The Freak Show Foreman

Back when she first joined, the relationship between the ringmaster and the troupe members wasn’t bad at all.

No, in fact, the troupe members rather liked their ringmaster.

"Everyone, we have a new member today! Miss Yurakne, please come forward!"

"Oh, hello? I’m Yurakne."

"Wow! The ringmaster did it! We finally have a female member!"

"Huh? Dunedol, we already have Ella, right?"

"The assistant ringmaster is just a little kid, hehe."

"Hehe, you’ll get in big trouble if Ella hears that, shh!"

The ringmaster was different from the people she had seen before. He didn’t fear or despise the monster troupe members. He always wore a friendly smile, and he treated them without hesitation, even throwing jokes their way.

"Ella, is the welcome cake ready yet?"

"Hey, you... you’ve been eating it for three days straight..."

"Oh, was that what he has been having for dessert every time?"

"...Pathetic."

Assistant ringmaster Ella seemed to find it annoying, but back then, she simply thought of her as someone who acted differently for her age.

"Ringmaster, would you like to join me for a meal and go to the market together?"

"Hehe, that sounds good."

Yurakne liked the ringmaster a bit more than the other troupe members. She had spent two years hiding in the woods after losing her husband. She had thought she had lost the ability to care for anyone else. But it seemed like there was still warmth in her heart that she could share with someone else.

"Ringmaster, could you watch me juggle?"

"Juggle? Well, you need to use all six arms to fully utilize them..."

"Ringmaster, I’m scared to go down to the village alone! Please come with me!"

"Hehe, I guess I can’t help it."

Yurakne made excuses after excuses to stay close to the ringmaster. You could say that a woman in her mid-twenties who had been married once could easily be considered clingy. (Sven actually said that.)

Still, she wanted to be honest with herself.

Frank Wonderstein.

She liked that man.

He had reopened her heart, which she had once closed.

She was happy when she was with him.

"Ahh!"

"Run!"

"It’s a devil! That guy is a devil!"

And then, while traveling together one month later.

She saw the real side of Wonderstein.

With every swing of his hand, people’s heads burst like balloons.

Flesh and blood rained down like a downpour.

In that hellish scene, Wonderstein was laughing.

With the same kind and bright smile as usual.

And in an unaffected tone, he said this.

"Isn’t it beautiful? The scene of human fireworks exploding..."

Was it after that day?

That the troupe members started avoiding the ringmaster?

"Oh, everyone. Have you finished your meal already?"

"Ah... I... um... Oh, I didn’t want to disturb the ringmaster, so..."

"Oh, yes, yes. I... I already ate first."

"...Is that so?"

And she felt the same way.

"Yurakne, we were supposed to go shopping together today, right?"

"Yes, we... I mean, I think I can go alone!"

"..."

"Well, it’s not that much..."

"...I see. Alright then."

Eventually, as this situation repeated, Ella took charge to sort things out.

"Do you think the members will treat you like they used to after seeing you like that?"

"Hehe, it must have been quite a shock."

"Anyway, if you plan to continue leading this circus, just leave it to me from now on."

"...Alright. I’ll do that."

Wonderstein nodded with a calm expression.

The same smile, the same tone of voice.

One might have expected him to show anger or disappointment to appear more human, but he behaved as usual, unaffected.

Now, his true nature was revealed.

A profoundly artificial smile.

A tone of voice so fake it sent shivers down one’s spine.

He was imitating human behavior.

"Just because I took care of you a little last night? It was not a big problem."

"It’s dark on the streets at night for a woman alone. I’ll go with you."

"I’m... the husband."

The devil’s sweet voice.

His smile was still beautiful, and his actions were overflowing with consideration.

And yet, something...

Something...

Had changed in him...

It was just a moment, but her heart was shaken.

She found herself embracing the devil’s embrace that she had always feared and avoided.

Thump, thump.

Her rapidly beating heart was not due to fear.

The heart she thought she had discarded was now throbbing.

Yurakne scolded herself.

Even though she knew his true nature, she felt so easily swayed.

Don’t trust his kindness.

Don’t let your guard down.

Don’t let your heart open.

"Herring is usually salted and brought up from the southern side. It’s mainly traded in large markets. It’s hard to find it fresh in small fish markets like this. You might find it easier if you go to the daytime fish market."

"Indeed, you’re knowledgeable I didn’t know that."

"Is that... so?"

We had talked about herring on the day we first went shopping. I gave the exact same answer I did then.

But you act like you’ve never heard it before.

Praising me mechanically.

A quite ordinary imitation of human behavior.

Your words.

Your smile.

It’s all just an act, isn’t it?

There’s no real emotion behind it.

Remember the knights who exploded like fireworks, the townspeople who turned into a single mass, and the fellow troupe member turned into a stone statue just because she cried too loudly.

He’s a devil.

Yurakne firmly grasped her loosening heart.

"Should I let go?"

She was still in his embrace, but her heartbeat had become so calm that it felt cold.

Is he feeling it too?

It was impossible to tell from his expression.

There was no change in his smile.

"Do as you wish, Yurakne."

What does the devil want?

To stay close or to let go.

While Yurakne hesitated for a moment, the packaging for the auctioned item was completed.

"Number 29! Number 29!"

It was the perfect timing.

"I’ll be back in a moment."

Yurakne naturally slipped out of the ringmaster’s embrace and approached the loading area.

The stevedore handed her money and exchanged a receipt.

The laborer handed her a basket filled with fish.

"No."

He tried to hand it to her.

"Oh, um? You...?"

The laborer’s mouth hung open.

His gaze was fixed on Yurakne.

When she saw his dilating pupils, it was already too late, and she had a bad feeling.

"Ahh! I-it’s a monster!"

He screamed and threw the basket, causing a commotion.

Could it be one of the people who had come to the circus?

People’s attention focused on them.

"I-it’s a monster! The monster has come to eat us!"

"Hey! What’s wrong with you?"

"Ugh, did this guy eat something bad?"

The laborer writhed on the ground as if he were hysterical.

Other laborers from the dock rushed over to calm him down.

On her part, she was trying to retreat due to his unusual behavior.

At that moment, the laborer raised his trembling hand and pointed at her.

"T-that woman is a monster!"

"Come on, calm down! What nonsense are you talking about?"

"No, really! It’s the Monster Circus that came to the fair today! The one who eats men... the spider woman! That’s right, the spider woman! She has six arms!"

People’s gaze shifted towards Yurakne.

Dark purple hair, a face that looked somewhat sad in some way, and an attractiveness that was regrettable because it couldn’t be examined closely right now. It was undeniable that she was a beauty.

At first glance, calling her a monster was not appropriate.

However, a few people who examined her face closely murmured.

"Come to think of it..."

"Doesn’t she look like her?"

There were quite a few people who had seen the performance during the day.

Although there were no bright red lips, no blood-red eye makeup flowing around her eyes, her beauty was not easily concealed.

Word spread among the laborers and some of the guests recognized her.

"How did the monster get here?"

"She said she was cursed, didn’t she?"

"She said she ate people."

"Is it okay for her to wander around like this?"

Amidst the murmurs, a hostile atmosphere began to spread throughout the marketplace.

The menacing sounds soon followed.

"Show yourself, monster!"

"You said she has six arms?"

"Why are you wandering around like this, cursed one?"

Threats, jeers, and mockery filled the market, making it noisy.

This was not the lair of monsters; they had more people on their side. Moreover, their opponent was not a menacing monster but a seemingly defenceless woman.

People could become much braver than usual in such situations.

"Hey, get out of here!"

It was a sudden attack.

Someone emerged from behind and grabbed Yurakne’s cloak.

Yurakne belatedly held onto her cloak, but it had already slipped down to her waist.

Flutter.

As her cloak slid down, her six arms, which had been crouching underneath, were revealed.

They were the slender, pale arms of a young woman.

She simply had a few more of them than others.

However, she was perceived as a monster by the people.

That’s the definition of a monster.

Being different from the norm.

"Ahh! She really has six arms!"

"She really was the spider woman! I didn’t see wrong!"

"It’s disgusting!"

"Ew, she looks so weird."

"Ugh, is that even a human?"

Contempt and disgust spread among the crowd.

Malicious mockery and scorn were directed at her.

Some expressed their disdain not only in words but also in actions.

"Disgusting monster! How many men did you seduce with that face?"

Whish, thud.

A pebble flew and hit her shoulder.

It didn’t hurt.

But it triggered her trauma.

The day she had been locked in a cage and pelted with stones.

"What bad luck brought you here?"

Shack, smack.

A small fish, no bigger than a hand’s palm, hit her chest.

This time, her body trembled slightly.

The lifeless eyes of the fish that had fallen to the ground looked at her.

Dark and eerie.

Hello? Are you alone like me?

There was no one around to support her.

Then, suddenly, a man crossed her mind.

Yurakne turned to look at him.

The spot she had vacated.

Amidst the crowd that had gathered, the man was standing there.

He remained still, without a hint of movement, despite the situation.

As if he was enjoying this spectacle.

Every time the crowd surged, his shadow also revealed its outline, then quickly hid, shaking roughly.

Through a briefly revealed gap of light.

His face briefly came into view.

Frank Wonderstein.

He was looking at himself...

And smiling.

Evil

Laughing