The Freak Show Foreman

In an age when airships roamed the skies, there was still a lack of affordable and large-scale means of transporting goods. Thanks to the development of steamships, even the remote inland areas were now accessible for the transportation of large quantities of cargo, with markets thriving around ports and harbors.

These markets of the era were not just places to buy and sell goods. Bards sang songs, jesters displayed their skills, and actors performed plays. People looked forward to visiting the market, wondering what new attractions awaited them each time.

In the small harbor town of Aksville, nestled along the Dragoneu River, there were only poor territories and small villages nearby. Therefore, compared to other markets, Aksville had fewer goods to offer and limited entertainment.

However, this time, intriguing news had spread around Aksville. The Monster Circus Troupe had arrived.

"Just the name gives me chills!"

"Don’t be ridiculous. Why would an interesting circus troupe come to Aksville?"

"Well, maybe this time it’s different. It’s called the Monster Circus Troupe, after all. They might not have been accepted anywhere else."

"Really? Should we go check it out?"

"Let’s see what kind of terrifying monsters they have."

Thanks to the anticipation surrounding the Monster Circus Troupe, Aksville was livelier than usual this weekend.

Restless residents.

Lovers out on a date.

Local kids sneaking around for a peek.

Nobles who had come seeking a new source of entertainment, and so on.

The square in front of the fairground was bustling with people filled with anticipation for the Monster Circus Troupe.

Ding, ding, ding.

The bells of the fairground rang out, announcing the start of the show precisely at 1 o’clock. Right on cue, the curtain at the entrance was drawn back, and two figures emerged from within.

One was a beautiful young girl dressed in a long, crimson costume with a black skirt, and the other was a jester with a mask and hood covering his head.

Among those scrutinizing their appearance, voices of disappointment were heard.

"They look ordinary."

"We heard it’s the Monster Circus Troupe, and I thought they’d have some unique monsters."

"Is there anything special inside?"

Despite the grumbling of the onlookers, the young girl remained unfazed. Instead, she smiled warmly and waved her hand.

Though she appeared young, her confident demeanor suggested she had considerable experience in performing.

The girl waited for the commotion to die down.

And then...

Ahem.

It was a small cough, but it instantly drew everyone’s attention to the girl.

She didn’t miss this moment.

Taking off her hat, she extended her arms and legs, and bent at the waist to greet the audience.

"Hello, everyone! I’m Ella, the trainer of the Monster Circus Troupe!"

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a lively tone that reached the ears of the audience. Even in front of hundreds of people, her voice remained steady.

Even those who had been making sarcastic remarks about her being a young child thought, "She’s quite confident for her age."

"Our circus troupe has brought some truly dangerous monsters from all over the world! Inside, please follow our guidance carefully. Otherwise... you might end up being eaten by the monsters! So, those who are prepared for that, please come on in!"

Although her words were chilling, they did not match the adorable girl’s voice. Some people even chuckled, seemingly not taking her warning seriously.

"What’s so special about these monsters?"

"Do they even have monsters?"

"Right! We paid money to get in, what if there’s nothing special?"

"Show us the monsters!"

Despite the crowd’s reaction, Ella simply smiled, turning around to face the tall jester standing beside her.

"Shall we show them, Sven?"

"Hehe, then we should show them."

The jester, known as Sven, stepped forward. He scanned the audience and singled out a man who seemed strong and full of himself, judging by his attire as a laborer at the fairground.

"Hey, you there, looks like you have some strength!"

"Did you call me?"

The man raised his biceps arrogantly, as if he had received a challenge.

Sven chuckled at his response.

"No, I was actually referring to your bearded wife next to you. You seem quite feeble."

"What did you say!"

Laughter erupted within the tent.

Of course, there was no wife or spouse next to the man. His burly comrade with a thick beard was the only one beside him.

Both the man and the burly man were embarrassed when the jester teased them about having a wife.

"Are you angry? Are you? Are you really? Huh? Are you going to hit me? Will you?

Try hitting me. Huh? Try it. Try it."

The jester hopped around the man, arms outstretched, playfully taunting him. His agile movements were those of a seasoned acrobat.

The audience clapped and cheered, even though they weren’t quite sure what was happening; the show had begun.

The dockworker, perhaps realizing that this was part of the circus’s act, soon calmed down and licked his lips. His well-trained muscles, accustomed to waterfront labor, tensed.

"It’s going to hurt a bit!"

He raised his fist, ready to strike the jester who had been teasing him.

However, the jester’s movements were lightning fast. He twisted his chest, dodging the man’s fist, and jerked his head comically.

"Why are you so mad, trying to impress your wife?"

Laughter erupted again.

"Well, um..."

The man, perhaps wounded in his pride, threw a more vigorous punch.

But the outcome of the second and third punches that followed was the same. Every time the man threw a punch, the jester bent his neck, twisted his waist, and bent his legs to avoid the attack.

His movements were so exaggerated that every time he dodged a punch, it elicited laughter.

However, even the most amusing act could become tiresome when repeated, and both the audience and the man throwing punches were starting to get tired.

That’s when something unexpected happened.

Thud.

The man’s fist landed squarely on the jester’s face.

The jester staggered, seemingly shocked by the impact.

"Is that even allowed?"

"He got punched while clowning around."

"It’s a ghost!"

People screamed, some crouched down, and others fled the scene. The square in front of the fairground turned into chaos in an instant.

This was because the jester’s head had actually fallen off.

The person most surprised was the laborer who had thrown the punch. He looked as if he might faint, his confidence completely gone. However, something even more shocking happened.

"Hey, could you pick up my head for me?"

The detached head was speaking!

The laborer looked puzzled.

Even the onlookers were stunned and took a step back. Clearly, the detached head was speaking!

"It doesn’t seem like you can do it, so I guess I’ll have to pick it up myself. Hot, hot, hot!"

And then, the body that had been left behind began to move on its own.

Was it puppetry?

No, it didn’t feel like someone was controlling it. The movements of the arms and legs were all natural.

Even if it were puppetry, it didn’t explain how the head was speaking on its own.

"Hey, body! Over here! Pick it up quickly!"

The body searched the ground, bumping into things along the way.

Maybe because it couldn’t see, it even hit a pillar.

The actions were exaggerated and comical, but no one was laughing.

It wasn’t funny; it was... eerie.

"Hot, hot, hot! It’s quite spicy, isn’t it? My head almost fell off!"

The jester exclaimed in a cheerful voice.

However, the atmosphere inside the tent was chilling.

No one had any idea what this bizarre magic was all about.

The jester’s body lifted the head and continued with its antics.

"Oops! My hand slipped!"

To anyone watching, it seemed like a deliberate act of clumsiness.

Then, the head emerged from between the mask and hood.

Inside, instead of blood and flesh as one might expect from a severed head, there was only...

A hollow skull.

And then...

"Ha, ha, ha! I’m sorry I couldn’t show my face without makeup!"

With an empty skull, devoid of muscles or eyeballs, the jester cackled with laughter.

...!!

A storm of emotions swept through the audience.

Astonishment, fear, and curiosity had their time and passed.

After a momentary pause, the time of excitement arrived.

"Hey! Why are you cutting in front of people there?"

"I was originally standing in this line!"

"Make way!"

"Hey! Let’s observe proper etiquette!"

People pushed and shouted at each other, eager to get in.

After seeing a living skeleton, they had set aside all their suspicions about the circus.

Even now, at the entrance of the circus, the skull jester was juggling with his own head, captivating the audience’s attention.

"Hehehe! I’m the talking one! I’m not a match for the terrifying monsters inside! A little push, and everything collapses! So that’s why I’m entertaining the guests from outside!"

Sven’s antics further excited the crowd.

Was there something even more bizarre than a living skeleton?

What kind of monsters could they be?

"Hey, humans! Over here! In line!"

"One at a time! Enter! One at a time!"

Inside the tent, the stagehands came out to organize the scene.

The squeaky rat-men were employed as laborers in the circus.

In this world, they could always be found in the most bottom-tier jobs, working hard and in dirty places.

So, all the first-row spectators lined up.

"Alright then, let’s proceed!"

The girl who had introduced herself as the monster tamer led the way, guiding the audience.

No one looked down on her because of her young appearance, just as they had earlier.

Sven’s show had left a lasting impression.

As they were about to cross the entrance again, another "show" prepared by the circus was triggered.

Thud!

It was as if a rock had fallen, shaking the ground.

What, what was that?

Did a cannonball fly in?

People were startled and couldn’t move as a deafening roar echoed from inside the tent.

"Kroooooo!"

It sounded like the roar of a furious beast, even lower and more menacing.

The air trembled, and people felt a chill down their spines, their arms covered in goosebumps.

Some staggered, their legs trembling, and sat down on the ground.

The circus girl looked serious and whispered softly to the audience.

"Our circus’s most wicked creature, the ’Red Vampire,’ seems to have caught the scent of humans and is getting excited. This might be more dangerous than usual, but are you still willing to enter?"

The Red Vampire.

Just hearing the name conjured up all sorts of horrifying images.

Frozen in fear, no one said a word. But from inside, the sound of a loud pounding was heard several more times.

"Is, is there something wrong?"

"Th-this is just... a performance..."

"They must be well-trained. They must be."

"Don’t say it so lightly. It’s common for acrobats to put their heads in a lion’s mouth and end up dead."

"I, I’m going! Damn it! Does a man die just once or twice!"

People lined up once more.

They followed Ella, their movements somewhat hesitant.

Looking back at them, Ella clenched her fists tightly.

"Maximum effect! Well done, Womon."

Inside the tent.

Several booths formed a circle, surrounding the courtyard. Each booth had curtains drawn, creating an air of mystery. In the largest booth, the sound of a beast’s cry echoed ominously, causing people to stay at a distance. They feared that even a single hand might reach through the curtains and snatch them.

Despite the audience’s curiosity, Ella pretended not to notice the commotion. After all, Womon was the circus’s ace, and she had no intention of revealing him at this moment. She knew that the best acts came last.

She stood in front of the leftmost booth and addressed the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, please pay attention over here! The first monster we are about to introduce is arguably the most dangerous in the entire circus. Even more so than the vampire trapped over there."

As the sound of chains being pulled emanated from the iron bars, the vampire growled lowly, as if questioning how there could be anything more dangerous than itself.

More dangerous than that monster?

Can we still leave now?

Doubts filled the minds of the people who had entered.

"The man carrying the world’s deadliest disease on his body! Introducing..."

When Ella gave the signal, the stagehands lowered the curtains. "The Bandaged Man!"

Inside a glass-walled rectangular chamber, a man sat on the floor, completely covered in bandages.

"What is this?"

"Looks like writing..."

Red letters, whether paint or blood, were scribbled all over the glass surface. Those with scholarly knowledge recognized them as ancient imperial scriptures.

"Spreading like a devil... Save those afflicted with the deadliest disease... with holy and pure water..."

Those who understood the words were astonished and exclaimed, "It’s from the Bible! Bible verses!"

"It’s the Secretary of Saint Victor!"

The writings on the glass were all passages from the Secretary of Saint Victor. Saint Victor was a priest renowned for his efforts in combating the black plague with his vast knowledge of medicine and healing. Not only did he save countless lives with his exceptional medical skills, but he also defeated the demon known as the Plague Lord with his unwavering faith.

When the plague spread, it was common practice to place amulets with his writings all around the house. But now, there was a monster confined within those same writings.

What could this mean?

The Bandaged Man was, in fact, a person afflicted with a terrifying disease.

Ella leaned in, as if sharing a crucial secret. "He’s the sole survivor of a small coastal city in the Neva Desert, a place wiped out by this deadly disease."

Despite their curiosity, the audience took a step back. Even with the seal of the Bible, the presence of the disease was unsettling.

The girl smiled as if encouraging such curiosity and approached the glass wall without hesitation.

Then, she playfully pounded the wall with her fist. "Hey, Bandaged Man! Wake up! You owe me lunch!"

At Ella’s command, the man lifted his head from between his knees. The long bandages unravelled and revealed the man’s skin, which seemed to have suffered severe burns. His skin was covered in blisters, and blackish pus oozed from them. His eyelids had already melted away, exposing round eyeballs.

His scalp was cracked like a parched field, and the few remaining strands of hair resembled weeds in a barren wasteland.

With gums that looked like dried-up riverbeds and decayed teeth on display, he grinned, causing the onlookers to shudder.

"What a horrifying sight, something out of a nightmare."

"Is that a disease? No, it’s a curse! A curse!"

The crowd’s comments grew more ominous, but the man seemed to pretend to listen, though he had no ears. His twisted holes were the only evidence of where they had once been. And from one of those holes, a maggot quickly crawled out.

"Ew! I can’t watch this! Please, make it stop!"

"Enough! Next! Next!"

"These monstrous creatures are like cursed offspring!"

The curtains closed.

Sweating profusely, the audience members took deep breaths. They exchanged opinions about what they had just seen.

Ella gave them a moment to catch their breath and then went on to introduce the next members of the monstrous troupe: the spider woman, the triple-headed triplets, the cursed fairy, and even the Red Vampire, known as the worst of the circus.

Although it had lasted only twenty minutes, the audience left the tent feeling dizzy and exhilarated.

There were many latecomers clamoring to be let in.

It was a resounding success!

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