“Whoosh.”
Within the town shrouded in thick Mist, even the horses parked at the roadside kept snorting uneasily, appearing rather restless.
Yet, this was not a dead town—on the contrary, there were quite a few people about!
However, compared to the citizens of other cities, the people here all seemed a bit strange.
Each seemed preoccupied, hurrying with quick steps… darting through the thick Mist.
“These people all look so angry~”
Veil was peeling an orange, her pitch-black eyes seemingly unaffected by the Mist as she observed the passing pedestrians.
Indeed.
Though she didn’t possess the Lady Goddess’s extraordinary senses, with careful observation one could see it… at this moment, everyone walking the streets wore ashen faces, as if everyone owed them money.
They all looked rather hard to approach.
“Da…Lady! The person you called for has arrived!” Holly’s voice sounded from outside.
“Come in.”
As Reliel opened the carriage door, Holly and a somewhat stooped old man stepped onto the Carriage.
“Commoner Doom Kai greets the Lady!”
“Uh…?”
The old man immediately knelt with a thud upon boarding! Startling Holly beside him!
But for such a gesture, Ileya showed no surprise at all.
“Raise your head.”
“Y-yes.” Old Doom slowly lifted his head, gazing up at the noble girl before him… whose arrogance seemed etched into her very bones.
After a round of questioning, he revealed all that he knew.
They were a troupe of Performers, putting on acts like fire-breathing, handstands, juggling tricks, and occasionally setting up small stalls to sell snacks and candied fruit.
The reason was simple—they had no house of their own, nowhere to settle down, so they could only wander from place to place.
Life… was bearable.
And as for this Mist Town… though they often did business nearby, they’d never heard a thing about it.
According to old Doom, the road from here to the next town, Hei Shui Town, should be at least half a day’s journey.
This place had simply appeared out of nowhere.
As for the rumors about the Mist… there were a few little stories.
Most involved traveling merchants entering the Mist and being unable to find their way out, wandering in circles as if ensnared by ghosts.
Some said that after entering the Mist and coming out again, seven or eight years had passed; though they survived, everything had changed.
Though most of these were likely just street rumors, Ileya simply nodded, made a note of it, and let him go.
As for Arthur… although she wished to learn something from him as well…
Yet, upon entering this Mist Town, Arthur seemed to lapse into the same dazed state as when Ileya first led him out of the Slave Market…
He could answer almost nothing, his vacant eyes just staring ahead, as if thinking, or perhaps merely daydreaming.
“Hey! Who are you!”
Just as Ileya was pondering all this…
Amisa’s questioning voice came from outside.
Next, a sharp, melodious, slightly amused voice replied.
“Good day, please inform our esteemed guests that the ‘Golden Sun Circus’ performance will begin tonight at 8 o’clock. Please remember to bring your Tickets~”
“Huh? No one booked Tickets with you, right? Hey… hey!!”
“Amisa?”
Whoosh!
Ileya leaned forward, pressing directly onto Reliel opposite her, in a rather suggestive pose… and pulled open the window connecting to the driver’s seat in front.
The next second, she too saw the figure of a man from behind.
He wore a jester’s comical hat, his clothes a patchwork of vibrant colors.
But… he didn’t quite match the clown Holly had seen, for this clown’s proportions were perfectly normal.
“Lady, that guy… just left these on the Carriage and walked off…”
Up front, Amisa in the driver’s seat looked somewhat puzzled, raising several Tickets in her hand.
They were… brand-new, orange-yellow Tickets.
A golden sun with a smiling face was printed on them, with the words “Golden Sun Circus” written beside it in artfully whimsical script… it all looked quite ordinary.
What was uncomfortable, however, were a few words scrawled in crimson on the back.
[Notice One: Visitors may enter with this Ticket]
Below the blood-red words, there was a line in smaller print.
[Notice Two: The show begins promptly at 8:00 tonight. As everyone is eagerly awaiting the Circus, there may be crowds. If able, please arrive early.]
[Notice Three: Dangerous individuals are forbidden entry to the Circus. No exceptions.]
[Notice Four: Those unable to enter may wait in the tent area beside the Circus, where free delicious food and drink will be provided.]
Heh, interesting… Ileya counted the Tickets in her hand—five in total.
Herself, Reliel, Veil, Arthur, Holly, Amisa.
Six people, but only five Tickets, and then there was Notice Three…
“Seems… they don’t like you very much~” Ileya looked at the somewhat dazed Amisa before her.
“Eh?”
What they’d said to Amisa earlier…
[Please inform our esteemed guests] and [Please have them bring their Tickets].
Not once was Amisa herself called a guest, the wording was also “them.”
Plus, with this “Notice Three,” it was clear…
This so-called “dangerous individual” referred to… Amisa, no doubt.
“Lady.”
As Ileya analyzed the situation, a low voice suddenly rose from beneath her.
It was… Reliel, who had been “forcefully suppressed” by her.
At this moment, Reliel’s hands were awkwardly suspended in the air, unsure whether to hug the Lady’s waist or let go.
“Ah… sorry~ I forgot ♡~”
Even as she spoke, Ileya didn’t move aside, but instead directly shifted to sit on her little sister’s lap, leaning back…
Mm… as expected, nothing there~
“So… what do we do next?!”
Holly could clearly hear her own heartbeat quicken… this had to count as a supernatural incident, right?
Who would’ve thought… she’d only just left town less than half a month, and already encountered such an event…
This time, this time she could truly prove the results of a week of training!!
With that thought, the Holy Sword Bearer unconsciously clenched her fist!
“I-I-I! I don’t have to go in!”
Veil had obviously seen the notices on the back of the Tickets too.
Especially the fourth one!
Free delicious food!
“Tsk tsk, since this town appeared out of nowhere… it could be some kind of illusion. So the food they offer… what might it actually be?”
Sitting in Reliel’s lap, the Lady cocked her head with a wicked grin.
She looked at the Lady Goddess.
“Roaches disguised as chocolate beans~ centipedes turned into fries, or… maybe a rich soup with dead rats floating inside?”
“Ugh… blaargh!”
Veil shuddered, her face instantly turning pale!
Clearly, the wicked woman’s words had frightened her…
“So… what should we do next?”
Holly couldn’t help but ask again, anticipation written on her face.
“As for now…”
Seeing that the fool had been properly scared and wouldn’t eat recklessly anymore, Ileya waved her hand.
“In any case… let’s find a place to park the Carriage, and then make plans.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.