Stepping down from the carriage, Ella felt like she had returned to Wonderland.
The streets were bustling with festival atmosphere, filled with people wearing loud masks.
While they had been practicing in seclusion for nearly two weeks, Yeterinpuurk had completely transford into Halloween colours.
As she observed the bustling streets filled with all sorts of monsters and fairies, she muttered to herself.
“It’s a bit less noisy here.”
Reyna, who was standing beside her, nodded in agreent, seeming to acknowledge Ella’s observation that was sowhat detached from reality.
They hadn’t had a peaceful rest for the past few days.
Journalists had sward outside their lodging due to the incident they were covering.
“Can you say sothing, please?”
“Why aren’t you coming out? Didn’t you take great photos when entering the factory?”
“Explain yourselves, you swindlers!”
While they wondered if rumours could spread this quickly, in fact, negative sentints had been accumulating since two weeks ago.
The controversy over whether this was real or fake had been brewing, and it erupted all at once.
In the newspapers, they were mockingly referred to as “Frank 10.”
Frank was a genre of cody where fake situations are created to deceive actors.
It typically involved putting magicians or acrobats on stage and sabotaging their tricks or equipnt, leading them to awkwardly fail in their performances.
If those involved in Frank 10 were ordinary mbers, they might have been able to brush it off as individual mishaps.
But with directors also implicated, there was no such excuse.
The entire circus troupe beca a laughingstock in the industry.
The reporters were clamouring at every corner leading to the villa.
Sven, eager to take matters into his own hands, offered to “persuade” them to leave.
His inspiration, the “Clown’s Falsehood” had a weak effect of inducing mild hypnosis on non-mbers.
However, Wonderstein intervened to stop him.
Sven’s abilities weren’t that strong, and the uncertainty of how long the hypnosis would last, as well as the aftermath once it wore off, posed a problem.
Journalists in their right minds could retaliate with vindictive articles.
But the notoriety was already enough.
False statents were circulating as if they were true, and even the truth was being twisted.
Sotis it was the workshop, sotis the sponsors, but the main criticism was aid at the 10 involved in the performance.
As ntioned earlier, while outside opinions turned hostile amid the controversy over the authenticity of Fantasy 13, they remained silent and focused solely on their performance.
The Directors took as much responsibility as promised.
But for soone in their position, there were forces around that moved against them regardless of their will.
The local dia, with their strong ties, spread the logic that it was all the fault of the old, blind Directors, who couldn’t possibly recognize the script, and blad it all on the jester characters who had been fooling around.
In particular, Simon, who was staying at the Director’s villa, beca the main target.
His photos, taken all around the city as part of his publicity efforts, were abundant in the articles.
While the Director Simon was the main target among the directors, among the five acrobats, Ella beca the pri target for the dia.
Considered the leading among the five acrobats, she beca the centre of attention due to her proactive nature during interviews, unlike Reyna, who was taciturn and sowhat ‘boring.’
The dia depicted her rise to fa from obscurity as a result of her standout performance during the entrance exam.
The interview published in the circus magazine beca problematic.
There, she had stated that she liked Christian the most.
She had even perford impromptu on-demand performances.
Now, these were being used against her.
Wonderstein had lived in the ruthless internet broadcasting industry for years.
He had faced ridicule and criticism far beyond what today’s dia could compare to.
His talent was often mocked, and his disability was frequently ridiculed.
So of the people who went so far as to curse him were fellow disabled people, even though they were in a better position than him.
Despite being in a worse situation compared to them, they didn’t see his character as pathetic or depressing, but rather lively and spirited.
He had suffered many wounds and even ntal disabilities.
Because of this, he understood Ella’s situation better than anyone else.
Despite the malicious attacks from the dia, she remained lively in front of the troupe.
Behind that, how many scars did she truly bear?
That’s why he suggested she go out.
“Ella, how about going out tomorrow with the mbers?”
“What? In this situation? Besides, there’s an exam briefing the day after tomorrow…”
Ella murmured with a lack of confidence in her voice.
“That’s exactly why there’s only tomorrow for leisure. It’s ti to take a break from physical training anyway.”
At his words, she glanced out the window awkwardly.
“But, what if I go out for no reason and end up in trouble again….”
“They won’t recognize you if you disguise yourself. Director Arno said he would help you get out.”
Ella couldn’t deny that she was scared.
It was the first ti in her life.
Being afraid to stand in front of people.
Until now, she had been confident in everything.
She could confidently face anything, regardless of what others said, because she believed she was right.
But for the first ti, when she thought she was ‘wrong,’ her armor of confidence shattered.
And she was exposed to the criticisms of the world.
Wonderstein raised his arm, seemingly understanding her inner thoughts, and comforted her with a pat.
“It’s tough, isn’t it? I understand well what it feels like to face criticism when things don’t go as intended. But if you stay locked up here, you’ll only feel more depressed and miserable. Ella, I’ve even been picking up the newspapers you were supposed to throw away and reading them secretly at night.”
“That, that’s… still, I need to check….”
Wonderstein nodded as if he understood her feelings.
“Don’t worry and try going out tomorrow. Forget about work and just have fun.”
Ella’s face turned red as she received his embrace.
She had always been the one to approach actively since she lost her mory.
He had always just accepted her passively, even stepping back if she got too close.
He even didn’t outright reject her confession two months ago.
But now, he was the one to approach her first, understanding her feelings and comforting her.
Feeling her courage rising, she nodded.
“Yeah.”
And the next day, as Ella went out, she felt infinite gratitude towards him.
“Fantastic, isn’t it?”
She looked around.
The laughter of people and cheerful music made her heart beat faster.
The vibrant energy of the festival swept away the clouds that had been hanging over her mind for days.
When her mories returned, she would be sure, but for now, she could be certain.
He who cared for her like this could never be a bad person.
Her trust in him grew even more through this experience.
It showed how misunderstanding and prejudice could corner a person.
“Hey, Ella! You made it out alive!”
“Your face looked like you were going to die!”
“Let’s have a blast today and then go back in!”
Today, the ones guiding them were the Triare brothers and Womon.
During the ten days they were with the aristocrat, the monster mbers road the city enjoying the festival.
So when they suggested going out today, everyone seed tired.
Only Triare brothers and Womon followed along.
“If we go this way, there’s a street circus challenge set up by small circus troupes from the Imperial West. It’s unique because there are many talents you’ve never seen before. And this way is a puppet show by gypsies……”
Ella looked suspiciously at Womon, who seed to know the festival program too well.
“Did you train properly while we were gone? You seem to know too much.”
Triare brothers thumped their chests as if unfairly accused.
“See, didn’t I say? Deputy Director always turns out like this.”
“Yeah yeah. We just ca out to have so fun!”
“That’s right! Ella’s got training mania! If only Reyna ca back……”
“What?”
Ella glanced at Womon, and the Triare brothers giggled and teased each other.
Reyna, who was standing next to them, smiled quietly, but no one saw her laugh.
It was because of the mask she was wearing.
“When are you going to take off that mask? I might forget what your face looks like.”
Ella teased the mask of ‘Weeping wonn’ which Reyna was wearing.
Then, after a mont, Reyna replied stubbornly.
“It was a gift from father.”
“Why are you suddenly getting close?”
Knowing the relationship between Simon and her, Ella shook her head as if she couldn’t understand Reyna’s attitude.
Not wanting to talk more about the mask, she changed the subject.
“But your Halloween costu, is it that guy we saw in Wonderland?”
“Oh, this? Hehe, just tried to mimic him once!”
Ella looked down at her own clothes.
Instead of the Halloween costu she had originally tailored from a tailor after returning from Wonderland, she had made new clothes and put them on.
Made roughly with materials from the mansion, it didn’t have much appeal, but that’s why it had a more scarecrow-like charm.
“Co on, let’s go, Elphi!”
Ella imitated his voice perfectly, even mimicking his hesitant gait.
Reyna, who hadn’t been inclined to laugh at the ridiculous sight, burst into laughter, finding it hilarious.
“It’s definitely better outside.”
Reyna thought she had made the right decision to accept Wonderstein’s proposal.
Of course, there was another reason why she didn’t want to be in the sa space as ‘father’.
They arrived at the eting point they had arranged with Ruelle.
There stood a young girl dressed as a chick and a young man dressed as a goose, holding hands.
Ella looked at Lord Dosvile with a complicated expression.
Although she had heard about him before, seeing him like this made her nervous.
As she hesitated, Womon recognized him and slapped his palm.
“That tomato-throwing old guy from back then!”
Dosvile frowned at his words, flapping his wings.
“Wonderstein circus mber, huh. But ‘old guy’? Hey, monster brother, I’m in my twenties.”
“Hehe, then you’re a guy. And why ‘brother’? I’m ten years old.”
“What?”
Then, Triare also recognized him belatedly and interjected.
“The guy who dragged those delinquents and got into a fight, right?”
“Yeah. They even tried to fra our director before that.”
“This rascal, what brings you here?”
“These damn monsters… I knew they’d co! This little devil…”
As the n raised their voices and bickered, Reyna and Ella greeted Ruelle.
They hadn’t seen each other for just a few days, but they were very happy to see each other’s faces.
Perhaps it was because they shared the sa experience.
“I want to see Reyna unnie’s face, but…”
“Not now. I’ll show you later.”
Although Ruelle looked disappointed, it couldn’t be helped.
Since returning from Wonderland, Reyna hadn’t been able to take off this mask even once.
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Chapter 247: Lekachep Circus School Exam – 1
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