1. Patron Anais (End)
1. Patron Anais (End)
"Here is a check issued by the trading company. And this is the item you asked me to find earlier."
Around noon.
The two members of the Monster Circus Troupe prepared to leave the manor.
The household staff had wanted to host them for several more days, but the troupe leader had refused.
With the road calling so urgently, there was no talking him out of it.
- For the young mistress not even to come out and see off such a benefactor.
- Oh, come on. She's a grown lady. How's she supposed to show her face after he saw her undressed?
- If a man like that stripped me down and gave me a massage, I'd die happy.
- Shush—the butler will have your hide if he hears you. Keep it down.
The old butler would normally have scolded the maids harshly for their frivolous chatter.
But his mind was elsewhere.
He thought of the young mistress. How she had returned to her room after meeting Wonderstein and wept and wept.
He hadn't heard the details, but from her mutterings, he could faintly guess — she had been rejected.
The butler's breath caught.
What could she possibly have expected from a man she'd met only yesterday, a man she had barely exchanged a word with?
Having longed for the outside world all her life, the young mistress had built up a fantasy of love.
A fantasy that surely a dramatic romance would bloom — because he had saved her life, because he had healed her.
He had worried, hoped it wasn't so, but he never imagined she would throw herself at the man so directly.
And that she'd be so soundly rejected — that he hadn't imagined at all.
"Haha, well, then — until we meet again. Please give the Viscountess my regards."
The butler wanted to grab this grinning magician by the collar and demand to know what was so lacking in their young mistress.
But he was a veteran servant. He did not let his feelings show on his face in front of a guest.
He merely cursed inwardly.
In one sense, it was also a relief.
It meant no romantic entanglement between the young lady and some rootless drifter of unknown origin.
In Charlotia, where bloodline was everything, that could have become a loud and ugly scandal.
The carriage was fully loaded with the gifts the Viscountess had prepared. Everything was ready for departure.
Only the Deputy Leader had yet to arrive.
Just then, Ella came walking out from the inner garden.
"Where have you been?"
"Just... looking around the garden a bit..."
Ella avoided Wonderstein's gaze and gave a vague reply.
The dirt and bits of grass clinging to her clothes made it obvious she had been doing more than simply admiring the garden.
Wonderstein guessed what had happened but let nothing show.
"Then, I wish you a safe and peaceful journey."
With the household staff seeing them off, the carriage departed.
On the way back to their camp, the carriage was quiet.
Ella kept turning to look out the window toward the Viscountess's manor, as if she had left something behind.
"Viscountess Bergson gave us quite a lot."
"Oh, is that so?"
"We received several bundles of local specialties, too. When we get back, I'll hand them out to the troupe to share."
"Mm."
"I'll eat mine alone. The others would probably feel awkward otherwise."
"That's nothing new."
They exchanged a few more words, then fell silent again inside the carriage.
Ella's mood looked decidedly sour.
Watching her give half-hearted replies, Wonderstein smiled slightly.
He took a small bundle from his coat and handed it to her.
It was the item the butler had fetched for him earlier.
"Here."
"I don't need it."
Ella sharply turned her head away.
How could I accept that?
I let this devil create yet another victim.
And anyway, some gift isn't what matters right now.
What I need is... damn it.
Minutes passed like that.
Wonderstein still held out the gift, not withdrawing his hand.
He seemed ready to keep holding it until she accepted.
You insufferable devil.
Ella let out a deep sigh and reluctantly took the bundle.
It was very light.
"What is it?"
"Open it."
Still eyeing Wonderstein with suspicion, she began to carefully unwrap the bundle.
Given how light it was, she suspected it might be a piece of jewelry or an ornament.
But inside lay something she had not expected at all.
"Ah..."
A scrap of cloth with a simple embroidered pattern lay in her fingers.
A handkerchief.
Ella recognized it at once.
It was the very handkerchief she had thrown out the window last night.
The same item she had spent the morning searching the garden for.
But why was it here—?
"I asked the butler to help. To find a handkerchief that had fallen in the garden."
"..."
"That's what you were looking for earlier, wasn't it?"
Ella could say nothing. She only stroked the handkerchief in her hands.
A mother she could not even remember. But it was her one and only keepsake, the only thing in the world left from the woman.
She had thrown it away right in front of Wonderstein yesterday out of pure stubbornness — because she couldn't stand the sight of him smirking.
She'd thought she would just have Jjiksun or Gudol fetch it later.
But when she'd gone out to the garden to search that morning, she couldn't find it.
No matter how much she looked, it wouldn't turn up.
She'd thought it was gone for good.
She had blamed herself for a pointless act of pride. She had regretted it ever since that morning, tears welling up in her eyes.
So why — why was he the one holding it now?
"It seemed to be something Miss Ella treasures."
"..."
"They said it's been washed clean and even magically disinfected and dried. So don't worry about that. Use it freely."
Ella fiddled with the handkerchief, searching for words.
But nothing came to mind. Nothing that seemed right to say.
She could only ask,
"Why...?"
"Hm?"
"Why... would you?"
Wonderstein smiled as if to ask what kind of question that was.
"We have a contract."
"...What?"
"You agreed to assist me. Would it really help me if Miss Ella were distracted elsewhere?"
"..."
Ella stared blankly at the handkerchief for a moment, then clenched her teeth.
Unbelievable.
From a devil, no less.
"...It was a pointless thing to do."
"Pardon?"
Ella shoved the handkerchief into her pocket as she spoke.
She sounded angry, but there was something faintly embarrassed in it, too.
"I could've found that easily enough — just send a bird or a mouse. So why did you take it upon yourself and cause a bother? You wasted your morning on needless trouble."
"Now that I think about it, you're right. Heh heh. I apologize."
Wonderstein bowed his head with a smile.
"...Tch."
With him going so far as to apologize, Ella had nothing left to say.
She did not utter a single word until they reached the camp, simply gazing out the window.
Wonderstein spent the time looking out the opposite window himself.
Not that he was paying attention to any scenery.
[You have completed 'Member Quest - Handkerchief.']
A Member Quest had activated last night the moment she threw the handkerchief out the window.
A message now appeared, announcing its completion.
*Member Quest - Handkerchief
: The handkerchief you just threw away is an object of great importance to Ella.
Clear Condition
: Find the handkerchief and return it to Ella.
Success Reward
: [Devolut +1]
Failure Penalty
: None
Member Quests were the equivalent of the game's 'companion quests.'
The six support characters accompanying you in real time would respond to the environment with various requests, and fulfilling them would raise their Affection level a little, or grant some simple item.
Usually it was things like,
- Hey, let's rest here a while.
- It's too damp. Can I take my armor off?
- I can't keep traveling with that bastard. Either I go, or he goes. Swap one of us.
- I'd love some ice cream right about now.
Mostly petty demands like that.
This Member Quest was no different.
Pick up a handkerchief and return it — a trifle. The reward was also just 'Devolut +1.'
Still, though. After all that heartfelt effort... the Affection level hadn't gone up even a single point?
Could it be that it's only displayed as zero, and it's actually climbing up from the negatives?
If that were truly the case, the Affection level might stay stuck at zero right up until the endgame.
Horrifying, that.
"Troupe Leader! Deputy Leader! We've arrived at the camp!"
The carriage came to a stop.
The coachman had thrown himself into his duties to a degree that was almost uncomfortable for the recipients.
He wouldn't let them lay a finger on even their luggage in the trunk — he unloaded everything himself.
"Then I'll be off! Wishing you a fine journey! Hyah!"
With a spray of dust, the carriage headed back toward the manor.
Through all of it, Ella still kept her back to Wonderstein, not saying a word.
"Miss Ella?"
Even at his call, she barely acknowledged it. She stood stock-still, kicking absently at the unlucky patch of ground beneath her feet.
Then, after a moment, her lips parted, and she murmured in a very small voice.
"...anks."
"Pardon?"
Without bothering to respond to his question, Ella spun on her heel and strode off to where the troupe members were gathered.
Now she's even flat-out ignoring people. I let her cuteness slide too much, and this is what I get — that blasted little brat...
If it weren't for the contract, I would've absolutely wrecked—
Ah. I don't have the power for that, do I...
Come to think of it, without Ella, I had no means of actually running the circus. No way to communicate with the troupe members, either.
I could only smile.
I picked up my own luggage and turned to follow the carriage, when—
Blipt—
A message suddenly appeared before me.
It was...
[Ella's Affection level has increased by 3. Current Affection level: 3. (Next reward: Affection level 15)]
***
Back at the camp, I was a loner again.
We were set to depart from here the next morning.
Breaking down the camp and directing the troupe's work fell to Ella as Deputy Leader.
I had to sit quietly in my wagon like some back-room old-timer.
That suited me well enough — and it suited the troupe for doing their work, too.
While I waited, a servant from the Viscountess's household came by.
The Viscountess had written me a letter.
- I promised to sponsor you, but I still cannot bring myself to trust you! Was the treatment truly carried out properly? I will require occasional visits and examinations! And every week, you will write to me detailing everything that has happened and exactly how you have used my money! If you want sponsorship, you must show at least this much sincerity! And I will know if the letters are written hastily! I can withdraw my sponsorship at any moment!
Why is she using so many exclamation points?
I folded the letter and tucked it into my coat.
This young lady is no pushover, either.
Weekly letters.
Give me a break. You save her life. You cure her illness.
You do everything that needs doing, and then—
'I'll grant you any request' one moment, 'I can withdraw sponsorship at any time' the next. What even is that?
Wasn't she supposed to be stupendously rich? How stingy can you get.
Knock knock.
Ah. Dinner at last?
Probably Umon, bringing my meal as usual.
"Just leave it outside."
But the person didn't leave.
I noticed the silhouette against the carriage window wasn't even half as tall as usual.
"Is that Miss Ella?"
The only ones who ever come all the way to my carriage alone are Umon and Ella.
"Yeah."
"What is it? Are the preparations for departure finished?"
"They're done. Now we just need to set out tomorrow morning."
"Then why are you here?"
"So you can eat."
"You came to bring me dinner, Miss Ella?"
That was unexpected. Wasn't she the one who always delegated it to Umon, out of pride?
"Don't be ridiculous. Am I your maid? Why would I do something like that?"
"Then why have you come?"
Ella hesitated a moment, then started talking at a rapid clip.
"Isn't it stuffy eating alone in there? Come out. Eat and, you know... talk a little."
Well, that's unexpected.
I opened the door.
Ella stood there with her arms crossed, in a posture that was cockeyed and just slightly awkward.
Ella, willingly sitting down to a shared meal with me?
Was this what an Affection level of 3 felt like?
Ella arched an eyebrow and shot me a glare.
"Don't get the wrong idea! Who said I wanted to eat with you?"
"Then what's the business?"
"The plan moving forward. We've gathered troupe members like you said. We've secured sponsorship too. Isn't it about time you started saying what we're actually going to do? I don't even know which direction to head tomorrow."
Hmm. Was that how it was supposed to go?
I had assumed Ella was handling all the scheduling on her own.
It was certainly something worth discussing.
"All right. Let's talk over dinner, then."
We went over to the camp table and ate our evening meal.
Once the meal was mostly finished, I brought up the main subject.
"Miss Ella."
The most important thing she needed to know for our future schedule and plans.
"Have you ever heard of the Circus Grand Prix?"
- Patron Anais (End)