Funny Show of the Circus (12)
When I warned her, the pony suddenly put on airs. This damn Bicorn bitch had been screeching about virgins and non-virgins just moments ago, yet here she was, pulling a blatant double standard. Utterly dumbfounded, I quietly glared at her. Reading the sincerity in my eyes, the Bicorn let out a groan before speaking again.
"Assist you? Me?"
"...Tsk. Fine, I get it. What do I need to do?"
It was better to just get on with it than waste more time bickering like this. In response to my question, the Bicorn answered.
"Cast a rune? Humans can’t do that, you idiot."
Rune magic was activated by carving it directly with mana. At least, that was what humans had figured out. Maybe there’s some method we don’t know about? I thought I might get a hint from this damn pony to elevate my rune magic, but she simply clicked her tongue.
"Fuck, why are you picking a fight?"
I smacked her on the head to teach her some manners. The Bicorn let out a sorrowful cry before continuing.
"What?"
"Wait, hold the fuck up. You want me to carve a rune directly onto Larilura’s body? I can only carve them with my fingers, you know?"
This bitch? How the hell did she know about me and Franc? When I faltered at her words, the pony snorted.
She can tell how many times someone’s had sex just by their scent? What a horrifying ability. Are all unicorns and bicorns just a bunch of perverts? A chill ran down my spine as I stepped away from the pony.
"Hey, pony. Isn’t there another way?"
"Fuuuck..."
I was stumped by the pony’s irresponsible answer. Seeing my expression, Larilura asked,
“Um, what’s going on? You’ve been quiet for a while now.”
“…………The Bicorn says she doesn’t want to examine you.”
I couldn’t bring myself to say it was because she was a virgin. But Larilura seemed to recall the Bicorn’s habits from my attitude and blushed.
“O-oh, is that so~? A-ahaha♡ That’s my fault, isn’t it☆!”
“Ahem. No, that’s not… Anyway, should we start with Rozanna first?”
“Nor. If you do that, Anasis will notice.”
“Ah, shit. You’re right.”
It really felt like my hands and feet were tied. Fuck. Pull yourself together, you bastard!
─Slap!
I smacked my own cheek. While I was wasting time like this, Anasis might have already sent the guests away and begun preparing to interrogate us. The time limit for the plan I’d come up with was before the show ended. We might not even have ten minutes left. With that thought, I steeled my resolve.
“Franc. Larilura. I’m sorry. That damn pony over there is a Bicorn, so she says she can’t directly look at Larilura’s skin.”
“Y-yes. I thought it might be something like that.”
“…Nor?”
Larilura’s voice crept out from inside the mask as she read the room, while Franc innocently asked again. Feeling like my conscience was being torn apart, I continued.
“But we absolutely need to identify the magic and dispel it. So… I think I’ll have to examine Larilura’s back, locate the spot, and then dispel it using rune magic.”
I glanced at Franc after saying that. I felt bad for Larilura, who had to bare her back to me, but honestly, what worried me wasn’t Larilura’s sense of shame—it was Franc’s anger.
Franc frowned as she looked at me.
“Nor. Were you hesitating like that because you thought I’d get mad?”
“Uh, um. Yeah. Sorry.”
“Nor, you idiot!! What is there to be sorry about!! What kind of nonsense are you worrying about!”
─Slap!
Franc’s palm struck my back. It hurt! Not where she hit, but my heart!
“I won’t get angry over something like this! I’ve thought about it ten times, a hundred times, even before I fell for you! And this isn’t the time to be worrying about me!! We have to save the kidnapped children too!! Above all, you should be apologizing to Larilura, not me!!”
“Gyaaaaaaaagh! I’m sorry! You’re absolutely right!”
“F-Franc, calm down! I’m perfectly fine with it!!”
Larilura jumped in to mediate as Franc scolded me fiercely. The pony, who had been watching, snorted.
This damn pony really knew how to piss me off. I refreshed my mood and spoke to Larilura.
“Um… Larilura? Since I don’t know exactly where it was engraved, you’ll probably need to take off your top completely.”
“Eep… Y-yes…”
While I turned away and waited, Larilura removed her top. She took off her hat, robe, and clown outfit. Then, covering her chest with the robe, she called out to me.
“I’m ready now.”
“R-right.”
I looked at Larilura’s pure white back, unsure where to rest my eyes. Having Franc watching from the side made it even harder to stay composed.
This bitch was talking as if it was the easiest thing in the world when she couldn’t even do it herself. I almost smacked her again but held back since it would make Larilura wait longer.
“It looks like Nor gets uncomfortable if I watch. I’ll look somewhere else for a bit.”
In this insane situation, Franc showed an unbelievable level of consideration by averting her eyes. I raised mana into my eyes so as not to betray her kindness.
─Focus!
Once I gathered my mana and concentrated hard, all thoughts of the weird situation vanished completely. Hurry up and show yourself! Where the hell did they put it!
Every time the side of her breast peeked out from her white back, my concentration threatened to shatter. Why the hell were human males creatures so ruled by their dicks!
─Whoosh.
It was right then. I spotted a dark blue mana beneath Larilura’s right shoulder blade and shouted in triumph.
"Doesn’t matter! Starting now!"
Ignoring the pony’s tongue-clicking, I placed my finger on the spot.
“Hngh…”
Larilura’s soft moan, the sensation at my fingertips, and Franc’s reaction as she turned her head away! If I paid any attention to those things I’d lose my mind, so I quickly carved the rune.
“That’s not why I’m tense, you idiot.”
Despite saying that, the result was exactly as the pony said.
─Whiiirrr!
The moment I carved the Kenaz rune in reverse, the pony chanted her spell, and the dark blue mana vanished like a lie.
Fuck, it was over. I let out a sigh of relief and turned around.
“Girls. She says it’s done.”
“Ah, y-yes!”
Larilura hurriedly put her clothes back on. Franc approached me as if nothing had happened.
“Nor. How did it go?”
“Ah, yeah. It worked properly. Now even if we remove the masks, we won’t be chased.”
Unable to meet Franc’s eyes, I looked away. She grabbed my hand and pulled me down to my knees. Her blue eyes stared straight at me, curving like crescent moons.
“Don’t worry about it. Nor did something good, not something shameful, right? So instead of feeling embarrassed, can you let me feel proud of you?”
“But…”
“Besides, Nor. Do you know how much harder it is for me when you make me say it’s okay like this?”
Franc gave a bitter smile as she spoke. I had no response and simply closed my mouth. She was right. Even in a world where polygamy was common, making the partner who accepted it say “Polygamy is fine!” was too damaging to a husband’s dignity. In times like this, shouldn’t a real man apologize to Franc without shame and hug her tightly!
I pulled Franc into my arms and whispered.
“Thank you, Franc. This might sound cowardly right now… but I still love you.”
“Who cares if it’s cowardly. I know better than anyone that you like me. Hehe. While I can still monopolize you like this, I’m going to rub against you as much as I want~.”
Franc rubbed her cheek against my face like a puppy. Ah, why am I such a sinful bastard. God of machos in this other world, please grant me an opportunity to shake off these delusions in my heart…
“Um, excuse me. Could you not get all heated up while leaving me aside~?”
Larilura, now fully dressed, spoke with a pout. I released Franc and chuckled.
“Sorry, Larilura. I feel bad toward you. Even though it was a medical examination, it feels like I did something I shouldn’t to a girl who’s only eighteen.”
“Hmph~☆ Anyway, in our Romania, you become an adult at fifteen. And if we’re being precise, I’m probably over nineteen~?”
“What?”
Surprised by the unexpected answer, I asked again. Larilura pressed a finger to her cheek and smiled.
“I said eighteen, but I’m probably older than that? When I got my citizenship papers, I had already started my second sexual maturation, but they registered my age as eight☆!”
“Wait, why?”
“Because taxes are cheaper♡! It’s common in Romania where there are no birth registrations!”
“You tax-evading little criminal. Well done.”
Good job, Alexandra. Thanks to you, I didn’t end up touching a minor with only a one-year difference. Franc was already borderline; anything more dangerous would have been problematic. I let out a sigh filled with mixed emotions and said,
“Next is Rozanna’s turn, but before that, I have something to say.”
“Something to say? What is it?”
“I’m thinking of escaping now, and I came up with a way to break through the barrier and throw those guys into chaos.”
I took out my pocket watch to check the time. It was 2:30. Since we had come out around 1:50, that meant all of this had happened in about forty to fifty minutes. Fuck, it was hard to believe. I spoke seriously to the three people (plus one animal).
“If we dispel the magic on Rozanna, they’ll notice no matter what. So I’ll explain everything in advance so we can move without wasting time.”
“We’ll listen carefully☆! Understood!”
Larilura answered energetically. Franc and Rozanna nodded with tense expressions.
“Listen well. The most important thing is for us to get out of here safely, so first─”
And so I explained the plan. Even though it was my own idea, it probably sounded ridiculously absurd. Still, after asking Rozanna questions about the layout of the surrounding tents and the locations of the other children, it seemed worth trying.
“─And that’s it once we escape. Want me to go over it one more time?”
“No, it’s enough. We just have to run, right?”
Franc spoke on behalf of everyone. Rozanna seemed to have some trouble understanding, but since Larilura would be carrying her while running anyway, it didn’t matter.
“Good. We’ll discuss what comes after escaping once we’re out. Let’s start right away.”
I put Tabula’s mask on Rozanna and wore a mask from the circus troupe that I’d found nearby. Then I extended the claws of Beast Regression.
I cut the rope restraining the pony with my claws.
─Snap! Thud!
It was quite a tough rope, but cutting it was easy. Freed from her bonds, the pony staggered to her feet.
“Go get on Franc’s back. I’m going to be busy.”
The damn virgin allergy was resolved by having Franc carry her.
“Uuu…”
Seeing the non-virgin bug behaving obediently in her arms, Franc looked somewhat embarrassed. Well, the Bicorn acting docile basically announced that she knew men.
<Rozanna. Come here.>
I called Rozanna over and had her sit in front of me.
─Rustle.
I brushed aside her stiff hair to expose the nape of her neck. Seeing her hunched back filled me with pity, but I steeled my heart.
─Whiiirrr!
Just like before, I carved the rune and the pony chanted her spell. The trace of magic vanished completely from her slender neck. By now, Anasis must have realized what we were doing. The fact that the magic he placed on the kidnapped child had been dispelled meant either the child was dead or we had done something.
─Flutter.
Wearing the mask with the Kenaz rune carved on it, I stepped out of the tent alone.
“Burning Hand.”
Flames erupted from my hands, fueled by the power of Beast Regression. The fire blazed with ferocious heat, ready to consume everything in its path.
Avoiding the ‘tent where the kidnapped children were’ that Rozanna had told me about, I set the others on fire.
“Ah. This is called ‘arson,’ a fine civilization from Kitai.”
─Whoosh!
I smiled contentedly as I watched the blazing tents of the Cream Sauce Circus troupe.