Chapter 15

The boy’s eyes widened as he said he needed to see someone.

“A child?”

Even Louis, who had been staring silently ahead, looked at the boy.

“Perhaps, perhaps it could be for the last time.”

At the earnest and gentle voice, Vivian couldn’t ask any further and was left speechless. Just then, the lights dimmed, leaving only the center of the stage brightly lit.

“To all our esteemed audience members who have come to watch our circus! Thank you!”

Under the bright lights, the announcer’s booming voice prompted everyone in the audience to applaud.

“Our circus, the best in all of the Kingdom of Heston, promises to keep you entertained until the end! And now! Let’s begin!”

As the announcer’s words ended, another round of thunderous applause erupted. Thus, the circus began, captivating Vivian’s eyes and ears as promised by the announcer.

Acrobatics accompanied by exhilarating music from the band began. People riding unicycles, beating drums, bending their bodies effortlessly, and lifting heavy objects with ease dominated the stage.

Then came the animals Vivian had only seen in books.

Following the trainer’s commands, they awkwardly walked, jumped over obstacles, and even juggled balls. After the animals’ cute antics came to an end, they all exited the stage. Then, the announcer reappeared, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“Our circus troupe and animals are truly top-notch. But can we say we are the best with just this? Now, I will show you something truly amazing that will make you doubt your eyes.”

As the announcer finished speaking, he pointed somewhere. Something that had been hidden behind a large cloth next to the stage was revealed. With considerable weight, four circus staff members pulled it onto the stage with all their might.

People filled with anticipation erupted into applause. Vivian was also extremely curious about what it could be. Without realizing it, she leaned forward.

“On three! Let’s unveil the treasure of our circus troupe. Ready! One, two, three!”

As the announcer’s chant ended, the massive cloth slowly dropped to the ground. Revealed underneath was a large cage. Inside, as the announcer had said, was an incredibly beautiful creature, crouched down.

People let out gasps one by one.

The beautiful silver fur of the animal shimmered under the circus lights, larger than a wolf but smaller than a bear. Although its face was not visible as it crouched, its perked ears indicated vigilance.

Watching in fascination, Vivian was startled out of her reverie by the boy who suddenly jumped to his feet.

“Lily…”

The boy recognized the animal in the cage and called it Lilyi’. Vivian turned her attention back to the stage as the boy looked at her with a pained gaze.

“This animal is called Teria. It may look like a wolf, but it’s actually not. There are no wolves with such beautiful fur. It is a very rare animal even among mages, able to absorb magic and even attack with it.”

The audience murmured in awe at the announcer’s explanation.

“Allow me to show you the face of Teria.”

As the announcer gestured, someone next to him raised a whip. The man entered the large cage and whipped it towards Teria.

Crack! The sound of the whip hitting the ground made Teria lift its head.

“Oh my!”

Another audience member exclaimed from behind. She wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the audience either gasped or fell silent.

Its eyes were too beautiful. Everyone was mesmerized by the beautiful sapphire-like eyes.

As Teria tried to lower its head again, the man inside the cage whipped it once more.

“No!”

The boy shouted.

“Haha! I know you’re worried, but Teria is unaffected by such whips! It’s not for nothing that mages keep them as companions.”

The announcer lightly dismissed the boy’s outcry and began explaining more about Teria. Despite its beautiful appearance, it required restraints due to its ferocious nature, as indicated by the collar around its neck.

Vivian regretted it.

She had only thought of the circus as a spectacle of acrobatics, joyful music, and cute animals. She hadn’t come to see such rare animals being whipped. 

Why hadn’t I realized?

How much abuse had these animals suffered to jump over obstacles and leap through rings engulfed in flames?

She felt foolish and ignorant.

Realizing that what was written in books was not the whole truth, Vivian looked at the boy, who was gazing at Teria with anguish, leaning against the railing.

The reason this boy had to see the circus was to see Teria, who was trapped in the cage, helpless to resist.

The boy couldn’t take his eyes off the Teria until it was hidden behind the large cloth again. Vivian couldn’t take her eyes off the boy, locked in agony, until the end of the circus.

After the circus ended, the people left the circus tent one by one, chatting happily about their enjoyable time. Amidst them, the boy, Vivian, and Louis sat silently.

“Let’s get up.”

Louis said, rising from his seat where he had been sitting silently with his arms crossed, staring at the stage.

“Your promise to go home quietly when the circus is over. You must honor it.”

Vivian stood up slowly at his words and looked at the boy with his head down.

“Let’s go.”

But the boy remained motionless.

“Hey, guys!”

In the distance, Rayden was approaching.

“We have to go now.”

When Vivian turned her head at Louis’ words, the boy suddenly jumped up and began to run somewhere.

“Hey, where are you going!”

The direction the boy headed was not the exit. It was right where the Teria had appeared.

“Don’t go!”

Vivian’s pleading call didn’t deter the boy. Seeing him leaping down from the audience seats towards the backstage, Vivian started running after him.

“Vivian!”

Vivian ran towards where the boy had disappeared. Seeing this, Louis started running too.

“He’s surprisingly fast for a little guy!”

Rayden, surprised by the running children, and the knights lurking around, also started running.

“Ugh!”

Vivian, who leaped down from the audience seats towards backstage, was startled by the darkness where not even a single light came in. Then, she was surprised by something grabbing her foot.

“Shh!”

“Y-You were here?”

The boy, who had been crouching low and staring intently behind the curtain, frowned when he saw Vivian following him.

“Why did you follow me here?”

“You just suddenly—”

“Be quiet, if you don’t want to be found out.”

Louis, who had been following behind, said to the boy and Vivian.

“L-Louis…”

“For now, let’s stay quiet. We’ll talk later.”

Just then.

“Who’s there!”

At that moment, a circus staff member, who had come up to tidy the stage, approached where Louis, Vivian, and the boy were.

“Who are you?”

At the circus staff member’s words, the three of them crouched even lower. Only the sound of their ragged breaths filled the tension. The sound of shuffling footsteps was getting closer and closer.

“Haha. Sorry! Just going to the restroom.”

As Vivian, feeling like her heart was about to burst from the tension, covered her mouth with her hand to suppress any sound, Rayden’s voice came.

“The performance has ended, so you should leave now. We need to prepare for the next one.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll hurry out.”

Rayden’s cunning was evident.

Once Rayden left, the circus staff member also focused on their tasks. The three of them, crouching quietly and hiding their presence, only moved after the staff member had left.

“It’s dangerous.”

Louis said, watching the boy peek through the curtain.

“I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s dangerous for you to do it.”

“But……. I still have to do it.”

“Let’s retreat for today and I promise to help you another time. The Teria is a rare animal. It’s not right to turn it into a spectacle for people’s entertainment. So I will help you.”

The boy shook his head at Louis’s words.

“There won’t be a next time. Not for me, but for Lily.”

Gripping the curtain that concealed the backstage tightly, the boy looked up at Louis.

“Lily… Lily is going to die soon.”

“What…?”

Vivian was startled by the boy’s words. She blinked slowly at the news that the beautiful Teria she had seen earlier was going to die.

“Lily is pregnant right now.”

“Pregnant? Then why…?”

As Vivian asked, Louis, who had been silently listening, spoke up.

“Teria dies after giving birth.”

Vivian seemed like she was about to scream at Louis’ words.

“When Lily gives birth and dies, those heartless humans will turn even Lily’s child into a spectacle. We can’t let that happen.”

The boy’s eyes glowed sharply. With a look of determination, the boy opened the curtain behind the stage.

“Stop!”

Louis’ small cry was drowned out as the curtain closed.

“Vivian, you stay here.”

Louis grabbed the curtain to chase after the boy.

Through the slightly open gap, busy circus staff members could be seen moving around. Louis crouched as low as possible behind the stage, hiding behind a large crate.

“Where did he go, seriously.”

Louis cautiously looked around, lifting his head slightly above the crate. The people bustling around for the next performance were focused on their tasks.

How am I going to get through them?

No matter how he looked, he couldn’t seem to find the boy, let alone the cage in which Teria was trapped, without being seen.

“Alright, time to eat!”

“Ah, they’re finally serving food. I have to eat if I’m going to work or not.”

“Come on, let’s eat. We need our strength for our work!”

It was an opportunity. As one by one, people left to eat their meals during the staff’s mealtime, Louis cautiously moved out from behind the crate.

The slightly dim tent had lanterns hung here and there.

“Where is he…”

The large cage was not the kind of thing that could be easily hidden, so he expected to find it quickly, but when he didn’t, he was flustered.

“Eek-ack-ack.”

At that moment, a monkey spotted Louis and started jumping around inside the cage, screaming.

“Be quiet!”

The monkey extended its hand outside the bars in response to Louis’ demand.

“What, what do you want?”

Slapping his hand, the monkey scowled and, seeing Louis staring at him, started causing a commotion inside the bars again.

“Oh, okay! Be quiet.”

Louis hurriedly rummaged through his pockets. What he found was a cherry the merchant had offered him to try earlier at the fountain.

“Here, have this.”

Louis tossed the ripe red cherry to the monkey. The monkey quickly snatched up the rolling red cherry and popped it into its mouth, turning around satisfactorily.