The Freak Show Foreman

Telekinesis and defensive barriers.

Pure magical skills that didn’t require mysticism.

With enough preparation, she had confidence that she could go head-to-head even with knights without being pushed back.

And Ella was also no ordinary girl.

When it came to physical abilities, acrobatics, and perceptiveness, she was so outstanding that it was hard to find peers who could match her.

The posture she was currently assuming might just look like she was standing awkwardly to an outsider, but it contained the secrets of a technique called "Lightning Hoop" in earth bending. If Maya were to use magic, Ella was ready to leap forward and deliver a mid-air somersault kick to her chin.

The two of them continued to escalate the tension between them.

The other members surrounding them couldn’t find the right moment to intervene, despite their concerns.

"Hey, this doesn’t look good."

"Are they really going to fight?"

"Who do you think will win?"

"Magicians are weak in close combat. Besides, the opponent is the assistant ringmaster."

"Shall we make a bet? I’m on Ella."

"Me too…"

"I’m also voting for Ella."

"Then, it’s not a bet."

"Who said we were making a bet?"

As the two teenage girls seemed about to start a brawl, the adults sat around calmly, making such leisurely comments.

’Is no one planning to stop them?’

Yurakne sighed inwardly.

Similar situations had been repeating over the past few days.

The reasons for their fights were different each time.

But the breaking point was always the same.

Wonderstein.

From the moment he was mentioned, the conversation turned into a torrent.

From then on, neither of them would back down.

It was funny that when the ringmaster himself appeared, they would stop fighting as if they had never fought in the first place.

They would become quiet as if asking, "When did we ever fight?"

But today, it seemed like the fight was on the verge of crossing the line of amusement.

If they weren’t careful, one of them could get seriously hurt.

With the ringmaster not present, Yurakne was the only one who could stop them.

"Both of you, stop it."

Yurakne intervened between the two.

While they would ignore comments from other members, they couldn’t disregard Yurakne’s words.

To Ella, Yurakne was the most reliable older sister in the circus, and to Maya, she was the closest member to the respected ringmaster.

Up until now, they would quietly step back if she stepped forward.

But today, for some reason, they didn’t want to do that.

Their pride wouldn’t allow them to yield first.

And so, the standoff continued with Yurakne in the middle.

Although it was dangerous, she decided to use the all-purpose spell.

"What do you think the ringmaster will think if he finds out that you two are acting like this?"

At the mention of the ringmaster, both of them shuddered.

He was the motivation behind their fights and their weakness.

The reasons were different.

Maya worried that she would appear as a naïve child to him.

On the other hand, Ella didn’t like the fact that he would knew that she was shaken because of him.

Their eyes met.

No words were exchanged, but their intentions were clear.

That’s enough…

…Should we stop?

An unspoken agreement passed between them.

Maya harnessed her magic, and Ella relaxed her tense posture.

Yurakne let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it ended without any major incidents.

They silently stared at each other for a moment before turning their heads.

It seemed like a typical conclusion, just like any other time.

However, today, Yurakne had no intention of stopping here.

It was a situation where anyone could have been hurt.

She felt the need to speak up.

"Ella, I understand that Maya’s magic is different from others. But where else can we find a Illusion Mage? Just a week ago, you stayed up all night with a hammer and needle, not to mention your own sleep. Isn’t it a bit unfair to criticize without being grateful?"

"Well, yes, but…"

Ella, who had always been outspoken, hesitated unusually.

Yurakne then turned to address Maya.

"Maya, I know your magic is different from others, but couldn’t you have mentioned it from the beginning of the meeting? We had all our ideas prepared, and abruptly rejecting them was a bit impolite, don’t you think?"

"…I’m sorry."

Maya’s apology was also a rare sight.

Both of them couldn’t say much in the face of Yurakne’s reprimand.

This was quite a performance!

The triplets were about to applaud, but Yurakne shot them a warning look, and they reluctantly lowered their hands.

She maintained a stern expression as she looked at the two girls.

Both of them seemed lost in thought, not daring to make eye contact.

For two who had always been so confident, this must have been uncomfortable.

That should be enough, right?

A warm smile crept onto her lips.

"All right let’s be more considerate of each other from now on. But more importantly, let’s continue the meeting. What’s the issue we’re facing? Maya, it takes too long for you to implement the special effects, right? Is there a way to shorten the time? Don’t hesitate to speak up; we can help."

Yurakne’s soothing words prompted Maya to glance briefly at Ella before speaking up.

"Let me try once."

Maya clenched the book in her hand so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"Once I see it, I can analyze the form and maybe find a way to shorten the time."

Yurakne applauded her words.

"Great! Then Ella can use her device to create some flames, and…"

"No."

Ella raised her head and interrupted. She glanced at Maya before continuing.

"That was just a makeshift solution, and the flames look too crude. If we’re going to do this, let me create a bigger one. Just wait for an hour; I’ll show you a proper flame."

With that, Ella concluded the meeting.

Once everyone had left the room, Yurakne cautiously approached Ella.

"A proper flame? How?"

"I’ll make a bomb."

"A bomb?"

"It’s just a prop."

"Aren’t you worried it might be dangerous?"

"I used to make things like this with my friends when I was younger. Don’t worry."

The bomb Ella created, fueled by her desire to showcase her skills to Maya, turned out to be far more powerful than she had imagined.

And she hadn’t considered the purity difference between the materials used in her childhood fireworks and the ones she had obtained from the Alchemy Guild.

What came out was a much stronger bomb than anticipated.

"So that’s what happened."

Yurakne briefly explained today’s events to Wonderstein.

She didn’t mention the fight between Ella and Maya.

She simply portrayed it as Ella trying to help Maya accelerate her flame implementation but making a mistake in the process.

"I’m glad no one got hurt," Wonderstein said, looking at the shattered surroundings.

If he hadn’t rushed here after receiving the request, many members would have been injured.

When he suddenly jumped into the garden, the members near the bomb backed away in shock when they saw him.

At that moment, Maya emerged from one corner of the garden, covered in dirt and grass, her dress in disarray.

It seemed she had rolled behind the bushes when the explosion occurred.

Wonderstein smiled as he looked at her.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

"No, I’m fine."

Wonderstein smiled as he looked at the sketchbook she held in her hand.

She hadn’t let go of it since she rolled back.

"Hmm, did you manage to capture the explosion?"

Maya’s favorability had exceeded 15 from the moment she joined the circus troupe, so as soon as her name was added to the members’ list, she received her first reward.

Name: Maya’s Sketchbook

Target: Anything Maya has seen.

Effect: When held, the sketchbook stores the three-dimensional form of the target.

Requirements: Maya’s favorability above 15, magic power

This was the system that supported Maya’s abilities in the game, ’Blueprints,’ and it was provided in the form of an item in this world.

With this, Maya could instantly capture and save the shape of passing objects or complex shapes to use when needed. Even capturing explosions was possible as long as it fit within the sketchbook’s longevity limit.

However, her sketchbook had cut off in the middle of the explosion.

A hint of embarrassment crossed Maya’s face as she replied, "I didn’t expect such a big explosion, so I closed my eyes."

Wonderstein smiled wryly at her response. "That’s a shame. But it can’t be helped. Taking it slowly isn’t a bad idea. Safety is more important, after all."

"But we don’t have much time. The competition is coming up soon."

Ella approached, dusting off the black powder from her clothes.

"We need to do it again! Get me more materials. I used up everything I collected this time."

Ella spoke confidently.

"Even after all that, she’s not afraid of danger," Wonderstein thought.

He looked at her and shook his head. "We can’t do that."

"Why not?"

"Because it’s too dangerous. We all could have been injured."

"This time was just a mistake."

"It doesn’t matter. Ella, you almost got hurt."

"I was going to perform a stunt right after the explosion."

"Regardless, it’s not allowed."

Wonderstein rarely displayed such strong determination.

His smile, his tone, and his actions were all just a façade to hide his true self when he had to confront situations like this.

"All right, fine. I get it. You’re the circus leader, so we have to stick to the old ways. Womon and Benedict looked disappointed. By the way, what about going to the cabaret?"

The Grand Circus Prix opening ceremony was tomorrow.

Each circus troupe had to submit a list of members who would participate in the ceremony to the theatre by today.

There was more to see outside the theatre anyway.

Inside, most of the schedule was dedicated to the elderly people in expensive suits for the greetings. There was no need for the ringmaster and other members to participate.

But strangely, Ella and Maya had volunteered to participate.

Since Wonderstein had nothing else to do, he had visited the theatre himself to submit the list and was now on his way back.

In response to Ella’s question, Wonderstein smiled awkwardly and said, "That’s a complicated matter."

Wonderstein looked at the two girls and continued, "Ella and Maya won’t be able to go."