Anais had manyints, but it was hard for her to deny his words.

    In the world ofmerce, if there was any hint of dissatisfaction on your side, there would be nothing more to negotiate.

    "This is what they call ¡¯push and pull¡¯ happening on the spot. It¡¯s a fundamental negotiation skill. As a merchant, you should always have the attitude to negotiate under any circumstances. Even if you¡¯re wandering through the desert and someone suddenly appears and demands gold coins for the water you desperately want, you should just clench your fist and calmly ask, ¡¯Why should I buy that?¡¯"

    Anais thought carefully about his words, calming her anger.

    Push and pull.

    Simr concepts included the carrot and the stick.

    She had heard of these concepts before.

    But she didn¡¯t know they could be used like this.

    If she had been just reading documents at home, she would never have experienced this.

    "Anyway, this time, you did well. Theseplicated mining rights would have required dozens ofpany employees to stick together for months, but you handled it all by yourself."

    "I wasn¡¯t alone. There were a few other employees, and besides, there¡¯s Mars¡­"

    Anais quickly closed her mouth.

    Mars was a trouble-shooter who helped Vergsong Company in the field.

    He was an expert in information gathering and rumor tracking.

    This time, she was able to resolve theplicated mining rights issue not only because of her brilliant mind but also thanks to his substantial support.

    It would be nice to gather and pop open a bottle of champagne together, but he didn¡¯t like revealing himself.

    Especially, he didn¡¯t like his name being mentioned.

    He imed that he could hear the voice calling his name no matter where he was in the world.

    If the public were to learn about his existence and his name, he might find it impossible to sleep due to the echoes of people¡¯s voices in his head.

    So he lived in hiding.

    Only three people within thepany knew his name.

    Geralt, Pierre, and Anais.

    Others usually referred to him as "the hound brought information" or "the hound went tracking."

    "¡­In any case, the help from the others was significant."

    "Hehe, no need to be so modest. They were all intimidated by the charisma of the Iron Mask."

    The Iron Mask.

    Anais frowned.

    "Don¡¯t call me that way! What¡¯s ¡¯Iron Mask¡¯? A iron mask! Isn¡¯t it too intimidating as a nickname for a girl like me?"

    "Haha, wasn¡¯t it thanks to that mask that no one tried to push you away? If you had threatened with a child¡¯s face, would it have worked out as smoothly? The Iron mask set the mood right, and thanks to it, my ¡¯pulling¡¯ worked perfectly."

    That¡¯s how they discussed the aftermath of their recent mission.

    Not long after, the director of the coal exchange came up.

    He had only been down for less than 30 minutes, but he was already tipsy and emotional.

    "Haha, this cake was originally for a farewell party! Now it¡¯s for celebration! Cheers!"

    He ced tes with cakes in front of Pierre and Anais and went back to enjoy the party.

    Anais watched his back as he went downstairs.

    Perhaps because he was drunk.

    He had forgotten that Anais couldn¡¯t eat.

    Instead, she received nutrition through a tube attached to her back.

    It had been this way sincest year.

    When she was five years old, the machine was only used for about two hours a day to assist her breathing.

    But as the years went by, her lungs weakened, and the time she spent wearing the mask increased.

    Sincest year, it had be impossible to take it off even for a moment.

    Of course, she could technically eat if she wanted to.

    Taking off the respirator wouldn¡¯t immediately stop her lungs from functioning.

    But given the inconvenience of the process and the memory of how her stomach reacted with seizures when she tried to eat once, it was easier to just give up.

    Now she was forgetting what sweetness, saltiness, and bitterness even were.

    The only thing that touched her tongue was the cold airing through the metal filter.

    "No¡­"

    Would she have to live like this, bound to a metal device until she died?

    Without ever sharing warmth with another person?

    Was that her fate?

    "Anais."

    What was going on in her uncle¡¯s head?

    What was the ¡¯Iron Mask¡¯ he mentioned?

    All she wanted was¡­

    All she wanted was just¡­

    "Anais!"

    Her uncle¡¯s shout.

    She looked up.

    Her uncle was looking at her with a sad expression.

    His gaze momentarily went down.

    Anais looked at her own hand.

    The fork she was holding was not piercing the cake; she was crushing it.

    Without realizing it, her emotions had gotten the best of her as she struggled with food she couldn¡¯t even eat.

    She ced the cake back on the table.

    The te made a shaky noise.

    Her excitement had subsided, but her trembling didn¡¯t stop.

    Then, Pierre handed her a handkerchief.

    "Wipe your tears."

    "Ah."

    Anais touched the upper part of her mask.

    It was filled with tears.

    It had flowed from her eyes.

    "My pretty face is going to be ruined."

    "Well, you are not that pretty, to be honest."

    "Again, again."

    Anais wiped her tears with the handkerchief until she felt a slight pain.

    Pierre watched her with a teasing grin.

    "Tsk tsk, I envy you. I really do. Being a cry-baby. What will your future husband say?"

    "¡­Do you think I¡¯ll get married?"

    "Are you advocating for singlehood?"

    In response to Pierre¡¯s mischievous question, Anais spoke with a somewhat sulky voice.

    "Who would want to marry me¡­"

    Anais looked at her own body.

    There were tubes for injecting specially bnced air into her mask,

    Tubes for regting the pressure to make her chest expand and contract on her back,

    and tubes for injecting nutrients into her side.

    And from the metal mask covering her nose and mouth, there was the sound of air hissing through the filters.

    In the back of the room, the machinery kept making a continuous noise as it ran.

    "Tsk tsk, look at that look in your eyes. So, is that how you n to catch the man of your dreams?"

    "¡­I¡¯ll just catch him."

    "Love isn¡¯t that easy, you know. Love is like a strategy game. Like I said earlier, it¡¯s about giving and taking. That¡¯s important even in rtionships between men and women."

    "Can¡¯t you just like someone because you like them?"

    Pierre chuckled as if he had heard the most innocent statement ever.

    "Negotiating in rtionships is somewhat simr. You need skills to push and pull, to hold and shake the other person¡¯s hand."

    He mimicked crushing something invisible with his clenched fist.

    Anais raised her eyebrows at his words.

    "But Uncle Pierre, you can¡¯t even do that with Aunt Renaud, right?"

    His grip on his fist loosened as he let out an awkwardugh.

    "Well, you see¡­ Some things you really want, you just can¡¯t help it, even if it means losing everything else."

    "Really want something¡­ even if it means losing everything else?"

    Anais looked dreamy, as if lost in thought.

    Pierre thought that was enough constion for now.

    So, he added a more practical piece of advice.

    "No, remember this. If you wander through the desert and someone appears before you with something you really, really want, it might be poisoned."

    ***

    Anais was startled awake by a loud crashing noise.

    She blinked her eyes open and looked around.

    It was her office, set up in a room at the Metropol Hotel.

    The time waste morning, with the sunlight streaming in from the south-facing window.

    She had fallen asleep on her desk while reviewing the documents she had been working on.

    That¡¯s probably why she had that dream.

    A few papersy scattered on the desk ¨C something about coal mine management, coal reserves estimates, and low-carbon (???). It was rted to a mining district under Vergsong Merchant Guild¡¯s control.

    She had been reviewing those documents before she dozed off.

    Was that why she had that dream?

    Her mind wandered back to a few weeks of outings when she was ten.

    For Anais, who rarely ventured outside the mansion, those were some of her precious memories.

    It seemed ridiculous that the person who had tried to kill her during those outings often appeared in her dreams.

    "What was that noise just now? Did Porsche cause it?"

    "They seemed to be practicing something in the circus troupe."

    He gestured toward the window.

    Anais approached and looked down at the garden.

    Whatever they were doing, the once meticulously maintained garden was now a mess, covered in dirt.

    It seemed like something like fireworks or explosives, had gone off.

    Anais quickly scanned the people in the area.

    The person she was looking for stood out immediately.

    A handsome young man with blonde hair and a ck suit was near the site of the explosion.

    Though his suit and cloak were dirty, he appeared unharmed.

    Anais breathed a sigh of relief but then froze.

    It was because of the purple-haired woman peeking through his cloak.

    The spider woman, Yurakne.

    One of the members of the circus troupe.

    Perhaps at the moment of the explosion, he had shielded her with his cloak.

    ng.

    Anais¡¯s fingers lightly scratched the window as she clenched her fist.

 Chapter 48: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (3)

    The Metropol Hotel where we were staying was indeed deserving of the praise as the finest hotel in Luz. Its grand exterior, made of white marble, was a sight to behold, and the interior facilities and furnishings were all top-notch. The food and service provided left nothing to be desired.

    Its location, slightly away from the city centre, also made it a perfect ce for rxation. There were always carriages waiting for the guests, making it convenient for sightseeing.

    It had been a month since we started staying here.

    The reddish-brown rooftops beyond the terrace, the redntern lights illuminating the streets at night, and the distant sound of boat oars had all be familiar sights and sounds.

    Now, this ce felt like home.

    No, it was more than that.

    I experienced a feeling here that I had never felt even in my real home.

    After finishing my shower and putting on a bathrobe, I stepped out onto the terrace, where the morning breeze felt refreshing.

    Roaming the streets, feeling the atmosphere of the uing festival, was enjoyable.

    Returning to the hotel and leaping onto the bed at the end of the day was a fantastic feeling.

    When Iy on the bed, there were magazines stacked within arm¡¯s reach for me to read.

    I would pick up any magazine and read it, and when I got hungry, I would use Mant¡¯s de to slice fruits from the fruit basket and eat them.

    The fruit basket was always stocked with a variety of fresh fruits, readily avable upon request from the hotel.

    Inside the wardrobe, I ced the air freshener that Anais had gifted me recently. It had a lc scent. After a few days, my clothes started carrying a simr fragrance.

    Anais must have noticed it because she suddenly brought her face close to my clothes and sniffed them.

    Soon, her face turned bright red as if realizing what she had done.

    "Uh, you know, because the ringmaster suddenly came forward¡­"

    "Me?"

    "Well, then¡­ Did I do that?"

    Anais quickly changed the topic.

    I was used to her way of speaking by now, so I just brushed it off.

    I couldn¡¯t help it because of the Smiling Man.

    I hung the first trophy I obtained in the room on the hat stand by my bedside.

    It was the Phantom¡¯s Mask.

    When E came to consult about the program and saw it, she expressed disgust, asking where I got it. I casually mentioned that I found something simr at the market.

    "Why did you even buy that?"

    "Well, hunters also hang the heads of the animals they catch."

    "¡­You have a morbid taste."

    She recoiled, as if the mere thought of it was horrifying, with her love for animals showing clearly.

    On the table, I ced the teapot that Yurakne used daily, filled with the tea I always drank. She woulde by once at lunchtime and once in the evening, and we would enjoy tea together.

    Our main conversation topics ovepped with the content of the magazines she read and the ones I read. Yesterday, we talked about stars.

    "The two twin siblings only meet for a day each year, separated by the Milky Way."

    "It¡¯s like the story of Altair and Vega."

    "What¡¯s that?"

    "It¡¯s a simr story from my hometown."

    "Really? I¡¯ve never heard ringmaster talk about his hometown. Where is it?"

    "¡­It¡¯s a very distant ce."

    "Don¡¯t tell me¡­"

    Her expression became very serious.

    I also felt uneasy for no reason.

    Did she know something?

    "The Infinite Abyss¡­?"

    I was taken aback.

    Even she, who could be considered one of the closest among the members, seemed to doubt that Director Wonderstein being born a human. I thought the same, but¡­

    On the dressing table, I ced a towel chicken that I made using a method I learned from YouTube a long time ago.

    E saw it and got interested, so I taught her how to make it.

    Before long, it spread to everyone, and soon you could see members gathering in the hotel lounge, diligently folding towel chickens.

    It was my first time experiencing this since I was born.

    The experience of walking through my living space with my own feet, tending to it with my own hands, and personally weing guests.

    Looking back at the space I had created like this, I felt inexplicably proud.

    During my time at the orphanage, having my own space was a luxury.

    It was the same when I lived alone.

    I had to ask others for help even to change the position of a tissue holder.

    It wasn¡¯t easy to sit still and ask for favours like "please do this" or "please do that."

    I found myself making requests dozens of times a day.

    Could you change my posture a bit?

    Could you turn on the light?

    Could you pour me some water?

    Could you wipe my chin?

    From that perspective, it wasn¡¯t easy to request minor things that weren¡¯t really necessary.

    Whether it was a power cord sticking out behind the desk or an asymmetrical coat hanging with one side sagging.

    Now I realize that making such minor changes in life can bring great satisfaction.

    Circus performers seemed to have simr feelings about this lifestyle.

    However, what really impressed them was not the spacious bathtub, gourmet food prepared by a top chef, or the 24-hour massage service.

    It was the kindness of the staff.

    From the first day they saw the circus members, the people here treated them as ordinary guests without any hesitation.

    Even when they saw Womon, the top circus member who looked scary, they greeted him with a weing smile without any change in their expressions. (E felt a little hurt by this.)

    Were they truly like hotel staff?

    The neighborhoods we had passed through so far were not like that.

    It was difficult to even enter the town, let alone the amodation.

    Even when they were allowed to enter, the circus members had to stay inside the carriage or behind bars.

    The security officer¡¯s instruction not to reveal their appearance was meaningless, and the townspeople gathered to watch us.

    It wasmon for them to lift the cloth covering the bars or stick to the carriage window to peek inside.

    Even when we deliberately performed as monsters, they still looked at us with a gaze as if we were trapped beasts.

    I could understand their feelings.

    Even in the other world, when I asionally went out, I received simr looks.

    Oh, how can you live like that?

    You were in the news, that incident. They said he received billions.

    Why bother being so rich if you look like that? Health is the most important.

    He received money aspensation for giving up his health?

    People who talk like that annoyed me.

    The circus members must have felt the same way.

    Even though they were used to such treatment, I wondered if they could still smile when they saw the chaos in the garden.

    Thend within a few meters radius of the explosion had been overturned.

    The burnt ground emitted a smoky smell.

    Earth, grass, and flowers were all mixed up in a disorderly manner.

    The circus members were scattered around the area that had be a mess.

    They had all fallen back due to the shock of the explosion.

    The muddy dust that had risen up settled down.

    I looked around to check the condition of the circus members.

    Fortunately, there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone seriously injured.

    Unless Sven, whose skull had rolled away, was not treated as a serious injury.

    E, who was closest to me, had been pulled back by Yurakne using the "magic noose," and then Yurakne had pulled herself into my arms to protect herself.

    My tissue resilience was 3.0, equivalent to "chainmail," so I could endure the pain from the rocks and debris hitting me, but it still hurt.

    Could it be that I had to continue like this in the future?

    Smile while getting hit?

    No injury. Keep smiling.

    I would look intimidating to the person hitting me, right?

    I looked at the rope in Yurakne¡¯s hand.

    She was the one in our circus who was currently undergoing intensive training in tightrope acrobatics.

    So, I had given her the "magic noose" that I had taken from the ghost.

    It wasn¡¯t something that would go in my pocket, and it seemed better for her to use it than me.

    The "magic noose" could freely manipte the rope once something was tied to it, just like dragging and dropping with a mouse.

    It was also possible to move the rope from the side that was holding it.

    Of course, it required a lot of practice.

    The object tied to the noose had to have a solid support, and it required an understanding of XYZ-axis inversion, as it was a structure where the person holding the rope moved in response to the movement of the tied object.

    Although Yurakne still found it difficult to move the rope, she had be quite proficient in pulling out objects tied to the noose.

    Just now, when mes were about to erupt, Yurakne threw the noose and caught E¡¯s ankle, pulling her out of the explosion. If Yurakne hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, I would have had to give E the ghost¡¯s mask hanging in the bedroom.

    "Eek."

    E stood up from the bushes.

    I removed the dusk from my coat, there seemed to be no injuries.

    *Unit Quest ¨C Handle with Care!

    : E wants to conduct an experiment with gunpowder. / The members think the vice-ringmaster¡¯s experiment looks dangerous.

    Conditions for sess:

    : Complete E¡¯s experiment. / None of the members get burned.

    Reward for sess:

    : [Debulroots x5£Ý/[Debulroots x10£Ý

    Penalty for failure:

    : None.

    [Completed ¡¯Unit Quest ¨C Handle with Care!¡¯]

    The first quest created from a ¡¯conflict¡¯ of opinions among the members.

    Fortunately, both conditions were met and it waspleted.

    What on earth happened?

    Illusion magician, Maya Rendelin.

    When she came to the circus troupe, E struggled to contain her excitement.

    She was also aware of themotion that had urred in the square, the field of wildflowers.

    Having a magician with that level of skill join the circus troupe was a great gain.

    And E, who had been running around making props, costumes, backgrounds, and the like for the past two weeks, was even more delighted by her arrival.

    However, the delight didn¡¯tst long.

    Maya and E.

    Theirpatibility was terrible.

    In terms of emotional expression, in human rtionships, in their attitude towards work, they were pr opposites in every way.

    E was open about her joys and anger, while Maya hardly ever changed her expression no matter how harsh the words were.

    E made an effort to get along with everyone, but Maya behaved as if there were no other people around her.

    When E emphasized passion and spontaneity during practice, Maya prioritized logic and design.

    It had only been three days since they met, but they shed in every way.

    Most of the members didn¡¯t bother to interfere when the two of them fought.

    After all, both of them were just teenagers.

    It was a fight between peers.

    The incident that happened today also began with their argument.

 Chapter 49: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (4)

    As the opening ceremony approached, E gradually reduced the training time for her team members. She knew that increasing the training intensity without a n wasn¡¯t effective. It was important to give their bodies some rest.

    The team members allplied with her decision. They had trained relentlessly for the past month without a single day off. They were probably the only guests at the Metropol Hotel who disliked the 24-hour massage service.

    After rolling in dirt and rehearsing all day, they would copse into their beds, thinking they might not wake up the next day. E had massage therapists sent to each team member¡¯s room.

    It was like heaven ¨C a massage to prepare for the uing day of hell. They repeated this routine for a solid month.

    The rare moments of rest were incredibly sweet. However, E couldn¡¯t just lie around and rx; it didn¡¯t suit her temperament. She convened her team members once a day to share information about the performance program and discuss their opinions.

    "What if we add this? What if we change that? Should we remove this?"

    Initially, these meetings were led by E, but as time passed, the team members actively participated, infusing the discussions with vitality.

    If there were diforts in their costumes, they would make adjustments. If props frequently broke, they would rece them. If some stage elements seemed impractical, they boldly removed them.

    And so, they had been gathering in the meeting room for five consecutive days.

    Today¡¯s topic of discussion was visual effects, something they had mostly skipped in the script until now. They didn¡¯t have a dedicated illusionist, so E had used her craftsmanship to create simr effects when necessary. But now, they had a real illusionist among them, and that fact was particrly well-received by Womon and Bendict.

    "So, does this mean we don¡¯t have to dive into real fire anymore?" Womon asked.

    "I guess I won¡¯t have to change bandages as often now," Bendict added.

    Womon had been practicing leaping out of a pit of fire to create the atmosphere of a demon rising from hell, while Bendict had been using his dance to emphasize the image and spread poison. Although Womon had skin as tough as a rhinoceros, passing through the zing mes without protective gear still required mental fortitude.

    On the other hand, Bendict didn¡¯t have any attachment to his decaying, tainted skin, but dealing with damp bandages after hours of dancing in them was quite bothersome.

    Their eyes turned toward a corner of the meeting room where a new member had joined just the day before. She had white hair and pale skin, and her ck dress, yellow t-shirt, and brown beret gave her an appearance reminiscent of a doll ¨C a beautiful doll at that.

    Her name was Maya, the magician. Despite her name being mentioned several times, she hadn¡¯t lifted her head from the book she was reading. Even when E provided a briefing, she didn¡¯t pay attention, and as the discussion shifted to fantasy magic, she still didn¡¯t look up from her book, seemingly absorbed in its contents.

    Now, with everyone¡¯s attention focused on her, E awkwardly smiled and asked, "Maya, what are your thoughts?"

    The team members exchanged ufortable nces. They could tell that the deputy ringmaster was trying to control her anger. E detested actions that hindered teamwork the most.

    Maya briefly nced at E, her expression as impassive as ever, and shook her head. "I can¡¯t do it."

    "Eh¡­what?"

    "I said, I can¡¯t do that."

    With those words, she returned to her book, filled with iprehensible drawings and numbers, and E furrowed her brow in frustration.

    An attitude of self-absorption in a group setting.

    Ack of consideration for others¡¯ feelings, disying a callous demeanor.

    Cold and aloof tone of speech.

    A dismissive expression as if she doesn¡¯t care about anything.

    Normally, she would have exploded in frustration.

    But today, she held back more.

    The topic of the day was illusion magic.

    Her cooperation was essential.

    Sigh, don¡¯t get angry. Don¡¯t get angry.

    E managed to muster a smile.

    "So, um¡­ when you say ¡¯can¡¯t do it,¡¯ you mean you don¡¯t want to do it?"

    She was an exceptional illusion magician.

    Asking her to create such low-level illusion as mes and mist might be an affront to her pride.

    But it was her role to somehow appease the members and get the job done.

    "Well, actually, it¡¯s more the ringmaster¡¯s role."

    Emented silently.

    But Maya looked at her with a contemptuous gaze, as if mocking E¡¯s efforts.

    "¡¯Can¡¯t do it,¡¯ I say."

    A tone that made it seem like how she couldn¡¯t understand something so simple.

    It was a monotonous voice, but E could feel the disdain behind it.

    Her patience had finally reached its limit.

    She burst out, "Stop talking nonsense! You can¡¯t even make simple mes or mist? Are you really a illusion magician?"

    "Yes, I am. But I can¡¯t make what you¡¯re asking for."

    "You can make everything else!"

    "My illusions are different from the others."

    "What¡¯s different about them?"

    Maya let out a small sigh and closed the book she had been reading.

    She still looked at E with the same expressionless face.

    "The basic principles are different. It would take some preparation time to do what you¡¯re asking for."

    "How long?"

    "It would take a few weeks."

    E¡¯s mouth dropped open.

    "Few weeks to prepare a simple illusion? Why do you even need that much time?"

    "Things like fire or mist are not easy but standardized items can be made quickly."

    E shook her head in disbelief.

    What she knew about fantasy magic waspletely opposite.

    Fire, explosions, light, mist, and the like were considered basic elements of illusion magic.

    But this girl imed that it took weeks for those, while other things could be made quickly?

    E blurted out without thinking, "Is there even such magic?"

    "Such magic?"

    Maya¡¯s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.

    "Don¡¯t speak so casually."

    "Oh, right, right. I get it now. You learned from that person, right? It all makes sense now. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know real magic if you learned it from someone like that."

    A smug smile yed at the corners of E¡¯s mouth.

    It was clearly a taunt.

    Maya¡¯s hand holding the book trembled noticeably.

    "What did you say?"

    Her magic spread around her.

    Even though they were indoors, the room suddenly felt colder.

    The temperature in the room dropped instantly.

    The members shivered and moved back a step from Maya.

    In contrast, E let out a mockingugh.

    She had the confidence not to be shaken even before thousands of spectators.

    Her presence, her aura, and her intimidation couldn¡¯t deter her.

    "You¡­ Don¡¯t speak so lightly of him when you don¡¯t even know him."

    A cold light emanated from Maya¡¯s red pupils.

    E hadn¡¯t really paid much attention to Maya for a while.

    Maya, on the other hand, had umted a lot of resentment towards E.

    Throughout the meeting, Maya had acted so nonchntly that it could be considered rude, and this was partly due to her resentment towards E.

    What surprised Maya the most when she joined the circus was not the fact that the members were "cursed ones." She had heard of them before, and it wasn¡¯t particrly fascinating. They were just people who looked a bit different.

    What made Maya cold towards them was not their appearance, but their attitude towards the Ringmaster. Most of the members regarded the Ringmaster with caution. Even when the Ringmaster greeted them with a smile, they would awkwardlyugh and try to avoid him.

    But when they gathered among themselves, they chattedfortably. Maya could sense the exclusion.

    She knew that fear of the Ringmaster undey this behavior, but she didn¡¯t want to defend the members.

    Maya was familiar with that kind of look in their eyes.

    ¡¯Ah, looking at that kid gives me the creeps for some reason. Is it appropriate to say that she looks like a doll both in appearance and behavior?¡¯

    She wouldn¡¯t shed a single tear even if her own parents died. The way people looked at her was simr.

    Her perspective on the world may have been slightly different, but her emotions were no different from others¡¯.

    But people around her feared and scorned her as if she was a monster.

    Frank Wonderstein. At first, she had somewhat looked down on his carefree attitude, thinking that he lived life without any worries. She thought that he must have lived a life without insults or ridicule, unlike herself.

    But she had learned otherwise sinceing here. That was her misconception. He, too, had dark corners that normal people couldn¡¯t understand.

    It was as if he had projected his own self onto her¡­ Could it be? That¡¯s why he came over to stand by her?

    Even though all he needed to do was teach her magic, he had been watching her for over a week. However, it had only been a few days since she joined the circus.

    But Maya felt a deeper connection with him. He was like her in more ways than one. Not just in terms of magic but in life as well.

    That¡¯s why the constant pestering of the deputy ringmaster, the girl who had no manners, annoyed her.

    The Ringmaster always used formalnguage with her, but she spoke informally to him as if she had some kind of authority.

    And she did it with various people around, making a fuss about her position and trying to shake the Ringmaster like a hurricane.

    That was Maya¡¯s first impression of E, and it hadn¡¯t changed even now.

    E sneered as she looked at Maya¡¯s eyes, which were fixed on her.

    You¡¯re telling me not to speak so casually when I barely even know him?

    You¡¯re making fun of me.

    There¡¯s probably no one here who knows that person better than E does.

    The reason E was angry wasn¡¯t because Maya was defending Wonderstein. His handsome face and charming smile were skills he used to manipte people in social situations. If she got upset and annoyed at everyone who liked him then she would have not survived till now.

    Has she ever seen his true self?

    Does she even know what terrible things he had done?

    Pretending to know in front of others, just pretending.

    Their gazes shed in the air, and sparks flew.

 Chapter 50: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (5)

    Maya had been the top student in her year at the Academy.

    Although people didn¡¯t realize it, when it came to manipting magic, there was no one who could surpass her among the students and professors.

    Telekinesis and defensive barriers.

    Pure magical skills that didn¡¯t require mysticism.

    With enough preparation, she had confidence that she could go head-to-head even with knights without being pushed back.

    And E was also no ordinary girl.

    When it came to physical abilities, acrobatics, and perceptiveness, she was so outstanding that it was hard to find peers who could match her.

    The posture she was currently assuming might just look like she was standing awkwardly to an outsider, but it contained the secrets of a technique called "Lightning Hoop" in earth bending. If Maya were to use magic, E was ready to leap forward and deliver a mid-air somersault kick to her chin.

    The two of them continued to escte the tension between them.

    The other members surrounding them couldn¡¯t find the right moment to intervene, despite their concerns.

    "Hey, this doesn¡¯t look good."

    "Are they really going to fight?"

    "Who do you think will win?"

    "Magicians are weak in closebat. Besides, the opponent is the assistant ringmaster."

    "Shall we make a bet? I¡¯m on E."

    "Me too¡­"

    "I¡¯m also voting for E."

    "Then, it¡¯s not a bet."

    "Who said we were making a bet?"

    As the two teenage girls seemed about to start a brawl, the adults sat around calmly, making such leisurelyments.

    ¡¯Is no one nning to stop them?¡¯

    Yurakne sighed inwardly.

    Simr situations had been repeating over the past few days.

    The reasons for their fights were different each time.

    But the breaking point was always the same.

    Wonderstein.

    From the moment he was mentioned, the conversation turned into a torrent.

    From then on, neither of them would back down.

    It was funny that when the ringmaster himself appeared, they would stop fighting as if they had never fought in the first ce.

    They would be quiet as if asking, "When did we ever fight?"

    But today, it seemed like the fight was on the verge of crossing the line of amusement.

    If they weren¡¯t careful, one of them could get seriously hurt.

    With the ringmaster not present, Yurakne was the only one who could stop them.

    "Both of you, stop it."

    Yurakne intervened between the two.

    While they would ignorements from other members, they couldn¡¯t disregard Yurakne¡¯s words.

    To E, Yurakne was the most reliable older sister in the circus, and to Maya, she was the closest member to the respected ringmaster.

    Up until now, they would quietly step back if she stepped forward.

    But today, for some reason, they didn¡¯t want to do that.

    Their pride wouldn¡¯t allow them to yield first.

    And so, the standoff continued with Yurakne in the middle.

    Although it was dangerous, she decided to use the all-purpose spell.

    "What do you think the ringmaster will think if he finds out that you two are acting like this?"

    At the mention of the ringmaster, both of them shuddered.

    He was the motivation behind their fights and their weakness.

    The reasons were different.

    Maya worried that she would appear as a na?ve child to him.

    On the other hand, E didn¡¯t like the fact that he would knew that she was shaken because of him.

    Their eyes met.

    No words were exchanged, but their intentions were clear.

    That¡¯s enough¡­

    ¡­Should we stop?

    An unspoken agreement passed between them.

    Maya harnessed her magic, and E rxed her tense posture.

    Yurakne let out a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, it ended without any major incidents.

    They silently stared at each other for a moment before turning their heads.

    It seemed like a typical conclusion, just like any other time.

    However, today, Yurakne had no intention of stopping here.

    It was a situation where anyone could have been hurt.

    She felt the need to speak up.

    "E, I understand that Maya¡¯s magic is different from others. But where else can we find a Illusion Mage? Just a week ago, you stayed up all night with a hammer and needle, not to mention your own sleep. Isn¡¯t it a bit unfair to criticize without being grateful?"

    "Well, yes, but¡­"

    E, who had always been outspoken, hesitated unusually.

    Yurakne then turned to address Maya.

    "Maya, I know your magic is different from others, but couldn¡¯t you have mentioned it from the beginning of the meeting? We had all our ideas prepared, and abruptly rejecting them was a bit impolite, don¡¯t you think?"

    "¡­I¡¯m sorry."

    Maya¡¯s apology was also a rare sight.

    Both of them couldn¡¯t say much in the face of Yurakne¡¯s reprimand.

    This was quite a performance!

    The triplets were about to apud, but Yurakne shot them a warning look, and they reluctantly lowered their hands.

    She maintained a stern expression as she looked at the two girls.

    Both of them seemed lost in thought, not daring to make eye contact.

    For two who had always been so confident, this must have been ufortable.

    That should be enough, right?

    A warm smile crept onto her lips.

    "All right let¡¯s be more considerate of each other from now on. But more importantly, let¡¯s continue the meeting. What¡¯s the issue we¡¯re facing? Maya, it takes too long for you to implement the special effects, right? Is there a way to shorten the time? Don¡¯t hesitate to speak up; we can help."

    Yurakne¡¯s soothing words prompted Maya to nce briefly at E before speaking up.

    "Let me try once."

    Maya clenched the book in her hand so hard that her knuckles turned white.

    "Once I see it, I can analyze the form and maybe find a way to shorten the time."

    Yurakne apuded her words.

    "Great! Then E can use her device to create some mes, and¡­"

    "No."

    E raised her head and interrupted. She nced at Maya before continuing.

    "That was just a makeshift solution, and the mes look too crude. If we¡¯re going to do this, let me create a bigger one. Just wait for an hour; I¡¯ll show you a proper me."

    With that, E concluded the meeting.

    Once everyone had left the room, Yurakne cautiously approached E.

    "A proper me? How?"

    "I¡¯ll make a bomb."

    "A bomb?"

    "It¡¯s just a prop."

    "Aren¡¯t you worried it might be dangerous?"

    "I used to make things like this with my friends when I was younger. Don¡¯t worry."

    The bomb E created, fueled by her desire to showcase her skills to Maya, turned out to be far more powerful than she had imagined.

    And she hadn¡¯t considered the purity difference between the materials used in her childhood fireworks and the ones she had obtained from the Alchemy Guild.

    What came out was a much stronger bomb than anticipated.

    "So that¡¯s what happened."

    Yurakne briefly exined today¡¯s events to Wonderstein.

    She didn¡¯t mention the fight between E and Maya.

    She simply portrayed it as E trying to help Maya elerate her me implementation but making a mistake in the process.

    "I¡¯m d no one got hurt," Wonderstein said, looking at the shattered surroundings.

    If he hadn¡¯t rushed here after receiving the request, many members would have been injured.

    When he suddenly jumped into the garden, the members near the bomb backed away in shock when they saw him.

    At that moment, Maya emerged from one corner of the garden, covered in dirt and grass, her dress in disarray.

    It seemed she had rolled behind the bushes when the explosion urred.

    Wonderstein smiled as he looked at her.

    "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

    "No, I¡¯m fine."

    Wonderstein smiled as he looked at the sketchbook she held in her hand.

    She hadn¡¯t let go of it since she rolled back.

    "Hmm, did you manage to capture the explosion?"

    Maya¡¯s favorability had exceeded 15 from the moment she joined the circus troupe, so as soon as her name was added to the members¡¯ list, she received her first reward.

    Name: Maya¡¯s Sketchbook

    Target: Anything Maya has seen.

    Effect: When held, the sketchbook stores the three-dimensional form of the target.

    Requirements: Maya¡¯s favorability above 15, magic power

    This was the system that supported Maya¡¯s abilities in the game, ¡¯Blueprints,¡¯ and it was provided in the form of an item in this world.

    With this, Maya could instantly capture and save the shape of passing objects orplex shapes to use when needed. Even capturing explosions was possible as long as it fit within the sketchbook¡¯s longevity limit.

    However, her sketchbook had cut off in the middle of the explosion.

    A hint of embarrassment crossed Maya¡¯s face as she replied, "I didn¡¯t expect such a big explosion, so I closed my eyes."

    Wonderstein smiled wryly at her response. "That¡¯s a shame. But it can¡¯t be helped. Taking it slowly isn¡¯t a bad idea. Safety is more important, after all."

    "But we don¡¯t have much time. Thepetition ising up soon."

    E approached, dusting off the ck powder from her clothes.

    "We need to do it again! Get me more materials. I used up everything I collected this time."

    E spoke confidently.

    "Even after all that, she¡¯s not afraid of danger," Wonderstein thought.

    He looked at her and shook his head. "We can¡¯t do that."

    "Why not?"

    "Because it¡¯s too dangerous. We all could have been injured."

    "This time was just a mistake."

    "It doesn¡¯t matter. E, you almost got hurt."

    "I was going to perform a stunt right after the explosion."

    "Regardless, it¡¯s not allowed."

    Wonderstein rarely disyed such strong determination.

    His smile, his tone, and his actions were all just a fa?ade to hide his true self when he had to confront situations like this.

    "All right, fine. I get it. You¡¯re the circus leader, so we have to stick to the old ways. Womon and Benedict looked disappointed. By the way, what about going to the cabaret?"

    The Grand Circus Prix opening ceremony was tomorrow.

    Each circus troupe had to submit a list of members who would participate in the ceremony to the theatre by today.

    There was more to see outside the theatre anyway.

    Inside, most of the schedule was dedicated to the elderly people in expensive suits for the greetings. There was no need for the ringmaster and other members to participate.

    But strangely, E and Maya had volunteered to participate.

    Since Wonderstein had nothing else to do, he had visited the theatre himself to submit the list and was now on his way back.

    In response to E¡¯s question, Wonderstein smiled awkwardly and said, "That¡¯s aplicated matter."

    Wonderstein looked at the two girls and continued, "E and Maya won¡¯t be able to go."

 Chapter 51: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (6)

    The Rose Windmill Cabaret was one of the most renowned venues among the six theaters.

    Director Yug Maroine was a respected figure in the entertainment industry, and his troupe was known for their exceptional skills.

    However, no matter how impressive their performances were, the essence of the cabaret was the revue.

    The costumes of the actors were revealing, and the dances and songs were quite suggestive. While they didn¡¯t directly offer their bodies for sale in the establishment, it wasmon for the staff to engage intimately with the patrons.

    It was only natural that minors were not allowed entry.

    E already knew about this.

    No one could have expected a 16-year-old girl to be appointed as the deputy ringmaster, after all.

    "Isn¡¯t it too much?" She eximed after hearing Wonderstein¡¯s exnation.

    Even though she had worked hard for a month in preparation, she couldn¡¯t even attend the opening ceremony.

    All because of her young age.

    "No one could have imagined such a corrupt director," E continued.

    Wonderstein chuckled at E¡¯sints.

    Hisughter seemed particrly mocking today.

    She had worked so hard for a month, nurturing the roses, only for someone else to reap the rewards. Watching from the sideliners felt frustrating.

    The Rose Windmill Cabaret was famous for its performance.

    E really wanted to see it.

    But now, if they heard a 16-year-old was the deputy ringmaster, they would probably find it amusing. Maybe she should have just lied about her age and added a few years.

    No, everyone at the Rose Windmill already knew her face and name, didn¡¯t they?

    Oh, how frustrating. Truly frustrating.

    She grumbled to herself for a while.

    But this was an issue that couldn¡¯t be changed, no matter how much sheined. It was a rule of the theatre.

    Maya epted it more calmly than E.

    "It can¡¯t be helped," she said in her usual indifferent tone.

    There was no sign of disappointment on the surface.

    However, it was only a fa?ade.

    Maya was actually feeling quite disappointed, a fact that only Wonderstein could discern through her subtle changes in expression.

    Today, her frustration was more noticeable than usual.

    E had sharp observational skills. Her ability to read emotions was extraordinary.

    She had even noticed when the three of them secretly switched positions during practice.

    It took a few days, but she had be skilled at reading Maya¡¯s emotions, even when Maya tried to appear emotionless.

    Today, E found Maya more irritating than ever.

    It seemed that E had developed a sense of respect, admiration, and intimacy for Wonderstein, all while not knowing his true identity.

    A foolish girl who, in exchange for the slight favours he had shown her, mistakenly believed she understood him.

    That was E¡¯s first impression of Maya.

    She still felt that way.

    But something had changed in Maya.

    Wonderstein noticed it.

    When their benefactor, Anais Vergsong, descended with her bodyguards, Wonderstein couldn¡¯t help but think, "Oh no."

    The once prestigious garden had turned into a yground.

    Yurakne had mentioned earlier that most of the nts here were rare and expensive flowers.

    "The damages they caused were all costs that Vergsong Merchant Guild would have topensate for."

    He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how much it would cost to restore the garden they had destroyed today.

    She was the one who often nagged him about budget issues.

    How much would she pester him about this incident?

    Her sharp voice had already reached his ears.

    "Sir."

    "Miss Anais."

    Both Wonderstein and E were prepared to hear a scolding.

    But what came out of Anais¡¯s mouth was not reprimand.

    "I heard a loud noise, are you okay?"

    It was clearly a mixture of concern and constion.

    She faintly smiled and looked around the garden.

    "Are the members unharmed?"

    "Yes, everyone is safe."

    "Thank goodness."

    At this point, even E, who was standing by, could sense that something was off about the atmosphere.

    Vergsong¡¯s young miss had feelings for Wonderstein, that much she knew.

    But this gentle attitude was unlike her usual style, where she expressed her interest in a sharp and candid manner.

    Why is she suddenly acting like this?

    Yurakne, and now Miss Anais.

    People can change suddenly, they say.

    Ah, could it be¡­

    Only Yurakne seemed to understand Anais¡¯s psychology in this situation.

    She couldn¡¯t deny the fact that Anais¡¯s heart might be swelling with triumph.

    Tomorrow might be theirst meeting.

    So, I won¡¯t interfere.

    Anais smiled broadly, whether she knew the gaze of those looking at her or not.

    "Did you handle the theatre business well?"

    "Yes, a couple of our members couldn¡¯t enter because they¡¯re not of age yet. So, Miss Anais and I will go."

    "A date for the two of us. That¡¯s nice."

    So, they walked to the other side of the garden, talking about preparations for tomorrow¡¯s event.

    Yurakne watched their backs for a moment and then spoke to E.

    "But what about you tomorrow? Will you be at the hotel?"

    "No, I think I might go to the square for other events or sightseeing."

    However, Yurakne didn¡¯t take her words at face value.

    She knew when E wore that mischievous smile.

    "You n to go inside, don¡¯t you?"

    "Yes. I¡¯ve be friendly with some of the Rose Wind employees over the past few weeks."

    "When did that happen?"

    "We¡¯ve been meeting discreetly and hanging out. If I ask, they¡¯ll let me in through the back door. It¡¯s a shame I won¡¯t be able to see it from the VIP section, but I can¡¯t help it."

    "Are you going alone?"

    "If I ask, maybe one or two more cane. Yurakne, would you like toe?"

    "No, I¡¯m fine. The reason I asked is¡­"

    "Oh! Then I guess I¡¯ll have to go alone! Since I don¡¯t have anyone else to take care of!"

    E shouted as if she was telling everyone.

    Maya, who had been sketching, stopped her hands.

    ***

    The police officers in Luz were patrolling the streets today, tense all day.

    It was the opening day of the Circus Grand Prix.

    The entire city had been suffering from the chaos during the festival preparations.

    Everyone was afraid of what kind of hellish scene would unfold on the day of the festival.

    In preparation for any unforeseen circumstances, all the cavalry of the mounted police was mobilized.

    The first firework went up just as the sun was disappearing behind the western building rooftop.

    The city¡¯s streetlights came on.

    Simultaneously, the door at the back of the cabaret opened, and dozens of acrobats began their march.

    All of the acrobats were dressed in vibrant colours.

    The colour red was emphasized, perhaps in reverence to the name "Rose."

    Trumpets, trombones, and other brass instruments yed as they marched to the beat of the drums.

    The crowd pped and danced to the music.

    But the real excitement began afterward.

    The highly skilled dancers from the Rose Windmill Cabaret appeared.

    Their shoulders and chests were boldly exposed.

    Whenever their long legs swayed beneath their skirts, heads turned in all directions.

    In terms of beauty and physique, not a single person fell short.

    The dancers performed their dances with passionate movements.

    With each sway of their bodies, their skirts fluttered, releasing a dazzling array of colours.

    The stage on which the dancers performed had wheels attached to it.

    Horses led the way.

    The mounted police of Luz willingly cooperated.

    Even in the midst of chaos, the horses remained calm.

    Strictly speaking, the mounted police were not city guards but part of the military.

    The horses were trained not to be afraid even in the midst of turmoil.

    The cabaret¡¯s march started from the back of the Rose Windmill and passed through the square, in front of the city hall, and back to the main entrance of the windmill.

    The second firework went up, and the orchestra on the central stage began to y.

    At the same time, people streamed into the square.

    Once the festival started, the police officers¡¯ tension quickly eased.

    Contrary to their concerns, the festival proceeded very smoothly.

    It was not quiet by any means.

    Even now, in front of the Rose Windmill Cabaret, the street was bustling like a marketce.

    The crowds watching the performances were fascinated.

    Fireworks of various sizes shot up here and there, andughter never ceased.

    Around the cabaret, in the tents on the streets, acrobats not participating in the Grand Prix showed off their skills.

    They, who had been the primary concern of the police, surprisingly never once crossed the line.

    A clown distributing balloons to the families in the crowd passed over the mounted police officers.

    One acrobat skillfully guided the audience to clear a path for the police officers.

    A few times, Carletto, the familiar tightrope walker, was dragged over to exchange light-hearted jokes with the female officer. She responded with a smile to his jests, and the audience responded withughter and apuse.

    Sergeant Sabo of the mounted police finally realized what was going on.

    They were craving the admiration, cheers,pliments, and apuse of the people.

    So they did nothing to endanger, anger, or offend anyone.

    Outside the stage, we might not know, but on stage, they were consummate professionals.

    "May the glory of the circus be with you."

    If Sister Anne heard this, she would have sounded the bells.

    Well, who cares? It¡¯s a great day.

    With these thoughts, Sabo continued to patrol. Somewhere, a rose drifted through the air and naturally stuck to his horse¡¯s mane.

    A fairy-like acrobat in a jester costume, leaping lightly over the tents, winked at him.

    As he circled back around the cabaret, he saw carriages lined up in front of the main gate.

    Most of them belonged to noble families orpanies.

    They were the sponsors of the Circus Grand Prix.

    Many were foreign nobles he had never heard of, but there were also well-known figures from Charlotia.

    The carriage that had just stopped in front of the cabaret was different.

    "Anais Vergsong, a member of the Merchant Guild."

    "More precisely, it¡¯s the Vergsong Family¡¯s carriage. There are no ¡¯1844 and following¡¯. Go from underneath."

    Five people got out of the carriage.

    The woman with green hair and a slender figure was Anais Vergsong herself.

    Behind her stood a bodyguard, and the two girls appeared who appeared to be the members of the circus.

    And next to them stood a man in ck attire with blonde hair.

    He was the infamous Frank Wonderstein.

    Today, he was the man Sabo was targeting.

    He gripped his riot baton tightly.

 Chapter 52: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (7)

    The path from the hotel to the theater was packed with people.

    Even though it was the middle of the day, the carriage struggled to maintain its speed due to the sheer number of people.

    Eventually, it slowed down even further, to the point where walking might have been faster.

    As I worried whether we would arrive on time, the carriage suddenly picked up speed again.

    This was because the police had set up barricades from City Hall to the theatre to secure the entrance.

    Was this what it felt like to race down a clear road after being stuck in traffic?

    The coachman informed us that we would arrive in three minutes.

    As the estimated arrival time was moved up, the inside of the carriage grew bustling.

    Anais received help from her maidservant to adjust her hat¡¯s decoration, E straightened her uniform¡¯s cor, and even Maya, who had seemed indifferent to her appearance,bed her disheveled hair.

    I watched them quietly as they prepared.

    I didn¡¯t need to put any effort into dressing up like they did.

    Wonderstein¡¯s physique was different from that of an ordinary human.

    It always maintained its perfection without the need for bathing or grooming.

    External invaders like germs and dust were naturally repelled by the skinyer over time.

    For me, cleaning my body was nothing more than a time pass.

    The carriage stopped in front of the theatre, and the door opened.

    A tremendous wave of cheers and excitement washed over us.

    If it had been the old me, I might have been overwhelmed and unable to breathe in this atmosphere.

    But the smiling man calmly attracted the attention of the crowd.

    We walked to the theatre entrance under the police escort.

    There was a red carpet on the ground and cabaret staff weing us.

    E, Maya, and I decided to part ways here.

    "If you get tired of sightseeing, you two can return to the lodging first," I said.

    The two of them looked at each other for a moment and then nodded simultaneously.

    "We would go together. You need to tell us what you saw inside, okay?"

    "I¡¯ll wait for you."

    "Huhuhu, then let¡¯s meet in four hours. Enjoy the sights."

    "You, on the other hand, don¡¯t cause any trouble. Don¡¯t pick fights with other circus groups or anything."

    "I¡¯ll do my best."

    The two girls walked side by side behind the police officers.

    It was fortunate that they seemed to get along well.

    When Maya first joined the circus, I had worried that her personality might not mesh well with E¡¯s¡­

    But perhaps because they were of the same age, they quickly became close.

    "Ringmaster, may I request you to escort me?" Anais blushed and extended her hand.

    I had learned etiquette from the instructor she had invited over the past few days.

    With a graceful gesture, I bent my waist and took her hand.

    "Huhuhu, of course. Shall we go?"

    My response seemed appropriate, as she rewarded me with a bright smile.

    But was it just my imagination, or did that smile seem somewhat sad?

    We entered the lobby together like that.

    There, journalists from all over the world were taking photos and conducting interviews with the participants of the Circus Grand Prix, which had resumed after a whopping 17 years.

    "Isn¡¯t this thepetition that has been resumed after 17 years? It¡¯s a great honor for me to finally step onto the stage I admired it as a child. Qualifying rounds is not my goal. I¡¯m aiming for the championship¡­"

    Someone arrived before us.

    In the lobby, a deep, booming voice resounded.

    I recognized the face.

    It was Minova, known as the "Rooster."

    His bright red mohawk, beard, and therge ck feather adornment resembling a rooster¡¯s tail were all distinctive features.

    The man with an overly muscr upper body, who always boasted of himself as the manliest of men, was famous for his slovenly behavior.

    Journalists found his long-winded and loud speeches tiresome. While he spoke, he continued to look around, clearly distracted.

    During one such urrence, a journalist made eye contact with us.

    He looked at Anais with wide eyes and suddenly eximed, "Lady Vergsong!"

    "What?"

    "Seriously?"

    "Lady Vergsong?"

    The attention of the journalists quickly shifted towards us.

    Minova, who had been conducting the interview, became irrelevant.

    The journalists urged us to step in front of the cameras, and the event host quickly ushered Minova off the stage.

    Minova¡¯s face turned as red as his hair.

    He red at me with resentful eyes.

    Well, everyone was already bored with you.

    I averted my gaze from him and remembered the prepared lines.

    E had provided them, just in case I made a mistake during the interview.

    Most of the questions were standardized, so memorizing them wasn¡¯t difficult.

    "Winning seems distant right now. We¡¯re just doing our best at the moment."

    "Is Ursus still your most admired acrobat?"

    "That¡¯s a secret. A magician can¡¯t reveal his tricks."

    However, we hadn¡¯t prepared for any of the questions being asked now.

    "What is the exact nature of your rtionship?"

    "Are you really dating, as rumored?"

    "How did you meet?"

    A barrage of questions from countless people.

    shes popping everywhere.

    The content of the questions was alsopletely unexpected.

    I was quite flustered.

    What? Anais and I dating?

    What rumors?

    The smiling man helped me maintain myposure, but it wasn¡¯t helping me on how to handle this situation.

    This was a realm unrted to game strategies.

    I stood there, smiling foolishly, but fortunately, Anais stepped forward to rify the situation.

    "Today is the opening ceremony.

    We won¡¯t answer personal questions.

    We will create an official statement regarding the circting rumors."

    Soon, another participant arrived, and we were able to escape the press conference room with great difficulty.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    Herposed response was definitely not improvised.

    She must have known this would happen.

    She gave a sad smile, as she had earlier.

    "I¡¯ll exin everything in the room."

    The opening ceremony took ce in Rose Windmill¡¯s Hall 1.

    This was the same ce we had visited when E was in charge of the event.

    Hall 1¡¯s seating was divided into two main sections.

    The first was the ground floor tables, where you could watch the stage up close, and the second was the balcony seating on floors 2, 3, and 4, which offered a view overlooking the stage.

    The ground floor was already packed with people.

    These were the local dignitaries and patrons who had supported the Grand Prix.

    The Grand Prix participants were assigned to the upper balcony seats.

    As we were about to ascend the stairs, we encountered someone at the entrance.

    "Aren¡¯t you Mrs. Vergsong the sponsor?"

    "Lord Dosville."

    A young man with dark, tangled hair approached us.

    Given that he was addressed as Lord, he seemed like a noble.

    After all, how many non-nobles would be present here?

    "Well, it seems you¡¯ve be healthier. I don¡¯t see that nasty contraption either."

    He looked at Anais¡¯s body with slimy eyes, pretending to have a casual attitude.

    Anais scowled in response to his gaze.

    "Lord Dosville, what brings you here?"

    "Do you not know? I am a VIP customer at this cabaret."

    Lord Dosville raised an eyebrow, his reaction and Anais¡¯s response, as well as the expression on the driver standing behind him, all indicated that he was not particrly well-regarded.

    "But who is this gentleman?"

    He seemed to have just noticed me, and his expression was one of surprise.

    "He¡­.He is the ringmaster leading the circus troupe that I sponsored recently, Mr. Wonderstein. This is Lord Dosville, who used to visit my mansion and provide me with tutoring. He¡¯s quite knowledgeable, as you can see."

    Despite Anais¡¯s teasing tone, he didn¡¯t show any signs of being offended. In fact, he chuckled.

    He exaggerated his expression and expressed his pleasure at seeing me.

    "Oh, to meet the famous Mr. Wonderstein! It¡¯s an honor to meet you! By the way, you truly have a remarkable presence. I can understand why Lady Vergsong is captivated. I heard stories about you!

    Haha!"

    He intentionally raised his voice to attract the attention of the people around us.

    Clearly, he was trying to provoke such reactions.

    [The reputation of the circus troupe has dropped by 2.]

    Darn it.

    Between one and two weeks, the reputation of the circus troupe had plummeted.

    I initially thought it was because we hadn¡¯t performed for a long time, but it seemed that the rumors were the problem.

    Reputation wasn¡¯t just about being talked about; it could also decline if the talk turned negative.

    I could easily read the malicious teasing in the nces people were casting at us.

    What the heck was that rumor?

    "Let¡¯s go inside."

    Anais couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at my face directly, or maybe she didn¡¯t want to, and she walked ahead of me.

    We climbed the stairs, ignoring the stares of the people around us.

    Our assigned seats were on the fourth floor.

    The cabaret¡¯s balcony seats were simr to those in other theatres, but they had one unique feature: luxurious bedrooms were attached to the seats.

    "Oh¡­ the bedroom is quite lovely."

    Anais said with a slightly excited voice.

    A bed adorned with provocative red heart decorations, a makeshift stage for dancing, and in the corner, whips, gags, and cors for some unknown reason.

    The entire ce felt like a love hotel, with red lights and curtains everywhere.

    We went out onto the balcony and took our seats.

    From there, we had a view of the stage below.

    On the table, there were several types of high-quality alcohol and drinks as wee drinks.

    "Do you like tea, Mr. Ringmaster?"

    Anais asked as she handed me a ss of iced tea.

    I epted it but didn¡¯t drink. I just wasn¡¯t in the mood for tea, but Anais seemed unable to figure out if I was annoyed.

    "Did you feel embarrassed earlier?"

    "A little."

    I replied with a smile, but it seemed to make her even more uneasy.

    She kept ncing at me, hesitant to say something.

    Herck of confidence and hesitation was unlike her usual self. She was always confident, even when facing difficult situations.

    I had also been through a lot today, and I didn¡¯t particrly like it.

    But seeing her so dejected wasn¡¯t pleasant either.

    I wondered what had caused her to be like this.

    She cautiously scanned my expression before finally getting to the point.

    "Actually, there have been rumors circting recently. They say that you and I¡­ are in a rtionship."

    Her face turned red as she said it.

    An embarrassed Anais.

    Seems like he saw quite a spectacle today.

    "But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the only reason."

    If that were the case, our reputation wouldn¡¯t have dropped so dramatically.

    Her attitude, the people making mocking remarks about us earlier, and the way people were looking at us¡ªall of it indicated something more.

    I realized that there was something else going on.

    She nodded.

    "I can guess who might have started the rumor."

    She tapped her fingers on the ss and mentioned a name I knew.

    "Pierre Mopassan."

    I didn¡¯t expect that name toe up here.

    I chuckled bitterly.

    "Your uncle, huh."

    "The person who tried to kill me."

    "Hasn¡¯t he been caught?"

    "He seems to have escaped to some ind in the Caribbean. There are over hundreds of nameless inds there. If he goes there, it¡¯s almost impossible to find him."

    When I heard his name, I had a feeling that the quest that had ended differently from the original story hade back to haunt me like a butterfly effect.

 Chapter 53: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (8)

    [Subquest Sponsor]

    The first quest Ipleted aftering to this world.

    Back then, I had just arrived, so everything was clumsy.

    I was pushed around by the ¡¯Laughing Man¡¯ and even got shot.

    The quest itself was simple, and the reward was small.

    But the ripple effect was significant.

    Not only did it activate the "Main Quest ¨C Circus Grand Prix," but it also gained me a sponsor to fund my travels for two and a half years.

    The problem was that this quest was derived from TT3.

    The enemies in TT1 and TT2 were not enemies at this point in time.

    They would be monsters in the main storyler on.

    Currently, they were mostly ordinary people, so forming any kind of rtionship with them didn¡¯t burden me for the future.

    Ghost Derek, for example, was a future ally, but I had to kill him.

    However, the enemies in TT3 were different.

    They had been connected to Wonderstein from before the main storyline.

    My changed behavior could influence them and have a direct impact that woulde back to haunt me.

    I had to handle quests rted to TT3 with caution.

    But at that time, I couldn¡¯t think that far ahead.

    I had to adapt to my new body, experiment at the Evolution Research Lab, and deal with the first tasks given to me.

    I didn¡¯t know what information Pierre had passed in the Carribean.

    But it had definitely influenced the judgment of their leader, ¡¯Rabbit.¡¯

    Something had piqued her interest.

    Perhaps jealousy, suspicion, or mischief.

    There were several possible reasons, but nothing was certain.

    She had a rtionship with Wonderstein, but she couldn¡¯t be considered aplete ally.

    In the game, her personality was whimsical, and her actions were unpredictable.

    She might try to hinder me one day and cooperate with me the next.

    "Why did he spread such rumors?"

    "To tarnish my reputation."

    Anais let out a bitterugh.

    She, too, was amazed at how her uncle was manipting her niece¡¯s love life behind the scenes.

    "Two months ago, I reported my uncle¡¯s attempted murder to the Council. And I issued a warrant for his arrest. He fled without any excuse, which was practically an admission of guilt. So the faction on his side quieted down. They knew that if they intervened, they could be charged withplicity in his crimes. But just a few weeks ago, strange rumors started circting."

    She paused here and nced at me.

    It seemed like those rumors were about the Circus that had damaged the Merchant Union¡¯s reputation.

    "Don¡¯t misunderstand me. It¡¯s just that the rumors are like that. So, what are they about¡­? Well, it¡¯s about a suspicious magician who hangs around me, using sweet talk to cloud my judgment and manipte me."

    I inwardly sighed.

    It wasn¡¯t entirely false.

    After all, the original Wonderstein approached her with that intention.

    "They even brushed off the fact that my uncle tried to kill me as a delusion. They said I was just spouting nonsense under the magician¡¯s spell."

    "Do people believe that?"

    Anais pursed her lips.

    "It¡¯s true that my actions may seem strange to people. A lord of a territory and the head of a Merchant Union traveling with a circus¡­ The only testimony people hear is that I¡¯m always with the Ringmaster¡­ and rumors that I¡¯m deeply infatuated with the Ringmaster¡­ That¡¯s the only thing they hear¡­ So, it¡¯s inevitable that people think that way."

    Well, there was no room for defense in that regard.

    The owner of a prestigious Merchant union ranking among the best in the world has fallen in love with an unknown wandering magician?

    The reaction of sane people was that she had lost his mind.

    Now I understood the murmurs of the people on the first floor earlier.

    "My family¡¯s directors even heard the news and sent a protest letter, telling me not to do foolish things. The fact that they did that means everyone in the business world thinks the same way. They must believe I was definitely¡­ tempted by the ringmaster. Otherwise, there¡¯s no reason for me to suddenly sponsor such an unknown circus troupe."

    Her face turned bright red.

    She fanned herself rapidly.

    "They all said I¡¯ve been emotionally unstable since my father passed away and want to lean on anyone. Hah, it¡¯s ironic, considering not long ago they were praising Chairman of Vergsong as the pinnacle of the business world¡­ Funny."

    At this point, I couldn¡¯t help but have one question in mind.

    Even if it¡¯s just a ¡¯rumor¡¯ with no clear evidence, why is she allowing it to spread like this?

    Couldn¡¯t she have said something during the interview earlier?

    "All you have to do is deny it, right?"

    Why is she letting this rumor escte like this?

    There¡¯s an effective way to handle it.

    "I¡¯m not involved with anyone," she could have said.

    That would have easily resolved the issue.

    It seemed that the reason this incident had escted to this point was because she was allowing this rumor to spread.

    Before the problem grewrger by denying and trying to recover, it could have been nipped in the bud.

    Anais also had nothing to worry about in her position as a sponsor, and she could defend from the rabbit¡¯s mischief.

    A three-pronged strategy.

    However, after hearing my words, sheughed bitterly.

    "You mean to say I¡¯m not involved with anyone¡­?"

    She exhaled heavily and bowed her head deeply.

    Her green hair hung like curtains, casting shadows on her face.

    When her breathing finally calmed down, she spoke again.

    "That¡¯s right."

    Her voice sounded as if it had cracked, like the dry bottom of a river during a drought.

    I swallowed my saliva.

    Something was wrong.

    I said something wrong.

    It wasn¡¯t until I spoke and she reacted that I realized it.

    "Even the directors pushed for me to make that announcement."

    Sheughed.

    Among all theughter I had heard from her until now, this one was the coldest, most suffocating, and harshest.

    "I¡¯m not involved with anyone¡­"

    She lifted her head.

    Tears were flowing from her two eyes.

    Her lips carried the same sad smile I had seen several times since yesterday.

    "That¡¯s right. What kind of rtionship can there be? Huhu. My rtionship with the ringmaster¡­ was just a business deal¡­"

    She wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

    "I guess I got a bit greedy."

    Her smile distorted.

    Slowly.

    And then she smiled widely again.

    Quickly.

    "The ringmaster didn¡¯t do anything wrong."

    I wanted to deny her words.

    But I couldn¡¯t think of a suitable response.

    "The ringmaster is a good person. He took bullets to save me."

    Because of money.

    "He jumped into the water to save a girl."

    Because of favorability.

    "He shielded his members from an explosion with his body."

    Because of quests.

    "He pursued his dream tirelessly without losing sight of it."

    Because of the rewards I would receive.

    "I know. The director is a good person."

    No, I am not.

    "Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have taken my teasing so well with a smile."

    It¡¯s because of the curse.

    "Thank you for putting up with my antics for a month."

    I should not be receiving thanks.

    No, it¡¯s actually me who should be thankful.

    I just realized why she chose today of all days to reveal this.

    She could appeal that she alone can¡¯t defend against the pressure and would need to withdraw the sponsorship.

    Then, she could have easily obtained what she wanted.

    But she didn¡¯t.

    She didn¡¯t use her sponsorship as a weapon to hold me captive.

    Even though it was my position to kneel if she did.

    The reason she revealed this on the day of the opening ceremony was that once thepetition started, sponsors couldn¡¯t withdraw their support.

    She was considerate of me, so I wouldn¡¯t be anxious if I heard such rumors.

    To her, I¡­

    We¡¯re not on bad terms, I say.

    "I¡¯m sorry for suddenly crying. I was prepared, but still¡­ However, hearing those words directly from the ringmaster hurts my heart."

    What should I say tofort her¡­

    My words wouldn¡¯te out.

    I just stared at her stupidly.

    "Just what do you think of me after spending a month together, ringmaster?"

    I had the urge to run out of this room immediately.

    Anger and embarrassment towards myself were fighting inside me.

    I should entertain the sponsor.

    Why does she keep bothering me?

    Love, what nonsense. It must be a misunderstanding.

    I once confessed my love to a helper who used to lift my feet.

    I mistook her kindness and smile for affection.

    "I wish she had just pushed me away."

    She said she was just doing the job for money.

    Kindness and smiles were all just consideration for the customer.

    "I wish you hadn¡¯t smiled at me."

    I received a phone call saying they were recing the helper.

    Why did she run away like that?

    I wish she had just gone back to our original rtionship.

    "I wish you had said you didn¡¯t like me."

    But what if she had rejected my feelings and then continued to lift my feet with the same smile, the same kindness, as if nothing happened?

    Wouldn¡¯t that have been even more cruel?

    I guess it was more considerate to cut ties cleanly.

    It took me a few years to realize that.

    What I did to her for the past month was not just building a wall.

    It was a cowardly outburst of anger.

    I was mistaken back then.

    So what I¡¯m doing now is also a mistake.

    But was my heart really just a mistake back then?

    Didn¡¯t I like her?

    Wasn¡¯t it because I wanted to deny being rejected?

    I was lying to myself because I didn¡¯t want to admit that.

    I couldn¡¯t understand my own feelings, yet I pretended to understand the other person¡¯s feelings and poked fun at her.

    I wanted to scream loudly.

    But no words came out of my throat.

    I could only smile at her quietly.

    I hoped that it would be a lonely and sad smile, just like the one that seemed to hang on her lips.

    If not, I wanted to make it look like I was crying, even if I had to tear my own lips apart.

 Chapter 54: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (9)

    In the entertainment industry, there is an expression called ¡¯rotten tomatoes.¡¯

    This term originated from the rumor that when people watch a terrible performance, they throw tomatoes onto the stage. It was used to refer to actors with poor skills, and also to criticize a performance by saying something like, "After watching that show, I felt like searching for rotten tomatoes."

    However, it¡¯s not easy to find records of actual tomatoes being thrown onto the stage. ording to a investigation by a magazine specializing in theatre and circus arts, there has been only one official case of tomatoes being thrown onto the stage in the past 30 years.

    And today, in the town of Luz, there might be another case.

    On the day of the opening ceremony of Circus Grand Prix, the square in front of the Rose Windmill Cabaret was open to performers who were not participating in thepetition. Those who applied to the organizers were allocated space to set up their own stages and perform freely.

    The festival atmosphere was filled with lively songs from all directions, musical instruments ying cheerful melodies, acrobats disying their skills, and actors performing short ys.

    Among them, two men dressed in suits and wearing clown makeup had set up a sign that read "Typical" and were performing aedy act. One of them acted foolish, and the other would p him in a pstickedy routine, a typical two-personedy act.

    However,belling their performance as "typical" only applied to the format. The content was refreshingly bad. The dialogue was nonsensical, the humor was out of ce, and most importantly, the flow of the y didn¡¯t make logical sense.

    How aint about yesterday¡¯s fish stew by a rural vige chief led to a conversation between an airne captain and a co-pilot was something that nobody understood.

    Not only was the script a problem, but the actors performing it were also an issue. Awkward delivery of lines, interrupted timing, and unnatural physicaledy.

    Both of them possessed skills that warranted a shower of rotten tomatoes with no room for excuses.

    At first, the audienceughed out of disbelief, but as time passed, they began to express their irritation and eventually resorted to yelling.

    "Enough! Stop it!"

    "Boo, not funny!"

    "Get off the stage!"

    In the midst of a festival whereughter and apuse filled the air, this was the only ce where shouts and jeers were heard.

    Despite theck of positive response, Allen and Jo continued to perform on stage. They decided to step down when they felt the angry res of the audience intensifying.

    "Haha! Wasn¡¯t I right? That¡¯s your real talent!" Suab, the snake charmer who was standing behind the stage, burst intoughter as she watched the two of them.

    She had been traveling with Allen and Jo since a few weeks ago after a rather unfortunate initial encounter. However, after getting to know each other through conversation, they surprisingly got along well. They ended up sharing amodation and helping each other with their performances.

    However, no matter how close they were, Suab couldn¡¯t honestly say that their performances were entertaining.

    Their scriptwriting skills werecking, their acting abilities were subpar, and theiredic timing was often off.

    Since receiving praise from Wonderstein, it had only gotten worse. They celebrated their talents being finally recognized, and with that, they started moving in even stranger directions.

    They kept rewriting the script, tweaking their performances, and even changing their postures.

    They were working hard, but no matter how you looked at it, it was a fiasco.

    She had advised them countless times that this wasn¡¯t it, but they wouldn¡¯t listen.

    They held onto the belief that the path of art was long and treacherous, even if the audience¡¯s reviews weren¡¯t favorable.

    So, despite their persistence, today, which they had called a turning point, ended up being a humiliation in the middle of the performance.

    Allen and Jo hit rock bottom.

    Their stubbornness had led them to this.

    "Rotten tomatoes."

    E, who had been watching their performance from the audience¡¯s perspective, shook her head in dismay.

    That devil had created yet another set of victims in a bizarre way.

    Allen and Jo.

    E had thought from the moment she first saw them that they were unlikely to seed as actors.

    Still, the reason she hadn¡¯t prevented Wonderstein from inviting them was their incredible swordsmanship skills.

    With such skills, they would be better off training in acrobatics or knife tricks than doingedy.

    Once they joined the circus troupe, E had nned to make them give upedy and focus on that direction.

    So, when they rejected the offer of joining, she felt annoyed.

    She had been eager to see how far they could seed with their skills.

    But seeing thempletely ruined like this was its own kind of pity.

    E looked up at the clock hanging in front of the Rose Windmill.

    It was almost time.

    The opening ceremony would start soon.

    She headed towards the back door of the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    There was still some time before the opening ceremony, so she wandered around the square in front of the cabaret, watching street performances.

    She could have gone into the theatre and waited, but it wasn¡¯t a good choice.

    The cabaret staff were all working hard for the opening ceremony, and goofing off on the side would be a good way to invite trouble.

    She was no longer just an ordinary acrobat.

    She was the assistant ringmaster of a circus troupe.

    If she misbehaved, not only would she suffer the consequences, but the entire circus troupe might also face criticism.

    Furthermore, the theatre staff who had shown her kindness might not hear good things about her.

    So, she decided to wait outside until the time came.

    E nced back.

    A girl with white hair was following her, like a doll.

    Maya.

    To others, they might not even look like they were together.

    They were several meters apart, hadn¡¯t exchanged a word since their argument yesterday, and their gazes were directed in different ces.

    They hadn¡¯t spoken a word to each other since their argument and the situation had yet to be resolved.

    Of course, in front of Wonderstein, they had pretended as if everything was fine. It was an unspoken agreement between them.

    So, in front of him, they acted nonchntly, but as soon as they were out of his sight, they distanced themselves from each other as if they had never been together.

    E looked at Maya, who was pretending not to care, with an expressionless face and sighed.

    She knew what Maya wanted.

    She probably wanted E to get her in for the opening ceremony as well.

    However, maybe due to pride, she didn¡¯t say a word of request and just quietly followed behind her.

    But was I the same?

    Ah! Then I¡¯ll go alone! It¡¯s actually nice not to have to take care of anyone!

    Although she could have suggested going together, she hinted subtly with the intention that if she really wanted toe, she woulde on her own. It was too damaging to their pride to show open kindness.

    Honestly, deep down, she just wanted toe alone without her.

    But she couldn¡¯t do that.

    Whether she liked it or not, now they were in the same troupe.

    Even if they didn¡¯t show it, if someone found out, and they couldn¡¯t pretend otherwise.

    "E Yang! You arrived just in time. Did youe alone?"

    The side entrance of the cabaret.

    The man who had decided to bring her in today was waiting there.

    It was Paris, one of the cabaret¡¯s performers.

    He greeted E with a friendly smile.

    "Do you have apanion?"

    "Oh, I have one person with me."

    Maya quietly approached behind E.

    They still didn¡¯t meet each other¡¯s gaze.

    He nced at Maya¡¯s appearance, let out a small sigh of admiration, and then cleared his throat.

    "Is she your friend?"

    At the word "friend," E and Maya briefly met each other¡¯s eyes.

    In that moment, they realized they were thinking the same thing.

    "No."

    Under Paris¡¯s guidance, the two girls entered the cabaret.

    asionally, employees were running somewhere, looking for someone, or focusing on something.

    Paris asked Maya a few questions that he would typically ask someone he was meeting for the first time, but Maya¡¯s short, concise answers made him ufortable.

    "Hey, Paris! What are you doing there? You should be moving the equipment!"

    "Oh, sorry! Can you wait here in the lounge for a moment? I¡¯ll be back after I finish this."

    Paris rushed off following a senior calling him.

    The lounge was a small room with enough space for about six people to sit on sofas.

    The two girls sat as far apart as possible and didn¡¯t say a word.

    Awkward silence flowed for a few minutes.

    E was the first to break the silence.

    "Sorry."

    She looked at Maya with a sheepish expression.

    "For saying your magic was weird."

    Silence fell again.

    Maya didn¡¯t react to her apology.

    She still had an expressionless face.

    But E could tell.

    She was flustered.

    Maya spoke after a short pause.

    "Why do you dislike the ringmaster?"

    E, who was considering her response, quickly found a good excuse.

    "¡­You can¡¯t tell just by looking at what he does?"

    "Ah."

    Maya nodded as if she understood her answer.

    No matter how much she might dislike E, she couldn¡¯t say that E didn¡¯t do much. After all, Wonderstein himself entrusted her with responsibilities and was off having fun with other women. Maya had only been in the circus for a few days, but whenever she saw E, she was always working.

    On the other hand, the ringmaster was leisurely sipping tea with another woman¡­

    Hmm.

    Thinking about it, Maya felt a little embarrassed about her past actions.

    She hadn¡¯t understood the feelings of the hardworking assistant ringmaster.

    "I¡¯m sorry too."

    A smile appeared on E¡¯s face.

    Maya also showed a slight smile.

    To others, it might not look like a smile at all, but E could tell.

    It was an effort on Maya¡¯s part to show a smile for her.

    Maybe they could be good friends¡­

    "I should call you Assistant Ringmaster."

    Maya, who had been calling E by her first name until now, brought up the issue of titles formally.

    E responded with a yful smile.

    "It¡¯s okay. Just call me E."

    "Assistant Ringmaster."

    Maya said firmly.

    "It¡¯s fine. I prefer E."

    "That¡¯s not how close we are."

    Her cold response made E smile awkwardly.

    Maybe we¡¯re not a good match¡­

    But if this level ofmunication is possible¡­

    "¡­Can I keep calling you ¡¯Maya¡¯?"

    "Yeah."

    At that moment, the lounge door opened with a loud bang, and Paris entered.

    "Sorry for the dy. Let¡¯s go. The opening ceremony is about to start. I¡¯ve reserved a good seat for you amongst the staff."

    The two girls left the room.

    Their distance had be slightly closer than before.

 Chapter 55: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (10)

    The step seats in the cabaret were arranged in a semi-circr shape at the back of the stage.

    E, who had been frequenting the theatre for the past three weeks, was well aware of itsyout.

    Not only was it right next to the stage, but it was also on the second floor, providing an excellent view overall.

    The only drawback was that you couldn¡¯t watch the performance head-on; you had to view it from the rear or sides. This ce was never intended for watching performances in the first ce, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.

    These step seats were right in the center of the theatre.

    Half of the seats around the step seats led to Hall 1, while the other half divided into Hall 2 and Hall 3.

    In other words, from here, you could not only overlook all three halls but also move between them.

    The food prepared in the kitchen and the drinks fetched from the warehouse all passed through this area on their way to the audience.

    The sight of well-dressed guests at neatly arranged tables could be seen through the windows beyond.

    In contrast, the inside of the step seats was chaotic.

    Waiters carrying snacks and drinks for the guests, seamstresses hurrying to the warehouse to fetch costumes for the short-handed dancers, and apprentice chefs carrying requested ingredients from the kitchen, among others.

    As with any backstage area, this ce was inplete chaos as a big performance approached.

    Fortunately, this scene of the staff rushing about was not visible from the audience seats.

    The ss windows surrounding the step seats had all been specially treated. You could see outside from inside, but from the outside, the interior was not visible. All you could see was a pitch-ck wall.

    The location Paris had led her to was at the very end of the step seats.

    It had the widest field of vision, allowing her to see a bit of the front of Hall 1.

    Naturally, just anyone couldn¡¯t upy such a ce.

    It was meant for those who orchestrated the entire performance.

    Director Yug Maroine, the mastermind behind Le Luz¡¯s nights, was waiting for them there.

    "E, have you arrived?"

    Director Yug Maroine.

    With his stocky and diminutive stature, he wore round sunsses that resembled an owl¡¯s eyes.

    He was an elderly man with a demeanor that evoked an image of an old hawk.

    "I haven¡¯t had the chance to see you for a few days."

    "We¡¯ve had a lot to do leading up to the opening ceremony."

    He greeted her with a smile, and E returned the greeting with a delighted expression.

    "It seems that having E here has even made our manager smile again after a long time."

    By his side was a woman in her mid-40s.

    She was Mare, the choreographer who directed and managed the theatre¡¯s dancers.

    She looked at Maroine and E, who were smiling at each other, with aplex expression.

    Director Yug Maroine, who usually always appeared irritable and cynical, now had a warm smile on his face when E was around, almost like the grandfather next door.

    He liked talented young people, paying no attention to their experience. Just by making Paris, the youngest actor, the star of this uing performance, it was clear.

    "He liked performances."

    In his youth, he was a man who had abandoned his wife and daughter and roamed the world.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why.

    E, who was not like any other woman, with a lot of talents even, didn¡¯t seem to feel like a stranger to him.

    Maybe he¡­ is trying to find the image of the daughter he abandoned in his youth in her.

    The two of them exchanged greetings with others, sitting and discussing today¡¯s performance as if they were in a hurry.

    In any case, both of them were humans who couldn¡¯t spare any details when it came to performances.

    Maya simply mentioned her name and sat in a corner, scanning the audience.

    "Who are you looking for?"

    "Our ringmaster."

    "If it¡¯s Wonderstein Circus¡­ wait a moment. The program schedule is here¡­ Oh! There are two participants, the ringmaster of Wonderstein and the sponsor Miss Vergsong, hmm!"

    Mare scanned Maya¡¯s face with a hint of hesitation, as she knew the rumors circting in the world. But she couldn¡¯t read anything from her expression because she had been expressionless since she entered this ce.

    "They two are¡­ over there. On the fourth-floor balcony¡­"

    Mare stopped talking and closed her mouth.

    The curtain was drawn on the balcony.

    Having worked in cabarets for a long time, Mare knew the significance of the curtain on the balcony seats. Inside the balcony, there was a bedroom. It was a ce where the women, who had agreed with the customers, had additional sleeping arrangements.

    Beds, lights, tools. As Mare recalled the items there, her face contorted slightly.

    Surely not. On opening day, in there?

    No, it can¡¯t be.

    "The curtain is drawn there."

    "Oh¡­ uh, yeah."

    Maya looked at the balcony seats with a puzzled expression.

    E might have been able to read that emotion from her face, but right now she was busy talking to Maroine about something and didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to her friend.

    "If one knows Bouvalle, sponsorship products will keep appearing on the stage. During Kankang, a person-only bear doll suddenly appears and dances, and the lyrics suddenly include the name of a shippingpany."

    E grinned at the old man¡¯s grumbling.

    "That¡¯s the trend these days. In Vegas, there are even performances designed to sell products from the nning stage."

    "Humph. It¡¯s all about money, money, money. Can there be a proper performance when it¡¯s being controlled by sponsors?"

    "The times have changed, Director."

    E, who had to perform on the streets every day due to her poor school situation, loved every performance, but she couldn¡¯t afford to think about the practical issue of money.

    "Still, be careful not to lean too far in one direction during thepetition. If it¡¯s too obvious, there might be biased usations."

    "Are you saying I should favour the deputy ringmaster of a circus troupe like this?"

    Maroine¡¯s mischievous tone made E smile awkwardly.

    "Is that what you¡¯re suggesting? Are you going to report it to the organizers?"

    "Hehe, we¡¯ll both end up fired then."

    The two of themughed again, facing each other.

    The choreographer Mare, who had been silently watching them, seemed to be waiting for the right moment and suddenly intervened.

    "Miss E, the topic of sponsorship came up, so I¡¯d like to ask. Who is Mrs. Vergsong? Does she prioritize profits, or does she prioritize thepletion of the work?"

    Her question was quite sudden. E and Maya didn¡¯t understand her intent, but Maroine and Paris looked at her with a bewildered nce.

    "Hey, do you think you should be asking about that here?"

    "I was curious too, but I was holding back."

    E said as the atmosphere around them began to feel strange.

    "Mrs. Vergsong? She always quietly supports us. She fulfils our requests right away."

    "Wow, she¡¯s really a great supporter. Our sponsor, Lord Mustang, values avoiding scandals above all else. He hates anything that tarnishes his honor. Mr. Bouvalle, the manager, is profit oriented. Is it because Director Wonderstein is good at business?"

    E was quick to catch on.

    As her words ended, she felt something in the gazes of the three people focused on her.

    Should she try to evade the topic vaguely, or should she confront it head-on?

    The decision didn¡¯t take long.

    Risk avoidance was the choice of a strong person who had many things to protect.

    Circus troupes like theirs, unknown and nameless, had to take in whatever came their way, whether it was poison or medicine.

    "It¡¯s all thanks to the ringmaster. Miss Anais Vergsong has a deep affection for the ringmaster."

    "Indeed!"

    "Was that so¡­"

    People in the theatre nodded their heads.

    E intentionally pretended to be puzzled and asked, "What¡¯s going on? Do you all know something?"

    Mare whispered to her, "E, don¡¯t you read magazines?"

    "I read them a lot."

    "What genres?"

    "Um, romance, and¡­?"

    "All rted to performances, huh? Just like our manager. I¡¯m talking about the magazines that girls your age read¡­"

    "You can find all the circus news there."

    "Circus news, but not really gossip news."

    Mare told E about the rumors circting about Lady Vergsong and the wandering circus troupe leader, rumors of their love affair.

    As E listened to the story, she eximed, "Huh?"

    "What is that all about?"

    "Everyone is saying that. Why would someone like Miss Anais Vergsong support such an unknown circus troupe unless she had a crush on the ringmaster? They say she¡¯s following him around because she¡¯s attracted to him. Luckily, there was a recent statement denying the rumors. They¡¯ll officially announce the reason for her support soon, I guess. People naturally think they¡¯ll deny any love affair.

    If they¡¯re in their right minds, they won¡¯t admit to it."

    Hearing this, E remembered the magazines Yurakne-unnie used to read.

    Mainly women¡¯s magazines filled with gossip and rumors.

    She probably read all the articles.

    And she probablyughed when she read about love affairs and such.

    But the ringmaster had no such feelings for the other side.

    Of course, he would deny the love affair.

    E silently clicked her tongue.

    Yurakne, was this why you didn¡¯t participate in the opening ceremony?

    "But when I hear what E said, some of it seems to be true. That Lady Anais did pursue the ringmaster."

    "Oh, well¡­"

    E realized that she had said something she shouldn¡¯t have.

    Because of her slip of the tongue, some of the rumors had turned into facts.

    And that was the worst possible oue.

    People might as well believe in a love affair rather than the idea that she had unrequited love and got rejected, which would tarnish Anais Vergsong¡¯s reputation.

    "But I mentioned that, I¡­"

    "Of course, I¡¯ll keep it a secret."

    Mare told the most unbelievable lie in the world.

    E was confident that soon everyone in the cabaret would be exchanging rumors about "certified by the deputy ringmaster of the circus."

    This wouldn¡¯t cause a butterfly effect, would it?

    "Curtain."

    At that moment, Maya, who had been quietly scanning the audience, spoke up.

    She had also heard the contents of the rumor.

    And that made her curious about what might be behind the curtain.

    "The curtain is still closed."

    What could be happening behind it?

    Secretive pranks.

    yful acts of love.

    And hot lips and tongues¡­

    Maya clenched her fist.

    No, it couldn¡¯t be.

    The ringmaster¡­

    In a ce with so many people¡­

    Doing such a thing¡­

    Maya struggled to control her emotions, but then E¡¯s words left her momentarily stunned.

    "Uh, wasn¡¯t there a bedroom back there?"

    A bedroom?

    A bedroom¡­

    A bedroom!

    It wasn¡¯t just Maya who remembered something.

    Old Maroine, Paris, Mare, E¡­

    They all recalled it.

    "Ah, no way."

    "No matter how you look at it, not in a ce like this."

    "Ahem, that¡¯s why minors aren¡¯t allowed in here."

    Then, to their surprise, the curtain on the fourth-floor balcony opened.

    Wonderstein and Vergsong appeared.

    What had happened between them?

    No one could know.

    It was something that had urred behind closed doors.

    Then, a chilling voice flowed from Maya¡¯s lips.

    "She has redone her makeup."

    "What did you say?"

    Maya¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.

    She could remember the shape of her target clearly.

    "Her hair is a bit wet too. She must have showered."

    "What¡­?"

    "Even after washing, there are still traces of tears."

    E thought she should have covered Maya¡¯s mouth, but it was toote.

    The theatregoers began to murmur and exchange nces.

    To the two girls, the contents might have sounded strange, but E was not thankful for such consideration.

    She felt like she could hear the circus¡¯s reputation plummeting in her ears.

 Chapter 56: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (11)

    [The circus¡¯s reputation has dropped by 1.]

    Shortly after opening the curtains in the audience seats, a message appeared. Anais quickly closed the curtains, fearing that her crying would be seen, but it seemed that people had been gossiping about us again.

    At this rate, it felt like the circus would hit rock bottom.

    The current reputation of the circus is 21. Thanks to a performance in Aksville and E briefly appearing on the stage of the Rose Windmill, their reputation had once reached 40, but now it was almost halved.

    They had dropped by 20 points in just two weeks.

    The days of waiting for the Reputation 50 reward felt like a distant memory.

    "Thank you, Ringmaster," Anais said, looking at me with a smile.

    She still looked pained and troubled, but she seemed much more relieved than she did earlier.

    "It¡¯s embarrassing to hear such words for something like this," I replied.

    "No, not for this. I¡¯m thankful that youforted me," she rified.

    I stared at her nkly in response.

    I hadn¡¯t said a word while she was crying.

    No matter what I said, it would have sounded like an excuse.

    A coward hiding behind a wall due to his hurtful actions.

    I didn¡¯t know how to sincerely apologize to someone who had been calling out my name earnestly from below the wall, worn out from doing so.

    Even when she confessed her love while crying.

    Even when she forced a smile and expressed her disappointment.

    I just remained silent and smiled.

    cing my hand on top of hers and lightly patting it was my greatest act of courage, as was wiping the water droplets from her hair in the bathroom with a handkerchief.

    That¡¯s all I could do.

    And that¡¯s something to be thankful for?

    For not saying words offort?

    Was I receiving sympathy from her again?

    But her expression showed sincerity.

    I imagined a scene where my opponent, who had scolded me, was now patting me with sympathetic eyes.

    Oh.

    A feeling of disgust welled up in my chest.

    Her feelings must have been truly miserable.

    That¡¯s why she was thankful.

    "I¡¯m sorry."

    Even to me, it sounded like an apology without context or sincerity.

    And I even smiled.

    What would she think?

    Would she hate me?

    Contrary to my fears, she smiled and shook her head.

    "It¡¯s okay. I feel relieved now that I¡¯ve let it all out."

    "¡­Really?"

    She smiled even wider and nodded.

    "It¡¯s okay. It feels good to get it all out."

    She is not angry at all.

    Contrary to my concerns, she seemed to be genuinely relieved.

    It was a relief that my actions didn¡¯t cause more pain.

    "Sorry for making you worry."

    In my cautious approach, Anais clenched her fist and red at me.

    She yfully smirked and retorted, "Of course, it¡¯s not okay! Do you think the person who got hurt in this incident will be feeling good?"

    "I¡¯m sorry," I apologized.

    "Well, there¡¯s no need to apologize," she replied. "Let¡¯s just continue as we have been, given our rtionship as the circus ringmaster and the sponsor. Oh, there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about. You and Yurakne¡­ there¡¯s nothing between you two, right?"

    She cautiously asked, as if she suspected something.

    I smiled and shook my head. "No, we¡¯re just fellow performers."

    She raised an eyebrow at my response. "Really? I see. It must be tough on your side too. You know, you¡¯re quite an unlucky person."

    Out of the blue?

    I couldn¡¯t think of a suitable response and just chuckled as Anais let out a snort.

    "Fine, forget it. It¡¯s over now¡­ Anyway, as nned, we¡¯ll hold a press conference tomorrow. ording to the board of elders, the ringmaster can be seen as the ¡¯benefactor who cured the illness,¡¯ and the one-month trip can be exined as ¡¯for the sake of follow-up treatment.¡¯ Oh, while we¡¯re at it, how about doing it today?

    There¡¯s a ceremony scheduled for the opening, along with the circus ringmaster¡¯s oath and an introduction of the sponsors."

    She spoke rapidly, as if she was being chased by something.

    She had said it was okay, but there were still wounds in the parts of her emotionally connected to me. So, I tried to avoid those parts as quickly as possible whenever they came up. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her.

    Because it would hurt me too.

    As someone who had experienced heartbreak, I understood her feelings.

    So, I consciously spoke in a cheerful tone, trying not to dwell on that aspect. "As we have been so far?"

    "Yes. Oh, but there will be some changes. I¡¯ll be more diligent in checking the ounts now. I¡¯ve been letting things slide because I didn¡¯t want to pressure the ringmaster too much."

    Her words made me snap to attention.

    She had been doing it haphazardly.

    Whenever there was an expense that seemed unnecessary in the ounts (including charges for dozens of silk handkerchiefs that Womon had torn to shreds), I had to listen to her scolding as the representative.

    I recalled her sharp voice as she picked apart each item.

    I couldn¡¯t imagine how she could examine things more closely from here. Maybe I should start giving the money to E as she requested and take the change as my allowance. I seriously considered changing the way things were done.

    Then, suddenly, the entire hall went dark.

    "It looks like they¡¯re starting now."

    "But, Miss Anais, about what you said earlier¡­"

    "I said the apology is enough. I don¡¯t want to hear such talk from the ringmaster anymore. Remember, the opening ceremony hasn¡¯t ended yet. If you keep it up, I¡¯ll withdraw my sponsorship."

    She said firmly and then turned her gaze toward the stage.

    I hadn¡¯t meant to apologize but had merely been going to ask her about looking into the ounts. However, I couldn¡¯t say anything more as her voice continued.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, wee to the Rose Windmill Cabaret! We are delighted to have you here!"

    The owner of the Rose Windmill, Bouvalle, stood in the spotlight and ascended the stage.

    He briefly greeted the audience and invited the dignitaries who had supported the festival onto the stage.

    The mayor of Luz, the deputy mayor, the owner of the Moustan estate, the members of the Luz Administrative Committee, local nobles, the colonel of the Luz Mounted Police, the department head of the Luz Police Station (strangely, he was wrapped in bandages all over his body), Director Yug Maroine, and others came up, greeted briefly, and then left the stage.

    Bouvalle went on to exin how the Circus Grand Prix would be revived.

    This was a setting that did not appear in the game.

    In TT1, it was only introduced as the world¡¯srgest performing arts festival, and from TT2 onwards, there was no further mention of the Grand Prix because it was the backdrop for future events.

    I listened to his exnation with the feeling of hearing the game¡¯s backstory.

    "17 years have passed since thestpetition, and this year¡¯s event is taking ce because six Eastern countries were able to cooperate. Kiev, Charlotia, Delos, Castya, Posturica, and Vegas. Let¡¯s give a round of apuse to the representatives of these six nations!"

    Then, one by one, elderly people in suits came up and presented a prepared opening speech.

    The content was filled with various investigations, and it was quite boring in terms of content and structure.

    No matter how much it was called the Circus Grand Prix, this aspect was not much different from real festivals.

    It was a considerable waste of time to get the cooperation of powerful people in exchange for the approval of political figures.

    As time passed, Bouvalle began exining the rules of the Circus Grand Prix in earnest.

    When he gave the signal, a vivid illusion created by a magician appeared behind him.

    A wide semi-circr ind flew across the sea of clouds.

    On top of it, there were ivory-colored buildings densely packed together.

    I let out a slight sigh when I saw that sight.

    It was such a familiar and weing ce.

    The Sky City Hippodrome.

    It was the stage for TT1.

    As Bouvalle gave the next signal, the illusion expanded gradually, heading towards a certain point in the city.

    I could tell where it was going just by looking at the focal point of the expansion.

    Thanks to my perfect knowledge of the Hippodrome¡¯syout and the context of thepetition introduction, I could only focus that ce.

    A smooth circr ring with a diameter of 1.5 km was connected to the north end of the city by a bridge.

    The Hippodrome consisted of several subsidiary inds in addition to the main ind, and that was one of them.

    I had a pleasant smile on my face.

    Seeing it in this way made me happy.

    That ce was the main stage of the Circus Grand Prix.

    It was also where the final boss battle of TT1 took ce.

    The Aerial Theater Wonder Stage.

    This part was already known to me.

    E had exined it to me.

    Participate in the preliminary rounds held at the six theaters in six countries, and if you pass the test set by the theater, you can receive a star from that theater.

    Traveling to six theaters and taking the tests while touring the eastern continent for two years.

    That was the preliminary round of the Circus Grand Prix.

    Simr events were happening in the other five regions apart from here.

    Although there might be a slight time difference.

    In this way, during the preliminary round, critics from an authoritative magazine would assign grades to circus troupes.

    Stars ranged from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 3.

    In other words, theoretically, even if you passed all the tests at the six theaters, if you didn¡¯t receive stars from any of them, you couldn¡¯t advance to the finals.

    On the other hand, if you received 3 stars from one theater, you only needed to receive stars from four out of the six theaters.

    Of course, both scenarios were not easy to achieve.

    That concluded the exnation about thepetition.

    Bouvalle, who had been excitedly talking, suddenly had a solemn expression.

    "Before we begin our specialty, we will take a moment of mourning."

    Why a mourning ceremony at the start of the festival?

    But it seemed that no one else had any questions, excluding me.

    Everyone fell into a solemn silence.

    "2nd Circus Grand Prix. We have not been able to hold this festival for a long time since that day. Many fellow acrobats, singers, actors, magicians, and audience members were injured and killed in a terrible ident."

    Was there a setting I didn¡¯t know about?

    I pretended to pray, covering my mouth with my hand and closing my eyes.

    "17 years ago, a terrorist incident urred on the Wonder Stage of the Sky City Hippodrome. We do not know where the culprit came from. We do not know his purpose or identity. But we know how evil he was. That cursed name."

    The word that came out of Bouvalle¡¯s mouth was very familiar.

    "The ck Magician."

    One of Wonderstein¡¯s nicknames.

 Chapter 57: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (12)

    His alias, the ck Magician, had be quite tiresome even in the game.

    "The opponent is the ck Magician."

    "I heard you defeated the ck Magician once. Give up; no one can rival the ck Magician¡¯s power."

    All the characters from the game were familiar with that nickname. At the time, it had seemed like he had built up quite a reputation.

    However, that nickname had a clear origin. The mysterious figure who had attacked the Grand Prix circus in the past.

    Bouvalle briefly mentioned the name and didn¡¯t bring it up again. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to talk about an elusive criminal during a opening ceremony.

    The atmosphere definitely changed once that name was mentioned. The acrobats sitting on the terrace looked different, their eyes filled with fear, sadness, and hatred alternating on their faces.

    Bouvalle must have sensed the change in atmosphere, as he quickly moved on to the next stage after the opening ceremony ended.

    "Now, we have prepared a celebratory performance on our side!"

    As he gave the signal, the waiting orchestra began to y.

    The Rose Windmill Cabaret¡¯s specialty: the Cancan. Dancers in high heels took the stage, shaking their skirts vigorously to the lively music, extending their legs gracefully. The sight of dozens of perfectly toned, snow-white legs moving wlessly resembled a flock of swans gracefully gliding across the water.

    Every time the dancers¡¯ legs were revealed, there were admiring gasps and whistles from the audience.

    "Wow, thedies¡¯ legs are amazing!"

    "Hey, turn around here too, please!"

    "Would you like to make a bet with me tonight?"

    Thenguageing from the gentlemen¡¯s mouths was far from refined, but their expressions were more decent than their words.

    There was no sign of difort on the faces of the spectators. What might be considered offensive outside was not harassment in this setting. Instead, responding loudly was a matter of etiquette.

    If the audience remained seated while the dancers performed, they would be treated as uninterested individuals. If the audience didn¡¯t smile or throwpliments when the dancers made eye contact, they would think they were being ignored.

    E had taught me the etiquette of the cabaret. Fortunately, our balcony seats allowed us to simply apud in time with the beat.

    "They¡¯re all so beautiful, aren¡¯t they?" Anais said, and I nodded my head without hesitation.

    I had been caught in this pattern several times before. If I responded positively without thinking, she would reply with something like this.

    "Then why aren¡¯t you apuding, sir? Do you not know how to whistle?"

    But after waiting for a moment, the teasing I had expected didn¡¯te. When I looked back, she was staring at me with a smile, her chin resting on her hand.

    "Why not? It¡¯s a great performance. I¡¯m enjoying it."

    This was its own form of hardship. The sight of her smiling with her eyes was almost frightening.

    I almost preferred how things used to be in the past.

    At that moment, Bouvalle returned to the stage.

    As he raised his hand, the dancers froze in ce, the music faded, and the lights dimmed. A spotlight from below illuminated the ceiling.

    All eyes turned upward.

    "Allow me to introduce the pride of our Rose Windmill! A singer who takes the night stage at the young age of 19! The Flower of Luz, Ivonne!"

    A pair of ropes descended from the ceiling. It was a swing.

    On the nk suspended between the ropes was a woman with lush red hair, wearing a deep crimson silk dress that revealed her thighs, fis stockings, and a wide-brimmed hat that almost covered her shoulders. Below, her face was as white as snow, with provocative red lips.

    When the spotlight shone on her face, there were gasps of awe from the audience.

    Her beauty, perfectly adorned, was several times more stunning than when I saw her in the hospital days ago.

    "She truly is the Flower of Luz!"

    "I¡¯ve been a member of her fan club for three years!"

    "Wow! Ivonne! Ivonne! Ivonne!"

    The arrival of a true star representing the theatre was met with an extraordinary response.

    Her name echoed throughout the hall.

    With the audience¡¯s cheers, she began to swing around the hall, even though it was dozens of meters high. She casually crossed her legs and waved to the guests on the terrace seats, asionally lowering her body with just her legs hanging on the swing.

    Initially, some guests screamed, thinking she was slipping, but they soon realized she was skillfully bouncing back to her position, and they cheered in excitement.

    Swinging down from the fourth floor, the rope gradually extended to the third, then the second floor.

    Finally, she descended over the heads of the guests at the table seats.

    Ivonne gracefully bowed to the entire audience, bending at the waist.

    Enthusiastic cheers and apuse followed.

    With the main vocalist¡¯s appearance, the real performance of the cabaret was about to begin.

    The lights returned, and the band resumed ying.

    The lively piano performance was a perfect fit for Ivonne¡¯s name as the Flower of Luz.

    Anyone who heard that song would find it hard to sit still.

    "The secret is a woman¡¯s greatest charm!"

    "Tears are a woman¡¯s most potent weapon!"

    "Jewels are a woman¡¯s best friend!"

    Most of the guests on the first floor stood up and started dancing. Even the dignified diplomats, who one wouldn¡¯t expect to enjoy such activities, joined in with some graceful moves. After all, appreciating the local culture of the host country might be considered a diplomat¡¯s virtue.

    The most eye-catching among them was Viscount Dosville, who had previously challenged Anais. With one of the dancers, he disyed an extravagant dance performance, keeping pace with her steps so skillfully that it was challenging for even the dancer to keep up.

    It was clear that he was not a novice when it came to the cabaret.

    From the lower floor, someone added harmonies to Ivonne¡¯s singing with a loud voice. There was no need to look down; that voice belonged to Minova the Rooster. He could produce a powerful sound without vocal amplification equipment. It was his specialty.

    His singing filled the hall with a powerful resonance.

    His performance was remarkable.

    Despite this rude interruption into the main vocalist¡¯s show, people couldn¡¯t help but admire his talent. Ivonne also pointed to the balcony seat where he was and gave him a thumbs-up, harmonizing with him.

    ncing at the adjacent seat, I noticed that Anais¡¯ face no longer bore the mncholy expression.

    She was now dancing along, shoulders bouncing, and even singing along with the music.

    My heart felt a bit lighter.

    As time passed, the atmosphere of the show continued to intensify.

    On the first floor, there was hardly anyone sitting anymore.

    Everyone crowded around the stage, enthusiastically shaking their bodies.

    The orchestra, led by Director Yug Maroine, increased the intensity of their performance to the point where it seemed like they were throwing their instruments. Especially the skilled drummer wielded his arms as if possessed, almost tearing the drum apart.

    Ivonne and Minova¡¯s voices grew louder with each repetition of the chorus.

    In response, the dancing of the people became even more vigorous.

    It was a worry that the building might copse under the weight of their stomping feet and voices.

    Just as the performance reached its climax, amidst this deafening noise, Anais approached.

    At first, her words were barely audible, and I had to ask several times.

    In the end, I had to press my face against hers.

    Until our breaths touched each other¡¯s faces.

    Her face turned bright red.

    "Excuse me¡­ Ringmaster?"

    "Yes?"

    She smiled cautiously at me and spoke.

    "May I ask you one question?"

    "Of course."

    -"Secrets are! (Secrets are!)"

    -"A woman¡¯s! (A woman¡¯s!)"

    -"Greatest charm! (Oh, charm!)"

    She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

    "If I had approached you with a kinder attitude¡­"

    -"Tears are! (Tears are!)"

    -"A woman¡¯s! (A woman¡¯s!)"

    -"Strongest weapon! (Oh, weapon!)"

    "If I had shown a better side of myself¡­"

    -"Jewels are! (Jewels are!)"

    -"A woman¡¯s! (A woman¡¯s!)"

    -"Closest friend! (Oh, friend!)"

    "Or if I had given you more¡­"

    -"Even if my heart is revealed!"

    -" The secret still remains buried!"

    "Would anything have changed?"

    I could tell.

    This was her final question.

    -" Even if my smile fades away!"

    -"Tears be even stronger!"

    I answered honestly.

    With a smile.

    "No. I don¡¯t think anything would have changed."

    "Is that so¡­?"

    -" Even if my beauty withers away!"

    -" Jewels forever shine!"

    With a thud, the performance ended.

    It was followed by the thunderous cheers of the audience.

    The lead vocalist, Ivonne, the chorus girls behind her, the dancers, and the entire orchestra came forward to greet the audience.

    It took a few minutes for themotion to die down.

    Not only the theatre staff but also the audience were drenched in sweat and panting.

    Everyone had let loose and danced wildly, so they were understandably exhausted.

    People drank the beverages ced on the tables voraciously.

    "Uh, moving on¡­ there will be introductions of each circus troupe leader and sponsors¡­"

    Bouvalle was almost out of breath as he spoke.

    He stood in front of the performers and danced.

    His obese body performed an incredible dance that did not match his appearance.

    It seemed that the rumor about him being a professional dancer in his youth was not a lie.

    With that body, swaying his hips and waist in various ways, he drew both admiration andughter from the audience.

    Looking around at the other balcony seats, everyone seemed to be preparing to go down to the first floor.

    "Let¡¯s go down too," Anais suggested.

    Her smile seemed calm, though it was more like resignation.

    Watching, I felt a sense of pity.

    But I believed this was the best course of action.

    The stage allowed me to go only up to TT0¡¯s ending.

    I had 2 years and 4 months left within my time limit.

    I didn¡¯t want my heart to be attached to a ce I would have to leave anyway.

    Because the moment of parting would be incredibly difficult and painful.

    So, apart from trying to gain mechanical affection from the members, I made an effort not to attach myself emotionally.

    There had been apse in the boundaries with Yurakne and once with E.

    That couldn¡¯t happen again.

    Should I console myself with memories of people I could never be with again and live a life of stagnation, or should I take a clear and thorough means to change my life?

    I decided calmly to pull myself together.

    "Hehe, shall we go down as well?" I said.

    As we stood up, there was amotion outside the door.

    The owner of the loud voice was Porsche Grape.

    -¡¯If you get closer, I will use force!¡¯

    The sound of people cheering and the sound of something being hit followed.

    Porsche Grape¡¯s resistance didn¡¯tst long.

    Soon, with a loud bang, the door opened.

    Porsche Grape came towards us, breathing heavily.

    "Pleasee behind me, Master!"

    The group that entered through the door was made up of police officers dressed in blue uniforms.

    They surrounded us, firmly holding riot batons in their hands.

    Among them, there were faces I recognized.

    Sabo, the young sergeant from the Luz Law Enforcement Unit, one of the Named characters who had appeared as a monster in TT2.

    He looked at us with a triumphant smile.

    "You are under arrest on charges of luring, exploiting, and murdering a minor," he said, pointing his finger at me.

    "The Ghost of the Cabaret."

 Chapter 58: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (13)

    Even though both the singers and actors hade down from the stage, there were still many people in the hall who seemed intoxicated by the excitement of the performance.

    Some swayed their hips and shoulders, while others hummed the memorable melodies with their noses.

    Bouvalle, in a strong tone, conveyed that the performance had ended to some stubborn guests who were still holding on to the dancers and throwing tips.

    Among them, there were even some well-known dignitaries who were known for their quiet demeanor. The impression left by the weing extravaganza of the Rose Windmill was powerful enough to make even such individuals feel excited.

    It took quite some time for the guests to find their seats and even more time to sit quietly in their seats.

    On the other hand, there were ces where people still suspected that the memorial service had not yet ended.

    The far end of the step seat overlooking the stage in Hall 1.

    The two girls sitting there had disyed excellent manners as spectators throughout the performance.

    They sat quietly, not disturbing the enjoyment of others, which was appropriate for viewing.

    However, ording to cabaret etiquette, they had be the most impolite spectators.

    E was ready to prove at any moment that she was the most polite person here. If it weren¡¯t for her current situation, she would have jumped out of the window and run to the front of the stage immediately.

    That¡¯s how much power this stage had to make people¡¯s hearts race.

    Today, she had learned why people often called Yug Maroine "the director." He wasn¡¯t just a stubborn and obstinate old man. Heined about the industry¡¯s obsession with themercial and profitability of performances, but his eyes for watching performances were keen.

    Otherwise, at his age, he wouldn¡¯t be able to direct a stage like this.

    Thest stage of his youngest days, dedicated to his final years.

    She, too, wanted to enjoy the excitement of that ce firsthand.

    But she couldn¡¯t.

    The reason they were allowed to enter here today was because the theatrepeople they had be friends with had amodated them. If they were noticed by people outside the theatre, it could have caused controversy. They might use him of showing favouritism to a specific circus troupe before thepetition even started.

    That was something she couldn¡¯t do, not only for the circus troupe but also for the people in the theatre who had shown them kindness.

    They could still enjoy the performance here.

    The space on the step seat didn¡¯t necessarily have to be quiet.

    They could dance and sing as much as they wanted.

    The problem was that there was no one to enjoy it with.

    The people on the Rose Windmill side left their seats and went out to do their own work once the opening ceremony began.

    The only ones left here were E and Maya.

    And Maya was definitely not the type to get carried away.

    Despite E¡¯s repeated attempts to persuade her, she coldly refused.

    After all, enjoying dancing and singing was more fun when done with others.

    Creating a ruckus alone in a quiet space was nothing more than a rural farce.

    Even E, who had lost her energy, eventually gave up and stared out of the window in a daze.

    The nging of the Rose Windmill was enjoyable just to see and hear.

    But the intention of the nner was to have people sing along and dance together with the performance. That¡¯s how the enjoyment was designed to be truly experienced.

    "If this is the case, why did she evene to the opening ceremony?"

    Maya¡¯s disappointment at not being able to attend the opening ceremony was much greater than expected.

    But now that she was at the opening ceremony, she didn¡¯t even try to enjoy the performance.

    Just sitting quietly¡­

    This was simr to the reason why E disliked magic so much.

    She believed that real performances were about interacting with the stage and feeling the atmosphere on the spot.

    Watching a video prepared by a magician was not fun at all.

    "I guess we¡¯re just not a good match."

    E didn¡¯t think that even if they spent not just two but twenty years together, she could be friends with Maya.

    However, as the performance neared its end,

    At first, E was sulking because she couldn¡¯t enjoy the stage and was ignoring Maya. However, sheter noticed sadness and anger in Maya¡¯s expression.

    Until she entered here, she had been filled with anticipation.

    Suddenly, sadness and anger, she thought.

    E could only think of one reason.

    "Was it that shocking?"

    No matter how you look at it, there was something going on between Wonderstein and Anais behind closed doors.

    If Maya¡¯s observations were urate, there had definitely been some intimate physical contact.

    E could imagine Wonderstein holding Anais with tears in her eyes, and his characteristic confident smile as he pressed himself against her.

    Both of them would have been undressed.

    Anais¡¯s slender body and Wonderstein¡¯s toned and well-built body ovepping¡­

    E suddenly felt her face getting hot.

    She shook her head.

    The little Chick on her shoulder looked at his owner and giggled.

    "What do you know? They¡¯re both adults."

    Sponsors and artists getting along with each other in this industry are not umon.

    Actually, that¡¯s right.

    People with a lot of money are thirsty for entertainment, and artists are in need of money, so they often pair up.

    It¡¯s amon thing.

    But when did those two reach that stage?

    They used to hang out together quite often, but¡­

    Did they really go that far even in a hotel?

    If that¡¯s the case, the dating rumors are not lies but the truth.

    I hope they don¡¯t make it official.

    Fortunately, her blushing will be hidden.

    That aside, this guy acts all indifferent, but he does everything!

    Hmph. Some people assign tasks and then fool around with women.

    He said he¡¯d give his all for the Circus Grand Prix, but all he does is talk.

    Wait a minute.

    If that devil really enjoyed physical intimacy with someone, did he hire Maya for that purpose?

    Because she¡¯s pretty, I guess.

    No, he hasn¡¯t touched the members so far.

    And there¡¯s no way he¡¯d touch a girl with a more than 10-year age difference.

    Just looking at how he hasn¡¯t bothered her¡­

    Hey, I¡¯m pretty too.

    In fact, isn¡¯t that true?

    Ahem.

    Or¡­

    Is it just that my face doesn¡¯t catch his eye?

    If I think about it that way, it makes me mad.

    She thought of Wonderstein, who was yfully smiling at her.

    Certainly, he had a ridiculously handsome face.

    "With looks like that, he should have no trouble finding a date¡­"

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    "Eek!"

    E shouted as she suddenly jumped up from her seat.

    The mouse that had been sitting on her shoulder was startled and slipped off.

    Luckily, Chick managed to cling to E¡¯s shoulder with his tiny paws and didn¡¯t fall to the ground, but he voiced his protest with an angry squeak.

    Maya, with a slightly furrowed brow, looked at her and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "No! Nothing! Don¡¯t ask! Don¡¯t ask!" E whimpered, clutching her head and repeating her distress.

    Then, E suddenly lifted her head and pulled five daggers from her pouch.

    She began throwing them towards the wooden wall in a swift motion.

    The daggers easily embedded themselves into the wall, one after the other, almost like solving a puzzle.

    Throwing all five daggers in quick session, E let out a sigh of relief.

    She then spread her arms wide towards the only audience member in the room and shed a smile.

    "Ta-da! The art of dagger throwing! What do you think?"

    Seeing her perform like this, Maya couldn¡¯t help but think to herself.

    She¡¯s not just a regr performer in the circus.

    She must be really passionate about it.

    "I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t enjoy it with you," Maya replied.

    Maya had her own way of living her life when it came to magic and performance, and she didn¡¯t intend to follow someone else¡¯s style. But she understood that in the performance arena, it was customary to join in the fun,ugh, and enjoy together. She knew how much the assistant ringmaster loved the performances.

    For some reason, she felt sorry for interfering and dampening the mood by following her own path.

    E was taken aback by Maya¡¯s unexpected apology. "Uh, well, it¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to apologize. Not everyone likes to take the spotlight. Besides, even if you didn¡¯t came along, I couldn¡¯t enjoy it alone¡­"

    E quickly changed the subject, searching for a new topic. She didn¡¯t want to dwell on the reason for her impulsive actions.

    "Anyway, why are you feeling upset?"

    "Did I really look like that?"

    "Yeah. It¡¯s only been a few days, but I¡¯ve gotten pretty good at reading your expressions."

    Maya was slightly surprised. Even among her academy friends, there were very few who had reached this level.

    "Was it because of what happened earlier?"

    "Yeah."

    E¡¯s sharp observation skills surprised Maya once again.

    Was she someone who could express her feelings so openly?

    Admitting openly that she liked Wonderstein was quite unexpected.

    "The ck Magician."

    However, the name that came out of Maya¡¯s mouth waspletely different.

    Only then did E realize her momentary confusion.

    "My mother was also an illusionist. Did you know about the Veiled Circus?"

    "I do."

    "The ce where the Ringmaster of Illusion Magic, Veil Arno, is in charge.

    It¡¯s not E¡¯s favorite circus troupe, but she had heard their skills are top-notch.

    "That¡¯s impressive¡­."

    E was about to exim in admiration, but she soon closed her mouth.

    The ck Magician.

    The fact that she mentioned it means there¡¯s a backstory to it.

    Tragedy that urred during the 2nd Circus Grand Prix.

    "My mother gave birth to me and shortly afterward had to rush to the Hippodrome for some urgent business. And¡­ she had an ident there."

    "I see¡­."

    Maya took a small metal disc in the shape of a donut, no bigger than a baby¡¯s palm, from her pocket.

    E knew what it was.

    It was a memory disk that Illusion Magicians used to store their memories.

    "They found my mother¡¯s body at the ident scene, and she was clutching this."

    Maya flipped over the memory disk and showed the writing on it.

    "To my beloved daughter."

    "I want to see what message my mother left. Using my Illusion Magic, directly. But I struggled to learn ordinary Illusion Magic. That¡¯s when the Grand Master helped me."

    "I see."

    E reflected on herself for the past few days.

    She had treated this girl, who hade chasing after her just because of Wonderstein, with such indifference.

    "So, I wanted to participate in the Grand Prix. I wanted toe to the opening ceremony and enjoy the performance together. I¡¯m sorry we couldn¡¯t."

    "No, it¡¯s okay¡­."

    E gave a sheepish smile and scratched her head.

    "And the dagger throw, that was because of that, right? You couldn¡¯t bear it because you were feeling ufortable."

    "Don¡¯t turn people into circus perverts."

    Maya shook her head yfully.

    "But why did you scream?"

    "Please don¡¯t ask me that¡­."

    E sighed again while covering her head.

    Maya, as if she couldn¡¯t understand, tilted her head slightly and looked out the window.

    Just then, the person she had been waiting for downstairs wasing down the stairs.

    "It¡¯s the Ringmaster."

    "It looks like they¡¯re going to have the swearing-in ceremony and introduce the sponsors."

    E didn¡¯t raise her head.

    She didn¡¯t want to see his face, as she thought it might bring back the memories from earlier.

    But Maya¡¯s voice changed.

    It was a bit more serious.

    "No."

    "Huh?"

    "Police."

    E raised her head.

    Wonderstein and Anais Vergsong,ing down the stairs.

    They were surrounded by police officers in blue uniforms.

    Wonderstein and Lady Vergsong were followed by Porsche Grape.

    The police officers were surrounding them.

 Chapter 59: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (14)

    The first hall of the Rose Windmill Cabaret was filled with angry voices.

    Just half an hour ago, people had been dancing, singing, and shoulder to shoulder, but now they were quarrelling, raising their voices, making insulting gestures.

    The police operation this time had not been notified in advance, not even to the manager, Bouvalle, let alone the sponsor, Viscount Mustung.

    To enter a building owned by nobles, it was a principle to obtain prior consent.

    Even if it was an urgent matter and they couldn¡¯t give advance notice, at least giving a warning before entering was the minimum courtesy.

    However, the police did not follow this protocol.

    They stormed in like a gang of robbers, smashing doors and wielding batons.

    Viscount Mustung upon realizing the situation, turned almost ashen with embarrassment.

    Arrogant police officers were dragging away the guests invited by him.

    As a noble, there was no greater disgrace than this.

    His angry eyes scanned the party guests.

    The young cavalrymen from the circus Grand Prix, who was enjoying the attention focused on him, was ignored.

    Such an operation was definitely not something a mere sergeant could carry out.

    There must be high-ranking nobles looking out for them.

    Indeed, there was a group huddled in the corner, peering at them and whispering among themselves.

    Some avoided eye contact when they met Mustang¡¯s gaze, while others smiled triumphantly and met his gaze head-on.

    Viscount Mustung carefully examined their faces.

    The anti-market faction that ridiculed him for running a theatre dedicated to the nobility from a young age. The owners of other theatres who resented the Rose Windmill Cabaret bing the representative theatre of Charlotia. Shareholders of the Vergsong Company inpetition with the market. And the high-ranking bureaucrats of the Luz supported by them. This incident was their coboration.

    Viscount Mustang was furious.

    Perhaps it was because of his sense of entitlement.

    He was extremely sensitive to his honor and detested rumors about him.

    But they really crossed the line this time.

    A cold tension hung between the group that had hatched this plot and Viscount Mustang.

    Nobles and socialites were quick to perceive such situations, more so than anyone else.

    Those who understood how things were going quickly made their choices.

    Some criticized this incident, some defended it, and some remained neutral.

    "We never used such cowardly tactics in our time! It¡¯s a disgrace! Nobles have their own etiquette!"

    "Cowardly, you say? Isn¡¯t he a dangerous suspect? I think the police did a good job."

    "To do this with foreign guests present. Isn¡¯t that embarrassing?"

    "Actually, I find the theater¡¯s behavior, covering up such crimes, more embarrassing."

    "To arrest a mere itinerant magician! The Viscount was just an eyewitness. No problem ording to the regtions."

    The neutral ones were foreign dignitaries or those with good rtions with both sides.

    They carefully chose their words and observed the situation.

    In the midst of the confusion, Viscount Mustang approached Baron Vergsong.

    The two of them had no prior connection.

    It was also distant, and their fields of activity were different.

    But this time, they both boarded the same ship.

    In the face of amon enemy, they had to cooperate.

    "Mrs. Vergsong, as the owner of the theater I apologize for not being able to prevent this."

    "We are equally regretful. We are sorry for causing trouble instead of celebrating such an asion."

    Lord Mustang appreciated her calm demeanor. She was known for her reputation as a prominentdy of the upper ss, but at just 20 years old, she was still a young woman. He had worried that she might panic, but her eyes and her voice wereposed, and she had the demeanor of a soldier preparing for battle.

    "Do you have any idea what happened?"

    "I haven¡¯t heard the details, but I am certain that the gentleman is innocent."

    Lord Mustang noticed a momentary softening in her gaze as she looked at the young blonde man among the police officers.

    Indeed, there seemed to be something between the two of them, as the rumors had suggested. Lord Mustang had been involved in phnthropic activities in the performing arts for a long time, and it was understandable that there could be a connection between sponsors and artists. The problem was that it wouldn¡¯t help resolve the current situation.

    Rushing to defend him recklessly could only make matters worse.

    "Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. There will be nothing unusual today. We should hire apetentwyer, gather favorable testimonies, and we can win in court."

    Anais nodded after considering Lord Mustang¡¯s advice.

    She understood as well.

    The wisest choice here was to step back, quietly observe the situation, and strategize. Shouting that the man was innocent here would bring no benefit.

    It was not the behavior befitting the president of the Grand Council. Disying a loss of control would only strengthen people¡¯s confidence in the rumors.

    Stay calm.

    Think.

    You¡¯re an aristocrat who calctes profits and losses, not a lovesick woman.

    Don¡¯t worry about that man.

    Don¡¯t show such an expression.

    Anais reminded herself.

    She couldn¡¯t afford to be an infatuated woman right now.

    She needed to be rational.

    There would be no trouble.

    All they had to do was wait for the trial.

    The head of the circus troupe, sponsored by the council, being used of murder was a significant matter. With the council¡¯s honor on the line, the board of directors would actively support the legal team. Right now, it was best to exercise restraint.

    If they waited, everything would work out.

    However, their adversaries were more cunning than they had anticipated.

    ***

    I felt relieved as I saw Anais wearing a chilly expression and distancing herself from me.

    Luckily.

    It seemed like she had also calmly assessed the situation.

    Her approaching me here was an opportunity for both me and her to make amends.

    Sub-Quest: Trial

    You have been charged with the crime of being the Ghost of the Cabaret. Clear your name and restore the Circus¡¯s honor.

    Conditions for sess:

    Prove your innocence before the Circus¡¯s reputation reaches 0. (Current Circus reputation: 21)

    Reward for sess:

    [Circus¡¯s reputation +50]

    Penalty for failure:

    [Temporary suspension of Circus Grand Prix activities]

    When Sabo used me of being the Ghost of the Cabaret, I was taken aback.

    I was about to respond in bewilderment when a quest popped up.

    Reading its contents helped me understand the situation.

    I was being mistaken for the Ghost of the Cabaret. How did things get so twisted?

    The penalty for failing the quest worried me as well.

    A temporary suspension of Circus Grand Prix activities? Did that mean I¡¯d be held in custody until my innocence was proven?

    With no better alternative at the moment, I followed the instructions of the police officers and headed downstairs.

    [Circus¡¯s reputation has decreased by 1.]

    [Circus¡¯s reputation has decreased by 2.]

    [Circus¡¯s reputation has decreased by 2.]

    As I entered the hall, our reputation started plummeting rapidly.

    The Cabaret¡¯s patrons were murmuring about my arrest for murder. The news had already spread far and wide.

    Our Circus¡¯s reputation had dropped by 5 in the blink of an eye.

    At this rate, reaching 0 was just a matter of time.

    I hoped that Anais would defend me here.

    If the chairwoman of the board publicly supported me, the rumors of me controlling her would spread even further.

    Fortunately, she obedientlyplied with my wishes.

    But that only served to slightly extend the quest¡¯s deadline.

    "Prove your innocence before the Circus¡¯s reputation reaches 0."

    While the quest was titled "Trial," it was still a kind of game.

    Here, the Circus¡¯s reputation could be considered my "health."

    If my health reached 0, the quest would fail.

    The problem was time.

    Right now, the hall¡¯s entrance was blocked by the police officers.

    In two hours, the patrons would be allowed to leave the hall.

    If I didn¡¯t prove my plete innocence" by then, the quest would fail.

    Having even the slightest suspicion would lead to my name appearing in newspapers and magazines all over.

    "If that happens, my reputation will be ruined."

    It will plummet straight to 0.

    A time limit of 2 hours.

    If my reputation reaches 0 within that time, it¡¯s obviously a failure. And even if I manage to defend my reputation, it will still drop to 0 if I don¡¯t prove my innocence.

    Of course, if I go through a formal trial, I¡¯m not the criminal, and I¡¯ll be acquitted due tock of evidence.

    The problem is that I didn¡¯t know how long it would take until then, maybe months or years.

    The main quest was also likely to fail.

    "It will work out. I will hire the best legal team for you," Anais said, trying to appear supportive, despite her deliberate look of anger.

    People might see her teaching me as something to criticize.

    "You will definitely be acquitted. So please trust me and wait."

    Although her efforts may seem virtual, they didn¡¯t provide muchfort to me.

    What¡¯s the point of being acquitted at that time?

    The main quest would already have failed.

    At that moment, Viscount Dosville approached us with a smug expression.

    "Oh dear, mydy. Are you consoling your lover?"

    Anais¡¯s expression turned icy as she looked at him.

    "Today, something seemed off, and it seems you had a hand in it too, Lord Dosville."

    "I do have quite a bit of knowledge, don¡¯t I? Being a lowly lord without any territory makes it easy for me to be useful. Thanks to that, I was chosen as the prosecutor for this trial."

    At his words, Anais snorted.

    "Hmph. Do you really think you can win against our esteemed legal team with your meager knowledge?"

    "Legal team? Huh? I don¡¯t see any here."

    "Of course, they¡¯ll be here for the formal trial."

    At her words, Lord Dosville looked surprised.

    "Formal trial? What formal trial? Today¡¯s trial is a summary judgment, isn¡¯t it?"

    "What¡­?"

    Behind Lord Dosville, a distinguished elderly man with a bald head and a long white beard emerged.

    From what I heard, he seemed to be the judge in charge of the Luz region.

    "Lord Dosville is correct, my lord. A summary judgment will be held here."

    "Absurd! Isn¡¯t that something that can only be done by soldiers in wartime?"

    Lord Dosville flicked his finger and clicked his tongue.

    "Article 13. Summary judgment can be carried out for nobles used of heinous crimes and vagabonds."

    "What¡­?"

    "Shall I add another one? Article 4. Summary judgment results in a single verdict. Samew, Article 14. Summary judgment allows for immediate execution."

    "Unbelievable¡­"

    Anais turned to me, her face filled with fear and worry.

    But I smiled.

    It wasn¡¯t because of the man who made meugh.

    "Lady Vergsong, whatever happens, please do not intervene."

    Certainly, the system wouldn¡¯t throw a quest that had no way to be conquered.

    There was a way to survive.

    "W-What are you talking about?"

    She looked at me with a frightened expression.

    When people saw her actions, they started murmuring again.

    [The Circus Troupe¡¯s reputation has decreased by 1.]

    Look at this.

    She should be worried that she¡¯ll be misunderstood if she acts this way towards me.

    "For each other¡¯s sake. Porche Grape, please take care of Lady Vergsong."

    Porche Grape nodded solemnly as he looked at me.

    Anais¡¯splexion turned pale as she stepped back, supported by Porche Grape.

    I put aside my worries about her for now.

    What mattered now was the trial about to take ce.

    Those who nned this surprise show didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of waiting for a formal trial.

    Of course, it was a chance for me to turn things around.

 Chapter 60: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (15)

    The judge dered the 1st hall of the Rose Windmill Cabaret as a temporary courtroom.

    The stage that had been a performance venue until just now suddenly transformed into a courtroom.

    However, the actions of the people ascending to the stage were not significantly different from those who had been on it before.

    People assigned to their respective roles were acting out their parts.

    The only difference was that the actors had no idea how the y would end.

    The intiff, defendant, court clerk, and witnesses stood in their designated ces.

    The guests became the audience for this trial.

    They surrounded the stage in a circle and positioned themselves on either the defendant¡¯s side, the intiff¡¯s side, or somewhere in between, depending on their opinions about the trial.

    The elderly judge, dressed in a judicial robe, emerged from behind the stage.

    As he casually looked around the left side of the room, he hesitated midway to his seat.

    Avishly decorated chair adorned with all kinds of jewels and flowers awaited him.

    This was the seat where Ivonne had been sitting, ying the role of the queen on the stage.

    The judge felt out of ce in the extravagant setting.

    He nced at the people from the theater¡¯s side with a troubled look.

    He had been a judge for over 20 years.

    He could easily read the contempt in their faces.

    The people from the Rose Windmill Cabaret had expressed their reservations about the trial in their own way.

    Perhaps he might have found it more eptable if this trial was truly for the sake of the victims.

    But in their eyes, this was merely a political show for the high and mighty.

    It was only natural for the theatre people to have reservations about the trial.

    The fact that his long-time drinking buddy, Yug Maroine, was among those who were eyeing him was particrly vexing.

    So, they consider me part of their clique.

    Looking at the audience, it seemed that most of those on the defendant¡¯s side shared this sentiment.

    The robes, the gavel, and even the court clerk all seemed to have been prepared in advance, making it inevitable for people to misunderstand the situation.

    But that was not the truth.

    He didn¡¯t like being manipted in this kind of collusion.

    But what could he do?

    The prosecution had asked about the trial, and he had honestly answered as the presiding judge.

    The scheduling and venue of the trial had been set for this time to facilitate the gathering of the suspects and witnesses, and the notification about the trial had been requested officially due to concerns about the suspect¡¯s escape from the Luz Police Station.

    The arguments and evidence were all quite persuasive.

    So, what could he do?

    He could only agree.

    The judge made an effort to ignore the mocking gazes of those around him and took his seat.

    Today, the main character on the stage had taken the defendant¡¯s seat.

    He was a young man who was handsome enough to be an actor.

    He seemed to be smiling with an air of nonchnce, as if he didn¡¯t know the gravity of the situation.

    The judge quietly clicked his tongue.

    He never thought it would be like that.

    It was clear that the purpose of distancing oneself from politics in this case was to be understood.

    Among them, aside from the deputy of the mounted police, there was no one with the genuine intention of catching the culprit.

    I don¡¯t know the exact underlying circumstances, but it seemed like their goal was to tarnish the honour of the opposing nobility for their own gain.

    By the time the young man is dered innocent, the reputation of the nobles who supported him would likely have already plummeted.

    In the process, they would lose all the opportunities they had worked so hard to obtain.

    But what¡¯s so good that they¡¯reughing like that?

    It¡¯s like having a foolish friend.

    The judge first examined the suitability of the defendant.

    That is, checking if the conditions for an "immediate trial" could be met.

    "What is your name?"

    "My name is Frank Wonderstein."

    "Do you have any officially provable identity?"

    "No."

    "Have you obtained qualifications to substitute for identity documents, such as citizenship, temporary resident status, or protected refugee status in another country?"

    "No."

    "Do you happen to know your ce of origin?"

    Readtest stories on m_v-l¡¯e|m,p| y- r

    "I don¡¯t know."

    "What do you know about your parents?"

    "I don¡¯t know."

    An unidentified orphan wanderer.

    The Viscount Dosville who was the intiffughed heartily and pped his hands.

    "Unbelievable! I thought so, but he really is the real deal, a wanderer! Isn¡¯t it unnecessary to hold a trial for this?"

    He turned towards the audience and exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders.

    In front of him,ughter erupted, and behind him, ufortable sighs flowed.

    The term "wanderer" mentioned here was not just a literal reference to ordinary travellers or itinerant entertainers.

    Article 1 of the relevantw clearly defined "wanderers."

    Those without a fixed residence and unidentifiable in terms of their status.

    In this era, wanderers, including gypsies, received even more scorn than those who engaged in certain upations.

    Especially in Charlotia, where agriculture was the mainstay and the system of social hierarchy was deeply rooted, there was a strong aversion to outsiders. They had a particrly intense rejection of foreignerspared to other countries.

    Rootless trash.

    That was the perception the people here had of wanderers.

    In some ces, wanderers were even arrested, branded, and turned into ves.

    The defendant¡¯s side received all sorts of mockery from the audience.

    "Ha, the head of the Freakshow Circus. You¡¯re in a simr position yourself."

    "Your appearance is quite striking. Are you not the child of a famous courtesan?"

    "You might have lived a simr life to your mother when you were younger. Hehe."

    Even in the face of such excessive ridicule, the defendant¡¯s audience could not offer much of a response.

    They, too, couldn¡¯t hide their difort regarding Wonderstein¡¯s status.

    "Why did you, sir, get involved with someone like him?"

    "Look at his clothing and demeanour. It¡¯s natural, isn¡¯t it? Could he be lying about being a noble¡¯s servant?"

    "It¡¯s because men believe only in appearances and rush into rtionships, that¡¯s why."

    This hard-to-swallow remark came from various sources.

    Ordinary people would probably have been too embarrassed to show their faces.

    However, Wonderstein, who stood at the centre of all this turmoil, remainedposed.

    He silently endured people¡¯s insults and smiled quietly.

    As if he was used to hearing such things.

    As if being insulted was part of his daily life.

    Anais felt like tears were about to well up.

    It felt like she was peering into someone¡¯s deeply private matters that should never be revealed.

    She had always thought there was something strange about him.

    Whenever the topic of his hometown or background came up, he would quickly change the subject.

    He must have some reasons for it.

    She never tried to ask first if the other person didn¡¯t bring it up.

    Every time, she restrained herself from entertaining negative thoughts.

    It can¡¯t be.

    It won¡¯t be.

    Just look at the way the ringmaster behaves and carries himself.

    He must be from a fallen noble or aristocratic lineage.

    Even when the Viscount Dosville appeared, recitingws and regtions, she couldn¡¯t immediately grasp what he was saying.

    Although she had studied thew, her knowledge was mainly about economics andmerce.

    She didn¡¯t know much aboutws like those concerning the Gypsies.

    But through the questions and answers with the judge and the Viscount Dosville¡¯s deration, she finally realized what he was talking about.

    Wonderstein was a wanderer with a lower status thanmoners.

    Prostitutes, jesters, beggars, itinerant people, thieves, those who were born on the road and raised there, with no home or country.

    While not referred to as Gypsies, they were essentially no different.

    Wanderers.

    A dark suspicion that had briefly crossed her mind.

    And it turned out to be true.

    And in the worst way possible, dered in front of everyone.

    Anais tightly clenched her trembling hands.

    What should I do?

    Even if I try to save the ringmaster, what should I do from now on?

    Shall I try to recruit a defence team in this council?

    No, they said immediate execution.

    Can she save the ringmaster right here and now?

    Her thoughts tangled up.

    She started to feel short of breath.

    Just as tears were about to well up in her eyes, Lord Mustang whispered softly behind her.

    "Compose yourself."

    His voice was calm.

    "If you show such a reaction, they will assume you have a connection with that man. Immediate trial and execution are not possible without solid evidence and testimony. The Viscount Dosville¡¯s words are groundless. Their goal is to tarnish our reputation, not the trial itself."

    Anais managed to calm her trembling body.

    Immediate execution.

    Wanderers.

    In the midst of those two attacks, she lost herposure.

    The words of Lord Mustang were correct.

    The trial was just a pretext.

    Their goal was to tarnish her reputation and undermine her standing in the society. If she showed signs of losing her judgment here, her power and influence would weaken further, making it even harder to save Wonderstein.

    She took a deep breath calmly.

    "Thank you, Lord Mustang."

    "You¡¯re wee."

    Anais was slightly puzzled by Lord Mustang¡¯sposed demeanour.

    "Are you alright, my lord?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "Involving yourself in matters beneath your station¡­"

    "Station?" Lord Mustang chuckled. He gestured with his chin towards the ballet dancers spinning gracefully behind him.

    "I¡¯ve heard countless rumours about being a lord who keeps courtesans."

    "Ah."

    He was the owner of the cabaret. At least, it seemed he wouldn¡¯t turn away from Wonderstein¡¯s status.

    Anais felt reassured and turned her gaze back to the courtroom.

    Viscount Dosville seemed rather disappointed as he struggled to maintain hisposure.

    "Wretched man."

    Then, Wonderstein looked at her.

    Anais could read embarrassment in his smile.

    He must feel ashamed, now that his secret was revealed to everyone, especially in front of her.

    She wanted to approach him, to offerfort.

    "I did what I did for the money, not because we¡¯re emotionally involved."

    She felt irritated by the situation itself and his nonchnt attitude.

    As though he didn¡¯t care.

    Nevertheless, there were many eyes on her.

    She had to act now.

    With aposed expression, she ignored his smile and averted her gaze.

    "I see you¡¯re quite angry, mydy."

    "Who wouldn¡¯t be? Anyone would have been deceived by that fa?ade."

    "What a hardship you must be enduring."

    Sympathetic words from the spectators on her side.

    With this, there would be no more misunderstandings about her rtionship with him.

    Viscount Dosville appeared to be disappointed.

    Ha, he¡¯s shaking in his boots.

    Unintentionally, Anais was about to burst intoughter.

    As she continued, her gaze fell on Wonderstein.

    Oh.

    She inwardly groaned.

    The look in Wonderstein¡¯s eyes as he gazed at her.

    It seemed to carry an overwhelming sorrow, a poignant bitterness.

 Chapter 61: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (16)

    Anais bit her lip.

    Wonderstein¡¯s lips were clearly curved in a smile.

    However, his pupils seemed to be clouded, as if recalling a distant past, rather than looking at her directly.

    He had been a wanderer without knowing his parents or a hometown from the day he was born.

    He must have had an incredibly tough and difficult life as Anais.

    Wherever he went, he had to scrounge for food, find decent work was hard, and once people found out who he was, they probably treated him as a pickpocket, a fraudster, or a potential robber.

    That was the perception of gypsies and wanderers in society.

    The path he had walked was probably a life filled with tears.

    But even after experiencing all of that, how¡­

    How¡­

    ¡­could he smile so brightly?

    There was not a trace of darkness in his kindness.

    His actions were not meant to protect himself or gain something for himself.

    When someone seemed to be in danger, he didn¡¯t hesitate to step in, even if it meant risking his own body.

    In dangerous and painful situations, he always thought of others first and acted.

    And he never lost his smile in the process.

    Sometimes, it was both heart breaking and dazzling at the same time.

    She was so blinded by that brilliance that she couldn¡¯t see the wounds hidden behind him.

    She couldn¡¯t perceive the darkness locked in the depths of his heart.

    What did he think when he saw her avoiding eye contact so calmly just now?

    The noblewoman who rushed towards him, iming to love him based on his appearance, but cast him aside as something dirty when she learned his true identity.

    In his life, there must have been more than a few people like that.

    People who he thought were friends and trusted, only to turn and leave when they learned the truth.

    Anais had a sudden thought.

    The reason he had consistently rejected her persistent advances.

    Could it have something to do with his scars?

    A noblewoman who was the head of a major tradingpany and a wandering mage from the streets.

    He might have been afraid.

    She might leave him when she found out the truth.

    Perhaps that fear was why he couldn¡¯t open the door to his heart.

    If so, her recent action of coldly rejecting his gaze seemed to confirm his anxiety.

    Anais clenched her fist so tightly that blood oozed from her fingernails. Discover hidden content at m,v l¡¯e|m-p| y r

    She couldn¡¯t forgive herself.

    "Please, no matter what happens, do not intervene."

    He had been worried about her from the moment he heard about the trial.

    If the owner of a territory and the head of a tradingpany, who was also a member of the Grand Assembly, stepped forward to defend a murder suspect, what would happen?

    The rumors would spread uncontrobly.

    And it would deal a huge blow to her reputation.

    She might even be dismissed from her position as the head of the assembly, as someone had mentioned earlier from the audience.

    He worried about her even in the situation where he himself was cornered.

    For each other.

    Still, he tried not to make it seem like he was sacrificing himself.

    They surrounded each other with the idea that it was for each other.

    ¡¯Will I not lose sponsorship if you step down from the chairwomen position? So stay back.¡¯

    Huh.

    She couldn¡¯t help butugh unintentionally.

    Did he think his kindness was hidden by such a lie?

    Does he know?

    There¡¯s no man who can y the role of a viin as well as he does.

    Who would believe those words with that face and that smile?

    Even though I¡¯ve seen how much you¡¯ve sacrificed yourself all along¡­

    You really are a foolish man.

    He was a person with a strong and firm heart.

    But even for someone like him, it must have been difficult to endure having his shorings pointed out in front of hundreds of people. Especially in front of the girl who had confessed to liking him.

    Even though he told her not to step forward, human psychology doesn¡¯t work that way.

    It¡¯s natural to hope.

    Hoping that she might still support him emotionally, even if she were to discover his true identity.

    But those expectations of his¡­

    She ruthlessly trampled on them.

    She pushed him away.

    As if iming there had been no confessionmotion earlier.

    She wanted to cry.

    But that wasn¡¯t the case.

    The disappointment and despair that flickered in his eyes hurt her chest too much.

    Anais unknowingly took a step forward.

    She wanted to run to him.

    She wanted to embrace him.

    And she wanted to ask him.

    Was he rejecting her all this time because of their difference in status?

    And she wanted to answer.

    Still, I love you, no matter who you really are.

    No matter what your true identity is.

    She wanted to say that.

    Another step forward.

    When Porsche tried to stop her from behind.

    Wonderstein looked at her, faintly smiling, then shook his head.

    That was a sign of rejection.

    Don¡¯te closer.

    Even after he was hurt by her cold attitude, he was still worrying about her to the end.

    A foolishly good person.

    As Anais tried to take one step back, his lips moved slightly.

    Only she from the defendant¡¯s side could understand what he was saying.

    We have no rtionship, right?

    Anais stood still on the spot.

    She red at him with a bitter smile directed at her.

    His intentions were clear.

    He was trying to protect her.

    Furthermore, he even kindly threw in an insult, telling her not to feel guilty.

    Step aside, okay?

    Because, you and I have no rtionship at all.

    But do you know that?

    You are really¡­ the worst actor.

    With such terrible acting¡­

    Causing so much pain in the hearts of the viewers.

    "Then let¡¯s begin the trial."

    As he stood up in the defendant¡¯s seat, he seemed like someone climbing the scaffold.

    Watching his back, Anais swallowed her tears silently.

    ***

    I was thankful for the smiling man.

    Otherwise, my expression would have crumpled when I saw the message that just appeared in the status window.

    "The Circus Troupe¡¯s Reputation has decreased by 8 points."

    [Current Reputation of the Circus Troupe: 7]

    The exchange with the judge and the Viscount Dosville¡¯s spitefulments.

    I couldn¡¯t immediately grasp what it meant.

    A wanderer? Aren¡¯t travelers and itinerant performers all wanderers?

    What¡¯s the problem?

    Listening to the mockery pouring from the audience, I finally understood a bit toote.

    The wanderer they were talking about, the invincible, didn¡¯t just refer to itinerant people.

    It meant people who were born wanderers, not listed on any country¡¯s registry, without a name in any local resident register.

    It seemed to be quite insulting here.

    Maybe because it¡¯s a ss-based society.

    They were quite sensitive to such things.

    Seeing the expressions of our audience change, it seemed that the words thrown by the other party had many offensive expressions.

    But I didn¡¯t feel that bad.

    This level of insult couldn¡¯tpare to the humiliation I felt when crawling on the streets doing odd jobs during my orphanage days.

    Andpared to the profanity people used in online broadcasts, what they were saying here was rtively mild.

    What bothered me more was the message that appeared in the status window.

    My reputation dropped by a whopping 8 points in one go.

    Does that mean the position of the leader is that important to the reputation of the circus troupe?

    Staring at the status window with a disappointed look, I could feel the gazes of those around me.

    My actions of reading the status window seemed to appear as if I was deep in thought, as if contemting something to those around me.

    I quickly lowered the status window.

    Then, I met eyes with Anais, who was on the other side of the status window.

    She was looking at me with eyes that seemed like she might burst into tears at any moment.

    It seemed like she was quite emotional about the Viscount Dosville¡¯s earlier statement.

    It was unexpected.

    With a nickname like "Iron Mask," I thought she would remain calm andposed in a crisis.

    She wouldn¡¯t do something risky like advocating for me, right?

    She wasn¡¯t a foolish woman who would take such risks for a man.

    When the rumor about being the Puppeteer first spread, he was just a "wandering magician," but now he was a "suspected serial killer and a magician of unknown lineage." If she stepped forward, the rumors would be fact, and her reputation would fall.

    She absolutely shouldn¡¯t step forward¡­ This is a disaster!

    The woman who had been staring at me took a step forward.

    I shook my head.

    Don¡¯te any closer.

    But she took one step closer instead.

    I could feel the gazes of the people around us converging on her.

    This isn¡¯t good.

    If I fall any further behind here, it¡¯s over.

    I had to remind her that we weren¡¯t involved with each other.

    "We¡¯re not involved in any way."

    It was a bit harsh, but I had no choice but to say it to stop her froming any closer.

    She stopped in her tracks and stared at me silently.

    I was nervous that she might make another sudden move, but she pretended to rx for a moment, then stepped back.

    The attention of the crowd shifted away from her.

    Thank goodness.

    "Well then, let the trial begin. Defendant, please take your ce."

    I stood in the defendant¡¯s seat, located in the middle of the stage.

    "intiff, please step forward."

    Viscount Dosville ascended to the stage. He was followed by thunderous cheers and apuse.

    The judge furrowed his brow for a moment but didn¡¯t intervene.

    He then moved on to the next order of business.

    "Defense attorney, please step forward."

    The courtroom fell eerily silent.

    No one moved.

    ***

    The trial began, and Anais tried to regain herposure.

    Although it took the form of a trial, it was no different from the cutthroat battles that took ce in the world of business.

    It was a game of pushing and pulling.

    Right now, the opposition was throwing bait and trying to draw them in.

    They couldn¡¯t take the bait. ying along would be a suicide.

    Anais recalled the advice she had received from her uncle about dealing with such situations.

    For now, the best course of action was to stay on the sidelines.

    "The Lawyer approaches."

    Silence fell upon the courtroom.

    The intiff¡¯s side looked at the defendant¡¯s side, waiting to see who would make the first move.

    The defendant¡¯s side also looked around to see who among them would step forward.

    "Hello there!"

    A man in his thirties with horn-rimmed sses stood up.

    He was Romeo, a ywright for the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    In his younger days, he had studiedw at university. Among those associated with Lord Mustang¡¯s, he was the least conspicuous and the most honorable, free from any blemishes on his reputation. He was the ideal candidate to nullify weak evidence and testimonies.

    Making him theirwyer was a considerate move by Lord Mustang¡¯s.

    However, Anais thought differently.

    The Viscount Dosville was not just someone who had dabbled inw. He was cunning and shrewd, adept at improvisation. To challenge him, they needed someone even more exceptional.

    Among the nobles and dignitaries in this ce, there were a few who fit the bill, but they had no reason to step into this situation. They didn¡¯t want to support someone like Mustang, a trader.

    She returned to her merchant instincts.

    The best course of action was to remain silent and build a defense team for the formal trial. In the process, there might be some damage to her honor, but she had drawn the line, stating that this was not a personal matter with Wonderstein. The damage would be minimal.

    The worst option was to support Wonderstein here and face defeat. That would result in irreversible losses. The council would suspend her authority, and she might be ousted at the shareholders¡¯ meeting.

    The only small satisfaction would be helping Wonderstein.

    As a merchant, it was a choice she must not make.

    But there were more options than just the best and worst.

    The best option was¡­

    ***

    ywright Romeo stood before thewyer¡¯s podium.

    The crowd¡¯s murmurs could be heard, and Anais felt her mind go nk.

    He had always been behind the scenes, writing ys, and now he was standing on the stage himself.

    Her heart was pounding, and she could feel cold sweat on her skin.

    Nevertheless, when Ivonne, the flower of Luz, left her seat, she held Romeo¡¯s hand firmly and cheered him on.

    He looked around the audience, catching the lingering scent of her fragrant cosmetics.

    However, he soon noticed something strange.

    Themotion and the nces weren¡¯t all directed at him.

    The converging point of all those eyes was moving closer to him from the direction of the audience.

    Romeo turned to look behind him.

    There, a 20-year-old woman with green hair and golden eyes, dressed in a bright green dress, stood confidently.

    She turned her gaze to the Wonderstein, who was still staring at her, and smiled sweetly.

    "Anais Vergsong, the Baroness of the Vergsong Estate."

    She raised her head defiantly as the attention of the crowd focused on her.

    "I am the defendant¡¯swyer."

    The courtroom erupted into chaos.

    Even the Viscount Dosville looked shocked at her choice.

    Wonderstein was equally stunned.

    [The circus¡¯s reputation has fallen by 6.]

    [Current reputation of the circus: 1.]

    This is insane.

 Chapter 62: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (17)

    The storm caused by Anais stirred up the courtroom.

    "Is it true that Lady Anais is head over heels for that man?" someone whispered.

    "Indeed, but what¡¯s the use? Her paramour is a wandering murder suspect," another replied.

    "She¡¯spletely lost her mind, tsk tsk. It looks like Lady Vergson¡¯s social standing is now ruined."

    As time passed, the chaotic atmosphere showed no signs of calming down.

    Her deration as the defense attorney was that shocking.

    A judge banged his gavel forcefully.

    Thunk.

    The clear resonance of the ebony wood pierced through the crowd sharply.

    "Order! Maintain order!" he shouted several times, eventually calming themotion with great difficulty.

    The presiding judge had also been taken aback by Lady Vergson¡¯s choice of defense, but as a seasoned jurist, he calmly managed the situation.

    The user, the used, and the attorney ¨C all the elements of the trial were now in ce.

    As he was about to open the proceedings, the Viscount Dosville raised his hand and interjected, wearing his characteristic smug smile.

    "This is unexpected. Lady Anais herself as the defense attorney. It seems your concerns for your beloved have driven you to this extreme. Worried that your paramour¡¯s head might roll?"

    The oue of the trial no longer mattered. This case was not about catching the criminal; it was about tarnishing the opponent¡¯s honor. Depending on how she responded, the game could be decided in an instant.

    All eyes were fixed on Anais, even the judge had forgotten what he was about to say and was staring at her.

    Anais took a calm breath and then turned to the audience, disying a serene smile.

    "Heh, it seems such rumors have spread in society. That I am infatuated with my lord."

    She tilted her head as if she found it preposterous.

    "I originally nned to announce this after the opening ceremony, but given the circumstances, I think I should reveal it now," she said in a calm andposed voice.

    "All the rumors are based on misunderstandings. There is nothing between me and Ringmaster Wonderstein."

    Here, Anais nced briefly at the defendant¡¯s seat.

    Wonderstein forced a bitter smile.

    Viscount Dosville extended his arms as if to express his astonishment.

    "So, you climbed into the courtroom for someone with whom you have no connection? For a wandering suspect in a murder case? Impressive! How can you make such a judgment¡­?"

    Anais seemed to ignore his words as if there was no point in responding and continued with her prepared statement.

    "You must have heard about my incurable disease."

    When she mentioned her illness, many members of the audience nodded. Some whispered exnations to those who didn¡¯t know.

    She waited for people to settle down and then continued speaking.

    "Dr. Frank Wonderstein cured my illness. Even medical doctors said it was incurable. I decided to support the circus out of gratitude."

    Her deration caused amotion in the courtroom.

    "He cured an incurable disease?"

    "By a mere magician?"

    "She supported an unknown circus for that reason?"

    The courtroom became as chaotic as it was earlier.

    However, this time, the judge didn¡¯t need to wield the gavel. As Anais continued speaking, everyone began to focus on her words.

    "That¡¯s why I became the defense attorney. When someone¡¯s life is at stake, how can I just stand by? It¡¯s for the sake of the noble¡¯s honor."

    After her words, Lord Mustang clenched his fist secretly.

    Her bing the defense attorney was originally a move that would tarnish the noble¡¯s honors. But it had suddenly turned into a noble act.

    People nodded in agreement with her words.

    "Well, if a benefactor¡¯s life is in danger¡­"

    "It¡¯s more dishonorable to haggle over one¡¯s pride."

    If Viscount Dosville had not thrown the "immediate execution" use to shake her earlier, people might have wondered why she even had to step forward. However, his strong threat had actually given her a legitimate reason to do so.

    He realized he had yed into her hands when the realization hit that this was her way of counterattacking. He had not expected this kind of response.

    Nevertheless, he did not stay silent. He tried to find ws in her statement in his own way.

    "Was traveling together for a month also a part of repaying that favour?"

    It was a decent attack, given the circumstances, but Anais responded with a shrug, as if to say, "Why ask such a thing?"

    "It was for follow-up treatment. Can a severe illness like that just be cured overnight?"

    "Ugh."

    Viscount Dosville swallowed his frustrated groan.

    Despite his anger, he had no more grounds to attack her with the "rumor."

    The audience members were now well aware of who the victor was in this preliminary trial.

    It seemed like there was more to this all along.

    Come to think of it, it coincided perfectly with the announcement of the sponsor¡¯s support and the sudden improvement in Lady Anais¡¯s health.

    I¡¯ve seen Lady Anais¡¯s machines before. Living with such a condition for a lifetime must be incredibly challenging. If someone could cure that illness, then¡­

    That magician is quite remarkable as well. What kind of talent does he possess to heal illnesses that even doctors have given up on?

    Travelers and gypsies often possess strange knowledge.

    [The Circus Troupe¡¯s Reputation has increased by 10.]

    Wonderstein breathed a sigh of relief as he read the message that had just appeared.

    Initially, it had seemed like everything wasing to an end, but Lady Anais had turned the situation around with her eloquent speech. Experience more tales on m v|l e¡¯m,p| y- r

    With this, the rumor was effectively neutralized, and they could focus entirely on the case at hand.

    However, the trap she had set was not yet over.

    As public opinion began to turn in their favour, she shouted a barb in the direction of the prosecuting side.

    "Let¡¯s make sure that all the other despicable traps you¡¯ve prepared arepletely exposed today."

    The Viscount Dosville swallowed hard.

    The choice of the words "other despicable traps" was quite subtle.

    Originally, the rumor and the trial were separate matters.

    However, she had cleverly linked the rumor and the trial as traps prepared by the other side.

    In other words, she subtly implied that just as the rumor had been baseless, the trial was going to turn out the same way.

    This was another instance of using the opponent¡¯s moves against them.

    They had originally tried to attack by associating the trial with political conspiracy, and now, they were facing a counterattack that framed this trial as their opponent¡¯s political conspiracy.

    The previously demoralized audience members from the defendant¡¯s side cheered loudly.

    They had gained both credibility and moral high ground.

    [The Circus Troupe¡¯s Reputation has increased by 3.]

    With a series of logical arguments thatcked strong profanity or dramatic reversals, she had masterfully turned the situation around.

    Wonderstein honestly admired her skills.

    Among the games he had yed, there were many that required intricate strategic battles and cunning maneuvers.

    But those were games yed from the perspective of an all-knowing observer, stacking clues and ying the game from behind a monitor.

    Hecked the ability to eloquently and convincingly speak in a face-to-face setting where mistakes and retries were not allowed. Her achievement and the confident smile she wore afterward were truly impressive and beautiful.

    They locked eyes, both wearing hesitant smiles. It was as if the memories of hurting each other came flooding back when they started to like each other.

    Just as she was about to say something to him, a loud shout echoed through the hall.

    "Woohoo! Go, Wonderstein!"

    The voice was familiar, and everyone in the hall knew its owner. The man with rooster feather ornaments on his back, a roosterb-like beard, and a mohawk hairstyle rose from his seat, shouting words of encouragement towards Wonderstein.

    From the moment the trial began, there had been a group with a somewhat positive view of Wonderstein. When it became clear that Wonderstein was framed, their sympathy for him grew. They even expressed anger when mockery was directed at him from the audience.

    These people were from another circus group. While it was bingmon for noble and even lower aristocracy to be part of circus groups nowadays, performers like clowns and acrobats were still looked down upon. Many acrobats were orphaned ormoners, and there were a significant number of wanderers among them.

    Originally, the circus itself had its roots in the artistic activities of the wandering Romani people, and they had an inseparable rtionship with it. In fact, among the circus troupes, there were usually one or two wanderers among the performers, and there were even troupe leaders who were themselves wanderers.

    Even those who weren¡¯t wanderers had experienced unfair treatment because of their status as traveling entertainers. Especially, people who had been leaders of circus groups for over fifteen years had experienced much worse times than today.

    That¡¯s why what happened to Wonderstein felt different from the usual.

    "Go, Wonderstein!"

    ng, ng.

    "Silence! Maintain order!"

    The cheers from Minoeva, coupled with the sudden rise in fame, had a positive effect on the audience, which quickly tranted into increased reputation for the circus.

    Wonderstein looked at the man who had stood up with a determined expression. Minoeva was not a character you would befriend in the game. He had often shed with other acrobats, was alwaysining, and was quite jealous. Many yers used him for the sole purpose of sending him off to die.

    However, the current Minoeva seemed different from the one in the game. After all, it was a time when he was at the height of his frustration, having been eliminated from the Circus Grand Prix preliminary round two and a half yearster.

    So, it was only natural that he would harbor resentment andints and be envious of others¡¯ sess.

    It was a case of time changing people, just like Allen and Jo.

    Thinking back, Wonderstein realized that Minoeva had every reason to grumble about having his interview stolen.

    Watching Minoeva, he felt a strange sense of admiration. It was like the feeling of discovering the good side of an ugly friend.

    The atmosphere in the hall had changed dramatically, and Lord Dosville wore an annoyed expression. He felt the piercing gazes of several high-ranking individuals from the prosecution¡¯s side.

    "Damn, who would have thought it would turn out like this?"

    He nced at the woman standing at the defensewyer¡¯s podium.

    Anais Vergsong.

    The entire twist had started with her appearance.

    The fact that she was personally representing the defense was a massive surprise.

    It certainly had him at a loss for words.

    The judge, only now realizing his intentions, quickly struck the gavel.

    Bang, bang.

    "Well, then, we will now convene a provisional trial for the Ghost Incident at the Rose Windmill Cabaret."

    The real battle was about to begin.

 Chapter 63: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (18)

    Three crimes were raised in this case.

    The crime of threatening and attacking the actress, Ivonne. The crime of murdering the actor, Antoine. The crime of kidnapping, imprisoning, exploiting, and murdering three minors.

    "Kidnapping, imprisoning, and exploitation of minors? When he was just called a serial killer, I had still had some good impression of them¡­"

    "Now that I hear it like this, I¡¯m not sure if it was a good idea for Lady Anais to step in."

    "The Circus Troupe¡¯s reputation has fallen by 2."

    [Current reputation of the Circus Troupe: 13]

    As the exact charges were revealed, the looks directed at Wonderstein grew darker.

    It was only thanks to Anais that the public¡¯s reaction had been somewhat contained, and if she hadn¡¯t stepped forward, the quest might have failed the moment the judge announced the charges.

    The spectators on the defendant¡¯s side quickly regained theirposure.

    Regardless of what happened, they had no choice but to trust Lady Anais and watch the progress of the trial.

    Viscount Dosville, on the other hand, looked disappointed as the people¡¯s reaction quickly faded.

    Originally, ording to his n, the public opinion should have shifted the moment the charges were announced.

    "Please exin the outline of the case, prosecution."

    "Yes."

    Lord Dosville stepped to the center of the stage.

    He cleared his throat and began his narrative.

    "This case began ten years ago."

    His storytelling skills were remarkable, just as the rumors had said. He vividly described the events as if he had been at the scene himself.

    Strange incidents urring during rehearsals.

    Rumors about ghosts witnessed in various ces in the cabaret building.

    Girls disappearing at intervals of two to three years.

    Threatening letters and an attack on the actress.

    A murder that urred during the performance.

    The revtion of a hidden underground space.

    And the discovery of the bodies of missing girls in that ce.

    His eerie and sinister demeanor heightened the shock and tragedy of the case.

    Even those who already knew about the case couldn¡¯t help but feel a natural anger when listening to his words.

    "But here¡¯s the thing."

    He had taken the case to dramatic heights and then changed direction.

    He targeted the people from the cabaret.

    He emphasized how poorly the theatre had handled the situation.

    The premature conclusion of the manager, "She probably ran away with a man."

    The director¡¯s callous insistence on continuing the performance despite the actress being attacked.

    And even the cold-hearted decision of the theater¡¯s owner to cover up the case.

    He carefully selected the parts that were difficult to justify and criticized the theater¡¯s handling of the situation.

    His cunning rhetoric effectively piled up negative emotions toward the perpetrator before directing it squarely at the people from the cabaret.

    usations against the cabaret poured from the prosecution¡¯s side of the courtroom.

    The defense¡¯s side also reproached them for mishandling the case.

    Anais put on a rxed smile in the face of the Dosville¡¯s attack, but she was not at ease inside.

    She had figured out the reason why he was attacking the Rose Windmill people.

    If the Rose Windmill people continued to face usations, they would naturally start thinking like this:

    "The Ghost did the wrong thing, but¡­ it¡¯s that scoundrel who¡¯s the real viin, so why are we the ones being med?"

    The anger at receiving unfair treatment.

    That would naturally be directed at the current suspect, Wonderstein.

    The Dosville¡¯s move was not only tarnishing the honor of the Rose Windmill but also aiming to create a rift between them and Anais.

    "I just don¡¯t understand why the Rose Windmill people are sitting on the defense¡¯s side! Weren¡¯t you all involved in the murders? Tsk tsk, you¡¯re so quick to hide your shame in front of foreign guests. My, my, I¡¯m embarrassed for you."

    He shook his head, touching his forehead with his hand.

    The expressions of the Rose Windmill people soured.

    In the end, they had be selfish individuals only looking out for their own interests.

    With just a few words, he had changed the dynamics of the confrontation.

    Indeed, he was not to be underestimated.

    "Lord Mustang¡¯s actions are quite something. It seems like preserving his own honor is more important to him than revealing the truth of the case, right?"

    "I¡¯m not sure if sitting here is a good idea¡­"

    Amidst the audience on the defendant¡¯s side, there was a division of opinions.

    Lord Dosville maintained a smug expression.

    As themotion grew, the judge pounded his gavel.

    Bang, bang.

    "Order! Order in the court! This is a legal proceeding, and I kindly request that irrelevantments from the used side be restrained."

    "I apologize. Thinking about the victims who were suffering in the cold underground, I became too enraged by their behavior"

    "The used!"

    "¡­Very well."

    Lord Dosville stepped back, emitting a sigh that made him seem genuinely sympathetic and angry.

    [The Circus Troupe¡¯s Reputation has decreased by 3.]

    [Current Reputation of the Circus Troupe: 10]

    Public opinion had turned against them. The gazes of the audience looking at the courtroom became slightly colder.

    The prosecution side was trying to uncover the truth for the victims, while the defense side seemed only concerned with covering up the case. In just a few minutes, the scales of justice had tipped in the opposite direction.

    Anais had failed in her attempt to turn the trial into a political conspiracy.

    She couldn¡¯t try it again.

    If it were Lord Dosville, he would not miss the opportunity tounch such criticism.

    "Four people died!"

    "Why are they ming the user for not revealing the truth instead of the used?"

    "Both Lord Mustang and Lord Dosville, are they just trying to protect their own reputations?"

    The political battle had reached a bnce with these arguments.

    Now, only a purely legal battle remained.

    Anais condensed the details of the case in her mind.

    Lord Dosville¡¯s exnation contained too many emotionally charged elements aimed at incitement. She filtered out those parts and focused on summarizing only the facts in her mind.

    [List]

    Anais Bergson (20): A charismatic defense attorney with a sharp mind. Me Frank Wonderstein (27): The person who treated my illness. She confessed to him and he is convicted. E (16): The deputy ringmaster of the circus troupe. She was in charge of the performance on the day of the incident. The Ghost (??): A person who could pass through walls.

    He lived underground in the cabaret and exploited young girls. Ivonne (19): The cabaret¡¯s star singer. She was threatened and attacked by the Ghost. Antoine (42): The cabaret¡¯s leading actor. He died after a light fixture fell on him from the ceiling. Sabo (22): A sergeant in the mounted police unit.

    He was the investigator for the Ghost case. Lord Dosville (29): The user in the case. He is very eloquent.

    "Now, let¡¯s begin the examination. The first witness, please step up to the witness stand."

    Amidst the crowd of people from the Rose Windmill, a middle-aged man with a nervous appearance walked forward. He was the overseer who had supervised Hall 1 on the day of the incident, and he seemed ufortable with the attention directed at him. He was always cautious and prioritized safety.

    In this case, even the police had initially dismissed it after taking his statement, and he never expected to end up in a situation like this.

    After a quick introduction, Lord Dosville immediately began the interrogation.

    "Please tell us about the events that urred at the time of Antoine Beau¡¯s death."

    The steward calmly recounted what had happened that day.

    A mundane life of a dull man leading a dull life suddenly became fascinating from the moment a murder urred.

    Listening to the testimony in silence, Lord Dosville stopped him at one point.

    "Wait a moment! So, there were no outsiders present at the time of the incident, right?"

    "That¡¯s correct."

    "What about secret passages? Were any discoveredter? Could someone have entered the cabaret through them?"

    "We have verified that the passage leading directly to the performance hall is connected to our ¡¯stage area¡¯ used by our staff. If someone entered through that passage, they would have to pass through the stage area. However, the stage area is a busy space with staff constantlying and going, making it impossible for anyone to enter or exit without being noticed."

    "I see. In that case, the culprit must have been someone inside the hall at the time of the incident. Was there anyone missing from their seat at that moment?"

    "All our staff members provided each other with alibis. The audience remained in their seats. Except for one person."

    At this point, Lord Dosville raised a piece of paper as if he had found the first-ce prize in a treasure hunt, waving it high and making a loud noise, surveying the audience.

    "Who is that person?"

    "That would be him."

    The steward pointed to Wonderstein.

    People in the room buzzed with excitement, discussing the testimony he had just given.

    There were no traces of an outsider entering.

    ess to the ceiling through any other passage was impossible.

    The culprit had to be among the people inside.

    And there was only one person missing from their seat at the time.

    "It looks like we¡¯ve reached a conclusion quickly. Who is the culprit?"

    He extended his arms toward the audience on the side of the used.

    The spectators, feeling triumphant, shouted with joy.

    "He¡¯s the culprit! That guy is the culprit!"

    "The moment the invincible man is pointed out as a suspect, the trial is over!"

    "Kill him! Execute him!"

    "You filthy scoundrel!"

    "Confess your guilt without hesitation!"

    Even amid the uproar, Wonderstein remained calm.

    He gazed at Anais with a quiet smile.

    Of course, hisposure was only on the surface.

    Inside, he was burning with anxiety.

    [Circus Troupe¡¯s Reputation has fallen by 7.]

    [Current Reputation of the Circus Troupe: 3.]

    With a reputation of only 3 remaining, there was little he could say.

    Viscount Dosville would have criticized the audacity of the used who attempted to make excuses, which could have greatly tarnished his reputation.

    In this situation, he had to trust Anais.

    He hoped that she would notice the ¡¯contradictions¡¯ in Lord Dosville¡¯s ims.

    "Do we really need to hear further testimony? Your Honour, please render your judgment promptly," Anais said.

    The judge furrowed his brow at the Lord Dosville.

    He was well aware that such testimony alone wouldn¡¯t lead to a verdict.

    However, he was making such statements to elicit cheers from the audience.

    That didn¡¯t sit well with him.

    Maintaining a calm demeanor, the judge turned to Anais and said, "¡­First, we need to hear the defense¡¯s perspective. Counsel, would you like to question the witness we just heard?"

    "Is there anything to question? The witness has all stated clear and undeniable facts¡­"

    Viscount Dosville¡¯s face broke into a mocking smile.

    He also knew that this level of testimony wouldn¡¯t result in a guilty verdict.

    But this immediate trial was nothing more than a political show.

    "If the headlines in tomorrow¡¯s newspapers read ¡¯The Only Suspect Defended by Viscount Vergsong¡¯s as Lawyer,¡¯ it would be enough," he thought.

    Of course, Anais was confident that it wouldn¡¯te to that.

    She rose from her seat, wearing a self-assured smile.

    "It seems that the Viscount¡¯s ims are contradictory," she said.

    At her words, Viscount Dosville burst into a bitterugh.

    "How absurd. Do you have any evidence to support your im that my conclusion, ¡¯the used is the only suspect,¡¯ is contradictory? Show me."

 Chapter 64: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (19)

    "Receive it!"

    Anais muttered to herself as she reached into the list of individuals she had prepared and pulled out one person.

    [Ghost (??): A supernatural being that can pass through walls. Resides in the underground cabaret and exploits young girls.]

    The audience raised their eyebrows in response to the evidence she presented.

    What does she mean by "Ghost"?

    Lord Dosville¡¯s face disyed a bted realization.

    Anais raised her hand to her hip and nodded.

    "Lord Dosville mentioned it when exining the case. The Ghost can pass through walls and is a presence that preys on the cabaret from behind. But if we consider his abilities, regting the entry and exit of outsiders in the first ce bes meaningless because he can emerge from anywhere."

    The murmurs among the people grew louder.

    Come to think of it, her words made sense.

    The Ghost could indeed pass-through walls.

    Lord Dosville¡¯s argument was that since he was the only suspect, he must be the Ghost. However, considering the Ghost¡¯s abilities, it was illogical for him to be the only suspect.

    His argument contradicted the contents of the case.

    Lord Dosville quickly presented a counterargument.

    "In any case, the defendant disappeared during the performance, is that not a fact? If the defendant used his abilities to fly up to the ceiling, it exins¡­"

    Anais mmed her hand on the table.

    "Objection! The prosecutor is making conjectures and not presenting any evidence or testimony."

    "epted. The prosecutor¡¯s im is rejected."

    "Grr."

    Lord Dosville shook his head in frustration.

    Anais let out a relieved sigh.

    This didn¡¯tpletely clear Wonderstein of suspicion.

    After all, he wasn¡¯t present at the time.

    But the "only suspect" logic had been dispelled.

    "Circus¡¯s reputation has risen by 2."

    From that point on, the trial waspletely in Anais¡¯s favour.

    Lord Dosville called a member of the Alchemy Guild as a witness to connect the dots between Anais¡¯s bodyguard, Ivonne, buying the yellow substance on the day of the incident, and the attack being the result of the yellow substance.

    When Porsche took the witness stand and testified, "I bought the yellow substance at the request of Wonderstein," the reputation of the circus plummeted significantly.

    The audience in the gallery even started murmuring about lynching.

    However, as Anais asked a few questions, the prosecution¡¯s argument quickly revealed its ws.

    "Porsche purchased the yellow substance in the afternoon on the day of the incident. Ivonne was attacked in the morning of that same day. Isn¡¯t the sequence of events reversed?"

    "Well, you see, since he used the yellow substance, maybe he bought it to replenish it¡­"

    "Objection! The prosecutor is making conjectures again."

    "epted. Please refrain from making baseless ims."

    Lord Dosville had to hold his tongue.

    Anais¡¯s questions skillfully dismantled the prosecution¡¯s argument.

    His argument was once again shattered.

    Here, Viscount Dosville nced briefly in the direction of the police.

    The detective, who had been in charge of the investigation, avoided his gaze with a disapproving expression.

    The time of purchase of the yellow rose was not properly investigated, and the person who enthusiastically submitted the relevant information as evidence, eximing, "I found it! I found it!" was the one who did so.

    If this were a normal courtroom, it would not have been like this.

    The prosecutor would have thoroughly examined the details of the case and the evidence and would have advised against going to trial with such weak evidence.

    But today¡¯s trial was not originally intended to win.

    It was initiated with the purpose of throwing as many suspicions as possible within two hours to tarnish the reputation of the opponent.

    All that was needed was for the questionable image of the opponent to be revealed. Therefore, they only nced over the logic and credibility of the evidence.

    Lord Dosville believed that he had the skill to drag the trial into the mud with just that much.

    As long as the opponent was not Anais.

    "Objection!"

    "Just a moment!"

    "Please ept the evidence!"

    No matter what conjecture Lord Dosville threw, no matter what loophole he tried to find, Anais immediately countered it on the spot. She didn¡¯t give him any room to breathe.

    Wow.

    Now, the moment she raised her finger, cheers erupted from the audience.

    Even the people on the side of the prosecution turned their tongues in admiration of her argument.

    The people surrounding the stage had turned into an audience watching a performance once again, instead of mere spectators.

    What they were watching was dazzling acrobatics ofnguage and logic.

    ***

    Hehe, so this is the famous reputation of that iron-faced woman.

    A 20-year-old woman relentlessly cornering Viscount Dosville, who is famous even in Luz.

    That¡¯s why Vergsong will continue to prosper day by day.

    Didn¡¯t I say I was going to sell all the shares of thepany earlier?

    Haha, I made a mistake. Let¡¯s move on.

    Among the cheering crowd, Supervisor Yug Maroine felt a pleasant rage.

    The performance he had prepared so diligently for today would soon be forgotten in people¡¯s minds.

    Today¡¯s show, which unfolded in Rose Windmill Hall No. 1, was this very moment.

    [The circus troupe¡¯s reputation has increased by 3.]

    [The circus troupe¡¯s reputation has increased by 4.]

    [The circus troupe¡¯s reputation has increased by 6.]

    As Anais broke each of her opponent¡¯s arguments, the reputation skyrocketed.

    She had surpassed the previous highest of 40.

    The incurable disease of the iron-faced Anais has been cured by a magician!

    A circus troupe led by the man she personally defended! Find adventures on mvl

    That alone had greatly increased the reputation.

    If Wonderstein had defended himself, he would not have achieved this level of results.

    Even if he had used all the means at his disposal to boost his reputation, it would have been a very precarious game just barely escaping failure at thest moment.

    Even more so, if his reputation had plummeted as low as 3 or below, it would have been extremely challenging for him to even speak.

    The ¡¯Ghost¡¯ who had visited her hospital room? Well, this person lookedpletely different from this Wonderstein person, right? Everything, from height to voice, was different.

    With Ivonne¡¯s testimony, the examination of the witnesses hade to an end. Lord Dosville had tried to extract the ¡¯two ghost theory¡¯ from her to link it to Wonderstein, but she had no intention of cooperating with someone who had built up so much resentment against the Rose Windmill people.

    As he listened to her testimony, Wonderstein felt a small doubt.

    When he met her, he was wearing ¡¯Derek¡¯s vocal cords,¡¯ so it was true that his voice was different. But how should he interpret the im that his height waspletely different? Was it just an attempt to mislead Lord Dosville?

    At that moment, Ivonne returned to her seat and their eyes met.

    He saw her red lips slightly curling up through her lush red wavy hair.

    Ah, she had figured it out.

    From the point of healing Anais¡¯s illness, she must have realized that he was the ¡¯Ghost¡¯ who had appeared in her hospital room.

    As all the examinations were thwarted, the intiff¡¯s side brought out theirst card.

    It was the testimony of Sergeant Sabo, who had been in charge of the investigation of the case.

    He showed various careless aspects, but he was still the person in charge of the investigation.

    Even the tiniest suspicions he had uncovered could be gathered to create some small news.

    His testimony began.

    He indeed met the expectations of the intiff¡¯s side.

    His testimony would upy a whole page in tomorrow¡¯s newspaper with the title ¡¯The Much-Awaited Revtion of Sergeant Sabo of the Luz Mounted Police.¡¯

    "There¡¯s a one-year gap between thest victims! And coincidentally, the defendant¡¯s circus troupe started their activities nine months ago! Isn¡¯t that quite fitting? The monster that lurked underground has now emerged into the light of day!"

    His ims were filled with baseless spections to the point that not even Lord Dosville, who was on the same side, knew what to say in his defense.

    "He was even looking for a new victim! I heard this circus troupe has not one, but two 16-year-old girls!"

    The expressions of the circus troupe members soured.

    What did it matter if the circus troupe had some kids?

    "I also have a theory about the motive of the culprit. To elevate his circus troupe¡¯s name, he brought Ivonne down from the stage and made his second-inmand perform on stage. Why do you think he went into the underground? I believe it¡¯s rted to the reason he came back into the world. It¡¯s because he is the ¡¯ck Magician¡¯ who attacked the Circus Grand Prix seventeen years ago!

    He hase out from the theatre¡¯s underground to try what he did in the past again!"

    Sabo shouted, scolding Wonderstein.

    Sighs and moans echoed throughout the hall.

    The judge barely restrained himself from throwing his gavel to smash Sabo¡¯s head.

    Anais lowered her head as if in disdain.

    Lord Dosville red at her while tapping his fingers.

    "17 years ago¡­ Did the defendantmit such an act when he was 10 years old?"

    "Well, if we consider using magic to manipte the body¡­"

    She didn¡¯t even want to respond at this point.

    Viscount Dosville let out a deep sigh and turned around.

    The audience in the courtroom had significantly dwindled.

    Those who had taken sides based on friendship or political logic had all left, leaving only the core members who had conspired. Their expressions didn¡¯t look good either. They had plotted to tarnish the opponent¡¯s reputation, but it seemed to backfire as they now found themselves entangled in public opinion. The dilemma had be worse by the entric police officer over there.

    "Your Honor, can we now deliver the verdict?" Anais asked, her tone filled with impatience.

    With a sombre expression, Lord Dosville nodded in agreement.

    Continuing further from this point would only prolong the inevitable.

    As the judge prepared to give the verdict and raised the gavel, the door of Courtroom 1 suddenly opened with a loud bang, and a police officer rushed in.

    All eyes were on him.

    He was flustered by the attention he received but approached the highest-ranking officer here in terms of the organizational hierarchy, the head of the Luz Police Department.

    The head had been pulled up into the air multiple times over the past few weeks and thrown down, his body wrapped in bandages.

    He had maintained neutrality throughout the incident.

    As the head listened to his subordinate¡¯s report, he nodded with a serious expression.

    "Oh, it¡¯se to this."

    The head skimmed through the report his subordinate handed to him and then submitted it to the judge.

    The judge carefully read its contents.

    All eyes in the hall were now fixed on him.

    What was in that report?

    Lord Dosville watched with a glimmer of hope, while Anais anxiously observed the judge¡¯s lips.

    As the person with the least patience let out the first sigh, the judge finally spoke.

    "Just now, an inspection report from the Luz Police Department has arrived. It pertains to an unidentified corpse found at the end of the sewer two weeks ago. The corpse was missing one arm, and the inspection confirmed that the arm found in the Cabaret¡¯s basement matches the cut mark.

    Furthermore, it has been confirmed that this corpse is the owner of several years¡¯ worth of vital traces left in the Cabaret¡¯s basement."

    It took some time for everyone to fully grasp the meaning of what the judge was saying. However, by looking at Viscount Dosville¡¯s tightly closed eyes and Baroness Vergsong¡¯s broad smile, it was clear that everyone soon understood the implications.

    "I dere the defendant innocent."

    The joyful sound of the wooden gavel hitting the desk was followed by thunderous cheers.

 Chapter 65: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (20)

    ["You havepleted the ¡¯Subquest ¨C Trial.¡¯"]

    [As a reward, you receive ¡¯+50 Circus Troupe Reputation.¡¯]

    [Current Circus Troupe Reputation: 96]

    [As a reward for reaching 50 Circus Troupe Reputation, you are granted the ¡¯Dressing Room.¡¯]

    [E¡¯s favorability has increased by 1.]

    [Maya¡¯s favorability has increased by 1.]

    [As a reward for achieving an average favorability of 10 for the members, you receive a ¡¯Skill Book.¡¯]

    Messages appeared in session along with the judge¡¯s verdict.

    I felt the tension dissipating.

    The final inspection report felt like entering a forced victory event in a game.

    This quest, in the end, was a structure that would be resolved if you defended your reputation for two hours.

    I had prepared to be held for months¡­

    It was quite a surprising twist.

    Of course, I had noints.

    But I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would have happened if my reputation had dropped to zero before the report arrived. Would it have led to the ¡¯Circus Grand Prix activities temporarily suspended¡¯ through some process?

    Would the report catch fire on its way here?

    There was no way to know at this point.

    That was not the only question on my mind.

    I also couldn¡¯t understand why E and Maya¡¯s favorability had increased.

    What did my acquittal event have to do with them?

    Was it just a coincidence that something happened outside while our timing happened to ovep?

    I thought about asking themter but soon dismissed the idea.

    There was something that had piqued my interest even more.

    : Skill Book (Unlocked at 10£©

    : [Unlocked at 25£Ý

    : [Unlocked at 40£Ý

    : [Unlocked at 60£Ý

    : [Unlocked at 80£Ý

    : Dressing Room (Unlocked at 50£©

    : [Unlocked at 150£Ý

    : [Unlocked at 300£Ý

    : [Unlocked at 500£Ý

    : [Unlocked at 800£Ý

    The skill book floated in the reward window, just like the "Phantom¡¯s Mask" from before. It was retrieved by hand.

    The dressing room was added as a functional feature under the "Member Management" section.

    I wanted to examine both of them closely, but now was not the time.

    First, I should express my gratitude.

    I stood up hesitantly from the advocate¡¯s seat and looked at Anais.

    Sweat beads formed on her thin, pale neck.

    Herplexion looked quite worn out.

    She had been suffering for a long time, and her physical strength was considerably weak. Just walking from the carriage left her breathless, and she struggled to find a seat.

    Herplexion had improvedpared to before, but her overall physical strength was stillcking due to theck of absolute exercise.

    However, when she stood in the courtroom to argue, she showed no signs of weakness. With her back straight and a consistent, confident attitude, she argued for over an hour.

    All for me, of all people¡­

    I had caused her deep emotional wounds¡­

    She reached for the desk, as if her legs had given way.

    I tried to approach her as usual to offer support, but it was her bodyguard, Porsche Grape, who lifted her up by the shoulders.

    He nced at me with a slight tilt of his head.

    I could tell what he was trying to convey.

    Many eyes were watching us now.

    There was no need to give them another reason to gossip, especially after the recent reconciliation.

    And one more thing, it was the words she had thrown at me earlier that made me hesitate.

    "I wish you had just pushed me away."

    "I wish you hadn¡¯t smiled at me."

    "I wish you had told me you didn¡¯t like me."

    My kindness and smiles could make things even more difficult for her.

    I was the one who had rejected her advances.

    I still don¡¯t know how to talk to her.

    I feel terribly sorry and incredibly grateful to her.

    Fortunately, both she and I didn¡¯t have the luxury of paying attention to each other for a while.

    When the judge dered the end of the trial, the audience rushed up onto the stage and surrounded us.

    The nobility and the dignitaries were heading towards Anais, while the cabaret and circus people were crowding around me.

    "Well done! You did great!"

    Cock-a-doodle-doo Minova smacked my back and eximed.

    "The ringmaster is the face of the circus. Always be careful of your appearance. If your dignity falls, it affects the members."

    Veil Arno looked over his shoulder behind the stage and said.

    "I felt so refreshed inside. I¡¯m from the same hometown. Nice to meet you."

    A young ringmaster I didn¡¯t recognize grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously while an old ringmaster I didn¡¯t know also nodded in appreciation.

    "The young friend has great courage and ability. It¡¯s a monster circus¡­ not my preferred field, but it might be worth watching."

    "May I ask what your inspiration is?"

    Several people spoke at the same time, and it was chaotic.

    Anais was in a simr situation.

    She seemed even more exhausted than me.

    If Lord Mustang had not skillfully interjected himself among the people, she might have copsed right there.

    "Lady Vergsong, how about going back to your lodgings and resting for the day?"

    Anais made a sound that resembled a sigh.

    "Hasn¡¯t the event not finished yet?"

    "There is time for the ringmasters to prepare and for the sponsors to be introduced. But¡­"

    Mustang grinned and looked around at the people.

    "Everyone here will agree. You have already splendidly revealed who you are. Tonight, the news will spread worldwide. By tomorrow morning, the whole world will know about your performance. And everyone here can testify to your determination towards Ringmaster Wonderstein. Most importantly, I am the owner of one of the six theatres in Grand Prix and also the sponsor.

    I will allow it. Haha, aren¡¯t werades who fought together?"

    At his¡¯s words, the people cheered and eximed in excitement.

    He smiled faintly as he looked at her.

    Three bosses who represented the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    The director, Yug Maroine.

    The owner, Bouvalle.

    The sponsor, Mustang Huck.

    The roles of the three were clear.

    Maroine was a tough guy with an obsession for the performances, Bouvalle was a skilled operator who schemed to generate profit, and Mustang Huck was a politician who bnced between the noble world and themon world.

    By showing Anais some small consideration, he both took advantage of her favour and asserted his presence.

    If he stayed still, the news tomorrow would only highlight Anais¡¯s solo performance, so he needed to subtly imprint in people¡¯s minds that it was a joint effort of Huck and her.

    "I¡¯ll call the carriage to the back door. If we go out through the main entrance, we¡¯ll be swarmed by reporters."

    This statement was no different. It seemed like a gesture of consideration for Anais, but it was essentially a deration that he would step forward and handle things in front of the media.

    Anais also epted his proposal withoutint.

    I thought it was a good idea.

    After all, this was his territory and front yard.

    Stopping at this point was good for both sides, as we had to take the test here, and we had to consider his reputation as well.

    So, we arrived at the back courtyard of the cabaret.

    While waiting for the carriage to arrive, we rested in the lounge.

    When we entered the small lounge with only three sofas, Anais finally copsed onto the couch as if her strength had given way.

    "Phew, phew."

    "Are you okay?"

    Anais was breathing heavily and looked exhausted, but at the same time, she seemed proud.

    "Phew, it¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve been in front of people like this. I¡¯ve always used my illness as an excuse to stay away. After I took the position of chairman, I handed most of the work over to Uncle Pierre."

    Pierre.

    When his name was mentioned, Anais¡¯splexion darkened again.

    She seemed to be thinking the same thing I was.

    Today¡¯s crisis started with Pierre spreading malicious rumors about her. Maybe he was involved behind the scenes in framing her.

    She looked at my face and nodded.

    "Probably. In the high society, there¡¯s a saying like this. If you want to attack the other¡¯s family, seduce the eldest son. Unless we want topletely sever ties with the upper society, the enemies probably had some degree of connection with the opposition faction within the Society. In reality, this attack was more about my personal issues than the Society itself."

    She said that and covered her forehead and eyes with her hand, then leaned her head back silently.

    And she didn¡¯t even flinch.

    Could it be that she had fallen asleep out of exhaustion?

    About five minutes had passed like that when she suddenly spoke up.

    "Lord."

    "Yes?"

    She still covered her face with her arms, and her lips trembled.

    It seemed like she had something she wanted to say.

    "Mywyer¡¯s fees are quite expensive, aren¡¯t they?"

    Out of nowhere, she brought up this question.

    I thought she might be joking, so I chuckled and replied, "Haha, how much should I pay?"

    "Money is not a problem. I have plenty of it. But¡­ well, I called it thest question earlier, but I¡¯m sorry for asking another one. So¡­ um¡­"

    She hesitated for a moment, then lightly bit her lower lip and continued, "Is the reason you rejected me, still because of our difference in social status?"

    I stoppedughing at her question.

    I couldn¡¯t see her expression because her arms were still covering her face, but the seriousness in her voice was unmistakable.

    I pondered for a moment.

    The gap between nobility and a wanderer¡¯s status.

    I had experienced what that disparity meant from the inside.

    The easiest way to answer her question would be to say, "Yes, that¡¯s right." She would probably understand and ept it.

    But that wouldn¡¯t be courteous to her.

    She had not only crossed the social gap but also stood in court to defend me.

    She could have risked losing her position as the head of the family if she had made a wrong move.

    Just as I had shown Yurakne the meaning of the smile.

    Just as I had made a promise to E about two and a half years work from now.

    I couldn¡¯t give her the full truth, but I resolved to answer her with as much sincerity as I could.

    "Anais, I have staked everything on reaching the Grand Prix circus main event. So, I have no room for anything else in my heart. The reason I rejected your feelings is because of that."

    She lifted her arms and looked at me.

    "Is it that important to you?"

    Her voice carried a hint of disappointment.

    I decided to be more honest.

    To tell her the truth as much as I could.

    "To be honest, the Grand Prix circus itself is not that important. What¡¯s important is the reward thates with it."

    Anais clenched her chest.

    "I see¡­"

    She looked at me with a sad expression.

    I thought she must be quite disappointed with me.

    "In two and a half years, I don¡¯t know what will happen to me. I can¡¯t make a promise with no certainty."

    I let out a small sigh.

    "No, I¡¯m more of a coward than you might think."

    "No, you¡­"

    I shook my head.

    Cutting off her lingering feelings here would be the best thing for her.

    "Anais, you¡¯re a beautiful person. You¡¯re a magnificent, capable, and attractive woman. At first, I might not have known, but I understand now. If I were in a different situation, I might have epted your feelings. But right now¡­ I can¡¯t do that."

    I thought my words would firmly sever her attachment.

    "Thank you for your honesty, Lord."

    With a sad look on her face, Anais thanked me.

 Chapter 66: Opening Ceremony of the Reversal (End)

    Anaisy on the couch, stretched out like a wet towel.

    Her whole body felt heavy as if it was tied down with iron.

    Even moving a single finger was difficult.

    In her heart, she wished she could just close her eyes and fall asleep like this.

    But she couldn¡¯t do that.

    There was a knot she had to untangle.

    It wasn¡¯t a problem that could be solved with the 24-hour massage service at the Metropol Hotel.

    It was something that was embedded in her heart, not in her muscles.

    "Did he reject me because of the difference in our status?" Anais cautiously spoke, being careful not to touch a sore spot.

    Fortunately, there was no sign of that in Wonderstein¡¯s face.

    He seemed to be carefully considering something before slowly opening his mouth.

    "Miss, I¡¯ve put everything on the line to advance to the Circus Grand Prix main event. So, I don¡¯t have the capacity to hold anything else in my heart. That¡¯s why I rejected your feelings."

    Anais could intuitively sense that his words were sincere, but at the same time, he was hiding something.

    "Is it really that important?"

    Her voice sounded a bit irritated, and Wonderstein responded with a sly smile.

    "To tell the truth, the Circus Grand Prix itself isn¡¯t all that important. What¡¯s important is the reward thates with it."

    Anais raised her head.

    She was a person who excelled in both wealth and honor.

    She had disyed her wealth many times, but he had shown no interest at all.

    He didn¡¯t even entertain proposals that showcased her abilities on a grand scale.

    What exactly did he hope to gain by putting everything he had at stake?

    She sighed inwardly as she pondered this question.

    She had a hunch about what it might be.

    Among the acrobats advancing to the finals of Circus Grand Prix, various rights were promised in addition to prizes and trophies.

    One of them was the citizenship of Sky City Hippodrome.

    Contrary to its appealing name, Hippodrome citizenship was not a substantial reward.

    Due to the constraints of the aerial city, real estate was scarce, and property prices were exorbitant, unlike most cities on the ground. Obtaining citizenship was practically just a decorative passport if you didn¡¯t have a ce to live.

    Important rights, including voting, required residency in Hippodrome for a certain number of days each year.

    However, if you made it to the finals, your reputation alone would allow you to make a living anywhere in the world without any hindrance.

    For most acrobats, Hippodrome citizenship was just an extra,pared to other rewards.

    But for someone, it could be more precious than money or fame.

    For someone desperately seeking official recognition of themselves.

    "I see¡­"

    Only now did she understand.

    Why he, who had been indifferent to money and fame, was so obsessed with the Circus Grand Prix.

    Perhaps there were other acrobats in other circuses who also coveted citizenship.

    Obtaining official status was an elusive goal for those like the wanderers.

    Naturally, those born as wanderers couldn¡¯t possibly achieve anything significant in the public eye. Street performances, crude carpentry, theft, and peddling were their entire repertoire of skills.

    Thispetition might have unexpectedly be an opportunity for such people.

    "Two and a half years from now, I can¡¯t predict what will happen to me. I couldn¡¯t make an uncertain promise."

    The Circus Grand Prix had returned after 17 years.

    The date of the nextpetition was uncertain.

    It might even be thest chance in their lifetime.

    "Yes, I¡¯m more of a coward than you might think. Huhu, surprised?"

    The meeting between the nameless wanderer and the lord of a small domain.

    The world did not view their meeting favorably.

    He probably anticipated that revealing his identity would lead to a confrontation like the one today.

    However, she couldn¡¯t dare to call him a coward.

    He was someone who would help others even at the risk of his own life.

    There was probably some consideration for himself in his reason for rejecting her advances.

    "No, it¡¯s not like that. I am¡­"

    "Lady Anais is a beautiful person. beautiful, capable, and attractive. I might not have realized it at first, but I do now. If I were in a different situation, I would have epted your heart, but now¡­ I can¡¯t."

    Anais read the meaning hidden between his words. He wasn¡¯t distancing himself from her because he disliked her. It was simply a matter of social status and circumstances. But at the same time, his words also carried hope. Could she wait for him?

    Right now, it wasn¡¯t possible, but in two and a half years, after he officially gained his status, things would be different.

    But why did he have to go through all that trouble?

    Anais bit her lip and hesitated, then spoke up.

    "If what you desire is the official status, I could help you with that. If you be a resident of Vergsong estate, it¡¯s enough. The master of Vergsong family is me. I can certainly arrange that. Moreover, didn¡¯t you save my life? There¡¯s enough reason for it, and there won¡¯t be any downside."

    "Haha."

    But there was a faint sneer in his smile as he looked at her.

    Ah, she realized that she had misunderstood something.

    If he really wanted social status, he would have mentioned it when he treated her illness. He hadn¡¯t asked for anything other than bing a sponsor for Circus Grand prix.

    Did I misunderstand something? Did I delude myself?

    Anais asked with a trembling voice.

    "What is it that you truly desire, Sir?"

    "What do I truly desire? Well¡­"

    He paused for a moment, then said, "I desire to walk on my own two feet and live my life."

    He said that and smiled at her.

    "Was that a bit vague?"

    Anais nodded her head. She understood what he meant.

    He was talking to her. He didn¡¯t want to live as someone¡¯s possession.

    She had been a fool.

    He may be a wanderer, but he is not a ve.

    Excited by the thought that she could make him her property, she couldn¡¯t help but utter words that hurt his feelings again.

    "I¡¯m sorry. I said something stupid."

    If she had been a cold, calcting, she could have used any means necessary to get what she wanted, to have him in her possession.

    But she couldn¡¯t do that now.

    She suddenly remembered something that happened in a mining town ten years ago.

    Negotiating with a man is somewhat simr to this. You need the skill to push and pull, to grasp and shake your opponent.

    Her uncle had said that.

    Would following his teachingspletely put her in control of him?

    "I¡¯ll support you."

    But her uncle had also said something else.

    "Whatever you need, just tell me. I¡¯ll help with anything."

    Shouldn¡¯t one say that there¡¯s no choice when ites to something you desperately want? It¡¯s worth losing everything else.

    For her uncle, it was his wife and daughter who were such beings.

    Something he desperately wanted.

    It¡¯s worth losing everything else.

    In one word: love.

    That¡¯s what¡¯s pounding in her heart right now.

    "I¡¯ll pray that you get what you desire."

    Wonderstein must have realized her feelings because he smiled the brightest smile he had ever smiled and nodded.

    "Thank you, Lady Vergsong."

    They smiled at each other like that.

    They felt the misunderstandings that had built up between them melting away.

    "Lady Vergsong, the carriage has arrived."

    Porsche Grape, who had been guarding outside the door, entered.

    Behind him, E and Maya stood.

    "They told the staff toe this way," E said, avoiding the gaze of Anais and Wonderstein.

    Maya also nced at the two and then quickly turned her head.

    What could have happened between the two of them?

    For some reason, it felt like their rtionship was better than before.

    "Wonderstein, and this is¡­"

    Porsche Grape took out a small note from his pocket and handed it to Anais.

    The note was folded in the shape of a personal letter.

    "Once again, you came and went without a word."

    Anais said this and tucked the note into her bosom.

    Wonderstein knew what it was but pretended not to. It would seem very strange if he acted like he knew.

    "Shall we go back to the lodging¡­"

    As she was about to take a step, her body suddenly buckled forward.

    Wonderstein instinctively reached out to support her.

    Porsche Grape hurried over in surprise.

    Examining the master¡¯s condition, he let out a sigh of relief.

    "Thank goodness. She is just tired."

    She closed her eyes and fell asleep as if she had fainted.

    She had exhausted herself too much today.

    Both mentally and physically.

    Wonderstein held her in his arms and was about to take her to the carriage.

    "Shall I escort you to the bedroom?"

    Seeing his master holding tightly and smiling, Porsche Grape looked troubled.

    As he was about to stop Wonderstein, E and Maya blocked his way.

    They red at him with a somewhat hostile attitude.

    "Are you out of your mind? Carrying someone all the way to the bedroom?"

    "Please put her down, Wonderstein."

    They pulled Anais out of Wonderstein¡¯s arms and supported her.

    Porsche Grape nodded as if everything was fine, but Wonderstein raised his eyebrows.

    Why are they so angry?

    ***

    Title: TT3 Prologue Stage ¨C Complete Walkthrough

    Publisher: Torch Dancer

    Hello.

    This is Torch Dancer.

    Before you know it, the TT series has reached TT3.

    The prologue is not very long, so I think we can finish it in just one episode.

    Now, let¡¯s take a look at the table of contents first.

    Overall Map and Item Locations, Main Quest: Mansion Cleanup, defeat Airdra, defeat Anais Vergsong Sub Quests: Collecting Diary, the Maid¡¯s Final Meal, the Man Who Couldn¡¯t Leave Prison Birthday Gift for Daughter. Support Characters: Porsche Grape, Hound Mars Endings If you didn¡¯t receive the Kill Switch If you received the Kill Switch

    4-2) Hound Mars

    One of the two supporters you can collect in the tutorial stage is Hound Mars.

    Hound Mars is, of course, a supporter that experienced yers don¡¯t use, but there¡¯s no better friend for beginners.

    This character has been a bit controversial since its release.

    They even created an official add-on for the Tril Trilo series to explore each aspect.

    Still, thanks to Hound Mars, even beginners can easily progress through the story. Isn¡¯t that an advantage?

    Oh, and one thing to note!

    Remember that items discovered through Mars do not count toward challenge achievements!

    Name: Mars

    Age: 40

    Affection: 100

    Title: Hound

    upation: Resolver

    Recruitment Condition: Discover the "Dog-Shaped Paper Folding" at Vergsong Mansion.

    Attributes:

    [Map Exploration]: Disys the locations of NPCs and monsters on the map.[Information Gathering]: Bright light appears around the heads of NPCs with clues.[Collecting]: Automatically collects coins or items near the ground.[Item Discovery]: Hidden or buried items float in the air when approached.[Weakness Detection]: Emphasizes the weak points of enemies.[Investigation]: Can check all character profiles without doing any affection work.

    Hound Mars had worked for over ten years for the Vergsongpany.

    However, very few people within thepany knew of his existence.

    Even those who did know mostly called him the "Hound."

    Only the Chairman and Vice Chairman knew his real name.

    He served, Cinepecus, who loved rumors, reputation, and gossip.

    In other words, he was a warlock.

    This term distinguished him from the magicians who unravelled the mysteries of magical powers. Anyone who borrowed the power of the Cinepecus was also considered a warlock. Even an acrobat who had mastered Inspira could be called a warlock in principle.

    He excelled in tracking and gathering information, living up to his role as a follower of Cinepecus.

    In the Abyss, Cinepecus¡¯ domain was known as the "Garden of Whispers," where echoes of gossip collected from all corners of the world resided.

    Mars could briefly visit the Garden of Whispers with his mind to collect information. About three weeks ago, while tracking Pierre, he discovered that periodic information about the master was being transmitted to him.

    "Who is the one in Luz passing on her whereabouts to Pierre?"

    Like smoke, a snake living in the Garden of Whispers twisted its body and picked up something. Mars opened his eyes. He had identified the target.

    About two weeks ago, he hade across rumors of the master¡¯s love affair circting around Pierre¡¯s faction. He asked a different question this time.

    "Who is actively spreading this rumor in Luz?"

    Again, the snake in the Garden of Whispers picked up something, revealing the same target as before.

    About a week ago, while pursuing the trail of Pierre¡¯s faction, he discovered the conspiracy behind the uing "trial." A young police lieutenant led the investigation, and other nobles were at the forefront of forming the faction. However, someone was orchestrating the situation from behind.

    "Who orchestrated this conspiracy?"

    The snake once again seized the same target.

    The hound had arrived in the city of Luz today.

    It was to aid his master, who had be entangled in the conspiracy.

    However, his master had brilliantly ovee the crisis on her own.

    She didn¡¯t need assistance.

    The hound conveyed a brief greeting to his master via a note and left the cabaret. He returned to the Garden of Whispers and posed another question.

    "Who hid the autopsy report of the ghost¡¯s body, and who dyed its release until the situation demanded it?"

    In response to the question, the smoky snake lifted the target¡¯s shoulders into the air.

    The target remained the same as before.

    The hound had a knack for uncovering hidden or buried targets.

    This was another application of his ability.

    "Ah!"

    The head of the Luz police department was lifted into the air.

    He was the one who had been working behind the scenes in this city, conveying Anais¡¯s movements to Pierre, spreading rumors of their affair, and sabotaging this investigation.

    He had done many things, but the most critical one was dying the report on the unidentified body¡¯s autopsy as long as possible.

    If the defense in today¡¯s temporary trial couldn¡¯t quickly counter it and was drawn out, he would have kept the report hidden until it was reported in the morning news.

    "Are you doing this again? W-who on earth are you?"

    The hound had already sent records and ledgers containing his misdeeds to various newspapers.

    With this, the threat to his master in this city would be eliminated for a while.

    The hound turned around when he heard the man¡¯s cry and saw the police officers who had arrived to pull him down from the air.

    He pondered on who his next prey would be.

    In the garden of whispers, there were voices that couldn¡¯t be heard.

    First, it was when he truly didn¡¯t want his name to be mentioned by people.

    Most of the followers of Cinepecus entered here. They were ustomed to hiding their true names and moving in the shadows. Many of the invincible ones who operated in the underworld were also included here.

    Secondly, they were high-ranking priests of the Holy Church. They had the power to exclude the authority of the demons dwelling in the Abyss. By the time they became bishops, there was hardly any information that could be collected about them other than their names or brief profiles. The Pope, inquisitors, or saints were as nk as a white page.

    Lastly, they were the ones referred to as "apostles" among the worshippers of other demons.

    Apostles represented the will of the respective demon in this world.

    They could be considered as performing a role simr to that of the "priests" of religion.

    The power of Cinepecus was not absorbed by the abilities of the other demons within the body of the apostle.

    The hound sniffed the air.

    Since the rumor of the affair had spread, he had been thoroughly investigating the man beside his master.

    He even utilized the whispers in the garden.

    But not a single name came to mind.

    The second one was definitely not the one.

    The first or the third were undoubtedly the right ones.

    If the hound hade to Lose today and the status as the wanderer had not been revealed, he didn¡¯t know if he would have left a warning to his master to be cautious of him.

    The notion that a magician was an unholy being was a deliberate propaganda spread by the Holy Church, but there was no way that an apostle, a being of the same status, would have even a drop of blood on his hands while representing the will of the demon.

    He hesitated for a moment and then headed in the direction of the Caribbean.

    He provisionally concluded that the man beside his master was harmless.

    What was important now was to thoroughly investigate for who Mars was serving.

    The Whispering Garden was still buzzing with whispers even after Mars came out.

    The Whispering Garden had umted a wealth of information.

    For hundreds, even thousands of years, all the rumors and conversations that had travelled the world were buried deep beneath the garden.

    Among them, there was a fragment of a conversation that had taken ce ten years ago between an uncle and his niece.

    "No, remember this. If you¡¯re wandering in the desert and someone suddenly appears in front of you holding water that you desperately want, it might contain poison."

    The long-buried whispers rose like dust and then disappeared.

    The girl in the dream denied her uncle¡¯s words.

    What she had discovered was truly sweet and warm.

    A smile formed on her sleeping lips.

 Chapter 67: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (1)

    Gascon was the manager of the "Tomato Greenhouse."

    The Tomato Greenhouse referred to the garden area located northwest of the closed ck pce, which was where the official residence of Charlotia¡¯s ruler. Being the manager of the Tomato Greenhouse was no different from being called Charlotia¡¯s top gardener.

    The reason Gascon wasn¡¯t called the royal gardener was that Charlotia no longer had a royal family.

    The royal people had been executed, the pce closed, and the queen had disappeared.

    Gascon was the top candidate to be called the royal gardener on the day the missing Queen Charlotte returned. Every time he entered the official residence, he would imagine himself as the royal gardener.

    However, the queen who had disappeared before he turned 10 had not been found even when he was over 60 years old. Queen Charlotte was now considered a character from a fairy tale used to exin why this country was called "Charlotia."

    Among the younger generation who did not remember the queen¡¯s reign, there was a growing opinion that it might be better to recognize the reigning family as the royal family. They thought the fact that the reigning family governed the country itself undermined the country¡¯s reputation.

    Gascon inwardly scoffed at these foolish remarks when he saw young people making such na?vements in the tavern. But he refrained from getting angry as he didn¡¯t want toe off as an old man muttering, "The queen¡¯s time was better."

    Foolish people.

    Don¡¯t they realize that assigning an unseen figure as the country¡¯s owner can have a unifying effect on a divided nation? Look at the Papal States and the Pope.

    Gascon had held the position of Tomato Greenhouse manager for over 30 years.

    Three decades was enough time for a person who considered digging in the earth and tending to nts as his calling to develop a political perspective. Especially someone in a position where they could observe theughter and tears of Charlotia¡¯s top leader from beyond the bushes.

    Gascon remembered the first time he entered the official residence.

    The country¡¯s leader was a much weaker figure than he had expected.

    His role was always to cater to the whims of the aristocracy, carefully navigating the politics and conflicts between noble factions, and sometimes even pretending to be helpless to y to his advantage.

    His son had more strength than his father, so the act of helplessness was no longer necessary.

    His grandson, the current ruler, had recently ascended to the throne, but the gardener was convinced he was worse off than his predecessor.

    This was because the previous ruler could at least raise his voice to his wife and handle the estate¡¯s hunting dogs, but the current ruler couldn¡¯t even confront his own mother or control the garden¡¯s hunting dogs.

    Just by looking at that, it was clear that he was less capable than his father.

    Even those who hadn¡¯t known him for 30 years, like the gardener, could sense it.

    The gardener had heard a few days ago that the garden in the Metropol Hotel of Luz was in disarray.

    It was a ce he had perfected thendscaping of, and the former ruler¡¯s wife had praised it. He used to visit once a year to maintain its shape.

    When he heard about the ident, he naturally thought he would be called.

    The woman who had been the former ruler¡¯s wife was now the current ruler¡¯s mother, and the current ruler couldn¡¯t defy his mother¡¯s words.

    However, no orders came from the current ruler¡¯s residence for his trip.

    The current ruler hadn¡¯t suddenly started rebelling against his mother.

    But that didn¡¯t mean he was foolish enough to leave the garden of the hotel where influential nobles often stayed unattended when he didn¡¯t have to.

    When he heard the gardener¡¯s request to go to Luz, he gave an awkward smile and dodged the question.

    Instead, he suggested going on vacation.

    Gascon, with his thirty-year experience, could sense there was a political issue at hand.

    If the gardener, armed with the purity of the artisan spirit from thirty years ago, had still been around, he would have packed his trunk with his equipment and left for the Luz-bound airship, whether asked to or not.

    However, he was not the same as he was in his youth.

    Firstly, he was too old to lift a trunk containing all his equipment by himself.

    Secondly, he had learned over the years that it was best not to meddle in political disputes.

    Politicians often interpreted even a meaningless flower message or a particr form of gardenndscaping in the background as an implication directed towards them.

    The former head gardener of estate was dismissed thanks to aint he made to the authorities after seeing a seagull prostrating itself in front of the emblematic animal of a rival family, which he believed was a political signal.

    Though the times were not quite as treacherous now, Gascon always tried to be cautious.

    The Lord of Charlotia was trained from generation to generation to express the phrase ¡¯I am neutral¡¯ through physical signals, verbal narratives, or political actions whenever necessary.

    At this moment, he seemed to want to avoid any political interpretation that sending his own gardener to Luz for garden repairs could imply taking the side of the noble who had rented the hotel.

    In preparation forter events, the Lord granted his gardener a special 30day vacation.

    This provided him with an excuse for not having sent the gardener to Luz.

    The elderly gardener exchanging a flight ticket to Flnde for a ticket to Luz was not because he suddenly disliked the warm sun in Flnde or was captivated by the mour of Luz.

    It was not due to anger at the current situation, which was insulting the work he had dedicated his life to.

    Over the past 30 years, the gardener had also learned politics.

    He was prepared for the day when the Lady of the Sebjeong Family would learn the truth and be angry. So, he came to Luz during his vacation to secretly visited the Metropole Hotel.

    The hotel manager dly agreed to keep it a secret upon the request of the top gardener of Charlotia. He offered him a corner room with fewer chances of encountering other guests.

    Gascon opened his trunk and took out a worn straw hat, putting it on, and donned a pair of overalls. Besides his work clothes, the trunk was filled with various tools such as a hoe, hammer, measuring tape, lighter, soap, pliers, pruning scissors, hand shears, a small saw, nails for fastening, rings, and rubber bands for tying.

    He had brought these things with him, worrying about the state of the southern garden even while on vacation, and they proved useful at this moment.

    Taking only a few basic measuring tools and marking chalk, Gascon went out to the garden.

    The garden looked as if a bomb had gone off.

    The earth was turned upside down, with scorched areas in the center, and flowers and trees were tangled like discarded rubbish.

    "It seems some troublemakers have had their way."

    He frowned as he looked at the expensivendscaping nts strewn on the ground. He had been carefully nurturing them, regting water and sunlight from the time they were just seedlings, but they all seemed to bepletely ruined.

    "From here to there, I¡¯ll need topletely redesign, and, well, here, I can just rece the nts from the arboretum. Over there, a little pruning should suffice¡­"

    Muttering to himself, Gascon surveyed the garden. In the corner, he noticed someone standing there.

    The person held garden tools, a knife, and scissors in his hands, carefully inspecting a tree he had just suggested pruning.

    "Hmm, did they hire a gardener at the hotel? I never heard anything about that from the estate manager."

    Gascon scrutinized the person with interest. The young man had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a well-sculpted face. He was tall, with fair and smooth skin. His appearance did not fit that of a typical gardener. His attire resembled what you¡¯d expect someone working in the hotel to wear. He seemed to be a young man hired to clean up the damaged remnants.

    Gascon muttered inwardly, "If he came to work, he should be working. Looks can be deceiving."

    The gardener muttered something to himself. At that moment, he suddenly brought the knife to the edge of the peeled tree bark.

    Gascon involuntarily shivered as he watched the movement. The way he handled the knife was far too smooth and precise for someone who appeared to have no knowledge of gardening. It was the skill of an experienced gardener who had been studying trees for decades.

    Carefully, he continued to work. What was astonishing was not just his appearance. His skill in handling the damaged bark was impable. The apprentices working under Gascon were far less skilled than this young man.

    Gascon watched with a slightly tense expression, waiting to see what the young man would do next.

    Peeling the bark was not something that could be done haphazardly by tearing off the damaged parts. It required the ability to examine the inneryers, inspect the direction of the tree¡¯s growth, and predict the shape and thickness of the new bark as it regrew. It was a task that couldn¡¯t be solved with mere manual dexterity.

    It required the experience of observing how a tree grew and recovered over a long period of time.

    For someone like Gascon, just a quick examination of the inneryers would reveal precisely where to cut.

    All things considered, there was only one correct line where the knife had to be inserted at this particr wounded section of the tree. If the line deviated by just 1cm, thepletion rate dropped to 90%, and if it deviated by 2cm, thepletion rate plummeted below 50%.

    Gascon couldn¡¯t understand why he was so nervous.

    Just because his knife skills had been slightly proficient just now, there was no reason to be surprised.

    Although his appearance didn¡¯t show it, he seemed to be in his mid-twenties, so he could have had about ten years of experience.

    So, his skill was understandable.

    Peeling the skin was not something a young man like him could grasp just by looking at it for a moment.

    The best that gardeners of his age could do was to bring a gardening manual and calcte things here and there, or first cut and then watch it grow, trimming a bit at a time.

    The young man pressed the knife against the bark.

    There was no tension on his face at all.

    Only a calm smile was there.

    His knife moved.

    "Ah."

    Gascon involuntarily made a sound.

    It was because the knife had entered the line he had predicted with an uracy of 0.1 cm.

    His knife skills were truly perfect.

    "Who are you?"

    The young man turned to the old man.

    Gascon unconsciously swallowed his saliva.

 Chapter 68: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (2)

    The young man¡¯s de, which had been entering at a perfect angle, wavered and went slightly off target the moment he made a sound.

    As a result, the de identally grazed the inner cambium(??) of the trunk.

    A hazy liquid sprayed out.

    "Oh, this¡­"

    With that, the trimming of the bark was ruined. Unless the inner cambium of that portion waspletely cut off, that type of tree would never grow into a beautiful shape.

    The de wielded by the young man might look like an ordinary strike to an onlooker, but Gascon could tell.

    It was a highly concentrated skill that required precise control down to one¡¯s fingertips, and it wouldn¡¯te out without utmost focus.

    In such a situation, anyone who quietly approached and disrupted that focus was bound to irritate the person. And that annoyance was bound to show on their face.

    Courtesy is about considering those around you.

    For someone who had entered the realm of perfect concentration, there was nothing outside.

    It was only going inward.

    This was a phenomenon simr to what magicians call a meditative state.

    In such a situation, emotions unintentionally surfaced on a person¡¯s face.

    It was not easy to hide.

    Were there no stories of such incidents?

    A living saintly monk, revered by many, finally reached the end of a long period of fasting till death. But when his mischievous disciple attempted to steal hisst meal, the monk, not even realizing it himself, furrowed his brows and cursed, recognizing that his own practice had gone astray, and he returned to prayer.

    Even the ascetic monk who had endured such hardships found it difficult to conceal emotions in a state of perfect concentration.

    Irritation. Anger. Disgust. Contempt.

    Gascon didn¡¯t doubt that the young man would show these emotions towards him for disrupting his focus.

    But the old man was surprised by an unexpected sight.

    "Who are you?"

    He couldn¡¯t find a single trace of dark emotions on his face as he gazed at him.

    Only pure curiosity.

    He looked at him with the innocent, eager eyes of a child.

    "Um, sorry. I disturbed your work."

    The old man unintentionally lowered his head.

    If his disciples had seen this, they would be astonished.

    The old troublemaker, a grumpy old man, apologizing to a young stranger.

    Gascon couldn¡¯t understand why he was acting this way.

    He would have preferred it if the young man had expressed anger or cursed at him; he could have brushed it off with confidence¡­

    "No, I just swung without any particr thought, haha."

    The young man burst intoughter.

    When Gascon heard hisughter, he felt as though something has pierced his chest.

    Swung without any thought?

    Gascon let out a hollowugh without even realizing it himself.

    Many craftsmen had reached the pinnacle of their craft. No matter how untalented someone may be, dedicating their life to a single field often resulted in producing one or two masterpieces from the ocean of devotion.

    Among craftsmen, there were those who were unwaveringly dedicated to their craft and had no attachment to any other field.

    However, it was difficult to find someone who had no obsession with the pinnacle of their craft, even if they were a master who had transcended their life.

    Most of them hoped to create a masterpiece that they could offer in life.

    But here was a kind of human he had never seen before since he was born.

    He appeared to be no more than 30 years old, but the skills he had mastered in his body far exceeded those of veteran craftsmen who had honed their craft for decades, and his experience seemed equally impressive.

    Despite possessing such skill, there was not a hint of arrogance or conceit in him.

    Where did this fellowe from?

    "Have you ever learned garden work?"

    The young man hesitated for a moment before nodding.

    "No. I just learned a little bit by watching over someone¡¯s shoulder."

    When he worked as a garden assistant, Gascon also used to steal techniques. He nodded.

    "I saw a little earlier, and¡­ it seems you have some talent."

    "Thank you."

    "But with that level of skill, do you dare toy hands on this expensive garden?"

    Gascon said with an annoyed tone. Even young people without any ambition tend to get irritated when they hear such disparaging remarks.

    "I¡¯m sorry."

    "Doing it this way will ruin the garden. If you do as I instruct, you might avoid causing too much damage. What do you say? Can you follow my directions?"

    Gascon tried to provoke the young man¡¯spetitive spirit.

    The young man who appeared to be quite carefree, he wanted to see his passionate performance.

    It was an emotion he had never felt in his entire life.

    However, the words that came out of his mouth were shocking.

    "I have no intention of bing a gardener."

    "What, what did you say¡­?"

    Gascon¡¯s face twisted in disbelief.

    He couldn¡¯t understand what he was talking about.

    And he couldn¡¯t understand why he was so angry at his words.

    "Then why did you work on this garden?"

    He shouted angrily.

    The young man smiled awkwardly.

    "Just wanted to test my skills¡­"

    "Test your skills? With your meager abilities? Haha! This guy is a real joke. What can you possibly test with such pathetic skills!"

    Gascon was genuinely furious.

    With his level of talent, he could achieve anything, and yet¡­

    "Indeed, that¡¯s how it is. It¡¯s only natural that he had no ambition. If he¡¯s a guy with such a rotten and arrogant mindset."

    It was clear that he had some extraordinary skills.

    Discovering the hidden pruning point earlier must have been a mere stroke of luck.

    "Now, pick up the knife and scissors! I, the manager of the Tomato Greenhouse, will show you how truly difficult garden work can be!"

    The stubbornness in his words made the young man look embarrassed, but he reluctantly got up and followed Gascon¡¯s instructions.

    So, under Gascon¡¯s guidance, the young man pruned branches, wiped petals, arranged stones, and tidied up stems.

    As Gascon watched the young man work, his anger melted away like snow in the sun.

    He wasn¡¯t just someone with slightly better skills.

    If there were such things as garden gods, he could be considered one.

    His im of not having learned proper gardening techniques was not out of humility or deceit. It was because he nonchntly ignored or surpassed what should have beenmon knowledge in the industry.

    "I¡¯m amazed, truly amazed. What an astonishing talent."

    But what surprised Gascon even more was the young man¡¯s attitude, which seemed detached from his own fate.

    He didn¡¯t show the slightest interest in the sry or benefits he was receiving, as if the matter had nothing to do with him, offering only a faint, wistful smile.

    The old gardener was curious.

    What had turned this young man, who was no more than his twenties, into an old man who had lived a full life?

    After the young man bid farewell and left, Gascon summoned the hotel manager to inquire about his identity.

    Upon hearing the old man¡¯s exnation, the manager nodded.

    "That would be Ringmaster Wonderstein."

    "And who is that?"

    "Didn¡¯t you hear about the Circus Grand Prix opening ceremony in the news the day before yesterday?

    "I was on a ne at that time," he said. He was then recounted about the conspiracy and trial that took ce at the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    If Wonderstein had heard it, he would have pointed out that there was some exaggeration in his ount.

    He hadn¡¯t even received a rotten tomato baptism, hadn¡¯t been dragged onto the stage like a dog by angry nobles, and hadn¡¯t been spat on in the face.

    Gascon, upon hearing the story, let out an ufortable groan.

    He had always considered Wonderstein to be a fallen aristocrat or at least a court jester based on his appearance and behavior. After all, a gardener was someone who worked for nobility or a major household. It required a certain status and formality. In practice, it was a profession bordering on the nobility.

    He had never heard of gardeners who were Gypsies or wandering gardeners.

    "I¡¯m a gardener?"

    His smile and the look in his eyes that appeared with it.

    The old gardener now understood what that meant.

    Such talent thwarted by social status.

    If this had happened just a while ago, he would have felt disillusioned by his proposal.

    In the midst of his heart pounding with anger and pity, the old gardener realized why he had be increasingly sarcastic and cowardly, resenting the young and finding fault in everything.

    It was because hecked talent.

    Gascon, who had be the manager of a tomato greenhouse in his thirties, had not found any recement talent in the thirty years since.

    So everything had be meaningless.

    He was annoyed and frustrated with everything because he constantly felt that he had invested his whole life in the garden but it would crumble when he died.

    And the reason he had found pleasure in watching the young Wonderstein was the exact opposite.

    Only now did he understand the true feelings that his teacher had expressed, saying he was fortunate to leave.

    Suddenly, he envied his teacher.

    He, too, wanted to leave like that.

    A fire was ignited in his decaying heart, emitting a foul odor.

    "Have my legacy."

    Politics, status, power.

    Suddenly, none of that was frightening at all.

    For the first time in a long while, he felt like he had returned to being a pure artisan.

    That afternoon, rumors spread across Charlotia about Sebjeong¡¯s support for the Vergsong family in the dispute that had spilled over among the nobility in this region.

    Originally, he had maintained a somewhat ambiguous stance on this issue.

    In ordinary circumstances, what Sebjeong did was his own business, but many people were disappointed in his actions in a situation where the nation¡¯s prestige was at stake due to a major incident during an international event.

    However, was his attitude all just a ruse?

    He secretly dispatched Gascon Halidon, the Tomato Greenhouse gardener, to the hotel where the Vergsong family was staying. Sending the gardener was a way of conveying a message.

    In conflicts among nobles, it wasmon for Sebjeong to subtly insert a message when he got involved.

    ording to Sebjeong¡¯s usual personality, it would probably end with just restoring the garden.

    Make amends and go back to his usual ce.

    However, the audacity continued.

    In the restored hotel, a new sculpture was erected, something that had not been there before.

    The meaning of it was clear to anyone, even those who had only skimmed the surface of the incident.

    He had bent the rose vines into a windmill shape, and even the presence of white roses symbolizing innocence and acquittal sent a very obvious message.

    The Sebjeong family was well-known for its generations of strict neutrality and a conservative attitude.

    There was even a saying that the one who underestimated Sebjeong¡¯s power the most was Sebjeong themselves.

    But this Sebjeong family was acting differently.

    Was the rumor that the new Sebjeong was timider and more foolish than his father distorted?

    Or was it Sebjeong¡¯s own disguise?

    It hadn¡¯t been long since he took office, yet he had lifted his head.

    The nobles of Luz tried to subtly uncover clues about Sebjeong¡¯s true intentions by inviting the gardener to their residence, but he urgently boarded an airship and returned, so they couldn¡¯t ask him.

    One thing was certain, the power struggle among the nobility in the Luz region had ended in the victory of the Lord Mustang and the Vergsong family, that much was certain.

 Chapter 69: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (3)

    I ended up spending the morning in the garden, caught by a strange old man. Wearing a straw hat, overalls, and holding tools, he appeared to be a gardener hired by the hotel. It seemed he came to repair the damage we caused with the explosion.

    He approached me and, after silently observing my work, suddenly started to nag. I could quickly sense his intention from the words he threw at me. Despite lecturing me on skills and professional spirit, he ultimately just wanted me to do the work as he instructed.

    Even though I didn¡¯t like his attitude of bossing me around under the pretext of helping, I decided to go along with it. The garden was already in ruins, and there were a few things I wanted to experiment with using the new skills I acquired.

    He continued giving orders while asionally pointing out what I wascking. Hours passed like this, and suddenly it was lunchtime. Despite feeling it was enough, the old man didn¡¯t stop assigning tasks.

    He tried hard to maintain an annoyed expression, but the sagging of his cheeks betrayed his satisfaction. Probably happy to earn money while I worked under him. It seemed like he had no shame, subtly suggesting how nice it would be if I continued working under him.

    Fortunately, the hotel manager intervened at the right moment. He informed me that E was looking for me. As I left, I noticed the old man exchanging words with the manager, sending a regretful look my way.

    Such an audacious old man. I resisted the urge to say something back.

    My understanding of the newly acquired item, the ¡¯Skill Book,¡¯ deepened. The Skill Book was a reward obtained when the average favorability of the members reached 10. Its appearance resembled what I knew from games ¨C an old book with a bright earth-colored leather cover.

    The main trio of Tril Trilo could use the Skill Book to unlock new skills or enhance existing ones. However, mastering all skills in one game was impossible. The number of Skill Books avable in the game was clearly limitedpared to the potential number of skills.

    Each Skill Book had to be strategically used, shaping the ystyle significantly. Common and typicalpositions included a warrior focusing on sword and shield skills, a rogue specializing in ranged skills, and a defense mage primarily increasing the level and intensity of summoned entities.

    Still, there were unconventional ways to y, such as a warriorbining push and stun skills to create an infinite stun effect, a rogue using triple jumps and evasive skills to avoid all attacks, or a mage flying across the map using telekinesis (essential for speed running!).

    Additionally, there were tank warriors who enhanced resistance training, Armor, and a thorn cloak to deal damage through contact, rogue negotiators who maximized the use of conversation skills to skip battles, and Lego mages who utilized abination of polymorphic skills and engineering techniques.

    Thanks to this variety, starting a new game felt like experiencing apletely different game by trying different ystyles. Considering the six supporter characterbinations, even yers who had seen multiple endings often finished the game without experiencing half of the avable ystyles.

    The efficiency of the Skill Books I obtained was simr to those in the game, and they could also be developed or enhanced. However, unlike in the game, there were no restrictions here ¨C all skills could be applied universally.

    From horse riding to archery, it went without saying, and even skills like pencil spinning or pouring coffee were possible.

    I unfolded the skill book.

    Skill Book:

    -1. [Gardening£Ý

    -2. [To unlock this skill slot, 100 Debulroot is required. £Ý

    -3. [To unlock this skill slot, 200 Debulroot is required. £Ý

    -4. [To unlock this skill slot, 300 Debulroot is required. £Ý

    -5. [To unlock this skill slot, 500 Debulroot is required. £Ý

    -[Massage£Ý [Cooking£Ý

    There was currently only one skill equipped in the avable slot. To unlock the remaining slots, Debulroot was needed, with a maximum of five skills that could be equipped at once.

    Over the past few days, I experimented with several skills.

    Massage: Debulroot x35

    Cooking: Debulroot x70

    Gardening: Debulroot x45

    When I equipped these skills in the skill book slots, I reached a level of mastery beyond that of experts in those fields.

    The first skill I experimented with was massage.

    The moment I equipped the massage skill, I gained a level of hand technique surpassing even the renowned masseurs in the metropolis. With a unique body structure, I could instinctively feel where to manipte Yurakne¡¯s muscles and joints.

    -" Ah, Master!"

    My massage skills were perfect. Yurakne, who had never experienced 100% satisfaction before, finally felt the sensation others praised as "melting body" yesterday.

    She draped herself in a sleeveless shirt andy down to receive my touch.

    -" Third shoulder, how does it feel?"

    -" Uh, go-good!"

    -" Fourth shoulder, how about here?"

    -" Ah! Ugh!"

    -" Fifth shoulder? This area¡­"

    -" Um, M-Master? Can you go lower, please?"

    Her face turned crimson as she made the request.

    Instead of continuing to knead her two arms around the waist, I chuckled and realized that my ¡¯skill¡¯ was sending signals. Yurakne was not asking for a massage point.

    -" Huh? Do you want me to massage there?"

    -" Ah¡­no, I, you misunderstood! No¡­"

    The massage was sessful, but not every skill yielded the same results. Areas with strong aesthetic influence couldn¡¯t be satisfied with skills alone. Even in the realm of artisan skills I experimented with just now, there were ws.

    General skills, aesthetic skills, artisan skills.

    Through three experiments, I felt the utility and limitations of the skill book.

    Name: Frank Wonderstein

    Age: 27

    upation: Biomancer

    -Debulroots: (67/200£©

    -Muscle Strength: 4.0 (3 sets of 1000£©

    -Tissue Resilience: 4.0 (te Armor£©

    -Cell Regeneration: 4.0 (Cheetah£©

    Traits: [Smiling Man£Ý

    In the past few weeks, I used umted Debulroots to enhance the three basic abilities to 4.0. Now, I could exert strength simr to the ¡¯knights¡¯ of this era.

    However, I postponed further enhancement. It required 20 Debulroot for each category to increase from 3.0 to 4.0. From 4.0 to 5.0, it needed 30 for each, and from 5.0 to 6.0, it demanded 50 for each. As with any increasing ability, the resource requirements grew.

    Climbing the hotel stairs, I changed into my usual attire.

    A light flick of the fingers in the air was enough.

    [Changed to ¡¯Wonderstein¡¯s Casual Wear. £Ý

    [¡¯Hotel Attendant¡¯ attire has been restored. 1 Debulroot will be charged forundry and repairs. £Ý

    ¡¯Laundry and mending expenses, huh? This ability doesn¡¯te cheap either.¡¯

    They demanded a rental fee when I first got it. The ¡¯[Dressing Room]¡¯ was an additional feature added to the ¡¯[Member Management]¡¯ as a reward for achieving a circus troupe reputation of 50.

    I could remember and retrieve clothing I had seen or touched whenever I wanted. The amazing thing was that the clothes provided fit the wearer¡¯s body perfectly. This feature applied not only to me but to all members. In other words, with just a snap of my fingers, I could dress all members in the same suit as mine, or change them into hotel staff uniforms, just like before.

    I closed the dressing room function by flicking my finger again. Although I could manipte the status window with just my willpower, there was a reason to manually control the dressing room function.

    It was because of the mistake I made yesterday.

    That was¡­

    "Oops, Master!"

    As I was about to speak, I came face to face with Yurakne.

    She wasing down the stairs, her purple hair tied up with a hairpin. When she saw me, she was surprised and turned her face away. A blush rose on her brown skin.

    She seemed unsure of what to do, fidgeting with her six arms.

    "Hello."

    I smiled calmly at her, unlike her bewildered expression.

    Of course, internally, I was just as embarrassed as she was.

    It was because of the mistake I made yesterday.

    Due to that¡­

    "Uh, good morning, or, uh, afternoon. Well, you know, the weather¡­ ahaha."

    Yurakne awkwardly greeted me.

    Since the incident during our teatime yesterday, we had not met until now.

    But there was no time to dwell on that.

    Behind her, the deputy leader and the skeleton jester came down the stairs.

    "Why are you all acting like that?"

    E raised an eyebrow.

    While Yurakne and I were trying to avoid the embarrassment, Sven, the skeleton, cheerfully shouted while dodging Yurakne¡¯s attacks.

    "I saw it! Haha! A woman soaked in sweat going in anding out in different clothes¡­!"

    "Shut up, Sven!"

    Yurakne¡¯s face turned even redder as she waved her six arms in embarrassment.

    The skeleton skillfully avoided her attacks.

    Meanwhile, he grinned and made eye contact with me, showing a rxed attitude.

    After the incident at the opening ceremony was widely reported, the favorability of the members gradually increased. Some even awkwardly greeted me when we met.

    But this skeleton guy took it to another level.

    Since then, he had started ying pranks or making jokes near me.

    I sighed inwardly.

    This was the nature of these ¡¯jesters.¡¯

    They didn¡¯t know how to hold back even in life-threatening situations.

    When they faced the emperor, they threw sarcastic remarks about the political situation of the empire, resulting in them getting torn apart, or when they threw jokes about a flirtatious duchess in front of the duke himself, I heard stories of them losing their heads.

    Of course, those who had the courage to act on it were just a handful, but the jesters fantasized about dying like that in their lifetime.

    Sven, who had been somewhat cautious and restrained until now, couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and started venting his jester temperament as the atmosphere loosened.

    Moreover, I had no intention of getting angry.

    E scolded them as she passed by.

    "That¡¯s enough ying around. Let¡¯s go quickly."

    Yurakne and Sven stopped the yful scuffle, and I took the lead. The two followed me.

    As E hurriedly ran ahead, she signaled from the carriage.

    Today was the day to announce the assignment for the test held at the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

 Chapter 70: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (4)

    E seemed more spirited than usual.

    It was evident from her attire.

    From the sharp edges of her clothes, sleeves, and even the neatly folded parts of her skirt, to the shine of her shoes and shoulders reflecting light to the point where it could illuminate a person¡¯s face, it all indicated an extra effort. Even the feather decoration on her hat seemed to have beenpletely reced, radiating a purple shine.

    Even the animals she raised were adorned with essories.

    ck bow ties adorned the neck of Pigeon Dub, and a pink ribbon hung from the tail tip of Mouse Chick. Both wore small hats identical to the one E had on her head.

    Where did she find such essories?

    In response to my question, E shrugged her shoulders nonchntly.

    "This? I bought the materials at the fabric store and personally stitched them."

    She tapped the hats of the pigeon and mouse with her fingertips.

    Despite all the essories, E handled them well, and the animals emitted a pleasant sound without bothering her.

    "E¡¯s versatility knows no bounds, hehe."

    "Well, what¡¯s that supposed to mean, all of a sudden¡­"

    E pouted, avoiding eye contact, lips pursed.

    I smiled at her in response.

    "But why is your drawing skill like that?"

    "Ugh."

    Her face contorted when the topic of drawing came up.

    Laughter spilled from the mouths of Yurakne and Sven, who had been silent until now.

    Everyone remembered what happened the day before yesterday.

    "Hehe, that thing, right? It was really impressive."

    "Haha, I don¡¯t know what you drew, but it had the right appearance to fit into our circus troupe."

    At Sven¡¯s words, Yurakne poked his side.

    "That was the ringmaster¡¯s idea."

    "Oh, I see! I thought it was some hungry monkey variant with golden fur¡­"

    "Shh, quiet!"

    E shouted loudly.

    She pressed the hat down on her face, her face red, and nced at me.

    "Wh-why bring up something unnecessary¡­"

    "I¡¯m sorry. I wonder how you drew it in the first ce¡­"

    "I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t remember! Don¡¯t worry about it since it¡¯s burned!"

    E sat down roughly, pressing the hat down as if to cover her eyes.

    "Maya will handle it well. She said she learned to draw from a young age. If I had learned, I might have been able to do something simr¡­"

    E had gathered the members the day before yesterday and suggested drawing a signboard.

    Considering the information obtained from the opening ceremony and the cabaret staff, it seemed that gaining the favour of the city residents would y a significant role in the test.

    To achieve that, wouldn¡¯t it be helpful to have arge signboard in front of the hotel? A signboard was one of the important promotional tools for a performance.

    We had one that was drawn for us by the Aksville Merchant Association in the past.

    However, it was makeshift and quite crudepared to what other circus troupes had.

    So, we decided to draw a new signboard.

    Even in the age of illusionists, using a painter for this kind of work was still more practical.

    A signboard had to be disyed outside for several days or weeks, and unless dozens of magicians were involved, maintaining such an illusion consistently was impossible.

    Even Maya, touted as a genius, found it challenging to maintain an illusion of the size suitable for a signboard for more than an hour.

    So E confidently took up the brush to start drawing on the signboard.

    Given her outstanding talents in various fields, it was expected that she would do well this time too.

    However, the result was dismal.

    She seriously considered reattaching the signboard provided by the Aksville Merchant Guild, which the members had broken in half.

    It was regrettable not to see it with my own eyes.

    "I¡¯ll do the drawing."

    Maya, who was not as skilled, took up the brush and palette.

    She had learned painting from her father, who was a painter when she was young.

    Considering her ability to shape fantasies, drawing a signboard at the entrance of the circus was well within her capabilities.

    Once she started working, she concentrated to a frightening extent.

    She even refused to participate in the preliminary task presentation.

    Despite Yurakne¡¯s persuasion that it wouldn¡¯t take long, she shook her head.

    Today¡¯s event had no time for a celebration performance or introducing notable figures.

    It was just a simple meal with snacks, presentation of test assignments, and a few rounds of drawing lots.

    Maybe we would sit for about an hour and then leave.

    It was possible to go out with Yurakne and Sven, thanks to that.

    The members still felt ufortable going to crowded ces. Today, being a short stay, the two of them could be less reserved.

    The venue for the event was the same as the opening ceremony, the 1st Hall of the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    This was my third visit.

    I couldn¡¯t help but look up at the ceiling where the light had fallen, and my gaze went to the stage where I had stood as the used for no reason.

    This ce always brought me unpleasant memories.

    Today, I hoped nothing bad would happen.

    "Hey, you¡¯re here."

    A man with a red mohawk and a red beard, shaking like a rooster on the opposite table, approached me.

    Minova.

    The director of the Satbyeol Circus.

    The first impression wasn¡¯t good, but after he sided with me in the trial, I developed some goodwill towards him.

    "Haha, greetings! Is this the deputy head? Nice to meet you! Oh, and this here is a beautifuldy! Hm, you¡¯re covering your face. Well, whatever, haha!"

    I responded to his cheerful greeting, inquiring about each other¡¯s well-being, andughed back at him.

    However, I felt a slight sense of difort inside.

    Can people change so much?

    It was hard to imagine that this cheerful guy would turn into such a malicious person in just two years.

    Minova was a singer and a strongman. Perhaps that¡¯s why he had arge build and well-developed muscles.

    His upper body was rtivelyrger than his lower body, especially his widely spread shoulders were impressive.

    Estimating roughly, each shoulder seemed to be over 30 cm.

    Whether he wanted to emphasize it or not, he had arge doll on one shoulder.

    Matching his nickname of "Rooster," the doll was shaped like a chick.

    As I stared at it in surprise, the chick doll suddenly spoke.

    "Hello¡­."

    I was startled, but thanks to the smiling man, I knew from the start that it was a person and nodded casually.

    A face was revealed under the hood.

    A girl who was not even five years old.

    She wore a yellow one-piece animal pajama with fluffy yellow fur attached.

    The one I thought was a doll turned out to be her.

    Minova smiled as if he had been waiting for someone to discover her.

    "Let me introduce you! This is Ruelle Yang, our adorable deputy head!"

    He shouted, lifting the girl on his shoulder.

    The girl in his hand blushed and covered her face with yellow wing decorations.

    "I-it¡¯s not like that¡­ He is just my dad, and I am his daughter¡­"

    Ruelle struggled to escape from her dad¡¯s grasp.

    Her actions looked like a baby chick trying to break free, making me naturally smile. E and the other members also burst intoughter. The sight of the flustered child was just too adorable.

    Perhaps due to themotion, the attention of the people around us focused on our group.

    "What¡¯s going on? Who are they?"

    "Hey, isn¡¯t that Wonderstein from the news?"

    "Wow, he¡¯s handsome. Feast for eyes for sure!"

    "Who¡¯s the guy on the opposite side?"

    "I don¡¯t know."

    "He looks like the ringmaster of a circus or something."

    "Ugh, it¡¯s too loud. His voice is so annoyingly loud."

    Most eyes were on me due to the trial incident that urred at the opening ceremony.

    However, Ruelle seemed to think the attention was because of her dad¡¯s loudness, covering her face with her wings and letting out a cute sigh.

    I looked at her with a pleased smile and then asked Minova, "You have a daughter?"

    "Of course! I¡¯m over 40 now, do you think I didn¡¯t get married?"

    His words gave me a solid feeling, as if something firm hit my head.

    In TT1, he expressed some concern about missing members, but he never mentioned anything about his family. There was no mention of a daughter in his profile or background.

    The reason he became twisted two yearster.

    The reason he acts unusually friendly towards me.

    These two things were connected.

    I whispered to him, "Is she sick?"

    Minova¡¯s shoulders twitched.

    "Wow! Cute! So cute!"

    E separated Ruelle from Minova and hugged her. She loved animals and cute things, and Ruelle in her chick pajamas was something she could jump around with joy about.

    Minova looked at the scene with a pleased expression and then whispered to me with a slightly sunken expression, "How did you know?"

    "I just felt it."

    "Of course¡­! You really cured Vergsong¡¯s disease, huh?"

    After saying that, he closed his mouth.

    It felt like he wanted to say more but hesitated.

    Even a fool could guess what he wanted to say.

    Before giving a hasty answer, I used the diagnostic function of the Evolution Research Lab to check her illness.

    Fortunately, it was a treatable disease.

    The institute quickly provided an estimate. "It can be fixed."

    There was no need for questions, but I answered, "I can do it."

    Minova looked surprised for a moment, but soon he hardened his expression.

    "Sorry. I should have asked first."

    "Ohoho, don¡¯t worry about it."

    At that moment, the girl in chick pajamas shouted towards us, "Dad, look at this!"

    There, E¡¯s rat and dove were showing off their talents for a single audience member.

    Chick stood on both legs, did a backflip, and Dub, with folded wings, demonstrated a precarious aerial turn.

    Minova, who had a serious expression,ughed heartily as he looked at his daughter smiling widely.

    Ruelle, as if she had done something amazing by raising animals, pestered E to show her something else.

    Minova looked at that scene for a moment, then mumbled with a softened voice, "It¡¯s a strange thing. Having a child."

    "Is that so?"

    He let out a deep sigh.

    "Even though I look like this now, when I was young, I was quite a scoundrel. I was a wandering acrobat, but in reality, I also did robbery and theft. I did anything for money. I hit people, robbed them, set fires¡­ I didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ suffering. I wasted the money I earned on alcohol and women,ining about the world. I used to despise and envy those who lived harder and better than me."

    He clenched his fist and then opened it as he spoke.

    He was talking about the past, but it sounded like he was talking about the future to me.

 Chapter 71: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (5)

    "She was a baby who hadn¡¯t even been born for a month. She didn¡¯t know what kind of person I am, what kind of life I¡¯ve lived. But the little one held my hand tightly and smiled brightly. At that moment, I thought, I want to protect this child¡¯s smile. I want to be a father without shame in front of this child. Such feelings welled up in my heart.

    I never imagined in my entire life that a person like me would feel that way¡­ Haha, and so, the crazy brawler disappeared from the world that day."

    Minova continued with simr ramblings several more times.

    It was a detailed exnation of how the wild and aggressive fighter, who used to shoot through the world without hesitation, ended up folding his wings and staying with them. He described in detail how his beak and ws, once used to torment others, were broken.

    ¡¯Minova harbors a vague anger towards the world and jealousy towards others, with nowhere to vent his resentment.¡¯

    So much detail has been omitted in his description.

    I silently criticized the indifference of the Tril Trilo production team.

    "Is it okay to reveal such personal matters to someone you¡¯ve just met? Especially if it¡¯s a story you haven¡¯t told your daughter. What if I use this as a weakness?"

    At that moment, his expression, which had seemed carefree, became rugged.

    His warm gaze shed sharp, like that of a predator.

    "Hey, you¡­ are you going to tell Ruelle?"

    A mix of hot breath and growling came out of his mouth.

    A fierce light that only someone who had experienced all the ups and downs of back alleys could emit flickered in his eyes.

    I was surprised internally but, thanks to the smiling man, I could maintain a calm appearance.

    I raised both palms and shrugged.

    "Haha, there¡¯s no way. I won¡¯t tell anyone. But we were talking about curing Ruelle¡¯s disease, weren¡¯t we?"

    Upon my words, he made a surprised expression.

    His attitude wasn¡¯t that of someone making a request.

    I bit my tongue silently.

    Even if he softened because of his daughter, it seemed his fiery temperament hadn¡¯t disappeared.

    The crazy brawler didn¡¯t vanish from the world that day.

    He scratched his head, which still had a mohawk, as if thinking deeply.

    "Uh, sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t realize my old habits were resurfacing unconsciously¡­"

    "It¡¯s okay."

    As I shrugged my shoulders, he looked at me with a slightly admiring gaze.

    "Your skills are impressive, but your courage is remarkable too. When I spew out my anger, everyone freezes in shock¡­"

    "A person imitating a crazy fighting rooster is not as intimidating as you think."

    At my joke, he sighed deeply and shook his head.

    "Ugh. This attire, seriously¡­."

    At that moment, Ruelle¡¯s scream echoed.

    "N-No, don¡¯t look!"

    Minova¡¯s head snapped back like lightning, still wearing the fierce expression of a fighting rooster he had just demonstrated.

    I turned my head towards the source of the crying.

    A child, sitting on the floor, holding her head and sobbing.

    The three of the members of my group, exchanged awkward nces as they surrounded her.

    Ruelle¡¯s animal-themed pajamas were far from ordinary. Rich yellow fur covered it, with chicken-foot-shaped shoes on the legs, wing decorations on the arms, and a hood resembling a chick¡¯s head, allowing it to be worn like a mask.

    It was more like a costume for a doll than pajamas.

    The first time I saw her, I even mistook her for a chick doll.

    But now, the hood covering the part resembling a chick¡¯s head was removed.

    "Don¡¯t look!"

    Ruelle shouted with a voice mixed with tears.

    Her head, hidden beneath the hood, was revealed.

    Whispers could be heard from all around, gossiping about her.

    ording to Minova, she was over four years old.

    However, her hair was sparse, resembling that of a newborn or an elderly person.

    She clutched her hair and whimpered, "Uwuu," shedding tears.

    She was a girl, not a boy.

    Could that be a symptom of the disease too?

    "R-Ruelle¡­."

    E stood by her side, unsure of what to do.

    In her hand was the chick head that Ruelle had been wearing.

    It seemed like she did it out of curiosity or mischief, unveiling something the girl wanted to hide.

    "S-Sorry. I didn¡¯t know¡­."

    E quickly put the chick mask back on Ruelle¡¯s head.

    Then, she took out a handkerchief, wiped away the tears on the girl¡¯s cheeks, andforted her with a trembling voice.

    Minova let out a deep sigh.

    Seemingly relieved that his daughter hadn¡¯t suffered any harm.

    "Because of a medicine called ¡¯Milky Way¡¯ made by the Alchemy Guild. It¡¯s developed as a cure for the ¡¯Curse gue,¡¯ but it¡¯s said to have effects on tumor suppression as well. However, as you can see¡­ the side effects are severe. It makes the stomach ufortable and sometimes causes bleeding. Losing hair is nothingpared to the pain she¡¯s going through.

    Oh, of course, the child is most saddened by the loss of her hair¡­."

    He embraced the exhausted Ruelle, who had cried a lot and lost her energy.

    She seemed frail, and even this much seemed to quickly tire her, as she began to drift off to sleep.

    "Ruelle¡­ I¡¯m sorry about earlier," E apologized.

    Ruelle shook her head in response. "It¡¯s okay¡­ I¡¯m sorry too¡­ I screamed because I was startled¡­"

    Ruelle smiled widely as she spoke.

    "Sister, will you show me your skills in tamingter?"

    The answer came not from E but from the animals she raised. Chick climbed onto the owner¡¯s shoulder, extending its front paws and showing a thumbs-up gesture, while Dub sat on the owner¡¯s hat, making a V-shape with its two wings.

    Sometimes, it made me wonder if those really were animals.

    Without seeing what they did, E nodded as if she already knew.

    "Yeah, they like the idea too."

    "Hehe, then see youter¡­ Goodbye, little ones¡­"

    That way, Ruelle, with her face buried in her father¡¯s shoulder, fell asleep.

    Minova gently stroked her back and said, "A daughter is the only connection between the world and me. Without this child, the world has no value to me. I can do anything for her sake."

    He repeated thest words once more.

    "Anything."

    I understood well what he wanted to say.

    He would pay any price to cure his daughter¡¯s illness.

    I nodded, reassuring him not to worry.

    "We can discuss the details after the event is over."

    "Got it."

    Minova and Ruelle left for their seats.

    E stared nkly at their backs, tightly gripping the handkerchief that wiped away Ruelle¡¯s tears.

    I recognized what it was.

    It was the item I picked up for her from the mansion.

    "Great. Family, huh¡­"

    Her voice contained a poignant emotion.

    I could understand her feelings now.

    I, too, grew up in an orphanage.

    Just like she grew up in a circus school.

    Most of my friends from the orphanage died when the director went crazy.

    Just like she lost most of her friends to Wonderstein.

    A wanderer who lost the ce of birth and upbringing.

    She was in a situation simr to mine.

    I was about to throw someforting words at her when I stopped midway.

    I became aware of who I was.

    I wasn¡¯t the boy who survived in the orphanage anymore.

    I am Wonderstein.

    Her enemy.

    Meforting her would only seem like a desperate pretense.

    iming to understand her would sound like mockery.

    There was nothing I could do for her.

    Just smiling silently, that¡¯s all.

    "What are you looking at?"

    E extended her lips unevenly, ncing at me.

    I shook my head.

    "No, I just thought you still kept that handkerchief well. You know, at the hotel, they give you a luxury handkerchief as a gift every day."

    E looked down at the handkerchief in her hand, then spat it out.

    "It¡¯s my mom¡¯s heirloom."

    I nodded.

    I thought it might be something precious just because she said so.

    "Do you have memories of your mother?"

    "No. Master said so. The dying woman entrusted me to Master along with this handkerchief."

    E suddenly frowned deeply and then shook her head as if she didn¡¯t want to talk anymore.

    I understood.

    I was Wonderstein.

    Not the right person to share such stories with.

    In the somewhat subdued atmosphere, we took our assigned seats.

    ***

    The preliminary event proceeded in a more subdued atmosphere than the opening ceremony.

    There was no music, spotlights, or shows.

    Amidst the murmur of the crowd, the organizer, Bouvalle, stood on the stage.

    As an experienced host, he skillfully captivated the audience¡¯s attention.

    "What do you think is the most important thing in a performance?" he asked abruptly.

    A sudden question.

    Participants seemed momentarily startled, but quickly each voiced their thoughts.

    Unlike an academy presentation or a corporate executive meeting, there was no one hesitating or watching their words.

    They were all the people on the stage.

    ustomed to attention and living to be noticed.

    They expressed their opinions without hesitation.

    Some spoke about acting skills,

    some mentioned the importance of the script.

    Someone emphasized individual talents and skills,

    while another argued that originality was crucial.

    Bouvalle listened quietly, nodding his head.

    "Yes, everything you¡¯ve said is important. However, I think the most crucial thing is¡­"

    He drew a circle with his thumb and forefinger, revealing a slight smile.

    "Money."

    A sense of disappointment and ridicule passed through the participants.

    Yeah, money is important.

    Without it, how can you stage a performance?

    But what¡¯s the big deal?

    This is apetition, right? Shouldn¡¯t you freely showcase your skills regardless of money?

    Come to think of it, why did a manager take charge of today¡¯s event? I thought Director Maroine would be here.

    Bouvalle remained unfazed by the hostile attitude of the people.

    Those who considered themselves artists were always like this.

    They would get angry if you openly talked about money in their creative activities.

    These naive individuals who didn¡¯t know how the world worked.

    Nevertheless, Bouvalle found it pleasing that at least one person at each table was calmly listening to his words.

    Even without checking name tags, it was evident. They were probably the leaders of each circus troupe.

    After all, dealing with ¡¯management¡¯ must be a headache for them every day.

    "Oh, the young one over there seems to understand, despite her age."

    The young deputy head of the Wonderstein Circus.

    It was known that she got along well with his employees.

    She was also the possessor of the talent that Director Maroine coveted.

    Could she possibly understand management too?

    "Hmm, does it sound a bit vulgar when I say money? Then shall I say ¡¯sess¡¯?"

    Themotion subsided a bit.

    Bouvalle wore a satisfied smile.

    "When I talk about sess here, I¡¯m not simply referring to attracting arge audience."

    He pointed his finger at the snacks and drinks on each participant¡¯s table.

    "I mean, me. I¡¯m a liquor seller. Haha, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not a wrong statement. In fact, the majority of our theater¡¯s revenuees not from admission fees but from what people consume. The entrance fee is just enough to cover the basic expenses.

    Sometimes we even give away tickets for free."

    Free admission tickets.

    Profits from what people eat and drink.

    Both Wonderstein and E recalled the same memory.

    When they came to see the Rose Windmill Circus in the past, wasn¡¯t it because of free admission tickets?

    It sounded good being free, but they ended up spending a lot at the food stands.

    "Free to Enter, Pay to Enjoy."

    A smile formed on Bouvalle¡¯s lips.

    "How much profit can you generate when the entrance fee is free?"

    He spread his arms wide.

    Thud, thud, apuse!

    With the same lively movements seen during the opening ceremony, Bouvalle lightly tapped the stage like an excited calf.

    Then, behind him, a long scroll unravelled from the ceiling to the floor, disying the title he had just revealed.

    He shouted towards the participants.

    "That is the challenge of this test!"

 Chapter 72: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (6)

    Bouvalle¡¯s deration stirred up the hall like a beehive knocked down.

    Free admission.

    It was one of the long-standing controversies in the entertainment industry.

    It hadn¡¯t been warmly weed by people on the positive side.

    It was notorious for exploiting performers and ruining shows.

    "If admission is free, the performance can only be of low quality!" shouted an old magician as he rose from his seat.

    A middle-aged acrobat sitting at the table across from him pped the table with his palm, echoing his words.

    "That¡¯s right! Excessive discounts diminish the value of the performance!"

    Those critical of free admission were mostly older individuals.

    Most of them had sumbed to the sweet talk of merchants in their youth and suffered for years.

    Entertainers who had honed their skills but were immature in worldly affairs.

    Manycked the ability to understand the rigid uses in contracts, and some couldn¡¯t even read. They simply signed the contract, lured by the idea that they could earn money while traveling.

    That¡¯s how merchants easily attracted the talented performers.

    One of themon methods merchants used to exploit them was the ¡¯free admission¡¯ tactic.

    At that time, merchants tempted performers with the use, "A percentage of the admission fees will be paid to the performers." However, when the performers arrived at the market or inn and entered the show, the merchants shamelessly imed, "Admission prices will be set ording to the situation," using it as an excuse to offer free admission.

    With no ie from admission fees, performers couldn¡¯t settle their payments ording to the contract.

    By the time they realized they had been deceived, it was already toote. If they refused to perform, merchants threatened them with the contract¡¯s penalty uses or subtly hinted at gaining no reputation unless theyplied.

    So many talented individuals had to unfold their skills for free next to the ces where merchants sold their goods.

    Compensation was meager, limited to a bed, three meals, and asionally a small amount under the guise of an effort fee.

    Considering the profits merchants were making, it was an outrageous exploitation.

    If they had allowed proper performances, the artists might have burned their artistic souls for their own improvement.

    But the merchants invaded even that territory.

    They urged performers to skip the boring parts and focus on the dramatic elements, interfered in scriptwriting, forced unnecessary nudity or action scenes, and insisted on promoting the show by using the names of their gship products.

    Even among the current industry figures, many had traces of their past in their nicknames.

    Magician ¡¯Ignite¡¯ derived his name from matches, illusionist ¡¯Bigfoot¡¯ from shoe insoles, and acrobat ¡¯Barikan¡¯ from the product name of grass-cutting scissors.

    It wasn¡¯t only the contracting parties that were affected by such tyranny.

    Due to them, local ygrounds and theaters also faced financial difficulties.

    People didn¡¯t bother looking for a permanent performance venue since they could watch shows for free anywhere.

    The exploitation ofbor during the Industrial Revolution era, with the development of nitrogen fertilizers and increased agricultural production, explosive poption growth, the decline of small-scale farming, and rapid urbanization.

    Thebor exploitation phenomenon of the Industrial Revolution era, influenced by variousplex factors, also affected the entertainment industry.

    It was a hungry and tough time for performers.

    About 20 years ago, thanks to the Circus Grand Prix, acrobats gathered to share industry conditions, speak out against unfair contracts, and collectively take action, leading to a significant reduction in unfair treatment.

    The Grand Prix Circus, in its purest sense, was more of a gathering of performers, singers, clowns, and entertainers than a festival. Given this context, it was natural for older individuals to harbor resentment towards free admission. Even in the present improved situation, prejudices persisted.

    They viewed free performances as a system that made it easy for merchants to take advantage, as clear revenue metrics (number of spectators multiplied by admission fees) were not avable. In the chaotic marketce, devoid of curtains and seating, shameful times came to mind when performers resorted to contextless tricks and acts to catch the attention of passersby.

    However, the perspectives of young acrobats differed in many ways. The itinerant circus that appeared alongside wandering peddlers was a nostalgic memory from their childhood. In the early days of emerging popr culture, permanent theaters, influenced either by aristocratic or decadent tendencies from entertainment districts,cked poprity.

    Expensive admission fees further heightened these barriers.

    On the contrary, free circuses, being held in open spaces, were easily essible to everyone, featuring entertaining and lively performances. Merchants may havecked an eye for the artistic quality of the shows, but theirmercial acumen was exceptional.

    They understood what could attract people, demanded it from performers, and, as a result, the circus gained increasing poprity and development among the masses.

    Modern circuses, in the contemporary sense, were born from this evolution. Although industry veterans who worked as court jesters, party entertainers, and actors in operas and theaters enjoyed reminiscing about the past, merchants significantly contributed to the poprization of the circus.

    The free circus remembered by young acrobats was precisely that. When they gathered and shared stories, they naturally discussed the talents that impressed them in their childhood, leading them to idolize the circus.

    Read exclusive chapters at NovelBin.C?m

    Anecdotes like purchasing magic vinegar from peddlers to be a levitation artist or identally setting their homes on fire while secretly making fireworks to mimic a fire-eater weremon topics in their conversations.

    Another notable difference between young acrobats and their elder peers was the environment during their debut in the industry. Around the time they began learning their skills, the treatment of acrobats had significantly improvedpared to the past.

    Thanks to the Grand Prix Circus, the conditions for acrobats had considerably improved, and after a terror incident at the second Grand Prix Circus that resulted in the death of many veterans, the scarcity of performers led to a significant increase in the value of acrobats. Therefore, the proposed free admission performances usually came with reasonablepensation and conditions.

    With such circumstances, the stark difference in opinions on free performances between the two groups was inevitable. While young acrobats experienced less hardship and enjoyed prosperous times, the vague resentment and hostile attitudes from the older acrobats were not progressive.

    Bouvalle enjoyed all these discussions. The stories they shared were akin to discussing the history of the windmill itself.

    The nobleman who wanted to transform the theatre into a more wholesome art venue, the merchant who sought a revolutionary change in the theater¡¯s revenue structure, and the artist who wanted to pioneer new territories in the performing arts¡ªall three aspirations converged to create this ce.

    It was needless to exin that each represented the sponsor Lord Mustang, the owner Bouvalle, and the director Maroine. From the moment Bouvalle chose "Free to Enter, Pay to Enjoy" as the test theme, he anticipated all these debates. He had already prepared a detailed exnatory article intertwining the history of cabarets for tomorrow¡¯s newspaper.

    If well-promoted, Lord Mustang could shed the stigma of being a procurer apanying courtesans and emerge as a visionary in the performing arts industry.

    To achieve that, calming the immediate turmoil is a priority.

    "Selling alcohol openly?"

    "Is that entertainment or acrobatics?"

    "Kirku is good at scheming."

    "This is not a circus!"

    "The Grand Prix Circus has also distorted its purpose! Originally, it should work for the rights of performing artists!"

    "These darn merchants are using thepetition as an excuse to strangle us again!"

    The loud voices belonged mainly to the elderly acrobats, who were usually the directors or veterans of a circus troupe, making it difficult for younger acrobats with opposing opinions to freely counter.

    Eventually, themotion subsided when the director, Yug Maroine, appeared. As he stepped onto the stage, he mmed the floor with his cane.

    "Silence!"

    Wearing round sunsses, the thin and wiry old man scanned the audience with his gaze, instantly quieting the hall. Maroine¡¯s charisma in the industry was formidable.

    "Do you fear me?"

    Despite not having a loud voice, each word he spoke had something that resonated with the souls of the people.

    "When I became the director of the cabaret, manyughed. The old Maroine, entering and teaching dance and songs to the women who poured me drinks like a ghost. They mocked my challenge. I remember there were a few here too."

    Maroine singled out a few people with his cane, and they avoided his gaze with fake coughs.

    "But what about it?"

    He extended his cane like a sword and shouted, "Did you not see the opening ceremony the day before yesterday? My swan song, ¡¯Quan-Quan.¡¯ Can you call that simply providing entertainment for the women pouring drinks? Ha! If I had yielded to the tastes of the old folks at the Imperial Theater, I could never have created such a thing."

    He swept his gaze over the acrobats with his cane.

    "What about you? Isn¡¯t your purpose to y and eat with your talents as an apaniment? Shouting that the free performance is not proper and preparing excuses for defeat? Is what you¡¯re doing really circus? In front of the great Kirku, can you proudly shout, ¡¯I came to dance!¡¯? You bourgeois!"

    His words were provocative, yet they kindled a fire in the hearts of the acrobats.

    The elderly magician, who was initially against the free performance, was the first to stand up.

    "Hey, Maroine! Who are you calling bourgeois! Saying something after secretly talking behind someone¡¯s back!"

    A middle-aged acrobat sitting opposite him banged the table with his palm, raising his head.

    "I came to dance! Haha, that¡¯s fine. It seems like a joke, but let¡¯s dance together in harmony!"

    In this way, one by one, the directors expressed their determination, facing the stage, other tables, and their own members.

    "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Let¡¯s go! Haha! Let¡¯s achieve the best performance in this preliminary round!"

    Of course, the loudest voice belonged to Minova, the rooster.

    He shook his red crest, rallying the members.

    There were requests from the surroundings to lower their voices.

    The table where the Wonderstein Circus Troupe sat was rtively quiet.

    Sven and Yurakne whispered to each other while watching the other circus members, and E, observing the situation quietly, spoke quietly to the ringmaster sitting next to her.

    "How about it? Are you confident? Just because the members diligently memorized the script doesn¡¯t guarantee they¡¯ll pass, right?"

    In response to E¡¯s words, Wonderstein nodded confidently, wearing a self-assured smile.

    "Hoho, of course."

    E shook her head in disbelief.

    "You¡¯ve never been on stage before, have you?"

    "I have."

    At his confident attitude, E raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical.

    "In front of a few people? Maybe a hundred?"

    Upon hearing E¡¯s words, he grinned and nodded yfully.

    "More than that?"

    She raised her head, smirking.

    "Perhaps 1,000?"

    "No."

    After taking a moment to exhale, he replied, "30,000."

    "Insane. There¡¯s no way there¡¯s a stage that big."

    Dismissing him, E turned her head abruptly.

    This guy is ying with people again.

    Watching the next proceedings of the event, she suddenly realized that there was indeed such a ce.

    The Sky City Hippodrome.

    The aerial theater called Wonder Stage, which had copsed due to a terrorist attack 17 years ago, was now under reconstruction.

    She had heard that it could amodate tens of thousands of people.

    No way¡­

    At that moment, Bouvalle called out for each circus toe forward for the draw of the test¡¯s groups.

    Finally!

    Thoughts about Wonder Stage quickly disappeared from E¡¯s mind.

    Is it starting?

    Wonderstein also stopped reminiscing about the highest viewer count on his Twitch livestream.

 Chapter 73: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (7)

    The trade center on the outskirts of Luz was a ce for merchants visiting the city.

    On the first floor of the centre, there were counters processing harbor affairs. Merchants applied for anchorage, unloading, and facility usage, paying the corresponding fees.

    The second floor of the center was rented for transactions between merchants. The bulletin board at the entrance of the second floor disyed a schedule of who was meeting where today.

    One particr entry caught attention:

    6:00 AM ¨C 8:00 AM: Vergsong Merchant¡­

    8:00 AM ¨C 10:00 AM: Vergsong Merchant¡­

    10:00 AM ¨C 12:00 PM: Vergsong Merchant¡­

    2:00 PM ¨C 4:00 PM: Vergsong Merchant¡­

    4:00 PM ¨C 6:00 PM: Vergsong Merchant Union & LifeNitz Trading

    Except for a 2-hour lunch break, Bergson Trading had reserved the same seminar room for the entire day.

    This wasn¡¯t unusual, as important negotiations often spanned multiple days. What was strange was that the negotiation partner changed every two hours, resembling a rotating door of parents scolding their summoned children.

    Those who avidly read the newspaper might recognize the names on the list and appreciate the metaphor. All the people Vergsong Merchant Union met with today had been on the side which used of conspiring during the opening ceremony trial.

    While the discussions in the grand seminar room might take the form of consultations, they were simr to discussions aboutpensation issues before and after the trial.

    The only difference was that instead of swords and guns, the opening ceremony incident resembled a political war. The opponents in these negotiations had suffered a surprise attack. It was only natural for them to pay the price.

    Anais had achieved significant sess in the previous four negotiations. Despite the other party trying to reduce warpensation, their efforts were futile in front of her, a prominent figure in reciprocal negotiations. The envoys sitting across from her had to discard most of their prepared materials and leave their seats.

    Perhaps internally, some officials would take responsibility and step down after this incident.

    Now, Anais faced her fifth guest and felt a bit tense. This negotiation partner wasn¡¯t as easy-going as the previous ones¡ªLifeNitz Trading.

    "A tomato gift voucher?"

    Anais raised her voice upon hearing thepensation offered by LifeNitz. Here, a "gift" referred to a sales contract promising future physical delivery. It was a method often used in trading agricultural products. LifeNitz Trading offering a tomato gift voucher meant they were transferring several years¡¯ worth of tomato purchase rights to Vergsong Merchant Union.

    Anais wasn¡¯t ignorant of this. She was astonished at the audacity of LifeNitz Trading presenting such an offer.

    The current value of tomato gifts was close to negligible. Tomatoes were a symbol of Charlotia, associated with Queen Charlotte¡¯s "Golden Tomato" legend. Tomatoes frequently graced Charlotian tables and were a major export product. However, in recent years, the price of tomatoes had steadily declined due to an excess of cultivation.

    This overabundance of tomatoes was the primary reason for the consistent decrease in their value.

    Especially in June and July, when tomatoes pour in, prices hit rock bottom. Receiving a tomato baptism has be an annual event for the residents of failed tomato farms, thanks to the nobles who encouraged them to grow tomatoes by providing fertilizer, cutting taxes, and so on.

    Of course, the Vergsong territory avoided such a disgraceful event because Anais predicted the price copse several years ago.

    Offering tomato gift vouchers now was essentially saying, "I won¡¯t give you anything at all."

    No, it could be seen as insulting in a way.

    Those who couldn¡¯t read the obvious value copse were treated as fools in the market.

    Anais red at the person sitting across the table.

    She knew that LifeNitz Trading would not offer properpensation. However, she didn¡¯t expect them to be so shameless about it.

    The activity ovep between LifeNitz Trading and Vergsong Merchant Union was mainly in the Caribbean region.

    In other words, the only way for Vergsong to attack LifeNitz was through the tradework in the Caribbean.

    The problem was that most of the points in the Caribbean were controlled by Uncle Pierre.

    They wouldn¡¯t cooperate with Anais on this trial.

    They had already spread rumors within the tradingmunity and yed their part.

    It was clear that LifeNitz Trading could onlye out like this because they knew the internal situation of Vergsong Merchant Union.

    In the end, negotiations were settled.

    With enemies already within the tradingmunity, Anais couldn¡¯t afford to have a conflict with LifeNitz Trading.

    Anais, filled with resentment, mashed the poorly cooked baked tomatoes with a fork at the dinner table.

    It was the first time she had suffered such humiliation since taking the position of chairwoman.

    The news of sending Gascon Halidon, the gardener of the tomato greenhouse at the Metropole Hotel, slightly eased her mood.

    Anais¡¯ eyes gleamed sharply.

    If Sebjeong supports their side, negotiations with political figures would be easier.

    She decided to put the past behind and started nning strategies for the future.

    "I wonder if the Ringmaster is doing well."

    Anais looked towards the direction of the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    He, too, would be fighting in his own battlefield.

    She decided not to interfere more than necessary.

    He was a man who wanted to prove himself.

    ***

    The lottery has ended.

    The format of this exam is a one-on-one duel.

    Every week, two circus troupespete in sales, and the one with higher sales receives a ¡¯star.¡¯

    "The participants for the first week¡¯s match will now be announced."

    Naturally, the side that goes first in the exam felt a significant burden.

    There was little time to prepare for the exam, and there were no precedents to refer to.

    However, since it was a one-on-one match, the order of the match did not affect the oue of the exam.

    "All members are magicians! No one steps onto the stage! Presenting the show that brings visual delight purely through illusion led by the renowned illusionist, Veil Arno¡­ The Silver Veil Circus!"

    A person draped in white cloth with a silver cloth stepped onto the stage. Stay tuned for updates on NovelBin.C?m

    Veil Arno.

    Although referred to as ¡¯he¡¯ due to his deep voice, no one knew whether he was a man or a woman because no one had seen his real face.

    There were even rumors that everything about him on stage was an illusion.

    Following him was a chubby woman with short stature and a slender woman with a hood pulled deep, holding a crystal ball. The former was the assistant director of Silver Veil¡¯s circus, and thetter was a neer who recently joined the circus after working as a fortune teller.

    "I hope we have a fair match."

    Arno quietly expressed his ambition as the director.

    Bouvalle resisted the urge to point out, "Don¡¯t reveal your identity and say such things!"

    He then handed over cue cards to introduce the opponent for Silver Veil Circus.

    After confirming the name of the opponent, he nced at Yug Maroine sitting next to him and grinned mischievously.

    "In his youth, he walked into the Bastige Prison and escaped on his own! Even if he fell into the infinite abyss of the Abyss, he could escape! The master of escape magic known as Escape King!"

    "What kind of person is that?"

    Maroine muttered next to Bouvalle.

    "Featuring the legendary magician Lweeni¡­ Pandora Magic Show!"

    An old magician with flowing white beard walked out.

    He swayed an orange cloak and confidently moved forward. He was the same magician who had protested against the free admission earlier and even shouted at Maroine.

    Compared to the lean Maroine, he had arge and sturdy physique.

    His footsteps, stepping one by one, looked powerful.

    Behind him, a man with chains wrapped around his body, moving the chains like part of his body, and a woman holding a cube with question marks on all six sides followed him. The box made strange noises as it wobbled alone.

    "I¡¯ll easily pass the test prepared by Maroine!"

    The old magician Lweeni spoke with a surprisingly refreshing voice for his age.

    Cheers from the audience followed.

    Although he was a veteran in the industry, his shy showmanship made him popr even among the younger generation.

    Maroine felt somewhat distorted when he saw him confidently performing in his own field.

    Maroine and Lweeni were famous for their rivalry in the industry.

    One was called the director, directing dozens of staff and overseeing, while the other, even in old age, continued to personally perform almost one-man shows involving escapes.

    The performance styles of the two, who had been in opposition since their youth, did not narrow the gap even as they grew older.

    Bouvalle chuckled as he watched the two old men ring at each other.

    He knew that such sensational stories would help with sess.

    He then moved on to the next step.

    It was time to introduce the two participants who would join in the second week.

    "Boasting a systematic and orderly movement like the military! The 12-storey human tower, ¡¯Hourss,¡¯ made up of 88 acrobats, is famous! Led by the undeniably skilled leader, Hopps, the Papal Circus!"

    A middle-aged acrobat took the stage.

    The man who had been sitting at the table opposite the magician Lweeni stood up and responded to his words with enthusiasm.

    Hopps pulled a trumpet from his pocket and blew it loudly.

    Suddenly, a giant, over 3 meters tall, marched out in a disciplined and dignified manner, like a military soldier.

    What was astonishing was that he wasn¡¯t a real giant. Eight performers supported each other to create the illusion of a single massive figure.

    The movements were so precise and coordinated that it seemed impossible without rigorous practice.

    "How about that? Our new performance, ¡¯Leviathan¡¯! It¡¯s simplified with only eight members, but the real thing involves over 30 skilled performers!"

    As he blew the trumpet again, the giant,posed of eight performers, demonstrated various acrobatics.

    The audience cheered at the unbelievable spectacle.

    Bouvalle continued to introduce the next participant.

    "Haha, a familiar name we haven¡¯t seen in a while! This troupe was formed by a former Rose Windmill member who left and created his own theater! Hoho, known for spectacr choreography, led by the former cabaret lead dancer and current choreographer Sol¡­ Mango Troupe!"

    A messy-bearded man in his early 40s, with unbuttoned shirt revealing his strong chest and abdominal muscles, took the stage.

    He walked with rhythmic shoulder movements, and behind him, dancers imitated his every move wlessly.

    When he pointed his fingers towards the ceiling and paused, the dancers mirrored him by pointing in the opposite direction.

    He raised the microphone volume to the maximum and gestured towards the Papal Circus.

    "You seem to like a circus like the military! Got it? Circus is all about excitement! It¡¯s okay to deviate from the script a bit! Shake it as you please!"

    Hopps, the director of the Papal Circus, smiled awkwardly and nodded.

    Sol then introduced himself to Maroine, an old friend.

    "Hey, long time no see! Maroine!"

    Maroine sighed deeply and turned away.

    Seeing him, the nightmare of how he used to excitedly ruin the stage several times resurfaced.

    Sol then shouted to Mare, the choreographer standing next to Maroine.

    "I¡¯m back, master!"

    Mare, avoiding eye contact, didn¡¯t respond.

    Despite being old friends, it was embarrassing to im friendship in front of so many people, especially seeing Sol¡¯s immature behavior.

    "I¡¯ll follow my own path even if I die!"

    Bouvalle calmed Sol down and sent him off the stage.

    He continued to announce the next participant for the third week.

    "This man has an amazing voice! Rumor has it that if he bes the host of an event, he can even get words out of a monk in meditation! The host of the event, with Minova the Rooster, is¡­ Satbyeol Circus!"

    A man with ck feather decorations on his back, shaking a red scepter, appeared on stage.

    A young girl dressed as a chick sat on his shoulder.

    Behind him, acrobats with bent postures followed him, bending their waists in all directions towards the audience.

    Minovaughed loudly, waving towards the opposite side of the stage.

    "Hey, I don¡¯t know who the opponents are, but you¡¯re finished! Surrender early and leave for the next city to increase your chances of catching a falling star! If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll kick your ass!"

    And then, he regretted those words a momentter.

    "Formed less than half a year ago! Most of the members are rookies with only few experiences! The sensational reversal drama that unfolded at the opening ceremony! At the center of it was a man! Led by the magician Frank Wonderstein, it¡¯s¡­ Wonderstein Circus!"

    A blond handsome man, a girl in a red circus costume, a clown with a skull mask hiding his face, and a woman with purple hair tied with a hairpin appeared on stage.

    Minova looked at the man standing in front of them with a bewildered expression.

    Wonderstein smiled and extended his hand for a handshake.

    "Let¡¯s have a fairpetition."

    "Uh¡­ yeah, let¡¯s do that."

    Awkward greetings were exchanged, and the two teams left the stage.

    Thus, the schedule for the day concluded after the introduction of 20 circus troupes.

 Chapter 74: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (8)

    Wonderstein looked around the entrance of the theater before getting on the carriage.

    People from the circus who had participated in the event were walking out of the 335th theater.

    There was no one among them waiting for him.

    As thest participating team came out, the theatre doors closed.

    In the end, the person he was looking for did note out.

    It seemed that the Satbyeol Circus had left as soon as the event was over.

    "Ringmaster?"

    Yurakne stuck her head out of the carriage door.

    She seemed curious about why he had suddenly stopped in the middle.

    The members didn¡¯t know that Ruelle was seriously ill or that he and Minova had made a promise.

    Wonderstein smiled at her and nodded.

    "No, let¡¯s go."

    He took onest look around the parking lot and then got on the carriage.

    On the way from the cabaret to the hotel.

    Wonderstein, was silently looking out the window as if thinking about something.

    The three people except him discussed the strategy for the exam.

    They took turns reading the detailed rules of the exam provided in the guide that was given to them at the cabaret.

    *All employees, including chefs and waiters, must be circus members (including hired employees).

    *The cost of all products provided to customers will be based on the market price recorded in the Luz Trade Hall.

    *Performance will be evaluated based on profit, calcted by subtracting costs from sales.

    The reason for introducing such rules was to prevent the exam from being swayed by the wealth of sponsors.

    Otherwise, there would be room for sponsors to invite dozens of top chefs from somewhere, buy rare local products cheaply, or provide expensive drinks and food below cost to inte sales.

    E and the other two were most concerned about the employee use among the rules.

    Including the ringmaster, there were a total of 12 people.

    If the stone-like Marisa and the Triamere triplets, who were inseparable, were excluded from the count, the active workforce was only nine.

    Even if the hired ratmen were added, there were only 20 people in total.

    Compared to otherrge circuses, they were overwhelmingly short of manpower.

    The stage for thepetition was the 2nd and 3rd halls of the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

    The two ces were symmetrically cantered around the stage, just like the step stones.

    It wasn¡¯t as big as the 1st hall, but it was clearly too crowded for 20 people to operate.

    "We have to perform, but what should we do? There are people going up on stage. The number of waiters is decreasing."

    "Just take turns. After all, we nned our circus in an exhibition style. Let¡¯s have one person go up on stage at a time. The rest will work, and when it¡¯s their turn, they can go up on stage."

    "Ha ha, a solo stage. It¡¯ll be tough for those shy ones, won¡¯t it?"

    At that moment, Wonderstein, who had been listening quietly, intervened in their conversation.

    "How is the practice status of our members?"

    E furrowed her brows at his words.

    "You ask too quickly. Do you know it¡¯s only been a month since thest time?"

    "Oh, was it?"

    "It shouldn¡¯t be like this. You¡¯re the ringmaster."

    "I trust E."

    He nonchntly brushed it off, and E snorted.

    In any case, he was all talk and no action.

    Talking to him only made her tired.

    "Did I mentionst time? When you¡¯ve crafted the script 100%, you should have at least 20% done before thepetition starts. Thanks to everyone¡¯s hard work for a month, we can say we¡¯ve achieved about 23%."

    "23%¡­ Can we pass the preliminary round with that?"

    "I don¡¯t know. This task doesn¡¯t depend solely on our efforts, right? The fate is also influenced by how ipetent the opponent is."

    "Haha, true."

    Wondersteinughed quietly while looking into the air.

    E nced at him suspiciously.

    "Are you not having any strange thoughts?"

    "What? What are you thinking about?"

    "Nothing. Just¡­"

    E vaguely replied.

    There was no need to offer ideas from her side intentionally.

    Because mentioning threats or idents might make him actually carry them out.

    So, what Wonderstein said next was enough to make her heart sink.

    "Isn¡¯t the hotel where the Satbyeol Circus stays nearby?"

    E¡¯s grip tightened.

    The paper she was holding crumpled slightly.

    A sense of unease hit her.

    Unlike the tense E, Yurakne and Sven nodded vigorously without any suspicion about his intention.

    "Satbyeol Circus? Yes, there it is. I can see the balloon over there."

    A yellow chicken-shaped balloon, several meters long, swayed in the wind on the rooftop of a hotel.

    It was released in Luz when the Satbyeol Circus arrived in Luz.

    Experience exclusive tales on NovelBin.C?m

    It was more effective than a sign in letting people know about the circus¡¯s presence.

    Minova, the rooster, had a voice that was based on lung capacity several tens of timesrger than that of an ordinary person.

    Inting a balloon of that size in an instant was one of his proud skills.

    Wonderstein looked at the balloon for a moment, lost in memories of experiences from the game, then stopped the carriage.

    "You guys go on ahead. I suddenly remembered something I need to do."

    He got off the carriage and, with his ck cloak fluttering, disappeared into the dark alley.

    Yurakne raised her eyebrows, and Sven shrugged beside her.

    E looked at his retreating figure with trembling eyes.

    She had let her guard down.

    Being too obedient for a while had made her less vignt.

    He was a person who could be ruthless for his goals.

    Wasn¡¯t he the man who destroyed an entire vige just to take her with him?

    Although he seemed indifferent to everything, he was unusually obsessed with the Circus Grand Prix.

    It wouldn¡¯t be strange if he did something drastic to the opponent to pass the preliminary round.

    The image of Ruelle, who smiled innocently at her, came to her mind.

    Ovepping with the faces of her dead friends from school.

    Wonderstein didn¡¯t show any mercy because of young age.

    He ruthlessly broke the necks of young children, pierced their stomachs, tore apart their chests, and blew off their heads.

    E covered her mouth with her hand.

    A sob rose from within.

    Hee-ang.

    Along with the cry of the horse, the carriage started moving again.

    She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off his disappearing figure.

    She had to stop him.

    But what could she do in front of him?

    If the devil decided to act, there was nothing she could do.

    The contract she made with him had two conditions.

    The first was that he would not harm her and the remaining friends in exchange for helping him with his work.

    The second was that if she made it to the main stage of the Circus Grand Prix, she would free the performers and never appear in front of them again.

    The lives of others were not included in the protection use.

    Initially, she didn¡¯t even consider proposing conditions, as he wouldn¡¯t have epted them.

    Is there nothing to do but watch quietly?

    Then, a voice whispered in her heart.

    It was her own voice.

    The promise is not the only thing, right?

    "Sister, will you show your taming skillster?"

    "Yeah, the kids seem to like it."

    Alright. She promised to show more than just taming skills.

    She made a promise rted to the performance.

    The show must go on.

    She thought about the weight of those words.

    Thunk.

    She opened the door of the running carriage.

    "Hey, miss?"

    Ignoring the surprised voice of the driver, she jumped out of the carriage.

    It was a dangerous move for an ordinary person, but for an exceptional acrobat like her, it was easy.

    "Hey, where are you going, E?"

    "Hehe, it seemed like she was about to vomit earlier. Don¡¯t you think she can¡¯t get motion sickness?"

    "Yeah! I don¡¯t feel well! I¡¯ll take a short walk and be back!"

    Havingnded on the ground, she waved lightly to the people inside the carriage with a worried look.

    She had to let them not worry about her for even a moment.

    Then, a few minutester, she returned to the path the carriage had taken.

    The sky that was bright when she left the cabaret had darkened, and the gasmps on the street were lit.

    Soon, she could reach the ce where Wonderstein had descended.

    She threw the pigeon sleeping in her hat into the sky.

    The pigeon shot up in the air, maintaining the sleeping posture, and then fell back into the hat.

    E¡¯s face twisted slightly.

    "Hey,zy."

    E shook her hat, but the pigeon, with closed eyes, did not move at all.

    It just repeated a whimpering sound simr to sleep talking and tossed its body a bit.

    This kid¡­

    When it fell just now, she clearly saw it twist its body slightly to adjust thending point.

    It was beingzy.

    Ehyo.

    Must be very tired.

    She gave up on the pigeon and took out the mouse from her pocket instead.

    Chick, the mouse, wagged its tail and waited for her to let it down to the ground.

    "Understand? Watch out for Wonderstein, that guy."

    The mouse, at a rapid pace, ran into the darkness and disappeared.

    Inspira Spirit Link.

    The grace she received from Kirku.

    She could share the vision and hearing of the animals she tamed.

    She sat in a nearby cafe, waiting for Chick to reach his destination.

    After a few minutes, calling Chick¡¯s name three times and closing her eyes, the sight she was now seeing entered her eyes.

    ¡¯Ugh!¡¯

    E internally screamed at the scene right in front of her.

    Wonderstein, his face was right there.

    Fortunately, he seemed not to have noticed Chick hiding between the bookshelves.

    "I¡¯m sorry for going back earlier even after you promised to cure my daughter¡¯s illness?"

    E shuddered.

    Illness?

    She recalled Ruelle¡¯s scattered hair.

    If it was a trivial illness, she wouldn¡¯t havee out like that.

    "So, as if I had already fought a duel, I made a fuss and came back to the dormitory first. I loudly dered that I would defeat you and get the cure in front of my daughter. I wanted to be a cool father in front of my daughter."

    His eyes burned with intensity.

    "But curing my daughter¡¯s illness is more important than my pride. Damn it! My pride means nothing! I¡¯m prepared to do anything! So¡­ please cure my daughter¡¯s illness!"

    Minova bowed deeply.

    It would have surprised anyone who knew him.

    Through rumors and brief encounters, E knew that as well.

    How much parents feel for their children.

    E now understood Wonderstein¡¯s intentions.

 Chapter 75: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (9)

    The current situation was simr to what E had experienced at the Vergsong mansion.

    Treating someone else¡¯s illness and gaining something in return.

    E had a rough idea of what he might demand.

    Perhaps he was aiming for a forfeit.

    There were regtions regarding forfeits in the detailed rules, and everything seemed fine on that front.

    The situation was much better than the worst-case scenario she had anticipated.

    No one had died or been injured.

    In fact, things had turned out well.

    Ruelle¡¯s illness would be cured, and they would easily obtain the first star.

    It was a good deal for both sides.

    But¡­

    Why did a corner of her heart feel empty?

    E remembered the day Wonderstein first showed her the script.

    She had dismissed the idea that a devil who knew nothing about the human heart could create a proper script.

    Her dismissive attitude vanished the moment she read the script.

    His script was on par with the works of masters, if not surpassing them in terms of dialogue and scene execution.

    When she closed thest page of the script, she couldn¡¯t deny that she was captivated by his work.

    She thought that with him, they could aim for the Grand Circus Prix main event.

    However, she couldn¡¯t easily admit those feelings.

    He was an enemy who had murdered her neighbors and friends.

    She couldn¡¯t forgive herself for wanting to be with him.

    That¡¯s why she spent several days agonizing and suppressing her emotions alone.

    But now, she felt foolish for having such doubts.

    He may have devilish talent for the circus, but hecked affection.

    To him, the circus was merely a means to an end.

    He didn¡¯t even consider testing the results of their month-long practice.

    No, he had already sensed their efforts and results when he asked about progress after just a month.

    "You believe in Miss E, right?"

    Nonsense.

    From the beginning, it didn¡¯t matter how hard they worked or what results they achieved.

    To him, they were just scarecrows set up to deceive the world, like ying the role of an ordinary and kind young man.

    Did he secretly mock the efforts she made, staying upte for nights to achieve results?

    And there was a much simpler way.

    "Whatever it takes, you say? Haha, sure."

    Wonderstein epted Minova¡¯s proposal.

    E sneered inwardly.

    But it was hard to hold back the tears in her eyes.

    He approached the girl in chick pajamas who was crouched on the corner bed.

    His hand touched her neck.

    The muscles in her neck spasmed.

    Herplexion first paled, then turned dark with a groan-like sound.

    After a few seconds passed.

    Wonderstein removed his hand from her neck.

    "It¡¯s done."

    "Ah, it¡¯s done?"

    Minova¡¯s expression changed desperately.

    As if he couldn¡¯t believe that the disease could be cured in such a short time.

    Wonderstein looked at his face, smiling slyly, then shook his head.

    "The treatment isplete."

    "Treat¡­ment? Really¡­?"

    "Come and see for yourself."

    Minova approached her daughter with an expression of disbelief.

    His daughter, who was constantly sweating and emitting a rough breath due to the pain of the tumor inside her, now had a sereneplexion as she breathed lightly.

    "Really, really¡­ cured?"

    "Yes."

    Minova managed to swallow back his tears, his expression somewhat confused.

    "That¡­ Is there any side effect, perhaps?"

    "Haha, how can I deceive someone who would curse and kill me if I made a mistake?"

    Minova looked a bit puzzled at his joke.

    "That¡­ well¡­ yes¡­ anyway, thank you¡­ really, thank you."

    He said so and looked back at his daughter¡¯s peaceful sleeping figure.

    It was still hard to believe.

    The figure of his daughter peacefully sleeping.

    With that potent potion, even extending one¡¯s life is said to be within limits.

    Minova swallowed the saliva after drinking the potion and then spoke.

    "Well, as promised, I¡¯m ready to do anything."

    "Is that so?"

    Wonderstein smiled as he looked at him quietly.

    "We will win the duel that will take ce in three weeks."

    "Th-that¡¯s¡­ well¡­."

    Minova sighed at the thought.

    "Are we surrendering¡­?"

    He couldn¡¯t call it quitting after saying that. In fact, considering the life of his daughter, it wasn¡¯t such a significant price to pay. If he were to lose, he could go to the back of the line and wait for the next turn. Teams eliminated in the second or fourth week or those whopleted tests in other cities would be the next opponents.

    It was just a waste of about three more months. He was willing to ept that.

    Wonderstein seemed satisfied with his deration.

    "Oh, surrendering? Are you giving up?"

    He asked as if he couldn¡¯t understand the situation at all.

    ¡¯Alright. He wants to make it clear that this is not a backdoor deal or coercion.¡¯

    Minova nodded in humiliation.

    "W-Well, yes¡­"

    "What reason would you like to announce for that?"

    "Because of my health¡­"

    As Minova offered a vague excuse, Wonderstein lowered his head.

    "No, let¡¯s go with this. Our assistant ringmaster is much cuter."

    At his words, Minova¡¯s mouth opened wide in surprise.

    "What¡­ did you say?"

    E was equally surprised. Inside, she screamed as if in shock.

    Is this guy crazy?

    Suddenly talking nonsense like this?

    Minova couldn¡¯t understand what he was getting at.

    "Hey, do you really think your assistant ringmaster is cuter?"

    Wonderstein smiled and nodded as if he was satisfied with his statement.

    "It¡¯s the truth, isn¡¯t it? Honestly, she¡¯s a thousand times more adorable than that little kid."

    Minova¡¯s face twisted in disbelief.

    He could endure anything else, but he couldn¡¯t stand this guy messing with his daughter.

    "This guy! Stop joking around! Our Ruelle is cuter!"

    "But what can she do other than sit on your shoulders? Our assistant ringmaster ispetent. She handles everything she¡¯s tasked with."

    "Our Ruelle can do that too!"

    "E even sings well."

    "My daughter sings well too! Ruelle, get up! Quickly sing the song we practicedst time!"

    At his angry shout, Ruelle woke up with a bewildered expression.

    "Dad, what¡¯s happening¡­ I¡¯m tired¡­"

    "It¡¯s better not to push yourself right now. Your stamina must have been greatly depleted from the treatment."

    Minova gasped at his words.

    "Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier, you fool! Ruelle, don¡¯t sing! Go back to sleep!"

    "Dad, it¡¯s noisy¡­"

    Ruelle, with a whining sound, fell asleep again.

    Wonderstein looked at her and shook his head.

    "Even her stamina is good."

    "Ugh! Are you going to keep provoking me?"

    "Well, since you don¡¯t seem to ept defeat, shall we make a bet? If you win in the match three weeks from now, I¡¯ll withdraw my statement."

    "Fine! I swear on my name, Kirku, I¡¯ll fight you with all my might."

    "Good."

    And so, the conversation between the two leaders came to an end.

    ***

    I left the hotel.

    Minova barely managed to avoid having my butt kicked thanks to the other members restraining him.

    *Sub Quest ¨C The Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret

    : Pass the test and obtain the star.

    Conditions for sess

    : Pass the preliminary round in Luz on the first attempt.

    Reward upon sess

    : Grant the [Devil¡¯s BGM] trait to all circus members. The power is proportional to the fame earned during the performance.

    No penalty upon failure

    : None.

    This quest was simr to the ¡¯First Performance¡¯ quest achieved in Aksville. The simrityy in the reward being proportional to the fame earned during the performance.

    The essence of the performance was taken for granted when Minova announced his withdrawal; it sent a shiver down my spine.

    Winning in such a manner would undoubtedly result in a clear quest, but the rewards were expected to be meager. Engaging in a fiercepetition with the opponent, creating a spectacle, and gaining fame made it easier to elevate one¡¯s reputation.

    Above all, for the members, this was a very valuable experience.

    It was as if a novice who had just started the game was trying to clear the first boss battle without much effort. So, I provoked him to arouse his enthusiasm.

    Thanks to that, the confrontation proceeded smoothly.

    It was unexpected that he would even pledge to Kirku.

    It would have sufficed to gracefully acknowledge and concede if he felt indebted.

    But he went beyond that, rushing in with excitement, dering his armistice.

    It took only about a minute.

    A loud voice echoed from the hotel entrance.

    "Hey, Director Wonderstein!"

    When I turned my head, Minova was running towards us, breathing heavily.

    What¡¯s this, is he still trying to provoke?

    However, I was a little surprised by his subsequent actions.

    "Thank you!"

    He said that and then bowed to the ground.

    Behind him, the members showed expressions of surprise.

    I would have made a simr expression if I could.

    I nodded towards him and turned to walk towards the hotel.

    The promise to heal Ruelle was made before the quest was even assigned.

    At that time, the details of the test and the opponent were unknown.

    There was no particr reason to step forward; I just wanted to give a small gift.

    "I can do anything for my child! Please, please fix my child¡¯s body!"

    I was five or six years old; I can¡¯t quite remember.

    It happened to be the same age as Ruelle.

    I didn¡¯t want to leave a debt of the heart to the opponent I had to face.

    So, I stepped forward.

    As I was walking towards the point where I got off the carriage, I saw a familiar figure in the distance.

    "Hey, why is E here?"

    To my question, she blushed a little and avoided my gaze.

    "Just. I was worried that you might do something strange again¡­ Why did you go to the Satbyeol Circus?"

    "Nothing special. Just did a bit of boasting."

    "¡­Really?"

    She seemed to stutter for some reason.

    I wondered if I said something strange.

    I nodded at her to reassure her.

    "Just¡­ we have something better than what they guys have."

    "¡­Is that so?"

    E seemed to ept it reluctantly.

    After provoking her, I continued the conversation.

    "Now, just trust the assistant ringmaster."

    "Insane."

    Her face turned red as she walked ahead quickly.

    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t help it.

    There was no one else in this circus except her.

    So, we arrived at the hotel on foot.

    I wonder if Maya¡¯s sign waspleted.

    I lost words when I saw it.

    It¡¯s a good title.

    Typography was also excellent.

    The drawing was wless.

    If there was something a bit annoying, it seemed like the personal feelings of the artist who drew the sign were excessively reflected.

    "Maya, who is this woman¡­!"

    E sharpened her voice.

    "Just over there."

    "Huh? Where?"

    I pointed to a corner of the sign, smiling.

    I quietly followed her gaze.

    I saw E blushing as she turned away from my gaze.

 Chapter 76: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (10)

    When I crossed over into this world, I found it difficult to confront the members directly.

    Some of them were afraid of me, but I, too, was afraid of them in my own way.

    It wasn¡¯t because of their appearance.

    Unlike the people in this world who might find them intimidating, their looks didn¡¯t bother me much.

    Womon was a muscr and charismatic Giant character often seen in games and movies.

    Sven, although a symbol of terror for people in the past, was amusing to watch move around, considering the widespread usage of skeletons in the modern era.

    The disabilities that Yurakne, Triamere, and Bendict had reminded me of friends I had in the orphanage in the past, making them feel familiar. Even the dwarf Jobel was just a person with short stature, amon sight in every neighborhood.

    The reason I found it hard to face them was not because of their appearance but because of their actions portrayed in the games.

    Womon was a cannibal who would hang people on hooks and cook them, Sven was a madman who hunted people, skinned them, and wore their leather like clothes, and Yurakne was a supernatural being who would tie up men and extract bodily fluids from them.

    Monsters who could potentially rip my throat apart if I showed any weakness.

    I kept my guard up, thinking like that.

    Of course, such suspicions didn¡¯tst long.

    They were only simr to the bosses of TT1 in appearance; I soon realized they were ordinary individuals with many wounds inside.

    Some took longer to adapt due to their appearances.

    They were the Rat Men, who worked asborers in the circus.

    As their name suggests, they were a race with the appearance of rats.

    Rats were symbols of uncleanliness and disgust alongside cockroaches for modern people.

    My perception of them was not much different from ordinary people.

    When I saw their stiff fur, twitching whiskers, wriggling nose, and pink, wrinkled front paws, curses unintentionally escaped me. If there hadn¡¯t been aughing man, I might have wet myself the moment I faced them.

    But the people here didn¡¯t find Rat Men as repulsive as I did.

    People might look at them ascking in some way or like dirty colored people, but they didn¡¯t see them as monsters.

    It was a very strange thing.

    Emotionally, it didn¡¯t resonate, but it wasn¡¯t something I couldn¡¯t understand.

    Whether something is a monster or not ultimately depends on the ¡¯familiarity.¡¯

    If a dinosaur or a three-legged insect-like creature appeared in reality, we wouldn¡¯t treat it as a monster.

    However, creatures like a six-legged cat or a snake with eight arms or a human-sized cockroach would be treated as ¡¯monsters.¡¯

    The psychological aversion to calling something a monster or recoiling from it came from the strangeness beyond familiarity.

    The difference in perspective between the members and the Rat Men in this ce could also be understood in that way.

    In two months, I also became somewhat ustomed to the Rat Men.

    They didn¡¯t seem as grotesque as before.

    Surprisingly, they didn¡¯t fear me as they did before.

    Rat Men were a race with an innate sense of reading cues and atmosphere.

    They instinctively felt that I was no longer a threatening presence.

    Now, confidently walking past me was a routine sight.

    There was even a time when they gathered under the balcony of my bedroom at dawn, roasting and eating a sparrow they had caught somewhere while singing.

    Not long ago, a child took money from me, iming he needed it to buy medicine for a sick sibling. Later, I found him sprawled in a corner of the yard, intoxicated by marijuana.

    At such times, it was both amusing and somehow damaging to my pride. Am I perceived as more approachable than the former Wonderstein?

    I observed unexpected behaviors simr to what I mentioned earlier, where they would roll their eyes, watch my expression, or flick their beards, trying to gauge the atmosphere, like humans do.

    The societal prejudice of the "cunning and treacherous species" didn¡¯t seem entirely baseless.

    Their behavior was repulsive.

    There was a reason why Wonderstein regrly summoned them to instill fear.

    When they only showed a sly grin, they truly looked down on people.

    But I couldn¡¯t do that.

    In the rtively smooth rtionship with the members, I didn¡¯t want to step forward and create an atmosphere of fear.

    Anyway, I had a capable deputy.

    The most approachable target for the rat-men was Womon, the youngest.

    Despite his fierce appearance and the terrifying nickname of a vampire, his inner self was very innocent and gentle.

    The rat-men noticed that and would slyly steal his food, pretend to stab his cooking utensils with materials they carried, and engage in teasing.

    From Womon¡¯s perspective, it was nothing, and he justughed it off. However, E didn¡¯t ignore it.

    Whenever the rat-men crossed the line, she would step forward with a whip.

    Then, they would immediately lower their heads, bend their waists, and act pitiful, iming, "Ouch! It hurts! It hurts! Humans! If you hit us, we cry!"

    "Babies cry too! Moms and dads! Please don¡¯t hit us! We cry!"

    "Whip whip! Human society! Scary! Rat-men! Miserable!"

    Rat-men with tearful eyes and pitiful expressions.

    When Womon, who used to be tormented, stepped forward to stop E, they would cry miserably.

    Of course, false tears didn¡¯t work in front of her.

    Whenever they did that, she would coldly wield the whip at them.

    The first time I witnessed that scene, I was so shocked that I unintentionally screamed inside.

    Seeing E, who had always been calm, desperately making others begging was a first.

    Of course, after experiencing their nature firsthand, I secretly gave her a thumbs up whenever she wielded the whip.

    I learned that she intentionally portrayed coldness and strictness for educational purposes.

    By watching her handle them, it was clear why her upation was a "beast tamer."

    Thanks to her, the rat-men followed her orders obediently, and she always took care of dealing with them.

    Today¡¯s guest reception training was the same.

    She called the rat-men to the garden and taught them how to wee guests, serve food, and respond to requests.

    E adjusted her cor, folded her hands in front of her belly, and politely bowed before saying, "Wee to Wonderstein Circus!"

    "Wonder Circus! Wee!"

    If she demonstrated first, the rat-men would imitate, chanting, "What would you like to order?"

    "Order! Say it!"

    However, despite watching for a while, it didn¡¯t seem like there was much progress in their practice.

    The rat-men found it challenging to string words together to form long sentences.

    "What would you like to order?"

    "Order! Say it!"

    However, after more than 30 minutes of trying to train them, E eventually gave up.

    "Alright, let¡¯s stop."

    They straightened their back in response to her words.

    "Alright!"

    "Boss! Demands! Too difficult!"

    "Our way! Convenient!"

    E tilted her head as if puzzled.

    "Fine. Do as you wish. After all, guests won¡¯t expect much from the rat men employees."

    The rat men shouted with joy as they rushed out of the garden.

    From the sounds of their chatter, it seemed like they were heading to the back garden of the hotel, perhaps to gather honey from a beehive they found there.

    E watched their backs as she murmured to herself.

    "Those rascals."

    "Weren¡¯t the demands too much for the rat men?"

    In response to my question, she chuckled as if saying it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    "They¡¯re just bluffing. Both the lines and the actions were a mess. They don¡¯t have any obligation. They just navigate between profit and bnce. This time, it¡¯s their move, thinking this ce is their territory."

    E adjusted the whip on her waist.

    It was called a beast-taming whip, but I had never seen her use it on any animals other than the rat men.

    "Oh, right. What about the discussion with Lady Vergsong?"

    "I couldn¡¯t talk to her. She went to another region early in the morning. She is quite busy these days handling post-trial matters."

    "Is that so? Well, then we don¡¯t have much to do right now. Let¡¯s take it easy since there¡¯s still three weeks left. Want to watch the members¡¯ practice together?"

    "Sure."

    Just a week ago, I couldn¡¯t have imagined wandering around their practice.

    I always had to step back if the members were ufortable.

    However, after the trial, the members didn¡¯t seem as ufortable sharing the same space with me anymore.

    "When juggling two skulls, the speed keeps mismatching because the other white ball and the skulls have different weights. What should I do?"

    "Well, in that case, focus on reflexively snapping only when you throw the skulls¡­."

    As soon as she heard the difficult part the members were struggling with, E immediately provided a solution.

    "Should I keep applying pine pollen powder to my hands?"

    "Sis, you can use both arms alternately. People won¡¯t notice what the other hand is doing during the performance."

    She urately grasped the physical characteristics of the members and provided appropriate advice.

    "Womon, your crying sounds are the scariest when you¡¯re scared. So when you¡¯re doing an angry scene, think of something frightening."

    "Like this? Kwaah!"

    "¡­Nggh, give it some time and scream. Alright!"

    She used her knowledge to address issues that I wouldn¡¯t have known about without observing the members closely.

    I couldn¡¯t help but admire her skills as I followed her around.

    Maya was redrawing the sign at E¡¯s request.

    Pointing to the spot next to me where I was standing, E said,

    Find your next adventure on NovelBin.C?m

    "Move me there."

    Maya, after hearing her request, nced at her with a slightly displeased look, then followed her request and drew the picture.

    Thus, the entire group focused on final practice.

    Every day, there were slight adjustments to posture, movements, acting, and drawings.

    Five days passed quickly.

    Under thepleted sign.

    E gathered all the members and turned around, smiling confidently.

    "25%."

    The first week of the test had begun.

 Chapter 77: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (11)

    The 2nd and 3rd halls of the Rose Windmill Cabaret rarely opened during daytime.

    The cabaret¡¯s main events took ce at night, and the avability of performers during the day was limited. Typically, only the 1st hall was used for daytime performances.

    Third Monday of June.

    After a long time, both the 2nd and 3rd halls of the Rose Windmill were open simultaneously.

    It was due to a special performance by an external theatre troupe.

    The performances continued until Saturday.

    Two circus troupes participating in the Grand Circus Prix each upied one hall andpeted against each other.

    This special performance was not limited to just this week.

    For the next two years, circus troupes from around the world would take turnspeting every week.

    The residents of the town, living off entertainment and amodation, couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought of the overflowing guests and tourists for the next two years.

    The ticket booth in front of the cabaret was filled with guests waiting to exchange their tickets.

    The theme of the duel presented by the Rose Windmill was ¡¯Free to Enter, Pay to Enjoy.¡¯

    Although admission was free, not everyone could just enter and watch.

    The theatre management had prepared a system to exclude those who couldn¡¯t afford to spend money.

    [100 Zirco Coins] = 1-day admission, general seating.

    [180 Zirco Coins] = 1-day admission, A-grade reserved seating.

    [400 Zirco Coins] = 2-day admission, A-grade reserved seating.

    [700 Zirco Coins] = 2-day admission, S-grade reserved seating.

    [1200 Zirco Coins] = ¡­

    ¡­

    [5000 Zirco Coins] = 6-day advance admission, VIP reserved seating.

    [¡ùNote: Only purchases made with included admission tickets and Zirco Coins can be used for purchases inside the cabaret. £Ý

    Zirco Coins were a kind of virtual currency usable inside the theater.

    Each person could only purchase one admission ticket, and the amount of Zirco Coins usable for each ticket was fixed.

    In other words, there was a minimum and maximum amount of currency that could be used per person.

    This served to filter out those who couldn¡¯t afford a minimum purchasing power while preventing sponsors from indiscriminately pouring money to benefit one side in the profit-sharing activity.

    While admission was free, it meant that once inside the theatre, freely moving between the 2nd and 3rd halls was allowed. However, to be a participant in this ¡¯profit game,¡¯ actual admission fees were practically required.

    Wonderstein marveled at Bouvalle¡¯s business acumen.

    What he envisioned were casinos and theme parks.

    Entering was easy, but to enjoy the games, one needed chips, simr to casinos.

    Simrly, entering a theme park was easy, but to participate in the games, one needed tokens, introducing differentiated pricing for entry tickets and currency for use in the internal shops, much like a theme park.

    Combining it with Zirco Coins, the entry ticket epassed the right to enjoy differentiated services, the currency for using the shops, and the betting currency for participating in voting games.

    Even those who had reservations about free shows couldn¡¯tin when they saw Bouvalle selling entry tickets.

    Some circus groups protested the tiered pricing of entry tickets.

    Dramas targeting the nobility argued for the removal of the 100-coin tier, advocating for an upward levelling, while those entertaining themon folk insisted on eliminating high-tier options like 5000 coins, pushing for a downward levelling.

    However, Bouvalle countered such protests with rational arguments.

    "Each pricing tier is based on the revenue structure analyzed from years of free shows at our theater. It reflects the consumption distribution of the audience who visit here to enjoy free shows."

    Indeed, tickets for different tiers were sold with simrpetition rates.

    Those aiming for profits through upscale or budget strategies had to rethink their tactics to target different audience segments.

    Grand Prix participants didn¡¯t need to wait for a ticket draw.

    Each circus group received five ¡¯6-day advance tickets¡¯ and 10,000 Zirco Coins.

    This served the role of evaluating each other amongpetitors.

    While other circus groups mightpete to see who would get the tickets within the five slots, fortunately, the Monster Circus had a limited number of people who could go out anyway.

    Wonderstein, E, Yurakne, Maya, and Sven naturally obtained the entry tickets.

    The group also fairly divided the 10,000 Zirco coins, with 2000 each.

    "As you have to use it for six days, use it wisely."

    Ignoring the director¡¯s advice, the group made a bet on which side would win in the uingpetition, betting Zirco coins on it.

    The Zirco Coins received this week could only be used for this week¡¯spetition.

    Sales and profit were announced every day, so they decided to exchange Zirco Coins on the 6th day based on the results up to the 5th day.

    Wonderstein and Maya bet 200 Zirco Coins each on the Silver Veil Circus, while the other three bet 200 Zirco Coins each on the Pandora Magic Show.

    At the time of bet, the Pandora Magic Show was leading 3:2.

    However, at the point of deciding which show to watch first upon entering the theatre, the tables turned.

    Silver Veil Circus.

    Pandora Magic Show.

    Both had earned a long-standing reputation in the industry.

    One specialized in illusion magic, while the other focused on escape magic.

    The two show styles were distinctly different.

    One side provided a show purely with illusions without sending anyone onto the stage, while the other side featured the iconic magician, Lweeni, who had been at the center of the stage for decades.

    "I¡¯ve seen the Escape King¡¯s show in Vegas before. The narrative, suspense, and humor all worked organically in the live setting. He truly is a veteran who has been in the industry for decades. As for illusion shows¡­ well, I haven¡¯t seen the shows, but illusion shows are usually just one-time tricks. It¡¯s likely to get tiring after a few ¡¯wow, amazing¡¯ moments¡­"

    E expressed her opinion, but the opinions of others, excluding her, leaned towards the illusion show.

    Magic, like escape tricks, wasmon even on the streets, but people were curious about the skill of the illusion magic at the industry¡¯s peak.

    In the end, the five decided to determine what to watch first through rock-paper-scissors.

    4:1.

    It seemed impossible to lose.

    Surprisingly, E won three out of two consecutive rock-paper-scissors games against four opponents, never losing or tying once, securing victory with eight consecutive wins.

    "All right! Let¡¯s go watch the escape show!"

    Maya looked at E, who clenched her fist triumphantly, with an expression that she couldn¡¯t believe it.

    "Tell me honestly, Vice-Captain, did you receive a blessing as a magician? It wasn¡¯t just rock-paper-scissors, right?"

    Instead of answering, E lightly loosened one wrist and quickly demonstrated the forms of rock, paper, and scissors.

    Dozens of changes urred in just 2 or 3 seconds.

    It was a rapid movement to the point where afterimages were visible, and the sound of the wind could be heard.

    "It¡¯s nothing special. It¡¯s just using a bit of intuition and hand skills."

    The four decided not to expect fairness in games involving E¡¯s sleight of hand and followed her towards Hall 3.

    The atmosphere in the hall where the Pandora Magic Show was held was festive, like a festival.

    An elderly man wearing an orange cloak appeared on stage.

    Escape King Lweeni.

    With his pure white hair and robust physique, he exuded the dignity of a seasoned veteran in the industry.

    His name burst out like cheers from all around.

    He responded to the audience¡¯s calls, neither too arrogant nor too humble.

    Walking to the center of the stage, he raised his finger and shouted.

    "You won¡¯t be able to take your eyes off for even a second!"

    His iconic line was echoed by many in the crowd.

    E raised one hand on her side and raised her index finger, mimicking his gesture.

    Lweeni, despite his age, exuded energy in every aspect of his voice and actions.

    Even his sense of humor was unremarkably good enough for all generations to enjoy without feeling burdened.

    Making fun of a few audience members, both giving and receiving jokes, was done with such ease that everyone couldugh without difort. His self-deprecating jokes flowed naturally.

    Before starting the escape magic, he had already elevated the atmosphere significantly with just his talk show.

    The first magic he prepared was escaping from a ss container filled with water.

    The ss container gilded, water leaking in, the elderly magician jumped up, using cotton to plug the holes, trying to buy time.

    Of course, it was futile. The gilding on the ss widened, and the magician banged on the ss wall, screaming in desperation.

    The performance was bothical and filled with a sense of crisis, capturing everyone¡¯s attention on Lweeni¡¯s show. Read exclusive adventures at NovelBin.C?m

    His confident deration that no one could take their eyes off even for a second turned out to be true.

    Maya, who rarely got excited, found herself leaning forward with her hand gripping the armrest tighter than usual.

    Wondersteinmented the unfortunate situation where he couldn¡¯t naturally immerse himself in his own circumstances due to theughing man.

    The water level in the ss rose.

    His whole body was submerged in water.

    Bubbles foamed from his mouth, and hisplexion turned pale.

    It simply didn¡¯t look like an act anymore.

    Time stood still as Lweeni, still submerged, just emitted bubbles and struggled weakly.

    It was only then that the audience realized something was wrong.

    An uneasy murmur spread through the audience.

    The chaos extended to the stage.

    Employees of Pandora Magic Show rushed onto the stage from below to assess the situation.

    Amidst this, Lweeni¡¯s movements slowed down.

    Hisplexion turned purple.

    He was drowning.

    A muscr employee, wielding a hammer, leaped onto the stage.

    He swung the hammer to shatter the tank.

    Bang!

    With the thunderous noise, all the lights in the hall went out.

    People let out terrified screams.

    Sobs mixed with the mor.

    After what felt like several seconds, lights returned.

    Only one.

    One spotlight illuminated the back of the audience.

    There, the elderly magician, drenched in water, leaned against the wall, exhaling rough breaths.

    "Heh, heh¡­ This doesn¡¯t feel the same as it used to when I was younger."

    He smiled wryly.

    After a moment of silence, a thunderous cheer and apuse followed.

    The lights fully recovered.

    The tank on the stage was intact.

    The sound heard earlier wasn¡¯t the hammer breaking the ss.

    Not a single drop of water fell on the path from the stage to the audience.

    During the short intermission, E shouted with a triumphant expression.

    "81%!"

    "81%? What does that mean?"

    "It¡¯s the script recreation value. What we practiced. If we reach that level, we canpete with the show we just witnessed."

    Some kind of performance power?

    "Is that urate?"

    "Just a feeling. A feeling."

    Upon E¡¯s words, Wonderstein nodded.

    "But it seems Pandora¡¯s side didn¡¯t prepare for a different strategy."

    "No need for fancy tricks in a good show."

    In reality, they ordered drinks and snacks at the table to watch Lweeni¡¯s next show.

    In this way, in the three segments of Lweeni¡¯s show, they spent over 1500 Zirco Coins.

 Chapter 78: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (12)

    Wonderstein and his team, who appeared in the Pandora Magic Show, stopped by the concession stand on their way to the Silver Veil Circus.

    The concession stand was also divided between the two circus sides.

    E picked up a shiny, sturdy metal piece from the Pandora stand in front of the concession stand.

    "If you¡¯ve seen the Escape King¡¯s show, you should buy this."

    The metal piece she held had the following inscription:

    <Escape King¡¯s 114 Puzzle Series No. Rose />

    Escape King Lweeni used to provide a simple metal puzzle made of the localndmarks or specialties as a gift to the audience whenever he finished a performance in an area.

    Originally, it was distributed to all the spectators, but this time, with free admission, it was being sold at the concession stand.

    Lweeni¡¯s escape puzzles were small geometric metal pieces intertwined in a seemingly simple manner, requiring disassembly to solve.

    Although they looked simple on the surface, solving them was not that easy.

    People who couldn¡¯t solve them would twist and turn them for a month and still couldn¡¯t solve them.

    What Lweeni presented this time was a ¡¯Rose,¡¯ a hexagonal flower formed by three Y-shaped metal piecesbining.

    From its name to its form, it was clearly designed for thispetition.

    The area in front of the concession stand was filled with fans trying to solve the puzzle and discussing it.

    Lweeni¡¯s puzzles were so popr that when a new one was released, the solution was guaranteed to be featured in the next circus magazine.

    While they didn¡¯t watch Lweeni¡¯s performance, collecting his puzzles was a hobby for many.

    "How about each of us buying one and trying to solve it?"

    The price of the puzzle was not cheap, but since they received free coins, there was no burden in using them.

    They sat around the table in front of the concession stand with the escape puzzles until the next show started in the Silver Veil.

    "Why isn¡¯t this working?"

    "I wish my bones were connected this tightly¡­"

    Watching Yurakne and Sven struggle with the puzzle, E shook her head.

    "It¡¯s useless to exert force. If it doesn¡¯t be at the exact angle and position, it¡¯s immovable. Even if you solve it quickly, it will take hours."

    "I solved it."

    "What?"

    Maya was the fastest to solve the puzzle.

    As soon as she took the puzzle in her hands, she observed the shape of the pieces, rotated them a few times, and dismantled thebination in one go.

    "How did you do that?"

    E looked at her with wide eyes.

    Maya turned to E and spoke with an emotionless yet somewhat mocking tone.

    "A little intuition and manual skill."

    Receiving the same line she threw earlier, E made a resentful expression.

    Maya ignored themotion around and observed the disassembled puzzle¡¯s details.

    She was interested in the specific junctions of the metal pieces.

    Spectacr reactions came from the people around who were solving puzzles.

    "Wow! What¡¯s this, miss?"

    "She solved the puzzle right away in her seat!"

    "What grade is this puzzle?"

    "It¡¯s a 4th grade! Third from the top!"

    Lweeni¡¯s fans, solving puzzles around, gathered around the table where the group was sitting.

    Lweeni had given grades to his puzzles himself, with 6 being the highest and 1 the lowest. Grade 6 appeared only once, and Grade 5 came out once every two or three years. The 4th grade that Maya solved was considered the most challenging by regr standards.

    However, she solved it within minutes of buying it, so it was natural for people to be astonished.

    "Someone already solved it?"

    Hearing themotion in front of the concession stand, someone rushed out from hole 3.

    From afar, the Wonderstein could recognize who he was.

    A man with his face and upper body covered in chains.

    He was one of the two members Lweeni brought to the lottery ceremony.

    Due to his appearance with chains wrapped all over, he got the nickname ¡¯Chain Tail,¡¯ and he was an acrobat.

    He sighed as he looked at the three dismantled pieces in Maya¡¯s hands.

    "Really! Solving a Grade 4 puzzle so quickly."

    "Is there a problem with the pieces, by any chance?"

    A fanatical and nervously looking thin man among Lweeni¡¯s enthusiastic fans protested in a rough voice.

    As soon as he entered the theater, he rushed to the snack bar, bought a puzzle, and fiddled with the pieces instead of watching the performance.

    Lweeni¡¯s puzzles were rewarded to the first solver.

    Eager to try it out, he sat stubbornly in front of the snack bar without watching the performance, holding the puzzle.

    But when a girl, who had watched the entire show up to part 3, quickly solved it shortly after getting the pieces, irritation surged within him.

    He gave him a disdainful look.

    His gray eyes flickered through the gaps of the chain.

    "A problem? Our trap puzzles have never had issues with the products."

    The fan who spoke up against his cold tone shrugged his shoulders and stepped back.

    The Chail Tail realized it, he got unnecessarily excited, then added in a softened tone.

    "Now that I¡¯ve looked, there seems to be no problem. So please refrain from baseless usations. Miss, to receive the prize, ¡¯assembly¡¯ is also required. Would you like to give it a try?"

    Maya, who had been deeply immersed in the analysis of the structural connections, was not pleased with the interruption.

    Normally, she would have snapped, ¡¯I don¡¯t want to.¡¯ and focused only on her work.

    But she felt the gaze of Wonderstein watching her.

    For the sake of his dignity, she couldn¡¯t afford to act so stubbornly.

    She inserted and turned the three pieces in her hand with precise order and angles.

    There was no hesitation or forced attempt to push them together.

    The geometric patterns of the slots clicked together, returning to the initially connected form.

    Around them, cheers erupted.

    While disassembly could sometimes be achieved with enough force, reassembly was impossible without a precise understanding of the puzzle.

    She had genuinely grasped and solved the structure of the puzzle.

    Some fans who imed to be Luck looked perplexed and withdrew.

    The Chain Tail nodded approvingly as he saw the rose she created.

    "I admit it. I recognize you as the No.114, solver of the rose. I will now provide the prize."

    The Chain tail behind the chain, as the nickname suggested, moved like a tail, swaying.

    At the end of the iron tail, a shiny piece of metal hung.

    It was an object identical in shape to the puzzles people bought.

    He moved the iron tail and ced it in front of Maya.

    "This is the original of No.114. I made it following our leader¡¯s design. Other puzzles are made by molding this in bronze. Feel free to keep it, or you can put it up for auction. It sells for a good price. Oh, it¡¯s not gold.

    It¡¯s made of brass."

    After finishing his words, the chain tail, dragging the iron tail, left.

    Once he disappeared, Lweeni¡¯s fans crowded around Maya.

    "Do you mind if I touch it? Can I buy it from you?"

    Some even grabbed her arms and shook them.

    Maya¡¯s expression turned irritated.

    Of course, to ordinary people, her face remained expressionless.

    Only Wonderstein and E could sense her emotions.

    "Please step back now."

    Wonderstein blocked the crowd rushing towards Maya.

    The person who had grabbed her arm was forced to let go.

    Strength 4.0.

    Thanks to the strength, people easily retreated.

    "Wow! What, what is this?"

    "Is he a superman?"

    "He doesn¡¯t even look that strong¡­."

    People were amazed by Wonderstein¡¯s strength and staggered backward.

    "Are you okay?"

    Maya looked at Wonderstein, who was smiling at her, with her usual expressionless face.

    He, who was confident that he could read her expression, was equally surprised at theck of any emotions on her face.

    She looked down at the prize in her hand and then handed it to Wonderstein unexpectedly.

    "Here."

    Wonderstein smiled perplexedly as he looked at it.

    "Why are you giving this to me?"

    "I don¡¯t need it."

    Maya, who had ced the item on the table, turned her attention back to observing the joints of the sculpture.

    Her attitude was so cool and indifferent that it was confusing.

    Wonderstein, with a perplexed smile, picked up the gift.

    "Thank you, I¡¯ll take it."

    As he put it in his arms, Maya¡¯s mouth curled up ever so slightly.

    Since she had her head down, only E sitting next to her could notice her smile.

    Maya chuckled at E, who was staring at her intently.

    "Want me to teach you how to solve puzzles?"

    "I¡¯m fine. I can do it alone."

    E turned her head away and struggled with the puzzle for several minutes.

    She had solved many of Lweeni¡¯s trap puzzle series.

    In the corner of the circus school, there were dozens of puzzles covered in children¡¯s fingerprints.

    It was one of the favorite pastimes for the circus dreamers.

    Sometimes bets were made on who wouldplete the full conquest first.

    The bet ended when E, around 13 or 14 years old, winning.

    "Done!"

    Just before going in to watch the Silver Veil performance, E finally solved the puzzle.

    Sven, who was next to her, congratted her with a smirk.

    He added a short tease.

    "Third ce, Deputy Director, hahaha."

    He was the second in the group toplete the puzzle.

    Thanks to Maya exining the solution, Sven was able to solve the puzzle a few minutes before.

    "Building bones every day makes things like this enjoyable!"

    He bought a bunch of puzzle series at the snack bar and brought them in his arms.

    He said they were leftovers from the previous region.

    Wonderstein nodded at his words about sharing them with members who couldn¡¯t see the performance.

    Well, doing this back and forth would make time fly.

    "I forgot about the remaining members. I¡¯ll pay for it."

    "Ohoho! Director! He is not stingy one! Well then, thank you! Kekke!"

    [Sven¡¯s favorability has increased by 1.]

    With that, the only member who couldn¡¯t solve the puzzle was Yurakne.

    Even after listening to Maya¡¯s exnation, she was still unable to find the solution while struggling with the metal sculpture.

    "Yiik."

    "Miss Yurakne, that¡¯s not something you solve with strength."

    Wonderstein grabbed her shoulders and calmed her down.

    Unknowingly, her arms around her back and waist were tense, causing her to struggle even more.

    She was twisting the metal sculpture with the force of breaking a puzzle made of bones.

    Yurakne, who exerted all her strength, blushed when she met the director¡¯s gaze.

    She wanted a hole to hide in.

    But there was something else that made her face even redder.

    In her frustration with the puzzle, Wonderstein tried to help her solve it by holding her hands and directly solving the puzzle.

    "Uh...."

    His hand tightly grasped her hand. Yurakne couldn¡¯t even think of resisting and was led by his hand. His face was almost right next to hers.

    Maya¡¯s expression froze as she witnessed the scene, and E¡¯s eyebrows raised.

    Wonderstein, focused on solving the puzzle, didn¡¯t notice the changes around him.

    "So, if we twist it at this angle¡­."

    Wonderstein had captured the moment Maya solved the puzzle in his mind. He was always ready to help Yurakne with the puzzle.

    However, he postponed confirming whether she would be acknowledged for solving the puzzle until the end.

    Unaware that Yurakne¡¯s face had turned as red as a persimmon, he anxiously stared at the notification while solving the puzzle.

    Click.

    Stay updated via NovelBin.C?m

    Three Y-shaped pieces of metal dismantled with a sound on the ground.

    Simultaneously, a notification popped up.

    [You have achieved the ¡¯Chapter Quest ¨C Time Attack! Puzzle King!¡¯ ]

    [As a reward, ¡¯Debulroots x20¡¯ is provided.]

    Wonderstein breathed a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, it seemed that she would be acknowledged for solving the puzzle even with this approach.

    He had recently umted Debulroots for experimenting with skill books and the dressing room.

    Two weeks were left for the program he and E had thought about.

    Even small quests like this couldn¡¯t be missed.

    "I didn¡¯t realize time was flying while solving the puzzle. Well then, shall we go watch the Silver Veil¡¯s performance?"

    Wonderstein led the way with a bright smile.

    His steps were light.

    He had worried whether the members could solve the puzzle within an hour, but luckily, they had just managed toplete the quest.

    E and Maya looked at each other, realizing that they both had the same thought.

    Anyway, that carefree personality of his.

    Is it really okay for them to leave him like that?

    The skeleton jester continued tough while looking at Yurakne, whose face was still flushed.

    "Oh, modestdy. Hold my hand once¡­."

    "Shut up, Sven!"

    Thump.

    Yurakne¡¯s punch made his head wobble as if it might roll off.

 Chapter 79 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (13)

    The ''Kinema,'' which could be considered the magnum opus of the Silver Veil Circus, was arge-scale illusion show that mobilized dozens of magicians.

    The expansive stage was densely covered with three-dimensional illusions.

    A fake castle rose, and behind it, fake mountains emerged, and a fake river flowed.

    In the midst of the battlefield where fake cannons spewed fire, a fake knight charged towards fake demons.

    Thousands of intricate miniatures moved simultaneously, each ying its role, creating a spectacr scene.

    Blood and flesh were omitted to consider the audience, but the shes in the explosions and dust were undoubtedly thrilling.

    Some characters on the battlefield were asionally magnified to advance the narrative.

    A handsome young knight seemed to be the protagonist of the story.

    He bravely led the knighthood from the forefront.

    "The real army isn''t like that! Why is themander at the front¡­"

    "Please be quiet while watching!"

    A retired officerined, but he quickly fell silent under his wife''s stern gaze.

    Audiences who hadn''t expectedrge-scale war scenes from the beginning couldn''t close their mouths in awe of the overwhelming spectacle.

    After the initial war scenes, scenes of the coronation ceremony, the castle''s ball, and romantic scenes with the queen followed.

    "Oh, Queen, bless my journey."

    "Alright. Come here. I will bestow upon you the best blessing I can offer."

    Unlike most ys of this era, Kinema included explicit love scenes rarely seen in performances.

    In ys, love was usually expressed through shadows cast on a screen and the moans heard through them.

    However, Kinema''s love scenes were more explicitpared to other performances.

    The naked body of the male protagonist and the silhouette of the female protagonist were tantly revealed.

    Although it was less suggestive than Earth''s pornography, it was scandalous enough for the audience in this ce.

    Some modest individuals averted their eyes from the stage, but most enjoyed the spectacle.

    There were even those who, in embarrassment, grabbed the person next to them and eximed.

    Among the Wonderstein group, Yurakne was the most prominent.

    "Oh my, what should I do? What should I do?"

    She grabbed Wonderstein''s arm and twisted her body, yfully hitting his shoulders.

    Even if Yurakne were to hit him with a club, he wouldn''t be hurt seriously, given his issue reliance rating of 4.0 armor.

    but instead, she mercilessly twisted his arm, almost making him shed tears but can''t because of the Smiling Man.

    "Miss Yurakne, please be quiet¡­"

    "Kyah, ! Maya! Cover your eyes!"

    Upon hearing her words, even Wonderstein thought it wasn''t quite right for the children to see, but he nodded his head after hearing  say, "Its not even a real person, so what."

    Kinema''s illusioncked subtlety as it focused on scale and dynamic scenes,gging behind in delicacy.

    Especially in parts where the faces of characters were erged, it was quite noticeable.

    It felt like watching the CG of a game from the early to mid-2010s.

    "So, the young knight set out on a quest to the west, holding the queen''s promise in his heart."

    All dialogues, soliloquies, and evenmentary were handled by a single person.

    The deputy leader of the Silver Veil referred to as Byeonsa was doing all the narration.

    The small and plump witch imitated various voices to match the dynamic changes in the illusion, vividly conveying the content of the video.

    Behind the stage, magicians were gathered around several memory disks were implementing the illusion ording to the changes.

    No matter how skilled Arno of the Silver Veil Circus was, he couldn''t create dynamic illusions covering an entire stage alone for hours.

    Each memory disk was operated by wizards responsible for backgrounds, props, characters, and effects, taking turns in their roles.

    The Kinema of the silver screen resembled Earth''s early movies but had some advantages, notably 3D technology.

    "Whoa!"

    "Wow!"

    "Look at that!"

    Some people pointed and screamed, standing on the second-floor balcony behind the stage.

    There, a winged ck dragon, the size of a calf, stood on its hind legs, peering down at the stage from the darkness.

    It revealed itself, having crouched within the deep mountain range.

    The vertically slit pupils of the reptilian eyes followed the protagonists approaching it.

    The massive ck dragon spread its wings and soared towards the audience.

    Screams and rough exhales echoed from various directions.

    The dragon passed over the heads of the people.

    There was no physical force in the illusion.

    However, the mes enveloping the dragon''s body were real, and the hot aura licked over the heads of the people.

    Among the astonished spectators, none screamed louder than Yurakne.

    "Kyaaah!"

    She screamed louder than the dragon''s roar.

    She clung tightly to Wonderstein, shouting and shaking.

    "D-Director! It''s a dragon!"

    "Y-Yura, calm down. It''s an illusion,."

    "Kyaaah! Don''te over here!"

    She shouted louder than the dragon''s cry.

    She shook Wonderstein''s shoulders and back violently, drawing attention to them.

    E covered her face with her hands and bowed her head beside them.

    Maya, who usually cared little about others'' gazes, felt a sense of embarrassment.

    Even Sven, who enjoyed such attention, felt the urge to detach his head and hide it beneath his seat.

    What a disgrace.

    E muttered to herself.

    Behind the stage, Arno, the Memory Master, smiled.

    As the fantasy shows advanced, a trend emerged, demanding more tranquility from the audience.

    He didn''t like that. He had been active in the circus since its early days.

    He missed the times when people cheered with astonishment at the mysterious and screamed in fear at the frightening.

    His gaze moved from Yurakne, passed Maya, and stopped at Wonderstein.

    That woman is affiliated with him too.

    He looked at Maya.

    A child who retained both the appearance of someone he had loved and the image of his nemesis.

    Receiving a letter from the child''s father, he thought he had to take care of her¡­

    Of all ces, she had to end up there.

    "Director?"

    One of the members interrupted his contemtion from backstage.

    Having to adjust the shes between different illusions, he momentarily had another thought, while the protagonist party continued walking through the forest.

    "Sorry."

    He quickly averted his gaze from Maya and promptly corrected the error.

    Seems like it''s a forest enchanted with illusions.

    Snap out of it!

    If the leader loses focus, everyone dies!

    Fortunately, the mistake just now was skillfully covered up by the deputy on the spot.

    Hepletely cleared Wonderstein''s group from his mind and did his best to implement the performance.

    Kinema also ended like an escape king''s magic, with praise from the audience.

    "It''s not bad. It''s the first time I''ve seen an illusion implemented in such detail on this scale."

    E seemed satisfied as she smiled.

    Next to her, Yurakne clenched her fist and grinned.

    "But the reconnaissance doesn''t make much sense. We came to see what strategy the other team would use, right? But both sides just unfolded conventional performances."

    Sven, standing nearby, spoke with a mocking tone.

    "Haha, instead of exploring the strengths, we just exposed ourselves! We let everyone know that we have a scaredy-cat who can produce an incredible high-pitched sound."

    "Ugh."

    Blushing, Yurakne bowed her head deeply.

    The reaction from her in Kinema, seen by the audience, had been seized by the deputy leader who was in charge of the curtain, and it added a bigugh to the curtain call.

    Next to her, Wonderstein, with a teasing smile, said:

    "Hehe, I agree with Sven''s words. We even risked losing power. My arm almost broke."

    "Director!"

    Yurakne shouted in surprise.

    After giving her a smile, he turned to look at all the members.

    "But there were results in exploring the power."

    Wonderstein pointed to the direction of the Silver Veil''s stall.

    There, the audience was lining up to buy desserts sold from behind the curtain.

    However, the number of people waiting was significantlyrger than at Pandora''s food stall.

    "It''s quite substantial. Are they all very hungry?"

    "Then isn''t it better to buy food at Pandora''s stall? Why are they all lining up for desserts like that?"

    Wonderstein, smiling, pointed to the menu depicted on the stall sign.

    There, a lemon cheesecake and sweet honey soda were drawn.

    "Don''t you all feel attracted to those desserts over there?"

    "Lemon cheesecake? I''ve never heard of such food. Is sweet honey soda tasty?"

    "I''ve never seen it before. But for some reason, it feels very familiar."

    "What is it? Quite appealing¡­."

    Looking at the reactions of the members, Wonderstein grinned and pointed to the stall sign.

    There were more people waiting in line than at Pandora''s food stall.

    "It''s okay. I''ve recorded it well in the sketchbook."

    During the visit to Kinema, Wonderstein suddenly asked her to record the performance through the sketchbook.

    Maya''s sketchbook had the power to automatically draw the subject she saw. If it was a moving object, it divided it into multiple frames like a high-speed camera.

    "But due to the sketchbook''s limited lifespan, I could only capture about a minute."

    "That should be enough."

    Wonderstein took Maya''s sketchbook and handed it over, one page at a time.

    The thickness was thin, probably because it was a magic tool, but it could store over a thousand drawings at once.

    Examining the drawings in detail, he handed the sketchbook to the team.

    "Some scenes from the fight against the elite crows in that forest?"

    "Yeah, the drawing is really well done."

    Without thinking, they flipped through the pages, but their hands stopped when they reached the middle.

    There was a drawing inserted in between, simr to what they had seen before.

    [Lemon Cheesecake Tastes Good!]

    White letters on a ck background.

    Everyone tilted their heads at the sudden advertisement phrase.

    "What is this?"

    "Lemon cheesecake?"

    "Was there such a scene?"

    "I''ve never seen it. But for some reason, it feels very familiar."

    Looking at the members'' reactions, Wonderstein turned to Maya.

    "Maya, did you see something else in the middle?"

    "Not at all. I never took my eyes off the performance."

    Wonderstein continued to rmend looking through the sketchbook.

    The next scenes continued with the performance they had seen, but after flipping about ten or twenty pages, a simr drawing was inserted again.

    [Let''s drink honey soda!]

    The members continued to flip through the pages.

    Advertisement phrases and vividly implemented illusion drawings promoting the goods and items sold at Silver Veil circus stall were intermittently inserted.

    Maya, covering the sketchbook, stared at it silently.

    "What is this?"

    Wonderstein, with a gentle smile, spoke to her.

    "It''s a kind of suggestion. Illusion teams were ced in between the illusions, inserting these advertisement phrases and drawings. Very briefly. At a speed that is difficult for people to analyze and recognize ''what is this.'' But people can definitely read at the speed of perception. It''s the speed between ''sensation'' and ''recognition.'' People tend to be drawn to familiar things, right?

    Our heads must have seen this drawing and phrase thousands of times subconsciously throughout the two-hour performance. Thanks to that, it was engraved in our minds. The positive promotion and image of the items sold at Silver Veil Stall"

 Chapter 80 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (14)

    Subliminal.

    That was definitely the name.

    After giving a rough exnation, Wonderstein looked at Maya.

    From the moment she heard the exnation, she had been lost in thought.

    Now, it was the area she had to figure out.

    In fact, Wonderstein didn''t know much more about the veiled masterpiece than what he had just exined.

    It was just something he had seen passing by on the broadcast.

    Even that was only possible because of Wonderstein''s superhuman vision; otherwise, it would have been difficult to capture.

    All he could do was provide clues like this.

    In reality, the method the Silver Veil used was much more effective than what was seen on the broadcast.

    He couldn''t produce an immediate and powerful effect like the murmuring people in front of the store, as if under the influence of some hypnotic or suggestive magic.

    It was some magical force unknown to him.

    While Maya was lost in thought, E, beside her, jumped around angrily.

    "This is a vition of the rules!"

    She repeated the crumpled piece of paper she had read dozens of times, holding it up.

    "Look! It''s clearly stated in the rules! The use of psychoactive substances and mental magic results in immediate disqualification!"

    "Shh! Be quiet. People are staring. Shouldn''t you remember? Participants who spread malicious nder or incite others in other teams are also disqualified, right?"

    With Yurakne''sfort, E barely managed to catch her breath and calm down.

    The thought that unfair trickery had infiltrated a fairpetition made her lose self-control.

    Wonderstein sensed a sh in Maya''s eyes, who had been lost in thought.

    "Maya, can we consider this mental magic?"

    All eyes were now on Maya.

    She was a top student at the magic academy.

    Although she didn''t acquire the desired illusions, her theoretical knowledge was outstanding enough to make academy professors marvel.

    Maya recalled the five types of mysteries rted to human spirit andmunication that she learned at the academy.

    Surface Phase (?), Active Spirit (?), Structured Mind (?), Projection of Essence (?), Essence of Deity (?).

    Among them, ''Surface'' required for unfolding illusion magic was the mystery closest to the edge of the mental realm, half belonging to the material realm and half to the mental realm.

    The act of conjuring illusions belonged to material realm magic.

    Reading and opening someone else''s mystery belonged to mental realm magic.

    The act of seducing others was certainly mental realm magic, but creating beauty through mystery and seducing others in that way could not be considered mental realm magic.

    The method the Silver Veil used seemed to y on that boundary.

    "It''s on the edge."

    "Will this lead to disqualification?"

    "No, at least not immediately ording to the definition of mental magic in the magical world."

    She exined the system of mental magic called ''Surface Disturbance of Mind'' and various magical theories about how the Silver Veil influenced the higher mental realm through mystery.

    Others couldn''t understand her words.

    What nonsense is this?

    E rubbed her temples, feeling a headacheing on.

    Wonderstein was in the same position as them.

    It would have been better to just answer yes or no but bringing in theories made it difficult to interrupt.

    Finally, Maya''s exnation came to an end.

    After finishing her response, she scrutinized Wonderstein''s expression.

    He nodded as if satisfied.

    "Well, Maya, you are indeed remarkable."

    Smiling broadly, he looked at her.

    Seeing him smile so happily, Maya sighed inwardly.

    She knew that the ringmaster had a genius perspective that anyone would find difficult to follow when it came to magic theory.

    Although he had not received formal education due to his circumstances and environment, Maya did not show anyck of respect for him on the day of the opening ceremony. No, she even developed a greater sense of reverence.

    He must have had all the answers in his mind just now.

    A man who had prated all of Silver Veil Arno''s techniques would certainly be familiar with the basic forms of mental magic.

    However, instead of immediately providing an answer, he gave her time to think.

    Through a series of questions and answers, he allowed her to draw her own conclusions.

    It was as if he was guiding a disciple onto the right path without asserting himself, turning the attention as if she had organized the theory herself.

    As if she had developed the new illusion magic.

    He knew.

    That even if he presented magical theories without a recognized status, withouting out of school, and without knowing how to use magic, he would only beughed at in the academia.

    He knew he could lose the theory and be chased away if he made a mistake.

    Or maybe he didn''t even know what betrayal felt like.

    So, he might have given up altogether.

    Yet, whenever he had the opportunity, he tried to pass something on to her.

    Like this sketchbook, whose origin was unknown.

    It was a perfectly prepared item for her.

    Although she rejected it, she could not call him that way, but she considered him a true master.

    "Have you heard the exnation? So, it is."

    E looked at Wonderstein, who was smiling obliquely, and pursed her lips awkwardly.

    She wanted to refute, but since she couldn''t understand what was being said, she had nothing to say.

    She endured it because she felt like she might hear a headache again if she teased.

    Maya, who had only exined the theory, suddenly became annoying.

    Her exnation somehow sounded like praising the magician.

    Of course, there was also anger at herself for feeling frustrated by her ''learned feeling''.

    Wonderstein seemed to see through her feelings and asked her a question she could answer confidently.

    "How about it? If youpare Silver Veil''s Kinema with Pandora''s Escape Show? Just talking about the performance."

    E stopped being angry.

    And for a moment, she closed her eyes, calmly evaluating every element of the show she had just seen from start to finish. She excluded even her own antipathy toward the illusion show.

    She soon opened her eyes and said one number.

    "75%."

    "You said Pandora''s Magic Show was 81% just now. Is Pandora really superior?"

    Wonderstein also thought that she might not say that after watching the show.

    He did admire the sophisticated illusion.

    But that was only in the early stages and moment by moment.

    In the end, the essence of Kinema was like theater.

    The acting of the characters and the content of the script are important.

    In that respect, Kinema was much inferior to ordinary theater.

    The expressions and movements of the characters were impressive from a distance but not natural when erged.

    The story, to speak kindly, was universal, and to speak badly, somewhat childish.

    Since there were limitations in the expression of characters, naturally, emotions had to be dealt with as shallow as possible, and the narrative had to be shown more in action.

    Compared to Lweeni''s show, which perfectly grasped the breath of the stage and captivated the audience without realizing the passage of time, it was somewhatcking.

    "Then, will thispetition end with the victory of Pandora''s Magic Show?"

    "There''s that implied effect just now."

    "Haha, I''ll just take Pandora''s side if I win the bet!"

    "Well¡­ More importantly¡­ No. We''ll know after some time."

    Naturally, E, who was confident that the Escape King would win, spoke with a somewhat uncertain voice.

    The meaning of her dying the answer could be understood by Wonderstein on the third day.

    What the Escape King presented that day was ''Escape in the mes'' and ''Rock Breaking Escape''.

    E, with a slightly tired expression, walked out of the hall and said.

    "67%."

    No one asked E why her ratings had dropped.

    On the second day, there was uncertainty, but now they all felt it.

    That the Escape King was exhausted.

    E sat in the snack bar, looking around at people and said,

    "In a performance, consistency is the next most important thing after perfection."

    She sighed slightly as she saw the food Yurakne bought from the snack bar, which was lemon cheesecake and honey soda.

    She hesitated to be drawn to the intention of the Silver Veil, but it seemed her sister couldn''t stand it anymore.

    "No, in a way, it''s more important than perfection. Regardless of where, when, or who performs, the quality of the performance must always be maintained consistently."

    She picked up the food, resisting the im that lemon cheesecake was delicious.

    "Pandora Magic Show relies heavily on the skills of magician Lweeni. This is very fatal in terms of consistency. If Lweeni stumbles, the show is over. There is no one to rece him. So, he must always manage his body in the best condition. But this time, he didn''t do that.

    Logically, a solo stage thatsts almost 10 hours a day is exhausting enough to copse in a single day. But Lweeni repeated it for three days straight, dragging his old body."

    Today''s fire magic also included the ''escape failure'' acting seen in the ss escape on the first day.

    Originally, he would have his body engulfed in mes, frantically running around, rolling on the floor, and pretending to die before exploding and appearing in the audience.

    But this time, Lweeni skipped the burning and rolling reactions and appeared in the audience right after the explosion.

    His movements were not natural, and the break time was considerably longerpared to the first and second days.

    His tired expression was evident on his face appearing in the empty space.

    Clearly, his stamina had dropped.

    "An illusion show stands inplete contrast to that. It must have a consistent quality that is so difficult for humans to imitate."

    The group nodded at her words.

    If you reyed the memory disk, the same video would y whenever. The illusion show maintained almost perfect consistency.

    While there were roles for the director to adjust in the middle and the assistant director,pared to other performances, it was overwhelmingly easy to maintain a certain quality.

    Originally, Lweeni would delegate the middle part to his disciples for stamina management.

    But this time, it was a short-term matchsting only six days, so Lweeni forced himself to raise the tension.

    But he overestimated his own stamina.

    Lweeni''s skills dropped to the 50s on the fourth day.

    Eventually, the afternoon performance that day was taken over by other acrobats from Pandora.

    A man with iron chains all over his body showcased ss craftsmanship using a red-hot metal rod with a chain-tail, drawing fiery trails in the air.

    The woman holding the cube, who appeared with Lweeni in the draw, was a master of escape art. She bent her waist almost in half, twisted her back, and tucked her legs and feet between her back and waist, demonstrating the trick of fitting into the box she was holding.

    E evaluated them at 46% and 39%, respectively.

    They were inferior to the Escape King''s magic, but thanks to them, Lweeni''s burden was reduced, and his escape magic could maintain a rating in the 70s.

    In this way, it seemed that the veil had the upper hand.

    However, that was not the case.

    Maintaining consistency was not always a plus in a performance.

    Silver Veil''s Kinema maintained an almost perfect consistency.

    In other words, it became a statement that it was not worth watching repeatedly.

    People who owned high-value coins in the VIP audience had a significant impact on this match.

    They mainly bought a 6-day pass.

    Unlike those who bought tickets for the day or 2 days, they enjoyed the show for several days in a row.

    Silver Veil''s Kinema quickly became boring.

    Since there was no room to change the scenario repeatedly, they had to watch it again because it was the same, so there was little value in watching it again.

    On the other hand, Pandora Magic Show was enjoyable even if it was the same type of magic.

    Lweeni''s eloquence and charisma in the industry provided a different kind of fun each time.

    "This is the power of a master!"

    E clenched her fist.

    So, for the first five days, the performance of the two was outstanding.

    Slightly, Pandora seemed to have the upper hand, so Wonderstein and Maya each had to pay 200 Zirco Coins for the betting fee.

    The confrontation between the two who reached the top of the industry was excellent enough to worry aboutparing the participants of the second week.

    So, thest day of the sixth day finally came to an end, and the time for the announcement of the results was approaching.

 Chapter 81 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (15)

    Fourth Sunday of June.

    The number of people in Cabaret''s Hall 1 was several times more than two weeks ago during the draw ceremony.

    All members of the Circus, who were participating in the duel, were present.

    The people from the Silver Veil Circus were all illusionists.

    They expressed the philosophy that ''appearance is deceiving'' by covering their bodies with hooded robes andrge cloaks.

    The leader, Veil Arno, concealed his face with a silvery thread, and the deputy leader had wrapped herself tightly in arge cloth, revealing only her eyes.

    While others were animatedly discussing the results of the duel, Veil Arno, the leader, remained silent.

    He was always known for maintainingposure.

    His chilly voiceplemented his image.

    However, this appearance was a mask crafted by time.

    The deputy leader noticed the leader''s trembling hands.

    Her timid and worrisome nature remained unchanged over the years.

    "Feeling tense?"

    He heard the deputy leader''s words and sighed.

    Was it that noticeable?

    "The first opponent was not favorable. The Escape King."

    "That''s something the opponent might think too, right? Are we just an unknown circus? The opponent must have felt the pressure. The Escape King copsed under the pressure too."

    Veil Arno pondered the deputy leader''s constion for a moment, then spoke.

    "Should we have gone with the serialized content a few days ago?"

    He noticed that the VIP seats had been empty from the middle of the performance.

    Those who purchased the 6-day pass found the repetitive narrative boring.

    The deputy leader shook his head.

    "We would have missed the 1-day pass and 2-day pass audience."

    "That''s true. It was a challenging task."

    "Still, we managed to push it to the edge."

    "Thanks to the neers."

    Their gaze turned to a corner.

    At the end of the row where the officers were seated, there was a young woman ying with a crystal bead, engaging in various antics.

    As a neer, she could sit next to the leader and other officers because she was responsible for managing a memory disk.

    "It seems the sales of ''inserted'' products are doing well."

    This time, the idea to insert advertisements during the illusion was hers.

    Her previous profession was a fortune-teller.

    Using suggestion to control and guide the actions of guests was her specialty.

    "It feels somewhat hical, but¡­"

    "If the opponent wasn''t Pandora, I wouldn''t have resorted to such methods."

    Meanwhile, the atmosphere on Pandora''s side was the opposite of the Veil.

    The leader was excitedly shouting, and most of the members were calm.

    Lweeni looked around her squad and nodded vigorously.

    "We will win."

    However, there was no response from the squad members.

    The expressions of the members looking at the leader were cold.

    A woman''s head popped out of a cube, and she spoke.

    "It would be troublesome if we don''t win. We showed even the unreleased work we were nning to use in the main event."

    Upon her words, Lweeni blushed and coughed awkwardly.

    Yesterday afternoon.

    Despite the concerns and warnings from other members that it might not be appropriate, Lweeni brought out the unreleased work he had saved just in case.

    It wasn''t a card to be yed in a ce like this.

    It was something that should be revealed on a bigger stage after consistent promotion, even if not in the main event.

    However, he couldn''t bear the thought of losing, so on thest day of thepetition, he suddenly threw arge bomb.

    "To be honest, would you have pulled that out if this weren''t Yuge Maroine''s theater?"

    "I was winning even without pulling it out."

    "It was a pointless move."

    "Ugh."

    Lweeni sighed, unable toe up with a response to theints of the members.

    Decades of rivalry in the industry.

    Certainly, the strong desire not to show a losing side in front of that guy yed a significant role.

    About 30 minutes passed like that.

    Behind the stage, Bouvalle walked out with a thoughtful expression on his face.

    He was greatly excited about the ie that exceeded expectations.

    "The count has just finished."

    He looked down at the progress card in his hand.

    "Free to Enter, Pay to Enjoy. 1st Week Showdown. The Silver Veil Circus vs. Pandora Magic Show. I will announce the winner."

    All eyes turned to Bouvalle when he raised his arm.

    Even the journalists prepared to take notes for their articles.

    "The winner is¡­"

    As he lowered his arm, spotlights moved.

    People''s attention naturally focused on where the light gathered.

    There¡­

    "Pandora Magic Show!"

    With Bouvallle''s deration, thunderous cheers and apuse poured toward them.

    Among those who were momentarily surveying the venue and trying to understand the situation, the first to regainposure was, of course, the magician Lweeni.

    He raised his finger to the sky and shouted his representative line.

    "You can''t take your eyes off me for even a second!"

    Bouvalle exined the oue of the match,paring day-to-day earnings and strategies.

    What made the difference in the end was his escape puzzle.

    On the 6th day, people had to spend the remaining coins, and apparently, Lweeni''s puzzle, which was advantageous for storage and refund rather than food, became the target.

    In fact, three people who won bets at the Wonderstein Circus had no suitable ce to spend the coins and ended up buying additional puzzles.

    In the world of illusions that started and ended with fantasy, there were no tangible goods to leave on the Silver veil side.

    That difference decided the victory.

    "Souvenirs sell well during trips for this reason. People experience intangible treasures but still want to hold tangible trinkets."

    Bouvalle added a briefment.

    Amidst themotion, the winner and loser looked at each other.

    It was not an easy contest.

    They maintained a close gap until the very end, fluctuating between victory and defeat.

    Veil Arno and Escape King had little interaction despite their long activity in the industry.

    Most of what they heard about each other was through rumors.

    Both learned a lot and gained a lot from this match.

    Although the form of someone winning and someone losing prevailed in thispetition, both knew well that it did not necessarily determine the superiority of performers, but rather the format of a duel.

    After all, this defeat did not lead to elimination from thepetition.

    Two years was left.

    There were plenty more opportunities.

    They stood up from their seats.

    It was time to shake off the aftermath of victory and defeat and exchange greetings as industry veterans.

    Just as they were about to step away from each other, someone shouted.

    "Wait!"

    The voice sharply cut through the tumult of noise.

    "I object to the decision just made!"

    Among those present, many had also attended the opening ceremony.

    The words "wait" and "objection" made me reflexively shudder, a memory from that day.

    Even the owner of that voice was someone I had heard that day.

    "Viscount Dosville¡­?"

    The face of Bouvalle, who saw the owner of the voice, wrinkled in displeasure.

    That audacious individual.

    Why did hee back here?

    After making a scene like that.

    "What''s the matter?"

    Bouvalle said with an unpleasant expression.

    Viscount Dosville responded with an innocent look.

    "Why? Did Ie to the wrong ce? I am a guest who received an invitation during the opening ceremony and is a VIP of this cabaret."

    Viscount Dosville was known for hisxity.

    Engaging in a verbal dispute with him would only be tiresome.

    Bouvalle sighed, touching his forehead with his hand.

    "Fine, Viscount. Then why did you step forward?"

    Viscount Dosville''s appearance was shabbier than during the opening ceremony.

    Even his beard seemed unkempt, and his hair was not well-groomed.

    After the incident, he had been expelled from the mansion where he worked as a tutor, and even thew firm that used him as a legal consultant terminated his contract.

    Everyone was watching the reactions of Baron Vergsong and Marquis Mustang.

    Thanks to them, he had be a pauper overnight without ie from the city nobility.

    Heughed like a madman, spreading his arms wide.

    "Well, it''s to ensure fairness in thepetition. There seems to be a problem with the results."

    "Our theater had no issues."

    Bouvalle replied with a rough voice.

    "No, there were issues. Significant ones that could affect the results. Don''t the rules include the following use?"

    He pretended to read as if there were papers in front of him.

    "It is allowed to offer prizes or goods to induce purchases. However, the price of the prizes or goods is deducted only from the sales."

    Bouvalle responded with an uneven voice.

    "There was no such act of offering prizes on both sides."

    "No, there was."

    He pointed his finger to a specific ce.

    The attention of the people turned to that direction.

    He pointed to the Wonderstein Circus Troupe.

    He smiled at the white-haired girl in the beret, who was clearly the recipient of a valuable item.

    "Didn''t that youngdy there receive an item of considerable value?"

    Sighs and gasps were heard everywhere.

    The story of the genius magician who solved a 4-level escape puzzle on the spot had be quite a topic.

    She had taken the original puzzle with her.

    It could be considered a prize for purchasing the puzzle.

    A middle-aged man with sses, who also served as an ountant for Pandora, stood up.

    "Well, but this is not a trick introduced for thepetition. Offering the original to the first solver is a tradition of our circus."

    "No, no, no. Whether it was introduced for thepetition or not is not the important point. If such a method is used, it could ruin the theme presented in thispetition. Do I need to exin why this rule was introduced?"

    "But that original is not for sale. It has no price! If you only deduct the cost of materials, the result would¡­"

    Viscount Dosville showed a cruel smile filled with pleasure.

    "No, no. It''s not just the cost of raw materials. I understand that the rule is based on the transaction value recorded in the Luz Trading Hall. Let me tell you. I went to the hall the day before yesterday and examined the ledger. And guess what?

    It was definitely there."

    He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

    It had the stamp of the trading hall.

    "Yes. The originals of the escape puzzle series have gone through Luz twice in thest six months. Both times, the tariffs assessed at that time are recorded. Tariffs, metals, decorations. If you reverse calcte from these, you can deduce the market price. Oh, what a price it is.

    Haha, truly befitting of the Puzzle King."

    The murmurs of the people grew louder.

    Half of the public agreed with his statement, arguing that it should be considered a problem, while the other half insisted that everyone in the industry already knew about the puzzles of the Puzzle King, so what was the problem.

    Viscount Dosville looked around with a cruel smile, pleased with the chaos he had created.

    "Think carefully. If this is allowed once, who knows what prizes will be offered and what tricks will emerge in the next rounds? It needs to be clear."

    His words struck a chord.

    If, for every ten bottles of liquor consumed, someone offered a diamond ring as a prize, people would go crazy buying only the liquor.

    The regtion of prizes and goods was introduced to prevent such misconduct.

    Allowing the escape puzzle would open the door for other circus troupes to cleverly bypass the rules.

    "The deration of the winner will be temporarily suspended. After a management meeting, we will announce it again¡­"

    Bouvalle disappeared hastily behind the stage.

    The atmosphere in the hall, filled with the excitement of the contest, sank coldly.

 Chapter 82 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (16)

    It didn''t take long for Bouvalle to return.

    He climbed onto the stage with a somber expression, bowing towards the audience.

    "Apologies for keeping you waiting. We acknowledge that there was a mistake on the part of our organizers."

    He pulled out a crumpled paper from his pocket.

    "Lord Dosville had, kindly, researched and determined the pricing basis.

    In recent years, a new puzzle series had been created with a certain ratio between mass-produced items and originals forming the price. As the puzzle series exceeded 100 and the production quantity and demand from enthusiasts remained steady, a kind of market price had been established.

    Depending on the difficulty of the puzzle, the original ranged from 200 to 600 times the mass-produced item.

    The organizingmittee assigned a value 500 times that of the original puzzle received by Maya.

    ording to the rules, the price of the prize, i.e., the value of 500 puzzles, was deducted from the revenue."

    Lweeni''s face tightened as he listened to the exnation.

    The members couldn''t hide their expressions of disappointment either.

    No one bothered to do the calctions.

    The result was set.

    Bouvalle raised his hand, and the spotlight moved in the opposite direction.

    "The winner is the Silver Veil Circus!"

    Dyed apuse and cheers followed.

    Compared to what Pandora had received, it was considerably smaller, and people''s expressions seemed awkward.

    The reactions of those who received the award were alsockluster.

    It felt like stealing a prize that someone else should have received.

    Arno was notfortable either.

    He didn''t think that the original provided as a prize had ounted for the sales of 500 puzzles.

    In reality, the award was given around lunchtime on the first day of thepetition.

    The prize had hardly yed a role in revenue growth.

    Excluding 500 was an unfair measure.

    But what could he do at this point?

    Forfeit?

    The thought crossed his mind momentarily, but he shook his head.

    He and the members hadn''t approached thepetition with a light heart to throw away the victory that hade to them.

    Moreover, surrendering at this point would only lead to the other side saying, "Oh, thank you," without receiving the award.

    Should he point out the 500 parts?

    When he thought about excluding the sales before the puzzle was solved¡­

    When his thoughts reached that point, he met eyes with Lweeni on the other side.

    He looked much older than when he confidently dered victory.

    He gave a bitter smile and lowered his head towards Arno.

    While pretending to guide him to the center of the stage, Bouvalle whispered softly.

    "Even if you exclude, it''s still your victory."

    Ah.

    It seemed that the organizers had anticipated such objections and had calcted for them.

    Arno made up his mind.

    If he hesitated here, the situation would only be more confusing.

    Standing in the center of the stage, he expressed his feelings of victory.

    Half of the content was about how excellently the opponent had fought.

    Knowing his feelings, when he finished his speech, the cheers and apuse directed at him were much louder than before.

    Pandora''s people also congratted him.

    Lweeni''s expression looked a bit more resigned than before.

    ***

    The first week''s showdown was thrilling.

    Each participant showcased distinct performances, unexpected factors that determined sales, and even surprising twists.

    Of course, the person who brought about the oue wasn''t warmly weed.

    "E supported Pandora, didn''t she? It''s a shame."

    "Well, there''s nothing wrong with the Viscount''s words. It couldn''t be helped."

    E sat inside the carriage, holding onto her notebook and diligently writing something.

    From the first day, she had been diligently taking notes whenever she came across good ideas or strategies. And she incorporated them into our program.

    She embraced the good aspects and corrected the shorings.

    Late-night work was frequent.

    She was currently re-evaluating the "products and prizes" use.

    Just to make sure our prepared program wouldn''t cause any problems.

    "How is it? Is there any chance that our ''thing'' might vite the rules?"

    E scratched the back of her head while flipping through her notes.

    Her hair was untidy, and dark circles lingered beneath her eyes.

    She mentioned working overnight analyzing sales, strategies, and performances.

    As the time for our performance approached, she slept less and less.

    "I checked again, fortunately, there are no issues. In the first ce, the prize side¡­ Pandora made a mistake. If he had been a bit more careful in reviewing and cautious in setting the rules, there wouldn''t have been any problems¡­"

    E said with a regretful expression.

    She flipped through her notes with one hand while twirling a pen with the other.

    And not with both fingers but with just one finger.

    Yet, the pen didn''t escape her hand.

    While spinning the pen, the center of the centrifugal force of her constantly changing finger position kept moving.

    It was truly a remarkable talent.

    Others next to her looked at her hand skills with astonished eyes.

    However, she continued to talk about her evaluation of this round, seemingly oblivious to the attention directed at her.

    "I''m also worried about the stamina of the Escape King. He has to continue this journey for over two years, and I don''t know if he can maintain that form."

    She said that and then tossed the spinning pen.

    The pen found its way into the thin tip of a portable ink bottle.

    "Wow!"

    Yurakne eximed and pped, Svenughed loudly, and Maya blinked while alternating between the pen and E''s hand.

    E, aware or unaware of the attention she was receiving, looked up, smiling shyly.

    "What''s so surprising about this?"

    She was a born acrobat.

    Although she looked quite exhausted, receiving apuse seemed to energize her, and she went on to showcase a few more tricks using the pen.

    And so, we enjoyed E''s small performance, losing track of time, and arrived at the hotel.

    "Oh, right. Did you get the tickets and coins for the second week?"

    Just before getting off the carriage, she grabbed my arm and asked.

    I showed her the pouch in my hand.

    "For now. But we decided not to go, didn''t we?"

    As we prepared for the third week''spetition, we needed to wrap up what we had prepared during the second week. There was no time to leisurely watch performances.

    E pped her hands.

    "It''s okay. I''ll go alone."

    "Alone?"

    "Yeah. I have less to do now. On the contrary, you and Maya have more to do now."

    I couldn''t easily agree with her words.

    While it was true that she had fewer tasks, it was also true that Maya and I had more to do. Yet, she still had more tasks than the two of usbined.

    "I won''t be gone for long. Just consider it as reconnaissance¡­ughs."

    The girl jumped off the carriage.

    However, hernding posture was somewhat strange.

    Her body swayed a little, though not much.

    For anyone else, it would have been a perfectly normal move.

    But I had seen her get off the carriage several times in the past few weeks.

    She had never stumbled or hesitated before while getting on or off the carriage. She moved smoothly, like flowing water.

    But now, something was off.

    "E."

    "Yeah?"

    "Taking care of your stamina is not someone else''s concern. Aren''t you pushing yourself too hard?"

    At my words, she gave me a surprised expression.

    I, too, was momentarily taken aback by my own words.

    Who had been taking on all the responsibilities for hertely?

    It was me.

    She looked at me with a slightly annoyed expression.

    Before I could say anything, she chuckled.

    "Don''t worry. Helping this circus troupe run smoothly is part of the contract. Besides, I''m not really pushing myself too hard. I''ve been doing this for the whole month."

    The whole month?

    Before I could respond, she swiftly walked into the building.

    The next day, we started preparing for the performance in earnest.

    Our current script digestion rate was 25%.

    Now was the time to double that.

    The performance wasn''t just about the actors.

    Even if the cast mastered all the acting and skills in the script, it couldn''t exceed 50%.

    Costumes, props, set, special effects.

    All of these contributed to thepleteness of the performance.

    E believed that her handmade tools could add about 20%.

    So, she had been focusing on improving the abilities of the troupe members.

    While costumes, props, and set took time to create, they were enough whenpleted.

    But there was significant progresspared to the original n.

    Maya''s joining had greatly improved the quality of props and set.

    Despite the tight schedule, thanks to an additional three weeks, we barely managed to meet the deadline for special effects.

    Maya could now create illusions like explosions, lightning, and fog.

    Most importantly, there was significant progress in costumes.

    E doubted that Maya could improve costumes by more than 4% no matter how hard she tried.

    That''s where my new ability shone.

    The Dressing room.

    I had recorded and cataloged the clothes I had seen and touched. By paying Debulroot rent, I could create and dress anyone in the desired clothes. Of course, the added function of ''cast management'' made it possible only for me and the troupe members.

    One good thing about this ability was that the clothes adjusted to the wearer''s body size.

    Thanks to this, we could venture into unexplored territory.

    "Yrahp!"

    Womon tore open a wooden box with a crowbar.

    Inside, there was a red-energized Armor borrowed from Anais.

    We had three stages of battle against ''vampires'' in the game.

    Wearing an apron and wielding a knife, the ''bloodstain.''

    Wearing chainmail and holding a hammer, the ''forge.''

    Wearing armor and wielding a hook, the ''furnace.''

    We could easily arrange the first two for Womon.

    However, the problem was thest one.

    No matter how hard we tried, we couldn''t find armor for him.

    His physique was massive, and his body shape was different from an ordinary human.

    His abnormally broad shoulders, the odd shape of muscles, and the disproportionate length of arms and legs.

    So, E had given up on finding armor for him.

    Not to mention, it wasn''t easy to find suitable clothing for each troupe member due to their individual physical characteristics.

    But thanks to my dressing room ability, we could solve most of these problems.

 Chapter 83 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (17)

    "[Crimson ted Armor] has been added to the costume room."

    A notification window appeared, and a speech bubble with ''New!'' attached appeared in the costume room catalog, showcasing the armor.

    With this, I could equip this Armor on members whenever I wanted.

    "Womon, step forward."

    A giant with a menacing appearance, featuringrge horns and tusks, stood in front of me, his skin a deep red hue.

    He looked around with an awkward expression, chuckling to himself. I raised an eyebrow as I observed him.

    It was hard to believe that this guy was just a 10-year-old boy.

    He nced at me with fearful eyes, and with a gaze that seemed like I could devour a person, he nervously spoke.

    "Ah, will it hurt?"

    "You won''t even feel it; it''ll be over quickly."

    The members formed a circle around us.

    "Then, let''s go."

    "Yes."

    I designated him as the target, chose the armor, and snapped my fingers.

    A faint light shed and enveloped his body.

    The effects of the dressing room activated in an instant.

    With a clinking sound, a suit of Armor identical to the one in the box appeared on his body.

    Moreover, it was adjusted in size and proportion to fit his physique.

    The members stared wide-eyed at him.

    I went to him and touched the Armor, expressing admiration continuously.

    "Wow!"

    "Is this the leader''s new magic?"

    "Amazing! Cool, Womon!"

    Womon opened the visor and smiled.

    With the crimson armor and that expression, he looked like a demonic general.

    The members took turnsing forward to receive their tailored clothes.

    Among them, Yurakne and the triplets, the Triamere, were the most pleased with the dressing room''s ability. They always had to make holes or add wrinkles to ready-made clothes to fit their unique bodies. However, the clothesing out of the dressing room fit them perfectly, as if they were tailor-made.

    Sven, who had been stuffing cotton into his clothes to give them shape, didn''t need to do that with the clothes provided by the dressing room. The sponge-like moulding material automatically filled the necessary parts.

    Perhaps due to their peculiar bodies, they were genuinely pleased with the situation of having ''clothes that fit their bodies.''

    I could understand their feelings better than anyone else.

    "Ringmaster, can I really destroy this Armor?"

    Womon, still seemingly disbelieving, looked at the Armor on his body and asked.

    "Of course. I can restore it anytime with my magic."

    The good thing about the clothes from the dressing room was that, even if they got dirty or damaged, as long as you paid the cleaning and repair fees in debulroots, you could instantly make them look brand new.

    Womon, while still looking amazed, spoke, "It''s really great."

    E looked around at the members with a satisfied smile.

    Thanks to this, the digestion rate of the script increased significantly.

    Members = 25%.

    Fantasy background, props, special effects = 22%.

    Clothing = 9%.

    Total = 56%.

    We had finally surpassed a script digestion rate of 50%.

    E was more than 10% higher than what she had nned a month ago.

    "Is this enough to be in the top tier among the participants?"

    "Not yet."

    She investigated around 100 circus troupes participating in the Circus Grand Prix in her own way.

    Famous circus troupes were already well-known, and it was easy to investigate this time because many magazines had articles analyzing the participants.

    She believed that our current skills were positioned slightly below the middle. If we didn''tpete with the industry''s best like Silver Veil or Pandora, we could face opponents who were worth challenging.

    Moreover, the 56% figure was calcted based on the average of the members. By extending the amount of performance of Womon, who had the highest scores, and reducing the performance of the lowest-scoring Triplets and Jobel, we could actually raise our skill level to nearly 60% during the performance.

    "How about Satbyeol Circus?"

    "They are probably simr to us."

    Minova''s circus troupe was a ''nned circus troupe'' created for thispetition.

    Sponsors recruited experienced individuals to form an organization for thepetition.

    There were quite a few individuals that E was aware of among them.

    After researching their reputation and evaluations, she assessed their skills as being on a simr level to ours.

    "Don''t worry. Business is the most important thing, right? Your idea is great. It will surely be well-received. Your magic of changing clothes is beyond expectations. Now, Maya just needs to do well."

    It was my idea.

    It required both Maya''s and my abilities.

    For this, Maya had been practicing not only illusion magic but also telekinesis for the past week.

    I stood behind her, watching the ck powder fluttering above her palm.

    Her magical control was so precise that no one of her age could match, but she had not mastered telekinesis as well due to focusing solely on illusion magic during that time.

    The powder subtly deviated from its original position.

    "Maya, are you okay?"

    "I can do it."

    She said with a determined voice.

    Fortunately, she considered the tasks assigned to her not as work but as a type of performance and diligently devoted herself to them.

    Amendable child.

    In this way, we spent time each in our own ways, going through the procedures.

    The second week passed quickly.

    ***

    E opened her eyes at 4 in the morning.

    She had slept a little past 2 in the morning, so she had slept for just over 2 hours.

    Feeling as if her entire body was tied with iron, she got up.

    Her mind was clearer than expected considering how fatigued her body felt.

    To somehow digest the schedule, she had been consistently drinking caffeinated drinks in the morning and evening. This allowed her to move her body until itpletely crumbled, and even if she slept a little, she quickly woke up. No matter how tired her body was, her mind remained sharp, allowing her to somehow drag her body around.

    "Let''s endure a little more. There''s only about a week left now. Let''s endure a little more and then take a break."

    She got up with difficulty and sat in front of the desk, immersed in the task of revising the script.

    The script provided by Wonderstein had many unconventional elements that didn''t fit the current format of this era.

    E liked it, but formercial sess, some parts had to be modified.

    The dialogue was the main issue.

    While thetest trend in the entertainment industry preferred natural everyday dialogue, what was still popr among the masses was elegant and dramatic dialogue.

    The performers didn''t need to speak like aristocrats or poets since they were free spirited, but having at least a minimum of formality made it more eptable to people.

    In this way, for two hours, she delved into the script, refining thenguage based on reference books she had brought.

    At 6, she drank a cup of coffee and went out to the garden to maintain the practice tools for the members.

    No matter how busy she was, she never neglected this.

    Each member was precious to her.

    A single glitch in a safety device could result in a significant loss if someone got injured during practice.

    During the morning hours, she checked the practice status of the members.

    Movements, skills, lines¡ªshe meticulously reviewed and provided feedback on every little detail.

    After finishing the morning schedule, she headed to the cabaret.

    It was to analyze the second-weekpetition.

    At this moment, it felt like all the fatigue evaporated.

    Watching a performance was always enjoyable.

    The acrobats of the Papal Circus, under themand of their leader Hopps, acted like a well-disciplined army.

    The zigzag structure of the interlocking human tower distributed the load widely, and those bearing the weight directly positioned themselves with bones perpendicr to the ground, relying on the strength of the bones themselves rather than joints.

    The theory was one thing, but executing it precisely with arge number of people was not easy.

    Papal Circus''s main performance, "Hourss," lived up to its reputation. Eighty-eight acrobats built a 12-story human tower, narrowing as it reached the middle.

    Most surprising was the 6th and 7th floors, each with only one acrobat, holding the weight with their arms interlocked, palms facing each other.

    She was familiar with the principles of tower building from her school days but executing it with arge number of people was extremely challenging.

    The next act, Papal Circus''s new piece, "Leviathan," was also impressive.

    Over thirty acrobats gathered to form a giant human figure, not just mimicking the shape but also imitating every movement of a human.

    Kneeling, standing up, turning, backflips, rope skipping, h-hooping, and even dancing to the music¡ªthey did it all.

    In a scene where a giant knife hanging from the ceiling split the waist of the human structure made of 32 people, screams erupted from the audience.

    But when the shattered Leviathan rose with 16 people on each side, the audience erupted in cheers and apuse.

    The two delivered a delightful doubleedy that was almost embarrassing evenpared to Allen and Jo''s.

    Later, the two split into 8 pairs during the opening ceremony and repeated the process until all 32 acrobats stood in a line and greeted the audience.

    E scored their performances as follows:

    Hourss: 62%Leviathan: 68%

    She rated them lower than Pandora''s acts, as the shows were too rigid.

    Even though acrobatics involved risks, conveying such tension to the audience made it difficult to enjoy the show.

    The circus leader Hopps and the acrobats in tights, with their stern expressions and rigid approach, made the audience feel uneasy.

    The Mango Troupe''s performance, on the other hand, stood on the opposite side of Papal Circus.

    Their show was not particrly innovative¡ªit was an enhanced version of the Rose Windmill Cabaret show they had seen during the opening ceremony.

    Since the troupe''s lead, Sol, was a former director of the Rose Windmill''s dance team, it was natural.

    However, Sol knew how to entertain people.

    Even if the script deviated or ad-libs were thrown in to match the atmosphere, he made sure everyone left with a smile, their faces cool.

    Moreover, unlike Hopps, who didn''t care about song and dance fitting the product, Sol was enthusiastic about adapting songs and dances to the performance.

    Although the lyrics of the stage set for the Circus Grand Prix were absurdly cheap, the simple melody and easy-to-understand lyrics were addictive.

    People who enjoyed singing along and dancing unknowingly hummed the song repeatedly and ended up buying items from the Mango Troupe''s concession stand.

    E rated their performance at 54%, a score she had never considered giving before, but their exceptional interaction with the audience boosted their score.

    Their determination to do business was evident, making them more likely to win thepetition than Papal Circus, which only had popcorn and soda in its concession stand.

    And then came Saturday.

    The crown of victory leaned toward the Mango Troupe.

    "Do you have no pride? Do you think it''s good to win with such low-ss songs and dances? A second-rate dancer in harmony with the masses!"

    Hopps stood up angrily, and Sol responded with provocative taunts.

    Eventually, a fight broke out between the two circus groups.

    E wanted to see the end of the fight, but she had a lot to do, so she quickly left the theatre.

    She had a lot to do in the evening hours.

    She checked the role assignments and guest reception routes for the ratmen, reviewed the details of the wonders and program, and examined points to modify in Maya''s background, props, and special effects illusions.

    ¡­Yawn.

    "Oh no."

    E''s eyes snapped open.

    She almost fell asleep without realizing it.

    No, she couldn''t.

    There wasn''t much time left.

    She had to endure.

    Just a little longer, and she could see the results.

    Today is Saturday.

    Just one more week.

    Let''s endure until next week.

    She gritted her teeth and drank the coffee she had brought from the concession stand, jotting down the ideas she had acquired today in her notes.

 Chapter 84 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (18)

    E returned to the hotel, and by the time she hadpleted all the day''s schedule, it was past midnight.

    Now, it was Sunday.

    Today was, without a doubt, the busiest day. Well at least it aint Monday, right?

    In the morning, she had to go to the cabaret to set up the equipment necessary for the performance. While the cabaret''s staff would assist, she needed to personally oversee and adjust the finer details, such as the cement of lights and props. Small changes could make a significant difference in the performance.

    Fortunately, it didn''t take much time to consider everything. Over the past two weeks, she hadn''t just visited the cabaret for the sake of watching. She had examined the shape of the hall and the structure of the stage, constantly pondering, "How would we do it?" Sometimes, she gained ideas from performances of other teams.

    All her ideas were recorded and organized in her notebook, and she had finished the preparations for the stage by the morning.

    The crucial factor was the performers.

    They needed to be ustomed to the atmosphere of the theater. It was different from the time when a few actions behind iron bars and growls would suffice.

    Rehearsals were essential.

    No matter how well the script was chosen and practiced, if things didn''t align on the stage, it could all go wrong.

    It was necessary to act on a real stage, as in an actual performance.

    Fortunately, the cabaret staff were cooperative with the contestants. Whenever she requested, they were willing to y the role of the audience.

    E leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

    She needed to sleep by now for the sake of tomorrow. However, her heart wasn''t calming down. Even sitting still, the pounding of her heart echoed in her ears.

    Perhaps she had consumed too much coffee during the day.

    Her body felt like a soaked sponge, constantly sagging, but her mind was clear.

    It felt as if someone was forcibly lifting her eyelids.

    She needed to sleep¡­

    So that she could move tomorrow¡­

    At that moment, a squirming sensation was felt inside her hat and pocket.

    "Gugu gugu¡­"

    "Chik chik¡­"

    Two creatures, a pigeon and a mouse, both seemed to be restless. They were nocturnal animals, well-tamed to sleep ording to their owner''s pattern, buttely, as she stayed awake until dawn, they too couldn''t sleep properly.

    They had slept throughout the afternoon and were now awake.

    "Shall we go for a walk outside? Get some fresh air,e back, and maybe take a warm shower. That might help you sleep."

    "Groo. Gururu!"

    "Jjijit! Jjijit!"

    At the mention of a walk, the creatures became excited. E finished her tasks, put on her coat, and stood up.

    Before leaving the room, she nced at herself in the mirror.

    A pale girl, as if she had seen something terrifying, was staring back at her.

    Was she really this pale?

    Even Maya''s seemingly indifferent remark, everyone''s worries, including the stagehands, seemed genuine.

    "Assistant Ringmaster! You look tired!"

    "Right! You should take a break!"

    "Let''s stop the lessons!"

    Of course, to her, those sounded like empty words.

    Except for one person.

    "E, if you need help, feel free to ask."

    The smiling face of Wonderstein came to her mind.

    Empty words.

    If she were to lie down because she was unwell, there would be no one to do the work.

    His words were contradictory.

    However, she knew she was lying.

    She needed help.

    A lot of it.

    But she didn''t want it.

    She had to endure.

    She had to run even harder.

    "We shouldn''t have fun together."

    She had to suffer even more.

    The reason she worked hard for thepetition was his promise, "I''ll set you free in two and a half years."

    Not because she wished for it but because she had no choice but to do

    When that person praised her, was she happy?

    When that person acknowledged her, was she proud?

    In the hopes of remaining as someone I would continue to hate and resent.

    In the joy that feels likemitting a crime against dead friends.

    She continued to torture herself.

    However, the fact that she had such obsessions showed that her true feelings were the opposite.

    "No."

    E muttered, opening her eyes like that.

    She realized she was sitting on a stone in the garden.

    The flow from leaving the room toing here was blurry.

    She had moved in a daze.

    After releasing the children to roam freely, she sat down and dozed off.

    E looked around the garden.

    The garden she had blown up like a bomb had regained its former beauty.

    Upon closer inspection, it seemed even better than before.

    "It''s not allowed. The members could have been hurt. E could have died."

    When she suggested making another bomb, he spoke, blocking her.

    Like an adult.

    With a tone sincerely concerned about her.

    Nonsense.

    It''s fake.

    Don''t be fooled.

    E checked the time.

    It had been a whopping 30 minutes.

    It was time to go back.

    E stood up and stretched.

    Her body shivered on the cold ground.

    Stretching her hands above her head, the tense muscles and joints rxed with a crackling sound.

    At that moment.

    "Ugh."

    Her breath caught in her throat.

    Her heart tightened.

    A dizzying sensation of free fall pulled through her whole body.

    "Haak¡­."

    It felt like blood was draining from her head.

    Her surroundings spun rapidly.

    Oh.

    Can''t do this.

    Can''t sleep.

    I have to prepare for the performance.

    As her body rxed, her vision darkened.

    Thud.

    E''s body slumped forward.

    She couldn''t get up in the position she fell.

    "Chirp chirp?"

    "Squeak squeak!"

    It took the two animals ying hide and seek in the garden 10 minutes to notice their owner''s condition.

    "Squeak?"

    "Grrr!"

    The pigeon pecked at its owner''s ear, and the mouse tugged at her finger.

    But she didn''t move.

    ***

    So far, how many times have I proposed?

    However, every time she hears such words, she makes a disgusted expression and rejects me.

    Can''t I just quickly take care of her while she''s unconscious?

    As I pondered this, voices from the room reached me.

    "She opened her eyes!"

    "Assistant Ringmaster, are you okay?"

    Yurakne and I entered the room together.

    E was slowly opening her eyes and looking around at the members.

    "Ugh, what¡­ what time is it¡­ what time?"

    I opened the status window to check the time.

    "It''s 5 AM."

    The members, upon seeing me, were startled and stepped back.

    I moved through them and stood in front of the bed.

    She looked up at me and mumbled.

    "I have to go¡­ move my things first¡­"

    "The luggage is being loaded by the rental men right now. Don''t worry."

    "And the stage setup¡­"

    "E, don''t you have notes? Other members can handle it."

    "Rehearsal on-site¡­ adjustments¡­"

    E, trying to get up.

    I gently pushed her shoulders, urging her to lie down again.

    At that moment, our eyes met.

    Fear appeared in her eyes.

    "No¡­ I don''t want to¡­ don''t do it¡­ that''s¡­"

    "E."

    "Please¡­ don''t do it¡­"

    E murmured, then drifted back to sleep.

    The worried voices of the members filled the room.

    I looked at the quest window that appeared before my eyes.

    [Member Quest ¨C Raise a Child without Using Debulroots]

    E does not want the Ringmaster''s ''treatment.''

    Conditions for Completion:

    Do not touch her until she recovers¡­*

    I closed the quest window immediately.

    Member quests ¨C they were a kind of wish fulfillment system.

    I had benefited greatly from it.

    Thanks to it, I could understand what members wanted, and by fulfilling those desires, I could increase their favorability.

    However, there was a w.

    If they didn''t have the intention to request something, it wouldn''t react. And what they desired might not be in their best interest.

    So when E copsed unconscious, the quest did not respond.

    However, what she wished for during her semi-conscious state was reflected in the quest.

    "Ringmaster."

    Yurakne held onto my hand tightly.

    I nodded.

    Member quests were just wishes.

    I had relied on the power of the wish fulfilment system too much.

    It was my fault.

    Even if I became hated, there was no choice.

    Right now, treating her was the priority.

    I opened the Evolution Research Centre and ced my hand on her body.

    And¡­

    I stood there silently for a few seconds.

    The members looked at me with hopeful eyes, waiting for something.

    I removed my hand.

    "Ringmaster, is it¡­ is it done?"

    Yurakne whispered, looking at me.

    E still trembled, not regaining consciousness.

    I shook my head.

    "Wait for the doctor."

    "Ringmaster?"

    "I have a potion in my room that Anais gave me. Let''s try giving her that first."

    "Ringmaster, wait a moment!"

    I pushed away Yurakne''s hand and left the room.

    And I walked alone down the corridor.

    E was a mysterious existence.

    She was not a character that appeared in the original work.

    I couldn''t understand why Wonderstein wanted to take her.

    I checked the notification that appeared in the status window again.

    The message I received for the first time sinceing to this world.

    [Diagnosis inconclusive. The target is immune to Debulroots.£Ý

 Chapter 85 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (19)

    Arriving in the room, I rummaged through it.

    It was filled with all sorts of potions, from air fresheners to cosmetics to bath salts.

    They were gifts from Anais.

    I picked up a bottle, undoubtedly a potion meant to aid recovery.

    On my way back to E''s room, I took out the message again.

    However, no matter how many times I read it, there was no information beyond what was written.

    There were a few vague ideas, but at this point, they were just spective thoughts.

    There was ack of clues to draw a conclusion.

    What exactly happened between Wonderstein and E was a mystery.

    If I pressed her about it, maybe I could learn something.

    But I couldn''t bring myself to do it.

    It would be delving into the child''s painful memories.

    And there was another reason it was difficult to ask.

    I was the one who caused it.

    Asking what happened back then would be strange.

    She might see it as another attempt by the devil to y tricks.

    I closed the notification.

    It was better to stop hasty spections and focus on the clues given now.

    Debulroots Immunity.

    How should I interpret this?

    I had attempted to use Debulroots on other members before.

    Their desire for a ''normal body'' was something I understood well.

    If possible, I wanted to make them whole again.

    I had consulted the Evolution Research Lab.

    Their response at that time was:

    [Unique traits cannot be changed.]

    The same notification appeared as when I tried to remove ''The Smiling Man'' trait.

    It was impossible to alter their innate appearance using Debulroots.

    Because of their unique traits.

    Wonderstein wasn''t simply gathering people who looked peculiar.

    There was something behind it.

    Organizing my thoughts, I arrived at E''s room without realizing it.

    In the room, an unfamiliar middle-aged man was holding E''s wrist and checking her pulse.

    Had the doctor arrived already?

    Yurakne approached with a relieved face.

    "We have a doctor among the guests staying here."

    Due to the influx of touristsing to see the Circus Grand Prix, Luz was currently facing a shortage of amodations.

    Even with plenty of money, some people had to sleep in carriages because there were no rooms avable.

    Anais and Vergsong''s associates had temporarily left Luz, and during that time, they offered empty rooms to guests with connections to the associates.

    It was better than leaving dozens of rooms empty in the hotel, especially in the current situation.

    And fortunately, there was a doctor among them.

    "How is she?"

    In response to my question, the doctor smiled, a smile he must have used thousands of times to reassure worried family members.

    "Don''t worry too much. It''s orthostatic hypotension. Did she sit crouched down and suddenly stretch while getting up? She fainted due to a rapid drop in blood pressure, causing ack of oxygen to the brain."

    Was E''s body so weak?

    He nodded as if understanding my gaze.

    "It was probably abination of stress, fatigue,ck of sleep, and irregr lifestyle. If she drinks a nutritional potion and gets a good rest, she will recover soon."

    In the end, it was said that she copsed due to overexertion.

    Fortunately, it wasn''t a serious illness.

    It was easy to guess why she had pushed herself unnecessarily.

    The circus was her sanctuary.

    Minimizing reliance on Wonderstein must have been a matter of pride for her.

    The doctor stood up, having done everything he could.

    "You can get a nutritional potion at the alchemy guild once the day brightens."

    "Can''t we use this potion?"

    I handed him a bottle of medicine from the room.

    He examined thebel of the potion and widened his eyes.

    "Oh, this one is famous for being hard to find! But, using something like this for a child¡­"

    "It doesn''t matter."

    Judging by the doctor''s reaction, it seemed like a valuable and expensive item.

    It was probably a waste to use it for a simple illness.

    However, what mattered now was her health.

    I wanted to do everything I could.

    I offered the potion to the doctor once again.

    I insisted, and he finally epted the potion.

    He seemed puzzled as he examined thebel.

    Then, he looked up at me with a surprised expression.

    "Ah, this is¡­ a potion for men''s stamina."

    "¡­"

    "Do you see the name? ''Wife''s Tears.''"

    Suddenly, embarrassment overwhelmed me.

    If there hadn''t been theughing man, I would have blushed.

    Why did Anais give me this?

    Was it a gift set from the alchemy guild, like cosmetics and bath salts, packaged together?

    Looking around, everyone was holding back theirughter.

    But no one dared to mock Wonderstein.

    Only Sven, whose clown nature had activated, was biting his lip, trying not tough. Chapter Continue:

    At that moment,ughter emanated from the bed.

    "Kik¡­ Kik¡­"

    E was looking at me with her eyes half-closed, a trembling smile on her face.

    She spoke with a faint voice.

    "D-did¡­ see everything¡­ that day, in the bedroom?"

    Maya suddenly intervened between us, appearing somewhat desperate.

    Her actions seemed a bit hurried.

    She pulled E''s nket up to cover her chin.

    "It''s a high fever. She''s been talking nonsense since earlier."

    "Kik Kik¡­ Maya, you too¡­ saw it together¡­"

    E mumbled, holding onto the nket.

    Certainly, she still seemed disoriented.

    Havingin in the cold rain for an hour, it was understandable.

    "Director, it''s time to go to the theatre."

    Maya, with a somewhat urgent demeanor, pointed to the clock.

    By now, it must be six o''clock.

    The baggage that theteen had brought and unloaded would be unpacked and set up.

    "Is it already that time?"

    "Let''s go and prepare for the performance."

    "I think that''s a good idea."

    "But what about E?"

    The room became noisy.

    At the same time, scattered side quests of the members came to mind.

    Opinions among the members were split in half.

    I carefully read through each quest and sorted them all out.

    At this moment, I couldn''t be led by their wishes.

    I stood in the center of the room.

    The members, who had been shouting randomly, closed their mouths and looked at me.

    I smiled at all of them.

    "Tomorrow is the performance. No one can skip today''s rehearsal."

    "But what about E?"

    "We can ask the hotel staff for help. Honestly, the hotel staff can take care of people better than we can. Just try their massage service, and you''ll know."

    Sighs escaped from various ces at my words.

    "Everyone, please go to your rooms and bring your luggage. Let''s meet in the lobby."

    Members went to their respective rooms, leaving only E and me.

    After a few minutes passed like that,

    "Ugh¡­."

    She, who had the nket pulled over her, peeked her eyes out from under the nket.

    As our eyes met, she was startled and looked elsewhere.

    What''s her intention?

    I walked to where she was looking. As soon as I stood there, she quickly averted her gaze again.

    I moved to where her gaze turned. She averted her eyes once more.

    We repeated this eye-catching game a few times.

    Finally, she gave up running away and mumbled while ncing at me.

    "What is it¡­"

    "Hehe, surrendering?"

    "Ugh¡­ Why are you bothering me? I''m already tired¡­"

    "Because you keep avoiding eye contact."

    After taking a deep breath, I brought up what I had intended to say.

    "Don''t you have anything you want to say to me about this incident?"

    I hoped she would express her anger toward me.

    It was my fault that she ended up like this.

    If I heard her venting her dissatisfaction, my heart would have felt a bit relieved.

    So, I deliberately acted annoying towards her.

    However, what she said was entirely unexpected.

    "I''m sorry¡­."

    I stared at her nkly.

    She''s apologizing?

    Why?

    "E, why are you apologizing?"

    "Taking care of oneself is important. See, because I couldn''t do that, I became a burden to the team in the end."

    This is not right.

    No matter how diligent she is, this was not the case.

    "No one thinks that way. Everyone knows how much you''ve suffered, E. Wasn''t your hard work for everyone?"

    She hesitated for a moment before responding.

    "No. That''s not it. I had a choice¡­ I took on unnecessary hardships that I didn''t have to endure. Do you understand why?"

    She sighed softly and revealed her hidden feelings.

    I sighed inwardly with regret.

    Since when did this child''s heart be so troubled?

    "Considering what happened between you and me, it''s understandable why E acted that way."

    "No."

    She shook her head.

    "Performance is amitment¡­ Even if the partner is someone you dislike, if you''re cast as lovers, you have to act like lovers on stage. Even if they are enemies¡­ if you took on the role of catching each other on the trapeze¡­ you have to reach out. That''s the principle. But for personal reasons, I ruined that. Then, the punishment goes to the circus.

    Like the ghost incident¡­ Yeah, I received the punishment¡­"

    While speaking, her voice gradually regained strength.

    She grabbed the edge of the bed and tried to get up.

    "Stay lying down."

    "I have to go¡­ I have things to do¡­"

    "E is unwell. You need to rest."

    "The show must go on. I can''t ruin it¡­ Ugh."

    Her attempt to stand faltered.

    She supported herself with her elbows and fists, looking at me with determination.

    "If I''m not there¡­ who will be the ringmaster¡­?"

    "I will do it."

    Her eyebrows furrowed.

    "You¡­?"

    "I wrote the script. Did you forget?"

    Her breathing wavered a bit at my words.

    "But standing on the stage is apletely different matter. You¡­"

    "I told you. I performed in front of 30,000 people."

    Although it was behind a monitor.

    To reassure her, I put on the most confident smile I could muster.

    "Trust us and take a rest, E. Understand? Recovering your healthes first."

    I was about to leave the room like that but stopped.

    I didn''t say the most important thing.

    I stayed in the room just to say this.

    "E,Yang."

    "¡­Yes?"

    I took a moment to catch my breath and turned to her with a smile.

    "I''m sorry for making you handle all the difficult things."

    "What¡­?"

    Leaving E, who was staring at me nkly, I quickly went downstairs.

    The members were all gathered in the lobby, each holding their tools.

    "Let''s go."

    Three carriages, carrying all of us, dashed towards the cabaret, piercing through the pouring rain.

 Chapter 86 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (20)

    I unfolded the notes I had received from E.

    Her notes contained all the necessary information for the performance.

    From the arrangement of the stage props to the movements of each member, light jokes to be thrown in between acts, effective gestures, and the angles and brightness of the lighting depending on the situation, and so on.

    It was an extensive volume to the point where the reader might feel fatigued.

    However, I meticulously read through each page, not skipping a single detail.

    As I read, I paused for a moment at a certain passage in the middle.

    It was about the role of subduing Womon''s rampage.

    The word ''Wonderstein?'' was written and crudely erased with a pen, leaving traces behind.

    He could have easily granted such a request¡­

    I sighed bitterly and moved past that section.

    Wonderstein''s name continued to appearter, but each time it was crossed out.

    I couldn''t know the emotions behind why she repeatedly wrote and erased this name.

    By the time I finished reading thest page of the notes, it was already around lunchtime.

    I sighed deeply as I closed the notes.

    Her blood, sweat, and tears were poured into these notes.

    I recalled her lying on the bed, shedding cold sweat, ming herself.

    Did she deliberately go through unnecessary hardships?

    All her efforts were elevating the perfection of every detail in the performance.

    If E copsed because Kirku considered her efforts useless and cursed her, then he didn''t deserve to be called the God of the Circus.

    Thanks to her notes, we knew how to prepare the stage.

    I directed the cabaret workers ording to the contents of the notes.

    Naturally, it was less efficient than having the owner of the notes give direct orders.

    E said she would finish the work in the morning and start rehearsing in the afternoon, but we still hadn''tpleted our preparations.

    The members had diligently practiced their acting and talents, but they had no knowledge of handling stage equipment or installing devices.

    The only reason we were able to progress smoothly so far was thanks to the rats.

    "Lighting! Tighten the screws on the upper part! Use the left-handed screws for the lower part!"

    "Pole! Connect with a triple knot!"

    E took the time to consistently teach them, and it was worthwhile.

    The rats were quick-witted, had bad habits, and were notorious for their cunning.

    Conversely, they were also quick on the uptake, skilled with their hands, and had good work habits.

    It wasn''t for nothing that the saying goes half of the world''s pickpockets are rats.

    Their skill in swiftly handlingplex frame assemblies was truly astonishing.

    Even the employees who had worked at the Rose Windmill for a long time couldn''t hide their amazement at their work.

    "Did rats always handle things so well?"

    "Are they better than our new members?"

    The skill with which they handledplicated frame assemblies was truly impressive.

    Even Mare, an experienced choreographer who had worked in the industry for over 20 years, couldn''t help but admire them.

    "Amazing. Riggers are not easy to handle. I also tried to teach dance a long time ago but gave up. How did you do it?"

    I couldn''t help but letughter escape my lips.

    "It''s thanks to our assistant ringmaster."

    "Oh, Miss E! Impressive. How did she develop such skills at that age?"

    Choreographer Mare continued to praise E.

    Her acting, singing skills, sociability, and more.

    I sensed that Mare had something else to say.

    Sure enough, she soon got to the point.

    "I also wanted recognition from Director Maroine in the past, so I went crazy, not caring about anything and throwing myself into everything."

    Choreographer Mare.

    I recalled her background.

    She was the abandoned daughter of Yug Maroine, who had gone mad for theatre and roamed the world.

    As if it were a twist of fate, they encountered each other on the same theatre stage.

    A father who forcefully pushed away his daughter, fearing contempt once her true identity was revealed.

    A daughter who wanted to be acknowledged with skill rather than blood ties in front of a father she pushed away.

    They knew each other''s identities, but until the moment of death, they never realized that the other had figured it out.

    "That child also seeks your recognition, Lord. Please don''t make it too hard for her."

    I had no intention of correcting her misunderstanding that deluded our rtionship. How would she react if she knew that I had massacred E''s friends and Neighbours, dragging her around as bait for a contract?

    As she left and I sat there nkly, a sudden rooster crow was heard from behind.

    "Cock-a-doodle-doo."

    Without even turning around, I recognized who made that sound.

    "Are you here for reconnaissance, Mr. Minova?"

    "It''s been a while."

    Approaching, he stood beside me.

    Surveying the hall for a moment, he spoke in a sympathetic voice.

    "Tsk tsk, it seems the preparations for the stage aren''tplete yet. Will there be time for rehearsal?"

    "We''ll manage."

    A moment of silence passed between us.

    I nced at his somewhat uneasy expression and couldn''t help but smirk.

    "How is your daughter?"

    "She''s getting better. Much better."

    "Are you sleeping well?"

    "Of course. It''s been a long time since I weed such a peaceful night¡­"

    Minova spoke with a much more rxed expression than before.

    "Your matter, I heard about it. Is her body alright?"

    "She overexerted a bit, that''s all. The doctor said a week of rest should do."

    "Can''t your healing magic handle it?"

    "My magic requires some special conditions."

    He nodded in understanding.

    "It seemed like extraordinary skills from the beginning. Curing an incurable disease with just a touch. Something like that probably requires a price."

    He spoke as if acknowledging E''s improvement and then stood up.

    "I made a promise to Kirku. There won''t be any leniency for your circumstances."

    "That''s how it should be. Someone who ces their daughter on the position of Assistant Ringmaster just because she''s his daughter deserves no leniency."

    "Well, Ruelle earned that position with her skills!"

    "Haha, I suppose so."

    Minova''s face contorted suddenly.

    "Will it really end up like that? Don''t forget the promise you made. The winner acknowledges the superiority of the other''s Assistant Ringmaster!"

    "Of course."

    Minova left. Chapter Read:

    In thete afternoon, the work was almost finished.

    The members went on stage for rehearsal.

    They demonstrated excellent acting, just like they practiced.

    The employees of the Rose Windmill yed the role of the audience.

    All the staff, including those with connections to E, gathered.

    Among them was Director Yug Maroine.

    He watched the actors'' performance and nodded with a satisfied expression.

    "Creating a performance of this level with the Monster Circus. The future of that girl is frightening."

    "I''ll convey your praise to E. She''ll be pleased with the director''spliment."

    "Don''t be too modest. Did you write the script?"

    "Did E tell you that?"

    "She did. Every time. It was cute how she tried to hide the desire to brag."

    "Is that so."

    After finishing rehearsal, the members went to the restaurant for a bted dinner.

    I stayed alone on the stage and opened the script.

    The stage and the acting were all set.

    The only remaining issue was one.

    Could I handle the role of the master of ceremonies well?

    Memorizing the script was not a problem. I had already memorized it in the morning, considering E''s constant revisions.

    Facing the audience didn''t make me nervous either. The smiling man always masked hisposure.

    Right. That was the problem.

    That smiling man.

    E knew how to control the atmosphere of the stage.

    She knew how to bring out emotions from people with appropriate acting and voice in tense or chilling scenes.

    But I could only smile. Nothing else.

    Even when delivering tense lines, all I could do was smirk.

    The effectiveness of the actors'' performances was diminished.

    No matter how hard I tried to suppress my smile, my lips wouldn''t budge.

    In fact, it was easy to make it look chilling.

    Just pull out a few Ment des from behind, let a bunch of tentacles sprout from your arms, and rece eyes with tooth-filled mouths.

    But it couldn''t be helped.

    It was because my image was damaged.

    The ck Magician.

    17 years ago, I didn''t know how much of himself Wonderstein had revealed.

    At least, his human form wasn''t disclosed.

    If people could associate him with a form, it was better not to resemble it.

    One could freely mold and distort their own body, how many could there be?

    In the end, rather than modifying my body, I had to make people scared with just makeup.

    Was that possible?

    Even I, a man, couldn''t help but think Wonderstein''s appearance and smile were ''cool.''

    How could I disguise this smile and not undermine the terrifying image of the members?

    I tried to recall the appearance of the members.

    Except for the unique appearances, they were not much different from ordinary humans.

    Why were they called monsters by people?

    I realized it was because they deviated from the average.

    If Dwarf Jobel grows taller, he might not be treated as a monster, but if he exceeds 10 meters, he would still be treated as a monster.

    The Triamere triplets, if they reduce their heads, might not be treated as monsters, but if they have zero heads, they would be seen as monsters.

    In the end, the important thing was not to deviate too much.

    Thinking the other way around, to appear as a monster, one just needed to deviate from the norm.

    I had been trying to suppress or hide this smile with makeup.

    But did I really need to do that?

    An idea shed in my mind.

    Thest Monday of June.

    Week 3 of thepetition.

    The audience in Cabaret was divided into two main groups as they entered Hall 3.

    Those who came purely to watch the circus and those who came to see the ringmaster Wonderstein.

    Their numbers were simr, but thetter seemed to be slightly more.

    The incident at the opening ceremony was a big spectacle.

    Many women cast admiring nces at the stage, to a man rumored to be so handsome that even president Vergsong got involved in a scandal.

    It was said that his dazzling smile could melt anyone.

    There were people swearing to ignore the monsters and only focus on Wonderstein''s appearance.

    The door of the hall closed, and all the lights dimmed.

    Only one spotlight illuminated the stage.

    After a moment, footsteps could be heard.

    Thud, thud.

    Someone was walking onto the stage.

    The spotlight started from his shoes and slowly revealed his lower body, upper body, and head.

    The more his figure was revealed, the more fear spread across the faces of the people.

    An orange shirt, purple tailcoat, mes like red roses on the chest.

    Messy green hair.

    A face as white as a nk sheet, with bright red lips that reached to the ears.

    As people realized that his white face and red lips were just makeup, the eerie feeling they felt when they looked at him didn''t fade away.

    People learned for the first time today that clown makeup could look so scary.

    "Wee to the Monster Circus. I am the ringmaster, Frank Wonderstein."

    He looked at the audience with a stern expression, then gave them a chilling smile.

    "Why are you all so serious?"

    Theughing man stood on the stage.

 Chapter 87 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (21)

    Most of the people who came to see the Monster Circus were already familiar with the face of Wonderstein. His pictures were featured in newspapers and magazines, and Maya''s sign, painted at the entrance of the hall, made it impossible to miss.

    Dark hair, blue eyes, and a sculpted face.

    Tall stature with a well-proportioned figure.

    A lively smile.

    In this era, photographs were blurry, making it difficult to grasp people''s appearances clearly. Portraits were often seen as deceptive due tomon retouching tricks.

    However, those who had seen him in person unanimously agreed that there was no exaggeration in the rumors about him. Even those who mocked him with his status admitted that he deserved recognition in that aspect.

    So, those who came expecting a handsome man were shocked by the unexpected appearance of a grotesque clown. Even other circus performers who had encountered him a few times felt the same way.

    During the trial, they had advocated for him, but they didn''t consider him a genuine colleague in the industry.

    The Monster Circus was a show scorned in the industry.

    Not only did they drag unfortunate people into their performances, but engaging in suspicious magic tricks and captivating women made them appear even more despicable.

    The audience, who came to watch the show today, intended to mock and find something to ridicule.

    A circus showcasing so-called "monsters" seemed rather mundane. Just exhibit someone peculiar and move on, no need to be surprised.

    That''s why what he did to give them a ''shock'' was hard to believe.

    If it was just makeup, it wouldn''t have been so surprising.

    He portrayed his character fittingly, a character that was disturbingly simr to the ''ck Magician Wonderstein'' from the game.

    The unsettling gaze, the slightly offughter, and the gestures that touched the nerves of the viewers¡ªall were devices that subtly revealed his inhumanity and created difort.

    Theughing man, with a clean face, appeared unexpectedly disheveled, as if he had just emerged from highly concentrated waste.

    No, if it were just makeup, it wouldn''t have been so shocking.

    He skillfully portrayed the character that suited him.

    "Now, shall we introduce the monster?"

    His manner of presentation was ordinary, despite his appearance.

    He greeted normally, cracked jokes, and introduced the members in a mundane manner.

    However, with just one word or gesture, there was a mysterious power that sent shivers down people''s spines.

    He was imitating the movements and lines of dialogue of the ''ck Magician Wonderstein'' from the game.

    The subtly disturbing gaze, theughter that seemed out of ce, and the actions that disturbed the viewers¡ªall created a simr effect here.

    The smiling man twisted and contorted, as if covering or revealing his mouth in a bizarre pose.

    "Hahaha, gentlemen, you better be careful. This person has a somewhat discerning taste. Let me introduce you. The only woman among the monster members, the spiderdy!"

    Rustle.

    A sound of something crawling echoed from the ceiling.

    As people looked upward, all the lights went out simultaneously.

    Purple mes flickered. Beyond them, a figure with multiple legs revealed its silhouette.

    "Tasty-looking men are plentiful, aren''t they? Oh, of course. I don''t mind women either. Hehehe, sometimes you need something to chew on."

    Yurakne''s voice contained a vibrancy that didn''t match her usual nonchnt demeanor.

    It was worthwhile practicing under E''s guidance.

    Dim lighting illuminated the ceiling.

    In a matter of seconds, people screamed at the transformed scene inside the hall.

    "What, what is that?"

    "T-That''s a spider web¡­."

    "Ugh, I hate this kind of thing¡­"

    White threads crisscrossed, creating intricate patterns between the steel frames of the ceiling. Sticky fluids dripped down the strands.

    Throughout the spider webs, patches the size of a person were hanging.

    Inside the patches, something wriggled, resembling the movement of something squirming.

    "It''s really moving¡­"

    "Don''t worry. It''s, it must be a prop for sure."

    "Yeah, an illusion or something."

    One of the audience members uttered those words when suddenly, with a sharp splitting sound, something poured out from inside, sttering a green, sticky, and bloody fluid.

    Everyone entering the Monster Circus had signed up for the ''Wet Seat'' category.

    It was amon urrence in circuses where the audience could be part of the show or even have the stage extended into the seating area. In other words, they were warned to be prepared for the possibility of getting dirty.

    The Monster Circus, uniquely, even included a category for ''moisture induced by the audience.'' It was a humorous way of cautioning people that it might be scary enough to make them wet themselves.

    Despite signing up, the audience had no intention of willingly epting such an unidentified liquid.

    Those close to the stage recoiled with disgusted expressions.

    However, soon they had to worry about the moisture they themselves were causing.

    Amidst the slimy fluid that had spilled on the stage, something was squirming.

    "Uwaaah!"

    "Th-there!"

    "It''s a person!"

    A skeletal figure emerged, wriggling between the broken props. His green, gooey substance mixed with blood formed a sticky mass.

    He reached out towards the audience, moaning.

    "Help me¡­ This, this isn''t part of the show¡­ That ringmaster is a real devil¡­"

    At that moment, the threads hanging from the ceiling trembled.

    People who looked up screamed.

    The spider woman revealed herself. She had makeup that truly resembled a spider. The eerie light emanating from her makeup was fitting for the image of a sinister spider queen.

    Using her six arms on two legs, she crawled through aplex web. With eight legs in total, she moved just like a real spider.

    Wonderstein was anxious watching her, fearing she might identally grab a fake spiderweb without a rope.

    Most of the spiderwebs hanging from the ceiling were not real; they were illusions created by Maya, with real ropes hidden in between for tightrope walking.

    Yurakne was worried that, due to nervousness, the spider woman might grab a fake spiderweb without a rope.

    Luckily, she wlessly maneuvered through the spiderweb, using the magic "Ghost''s Ensnarement" provided to her.

    Thunk.

    From between her palms, a spiderweb shot out and attached to the ceiling.

    While it might have seemed like the spider stuck to the wall like a real spider, she had actually grabbed the hidden rope between the fake spiderwebs.

    She held onto it and crawled down using her eight legs.

    To the spectators, it looked like she stuck to the wall like a spider, but in reality, she was holding onto the hidden rope between the fake spiderwebs.

    She crawled down, still wriggling, towards the skeleton man on the ground.

    "Ugh, please, save me¡­ This isn''t a show¡­ That ringmaster is a real monster¡­"

    "Enough of your useless babbling."

    The spider woman grabbed the limbs of the skeleton man with her back and waist arms.

    Then, using her remaining two arms, she gripped his neck, squeezing.

    Crunch.

    "Kuuuuh¡­"

    Flesh sttered around.

    The skull rolled on the floor.

    The sound echoing through the silent hall was undoubtedly real.

    People swallowed nervously.

    Chapter Explore:

    The spider woman looked around the audience, her tongue flickering.

    "Oh my, hoho. I showed you something quite gruesome. Nice to meet you, delicious humans."

    Whispers and sighs echoed from all directions.

    "Is, is it really safe here?"

    "I told you. The monsters follow the ringmaster''s control well¡­"

    "Where did they bring such horrifying things from?"

    Wonderstein nced briefly at the skull on the floor, smiling.

    The jaw joint of the skull made a rattling sound.

    He was alsoughing.

    The show began to peak thanks to the spiderdy, and Wonderstein once again gained momentum when he resurrected the skeleton of the deceased with the shell of a human. The performance reached its climax as it passed the triplets, the cursed fairy, and the appearance of the vampire.

    Many people learned the reason for the entry of the category ''moisture caused by the audience'' in wet ces.

    Intermission.

    Stagehands sniffled through the audience, changing seats and wiping some areas with rags.

    ***

    E could leave the hotel on Monday afternoon.

    To convince the doctor that she needed at least a week of rest, she even demonstrated her skills in front of him.

    "It''s really okay. Look."

    "Oh, no! Uh, this is¡­!"

    Her body bounced like a spring and spun in mid-air.

    She demonstrated difficult acrobatics in session.

    One-armed handstand, lightning somersault, backward flip¡­

    She skillfully avoided people and furniture by twisting her body through the narrow spaces.

    "Alright, that''s enough."

    Finally, the doctor reluctantly allowed her to go out. However, even as he gave permission, he still had an unpleasant expression.

    He allowed her to go out not because he believed she had recovered, but as part of the process to prevent her from demonstrating a free fall from the second floor, almost like a threat to the doctor.

    "Absolutely, do not go on stage."

    "Yes, yes. I understand!"

    E shouted energetically.

    The doctor sighed, nodded, and left the room with the hotel staff.

    Once she confirmed that everyone had left, E gasped and sat on the floor.

    Cold sweat ran down the back of her neck.

    Sweat clung to her back as well.

    In her weakened state due to the flu, moving her body hastily had drained her energy in an instant.

    What she did on the second floor, preparing to perform a mid-air fall, was almost a threat to the doctor.

    If she had really jumped, she would have lost bnce and suffered a serious injury.

    E threw her sweat-soaked pajamas away and entered the shower.

    She turned on the shower and leaned her forehead against the wall.

    Her body felt like a boiling pot.

    "He really didn''t treat me."

    It was unexpected.

    She thought he would at least touch her body.

    E knew.

    His kindness was only for a specific purpose.

    It wasn''t because he genuinely cared about her health.

    She was aware that his kindness was driven by necessity.

    "He must have started thest performance of the day by now."

    E sat on the shower room wall, leaning her back against it.

    The warm water warmed her body.

    The doctor''s words, saying it would take a week to recover from fatigue, seemed true.

    She wanted to faint and fall asleep just like this.

    It was even more difficult to control her body due to the strain just now.

    But she couldn''t do that.

    She had to check if the members were doing well as they practiced and if that guy was doing well as the host.

    Helping him fulfil his role as the ringmaster was her role as the assistant-ringmaster.

    That was the contract.

    E got up from her seat.

    The moment she turned off the shower, a chill struck her. Her body shivered.

    She wanted to turn on the warm water again and lie down on the floor.

    But she gritted her teeth and left the shower room.

 Chapter 88 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (22)

    E found her usual crimson circus costume.

    Although it had gotten soaked in the rain early yesterday morning, she knew that the hotel''sundry service would have it crisp and dry in just half a day.

    She needed that outfit in case she had to take on the role of the ringmaster instead of Wonderstein.

    Even though she had promised not to go on stage, she was willing to step up if the situation demanded.

    However, her n was immediately thwarted.

    "After finishing theundry, I found that there were many ces where the stitches hade loose on the master''s costume. I entrusted it to a skilled seamstress for repairs. It will take some time."

    "How long will it take?"

    "They said you can pick it up on Saturday afternoon."

    Even a fool could tell that the old man''s words were a lie.

    It wouldn''t take days to tidy up a few loose threads, and Saturday afternoon was too obvious.

    At the very least, it meant she shouldn''t go on stage for thispetition.

    It was clear that the moment she was allowed to go out, he immediately contacted theundry to get rid of her clothes.

    E felt frustrated being thwarted repeatedly by him since yesterday.

    But it was unavoidable.

    Despite being sharp and quick-witted for her age, she couldn''t match the experience of the butler who had served the family for decades.

    Butler Batel, following Anais''s orders, left Vergsong Mansion and arrived in Luz yesterday afternoon.

    He came to provide support for the circus so that they could focus on the exam this week.

    Wonderstein had asked him to take care of E, probably because the hotel staff would find it difficult to confront her.

    The old butler saw through E''s tactics.

    The youngdy, who worked tirelessly despite her poor health, was a familiar opponent to him.

    When she secretly tried to go to the performance venuest night, he anticipated it and waited under the window. His agile movements, honed from his youth as an excellent mercenary, were not inferior to E''s acrobatics. If she had been in good health, she might have escaped from his hands, but in her weakened state, she couldn''t slip away.

    Moreover, he noticed that she had secretly spit out the pill hidden under her tongue. In return, he secretly added medicine to her snacks. Thanks to that, E slept deeply all afternoon, and her n to watch the performance using Inspira failed.

    When she woke up, almost a day had passed, and E felt her heart sink.

    She was embarrassed, not just because her skills were repeatedly repelled, but for some reason, it felt awkward.

    She tasted the humiliation she used to feel every time shepeted with her master.

    She looked out the window with a grim face from inside the carriage.

    The butler observed her with a satisfied smile.

    E red at the butler.

    "Gee, is it fun to win against a kid?"

    "Haha, you misunderstood myughter. No, not at all. I was just reminded of Anais when she was young. Just stay calm. I won''t stop you from watching the performance."

    "I''m just worried."

    "Do you not trust Director Wonderstein?"

    At his words, E trembled.

    Not trust him?

    It was as if the words had climbed up her throat. Wasn''t it he she definitely wont trust?

    But she couldn''t bring herself to say it.

    Like it or not, he was the director of the circus she belonged to.

    She looked awkwardly at the butler.

    "Oh, no¡­ It''s just¡­ I don''t know."

    "Why are you so anxious, then?"

    "For some reason, I feel worried if I''m not doing it myself."

    The butler nodded understandingly.

    "I know that E is smart and talented. But try trusting and relying on the people around you a little more. Our mistress also tried to handle everything on her own when she first took on the role of chairwoman. But thanks to Pierre¡­"

    The butler stopped talking.

    It was an inappropriate example.

    The person she trusted and relied on ultimately turned out to be a traitor.

    "Anyway, if you''re the one leading a group, it''s a virtue to entrust and hold your position. Understand?"

    "Got it. I''ll wait quietly. Like a good girl. Is that okay?"

    With that, she finished speaking and leaned back in her seat.

    The butler''s words made sense.

    She still had two more years ahead, and there could be worse situations than this.

    Each time, she couldn''t handle everything on her own. Waiting was also important.

    "That aside, why isn''t Lady Vergsonging?"

    "She said she might be able to make it on thest day."

    "She seems quite busy too."

    "To be honest, she has been quitezy during this time."

    Anais was the host of the gathering.

    In the midst of the chaos within the society due to Pierre, who was already handling practical matters, disappearing and leisurely traveling on a cruise or rxing at the hotel, the situation seemed absurd.

    Rumors that a magician had captivated Lady Vergsong had gained credibility, given the circumstances.

    Upon arriving at the cabaret, E immediately headed to Hall 3.

    People were justing out of the hall after the performance had ended.

    She stood there, frozen.

    Cold sweat covered her back.

    She was afraid of finding disappointed, angry, or mocking expressions.

    Fortunately, there was no sign of anger; people seemed exhausted rather than disappointed.

    No, the fact that they stayed until the end was evidence of a sessful performance.

    Passingments reached her ears.

    "It was amazing."

    "He''s a good actor."

    "Actor? Didn''t he say everything was fake?"

    "This guy watched the same show as us, right? The actors were real. Acting is about capturing and devouring people, not a fake show."

    "We saw everyoneing out and greeting at the end."

    E''s lips trembled.

    The audience''s reaction wasn''t as bad as she had feared.

    Moreover, the feedback from people who seemed to be other circus members was positive.

    "It gave me chills."

    "Monster Circus¡­ not something tough at."

    "I thought it was just a simple human exhibition."

    "They turned it into excellent entertainment."

    Thanks to this, strength returned to E''s steps as she headed towards the backstage area.

    She ignored the greetings from the Rose Windmill staff who knew her but maintained a cold demeanor.

    Right now, other people didn''t matter to her.

    Her colleagues.

    She wanted to see them.

    Quietly, her butler followed behind her.

    Finally, the two arrived at the rehearsal room of Hall 3.

    The first to notice them as they entered were the triplets who had been stretching at the entrance.

    "Assistant Director?"

    "Assistant Director! She''s here!"

    The triplets chattered excitedly, drawing the attention of the other members.

    "What?"

    "E is here?"

    "Is your bodypletely healed?"

    The butler, surprised, stepped back.

    Everyone was in their fearsome monster makeup.

    "Hey, E."

    "Why are you here?"

    "Is your body okay?"

    E reassured the worried members, sitting on the sofa and surrounded by them, listening to their stories.

    They chattered about each other''s performances, how the audience reacted, and Wonderstein, who acted as the emcee, showed a surprising performance.

    A clown makeup, indeed.

    It was more than she had expected.

    At that moment, E realized that someone was missing among them.

    Wonderstein.

    "Where did he go?"

    "Him? Oh, the director. He''s in the break room back there, all alone."

    "Why?"

    Womon scratched his head awkwardly.

    "Well, it''s¡­ He thinks that if he''s around, the members can''t restfortably."

    "Oh¡­"

    E''splexion stiffened.

    It was ufortable when someone higher up was in the midst of the lower-ranked members. However, E knew that Wonderstein didn''t say that with such intention. He had been the target of avoidance by the members until now. Even though he took the stage this time due to the special circumstances, he usually kept his distance from the members and left the work to E.

    Normally, she would have epted his behavior without question but seeing him act like that on a day like today made her feel uneasy.

    As themotion settled down a bit, Maya, who had been sitting in a corner with a sketchbook, approached E.

    "Assistant."

    "Oh, Maya! How was it? Any mistakes in the illusion? Oh, and how did the product you nned do? Did it sell well? Were people''s reactions, okay?"

    Maya endured E shaking her shoulders with an expressionless face.

    "It went well. The product sold well. More than we expected."

    "Oh, really? That''s a relief!"

    E let out a sigh of relief, and Maya, with a displeased voice, said, "You should worry about your own body, you fool."

    She wanted to brush off the annoyance, but she couldn''t be rude to someone who was in pain.

    "Rest assured, everyone. Let''s congratte E!"

    Jobel''s words made everyone stand up.

    "Sounds good."

    "It''s our first performance."

    "We have another performance tomorrow, so let''s just have one drink each."

    The members were stopped by the butler as they tried to go to the kitchen.

    He came to the Rose Windmill for such asions.

    "Please rest, everyone. I will prepare some snacks for you."

    As he left, the rehearsal room became even more lively.

    It included Sven mimicking Yurakne''s actions.

    Chapter Enjoy:

    "Ahahaha, nice to meet you. Lovely humans you all look."

    Laughter erupted.

    Even Maya, who was drawing alone in the corner, smirked slightly.

    Only Yurakne blushed deeply, burying her face in embarrassment.

    "Uuh, s-stop that¡­."

    "Hehe, I wanted to show it to Assistant too. What was the next line¡­?"

    "S-stop it, I said!"

    "Hahaha, why, Yurakne? It was a splendid performance."

    "Right, right. I bet Yurakne sold the most of that ''product'' today."

    While the membersughed and chatted loudly, E sat quietly on the sofa, looking at the empty spot.

    Thergest and most ornate chair in the rehearsal room.

    It was the seat of Director Wonderstein.

    It was empty.

    He avoided being present on a day like this.

    Probably because the members would feel ufortable.

    In fact, even now that he could face them, except for Maya, there was no member who feltfortable with him.

    Yurakne overcame it with acting, Sven with jokes, and E with resentment.

    Honestly, it was better for the atmosphere that he wasn''t there.

    E also agreed with that.

    But¡­

    This wasn''t right.

    They went on stage together, performed, and even filled in for an injured colleague.

    Despite all that, he was being avoided.

    No matter how you looked at it, this situation was not right.

    "Uh¡­ excuse me for a moment¡­"

    She quietly slipped away from her seat.

    She headed to the break room where Wonderstein was.

 Chapter 89 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (23)

    "EYang."

    Wonderstein watched her as if he had been waiting for her toe in.

    His face bore the ever-present, unchanging smile.

    A cheeky and yful smile that seemed to uplift people.

    As she looked at his smiling face, E felt irritation creeping in, but at the same time, her heart eased a bit.

    Well then.

    Why did I worry about him?

    I have other things to care about.

    "You knew I wasing?"

    She raised her head as much as possible and tried to speak in a cold tone.

    She made an effort to sound distant in case he sensed that she found him despicable.

    "How could I not know when you were chattering so loudly?"

    Laughter erupted from outside again.

    It seemed like Sven was imitating someone once more.

    E noticed that there was a warm cup of tea in his hands.

    "You never take your hands off the teacup."

    "I like tea."

    "But you never touched the tea served at the hotel."

    "The tea made by Miss Yurakne is different, hehe. Leaving that aside, what brings you here? You still don''t seem fully recovered."

    He said, examining herplexion.

    She scratched her head.

    "Well, I was worried, honestly."

    "About me?"

    His teasing tone made E''s expression noticeably furrow.

    "Who would worry about someone like you? I was worried that you might ruin the performance! What if tomatoes start flying!"

    "Tomatoes?"

    She lowered her voice a bit.

    The mention of worrying about him made her oddly excited and agitated.

    "It''s considered the ultimate disgrace for performers on stage. If the audience finds the show boring, they throw tomatoes."

    Wonderstein let out an intriguedugh.

    "Is that so?"

    "It''s just a rumor. ording to a magazine investigation, it only happened once in thest 30 years."

    She clenched her fist and scrutinized the purple circus costume he was wearing.

    "Did you create this outfit with your magic again?"

    "How did you know?"

    "Where else would a perfectly fitting outfit appear overnight? Well, let me see¡­ It''s a decentbination. The clown face on that outfit gives quite a creepy vibe. Putting that aside, did you already wipe off the clown makeup? I wanted to see it¡­"

    "You can see it again tomorrow. At least during this test, I''ll continue to be the clown. You didn''te here expecting to perform on stage, did you?"

    E crossed her legs and chuckled.

    "Don''t worry. Even if I wanted to, I don''t have any clothes. The butler grandpa took my costume. He''s always smiling on the outside but secretly raising a trapdoor spider inside him. Anyway, how about talking about the performance? I''m curious about how it went."

    "Don''t you already know from the other members?"

    "Everyone has a different feeling about it. I want to hear it from the clown''s perspective."

    As the conversation turned to the circus, E straightened up, sparkling with enthusiasm.

    Wonderstein silentlyughed to himself.

    Anyway, she''s an unstoppable circus maniac.

    He began by exining how he came up with the makeup and some gestures or phrases that E even requested to re-enact.

    Although acting one-on-one with her felt embarrassing, thanks to theughing man, he could naturally exhibit somewhat awkward human acting.

    E nodded seriously and said, "Your script¡­ You wrote it after seeing and writing it during the clown part, right?"

    The part she had the most revisions on in the script he gave her was the clown part.

    Something about the focus of the conversation or the punchline of theughter seemed off, so they spent quite a bit of time fixing it.

    However, looking at it now, it was a performance that suited Wonderstein''s character very well.

    The inability to controlughter from time to time, the peculiar teasing attitude¡ªall of it.

    In TT1, Wonderstein was faithful to the concept of the circus troupe leader. Whenever entering a boss battle, he would suddenly appear from somewhere to introduce the members andment on the changes in the boss''s attack phases, adding jokes in between.

    E, who didn''t know about that, admired him once again.

    It seemed like he had been considering his own clown character from the moment he started writing the script.

    Seeing her expression, he silentlyughed again.

    In any case, she''s an incurable circus maniac.

    He exined from the moment he wrote the first script, and E, who had experienced the beginning to the ending curtain call, clicked her tongue.

    Delicious.

    Despite the breath and flow being a bitckingpared to what she directed, it was definitely a tasty stage.

    "Unexpectedly well done."

    "Me? Well, thank you."

    Wonderstein felt quite proud of her praise.

    Despite boasting about the highest viewer count on his Twitch livestream and putting on airs, the inte livestream and the real stage were inevitably different. He had used every trick in the book, imitating the Wonderstein character in the game, hiding awkward expressions with makeup, and barely managing to finish the performance.

    Now, hearing a sincere "well done" from the precise E, he could finally rx.

    "To be honest¡­ I couldn''t trust you."

    "Is that so?"

    "Yeah. How could I trust someone like you? A suspicious person who hides behind a mask."

    Wonderstein had no words to respond to E''s statement.

    In the past, he had indeed been such a person, and the present him couldn''t be called an entirely honest person either.

    "But now I understand one thing. Your passion for the circus is genuine."

    Why he was so obsessed with the circus, Wonderstein couldn''tprehend. With such immense power, E could not fathom why he would settle for being a mere circus director.

    Still, watching him write scripts, show kindness to the members, witness the effort he put into getting on stage, and proposing a bold challenge to the rooster Minova, it seemed that at least his passion for the circus was real.

    "So, I''ll entrust the remaining five days to you. At least now, I can believe in you on stage."

    Even though it was a temporary rtionship, even though it was a rtionship that would not continue, even though it was not a connection formed out of goodwill, regarding the circus, they hade to trust each other.

    "But it''s quite ironic, isn''t it? The way to fit into the members'' monstrous acting was for you to give up human acting."

    Wonderstein sighed inwardly.

    I also yed the role of Wonderstein¡­

    But he couldn''t make excuses. To clear up that misunderstanding, he needed her to understand that he was not Wonderstein. And such an argument would likely fall on deaf ears. She would probably think he was mocking her.

    At that moment, there was amotion outside.

    It seemed the housekeeper had brought alcohol and snacks.

    Wonderstein gestured for her to go check.

    She hesitated for a moment, then stood up. Grabbing the doorknob, she turned around to look at him.

    "Over there¡­ How about going out and saying a word of congrattions?"

    "Me?"

    "Well, I mean¡­ If the director avoids it, wouldn''t Grandpa Housekeeper find it strange? And¡­ above all, this is our circus''s official first performance, right? It would be disappointing without a word from the director."

    At her suggestion, Wonderstein hesitated for a moment.

    No quest for rejecting the members appeared.

    Under normal circumstances, he would have refused.

    He didn''t want to do anything that could jeopardize the goodwill of the members.

    However, it wasn''t the case now.

    Since witnessing E copse once, he had be somewhat indifferent to the system.

    "Alright."

    The practice room was adorned with quite avish spread.

    When the troupe went out to eat, the food that was, spread something they had never experienced before.

    They used to always barely manage to grab whatever the kitchen offered and brought it out in a hurry.

    Even when they went outside regr meal hours, they could only get bread or fruit at best.

    But Batel brought back a luxurious meal even during regr meal hours.

    Wonderstein wondered if this was the skill of the butler who had been taking care of the mansion''s servants for a long time.

    E stepped forward.

    In her hand was a ss filled with juice.

    "Thank you all so much for your hard work today. You all covered for me so well even though I was absent. We still have five days left, so let''s not rx too much. Let''s just have a simple drink and enjoy."

    She raised her ss high and eximed, "To the Grand Circus Prix!"

    "To the Grand Circus Prix!"

    The members echoed herst words.

    She looked at Wonderstein with eyes that seemed to ask if he had anything to say.

    The gaze of the other members also turned towards him.

    He was still a difficult ringmaster, but it wasn''t as ufortable as before.

    Standing on the stage together was an amazing experience.

    In a moment, he closed the distance he had been trying to narrow for the past three months.

    Wonderstein smiled at them, raising his ss.

    "For the health of our assistant ringmaster."

    "For the health!"

    Laughter appeared on the faces of the members.

    sses clinked together, making a lively sound.

    [E''s favorability has increased by 5.]

    [Sven''s favorability has increased by 3.]

    [Bendict''s favorability has increased by 2.]

    [Maya''s favorability has increased by 1.]

    ¡­

    [Yurakne''s favorability has increased by 4. As a reward for achieving favorability 30, <Inspira: Wall Climbing> is granted to Yurakne. Current favorability: 33 (Next reward: favorability 50)]

    [Womon''s favorability has increased by 3. As a reward for achieving favorability 15, <Inspira: de Juggling> is granted to Womon. Current favorability: 16 (Next reward: favorability 30)]

    Notification windows poured down like a flood.

    The members clearly didn''t anticipate himing out.

    So, the member quests didn''t appear.

    The system was urate.

    However, sometimes crossing the line of hesitation could bring people closer.

    Wonderstein realized that he had forgotten about human rtionships for a long time.

    Hemunicated with people only through the monitor, locked in the room.

    He earned a living by meeting the demands of viewers.

    Even here, he lived a not-so-different life.

    The system merely reced the role of aputer.

    But today, he finally stepped out of that.

    Laughing and chatting with people, he felt like he had returned to the orphanage days.

    Triamere enthusiastically talked about the performance today.

    E echoed the story she heard earlier as if hearing it for the first time.

    No one could forget the moment of stepping onto the stage for the first time.

    Sven pointed at the food on the table, shouting, "Fresh meat!" imitating Womon''s performance. Womon, irritated by his continuous teasing, turned his head as if disgusted.

    Bendict and Jobel silently exchanged drinks in a corner. Looking at the bottles of alcohol in front of them, it seemed like they had already forgotten E''s suggestion to drink moderately.

    Yurakne grabbed Wonderstein and kept asking how her fire performance was. She blushed when praised and looked disappointed when told it didn''t suit her.

    Maya sat alone in a corner, quietly drawing and sipping her drink.

    E leaned her face on a cold ss, secretly smiling.

    This was it.

    This was it.

    Exactly this.

    This was the scene he had seen on the day they first met,

    The day he invited her to join,

    The scenery she had been looking forward to.

    If she could endure like this for the next two years and three months¡­

    It was well worth trying.

    She stood up abruptly.

    "Well then, I''ll show you a solo performance!"

    She picked up chopsticks and spun a te on top of them.

    It wasn''t surprising up to that point.

    She then ced another te on top of the spinning one using the chopsticks.

    "What, what''s this?"

    "Is that even possible?"

    "Amazing."

    As the number of tes and chopsticks increased, the audience''s admiration grew.

    Amidst the enthusiastic apuse of the audience, she could finallyugh freely among her circus colleagues.

    Until the day she parted ways with him.

    Without anyone getting hurt or dying.

    Just like this.

    Let it continue.

 Chapter 90 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (24)

    The nning circus troupe was usually organized temporarily for a specific purpose. Even in this Circus Grand Prix, there were quite a few nning circus troupes created by sponsors.

    Satbyeol Circus was one of them.

    When E examined theposition of Satbyeol Circus, she didn''t think it was well-organized. While they had renowned acrobats, that was about it. Theycked the vibrant personalities that Pandora, Silver Veil, Papal, Mango, and others had.

    She estimated their performance level to be around the early 50s at best.

    However, as their performance began and 30 minutes passed, she had to revise her evaluation. Their skills were not necessarily superior to the general assessment; most of the acrobats were between elite and second-rate.

    There was nothing particrly special in the event program. They showcased strength demonstrations, tightrope walking, ground skills, animal training, shooting, and the traditional five acts.

    It was, as expected, a misceneous store of circus acts categorized by type.

    However, the skill of the ringmaster handling them was extraordinary.

    Rooster Minova.

    He had gained some fame as a singer and strongman, but his real talent shone elsewhere. Despite his somewhat rough and rude demeanor, his skill in leading the stage was excellent. His ability to interpret the acrobats'' talents, unearth jokes, and convey them to the audience was top-notch.

    Moreover, on the stage, there was another host who could bnce out his rough image.

    That was none other than his daughter and the deputy ringmaster of the circus, Ruelle.

    "Well, the next act will be a tightrope performance by two acrobats¡­ doing a mid-air swing¡­."

    The adorable girl in chick clothing climbed up, shyly surveying the audience, evoking warm smiles.

    As they enjoyed the performance, an hour quickly passed.

    "Well then, see you again next time!"

    All the Satbyeol acrobats came out to bid farewell.

    E was satisfied.

    "A hosting duo¡­"

    She recalled their performance this morning.

    The members did reasonably well.

    Except for Bendict and Jobel.

    Despite E warning them yesterday, they ended up getting drunk, suffered from hangovers until this morning, and managed to cause an ident on stage.

    Bendict tripped over his own bandages, getting entangled and showcasing a pstick of rolling around. Jobel vomited heavily on the stage.

    E''s heart pounded when Bendict made a mistake.

    His sequence was the first among the members.

    The mistake he made could affect the subsequent performers.

    Fortunately, at that moment, Wonderstein yed the role of a host excellently.

    He maintained perfectposure no matter what unfolded in front of him. He didn''t convey any of the previous chaos and confusion to the next in line.

    At times like this, E found Wonderstein''s inhuman side reassuring.

    A smile with no hint of wavering, like a doll.

    Circus officials praised his perfect self-control, but E knew it wasn''t an act; it was his true self.

    Having watched the performance, she felt restless.

    She, too, wanted to stand on the stage.

    As the main host, I didn''t have enough stamina, the assistant ringmaster should handle it well. However, would he ept my proposal?

    E stood up and scored the Satbyeol Circus.

    57%.

    Although their scores were simr, it couldn''t determine the victory or defeat. The oue would be decided by the creativity of the prizes.

    E left the hall. In the middle of Halls 2 and 3, the concession stands of the two circuses were lined upside by side. Satbyeol Circus, being a nning-oriented circus, had professionals in each field. The food they sold at the stands was prepared by professional chefs. They were not only skilled in cooking but also in captivating performances, being former acrobats.

    Meatballs juggled in the air, pizza dough twirled on people''s fingers, and mes erupted from the pan to the ceiling. It was a spectacle that could be considered a show in itself.

    In contrast, the concession stand of the Monster Circus was modest. There were no shy attractions or appetizing food. The staff running the stand were all rats. With their skills, it was challenging to create impressive dishes. Therefore, their sales strategy had its limitations. They focused on tomato dishes, which were well-received in Charlotia due to being both delicious and affordable.

    Tomato spaghetti, tomato juice, tomato canap¨¦, etc. These were foods that could be found even in the remotest countryside of Charlotia.

    The contrast in the quality of the two stands was stark. However, E was not discouraged. The food at the stands was just to meet expectations for them anyway. They had prepared separate items.

    "Oh! Legendary costume revealed! Tuxedo!"

    The shouts of someone nearby attracted the attention of those around.

    A man held up a card, on which the word ''Tuxedo'' was written in orange ink.

    "If it''s a legendary, there aren''t many types, right?"

    "Oh, wow! I scratched five, and I got one rare costume!"

    "Jealous."

    The man who pulled the legendary card looked around with a triumphant expression. He even ced the card on thepel of his jacket.

    "I''ll be back!"

    He greeted hispanions and entered the back door of Hall 3.

    Inside the practice room where the man entered, there were six makeshift tents. Each tent had the nicknames of the Monster Circus members written on them.

    After briefly contemting, the man went to stand in front of the tent with the nickname of the vampire.

    Yet, what impressed him the most was still that.

    More than anything, drawing the picture was the best part.

    The man who entered the tent came out after a while, holding arge picture.

    In it, a vampire in a tuxedo was about to devour a person, while a man in front of him screamed.

    This was Wonderstein''s invention.

    Providing an opportunity for the audience to take pictures with monsters and then giving them the photos.

    He thought of this idea by recalling the mascots in theme parks taking pictures with dolls and printing them on the spot. However, the cameras of this era took a long time for development, and their quality was poor, making them unsuitable as souvenirs. Instead, they had something simr to modern cameras with Maya''s sketchbook.

    The reward for raising Maya''s favorability to 15 was this. It perfectly captured the scenes in Maya''s vision on the sketchbook.

    With just this, she could y a role simr to a camera.

    Of course, she couldn''t tear pages from the valuable magical sketchbook to give to customers.

    Maya looked at the drawn picture and urately reproduced it on a nearby canvas.

    Using her psychic power, she controlled the fluid like a mist, spraying it on the nk paper to create an image as if printed by a printer. This required a level of fluid control with psychic power that was extremely precise.

    Wonderstein hesitated to make such a demanding request. There were barely three weeks left until thepetition and expecting her to acquire printer-level fluid control skills seemed harsh.

    "Maya, don''t overdo it. Just a regr oil painting level is enough."

    "No, I can do it."

    Maya thought that she had received a favor from him that would be hard to repay for a lifetime. However, he thought that just two and a half years of service would be sufficient. During that period, she couldn''t show any signs of ipetence.

    Microscopic control of psychic forces.

    It was a highly challenging task at the level of the Magic Academy''s graduation project, and she had less than three weeks toplete it.

    She doubted if it could be done within such a short time.

    However, she was one of the most exceptional geniuses in the history of the academy.

    Just days before the showdown, she managed to control fluids at a levelparable to color printing.

    The moment she drew the first picture with psychic forces, Maya realized another fact.

    That she could finally impart physical force to illusions.

    Traditional illusion magic using ''Chi'' required a high level of willpower to imbue illusions with physicality. However, Maya''s illusion magic was about implementing the surface of illusions as Polyhedra. There was no need for willpower. You just had to coat the surface of the polyhedron with psychic forces.

    With the ability to manipte paint at the level of powder using psychic forces, Maya could now do it.

    Her admiration for Wonderstein deepened even more.

    Even while running the circus, he was always thinking about how to grow himself. E thought Wonderstein''s idea was good.

    Since the performers worked for their drawings, there were no issues with raw material costs aside from paper and paint. The problem was the selling price.

    If they set too high a price, they couldn''t attract low-coin owners who could only afford 100 or 200 coins. On the other hand, if they set too low a price, it would be difficult to extract profits from VIPs who spent thousands of coins. People wouldn''t have a reason to buy an item that cheap.

    That''s where Wonderstein came up with another trick.

    He utilized his costume-changing ability.

    He created a costume catalog, assigning different prices to each costume.

    Those with high coins could draw portraits of performers with legendary or premium outfits like a crimson-ted vampire, a ck widow, a spiderdy, or a court jester skeleton.

    Meanwhile, those with fewer coins had to settle for basic outfits.

    Those who had coins wanted a differentiated servicepared to those below them. They enjoyed the envious nces of others as they purchased high-priced costume cards at the store.

    Wonderstein''s cunning didn''t end there.

    He gave a ''chance'' to those with low coins.

    He set up a probability-based lottery next to the store.

    He divided costume cards intomon, rare, premium, and legendary grades ording to the catalog, ced them in boxes, and introduced a system where they could be drawn with appropriate probabilities.

    Wonderstein knew how much money the probability-based lottery and costume sales could generate.

    Unused costume cards could be exchanged for food at the store, lowering psychological barriers and prompting people to spend their remaining money on another draw instead of on Monster Circus food.

    The fact that it was something anyone could eat easily meant that it was a food with a universal taste. People exchanged general and rare cards for monster circus dishes withoutint.

    Tomatoes were almost free as raw materials, so it wasn''t a big loss strategy.

    With this, despite the overwhelming gap in store quality, on the first day, Monster Circus narrowly surpassed Satbyeol Circus in sales.

    E found it hard to remain silent while watching all of this.

    A duel through circus performances!

    The blood of an acrobat flowed through her veins.

    "Let me go on stage too!"

    "I told you I''m the host, didn''t I?"

    E stared directly at Wonderstein, who was dressed as a clown.

    Although he didn''t give a name to that costume, she called it ''Joker.''

    "I get it. It''s impossible for me to be the host. So at least let me assist from the side."

    "Assistant? It''s not in the script."

    "I''vee up with something. You just need to learn a few reactions. I''ll take care of the rest."

    "Well, but I''m worried about E''s health¡­"

    "I really won''t overdo it!"

    Wonderstein chuckled in response to her sparkling eyes.

    Indeed, she was an uncontroble circus maniac.

    "Okay. But what about the costume? You said you won''t wear the clothes I made."

    "If you dressed as a clown, then I should wear a clown costume."

    She took out the clothes she had prepared from her bag.

    It was a clown costume with split branches, alternating in red and ck.

    E wanted to go on stage for the next performance, so they couldn''t go without practicing.

    Even though only a few lines were added to the script, going on stage without coordinating even once was a risky venture.

    Strangely, E wasn''t worried at all.

    Was it because of this self-confidence?

    The jester and the clown.

    Their acting was like a duo that had been harmonizing for a long time, without a single misstep.

    E added appropriate remarks and jokes to match Wonderstein''s bizarre acting, and Wonderstein calmly coordinated the stage progress without being flustered by her sudden ad-libs.

    So, until Friday, Monster Circus and Satbyeol Circus continued their intensepetition in both performances and merchandise.

    The sales until Friday were almost equal.

    And the decisive Saturday arrived.

 Chapter 91 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (25)

    Saturday was an important day in terms of thepetition.

    In the previous two encounters, more than 20% of the sales urred on this day.

    On the side of Satbyeol Circus, Minova was actively engaging in promotional activities in front of the concession stand from the morning.

    Looking back at the pastpetitions, Saturday sales were higher in souvenir sales than in food and drinks.

    He worked hard to deal with the remaining inventory.

    "Cheap, cheap. Adle that doesn''t stick to rice! Buy 2, get 2 free! Plus, we''ll give you a functional cushion excellent for preventing hemorrhoids, a must-have for people sitting at a desk!"

    The nning circus team had a strong influence from sponsors.

    As a result, on the Satbyeol side, many items had to be disyed on the shelves to promote the sponsors'' products.

    Minova sighed inwardly as he recalled the instructions from the sponsors.

    Even if there was some loss in profit, all these items had to be sold.

    The Monster Circus was rtively free in their business approach.

    Vergsong did not demand anything from them.

    They actively promoted card sales.

    E conducted a promotion event in front of the life-sized signs of the monster members that Maya had carefully drawn for the past few days.

    "If you don''t buy today, you won''t be able to buy it again! On thest day, if a rare cardes out, you''ll have the opportunity to draw one more time! In addition, those who purchase 10 cards at once will receive the special legendary card ''Maiden''s Luck'' guaranteed!"

    Snake charmer Suab found the offer intriguing.

    One legendary card for buying 10 cards!

    It was a deal that couldn''t be missed.

    Out of the 11 cards, she could get portraits of all the monster members with 6, and the remaining 5 ordinary cards could be exchanged for food at the concession stand. The cost-effectiveness was unbeatable.

    Of course, she didn''t have that much money.

    She and herpanions had bought the cheapest coins.

    But if the three of them pooled their money, they could afford it.

    She turned to the two men standing behind her and said, "Hey, you guys. Take out the coins. Let''s buy that."

    However, despite her urging, the two men pretended not to hear and avoided eye contact.

    "What are you doing? That''s the best deal right now."

    "Uh¡­."

    "Well, it''s just that¡­."

    n and Jo cleared their throats and slowly opened their mouths.

    "Well, it''s true, but¡­."

    "We don''t have¡­ money¡­."

    At their words, Suab widened her eyes.

    "What are you talking about? We divided 150 coins each earlier!"

    "Um, we¡­ bought a lot of things."

    Suab finally noticed that their pockets were quite bulging.

    Come to think of it, these two were wandering around the Satbyeol Circus concession stand earlier¡­.

    "You guys¡­."

    "No, listen!"

    "These are really good!"

    They quickly took out the items they had bought, exining their functions.

    "This is a toothbrush with silver ingredients. It has a mysterious alchemical effect¡­."

    "These are socks with added fragrance. They say the foot is the second heart, right? Charcoal''s antibacterial and deodorizing effects¡­."

    "This is a health-boosting massage tool¡­."

    "And this is a nutritional supplement that''s good for cardiovascr health if you take one a day¡­."

    They exined the functions of the items they had bought in a rush.

    In this absurd situation, Suab forgot to get angry.

    These so-called acrobats were deceived by the deceptive sales tactics and bought such useless things.

    "You also bought three of each, right?"

    "You are crazy. I clearly said to save money until we receive the portraits. Why did you guys buy these useless things?"

    Seeing her getting angry, n and Jo lowered their heads.

    To be honest, there was a bit of embarrassment in going to receive the portraits.

    It felt like attending the wedding of a former girlfriend you dumped.

    A few weeks ago, they received an offer to join the circus from Wonderstein.

    At that time, they thought of the monster circus as a ce where people were disyed miserably and avoided it at all costs. So, they made excuses and quickly escaped from there.

    But now, facing the awkward situation of going to receive souvenirs, especially in front of Wonderstein, was quite embarrassing.

    Especially seeing his face.

    They had been kind to even the anonymous acrobats, but they became too arrogant in front of the director of the circus troupe participating in thepetition.

    "¡­It''s already in the past. Anyway, what you guys said seems right. Going to receive a portrait does seem a bit conspicuous."

    They bought tomato juice with the remaining money and sat at a table in front of the concession stand.

    Suab sighed deeply as she looked up at the ceiling.

    "Oh, my goodness. I didn''t expect this journey to be so poor until we leave our hometown."

    "We thought we would be on a small stage within three months."

    "Hmph. You even thought about making money withmediocreedy."

    In response to her grumbling, Jo yelled angrily.

    "The path of art is long and difficult. And you shouldn''t speak down to us!"

    Allen looked at her with a cold expression.

    "You gambled away the money we manage together in a gambling den."

    Suab made a bitter expression.

    Gambling was inevitably associated with suchpetitions. Even in the Luz''s betting ring, bets were ced on the weekly showdown.

    In the first week, she bet heavily on the Pandora Magic Show and lost.

    "Oh, until the fifth day, I got all the matches right! If that damn bastard Dosville or Dogville didn''t interfere, I would have won! It was a whopping 20 times!"

    At that moment, the bell announcing the start of the performance 15 minutes before rang.

    The three of them tidied up and stood up.

    Behind them, Minova''s desperate cry trying to sell items before the performance started was heard.

    "Durable and tear-resistant nylon socks!"

    Wonderstein watched E returning from the morning promotion event.

    She copsed on the sofa as soon as she entered the practice room.

    Her face was filled with overall fatigue.

    "E, are you okay?"

    "Huh? What¡­ me? I''m fine. Totally fine."

    She half-closed her eyes, then suddenly lifted her head in surprise.

    Wonderstein inwardly sighed deeply.

    "We decided to leave the concession stand to Ratman."

    "They''ll handle it skillfully."

    She yawned and got up from her seat, pacing around the room to wake herself up.

    Wonderstein regretted allowing her to participate in the performance a few days ago.

    The lines were supposed to end with just a few, but as the episodes progressed, her lines kept increasing. Unfortunately, there was no part she could just pass by.

    As she improvised on the script, the lines continued to grow, and now they had reached a point where he and the co-host appeared as equal hosts.

    Wonderstein wasn''t angry that his share of the spotlight was taken away. No, to be honest, he found this situation enjoyable.

    On the inte broadcast, he mainly yed single-yer games, and the content was mostly super-y, hidden content exploration, and reenacting ridiculous situations, rather thanughing and chatting with others.

    So, participating in a stage together for the first time was fun.

    When he descended from the stage, he felt a sense of regret.

    However, he was more concerned about her health than anything else.

    He didn''t want to experience that helpless situation he felt when he saw her copsing in the rain and saw the message appearing, indicating a debuff immune system.

    "Wouldn''t it be better to go to the break room and take a nap?"

    "Now? There are only 10 minutes left until the performance starts. You won''t send me off the stage aftering all the way here, right? Today is thest day. I just need to endure a few more hours. Hey, why are you acting like this?

    Are you scared? Huh? Huh?"

    E yfully smiled, poking Wonderstein''s waist without realizing it.

    Wonderstein, not finding the right words to respond to her sudden action, just stared at her with a slightly embarrassed smile.

    She, meeting his gaze, was surprised and withdrew her hand.

    She realized what she had just done and was horrified.

    Although a jester and the joker were close friends in the setting, E, who hated him, had no problem acting together on stage.

    That was just an attribute given to smooth progress.

    She was just acting as that character.

    However, did she get too immersed in the act these past few days?

    She behaved and spoke like a friend even in daily life.

    ''I must be crazy.''

    She felt her face turning red.

    She grabbed the first face she saw in the waiting room and changed the subject.

    "But why is Womon acting so gloomy?"

    Wonderstein, realizing that she was trying to divert attention, yed along.

    "Hehe, He posed as a model more than 20 times this morning."

    "Any strange requests from customers?"

    Wonderstein smiled awkwardly.

    "About half of them¡­ were vampire maid outfits."

    Vampire maid. E felt even more dirty.

    "¡­There are many humans with strange tastes. So, why is Yurakne upset? Because she''s not the first?"

    "No. They brought a misprinted nk card and demanded a nude photo."

    "Crazy..."

    Time passed quickly.

    The stage manager entered and announced that the performance would start in two minutes.

    Wonderstein looked at her unsteady steps and said, "E, it''s okay, you don''t have to do this. You can rest inside."

    "Ah, persistent. It''s okay, I''m fine with it. And stop bringing it up all the time. I¡­"

    She stopped talking and closed her mouth.

    "Yes?"

    "Oh, no, nothing¡­"

    She couldn''t bring herself to say the rest and swallowed her words.

    Contract.

    It was the tool that bound Wonderstein and her together.

    It was meant to help him lead the circus troupe effectively.

    But standing on the stage wasn''t just because of that.

    It was because standing on stage was enjoyable.

    Even though she could never forgive that man.

    Even though she could never like that man.

    Still, it was enjoyable.

    When they stood on stage together¡­

    She couldn''t deny that.

    "Miss Clown?"

    Wonderstein called her as she was lost in thought.

    "What?"

    She looked around.

    She felt hundreds of eyes staring at her.

    "Um¡­?"

    She was perplexed by the sudden change of events.

    What''s happening all of a sudden?

    Her head felt dizzy.

    She tried to recall what was happening.

    She realized that she had fallen asleep standing on stage.

    She had felt a sudden wave of drowsiness in the warm, lit space.

    "Ah."

    She panicked.

    What part of the script is it now?

    Do I have to deliver my lines?

    What were my lines?

    Just a moment of confusion.

    Her mischievous friend, realizing the situation and trying to cover for her, was interrupted by someone in the audience screaming.

    "What is this girl doing!"

    Simultaneously, something flew from the edge of her vision.

    She quickly detected it with her peripheral vision.

    It was a flying de, and she was the one catching it.

    With her reflexes, she could easily dodge such a slow attack.

    But maybe due to umted fatigue, her head sensed it, but her body didn''t move.

    Thump.

    Her vision turned red.

    Her body swayed from the impact.

    "Ah."

    The scent of fresh grass tickled her nose.

    She knew what it was.

    It was something she had been smelling incessantly at their snack stand for the past few days.

    It was a tomato.

    She realized the situation.

    Someone had thrown a tomato at her.

    "A clown making a living with tricks can''t even dodge this? Tsk tsk, pathetic. Pathetic."

    Laughter erupted from various corners of the audience.

    There were a few young people in shabby suits in those ces.

    Some of the spectators who recognized them whispered.

    Luz gamblers from Luz Gambling Den.

    Among them, Lord Dosville stood with a mocking smile.

 Chapter 92 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (26)

    E stood there, oblivious to the tomatoes falling in front of her, lost in thought.

    She had just been hit with tomatoes on stage.

    For someone who took pride in being part of the circus, this was akin to publicly receiving a p.

    She barely held back tears welling up from the embarrassment.

    Not revealing her emotions on stage was the minimum dignity for an actress.

    She nced at the direction from which the tomatoes were thrown.

    There was a man smirking at her.

    She knew who he was.

    Lord Dosville.

    The man who had used Wonderstein during the opening ceremony.

    Though she didn''t recognize the others with him, they seemed to be enjoying the spectacle,ughing at her expense.

    Seeing them, her embarrassment disappeared like melting snow.

    In its ce, anger surged.

    E had never lost a fight even during her school days.

    She could take down guys a head or two taller than her.

    She never backed down even if she got hurt and blood flowed.

    The most important thing in a fight was not to show fear.

    As she was about to step forward, she stopped in her tracks.

    Lord Dosville''s eyes gleamed like a predator targeting its prey.

    The henchmen beside him reeked strongly of acting.

    In that moment, E realized something.

    They weren''t just causing trouble for the sake of it; there was intent behind it.

    E turned her head briefly.

    Wonderstein was approaching her from the opposite side of the stage.

    His face was painted white, and his lips were adorned with red lipstick, forming a smile.

    E winced at his smile.

    His show was being disrupted.

    She wondered if he might do something to retaliate.

    Maybe not kill someone in front of so many people but humiliating them was nothing to him.

    In that case, things could spiral out of control.

    Disqualification in thispetition was one thing, but it could lead to an irreversible situation for them.

    "The Monster Circus acts like a monster circus!"

    "As expected, these wandering folks have no restraint. It''s infuriating."

    "Aren''t the members dangerous? If they can''t control themselves, who can they control?"

    It couldn''t happen.

    She couldn''t let the efforts of the past two months go to waste.

    E looked towards Lord Dosville.

    Her pride was wounded, but she had to lower her head.

    To retaliate was what the other party wanted.

    Just as she was about to bow to apologize, an intangible force held her body in ce.

    "What are you doing, idiot?"

    A cold voice.

    E turned to the side of the stage, away from the audience''s view.

    In the backstage, a girl with white hair wearing a reddish-brown beret was looking at her.

    Maya tied E''s body with telekinesis.

    "What are you doing? Let me go."

    "Don''t bow to those humans. You''re the assistant leader of our circus."

    "Who said I wanted to bow? Besides, I got hit with tomatoes because of me¡­"

    "You didn''t get hit with tomatoes. I blocked them."

    "¡­What?"

    E blinked.

    Come to think of it, something was off.

    Certainly, smashed tomatoes spread before her eyes, and the smell of their contents wafted, but she felt nothing on her skin.

    The tomatoes seemed to flow down as if blocked by an invisible wall right in front of her eyes.

    "The leader asked. He''s worried you might copse again. Be prepared to unleash your powers at any time," Maya said.

    "Ah¡­"

    At that moment, a gentle hand rested on her shoulder.

    E raised her head to look at the owner of the hand.

    Her partner, the Joker, was smiling.

    "You were surprised, weren''t you? Don''t worry. From here on, I''ll take care of it."

    Rather than feeling reassured, E became more uneasy with his assurance.

    "Don''t interfere. This was my mistake."

    "Taking responsibility for a subordinate''s mistake is the role of a superior, isn''t it?"

    Wonderstein smirked. Contrary to her expectations, he didn''t seem angry.

    But E wasn''tforted.

    Wasn''t he the one who always wore such a terrifying expression whilemitting dreadful acts?

    "What are you going to do?"

    "After cutting off arms and legs, I''ll sew the mouth shut."

    "You!"

    "Hoho, just kidding! Don''t worry, I''ll handle it smoothly. Please step aside."

    They stood still, staring at each other.

    E couldn''t hold back and spoke first.

    "Really?"

    "On stage, didn''t we agree to trust each other? Trust your friend, the Joker."

    On stage¡­

    E bit her lip and nodded.

    "¡­Alright."

    When Maya pped her hands, the force that restrained E''s body was released.

    The smashed tomato fell to the floor, but there was not a single fragment on her face or clothing.

    The expressions of the gamblers, who wereughing heartily, froze for a moment.

    Even the usuallyposed Lord Dosville showed a hint of surprise on his face for the first time.

    However, he quickly regained hisposure.

    The situation was still within the range he had anticipated.

    Since the trial case of the opening ceremony, all the sponsorships and jobs that used toe to him had dried up.

    He had lost a carriage to repossession, and without money to pay rent, he had to move from one friend''s ce to another for food and lodging.

    The opportunity that came to him was this tournament held at the cabaret.

    He was good at understanding the rules and exploiting their weaknesses.

    When he heard the news that Maya received the escape king''s puzzle prize, he waited quietly for the moment when the victory of the silver screen was dered and then stepped forward to flip the game board.

    Thanks to that, he received a substantial reward from the bigshots of the gambling world, as promised.

    "Indeed!"

    "Hehe, if you ever have a n like this again, feel free toe anytime."

    In the second week''s confrontation, due to the overwhelming sales of Mango, he didn''t have the opportunity to step forward.

    But the third week seemed worth a try.

    Lord Marquis had prepared several scenarios depending on the circumstances.

    Winning the Saturday admission ticket was a wee event for him.

    It was the scenario he liked the most because he could publicly make a fool of Wonderstein, who had caused his defeat.

    Lord Marquis''s mind was racing as he watched Wonderstein.

    Apology, rebuttal, ignorance, anger.

    He had confidence that no matter what excuse he made, he could grab the tail of the conversation and lead it into a quagmire.

    "Just now, on the stage, you threw tomatoes at our assistant-leader¡­"

    "Oh, Director. It''s just a simple jest! A jest! Don''t acrobats in the circus often do simr things to the audience? Has anyone ever gotten hurt?"

    Lord Dosville spread his arms, and the men around him responded withughter.

    Some of the guests showed uneasy expressions.

    They didn''t like the troublemakers either. However, if the circus side took it seriously and stood up to them, only those who came to enjoy the performance would be at a loss.

    Wonderstein smiled leisurely.

    "Lord Dosville."

    He picked up a tomato that had fallen to the ground.

    The eyes of the people watching him narrowed.

    The tomato that had been damaged in his hands was restored to its original state.

    "Surely you signed the ''Wet Spot,'' didn''t you?"

    Lord Dosville frowned for a moment.

    He recalled the uses behind the admission ticket.

    <Wet Spot: During the performance, costumes may get dirty./>

    He was a keen person.

    Wonderstein knew what he wanted to say.

    "Could it be¡­?"

    Wonderstein, holding the tomato, threw it with all his strength¡ª3,000 times the force¡ªtowards Lord Dosville''s face.

    Plop.

    The tomato scattered red fragments around, far beyond what had happened before.

    "Ugh! Crack! Crack!"

    Lord Dosville spat out as if some of the tomato had entered his throat.

    Wonderstein looked at him smugly and spread his arms towards the audience.

    "This is definitely a good revenge, isn''t it?"

    Static settled in the arena.

    After a while, the people shouted in excitement.

    The audience didn''t dislike fights. They just didn''t like unpleasant curses and emotional fights while trying to enjoy the show.

    If it was a pleasant retaliation like this, they weed it.

    Wonderstein looked at Lord Dosville''s gang and recalled the annoying trolls.

    Apologizing to people who intentionally provoked and attacked was just another opportunity.

    It was better to cheerfully counterattack.

    Lord Dosville, with a tomato stuck to his neck, chuckled while grinding his teeth.

    He had been hit unexpectedly, but he still believed that the situation was on his side.

    If the opponent challenged him to a fight, they could mess up the performance as nned.

    "Hey! Tomato! Give me a tomato!"

    He urgently called the ratmen who was pushing a food cart on the other side.

    Retaliation? Is that so?

    Okay. Did he just return my words?

    Fine. Wait. I''ll give you a dose of retaliation.

    Lord Dosville desperately asked for tomatoes.

    However, the ratmen, staring at him, extended his hands.

    "Squeak! Tomato! Five Zirco coins per one!"

    "What nonsense! Fresh tomatoes are free!"

    In recent years, Charlotia was in chaos due to an oversupply of tomatoes.

    Even in cheap restaurants, boxes of tomatoes were stacked at the entrance, suggesting to eat them as a dessert.

    There was no exception here.

    The Monster Circus gave out fresh tomatoes for free inside the venue.

    They had no intention of making a profit by selling food.

    Filling the audience''s stomachs and preventing them from eating food from the opposition was enough.

    But now, the rat men called out five Zirco coins for one tomato.

    Considering the current market price outside, it was almost like extortion, if not worse.

    The ratman snapped his fingers and shouted.

    "Just now! The price has changed!"

    "What?"

    Lord Dosville looked in the direction the rat man was pointing.

    There, an illusion created by Maya announced the discontinuation of free tomato distribution and the introduction of charges.

    It was Wonderstein''s instruction.

    Even though it was a joke, there were humans who flooded the chat with that kind of talk.

    Humans who couldn''t just stop disrupting.

    Moreover, he couldn''t ignore them and leaving them as they were would disrupt the flow of the broadcast.

    At such times, he set the ''donation'' option in the chat.

    To chat, you had to pay a certain amount of money.

    In other words, the right to disrupt the broadcast had to be bought with money.

    Now, just like that.

    "Oh, Marquis? Are you going to buy tomatoes?"

    Lord Dosville gnashed his teeth at Wonderstein''s jest.

    His purpose was not to throw tomatoes at him but to create a menacing atmosphere.

    Buying tomatoes and throwing them would be foolish.

    It just made him look like a clown.

    People wouldn''t feel ufortable; they wouldugh watching the show that he and Wonderstein put on.

    Lord Dosville smiled and looked at the smug Wonderstein.

    He had overlooked another experience gained from his broadcasting career.

    No matter how many restrictions you set, viewers may go beyond it, plus ultra style.

 Chapter 93 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (27)

    Anais'' flight arrived around Saturday noon.

    The maid went to the airport to greet her in person.

    A state-of-the-art airship with a body length of over 100 meters.

    Fourrge propellers were attached to the left and right sides of the airship, front and back, responsible for propulsion. Dozens of small propellers were attached to the frame supporting the gond, used to assist the rotation of the hull and maintain bnce.

    The airship descended at a diagonal angle without horizontal adjustment, slowlying down and stopping abruptly at thending position.

    The skill of the pilot was evident.

    The children in the immigration lobby cheered louder as the airship approached.

    The maid smiled quietly.

    Seeing them, she recalled her childhood when she went to the river every day to watch steamships.

    The door of the gond opened.

    A slim woman, dressed in an elegant blouse with a tailored vest and a skirt, descended from the airship.

    Under a hat with a short brim and a bulging shape, long green hair fluttered.

    Since Anais always took first ss on the airship, she should be the first to disembark.

    Her bodyguard, Captain Porsche, and her secretary and maid followed behind her.

    Anais, guided by the maid, boarded the carriage.

    gnac Airport served as a gateway for northern canal cities.

    It was about a 3 to 4-hour carriage ride from Luz.

    "We might arrivete in the afternoon."

    "Fortunately, we should be able to catch thest performance. So, tell me. How was thepetition? How is the director?"

    When Anais heard about the theme of thispetition, she thought Wonderstein might seek advice from her, as she was an expert inmerce.

    However, he only asked for a few costumes and armor, not making any other requests.

    She was worried whether he could pull it off.

    She didn''t doubt his abilities, but creating a good performance and making a profit were different realms.

    During the carriage ride, she listened to stories from the past week from the maid.

    The deputy director E copsing from overwork, Wonderstein dressing as a clown and going on stage, the portraits they presented, and the progress of thepetition.

    She admired him as a merchant.

    Wonderstein''smercial skills were astonishing.

    Both the items he presented and the sales methods he used were unbelievably sophisticated.

    It wasn''t a matter of experience or expertise.

    It required a genius sense that could prate human psychology and the flow of money.

    Anais felt her heart pounding.

    It was a delightful thing to see the man she admired showing talent in her field as well.

    Upon arriving in Luz, Anais headed to the cabaret without unpacking her luggage.

    She held a gift in her arms as she got off the carriage.

    After thest performance, she nned to rush to him, congratte him, and personally give him the gift.

    With such happy steps, Anais entered the hall and suddenly came to a stop.

    "W-What is this?"

    She had a momentary imagination that the monsters had caused a riot and killed all the spectators, because the floor and walls of the hall were entirely stained in red. Of course, amidst the pungent smell of freshly cut grass, she soon realized that it was tomatoes.

    She was aware of the theatrical idiom rted to tomatoes.

    "Did the director ruin the show? Did the audience protest by throwing tomatoes?" She wondered.

    While entertaining such ominous thoughts, Wonderstein walked out from the rehearsal room.

    "Miss Anais, you''ve arrived."

    "Director¡­ what happened here?"

    Wonderstein spoke with a tired smile, exining the events that urred during the first performance of the day. It all started with the Lord Dosville appearing with thugs, and Wonderstein retaliating with tomatoes.

    "Did Dosville create all this?"

    The gift box in her hand was crushed. mes flickered in her eyes. The audacious perpetrator, Lord Dosville, needed to be utterly destroyed.

    Wonderstein calmed her with aposed voice, "Oh, no. In a way, he''s a victim."

    "What do you mean?"

    Lweeni, the director of Pandora Magic Show, unexpectedly reignited the case that he thought had been concluded.

    He had been tormented by nightmares since Dosville humiliated him. It infuriated him that someone ignorant about circus matters interfered with logic.

    When Wonderstein bravely counterattacked, he was the first to apud. Feeling the release of a decade-long frustration, he couldn''t stop there. Grabbing a tomato from the ratman, he threw it at Dosville, who was struggling to get up.

    Dosville retaliated by throwing a tomato back, hitting Lweeni in the buttocks.

    Indignant, Lweeni retorted, "Doesn''t the use about wet spots include ''moisture caused by the audience''?"

    Originally a light-hearted warning mixed with a joke about the possibility of urination, Dosville shamelessly argued that everyone had the right to throw tomatoes, and no one couldin even if they got hit.

    Sol, the head of the Mango Troupe sitting next to him, chimed in. He had a long-standing grudge against Dosville.

    In this ce, anyone had the right to throw tomatoes, and no one couldin, he proudly dered.

    It was a mistake.

    "Mr. Hopps, the director of Papal Circus, apparently couldn''t stand Sol wandering around here despite gaining fame and decided to confront him. So, when Sol said those words, Hopps threw a tomato at Sol. Sol counterattacked with a tomato, but it hit the wrong person¡­"

    Wonderstein skipped the rest of the story.

    Anais sighed. It was something she could guess.

    The person who had already flipped a tomato was no longer fearful. The coins that had to be spent today were a mere formality. After getting hit once, even a fleeing spectator changed their attitude 180 degrees, enthusiastically buying tomatoes to throw with the intention of hitting someone else. They all danced joyfully until every inch of the hall was covered in red.

    Wonderstein nodded excitedly, "All subsequent performances have been canceled. The cabaret staff rushed in and cleaned it up, but hehe, it might affect the teamspeting in the fourth week."

    "But this isn''t an ie test through entrance fees. Even if the performance is stopped, focusing on business would be¡­"

    To her words, Wonderstein gave a bitter smile.

    "Meanwhile, Maya''s sketchbook got hit by a tomato."

    "A sketchbook¡­?"

    "She was in charge of the core of our illustration outsourcing¡­ no, portrait sales. Even though it''s a Madogu, perhaps because its essence is paper, it couldn''t exert its power after getting soaked."

    Wonderstein nced in the direction of the practice room.

    Maya was putting all her knowledge into restoring the sketchbook, but so far, there was no progress.

    Anais spoke with a regretful expression, "With the profits so far, couldn''t we manage somehow? If tomatoes were sold at such a high price, the profit should have been substantial, right?"

    "We had to refund all the cards that couldn''t be used due to the portrait work bing impossible. With that, the loss equaled the profit from selling tomatoes. Haha, now all the members are gathered in front of the store, selling food and drinks, but it seems like the gap is not closing. In the end, we¡­"

    Wonderstein started to say something but stopped.

    Anais guessed what he wanted to say.

    Defeat.

    He was about to say that.

    She was thinking the same thing just a few seconds ago.

    But it wasn''t over yet.

    There was still hope.

    She clutched a gift box in her arms.

    "I went to the tomato greenhouse this time because of the issues with pre-and post-processing."

    "Tomatoes?"

    Wonderstein was puzzled by her unexpected words.

    Tomatoes again.

    What could be the meaning of a tomato greenhouse?

    "Tomatoes were originally not crops on this continent."

    Most of the people living in the current Columbia continent were descendants of immigrants from old world.

    They sought the New World to find the Holy Land and established a new society, but their lingering attachments and nostalgia for thend they left behind still deeply affected their consciousness.

    That''s why the existence of Princess Charlotte was special.

    She was the only royalty among the immigrants.

    Her ability to be crowned queen when the country was founded, even though she was of noble descent, was due to the symbolism of her lineage.

    Tomatoes were something she brought from her homnd.

    The widely cultivated tomatoes now grew on vines, but the first tomatoes she brought were from a tree.

    Golden tomatoes.

    The ancestor of all tomatoes.

    The tomatoes people currently ate were derived from branches cut from a tree that Charlotte had nted in the ground.

    "The only tree bearing tomatoes is preserved in the pce garden northwest of here, in the ''Tomato Greenhouse.'' After the queen went missing, a sub-pce was set up there. It was a symbol of guarding one tree of tomatoes in ce of the queen. Of course, the actual care of the tree is done by the gardener."

    She presented the gift box.

    "I haven''t tasted it myself, but they say the golden tomatoes have a vor that doesn''t seem to belong to this world. Only 30 fruits are produced from the tomato tree in a year. The queen sends it as a gift whenever an important diplomatic or political message is needed. People joke that it''s the queen''s greatest power. However, the queen doesn''t decide on all the fruits.

    The first fruit harvested belongs to the gardener who takes care of the tree."

    Anais opened the box.

    Inside, a subtly golden tomato was wrapped in silk.

    "Hehe, when I visited the sub-pce for pre-and post-processing issues this time, the gardener of the Tomato Greenhouse gave me this as a gift. He apologized as a craftsman for leaving the garden of a prestigious hotel untouched for political reasons. He said he wanted to apologize by giving me this. He also apologized to other guests who stayed at the hotel."

    Wonderstein now understood why she was telling him this.

    She extended the box to him and said, "What if we put this up for sale as a product?"

 Chapter 94 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (28)

    The monster circus, having lost its only source of ie, struggled to generate profits after the morning.

    The meager amount they did manage to earn came from the members of the three circus groups involved in the tomato fight, who, out of remorse, donated their remaining coins.

    Yurakne''s encouragement not to lose hope, given the many who hadn''t spent their coins, felt empty.

    Those still holding coins were merely waiting for the inevitable ''final round.''

    Since they could still buy things until the end, they dyed spending as much as possible in the faint hope that something might change.

    The oue was practically decided.

    "Is this the end?"

    Although E didn''t show it in front of the members, inside, she couldn''t help but feel a constant sense of disappointment.

    After all the desperate efforts, she ended up failing.

    Of course, losing this time didn''t mean the end of thepetition.

    They could take their turn again in two or three months for another test.

    But could they win even if they tried again?

    The theme of the test set by the 6 theaters had remained the same for two years.

    In other words, the test they would face in two and a half months would be identical to the current one.

    The only reason they could contend with otherrge circuses with a group of about 20 people was because of Maya''s magical tool, the Sketchbook.

    When asked how to repair or obtain it again, Wonderstein shook his head.

    "It''s a one-of-a-kind item. Repairing it would probably be difficult."

    Upon hearing this, everyone despaired.

    On the other hand, Maya, the owner of the item, remained calm.

    She showed only a slight reaction, like biting her lip or letting out a sigh.

    It seemed like a very indifferent attitude to others.

    As if she never had any attachment to the item in the first ce.

    But E knew better.

    For Maya, it was an expression simr to choking back tears.

    She looked towards the practice room.

    Maya had been locked in there for several hours, struggling to restore the Sketchbook.

    She had rushed to the alchemy guild, presented her academy student ID, and brought all sorts of elixirs to spray on the Sketchbook.

    However, the Sketchbook showed no reaction whatsoever.

    Each page was only covered in tomato juice like decals.

    With each failed attempt, herplexion darkened.

    E felt uneasy watching Maya being so shaken.

    Maya, using telekinesis, skillfully deflected the barrage of tomatoes raining down on her on the stage.

    Especially around E, not a single fragment was allowed to pass.

    She was determined to strictly follow Wonderstein''s request.

    Perhaps because of that.

    Maya was negligent in defending herself. She didn''t see the blind tomatoing from behind and ended up being hit by the Sketchbook.

    The thrower was just an ordinary audience member who happened to aim for Maya while enthusiastically aiming for the unpainted areas. Because her hair was a shade of blue.

    As the Sketchbook got wet, the drawings inside melted away with various liquids of unknown colors, making sounds like moans and screams, seeping into the floor and disappearing.

    And no matter what Maya looked at, the images no longer came to mind on the paper.

    Even after losing the magical power, Wonderstein didn''t express anger towards Maya for losing the Sketchbook.

    There were no words of reproach.

    He consoled her with just one word, expressing his sympathy with a smile.

    Maya couldn''t bear herself, feeling pathetic.

    The sketchbook he gave her was no ordinary item.

    If he was a magician, he would easily recognize the power of the sketchbook.

    It was not a human-made object; it came from the world of Abyss, where the demons reside.

    Stories about demons'' magical tools were widely spread in the world.

    Like amp that appears when rubbed, granting wishes.

    Or shoes that, when worn, make you dance until death if you''re a fairy.

    Or a horyeong disease that sucks in and confines people.

    One of the characteristics of demons'' magical tools was that they exhibited supernatural power without any magical or mechanical principles.

    The sketchbook Wonderstein gave her was a perfect item for her.

    Even without the inscription "Maya''s Sketchbook" in gold leaf on the front, she could tell.

    He knew she liked drawing, understood the weaknesses of her magic, and obtained this tool for her.

    What it conveyed was clear.

    He obtained it from the demon for her sake.

    It must not have been an easy opportunity.

    However, he used it for the girl he had only seen for a few days.

    She didn''t know what price he paid.

    Considering his personality, he would casually say it was nothing special.

    Why would he generously give it to himself like this?

    She couldn''t understand.

    Still, one thing was certain.

    Now, she couldn''t consider anyone else as her mentor.

    But he told her not to call him that.

    At first, she didn''t know, but now she knew the reason.

    He was a magician.

    One who uses the power of demons.

    Since he brought the magical tool, she vaguely guessed, but she became sure when she saw him using magic to change clothes.

    The magic he used was unrted to the rules that constitute this world.

    There were no traces of magic power or changes in the natural order; it just manifested "casually."

    The power of the demon was evident.

    The status of the invincible.

    The power of magic.

    Both were not wee in the world.

    Moreover, he was the director of the circus.

    It took Veil Arno ten years to finally be epted as an academy member.

    The academic world was a rigid and conservative ce.

    Magicians were no different.

    If she dered Wonderstein as her mentor and walked around with him, it was obvious she would be treated with contempt in the academic world.

    He must have worried about that.

    Worried that his disciple might be ignored wherever she went.

    Maya felt grateful for his thoughts but also pitied him.

    She had an idea of what kind of demon''s power he was using.

    The probability of it being Kirku was high.

    His ability suited his devotees'' yful nature.

    By the way, Inspira who changes clothes¡­

    How did he acquire such power?

    She heard that Inspira gives appropriate abilities to those with outstanding circus skills¡­

    The image that came to her mind at that moment was Vergsong''s selfposed music and his figure walking out of the bedroom.

    Thinking about his appearance, he must have been involved with many women before.

    No way¡­

    "Crunch."

    At that moment, the door to the practice room opened, and the two people who had just appeared in her imagination entered.

    It was Wonderstein and Anais.

    He smiled at Maya, who was clutching her sketchbook tightly.

    "Are you still at it, Maya?"

    "¡­It''s my fault."

    Wonderstein found it surprising that she seemed to feel a greater sense of responsibility than he had expected.

    Her personality in the game was indifferent, unfeeling, and blunt. She focused only on her own work without consideration for others.

    To see her admitting her mistake was unexpected. Perhaps it was because she was still young.

    There were many aspects in which she was more immature than her in-game persona.

    Wonderstein couldn''t help but smile at her admirable side. Discovering unexpected human traits in characters he thought he knew everything about, like with Minova, was enjoyable.

    "Maya, how about leaving that behind and going outside with us?"

    "I have nothing to do outside."

    "Why not? This is a festival. You should enjoy it."

    "Enjoy what?"

    He chuckled and showed her the box in his hand.

    "Don''t you see? Our final trump card."

    30 minutes until the end of thepetition.

    People who had just watched the final performance of the Satbyeol Circus rushed to the concession stand.

    It was time to spend all the remaining coins.

    "Wonderstein''s side is finished now."

    "He said he can''t draw portraits anymore."

    "In business, you shouldn''t focus on just one item."

    "Let''s go. There''s nothing decent left in the concession stand."

    As people went to the lobby, they were greeted by an unexpected sight.

    The concession stand in front of the Satbyeol Circus was empty, and the one in front of the Monster Circus was crowded with people.

    Curious about what had happened, they asked those who had juste out.

    And they learned that the "Golden Tomato" was offered as a prize in the card draw.

    "Is it a scam?"

    "Why is the Golden Tomato here?"

    The Golden Tomato was a legendary fruit said to be tasted only by rulers of a nation, religious leaders, or the CEOs of major corporations. The news that such an item appeared at the concession stand was hard to believe.

    "It''s guaranteed by Vergsong Merchant Union."

    "Vergsong? Oh, right. Vergsong was the sponsor of the Monster Circus!"

    "Then it might be possible¡­"

    People hurriedly ran towards the concession stand.

    They worried that the cards might be sold out if they werete.

    At that moment, someone among thoseing out from Hall 2 shouted, "Wait! I have an objection!"

    People''s attention turned to the corner.

    There was Lord Dosville, diligently opening card packs.

    "Why are you looking at me? He''s the one who shouted."

    Dosville Marquis pointed to a man who had just made the noise. He was one of the thugs who had caused trouble at the Monster Circus earlier.

    He looked surprised when he saw Lord Dosvillle opening card packs.

    "No, just regr cards again."

    Dosville Marquis threw the cards onto the table with a sigh.

    People''s attention continued to focus on him.

    The people felt a slight sense of victory that he had lost earlier.

    "Even though Lord Dosville promised not to do this while we went to see the Satbyeol Circus side, why are you opening card packs on the Monster Circus side? You said, if the prize was set, it would be cheating¡­"

    "Oh, those idiots again."

    Dosville rolled his eyes.

    "Gifts are not cheating. It''s not cheating. It''s just excluding the value of the prize from the sales as agreed."

    "Anyway¡­ does this mean the Monster Circus lost? The Golden Tomato is¡­ quite expensive, isn''t it?"

    The thug spoke in a somewhat softened tone.

    Many people were in chaos, even though they had rushed to the concession stand after hearing about the Golden Tomato. The sudden doubt about whether they could really receive it lingered.

    "If you set a prize, it''s not considered cheating. It''s not. ording to the rules, we exclude the value of the prize from the sales."

    After Lord Dosville finished exining, people finally started moving with all their might.

    The remaining time was 20 minutes.

    Everyone started tearing open card packs as if they were crazy.

    Even street thugs were mixed in with the crowd.

 Chapter 95 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (29)

    Legend card, special card, rare card,mon card.

    Four types of cards, each assigned a score.

    And until the closing time, the person whoposed the deck with the highest score would be promised a prize.

    There were some restrictions, though.

    First, you couldn''t include the same type of legend card in the deck. For cards other than legend cards, you could only include up to two of the same type. The score was calcted by pairing matching cards, with three of a kind counting as a pair. Lastly, the deck had to beposed of 30 cards or fewer.

    Of course, to win, you needed to fill all 30 cards, and this was a quantity that was difficult to collect alone. Even those who bought high-value tickets had already spent a lot of coins, making it challenging.

    People exchanged their drawn cards with each other or joined forces to create decks.

    "Wait! I have one legend card and one special card. Please fit them into the deck."

    "What cards are they?"

    "The legend card is a crimson-ted armor, and the special one is a general''s dress uniform."

    "Sorry, but we already have the crimson-ted armor. Check with another team."

    "Wait! Did you say you have a general''s dress uniform? How about exchanging it with us? We have one general''s dress uniform on our side. We''ll give you one special card and one rare card from our side."

    As I hurriedly put on makeup, I heard voices from outside.

    I didn''t expect to go on stage again today and had already removed my makeup, thinking there wouldn''t be another asion for the clown.

    After a week of repeating the makeup, I had be proficient enough to do it alone.

    Iughed aloud while looking at myself in the mirror.

    Now, the appearance and theughter were familiar to me.

    The only regret was that my long-time partner wasn''t by my side.

    E was asleep on the table when I came out with a tomato.

    She was the one who fell asleep on stage with a delicate posture.

    Since she had been enduring with forced humor, so it was no wonder her energy was depleted.

    I took the sleeping Maya and returned to the hotel.

    She had nothing to do here anymore.

    As I waited, it was already 7 PM.

    The bell announcing the end of the third-week showdown at the Rose Windmill Cabaret rang.

    The members, who had finished their makeup, were waiting for me in the practice room.

    Yurakne, dressed as the ck Countess, looked at me and said, "There was a call from the hotel. Both of them arrived safely."

    "That''s a relief. Let''s do our best until the end. We don''t know the result, but let''s not neglect our acting."

    I took them to the lobby.

    The audience had formed pairs, eagerly waiting for us.

    On the other side of the snack bar, members of the Satbyeol Circus were looking at us.

    They, too, seemed quite bewildered by the unexpected situation that had unfolded at thest minute.

    Batel, Anais''s butler, was in our snack bar kitchen making cocktails.

    He skillfully wielded a knife without showing any signs of tension, even under the gaze of hundreds of people.

    With a sharp sound, the tomato split open, and golden juice spilled out.

    After a few more swings of the knife, the tomato flesh was finely diced and fell into a ss bowl.

    He mixed various liquors and herbs in it.

    Finally, he divided it into three sses.

    Thest touch was decorating it with pre-cut tomato pieces.

    People looked at the three shining golden cocktails with greedy eyes.

    One was for Anais, one was for me, and the remaining one was for the winner.

    To avoid any impropriety in using the tomato received as a gift as a prize, we had prepared it in this form.

    Among the crowd with greedy eyes fixed on the cocktails, Lord Dosville was also there.

    He met my eyes and smirked.

    Despite his initial intention to interfere, he soon closed his mouth and retreated without saying a word.

    It seemed he had already guessed my intentions.

    For now, he cooperated with us to get the prize, but if we failed, he would attack us again during the settlement tomorrow. He was a person who could overturn his own logic if necessary.

    Anais, anticipating this, had been studying the rules of the final showdown hard.

    There would be a heated debate, just like during the trial.

    I had to believe in her now.

    I finished a brief greeting and immediately proceeded to the drawing.

    The first team to submit their deck scored 215 points.

    As the first score was announced, half of the participants looked disappointed.

    The deck they created did not reach that score.

    With each opening of the decks, the highest score kept changing.

    Later on, it reached up to 262 points.

    The owners of that deck stepped forward with confidence.

    However, before they coulde to me, their ce was taken by someone else.

    "281 points!"

    As I dered, the people who were stepping forward froze in their tracks.

    The audience murmured, looking at each other.

    Who owned that deck?

    Since I was on the stage, I could easily identify who it was.

    Lord Dosville walked out with a group of thugs behind him.

    They hadn''te purely to enjoy the performance in the first ce.

    So, they barely spent any coins, allowing them to draw many cards.

    He smirked with a malicious smile, tilting his head.

    "I wonder if I can join the two of you for the cocktail party?"

    His eyes, gazing at the cocktails, were sharp.

    It was a tomato that came out less than 30 times a year.

    Arithmetically, having a ss of that cocktail was an impossible urrence within a year.

    The thought of tasting something rumored made his eyes light up.

    Just by drinking it, he would be a topic in the social circles again.

    I couldn''t decide whether to be angry or happy about it.

    If he got hold of it, I would have one less formidable enemy in tomorrow''s settlement.

    But I wasn''t pleased that he, who had been tormenting us repeatedly, was taking possession of this precious item.

    I looked around at the audience.

    Everyone was looking at us with dismayed expressions.

    It seemed like there wouldn''t be a score higher than this.

    I opened the remaining envelopes one by one.

    There were no updates to the scores.

    Now, in front of me was thest envelope.

    I opened it and pulled out the deck.

    The first five cards were legendary cards.

    100 points.

    I scored it and moved on to the next five cards.

    Another 100 points.

    I was surprised and quickly flipped the cards.

    The next five cards were also legendary cards!

    Another 100 points!

    With just that, it had already surpassed Dosville''s score.

    The following cards were equally astonishing.

    One legendary card and all the rest were pairs of rare cards.

    I shouted the score.

    "425 points!"

    An overwhelming differencepared to the second ce.

    Astonishment was written on everyone''s faces.

    Especially the expression on Lord Dosville''s face was worth seeing.

    I flipped the envelope to check the name of the submitter.

    This is insane.

    There was noughing man among them; they had the same expression as everyone else.

    ***

    E woke up and immediately sat up.

    The nket slid down.

    She realized she was wearing pajamas.

    ''What happened?''

    She looked around.

    The ce she was lying down was her room in the hotel.

    She didn''t know how she ended up here.

    Wasn''t she in the middle of thepetition?

    And it was definitely towards the end.

    Could it be that she fainted again?

    Her heart pounded at the ominous thought.

    The butler Batel, who was sitting on the sofa in the corner reading a book, greeted her as she looked confused.

    "Are you awake, Madam Ringmaster?"

    E looked at the old man who had be close to her over the past few days.

    He had a talent for naturallyforting people with his expression and voice.

    She felt her heartbeat calming down a bit.

    "What''s going on, Mr. Batel? Why am I here? And what about the others?"

    "The others have all gone to participate in the settlement."

    "Settlement? Wait, does that mean today is Sunday?"

    Only now did she realize how bright it was outside.

    The butler nodded.

    "You''ve been asleep for 16 hours."

    She felt her pulse calming down a bit.

    "I see. Batel, can you tell me what happened during thepetition?"

    However, the caretaker who had approached her suddenly gently pushed her shoulders upright.

    "I was asked to make sure you don''t leave the bed under any circumstances."

    "Uh, by whom?"

    "Director Wonderstein."

    E felt her body go limp.

    Was it resignation or trust?

    The moment she heard his name, a feeling of ''Well, whatever'' came over her.

    She sighed deeply andy back on the bed as he pushed her back.

    "Okay. What happened?"

    Bartel calmly exined the events of the previous day.

    The arrival of Anais and the golden tomato.

    Up to the dramatic draw of thest reversal.

    Despite her relief at having ovee the crisis, she felt something akin to defeat.

    She didn''t want support from sponsors for the exam¡­

    "So, what about the cocktail? Did Lord Dosville win the prize?"

    "No, he didn''t. Quite gracefully, he came in second ce."

    The caretaker burst intoughter.

    He had mentioned Lord Dosville a few times while they were together. He couldn''t like someone who spread rumors about Anais and engaged in behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

    E smirked.

    She enjoyed seeing a person who threw tomatoes at her get a taste of his own medicine.

    "Well, by now, there must be a tremendousmotion going on."

    "Haha, well¡­"

    The caretaker smiled somewhat mysteriously.

    E raised her eyebrows, trying to figure out what he meant, but at that moment, they heard the sound of carriagesing in from outside.

    The caretaker smiled and stood up.

    "It seems that the party has returned. Well, whether it''s a celebration or constion, I don''t know, but I''ll go prepare a small party."

    "I''ll help too."

    She grabbed the edge of the bed to get up, but the caretaker gently pushed her back down.

    "The director told you to rest."

    "I''m really okay!"

    Despite her words, the caretaker smiled and said, "What happened when you disobeyed the doctor''s advice and went on stage?"

    "Uh, it was fatal."

    She remembered copsing on stage yesterday, and a sense of defeat simr to that moment washed over her.

    The old man covered her up to her neck with the nket and left the room.

    After the caretaker left, it didn''t take long for the sound of peopleing up to be heard.

    E leaned toward the door, listening to the lively voices of the members passing through the corridor.

    They seemed excited, whether it was because they had shaken off the pressure of the exam, or because of the joy of victory, it was hard to tell.

    Amidst this, the door opened.

    She felt a strange sense of relief when she saw the person entering the room.

    Of course.

    It was Wonderstein.

    He was wearing his usual ck suit with a ck cape.

    Even though it had only been a few days, she felt a twinge of regret at not being able to see the yful side of him again.

    Would she never see that appearance again?

    While others were in an uproar about his entricity, she felt a sense offort in that appearance.

    "Did you sleep well?"

    "Yeah."

    Wonderstein took off his hat and hung it on the hanger.

    "The other members are removing their makeup, so I came."

    "They went with makeup on?"

    "It seems that the monster members are afraid that standing on stage with ordinary faces, which would kill the impression. Was it an excessive worry?"

    "No, no. You did well."

    She smiled quietly under the nket.

    "You seem more like a director now."

    "Oh, really?"

    They talked for a while about the events of the past week.

    They didn''t mention the results of the contest at all.

    As they chatted, when Wonderstein''sughter subsided, E brought up the conversation she had wanted to have.

    "I heard the story about yesterday from Grandpa Bartel."

    "Is that so?"

    After taking a deep breath, E spoke.

    "How did the settlement go?"

    Wonderstein looked at her for a moment before opening his mouth.

    "The organizers discussed the results"

    He gave a smile that was hard to read emotionally.

    "The profits from the golden tomato have been treated as if they never existed."

 Chapter 96 Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (End)

    "It''s over."

    E tightly closed her eyes.

    A deep sense of disappointment washed over her as the efforts of the past two months seemed to have been in vain.

    However, simultaneously, a strange sense of relief lingered in a corner of her heart.

    She couldn''t confidently identify its nature.

    But in a fleeting moment, she recalled a y she had seen when she was young.

    During the closing remarks on stage, a nobleman suddenly barged in, pushing aside the male lead and shaking hands with the female lead before the audience.

    The male lead, who seemed the most courageous and splendid man in the world, couldn''t respond and was pushed aside. The female lead, who appeared destined for the male lead, submitted to the nobleman.

    Later, as she grew older, she learned that such incidents weremon in the entertainment industry.

    However, it was a scene that had shocked the young E, who saw the world on stage as independent.

    "At least I didn''t lose my ce."

    She said, being careful not to let her lips curl up.

    "Didn''t yourwyer defend you?" she asked.

    Wonderstein raised his head in response to her question.

    "Thewyer did not defend me."

    "What?"

    Wonderstein smiled as he saw the doubt on E''s face.

    "Mr. Bartel didn''t tell you everything, it seems. There was no need for a defense."

    The golden tomato lottery that took cest night.

    The person who scored the highest was none other than Minova, the leader of the Satbyeol Circus.

    "Can''t we use the coins we earned? So, we spent most of today''s earned coins on purchasing cards."

    With his deration, everyone in the hall was astonished.

    Wonderstein remained outwardly calm, but internally, he was equally baffled.

    Technically, there was nothing wrong with his statement ording to the rules.

    They could buy items from each other''s stalls.

    In fact, Minova''s daughter, Ruelle, drew a portrait with Womon and bought a massage stick from the Satbyeol side, helping the members rx.

    Of course, it was permitted with the intention of selling attractive items that evenpetitors would buy.

    Pouring all the earned coins into buying goods and sweeping them away was something the organizers couldn''t have imagined.

    He even revealed that, during the audience''s viewing of their performance, his staff collected cards.

    People were angry at this absurd situation.

    "Is this even reasonable?"

    "While we were watching the performance, they pulled off such a trick behind our backs?"

    "Do you have no dignity, you idiot!"

    In response to people''sints, Minova scoffed and shouted.

    "Who cares if we lose a few coins in the end! Oh, if you haveints,e forward and tell me directly!"

    In the face of Minova''s shameless reply, people were left speechless.

    Few dared to confront a man with shoulders wider than 30cm on each side.

    Even Lord Dosville, who was confident in his bluffing, bit his tongue and stepped back.

    Minova continued to shout a few more times, puffing up his muscles to dismiss people''sints.

    While his rude and arrogant way of handling things was entertaining to watch, experiencing it first-hand was intolerable.

    "There are all kinds of people in this world."

    "Just as the rumors say. Just as the rumors say."

    "I heard he was arrogant, and he''s still nothing more than a thug!"

    However, no matter how angry they were, thest word could not be spoken in front of him.

    Especially in a situation where his daughter was watching.

    Minova''s head suddenly turned.

    "What did you just say?"

    He lifted the man who had just spoken by the cor.

    "Ah, the acrobat is attacking people!"

    "Dad, stop it!"

    "Manager, please restrain yourself!"

    Ruelle and the subordinate members rushed in and barely managed to calm him down.

    After everyone left, Minova looked at Wonderstein with a sullen expression.

    "Sorry, it was unavoidable because of the sponsor''smand. They wanted to have this even if we lose."

    The sponsor.

    Only then did Wonderstein understand why Minova went to such lengths to get the cocktail.

    "Why provoke fights among people?"

    Wonderstein realized that the sudden change in his demeanor was an act when he saw Minova scratching his head awkwardly.

    "Well, the sponsor asked me to keep a low profile and not let any gossip spread in his name. Haha, I just yed the viin role, taking the beatings instead."

    This was something he used to do often during his days of surviving by fighting and getting paid in return.

    After resolving a situation through a brawl, well-dressed individuals would appear, picking up the spoils as he received money in return.

    "Don''t worry too much. My reputation isn''t that great anyway. And this circus troupe is set to disband after the tournament."

    He said it, but he didn''t seem too pleased. After all, he had embarked on a new life, and repeating simr actions to his past didn''t leave him feeling refreshed.

    That was the drawback of a nned circus troupe. When selling goods, he had to follow the sponsor''s instructions, and even now, at a crucial moment in the match, he had to abandon the possibility of victory due to the sponsor''s greed.

    "Is it okay to win like this?"

    "Why? Because the sponsor has more power?"

    "Exactly."

    Minova burst intoughter.

    "Hahaha, so if we won because some gambling thugs caused amotion, would I have felt proud?"

    Wonderstein fell silent; he hadn''t thought of it that way.

    "You won this match. I vouch for that as your opponent."

    He patted Wonderstein on the shoulder.

    "Oh, then the bet¡­"

    "The bet?"

    "The one we made before the match. Since Minova lost, it means she acknowledges that our E is better than Ruelle, right?"

    Minova''s expression turned fierce at his yful remark.

    "This guy? Don''t make meugh! Hey, take the cocktail! I''m demanding a refund!"

    "Even though it''s a 1-lotties?"

    With the events unfolding, Anais didn''t feel the need to argue about the golden tomato.

    With their final earnings reduced to zero, Satbyeol had also spent most of the coins that day to follow the sponsor''s orders.

    In the settlement, victory was conferred to the Monster Circus.

    Wonderstein took out a gem from his pocket.

    It emitted a red light slightlyrger than a coin.

    "It''s a star."

    E epted the offered gem and observed it closely.

    It was shaped like a rose withyers of petals.

    There was also a badge clip attached to it, making it wearable.

    E sat quietly, gently fiddling with the star.

    You need to collect seven of these to ascend to the Wonder Stage.

    After a moment of silence, she spoke.

    "In the end, whether here or there, we all ended up being manipted by the sponsors."

    E threw the star she held into the air and caught it again.

    "I understand why others distanced themselves from this free performance. It feels like dancing bears in a money game yed by merchants. The efforts to improve the quality of the performance are neglected."

    "Neglected?"

    "Like Maya''s illusion."

    Wonderstein nodded, understanding her words. Maya spent a significant amount of magic power on printing the drawings.

    So, in this performance, it was inevitable to simplify the illusion element significantly.

    As she said, the quality of the performance suffered due to external factors.

    Free to y, Pay to Win.

    Many games he enjoyed in real life followed this pattern.

    Offering free y, emphasizing limited items and gacha draws to make money, all the while neglecting the actual development of the game.

    The theme presented at the Rose Windmill Circus inevitably lowered the quality of the performance.

    Since the entrance fee was free, no matter how hard they tried in the performance, it wouldn''t trante into profits.

    There were already signs of this in the second-week match.

    Papal Circus, with sincere acrobatics, lost to Mango Troupe, which focused on repetitive and addictive logo songs geared towards product sales.

    The image of Bouvalle, who always emphasized the importance of money, came to mind.

    Having managed a cabaret for a long time, he couldn''t have been unaware of such a situation.

    Without a doubt, he had intended for this situation from the beginning.

    "It''s not like what Bouvalle said is entirely wrong. Sess is important. Our stages, props, equipment, andbor costs alle from money. But that''s not everything."

    "I agree."

    Although the theme of thepetition forced him to borrow the business practices of game developers, his true favorite games were not like that.

    He preferred games like the Tril Trilo series, filled with collection and exploration elements, offering high freedom.

    "Alright. We''ve got the badge now. Shall we research for the next test?"

    E reached for her notes, but Wonderstein blocked her hand.

    She red at him, lips pursed.

    "Oh,e on. Reading a book is okay."

    "It''s not that¡­"

    At that moment, her room''s door opened, and someone peeked in.

    It was Yurakne.

    She nced at the two, then grinned.

    "Oh, Director, E hasn''t changed into her clothes yet?"

    "We''re just having a chat. We''ll be down in a moment."

    Wonderstein ced E''s notes on the table.

    "We should have a celebration party for passing the test."

    "Oh, right. That''s true."

    E hurriedly changed into the clothes she had taken to the tailor for alterations. The dress that had been sent for repairs returned looking as good as new. She changed from her nightwear into a blouse and skirt, wearing the performance costume over it. She also put on a hat.

    Naturally, the dove entered her hat like it was her home, and the mouse perched on her shoulder.

    E came out of the room, and Wonderstein extended a piece of jewelry towards her.

    "This."

    "Oh, the star?"

    After a brief pause, Wonderstein smiled and said, "E, take it."

    "What?"

    "EYang deserves to have it."

    "But you''re the Director¡­"

    "Just take it."

    At his firm words, E seized the jewel with determination.

    "All right. No objections?"

    She hesitated on where to attach it for a moment, then clipped it onto the cor of her performance costume.

    Even amid her red performance costume, the sparkling red jewel shone brightly.

    The two walked together to the dining hall.

    No words were exchanged.

    But perhaps due to spending several days on stage together, thepanionship felt much morefortable than before for E.

    Then, suddenly, she had one question.

    It was a question she had carried with her from before.

    "By the way, why are you so determined to reach the finals of the Circus Grand Prix?"

    "Hoho, because what I want is there."

    "What do you want? Can''t you just take it with your own strength?"

    "Yes. That''s right."

    "Is it something so valuable?"

    In response to her question, he pointed to the badge on E''s chest.

    "It''s something more valuable than that jewel."

    They arrived at the entrance of the banquet hall.

    The other members were already there, and the ce was buzzing with excitement.

    Before entering, he gave his final words of advice.

    "We''ll leave for the next city only after E Yang''s body has fully recovered. So, don''t push yourself too hard and focus on recovering."

    E tried to say she was fine, but she stopped.

    It would be excessively shameless for someone who had already copsed twice to boast about being perfectly fine.

    Yeah. From now on, she shouldn''t cause trouble like this.

    She will work harder to be stronger.

    No matter what happens, she won''t be pushed off the stage.

    The door to the banquet hall opened.

    Cheers andughter from the members weing her filled the air.

 Chapter 97 Pursuers Behind

    Sebjeong''sreign faced an unexpected political crisis just one year after her coronation.

    It all began with a letter he held in his hands.

    It wasn''t a petition for independence from some province, a im of someone dering themselves queen, or even a eulogy containing nder against the monarch herself.

    It was Gascon Halidon''s resignation letter, the greenhouse gardener.

    Some might question why the retirement of a mere gardener would lead to a political crisis. Although he served as the gardener at the monarch''s residence, his tasks were no different from those of gardeners elsewhere. His work primarily involved tending to flowers and trimming trees.

    However, his presence had a significant impact on the agricultural production at the monarch''s residence.

    The only agricultural producting from here was the golden tomato, referred to as the Queen''s Gracious Gift.

    In the days when the queen personally cared for the tomato trees, they yielded over a hundred golden tomatoes each year. However, since her disappearance, the tomato production had been steadily declining.

    The tomato trees withered away like a dog waiting for its absent owner. Despite the efforts of gardeners from across the country gathering and consulting, they couldn''t restore the tomato production.

    After thirty years of disappearance, the harvest had dwindled to less than ten.

    The political status of the ruling Sebjeong family, who took it upon themselves to manage the tomato greenhouse, also plummeted ordingly.

    Then, thirty years ago, Gascon Halidon, a genius gardener, appeared and restored the harvest to thirty.

    There was no fixed method to how he cultivated the tomato trees. Sometimes he yed the piano to serenade them, other times he carefully wiped the branches with a warm cloth, and asionally, he even used dragon dung as fertilizer.

    When asked about his methods, Gascon would reply with cryptic words, "Listen to the sound the tree makes."

    For thirty years, the tomato trees consistently produced golden tomatoes.

    However, now he suddenly expressed his desire to retire, and as the new monarch, Sebjeong couldn''t help but see it as a political crisis.

    That''s why he cancelled his afternoon schedule and urgently arranged a meeting with the gardener.

    "Sir, how can you leave so suddenly?"

    Sebjeong used the term of address he used in his childhood, trying to appeal to him emotionally.

    He had always tried to maintain authority since ascending to Charlotia''s position. So, the fact that he was pleading with an old man like a child indicated the significance of this matter.

    But even the persuasion from Sebjeong , the most powerful figure in Charlotia, couldn''t change the old man''s decision.

    "I am aware of my limitations and intend to step down."

    "Sir, what makes you think you''recking? Mr. Halidon, you are the world''s greatest gardener, aren''t you? Please be honest. Is it because of insufficient pay?"

    Gascon slowly raised his head.

    "Please think of it as for the sake of the future."

    "The future?"

    "Yes. I will bring in someone who can seed me, or rather, someone more exceptional than me."

    "Is there really someone like that?"

    Sebjeong asked with a softened voice.

    If he was looking for a sessor, that would be good news.

    But whether it was possible remained uncertain.

    He had tried to find a sessor several times before, but none of the candidates caught his eye.

    "There is. Without a doubt."

    With Sebjeong additional assurances, Gascon was finally able to leave.

    Leaving the Sebjeong residence, he carried a travel bag and boarded a carriage.

    Looking at the distant sky, he murmured.

    "There''s no one else but him."

    Gascon Halidon.

    At the age of 68, he left his position as the gardener of the tomato greenhouse, setting out on a journey to bring back the young apprentice he had marked.

    ***

    The elderly priest, Tisianne, of the Luz Church looked at the guest sitting in the sanctuary with displeasure in her eyes.

    The Church of the Holy Spirit had the duty to protect guests at all times, known as the Sanctuary.

    In the past, when the church''s authority was strong, even individuals used of serious crimes like murder or robbery could find refuge here, immune to arrest by the police.

    While the duty of the sanctuary still existed, there was no obligation for the priest to be fond of someone who went against her personal moral beliefs.

    The priest could sense an unpleasant odor from the man sitting in front of her, a type of smell that others couldn''t detect. Once, who served as an inquisitor at the Tribunal of Heresy, only he could handle such odors.

    She wrinkled her nose, detecting a strong presence of magic.

    "It seems I''m not to your liking," the man said.

    The priest looked embarrassed at his words, but she couldn''t afford to be rude; after all, the guest before her was sent from above. She couldn''t act disrespectfully.

    The man raised both arms to show he meant no harm. "I understand. You probably didn''t expect the leader of the team investigating the ''ck Magician'' to be a magician himself."

    Before the opening of the Circus Grand Prix, notifications were sent to various churches, instructing them to send anyone with information on the ck Magician to the higher authorities. Rumor had it that a team from six nations had gathered to track down the ck Mage.

    Tisianne learned of the incident in Dosville long after the trial case exploded in the cabaret. It seemed too far-fetched to be rted to the ck Magician, especially considering the trial itself was exposed as a political scheme and the ck Magician''s name was mentioned only once at the very end.

    Nevertheless, even the slightest piece of information seemed crucial, prompting the authorities to send someone to investigate. Unexpectedly, the leader of the team himself came, and the fact that he was a mage was beyond her imagination.

    The priest submitted a brief report summarizing the incident, so the investigator requested more detailed information. However, since it happened two months ago and the priest didn''t delve into the details, she couldn''t provide much beyond what was covered in magazines and newspapers.

    "I heard there was a police officer who investigated the case," he said.

    Upon his words, Tisianne recalled a young sergeant from the mounted police force, with whom she had been acquainted. It felt like a distant memory when they had dealt with acrobats causing a ruckus together, inserting some order into them.

    "Sabo, right? He was transferred to a remote area," she replied.

    "Well, is it possible to meet the leader of the circus troupe involved in the incident?"

    "That won''t be possible. The Wonderstein Circus left Luz three days ago."

    Disappointed, the team leader put down the report. "What about investigative materials rted to the case?"

    "I heard you wereing yesterday, so I tried to retrieve them, but due to political issues, it seems they were simply discarded. Oh, wait. There is one person. He was involved as the used in the case and might have read all the investigative materials."

    The team leader''s face brightened at the news. "Where is he?"

    "It''s quite convenient. He''s currently a guest at the church."

    Tisianne led him to a small attic in the church, where Lord Dosville, now reduced to a beggar''s appearance, awaited. As he woke up from his sleep, he instinctively sensed danger upon seeing the man in front of him.

    In the past, he might have confidently confronted the questioning man, tearing into him to extract answers. However, after being harassed by creditors and utilizing the sanctuary to survive, he had be timid.

    He answered the man''s questions honestly. Listening to his exnation, the team leader nodded.

    Indeed, the incident was not worth their attention. It was merely a farce caused by the political schemes of nobles and the spections of investigators.

    The team leader regretfully thought he had wasted his time.

    Nevertheless, he hade in anticipation of finding some clues rted to the incident at the Circus Grand Prix. Disappointed, he stood up.

    The old priest suggested he rest for the night, as it was gettingte. However, he was not oblivious enough to mistake her well-intentioned words.

    "No, I must leave now. I''m meeting with colleagues not far from here."

    Above all, it was ludicrous for the Apostle of Magic to be dependent on the church.

    ***

    The Nevada desert north of Vegas.

    In its entrance, there used to be a small town called mo in the past.

    The reason for using the past tense was that it no longer existed in the present.

    About a year ago, mo was wiped out in a sudden attack by demons.

    mo was just an ordinary town where travelers passing through the wastnd would rest their weary necks.

    There was one peculiar aspect to it.

    Namely, there was a school that taught circus skills to orphaned children with nowhere else to go.

    It was one of the ces that sprang up hastily to address the shortage of circus performers after the Circus Grand Prix terror 17 years ago.

    The children there also met their demise a few months ago in the same incident.

    The appearance of demons meant that this area was loosely connected to the Abyss.

    The survivors abandoned the town and moved elsewhere.

    On the hill next to the town, there were erected hundreds of graves.

    The surviving people roughly assembled them after salvaging the bodies.

    They looked shabby, perhaps because they were made by tearing apart wooden boards.

    A young man stood there.

    In his early twenties, he had a tall stature and brown curly hair.

    He gently caressed each grave with eyes filled with sorrow.

    Not a single child had no memories, and there was no child left without asting impression.

    He sighed and looked up at the sky.

    "Is it really true?"

    His question was met by a small freckled boy standing a bit away from him. He understood the meaning behind the young man''s question, devoid of a subject or object.

    "Really. I''ve said it many times."

    "It''s just hard to believe."

    "Damn, it''s hard for us to believe too! Could it be¡­ E, my sister¡­"

    The boy swallowed the impending tears and turned his head.

    The young man approached and tapped his back.

    "Sorry. I asked a pointless question again."

    "No, it''s¡­ We find it hard to believe too."

    Watching the boy shedding tears, the young man wore a bitter expression.

    The young man and E were like family, having spent their childhood together.

    They oftenpeted for the top two ranks in school.

    E, as he knew her, was an amazing girl with endless talent for acrobatics.

    She was tougher than anyone, yet bright and affectionate.

    That she summoned demons and killed everyone in the town, including school friends, was unthinkable.

    Even if he heard the same story from all the surviving kids, he wouldn''t have believed it without seeing the pictures.

    "Captain!"

    A girl in herte teens ran towards him from below the hill.

    In her hand, she held a magazine.

    The young man looked at the pictures on the page she was offering.

    Although the photos of this era were not clear and sharp, there was no difficulty in recognizing the faces of people he already knew.

    Among them, a girl in circus attire in one photo caught his eye.

    It was undoubtedly someone he knew.

    "E."

    Just a moment ago, the young man''s heart was in turmoil.

    He was far away when the incident urred, so he couldn''t feel the reality even after hearing the exnation from the surviving kids.

    But looking at her expression in the photo, he felt something surging within him.

    She was smiling brightly.

    Having observed her for many years, he could see through her acting.

    That wasn''t acting.

    She was genuinelyughing happily.

    Even after the deaths of their loved ones.

    And the sorrows of the survivors.

    She seemed like someone who didn''t know anything.

    The young man regarded her as apletely unfamiliar person.

    ''What are you doing there?

    Ourrades have died.

    Master has fallen.

    Why are youughing there?

    Huh?''

    "What are we going to do?"

    In response to the girl''s question, the young man folded the magazine and looked up.

    "Did you tell master?"

    "No, he will surely stop me."

    Since that incident, the master had been lying in the Vegas hospital.

    Not only physically injured, but also deeply wounded in his heart for not being able to prevent the deaths of his disciples in front of his eyes.

    He told the children not to care about this matter at all.

    He told them not to talk to anyone about it. It would be dangerous for everyone.

    He offered to help them find a ce in another circus and advised them to forget and live quietly.

    Some of the surviving children left like that.

    But there were children who couldn''t forget.

    Including five students, including the young man.

    "We were all family. The world may easily forget orphans like us, but we must not forget. Future, career, and all that don''t matter. I will seek revenge."

    The girl said so and looked at the young man with suspicious eyes.

    It seemed that she was bothered by the fact that he had been indecisive and wavering until now.

    "But can the captain do it? The captain liked E."

    At her words, the young man blushed slightly.

    "That''s not for you to say."

    "¡­About half of the school kids liked E."

    A big boy came up from below the hill, carrying a pile of baggage on his back.

    And on top of that baggage, a girl in clown attire held a dagger and stared at the young man with a lively glint in her eyes.

    "Why hesitate? Liked her? What does that matter? That girl is a traitor! Let''s kill her! Let''s kill E!"

    "Yeah."

    The young man nodded.

    He looked at the children gathered here and spoke.

    "It''s better to leave now if you''re leaving. I''ve never seen the devil you''re talking about, and I can''t guarantee survival against it."

    "Don''t worry."

    "We''re going together."

    "Our goal is the same! Devils or whatever, it doesn''t matter. We just need to kill that girl!"

    "I will never back down either."

    The young man looked towards the distant north, clenching his fist.

    The hesitant feelings were blown away by the wind.

    He thought of the graves of his friends and E''s bright smiling face.

    They ovepped.

    And he swore to muster the nonexistent hatred.

    E.

    He would kill her.

    And he would avenge his friends.

    The five people harboring resentment towards one person set out on their journey.

 Chapter 98 Curse Plague (1)

    After spending three weeks on vacation in Luz, we headed to the next city.

    Our second destination was "Yeterinpuurk," the northernmost city of the Kievan Empire among the six cities.

    Unable to use an airship, we embarked on our journey by carriage.

    Originally, we had nned to travel down the river and then take a boat across the sea. However, two problems prevented us from doing so.

    The first problem was theck of a boat willing to take us. Despite gaining some recognition and dispelling prejudices through the Cabaret performances, our fame was limited to those in the industry or familiar with the area around Luz. The sailors, being superstitious and conservative, still viewed the members with suspicion.

    It would have been great if we could secure the Emerald Silk, the Vergsong Merchant Union''s ship that I used before whening to Luz. Unfortunately, the guild''s captain was too busy with their schedule, and traveling to distant ces like Yeterinpuurk was not feasible.

    Moreover, Anais was not around, making such a request even more challenging. She had left for Vegas due to the union''s business, parting ways with us during her time at the union.

    The second reason we couldn''t take a boat was Maya.

    Surprisingly, she was extremely prone to seasickness. Even the swaying of the carriage was unbearable for her, forcing her to lie inside throughout the journey.

    Her face, already quite pale, became even more ashen every time she got off the carriage to take a break. It was pitiful to witness.

    So, Yurakne apanied her, driving the carriage and taking care of her.

    I wondered if her strong pride would allow her to ept such help willingly, but fortunately, it seemed that they were getting along without any major issues.

    Frequent stops for Maya to rest were essential. Luckily, the road to Kiev was well-maintained, and the members had developed a good working rhythm during the Cabaret performances. Despite the leisurely pace, we could cover more distance in a day than before.

    Five days after leaving Luz, we reached the border area between Charlotia and Kiev.

    While the members rested around the camp, I climbed a nearby hill.

    To the west, the northern end of the Sierra Madre Mountain range, known as the roof of the world, stretched like a screen. To the east, the Huz Sea,rge enough for an entire country to fit inside, unfolded.

    Seeing both the peaks of the mountains and the horizon at the same time was a breath-taking experience.

    Standing on the hill, feeling the wind on my face, I savored the view.

    As I wandered around, I heard the distant sound of bells announcing mealtime.

    I descended to the open ground where the carriages were parked.

    For lunch, we had a dish of steamed chicken, potatoes, and tomatoes that we bought in a vige we passed by yesterday.

    In the past, our meals during travel were simple, but with Yurakne as a sous-chef, our cooking options had significantly expanded.

    "How is it? The potatoes! Are they cooked well?"

    "Yeah, it''s delicious! Nicely cooked!"

    Satisfied with E''s praise, the Ratman retreated with cheerful squeaks.

    He, the guy called Lupa, the ratman who took over the kitchen at the snack bar, seemed to have developed quite an interest in cooking. Every meal, he stuck close to Yurakne, learning to cook.

    Ratmen, originally, only ate what was left, wore only a piece of cloth around their waists, and slept crouched under the carriage.

    But living in a hotel, an experience they had never had before, brought changes to their habits.

    They ate neatly ted meals, wore clothes made by sneakily taking hotel towels, and even the towels that Womon thought were torn up while making roast chicken turned out to be the ones they had covered themselves with. Now, they slept on the floor with a simple mat spread out.

    I smiled as I watched the ratmen eating chicken and potatoes from the bowls in a corner of the open field.

    It seemed that the idea that they were inherently dirty and unhygienic was more of an environmental bias.

    "But why can''t we take a flying ship? It would be morefortable to fly over mountains or seas."

    Womon was a 10-year-old kid who had been living in the mountains with his mom until recently, so he was naturally curious about the world.

    He used to ask questions to people around him whenever he saw something new.

    Before, it was E who mostly answered those questions.

    The other members were isted from society,cking basic knowledge. E, who knew a lot, used to provide answers.

    But now, our circus''s only educated member had taken over that role.

    "You can''t fly a ship to the west of the Sierra Madre. The auroras from the North Pole mess up the intricate magic circuits."

    "What are auroras?"

    "The foundation rock of our world is a mineral with a strong maic field, and the¡­ It''s the trim emitted by the Abyssal demons. They consume too many souls and belch out the remains into the void. Due to the curses of the ghosts entwined with the auroras, flying ships kept crashing, so they don''t operate flying ships."

    E interrupted Maya''s exnation.

    Maya nced at her and said, "Don''t interrupt. Especially with such an unreasonable exnation."

    "We all grew up knowing this. What does it matter if it''s the foundation rock or maic fields?"

    "It''s a scientific fact."

    "Boring."

    Maya turned her head as if she didn''t want to mix words anymore.

    Looking at Womon''s perplexed expression in the middle, E said, "If you go to Yeterinpuurk, you might see the auroras a few times. It''s like shimmering curtains in the sky."

    "Oh¡­ so flying ships can only be used east of the mountain range because of that?"

    "Yeah. The ghosts entwined with the auroras can''t surpass the blessings on the mountain range in Sierra Madre."

    Maya made a small clicking sound with her tongue, but E pretended not to hear.

    Iughed as I watched the two of them.

    Maya, who wasn''t originally the type to openly express annoyance, seemed to have be sharp-nerved, perhaps due to motion sickness.

    After lunch, the members gathered and read an article in a magazine released a while ago.

    Under the title ''Opening New Horizons for the Monster Circus,'' there was a group photo with everyone, capturing the memories of that day.

    Listening to E reading the article, vivid memories of that day came flooding back.

    The overall evaluation was good.

    It praised the script I wrote, the progress with E, and the makeup of the members.

    However, three members received a ''failure'' in acting.

    In a way, it was only one person, but¡­

    "These critics¡­ Are they blind?"

    "They say acting and acrobatics are all a mess?"

    "Hmph."

    Hanssten, Dunnadol and Sevram expressed their dissatisfaction in loud voices, and Hanssten, the calmest of the triplets, frowned and spoke with a stern expression.

    If the evaluation of the three is known to have brought down the average, there would be both anger and embarrassment among their colleagues.

    While others were heard trying to console them, I continued reading my magazine.

    There, evaluations of other circus troupes that had performed at the Rose Windmill Cabaret were also included.

    Pandora Magic Show ¡ï¡ï

    Composition A, Skill B, Acting B, Direction B, Personality B

    : The skill of the escape master, Escape King Lweeni, lives up to its reputation. However, a decrease in acting due to insufficient stamina and inadequate development of the reversed elements. It seems challenging to reach three stars.

    Silver Veil Circus ¡ï¡ï

    Composition D, Skill A, Acting D, Direction S, Personality A

    : One spectacr sight is excellent. However, dismal character depiction and a childish plot structure make the audience feel embarrassed.

    Papal Circus ¡ï

    Composition C, Skill S, Acting C, Direction B, Personality C

    : As expected from a graduate of Lekachep, the skill is outstanding. However, there are many shorings beyond that to call it top-notch.

    Mango Troupe

    Composition C, Skill C, Acting A, Direction D, Personality C

    : The ambitious dream of a cabaret''s ace dancer. Did Maroine only teach dancing and nothing else? Lucky enough to earn stars in their own backyard, but it''s difficult to continue like this.

    Satbyeol Circus

    Composition B, Skill B, Acting B, Direction C, Personality D

    : Decent acrobats on a decent stage, but the impression of misceneous items cannot be erased. Only thanks to the progress of the rooster Minova, it seems worth watching.

    Monster Circus

    Composition A, Skill D, Acting D, Direction D, Personality S

    : Elevated the monster circus, which was just a human exhibition, to a level where it could be tolerated as it is. The members'' acting relies heavily on makeup, and their skills are at an embarrassing level to be called acrobats. It''s rmended to use props rather than crude illusions.

    "How is our evaluation in that magazine?" Yurakne asked, and I gave an awkward smile.

    I couldn''t bring myself to read such harsh criticisms out loud.

    E looked at my face and smirked, saying, "You don''t have anything good to say, do you? That ce is full ofints anyway."

    The two circus magazines, Wa and Ne, had distinct personalities.

    Wa enjoyed detailed descriptions and technical aspects of performances, almost like telling a story to children. On the other hand, Ne provided briefments, focusing on characteristic information for those well-versed in performances.

    "But didn''t they say that Christian Guide is the one that awards us stars?"

    To participate in the main round of the Circus Grand Prix, you needed seven stars.

    Among them, six were awarded by the six major theaters, but three were substituted with star ratings from the Christian Guide.

    In other words, even if you passed all the tests of the six major theaters, if you didn''t receive at least one star from the Christian Guide, you couldn''t advance to the main round.

    "But our circus troupe doesn''t have any stars?"

    E said with an annoyed expression, "I checked earlier. It''s not just us; Satbyeol and Mango didn''t get any stars either. Papal has one, and Silver Veil and Pandora should have around two. I knew it wasn''t easy to get stars from the Christian Guide, but I didn''t expect our evaluation to be this bad."

    "Hahaha, Pandora or Silver Veil with two stars? Amazing. How remarkable must a ce be to get three stars?"

    Among the 118 circus troupes participating in the Circus Grand Prix, half, like us, didn''t receive any stars. And only three ces received three stars.

 Chapter 99 Curse Plague (2)

    E unfolded a page of the magazine.

    There was a special feature on circus troupes that received three stars, featuring colorful photos. The quality of the paper was much fancier than our page, and the images of the performers seemed vivid, as if they had been retouched with paint through the artist''s brush.

    She summarized the contents of the article for us. The first was a ce called the ''Golden Carnival.'' It was the only nned circus troupe among those that received three stars. Unlike the casual image associated with nned circuses due to Satbyeol Circus, this ce excelled in scale and support.

    Managed by a professional executive with extensive experience in operatingrge theatres, they owned an airship for inter-city travel, and even had a specialized medical team for the health and safety of the members. The performers were renowned acrobats, standing outpared to other circus leaders.

    I looked at the pictures in the magazine. A middle-aged man with oval sses and a stylish mustache was standing tall. The man at the pinnacle of the current circus industry, the magician ''Lord Fantastic.''

    He held an impressive four Inspiras, something that was considered nearly impossible for anyone else to achieve in a single lifetime.

    The pinnacle¡­ I felt an inexplicable sense ofpetition.

    The second three-star circus was ''Lekachep 25.'' It consisted of graduates from the prestigious ''Lekachep Circus School.'' Only one person could join each year, and that person was the top graduate of the year. Therefore, Lekachep 25 consisted of acrobats from the 1st to the 25th graduating ss.

    "However, the student known as the 26th top graduate this year reportedly declined the offer and returned to his hometown¡­"

    E''s expression turned pale as she read the article. She was a graduate of a circus school from a small rural town. Being in a circus troupeposed entirely of top graduates from a prestigious school must have made her feel somewhat inferior.

    Thest of the three-star circuses was ''Wheel Circus.'' It was the world''s oldest circus troupe,prised of 4,000 members from the gypsy people, making it thergest in the world.

    As E exined, some of them had appeared as supporters or enemies in TT1. However, learning about the history of the circus troupe they belonged to was a first for us.

    The Golden Carnival, organized around the industry''s leader.

    Lekachep 25, an elite group of graduates from a prestigious school.

    Wheel Circus, thergest and oldest circus with gypsy members.

    None of them seemed easy to deal with.

    If we had faced them in a Cabaret Showdown, could we have won against them? Even against Satbyeol, we had a close match. Winning against them would have been nearly impossible.

    I looked at E and forced a wry smile.

    Three months ago, she confidently imed that if she could fully digest the script I wrote, victory was possible.

    "Can we win against those three?"

    After reading the article and standing still in a daze, she nced at me, corrected her expression seriously, and nodded.

    "¡­Of course."

    She frowned for a moment in response to my question, then looked into the distance as if searching for memories.

    "A few years ago, I saw a performance of Lekachep 25. Of course, back then, it was called Lekachep 22."

    "I see,"

    "If I were to rate it based on that time¡­ well, around 88%?"

    88%.

    It was the highest score she had ever given.

    "Considering 22 members scored 88%, that''s about 4% per member. Now with 25 members, it would be 100%, right?"

    In response to my words, E mumbled in a voice barely audible.

    "Nonsense¡­ where did you get that calction?"

    "Haha, well, with three more members, it must have progressed more than back then, right?"

    "Well, maybe. Perhaps it''s even over 90% now¡­ If the 26th member joined, it might have actually reached 100%¡­"

    "What?"

    Surprised, E tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

    "Oh, no. It''s nothing¡­ Anyway, the preliminary rounds end on May 31st, two years from now. We have to work harder."

    I nodded in response to her words.

    Although the endpoint of the main quest seemed near, there was still a long way to go.

    After finishing our lunch, we got back on the carriage.

    The mountainous path stretched ahead, and the sun was setting faster than usual.

    If we didn''t want to spend the night in the forest, we had to hurry along the road.

    "Ringmaster!"

    Just as the carriage was about to depart, Yurakne ran towards me, holding a familiar thermos in her arms.

    The moment I saw it, I almost sighed.

    That thermos was an item I had used frequently in the past three months.

    And it was also an item I didn''t want to see again.

    "I took the time to brew some tea earlier."

    She extended the thermos with a wide smile.

    I couldn''t refuse.

    "Why don''t you take a break¡­"

    I said with genuine sympathy.

    She looked at me with a knowing expression.

    "You didn''t look for the carriage after we started the journey. Hehe, I know you did it for my sake."

    ''No, not really¡­ I just really didn''t want to drink it again¡­''

    The reason I no longer drank the tea was because I hadpleted the ''Yurakne''s Sincerity'' quest, which rewarded me with a favorability of 15.

    *Sub Quest ¨C Yurakne''s Sincerity

    : Yurakne bes more earnest as you drink tea, gradually expressing deeper sincerity.

    Conditions forpletion

    : Drink 1000 cups of tea brewed by Yurakne (with intervals of at least 1 hour).

    Reward upon sess

    : [Yurakne''s Sincerity] increases by 0.1% per cup.

    No penalty for failure

    This was the quest that was added after reaching her favorability of 15.

    Thanks to diligently drinking tea for three months, I was able to fulfill the 1000 cups requirement. As a result, I could raise the ''Yurakne''s Sincerity'' trait to its maximum level.

    Trait: Yurakne''s Sincerity

    Applicable to: Tea brewed by Yurakne

    Effect: When you drink the tea, the three basic attributes of Wonderstein increase by 100% for one hour.

    Requirements: Yurakne''s favorability of 15

    A doubling of the three basic attributes for an hour.

    At first, I thought it was a great trait.

    However, when I actually got into the preparations for the performance, the increasedbat power was of no use.

    What''s the point of bing stronger and tougher?

    My goal was to participate in the Circus Grand Prix, not world domination.

    Driven by the gamer''s instinct to clear quests in front of me, I endured the agony of drinking tea, even though it was unbearable.

    Looking at thepleted quest window, I felt proud that I no longer needed to drink tea.

    However, it seemed that Yurakne thought I was refraining from drinking tea, so she secretly prepared tea for me.

    Unable to refuse her offer, I epted the thermos she handed me, thinking about the 1000 cups of tea she had brewed for me. Smiling brightly, she assured me that she wouldn''t bother me with tea during our travels anymore.

    With her cheerful voice still in my ears, I watched Yurakne walk away. I carefully ced the tea-filled bottle into my cloak pocket.

    We rode along a winding hillside road with the sea on the right and mountains on the left.

    ***

    When Maya opened her eyes, the sun had alreadypletely disappeared beyond the mountains. The inside of the carriage was pitch dark, with only faint outlines of people discernible.

    She heard the rhythmic breathing from across the seat¡ªsix stretched-out arms. It was Yurakne. Maya, feeling a queasy sensation in her chest, stood up.

    Using her brief memory, she could vividly recreate a perfect three-dimensional space in her mind. Closing her eyes, however, didn''t help with motion sickness.

    The swaying had stopped, but the queasiness remained. She opened the carriage door and stepped outside. It was dim, and the light from the carriagentern barely illuminated the path.

    Carefully avoiding the snoring horses, Maya walked towards the front. Wonderstein stood there, having just received torches and bundles from Sven and Benedict.

    "Ah, Maya, are you awake?" Wonderstein smiled at her.

    Maya returned a faint smile. To others, she might have looked less awake, her chubby face seemingly still drowsy, but¡­

    While gazing at Wonderstein, she asked, "Where are you going?"

    "To the vige. I want to ask if we can use the clearing inside the vige as a campsite."

    It wasn''t easy for members of the Monster Circus to enter viges. Especially in smaller viges and rural areas, outsiders were often treated with suspicion. Nomads like them were never allowed to enter, for fear they might turn into marauders at any moment.

    The probability of Monster Circus members entering a vige was even lower. The world was connected to the Abyss, the habitat of demons, and nobody knew when and where the dimensional barriers might be torn open, allowing demons to emerge.

    The ces where strong spiritual traces of humans lingered were less likely to be invaded. And the weaker and less spiritual a ce was, the higher the chances of encountering demons.

    The Night Forest was such a ce.

    Of course, it was all rtive. Even in ces with a high probability, the actual risk of encountering demons was very low. Most of the encounters were with creatures like wildcats, driven away by the mere presence of the Abyss.

    The main reason for seeking a ce near a vige to sleep was to avoid bugs and dew, rather than fear of demons.

    Maya had been constantly suffering from motion sickness during their travels. She hadn''t known that Wonderstein had been going through all this trouble every day to find a ce to sleep.

    Wonderstein had been going alone, probably because he wanted to avoid drawing attention. In Luz, she never got the impression that the members of the circus were shunned.

    "Did you always go alone, Director?"

    "Haha, E used toe with me, but today, for some reason, she didn''t even take a nap and copsed just now. So, I had to go alone. Actually, I didn''t expect the sun to set so quickly. I underestimated the mountains."

    As he finished speaking, Maya said, "I''ll go with you."

    Wonderstein looked at her and smiled gently.

    "You can rest inside the carriage."

    "No, I''ve slept enough. And¡­ I don''t like carriages."

    "Well, I don''t mind, it keeps me from getting bored."

    Maya put on a thin coat and stepped out of the carriage. It was July, but being in the north and close to the mountains made the nights chilly. Together, Wonderstein and Maya walked towards the ce where the light flickered, and smoke rose.

 Chapter 100 Curse Plague (3)

    The night road to the vige was dark.

    Although the lights of the buildings in the distance were rtively bright, the shadows of the trees were cast heavily on the path.

    Wonderstein switched thentern to his other hand, illuminating the ground beneath Maya''s feet.

    Thanks to his tissue resilience, akin to "te armor," he would not stumble or get scratched anywhere. However, she was different.

    Despite her exceptional genius, her body was slender, and delicatepared to her peers. Her snow-white skin seemed as though it would be wounded by the slightest touch.

    In the game, Maya often stumbled and panted after continuous movement, even when riding a simple carriage. Wonderstein''s bias that "Maya is fragile" only strengthened upon witnessing these scenes.

    However, Maya was far from physically weak, thanks to consistent training in the magical arts.

    Her body was sturdier than it appeared.

    Her being besides E, who excelled in martial arts, made her seem like a weakling inparison.

    Maya, as Wonderstein held out thentern, shot a cold remark, "Not needed. Put it away."

    From her hand, a sphere of light floated into the air.

    Illusion magic involved manipting particles of light.

    Creating something to rece thentern was as easy as breathing to her.

    She levitated a few orbs of light and confidently walked forward.

    Wonderstein stood motionless for a moment, then adjusted thentern again and followed her.

    An awkward silence lingered between them.

    Internally, Maya reflected on her recent actions.

    Cold tone.

    Calm expression.

    Definite refusal.

    Had she once again deviated from the standard,mitting a breach of etiquette?

    If the other person was anyone else, she wouldn''t have agonized over such matters.

    She had grown ustomed to the gaze that perceived her as an oddity.

    No matter what people said, she would ignore them and follow her own path.

    However, she didn''t want Wonderstein to view her in that way.

    What if his warm smile, always present, turned into disappointment or annoyance?

    Genius, but ignorant.

    A woman with no status.

    I really don''t want topromise.

    The faces of those who looked down on her blended with Wonderstein''s expression.

    Her heart thumped.

    That would be¡­

    That would be an incredibly difficult thing to endure.

    "I didn''t mean to ignore you, Director."

    She stopped and turned to look back at him.

    "If I seemed disrespectful, I apologize."

    A smile formed on Wonderstein''s lips.

    Maya foundfort in his unexpectedly gentle demeanor.

    "Did I seem angry?"

    Heughed lightly.

    Maya, feeling a bit relieved at his mild attitude, continued, "Not exactly, but¡­ when I act like this, others talk behind my back¡­"

    Wonderstein chuckled softly.

    He found her apologies or hesitations to be refreshing.

    In the game, she was truly the embodiment of ''my pace.'' A bonafide Tsundere.

    She spoke her mind regardless of the atmosphere or context, and yet, there was almost no way to reveal her true self.

    Without using the "express emotion"mand, observing any changes in her expression was nearly impossible.

    Ah, only once.

    After defeating Wonderstein in TT1, she did manage to disy a genuinely triumphant expression.

    Well, after oveing the hardships to defeat the final boss, it was only natural.

    Anyway, the Wonderstein who saw her then,bined with the present Maya, made her appear notcking in manners but rather cute.

    "Maya, I know that you may be inexperienced in expressing ordinary emotions. So, don''t worry about that."

    Wonderstein reassured her with a smile.

    Observing his smile¡­

    Maya instinctively felt something.

    He never spoke a single lie in his words.

    He sincerely epted her.

    ''Strange person.''

    How long has it been since he embraced her?

    How well does he know her?

    As if he has been watching her for a long time, can he understand her?

    All the teachers who had fallen for her talent before were fed up with her personality and left.

    Even the gentlest teacher sorted out his rtionship with her with the words, ''It''s hard for me to endure.''

    But he brushed off being ignored.

    Even when the headmaster behaved rudely and the members avoided him, he always smiled.

    Yet, he nodded as if understanding.

    A strange person.

    Her reason evaluated him that way.

    At the same time, a corner of her heart said she had met a much better mentor than she had initially thought.

    As they resumed walking, the conversation between the two became much smoother than before.

    "I read an article today, and I felt relieved."

    "An article?"

    "It criticized my illusions as inadequate."

    Wonderstein responded with a puzzled smile to her words.

    E had kept the criticisms away from the members, but she seemed to have read it now.

    "Why is that a relief?"

    "If I had imed to be the headmaster''s disciple, it could have damaged his honor. There might have been people mocking for teaching a mediocre illusion in a new way. I felt relieved because I didn''t reveal it at that moment while reading the article."

    A diligent child.

    He felt a sense of satisfaction, but at the same time, he felt angry.

    How did he neglect the child to the point that her social skills hit rock bottom in just two years?

    "Don''t take that article too much to heart. Haha, didn''t Miss E say it was a ce full ofints? Besides, Maya used more than 80% of her magic power to print pictures."

    He tried tofort Maya.

    Her joining the circus was an unintentional event, but she was a very weing presence to him.

    Except for E, the existing members were the boss monsters he had killed dozens of times in the game.

    Just seeing their faces brought back memories of the massacre and scenes of him hunting them in the game.

    It was naturally ufortable.

    So, it was difficult for him to sincerely treat them in the early stages of his previous life.

    On the other hand, she was one of the protagonists he controlled throughout the series.

    Although she was not as emotionally rich as the Knight or the Thief, the presence of the protagonists in the world of Tril Trilo was special.

    Above all, she was the only one among the members who did not make him feel any sense of guilt. It was inevitable that he would feelfortable around her.

    "Is my sketchbook beyond repair?"

    "Not yet. You never know. Maybe there will be some wayter. Just wait."

    Maya looked at his face for a moment and cautiously asked.

    "¡­What price did you pay to get that magical tool?"

    "Price? Nothing much."

    Maya made a skeptical expression at his indifferent tone.

    He did not try to boast about the sacrifices he made while giving and giving.

    Strange person.

    She muttered that word once again in her mind.

    As they continued walking, the two unknowingly left the forest.

    Stairs-like fields and fields extended beyond the hill.

    There were no trees casting shadows, and the surroundings seemed clearer than before, perhaps because of that.

    They followed the path beside the fields and approached the wooden fence surrounding the vige.

    From the perspective of the vigers, they were outsiders who arrived after sunset.

    They didn''t expect a warm wee.

    However, the atmosphere was more ominous than she had thought.

    Even at night, the entrance to the vige gate is usually open or loosely covered, but here, the door was tightly shut. Moreover, the expressions of the people glimpsed on the watchtower were very stern. d in armor and armed with swords, they resembled regr soldiers.

    "Halt! Stop right there! You shall not pass!"

    In response to the sentry''smand, the two individuals stopped a little away from the entrance of the vige gate.

    After waiting for a while, a middle-aged man in an officer''s cloak climbed up onto the watchtower. He scanned the two with eyes tired from fatigue.

    "I am Knight Ivanenko, temporarily in charge of the security of this vige. Who are you?"

    "We are a traveling circus passing through. We came to see if we could stay for the night near the vige."

    In response to Wonderstein''s words, Ivanenko firmly shook his head.

    "Sorry, that won''t be possible."

    "Why not?"

    "It''s for your own good. You''ll witness something unpleasant if you stay here. So, it''s better to sleep in the forest and leave as soon as the sun rises."

    "What''s happening here?"

    To his question, Ivanenko, annoyed, sighed and then spoke inly.

    "There''s a gue spreading."

    "A gue?"

    "Yes. Damn it, we''re currently burning ten more bodies."

    It was then that Wonderstein realized. The light illuminating the vige, which he thought was from fires, and the smoke he assumed was from preparing dinner, were the aftermath of burning corpses.

    "Is there anything we can do to help? I have some knowledge of medicine."

    Ivanenko chuckled at his words.

    "Medicine won''t help. This is the dreadful ''Curse gue''."

    Wonderstein was about to ask what the Curse gue was but stopped himself. Asking about an illness he knew nothing about was akin to proiming, "I''m an ipetent fool."

    Instead, he asked a different question.

    "Are you all okay?"

    "We''ve been inocted with the gxy. We can endure for about a week."

    Curse gue.

    Gxy.

    He felt like he had heard these words somewhere before.

    Soon, the words Minova had spoken in the past came to his mind.

    "Gxy, an elixir made by the Alchemy Guild. Originally a cure for the Curse gue, it''s also used now because it has a suppressive effect on tumors."

    He had mentioned using the elixir reluctantly to suppress the disease while knowing it harmed her daughter''s body.

    An unidentified disease.

    Originally, he should have turned back.

    But once the quest was activated upon hearing Ivanenko''s exnation, there was no turning back.

    *Sub-Quest: Cure the gue

    Objective: The vige is afflicted by a gue. Please save the people.

    Conditions for Completion: Save 200 people affected by the gue.

    Reward for Sess: None.

    Penalty for Failure: [-200 Debulroots]

    A quest with no rewards, only penalties.

    Why was it like this?

    He couldn''t understand the system''s intentions, but he couldn''t retreat from here.

    "Maya, go back to the carriage."

    "What about you, Director?"

    "I''ll check on the people inside and then leave. Oh, don''t worry. No illness can harm my body."

    Upon his words, Maya nodded hesitantly.

    "I can''t just leave the director. I''ll go with you."

    "But¡­"

    "It''s okay. If I channel my magic into my body, it has effects simr to the Gxy. I can resist the Debulroot."

    Her words were nothing special, the usual blunt and indifferent tone.

    But a single word she said caught his attention.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 101 Curse Plague (4)

    Ismi teau was the name of the high coastal area sandwiched between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Huz Sea.

    In the front yard, there were borders; in the mountains behind, there were dragons; neighboring the area were sturdy mountain people, and within the region, there were abundant undeveloped resources. It was a ce with the potential to immediately write the myth of territorial development.

    However, realistically, it was difficult to attract investment due to its proximity to the border, safety was extremely low due to the threat of dragons, and constant conflicts arose due to stubborn neighbors. Additionally, the dense forests and hills made it challenging for thend to prosper.

    Nevertheless, this ce was the onlynd route connecting Kiev and Charlotia.

    Just a few decades ago, this region had thrived much more than it does now, thanks to serving as a bridge between the two countries.

    However, with the advancement of navigation technology, the development ofrge and small canals, and the discovery of new routes over the mountains, it had lost its former prosperity.

    When winter began with freezing, making navigation difficult in Huz Bay, travelers passing through Ismi teau''s winding hills increased, providing somefort.

    But now, it was the end of July.

    No one attempted to use the winding hills of Ismi teau when they could sail.

    Dvallchep was one of the viges in such Ismi teau.

    Normally, the people of Dvallchep would be busy harvesting summer cabbages on the hignd at this time.

    However, a few days ago, an unwee guest visited, destroying their entire daily lives.

    The Curse gue.

    The dreadful cmity that was only heard of in rumors had begun to spread in this altered vige.

    The lord governing Ismi teau dispatched knights and soldiers as soon as he heard the news.

    Their mission was to save whoever they could, burn the bodies, and block the entry of outsiders.

    Contrary to its name, the Curse gue was not contagious.

    It was more of a localized curse phenomenon than a gue.

    So, as long as protective measures were faithfully taken on-site, there was no fear of it spreading outward.

    People infected with the Devolution could be restored to their original state by injecting the Gxy.

    However, the Gxy was not a readily avable resource.

    Because no one knew when and where the Curse gue would erupt.

    Only about 10% of the vige''s poption could be saved with the medication.

    The rest had to silently watch as parts of their bodies transformed arbitrarily.

    If the body could no longer withstand the transformation, death awaited them, and once confirmed dead, soldiers would take them away and set their bodies on fire.

    When an epidemic broke out, burning the bodies was crucial.

    The bodies that died painfully from the disease emitted negative spiritual waves.

    It had the effect of breaking down the barrier between the Abyss and this world.

    Especially, such rural viges in the forest were vulnerable to spiritual protection.

    If more than a dozen people died from the epidemic in a day, strong demons that could harm humans could appear.

    Knight Ivanenko led the two visitors into the stockade.

    The two introduced themselves as wizards and boasted that they could defend against Devolution.

    There was no reason to refuse anyone willing to help, especially when one had only one hand.

    Ivanenko descended from the stockade and looked around the inside of the vige with a sigh.

    The fire, which had been ignited in the firewood a while ago, was now gradually sinking, emitting cold smoke.

    They had burned 30 bodies today alone.

    And there were still over 500 infected people.

    Though residents with less severe symptoms were helping, it was not enough.

    Dvallchep''s poption was over a thousand.

    Originally, even with him and ten soldiers, it was an unbearable number.

    But they were sent to this scene.

    Injected with the Gxy, which was said to be harsher than the gue.

    Ivanenko could see the faces of the soldiers and understand by what criteria they had been selected.

    They were individuals without skills or even a trace of talent.

    Yet, they couldn''t refuse orders because of the families they had to support.

    Though Ivanenko was a knight, his situation was not much different from theirs.

    Due to his straightforward handling of tasks, he had earned the dislike of his superiors.

    On top of that, he had a wife and three children to provide for.

    He had no choice but to obey orders.

    He signed a document agreeing to side effects such as baldness, erectile dysfunction, and permanent liver damage before receiving the gxy injection.

    He looked at the two people entering the tent.

    While it was too dark to see them clearly before, he could now examine their faces.

    They appeared to be a handsome young man in his mid-twenties and a doll-like girl with noticeable white hair.

    They had aristocratic impressions rather than those of acrobats.

    He briefly exined the situation to them.

    "If it''s not the fourth shipment of the gxy, I don''t know how much we can get. The vige priest used about 20 sanctities and copsed, spilling coffee all over."

    There were three ways to cure the curse gue.

    The first was to receive the gxy injection, a remedy made by the Alchemy Guild.

    The second was to use the light stake used by priests of the Holy Church to expel the curse.

    The third, a somewhat brutish method, involved physically cutting out the infected area.

    For thest method, a doctor was required to identify the mutation site and cut the body before subsequent treatment.

    Unfortunately, the doctor in this vige had sumbed to the gue early on.

    Therefore, Ivanenko had no choice but to give up on thest method.

    Fortunately, a mage who had learned medical magic offered to help, so it seemed like luck was on their side.

    With his assistance, they could probably save some people by cutting off wrists or ankles.

    Wonderstein followed Ivanenko into the vige, observing the surroundings.

    Each house had papers with ancient imperialnguage written on them attached to the doors.

    He knew what they were¡ªfamiliar items.

    They were props used by Bendict, who yed the role of the cursed Mummy in the troupe.

    Victor Saint, or whatever his name was, had received the title of Saint from the Holy Church for his achievements in eradicating the ck gue and defeating the demon lord known as the gue Lord.

    His treatise on gue relief was proudly received by the Holy Church, and it became a custom to attach verses from the scriptures he wrote when the gue spread.

    Soldiers crushed the charred bones among the ashes.

    There was no house where agonizing groans couldn''t be heard.

    The smell of death permeated everywhere.

    Ivanenko expected the two neers to be nervous or frightened in some way.

    However, Wonderstein continued to smile, and Maya observed the burning bodies with an indifferent expression.

    Contrary to their seemingly intact exteriors, there was a chilling aspect to their attitudes.

    Ivanenko led the two to the vige hall.

    There, residents in rtively good condition were helping with relief efforts.

    These were people whose mutations were limited to extremities; anyway, ''amputation'' was not a method for those seriously affected by the disease.

    He intended to ask these people for help with the two mages.

    An elderly man, handling food distribution paperwork, rushed over in surprise at the sight of unfamiliar faces.

    "Sir Knight¡­ Who are these people?"

    "These are passing acrobats, no, magicians with medical skills. I n to entrust your treatment to them."

    "When you say ''treatment''¡­ you''re not thinking of..."

    "Yes. I will cut out the affected area."

    At his words, the old man hastily sped his hands behind his back.

    The affected area in question was both hands.

    He didn''t have much time left in his life. Even though it might be better to carry the disability, Wonderstein couldn''t bring himself to cut off those hands, no matter how much it was for the sake of treating the disease.

    The knight also understood this, nodding in agreement.

    "We won''t cut off the hands of the elderly. Instead, bring those whose conditions are stable."

    Soon, several people stepped forward.

    They had deformities on one ear, a couple of fingers, a bit of thigh flesh, or part of their shoulders affected.

    Wonderstein couldn''t help but inwardly groan as he looked at the areas they presented.

    Their skin seemed to be crawling with hundreds of insects inside.

    And their forms were changing every moment.

    Even the stabilized affected areas didn''t look pleasant.

    Tentacle-like protrusions, sharp-toothed beaks, and even eyeball-like structures were pulsating.

    Wonderstein finally understood what the curse gue meant.

    The ordinary people sacrificed in Wonderstein''s power in the game.

    They looked just like them.

    The name "Debulroots" was not a mere coincidence.

    Of course, the victims in the game were much more miserable than these individuals.

    Things like octopus-like legs emerging by dozens from the abdomen, serpent-like entities wriggling in the eye sockets, or fingers growing meters long and intertwining with each other, with skin and flesh sticking together.

    Compared to the victims directly affected by Wonderstein, these people were rtively in good condition.

    Of course, they might not see it that way, having experienced the equivalent of being struck by lightning in the dry sky.

    Anyway, this was a problem that he could handle sufficiently.

    No, perhaps there was no one else in the world who could handle it properly.

    "Hurry up! If you''re going to cut it anyway, cut it quickly!"

    Wonderstein looked at the patient in front of him.

    Something like a crab shell was growing on his shoulder. It would asionally split the skin and protrude, then spew out a bunch of foam, and retreat back into the shell.

    Thanks to the ughing man'', he managed to maintain a smile, albeit barely.

    Wonderstein suppressed his breath.

    He aligned his emotions with the calmness feigned by the ughing man''.

    What was the curse gue?

    Why was Debulroot affecting these people?

    He decided to postpone these questions and focus on treatment.

    He ced his hands on the patient''s body and attempted a diagnosis.

    However, before he could give the diagnosismand, the status window responded first.

    [Detected Free Debulroot. Initiating absorption.]

    Ugh.

    Sudden pain flowed through his arm as if dozens of needles were piercing and digging into his palm.

    [Acquired Debulroots x14.]

    [Initiating dependency of absorbed Debulroots.]

    [Dependency at 56%. System and body burden increasing at 33%.]

    The status window flickered like a malfunctioning monitor.

    It felt like a malicious code had invaded.

    The Debulroots he possessed were like a loyal subordinate, but the absorbed Debulroots seemed like a wild beast. It rampaged fiercely inside his body.

 Chapter 102 Curse Plague (5)

    The man who had been receiving treatment stumbled backward with a loud crash.

    "Aaargh!"

    With a terrified expression, he screamed at Wonderstein.

    He had juste out after consuming several harsh drinks. He had only mustered the courage to inflict a wound upon himself under the influence of alcohol, knowing that he wouldn''t be able to do it while sober.

    However, the moment he saw the young man smiling at him, his intoxication vanished.

    For some unknown reason, he felt a sensation of excitement as the cursed gue in his body, which had been dormant, seemed to leap with fervor towards the young man.

    And the moment the young man''s hand touched him, he could clearly feel it.

    Something powerful was trying to tear through his shoulders.

    So, unintentionally, he screamed and retreated backward.

    He gasped for breath and groped the area where Wonderstein''s hand had touched.

    The torn and damaged part of his body should have been felt.

    However, there was nothing.

    Literally nothing.

    Not a touch on the skin, nor the gooey flesh, the tentacles, or the foamy substance.

    Nothing could be felt.

    The man looked down at his shoulder with astonishment.

    He wore an expression of disbelief as he continued to touch the area.

    It was undoubtedly his shoulder.

    Moreover, the monstrous presence that had been attached to him had disappeared and was nowhere to be found.

    Only the lingering lumps and red spots on his skin indicated that he had been afflicted with something.

    "W-What on earth¡­? Ah!"

    The man looked at something wriggling on the floor.

    A writhing creature with spikes and a flipped-over flesh lump.

    It was the monster that had posed as his shoulder, now lifeless.

    The monster was dead.

    The man looked bewildered and turned to the young man.

    "Uh, um¡­ Is this, by any chance¡­ cured?"

    It was quite awkward to face the target he had just screamed and pushed away as if it was a demon.

    However, Wonderstein smiled as if he didn''t care at all.

    "Yes, of course. I sessfully removed the Debulroot that was attached to your body."

    His smile radiated pure kindness.

    The man felt something welling up in his chest.

    It was an emotion shared by everyone present in that ce.

    The residents surrounding him erupted into joyous cheers.

    Intense cries of relief andforting words filled the air.

    Even Ivanenko and the soldiers, who could be considered reluctant participants, showed signs of joy.

    They, too, had been worn down by repeated despair.

    Yet somehow, the wandering magician managed to cure those afflicted by the curse gue.

    After that, things progressed rapidly. As Wonderstein''s hands touched one by one, the degenerated parts of the curse gue patients fell off as if losing energy, and the infected areas recovered with only minor injuries, returning to their original state.

    Some of the degenerated parts resisted.

    They bared their teeth, screamed, and spewed a green liquid. However, those who experienced such actions found themselves drained of all strength and copsed as soon as Wonderstein''s hands touched them.

    [?????£Ý

    As he absorbed the Debulroots, the status window became so damaged that reading the text was nearly impossible. His body also grew increasingly tense, as if he had caught a severe cold. Nevertheless, he continued the recovery work.

    The penalty for quest failure, ''Debulroots -200,'' was no longer visible.

    The Debulroots he was currently enving had already surpassed that obtained during the Rose Windmill''s test. He realized the absolute scarcity of Debulroots.

    With the breakthrough of the dressing room, skill book, and the Circus Troupe''s fame reaching 150, the ces where he needed to use Debulroots continued to expand. However, the ways to obtain resources were limited.

    Relying on daily contributions from the average favorability of troupe members and circus fame, along with asional member quests and sub-quests, constituted his entire source of Debulroots.

    In the previous showdown with the Satbyeol Circus, he had depleted the Debulroots gathered over two months in just one week. Despite having to face five more tests in the future, he couldn''t guarantee that the required Debulroots would be less than during the Rose Windmill.

    But just now, by touching 30 people, he acquired an amount of Debulroots equivalent to half of what he had gathered in the past three weeks.

    Though he experienced pain, the effect of the smiling man''s analgesic and the anticipation of future Debulroots were sufficient reasons to endure.

    *Sub-Quest ¨C gue Treatment

    : A gue has spread in the vige. Please rescue the people.

    Conditions forpletion

    : Rescue 200 people infected with the gue. (30/200£©

    Reward upon sess

    : None.

    Penalty upon failure

    : [Debulroots -200£Ý

    With a simple calction, if he rescued 200 people, it was an opportunity to obtain more than three thousand Debulroots. It was an opportunity he could not afford to miss.

    "Mr. Magician¡­?"

    Ivanenko cautiously approached him.

    The initially rigid attitude was now gone, reced by a very polite demeanour.

    Treating 30 gue patients in an instant was an amazing skill. Even considering that they were in a milder condition than other residents, it was still remarkable.

    "Can you treat patients in a more severe condition than this?"

    "Of course, leave it all to me."

    Wonderstein nodded confidently, wearing a smile full of confidence.

    The expressions of the residents in the hall brightened.

    The path to salvation for their families, neighbours, and friends had opened.

    "The urgent patients are all in the vige church. The local priest there has been using sacred powers to treat patients."

    "Didn''t the priest copse from exhaustion earlier?"

    "That''s correct. Due to his age, he could handle around 20 patients a day."

    "I understand. We need to hurry. Oh, before that, I''m thinking of changing clothes. Do you have any spare clothes?"

    On Wonderstein''s suit, dozens of fangs from a snake were attached, dangling like ornaments.

    It was the monster attached to the hand of thest patient he treated, attempting to attack before being deprived of Debulroots and sumbing.

    Wonderstein received clothes from Ivanenko and went into the room.

    Maya''s gaze followed him.

    Change clothes? Maya knew about his ability.

    With a simple snap of his fingers, he could change his or someone else''s clothes effortlessly.

    There was no need to ask for clothes or find a separate space to change.

    Could it be?

    Maya had an uneasy premonition. She had felt it since he dered his intention to ''cure'' the disease.

    Debulroots was an extremely dangerous curse.

    She didn''t doubt the abilities of the leader, but she wondered how he intended to ''cure'' the disease.

    With his genius ideas about magical theory and the power he possessed as a mage, she hoped for something extraordinary.

    However, what he showed her surpassed her imagination.

    As his hand touched the deformity, the curse vanished like melting snow.

    It was a simr effect to the priests of the Holy Church injecting sanctity.

    He had perfectly removed the mutated area.

    In some ways, it was superior to the Holy Church''s method.

    When sanctity was injected, the mutated area burned and caused pain to the host as if it were on fire. However, Wonderstein''s method cleanly separated the mutated area without causing any harm to the person.

    What could be the principle behind this?

    An ordinary magician would not have been able to find even the slightest clue no matter how much they observed.

    However, Maya was the greatest genius in the history of the Magic Academy.

    In the midst of the situation repeating 30 times, a few theories and spections crossed her mind, and she could make one inference.

    Maya cautiously approached the room where Wonderstein had entered.

    Through the slightly open door, his figure without a robe was visible from behind.

    His shoulders and back were agile but at the same time, had well-developed, sturdy muscles.

    However, she couldn''t feel any beauty or embarrassment while looking at it.

    It was because of the dark blue bruises engraved on his back.

    They wriggled and spread like something alive.

    It was the moment her iplete hypothesis fell into ce.

    He didn''t cure or remove the deformity.

    He had epted it into his own body.

    Maya''s pale face turned even paler.

    It was a local area, but it was the deformity of 30 people.

    epting that into his body was like taking on that disease himself.

    Are you in your right mind?

    Maya felt anger towards him.

    It had been a long time since their first meeting.

    Perhaps because of that, her breathing became a bit rough.

    Wonderstein''s superhuman hearing didn''t miss it.

    "Who are you?"

    Wonderstein untied his clothes and turned around.

    The deformity wriggling on his body waspletely covered by this.

    Maya hesitated for a moment behind the door, then extended her head.

    Wonderstein, seeing the girl visible at the door, greeted her with a weing smile.

    "Oh, Maya. What brings you here?"

    Seeing him smiling as if nothing had happened, Maya felt frustrated.

    She barely controlled her eyes, which kept trembling.

    "Are you going to the church?"

    "Yes. There are more people there who need help."

    Help who?

    Maya wanted to say what she wanted to him.

    If he was willing to endure the pain like his usual self, she should have respected his choice.

    He would go his way, and she would go hers.

    That had been Maya''s way of living, her way of looking at people, and her attitude towards life.

    It was like that for everyone except family.

    So she had heardments like being arrogant, heartless, orcking humanity.

    She was even indifferent to such gossip.

    Even when the teaching instructors acted that way, it was a bit annoying, but that was all.

    But now, after bing an adult¡ªafter the age of 22 for her¡ªthe roots that had supported her for the first time felt shaky.

    "I know."

    "What?"

    His clothes changed, and after turning around, her single word caught Wonderstein.

    She smiled at her mentor, who looked at her.

    "I know that the director absorbed the deformity."

    For the first time, the cat that had silently twisted in her mind made a soundless meow, and tears welled up.

 Chapter 103 Curse Plague (6)

    Maya had a cat named Wally when she was young. Wally was a Caste breed with a dense blue background and a pattern of red and white crossing each other.

    Wally was the only presence that could bring even a faint smile on her face, excluding her father that is. However, within a year of raising him, Wally met with a terrible ident and left the world.

    It was the first death of a loved one she had cared for. Maya remembered how she coped with the grief. She did nothing. She left the deceased cat in its ce and returned home, locking the door to the outside world. She built a fortress of logic in her mind about life, rtionships, individuals, and death.

    After days of contemting alone, she managed to bury her emotions deep within herself. Then, she wrote a death report for Wally, describing the facts in a dry and cold style, devoid of sadness, regret, or pain. She felt relieved but also a sense of regret.

    The memories of Wally''s voice, the scent of his fur simr to freshly baked cookies, and the sensation of stroking his back and belly had all faded from her recollection.

    However, today, for the first time since that day, the cry of the cat she thought she hadpletely forgotten echoed from beyond her memory. The emotions she believed she would never feel again surged from the depths of her heart. The object of her emotions was a man, staring at her with a perplexed smile, dressed in the attire of a hooded monk.

    "Absorbing Debulroots, Maya? It seems there''s a misunderstanding. I''m just¡­"

    "Don''t think you can deceive me. I''ve seen everything."

    Her firm tone indicated that Maya had confidence in her suspicions. Wonderstein abandoned his ns to exin vaguely. Speaking and acting meant Maya was sure and had evidence.

    ''I need to be careful about this¡­''

    The moment Maya exposed his secret, he tensed up internally. He couldn''t determine how much she knew and what she might reveal. In the TTT perspective, the Curse gue victims in the game were known as "victims of Wonderstein''s power." It wasn''t some unknown disease. Everyone in the game knew that all those appearing were due to the curse of the ck mage.

    Now, he had to be cautious. He had to choose his words carefully, as any unintentional clue could reveal his identity.

    "You must have a lot of questions."

    Wonderstein decided to gauge her reaction first. Fortunately, Maya wasn''t currently trying to uncover a truth but expressing surprise and pointing out the danger of him absorbing Debulroots.

    She seemed unaware that he could manipte them.

    Wonderstein let out a relieved sigh internally.

    The gue debulroots that were raging through his body.

    If he used the Gxy, he could certainly stabilize his body.

    But it didn''t make sense to spend money to get rid of the debulroots he acquired.

    However, exining to her, ''I am a mage who utilizes debulroots as a resource,'' was too risky.

    He couldn''t provide her with any more clues here. With her sharp mind, she could reach conclusions with minimal information.

    Preventing her from passing this clue to others was also crucial.

    It was a prerequisite for the sess of the TT0 strategy that Wonderstein''s true identity remained undisclosed until the main story.

    Whether it was the ''ck Mage'' or the ''Mastermind of the Curse gue,'' revealing such facts would disrupt the progress of thepetition.

    Maya must remain clueless until the main storyline.

    ''Even if I have to be a bit cowardly, there is a surefire way for this,'' he thought.

    Smiling at her with a mischievous grin, he said, "Maya, didn''t you tell me? You promised to help with anything to repay your debt."

    Maya''s face showed a trace of embarrassment. Could it be?

    A sly smile formed on the man''s lips.

    "I''ll use it right now. Forget what you saw today."

    Wonderstein knew Maya well.

    She was self-centered and rational, but once she spoke a word, she always kept her promise.

    His judgment was correct.

    Whether he asked for everything she had or not, Maya couldn''t object after making the proposal.

    She bit her lip slightly, disying a resentful expression.

    "¡­Ruthless."

    "Didn''t E mention it? I''m originally a ruthless person, hehe."

    He revealed a yful smile toward Maya, who sometimes wanted to squeeze him, understanding E''s frustration.

    She had hoped he would agree, prepared to fulfil any request he had, but he used this opportunity.

    He seemed to show a smile, reassured that she understood or didn''t.

    "Don''t worry. The debulroots that I absorbed won''t harm anyone nearby."

    Foolish person.

    Stupid person.

    Who would worry about that?

    She didn''t care about it at all.

    She knew better than anyone that he didn''t harm others, even if he continued to damage his own body.

    "But people won''t think that way. So please don''t tell anyone around you."

    "¡­I know."

    People didn''t view kindly those carrying the curse gue factor in their bodies.

    It was hard enough for the leader who led the circus with the strange members to be treated like a contagious disease patient.

    "Never speak of it again. Endure for just two years."

    Two years.

    The remaining time until the Circus Grand Prix main event.

    She understood his intentions.

    "Alright. I won''t ask anymore. But you must keep your promise. If it gets even slightly dangerous, I will stop the ringmaster, no matter what happens."

    The cry of Wally from the distant memory ceased.

    It hadn''t disappeared.

    After looking at the owner with satisfied eyes, it returned quietly into the darkness.

    "Of course. I promise."

    Wonderstein replied confidently.

    After all, he had no intention of letting go of the debulroots he had taken into his body until it waspletely subjugated.

    Even though his body might ache a bit, and he wouldn''t be able to use the power of the system for a while, he was prepared to endure until the end.

    Maya looked at him with a cold gaze for a moment and let out a short sigh.

    "I understand. With this, I don''t owe anything to the Ringmaster anymore."

    "Thank you, Maya."

    Maya''s expression, as if satisfied with something deep inside, somehow seemed mocking.

    She hesitated to step aside for him at the door.

    Onest curious question lingered.

    "Will you keep it a secret from the Assistant Ringmaster too?"

    Maya, who always seemed to revel in knowing things about the Ringmaster that others didn''t, was not to E''s liking.

    Regardless of the facts, it had always been ufortable for her that Wonderstein seemed to rely on her, his admired mentor, as if he was struggling with a young girl.

    Two people sharing some secret, seemingly unaware of the facts.

    How about this time?

    Would the Ringmaster just confide in her, after making her promise with even an oath?

    Looking at her, Wonderstein smiled and said,

    "Of course. This is a secret between Maya and me."

    Upon hearing his words, Maya turned her head abruptly and left the room before he could say anything.

    Wonderstein scratched his cheek awkwardly.

    What to do about this?

    The only member with whom he could truly feel at ease, and now the distance was growing again.

    There was no room for excuses.

    She had made a promise in her own way, and he had used it to keep his secret. It must have hurt her pride considerably.

    With today''s events, she must have realized that he was no longer just an ordinary circus Director.

    How long would the bit he got away with using the promisest?

    Checking the status window as he left the room, fortunately, the affinity didn''t drop.

    But it would be difficult to raise it further from now on.

    He left the room with a somewhat gloomy heart.

    At the entrance of the inn, Knight Ivanenko and Maya were waiting for him.

    She smiled at him, still something that others couldn''t recognize.

    "Let''s go. People who need help are still waiting."

    [Maya''s Affection has increased by 2. Affection is now 30. As a trusted one with Affection 30¡­] Due to a status window error, he couldn''t read the message properly, but it clearly stated that Maya''s affection had surpassed 30.

    Hmm¡­

    Maybe he hadn''t understood Maya properly yet.

    Silently contemting, Wonderstein urged his steps towards the vige church.

    Maya followed him quietly, lost in thought.

    Wonderstein had asked her to forget what she saw today, but her brain couldn''tply.

    What she saw and heard in the room reyed automatically.

    Casually transitioning the conversation, she stopped at a certain point.

    "The Director has to take the Gxy Injection right away."

    But now that she thought about it, it was strange.

    She had witnessed his suffering from the umted debulroots.

    Wouldn''t it be better to use medicine to remove it rather than endure it silently?

    "Endure it for just two more years."

    An uneasy intuition pierced her mind.

    The reason why he could nonchntly umte debulroots.

    The reason why he couldn''t use the Gxy.

    The two-year deadline.

    All the answers were connected.

    After all, he wouldn''t live long.

    So, he couldn''t shorten his remaining lifespan with Gxy.

    Because his dream was to stand on the Circus Grand Prix before he died.

    The remaining period was precisely¡­

    Maya looked at Wonderstein''s face, leading the way.

    His face looked remarkably calm, and his smile showed no shadows.

    That couldn''t be the face of a person going to die.

    She erased her unreasonable spections from her mind.

    He promised.

    That up to 200 people, he wouldn''t be harmed.

    So, he refused the Gxy.

    There was no reason to endure the side effects.

    He would not do that.

    Certainly not.

    Wally made a ttering noise in the darkness.

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