Circus Lightitia (3)
The successful opening by Shurika was followed by the twins’ and Asan’s impressive performances. As the audience erupted in excitement and the atmosphere of the show reached its peak, the next performer strode onto the stage with vigorous steps, as if determined to ride the momentum. The man bowed politely in all four directions. A bard? No. His attire resembled that of the bards occasionally seen at inns or on the streets, yet there was something solemn about him. His first impression felt closer to that of a musician or conductor than a carefree wandering bard.
“Ladies and gentlemen! It seems our turn has finally arrived!”
He clapped his hands sharply toward one side, and several musicians carrying various instruments entered and took their places at the center of the stage.
“I won’t waste time with long speeches. We, a gathering of musicians and bards, shall now begin a small concert. I hope you enjoy it!”
—Clap, clap, clap.
A brief round of applause followed before the venue fell silent, and the performance began. Thump-thump. Thump-thump-thump. Ting. Ding-ding. Whooo! Small drums, lutes, harps, and flutes intertwined harmoniously without a single off note.
“The wind is the breath of adventure— it shall reach even the soul alongside our song—”
The bard at the front raised his clear, high voice, cutting through the instrumental sounds and captivating the audience. This isn’t a small concert—it’s a full-blown performance. His singing is really good.
I turned my head toward Lumia and saw her gently swaying to the rhythm. Her ears twitched cutely in time with her movements, a sight that fascinated me. Others reacted in their own ways—some raised their arms and waved, others closed their eyes in appreciation.
How many songs are they planning to play?
The performers alternated between lyrical and upbeat pieces, keeping the audience on an emotional rollercoaster.
“Leaving behind the ashen days— we shall march toward a brilliant tomorrow—!”
Diriring! Thud-thud!
“Waaaaah!!!”
“What a voice…”
“Thank you! Have a wonderful evening, everyone!”
Amid the resounding cheers, they offered their thanks and left the stage.
“…That was nice.”
It felt a bit dull from my perspective, but… well, if Lumia enjoyed it, that’s all that matters.
As the next act took the stage, a fresh wave of spectacles began to delight the eyes. Swish.
“Oh my. Oh my, how lovely. So romantic!”
“I never knew the human body could move with such grace and elegance.”
A mixed pair of dancers performed a beautiful routine themed around love. The muscular man who had sold us our tickets earlier now demonstrated genuine strength techniques on stage rather than mere peddling. “Uwaaah!! Mister! Make a rabbit! Make a rabbit shape too!” “Make a bear too!!”
A middle-aged mage specializing in the rare Mystery attribute scattered starlight into the air, creating luminous animal shapes in the sky. Unlike the other shows so far, his whimsical magic, aimed squarely at delighting children, left a particularly warm impression.
The Mystery school, huh… I hope I get the chance to meet a mage from that lineage someday.
“Aren. Um, thanks for the cat earlier.”
Hmm, that was when the kids were shouting for different shapes, right? The moment I heard Lumia’s soft whisper about the cat beside me, I swallowed my embarrassment and joined in, calling out for a cat as well. Having an adult man shout among the children drew stares and left me feeling awkward, but it was worth it if it made Lumia smile, even for a moment.
“I was happy to see you beam at that glowing cat. That’s enough for me.”
“…Eep.”
With the unexpected, adorable magic demonstration from the Mystery mage concluded, only one final show remained.
“What did I tell you? Skipping training for a day would be worth it, right? Now that you’ve seen everything, your mind must’ve changed completely, huh? Hahaha!”
“Hmm, you’re right, Philip. As a holy knight, I’ll maintain strict discipline, but I won’t push myself too hard from now on. Thanks to you, I’ve gained a precious realization.”
“Daddy! This birthday was the best ever… I love you!”
“Oh, my daughter! If it makes you this happy, I’d come a hundred, no, a thousand times more. They say the show changes every day, so let’s come again tomorrow while we’re at it!”
The night had grown dark. Before the final show, the audience took a moment to rest, sharing their impressions with family and friends. Just as I parted my lips to say something to Lumia—
Whoooosh—
A wind stirred across the empty stage, coalescing into a human shape. Flash! It was none other than the director of Lightitia, the one who had vanished after displaying dazzling magic before the show began.
“Well then! Did everyone enjoy themselves?”
Dressed in a luxurious tailcoat and silk hat, now holding a black cane he hadn’t carried earlier, the director addressed the crowd through an amplification spell.
“Yeees!!”
“It felt like a dream!!”
“It’s not over yet, right? Right? Medea hasn’t come out yet!!”
Tap. Resting his cane on the ground and raising one hand, he laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! Of course, that goes without saying. The final star who will close the circus’s grand finale has yet to appear, after all!”
“Medea!!! Medea!!!”
“Yeah, I was disappointed she hadn’t shown up yet!!”
The crowd murmured in anticipation.
“Now then. The noble lady from the distant Kingdom of Aspel, Lightitia’s one and only ace—the peerless beauty you’ve all been waiting for!”
…Just how extraordinary must this person be, to warrant such a dramatic introduction?
Crack! The director spread both arms wide and bellowed.
“Let us welcome— Medeia— right now—!”
Pop! Bang!
“Waaaaah!!!”
Click. Click. The sound of her heels striking the sand-mixed stone floor of the coliseum echoed sharply.
“…Whoa.”
“S-She’s insane.”
“Hmph… She’s so pretty I don’t even feel jealous. If I could live with a face like that for just one day, I’d have no regrets.”
Soft gasps of admiration rose from the surroundings as she approached, her light-blue hair swaying gently.
She’s pretty, sure… but the beauty of the century? So beautiful no one feels jealous? That’s a stretch. Maybe my standards have gotten too high.
Perhaps it was because everyone around me possessed exceptional looks, but I felt no particular excitement.
[Chaos remarks that humans tend to exaggerate far too much.]
You’re telling me. If Chaos showed up here, everyone would faint on the spot.
[Chaos puffs its cheeks, saying not to tease it with such jokes.]
Click. Step.
“Well then, Medea, I leave the final stage to you. …Hmm? Your complexion doesn’t look good. Did something happen before you came? Are you all right?”
“Of course! This is the moment I’ve been looking forward to, after all. Wow, there really are a lot of spectators. This must be worth a fortune.”
“Is that so? Well, if you say you’re fine, then I have nothing more to add. In that case, I won’t keep everyone waiting any longer. I’ll take my leave from the stage.”
The director seemed to have deactivated the amplification spell; the two exchanged a few words, but I couldn’t make them out. Curious. From spirit fusion and acrobatics that shattered boulders the size of houses, to sword dances wreathed in sword aura, concerts, dancers, and the Mystery mage’s demonstration—after all that, what else could possibly capture attention? It couldn’t be just her looks.
I’ve avoided checking the status window until now to avoid spoilers, but since it’s the last act, once should be fine. Let’s take a look.
The director had already departed via magic, leaving Medea alone as she adjusted her attire. I quietly observed her.
Crackle.
Mana □ization
Stigma of Evil □
One Language
Violet Sword Barrier
One Who Cast Off the Flesh
Puppet □ Technique
Body Domination
Tehelum’s Bridge
???
[Chaos is shocked.]
I wondered if I had misread and squeezed my eyes shut before opening them again. When I looked once more, the information displayed in the status window remained exactly the same.
“…”
“Aren, what’s wrong all of a sudden? Your expression looks strange. Is something bothering you?”
Lumia spoke to me after seeing my startled face, but I had no attention to spare for her at the moment.
No. Damn it, haa. We were all enjoying ourselves, and now this? What the hell is going on?
My head grew hot.
“Everyone! Are you ready to enjoy the finale—?!”
“Yeeees!!”
“Start! Start!”
Damn it. There’s no time to calmly weigh options. The gap between that thing and me was so vast I couldn’t even be sure a surprise attack would work. If I attacked without warning and it blocked me, it would be me who ended up cornered.
Then what—slip away quietly with just Lumia?
This fucking— Pull yourself together. Right. If someone else were in my position, they might say we should just escape and let the rest handle it, that as long as we survive it’s fine. Even without the two of us, if most of the people here died, someone capable of resolving it would be sent from outside. And even if that thing slaughtered everyone and escaped, it probably wouldn’t remember two people who had vanished early on.
Clench.
But… if I survived that way, could I ever live my life the same as before? No. That would be impossible.
If I have to rationalize and say “even rolling in a dung heap is better than dying” just to keep living, then I’d rather die right here.
Before dreaming of growing stronger and living well, I resolved to live without shame or regret toward myself.
Whoosh!
I decided the priority was to warn everyone immediately, regardless of the outcome, so that at least the children could escape.
“That’s not Medea!! It’s a vessel possessed by an evil god’s servant!!! There’s no time to explain—get the kids out first—!”
“Hehe.”
Before my shout even finished, Medea—no, Irmela—spread both arms wide. Her eyes gleamed with madness, shining inorganic and bright. Her once-smiling face twisted 180 degrees into a repulsive expression, as if she had been wearing a mask all along. She stood and stared directly at me as I shouted, her lips parting slightly.
Too late.
“Now then, shall we begin the final show?”
Whoosh!!!
With a terrifying surge of black smoke, a massive quantity of threads and tentacles erupted from behind Irmela.
***
Beep!
“Who the hell is calling at this hour? Ruining my drinking mood… Huh? It’s from an instructor-level contact.”
—Guildmaster. It’s an emergency! It’s my day off, so I was out with my family—no, forget that! Right now, at the theater in District 5, there’s an evil god-related incident! Please come quickly!
An evil god? Five years ago we wiped out the apostles and every last follower and slave, and things had been quiet since. Why now?
Flash—
She circulated her mana to dispel the alcohol and asked,
“What was that rumor again? They started doing some circus instead of gladiatorial matches yesterday. So there must be plenty of kids there besides adventurers?”
—Yes! A ton of them! I’m holding on as best I can—hup!—but please, save my family, Guildmaster!
“Got it. Just hold on a little longer.”
Beep.
“Hey! Chief Instructor!!!”
Crash!
“Yes! You called for me!”
She said while throwing on her coat,
“I’ll give you ten minutes. Gather everyone you can under your command. Evil god bastards have appeared in District 5. One of our instructors is caught up there with his family.”
“What?! But what the hell are those gate guard bastards doing, getting paid every month— Understood. I’ll assemble them immediately and have them on standby!”
“Tell them to be fully armed. We’re taking the warp gate.”
“Ugh, the warp fee is gonna hurt. Yes, ma’am!”
Haa.
She let out a sigh and began preparing her gear. Slide. Click.
“The city’s going to get noisy again. Sigh, looks like my sweet days of teaching the kids are over.”
Clatter.
“Things are usually fine, but whenever something this big happens, I start wanting to go back to Earth. Good. Sunglasses are perfect.”
Bang!
“Everyone’s assembled except for the usual slackers and the really injured ones! Let’s move!”
“Right. I’ll go ahead, so make sure the kids follow properly.”
Shaaang—!
She leapt out the window and sprinted at full speed. Her figure vanished in an instant, leaving only the sound of her passage. The signboard hanging at the building’s entrance swayed in the fierce wind she had stirred, and soon dozens of people began pouring out one after another.
Sword Guild.
She was the guildmaster of the Sword Guild.