The Circus

"Everyone, get in," Eunice called out, standing by the hearse and gesturing for them to climb aboard. As Mina, Lunt, Chris, and Sarah each boarded, Eunice offered them a steadying hand. "Thank you, Miss." "Thank you, Miss." Eunice climbed into the hearse as well, closed the door, pulled the latch shut, and looked for a place to sit. She found that the four children completely filled one bench, leaving the entire opposite row to her. "Isn't it a bit cramped over there?" In unison, the children piped up, "No, Miss, we don't mind the squeeze at all." "Then would one of you like to sit over here with me?" Silence. Even Mina, usually the most sensible of the bunch, appeared uncharacteristically shy right now. After all, how was one supposed to feel when one's math teacher suddenly became one's prospective sister-in-law? Naturally, it was embarrassment heaped upon embarrassment—none of the bold momentum she had displayed earlier when cheering her brother on remained. "Alright then." Eunice had no choice but to sit alone on the opposite bench. In the rectangular recessed well before her lay a barbecue grill, charcoal, skewered vegetables, and various meats that had been marinated the night before. Karen got into the driver's seat. As he started the engine, he glanced into the rearview mirror and said, "Mina, go sit with your sister." Mina blinked, resigning herself with a smile. "Okay, Brother. Coming, Miss." Eunice reached out and helped Mina step across. Once Mina was seated beside her, Eunice took her little hand into her own. Mina wore the kind of smile one put on when going up to the stage to receive an award—elegant, demure, and rather stiff. Sitting opposite them, Lunt, Chris, and Sarah wore expressions of pure schadenfreude. "Everyone sit tight and don't fool around. If you need anything, tell me first. Understood?" "Understood, Brother." "Understood, Karen." Karen set the hearse into motion, headed for a farm in the suburbs. During Madam Jenny's last visit to their home, things seemed to have gone very smoothly with Diss. In any case, after emerging from the study, Madam Jenny's warmth toward him had clearly ascended to an entirely new level. Karen even suspected that if he had held Eunice's hand that day and said, *It's late and raining, why don't you spend the night?* Madam Jenny would very likely have agreed. Though Karen could hardly picture Diss engaging in a "harmonious" and "warm" conversation, the result had been extraordinarily effective. Moreover, Karen knew that the day of his departure for Wien was drawing closer, and what he would miss most was his family. Thus, during these days, he went out of his way to make lunch as varied and lavish as possible, and patiently taught his aunt and aunt-in-law the secrets of Chinese cooking. As for his younger cousins who had school on weekdays, Karen chose to take them out for a weekend barbecue. If they were destined to be separated for a time, at least they could leave behind more cherished memories. Still, Karen felt the separation would not last too long. Diss currently had a very important matter to handle, one whose aftershocks would be immense, but Karen believed Diss was fully capable of handling it. Because... he was Diss. Furthermore, Diss had given him a choice: either remain at home forever as an ordinary person, or be granted the chance to breathe the free air outside. Thus, his family would likely be able to continue living peacefully in Rojia City, while he himself, once in Wien, could begin exploring the "taboos" belonging to his grandfather that had been off-limits at home. In truth, Karen was well aware that although he had always considered himself an ordinary person, the special abilities manifesting in him were an objective reality. In Purr's words, this was the manifestation of an evil god's power. Yet Karen firmly believed he did not have half a lubi's worth of connection to those "deities." As for this ability to make the dead sit up, did it signify some sort of... talent? A surplus of talent resulting from his "special experience"? Purr had once voiced a hypothesis that it immediately dismissed: unless he was fundamentally someone who had returned from the dead and was inherently gifted with "empathy" toward the deceased. Furthermore, the early mythological summaries of the Church of Order recorded that the God of Light had awakened the God of Order. Even though the current edition of *Light of Order* had undergone revisions that cut the God of Light's role, it still retained the record that the God of Order had "awakened." The God of Order had no childhood, unlike other true gods who had tales of their youth. It was as though he had suddenly arrived in this world, occupying an exalted pinnacle from the very moment he appeared. The Church of Order was founded by the God of Order. After more than an epoch of development, it had undoubtedly been expanded, enriched, and refined, yet the benchmark ability of an Inquisitor remained the "Awakening" of a corpse. One could also say that the foundational lineage of the spells within the Church of Order's faith had inevitably been personally established and left behind by the God of Order, perfectly suited to the God of Order's own abilities. "Chosen one," "child of destiny," "descent of an evil god"— Karen rejected all of it. He was still an ordinary person. Merely one who very likely shared some similarity with the God of Order in a certain aspect, and was thus more attuned to the faith system of the Church of Order. To embark on this path, the threshold was purification. In Rojia City, in the Inmerlais home, he would never have that opportunity, nor would Diss ever give it to him. Go to Wien. Only upon reaching Wien could he truly come into contact with and step into the true wonders of this world. "There's water in the bag," Karen reminded them. "If any of you are thirsty, help yourselves. There's juice, too." "Is anyone thirsty?" Eunice asked on his behalf. The children all shook their heads. As the hearse drove into the suburbs, the road conditions deteriorated. Fortunately, the interior was spacious, and after days of relentless rain, the clear sky was a rare treat. Not only was the air crisp and refreshing, but the world outside looked as though it had just been washed clean, bringing a comfortable sense of ease. "There's a circus over there!" Lunt shouted. Karen glanced over. A large circus tent stood erected in the distance, surrounded by many smaller tents, though the two were likely unrelated. A circus performance set to begin here was bound to draw huge crowds, so small vendors flocked over to do business as well, especially small groups of Chasets, who loved following the crowds. After all, their community's three main professions—fortune-telling, thievery, and prostitution—could only find suitable clientele where people gathered in large numbers. "Looks like they haven't finished setting up yet. Even if there's a show, it'll probably be tonight. We can come take a look this evening," Karen said. "Awesome!" Lunt cheered, pumping his fist, and Mina and the others beamed with excitement. Children had never been able to resist circus performances. The picnic spot Karen had chosen was only five or six kilometers from the circus grounds, nestled beside a small river. Though it was winter, the scenery was still quite picturesque. Unlike the suburbs in other directions, which were cordoned off by numerous factories, the outskirts here trended toward future residential expansion, and many of Rojia City's wealthy families had built manors in the area. Alfred had long been waiting there. Strictly speaking, this land belonged to a baron's private estate. Although it remained undeveloped, one still had to give advance notice before visiting for leisure. Furthermore, to ensure his young master could enjoy himself in peace, Alfred had come ahead of time to clear the grounds. Karen pulled over by the roadside. After glancing at the narrow path, he drove a bit farther down the slope to leave the way clear. Beside Alfred stood a middle-aged man holding the reins of a horse. Short of stature, his face nevertheless bore an air of haughty disdain: "Alfred, this friend of yours certainly drives a high-class ride. If my eyes don't deceive me, that's a hearse, isn't it? "Hahaha! "Did he bring a bunch of corpses out for a picnic? How fascinating!" "Hahaha!" Alfred laughed along with him. Then, he reached out, grabbed the man by the hair, and shoved down forcefully, plunging the man's face directly into a fresh pile of dung his beloved bay horse had just dropped. "Listen to me. He is my master. I don't want to spoil my master's mood today, or I would twist your head off and throw it straight into this river to feed the fish. "Don't forget who paid off your family's debts, and who pulled the strings to get a financial fraudster like you released from prison. "I can prop you up to look like a respectable gentleman, and I can just as easily turn you right back into a dog!" With that, Alfred released his grip, walked down to the riverbank, pulled out a bar of soap, and began meticulously washing his hands. The baron raised his head, staring at Alfred in sheer dread. "Get lost!" "Yes, right away, right away!" The baron scrambled onto his horse and galloped off. Karen walked over and asked, "What happened?" Alfred replied, "He said Miss Eunice is very beautiful." "Hm? Isn't that the truth?" "It is indeed the truth, but he has no right to say such a thing in front of me. You and the lady by your side are absolute, sacred, and magnificent beings in my heart. I will never tolerate the slightest profanation." "Heh." Karen turned and waved for Eunice to bring the children over. The barbecue grill was set up, and the charcoal was already glowing. Taking Karen's place, Alfred grilled the skewers while Mina, Lunt, and the others crowded around him, waiting to eat. Karen and Eunice sat a short distance away on a gentle slope, where they could watch the sparkling sunlight dance across the river. "Is your estate's yard like this as well?" Karen asked. "Yes, just as beautiful as here." "And the buildings?" "A four-story main residence where the family and servants live. To the east is a theater hall, and to the west is an old castle—an ancestral manor that remains unoccupied except during sacrificial ceremonies." "A theater hall too?" "Yes. My father told me that a century ago, a grandaunt loved watching operas but disliked traveling into town to the opera house, so she had a theater built right on the estate, hiring opera troupes to come and perform exclusively for her." "How extravagant," Karen remarked. Could that grandaunt have been Purr? Seeing how it insisted on pairing a cup of coffee with squirrel mandarin fish even after turning into a cat, it certainly was the type of person who would do something like that. "Yes, but although it's still cleaned, I rarely remember it ever being used." "Mm." Karen leaned back slightly, propping his weight on his hands behind him to make himself more comfortable. "I've never lived in such a large house. I'm actually looking forward to it." "Honestly, one only sleeps in a single bedroom anyway, so whether the house is big or small makes little difference. "Later on, once you grow tired of living there, we can move into York City, or move back to Ruilan, or even live on Mink Street again. "We're still young now, but in the future, we'll be free to make our own decisions, won't we?" The mandate given by her grandfather, father, and mother was for her to return to Wien with Karen. This was something Eunice could not change, and Karen had accepted it. Yet Eunice knew that for a man to move into his wife's family home, there would inevitably be some lingering resentment or awkwardness in his heart. Unable to alter the arrangement, she could only offer comfort. When dating, one ought to present oneself neatly and, without resorting to deception, showcase one's best side—even with a slight touch of theatrical flair—much like a gorilla grabbing two fistfuls of dry leaves, hooting, and beating its chest during courtship. Once the relationship was established, however, it was time to gradually unveil one's true colors: fondness for good food, love of play, a penchant for penny-pinching, or spending money on a whim—and of course, being lustful wasn't considered a flaw. For instance, when Karen proposed this picnic, he drove out in the hearse because, with so many people, other vehicles were inconvenient, while the hearse fit everyone comfortably with room to spare. He didn't mind displaying his "hearse complex" before Eunice. His family ran a funeral parlor, which might seem unpresentable before true "nobility," but there was truly no need to hide it. Nor did he mind expressing his longing to live in a "grand manor" in front of Eunice. Across two lifetimes, he genuinely had never lived in one, and he truly wanted to experience it. The period between establishing a relationship and marriage was a phase of emotional adjustment—a time to reveal one's authentic self as much as possible to see if the other person could adapt and tolerate it. Naturally, this wasn't about giving up entirely; if an existing flaw proved unbearable, one could always add a promise to "change it later." Otherwise, constantly hiding, concealing, and keeping up airs would cause massive problems after marriage once the facade cracked without any buffer. Conversely, even if one managed to maintain the act forever, married life would never be comfortable. Fortunately, Eunice had none of the obnoxious flaws typical of a pampered lady. She was intelligent—remarkably intelligent. Though somewhat green in romance due to a lack of past experience, she learned swiftly. At times, Karen—a master of pacing—could clearly sense Eunice consciously synchronizing with his rhythm. Their courtship felt like a top-tier player and a seasoned coquette dancing a tango under the spotlight. Only, neither had ever had the chance to accumulate a toxic past. "In this life, one ought to experience everything worth experiencing." Karen looked at Eunice. "Do you have any plans for the future?" "Now?" "I mean, if I hadn't appeared, what were your original plans?" "But you have appeared," Eunice said. This was no declaration of love. Karen understood the meaning behind her words: even if it hadn't been him, it would have been someone else. But saying that outright would easily ruin the mood. Although both of them were pawns in an arranged marriage, they had tacitly maintained the pretense that it was fate. Eunice's father had not been the eldest son, nor was he originally the first in line of succession to become family head. That had allowed him to pursue a romance of his own choosing, marrying Madam Jenny, a woman outside their circle. Yet following certain misfortunes, his two older brothers were unable to inherit the position, and Eunice's father had become the head of the family. By Eunice's generation, freedom in marriage was no longer an option. "What about other plans? Hobbies and interests?" Karen asked. "In the arts? Travel, painting, things like that?" "If it's those things, it's not as though I can't pursue them in the future, right? Besides, I think life becomes exhausting if you place too much weight on fixed goals." Karen smiled faintly. "You really are open-minded." "What about you, Karen? What did you originally want to do?" Eunice added with a laugh, "Before meeting me, that is." Karen grew pensive. In his previous life, ever since reaching adulthood, he had worked diligently through his studies and thrown himself into entrepreneurship after graduation. His life had been like a gear, constantly forcing itself to spin without rest. Tiring as it was, he hadn't considered it suffering, for turning oneself like a cog in a machine could produce a distinct sense of satisfaction. In this life, however... "I originally thought I'd go to college, pick a major, and after graduating, find a respectable job with decent pay. I'd build up some savings, make a few investments, and achieve financial freedom for my modest needs." "And after that?" "After that... I hadn't thought that far ahead." "Shouldn't it be finding a girlfriend you love and building a happy family?" Karen hesitated, then shook his head. "Never thought about it?" Eunice looked at him curiously. "When my two brothers were in school, their favorite topic at home was discussing what kind of sister-in-law they would bring me one day." "I really haven't. Perhaps I'm not yet at the age your brothers were back then?" Resting her chin on her hand, Eunice murmured, "Yet I feel it might be because your psychological age is far too old?" Karen changed the subject at once: "Oh? Do you enjoy studying psychology too?" "I've read a few books on the subject, though I wouldn't call it serious study. But I find observing and analyzing people fascinating—observing you, for example." "Observing me? Any conclusions?" "The conclusion is, I feel you saw right through me long ago." "Hahaha..." Both of them broke into laughter. Mina stood up with a handful of skewers and started walking toward her brother. Still laughing, Karen naturally reached out to stroke Eunice's hair, and Eunice just as naturally rested her head on Karen's lap. Holding the handful of skewers, Mina turned right around and walked back. The two remained in that posture, still and quiet for a long time. ... At dusk, the hearse pulled up outside the circus encampment. A large crowd had gathered, but fortunately, the open surroundings offered plenty of parking space. After stepping out, Karen led everyone toward the circus's main tent. Along the way, numerous vendors hawked an assortment of goods. Alfred brought up the rear, preventing the children from being separated in the crowd. Outside a small Chaset tent, a husband was peddling fortune-telling paraphernalia, bearing a sign declaring them sacred relics blessed by a high priest of such-and-such religion. Business was sluggish, so his eyes constantly scanned the crowd ahead, searching for a careless target whose wallet he might lift. Unfortunately, perhaps because his fellow clansmen had plied their trade too aggressively at similar events in recent years, the visitors arriving for the circus remained vigilant despite the smiles on their faces. Fortunately, however, his wife inside the tent had already taken a customer. Inside the small tent: "Just stand there and don't move. I only want to lie down for a while." "Very well, guest. You truly are kind," the woman said with a smile, holding the lubi in her hand. "Are you looking for the feeling of home?" "I'm looking for the feeling of my childhood," Rasma replied. "Then that is the feeling of home," the woman insisted. "Yes, quite right." Rasma nodded, a smile touching his face. "My mother did the same work as you. She raised me when I was young on what she earned from it." Silently, the woman placed a banknote back beside Rasma's head. "What is this?" Rasma asked. "A guest returning home naturally gets a discount. Shh, don't let my husband know. Though it doesn't matter much anyway—you gave far too much to begin with, so he won't be able to tell." "It was because I had no father," Rasma said. If his father hadn't succumbed to illness when he was still swaddled in infancy, his mother would never have had to struggle so bitterly to raise him. The woman licked her lips, leaned close to Rasma's ear, and whispered, "Honestly, I rather wish I didn't have a husband either." "Heh heh heh, does that count as a prayer?" The woman shrugged with a chuckle. "Would God hear it?" Rasma replied, "He will." With that, Rasma closed his eyes, resting his hands over his abdomen. Seeing this, the woman shifted away, leaving this "wayfarer" to rest in peace. Rasma's world turned ash-white once more. "Hm? "Tsk, tsk, tsk. A little aberrant demon with a Succubus Eye. His eyes would make a fine pendant if gouged out. "Eh? "Not just him, either. "Heh heh. "The owner of this circus is actually a beguiling aberrant demon." "Why are you taking so long? Isn't it over yet? Overtime costs extra!" The husband pulled back the curtain and stepped into the tent. Rasma slowly sat up. Smiling faintly, he said, "It's over." The husband collapsed to the ground, dead.