The Freak Show Foreman

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-class hotel, this was an outrageous rip-off.

Ella let out a dry laugh.

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 glasses 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 to come 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 flashy, 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 play.

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 had come 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.

"Welcome, brave adventurers, to the Safe Zone where monsters can’t invade! Supplies available! 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 would laugh and have a great time all by himself.

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Until players 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 player 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 after coming 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 Ella 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?"

Ella 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 Ella’s entire body with an interested look.

Mare, the choreographer.

She was also one of the key characters in the Rose Windmill.

"She’s similar 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 Ella was similar to her in her youth, it was clear that Ella’s talent was extraordinary.

Before I could say anything, Ella spoke up first.

"Wait a minute! I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just came here because he asked me to come 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 Ella’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 Ella 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 explanation, 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 replace the role she was playing."

"That role..."

"Yes. The one Ella sang as earlier, ’the maid’."

I glanced at Ella.

She had revealed her identity as the assistant ringmaster, trying to maintain her composure 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

: Ella really wants to stand on stage after a long time.

Conditions for Completion

: Ella must perform the role she’s been assigned perfectly.

Success 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 accept the offer without hesitation, but Ella blocked my path.

"What if I accept 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 Ella shook her head.

"The fee is not necessary. Just the opportunity to perform in Director Maroiné’s play is an honor."

"Then what’s the condition?"

"When the curtain call happens, please introduce me separately. Say, ’Thanks to Ella, the assistant ringmaster of Wonderstein Circus, for taking on the role, today’s performance was a success.’"

The director and the choreographer stiffened at Ella’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 accepted.

There was no other way now.

After Wonderstein and Ella left, Maroiné smirked.

"Haha, that cheeky kid."

"Why, what’s wrong?"

"In three weeks, this place will host the Circus Grand Prix preliminaries."

"What does that have to do with... Oh!"

Finally, Paris realized Ella’s intention.

Maroiné nodded as if he had landed 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 according 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 young lady.

"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, Maroiné 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 Maroiné toyed with his sunglasses.

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.