I Became the Leader of the Monster Circus Troupe

The trade center on the outskirts of Luz was a place for merchants visiting the city.

On the first floor of the centre, there were counters processing harbour affairs. Merchants applied for anchorage, unloading, and facility usage, paying the corresponding fees.

The second floor of the center was rented for transactions between merchants. The bulletin board at the entrance of the second floor displayed a schedule of who was meeting where today.

One particular entry caught attention:

6:00 AM – 8:00 AM: Vergsong Merchant…

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Vergsong Merchant…

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Vergsong Merchant…

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Vergsong Merchant…

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Vergsong Merchant Union & LifeNitz Trading

Except for a 2-hour lunch break, Bergson Trading had reserved the same seminar room for the entire day.

This wasn’t unusual, as important negotiations often spanned multiple days. What was strange was that the negotiation partner changed every two hours, resembling a rotating door of parents scolding their summoned children.

Those who avidly read the newspaper might recognize the names on the list and appreciate the metaphor. All the people Vergsong Merchant Union met with today had been on the side which accused of conspiring during the opening ceremony trial. While the discussions in the grand seminar room might take the form of consultations, they were similar to discussions about compensation issues before and after the trial.

The only difference was that instead of swords and guns, the opening ceremony incident resembled a political war. The opponents in these negotiations had suffered a surprise attack. It was only natural for them to pay the price.

Anais had achieved significant success in the previous four negotiations. Despite the other party trying to reduce war compensation, their efforts were futile in front of her, a prominent figure in reciprocal negotiations. The envoys sitting across from her had to discard most of their prepared materials and leave their seats.

Perhaps internally, some officials would take responsibility and step down after this incident.

Now, Anais faced her fifth guest and felt a bit tense. This negotiation partner wasn’t as easy-going as the previous ones—LifeNitz Trading.

“A tomato gift voucher?”

Anais raised her voice upon hearing the compensation offered by LifeNitz. Here, a “gift” referred to a sales contract promising future physical delivery. It was a method often used in trading agricultural products. LifeNitz Trading offering a tomato gift voucher meant they were transferring several years’ worth of tomato purchase rights to Vergsong Merchant Union.

Anais wasn’t ignorant of this. She was astonished at the audacity of LifeNitz Trading presenting such an offer.

The current value of tomato gifts was close to negligible. Tomatoes were a symbol of Charlotia, associated with Queen Charlotte’s “Golden Tomato” legend. Tomatoes frequently graced Charlotian tables and were a major export product. However, in recent years, the price of tomatoes had steadily declined due to an excess of cultivation.

This overabundance of tomatoes was the primary reason for the consistent decrease in their value.

Especially in June and July, when tomatoes pour in, prices hit rock bottom. Receiving a tomato baptism has become an annual event for the residents of failed tomato farms, thanks to the nobles who encouraged them to grow tomatoes by providing fertilizer, cutting taxes, and so on.

Of course, the Vergsong territory avoided such a disgraceful event because Anais predicted the price collapse several years ago.

Offering tomato gift vouchers now was essentially saying, “I won’t give you anything at all.”

No, it could be seen as insulting in a way.

Those who couldn’t read the obvious value collapse were treated as fools in the market.

Anais glared at the person sitting across the table.

She knew that LifeNitz Trading would not offer proper compensation. However, she didn’t expect them to be so shameless about it.

The activity overlap between LifeNitz Trading and Vergsong Merchant Union was mainly in the Caribbean region.

In other words, the only way for Vergsong to attack LifeNitz was through the trade network in the Caribbean.

The problem was that most of the points in the Caribbean were controlled by Uncle Pierre.

They wouldn’t cooperate with Anais on this trial.

They had already spread rumours within the trading community and played their part.

It was clear that LifeNitz Trading could only come out like this because they knew the internal situation of Vergsong Merchant Union.

In the end, negotiations were settled.

With enemies already within the trading community, Anais couldn’t afford to have a conflict with LifeNitz Trading.

Anais, filled with resentment, mashed the poorly cooked baked tomatoes with a fork at the dinner table.

It was the first time she had suffered such humiliation since taking the position of chairwoman.

The news of sending Gascon Halidon, the gardener of the tomato greenhouse at the Metropole Hotel, slightly eased her mood.

Anais’ eyes gleamed sharply.

If Sebjeong supports their side, negotiations with political figures would be easier.

She decided to put the past behind and started planning strategies for the future.

“I wonder if the Ringmaster is doing well.”

Anais looked towards the direction of the Rose Windmill Cabaret.

He, too, would be fighting in his own battlefield.

She decided not to interfere more than necessary.

He was a man who wanted to prove himself.

***

The lottery has ended.

The format of this exam is a one-on-one duel.

Every week, two circus troupes compete in sales, and the one with higher sales receives a ‘star.’

“The participants for the first week’s match will now be announced.”

Naturally, the side that goes first in the exam felt a significant burden.

There was little time to prepare for the exam, and there were no precedents to refer to.

However, since it was a one-on-one match, the order of the match did not affect the outcome of the exam.

“All members are magicians! No one steps onto the stage! Presenting the show that brings visual delight purely through illusion led by the renowned illusionist, Veil Arno… The Silver Veil Circus!”

A person draped in white cloth with a silver cloth stepped onto the stage.

Veil Arno.

Although referred to as ‘he’ due to his deep voice, no one knew whether he was a man or a woman because no one had seen his real face.

There were even rumors that everything about him on stage was an illusion.

Following him was a chubby woman with short stature and a slender woman with a hood pulled deep, holding a crystal ball. The former was the assistant director of Silver Veil’s circus, and the latter was a newcomer who recently joined the circus after working as a fortune teller.

“I hope we have a fair match.”

Arno quietly expressed his ambition as the director.

Bouvalle resisted the urge to point out, “Don’t reveal your identity and say such things!”

He then handed over cue cards to introduce the opponent for Silver Veil Circus.

After confirming the name of the opponent, he glanced at Yug Maroine sitting next to him and grinned mischievously.

“In his youth, he walked into the Bastige Prison and escaped on his own! Even if he fell into the infinite abyss of the Abyss, he could escape! The master of escape magic known as Escape King!”

“What kind of person is that?”

Maroine muttered next to Bouvalle.

“Featuring the legendary magician Lweeni… Pandora Magic Show!”

An old magician with flowing white beard walked out.

He swayed an orange cloak and confidently moved forward. He was the same magician who had protested against the free admission earlier and even shouted at Maroine.

Compared to the lean Maroine, he had a large and sturdy physique.

His footsteps, stepping one by one, looked powerful.

Behind him, a man with chains wrapped around his body, moving the chains like part of his body, and a woman holding a cube with question marks on all six sides followed him. The box made strange noises as it wobbled alone.

“I’ll easily pass the test prepared by Maroine!”

The old magician Lweeni spoke with a surprisingly refreshing voice for his age.

Cheers from the audience followed.

Although he was a veteran in the industry, his flashy showmanship made him popular even among the younger generation.

Maroine felt somewhat distorted when he saw him confidently performing in his own field.

Maroine and Lweeni were famous for their rivalry in the industry.

One was called the director, directing dozens of staff and overseeing, while the other, even in old age, continued to personally perform almost one-man shows involving escapes.

The performance styles of the two, who had been in opposition since their youth, did not narrow the gap even as they grew older.

Bouvalle chuckled as he watched the two old men glaring at each other.

He knew that such sensational stories would help with success.

He then moved on to the next step.

It was time to introduce the two participants who would join in the second week.

“Boasting a systematic and orderly movement like the military! The 12-story human tower, ‘Hourglass,’ made up of 88 acrobats, is famous! Led by the undeniably skilled leader, Hopps, the Papal Circus!”

A middle-aged acrobat took the stage.

The man who had been sitting at the table opposite the magician Lweeni stood up and responded to his words with enthusiasm.

Hopps pulled a trumpet from his pocket and blew it loudly.

Suddenly, a giant, over 3 meters tall, marched out in a disciplined and dignified manner, like a military soldier.

What was astonishing was that he wasn’t a real giant. Eight performers supported each other to create the illusion of a single massive figure.

The movements were so precise and coordinated that it seemed impossible without rigorous practice.

“How about that? Our new performance, ‘Leviathan’! It’s simplified with only eight members, but the real thing involves over 30 skilled performers!”

As he blew the trumpet again, the giant, composed of eight performers, demonstrated various acrobatics.

The audience cheered at the unbelievable spectacle.

Bouvalle continued to introduce the next participant.

“Haha, a familiar name we haven’t seen in a while! This troupe was formed by a former Rose Windmill member who left and created his own theater! Hoho, known for spectacular choreography, led by the former cabaret lead dancer and current choreographer Sol… Mango Troupe!”

A messy-bearded man in his early 40s, with unbuttoned shirt revealing his strong chest and abdominal muscles, took the stage.

He walked with rhythmic shoulder movements, and behind him, dancers imitated his every move flawlessly.

When he pointed his fingers towards the ceiling and paused, the dancers mirrored him by pointing in the opposite direction.

He raised the microphone volume to the maximum and gestured towards the Papal Circus.

“You seem to like a circus like the military! Got it? Circus is all about excitement! It’s okay to deviate from the script a bit! Shake it as you please!”

Hopps, the director of the Papal Circus, smiled awkwardly and nodded.

Sol then introduced himself to Maroine, an old friend.

“Hey, long time no see! Maroine!”

Maroine sighed deeply and turned away.

Seeing him, the nightmare of how he used to excitedly ruin the stage several times resurfaced.

Sol then shouted to Mare, the choreographer standing next to Maroine.

“I’m back, master!”

Mare, avoiding eye contact, didn’t respond.

Despite being old friends, it was embarrassing to claim friendship in front of so many people, especially seeing Sol’s immature behavior.

“I’ll follow my own path even if I die!”

Bouvalle calmed Sol down and sent him off the stage.

He continued to announce the next participant for the third week.

“This man has an amazing voice! Rumor has it that if he becomes the host of an event, he can even get words out of a monk in meditation! The host of the event, with Minova the Rooster, is… Satbyeol Circus!”

A man with black feather decorations on his back, shaking a red scepter, appeared on stage.

A young girl dressed as a chick sat on his shoulder.

Behind him, acrobats with bent postures followed him, bending their waists in all directions towards the audience.

Minova laughed loudly, waving towards the opposite side of the stage.

“Hey, I don’t know who the opponents are, but you’re finished! Surrender early and leave for the next city to increase your chances of catching a falling star! If you don’t leave, I’ll kick your ass!”

And then, he regretted those words a moment later.

“Formed less than half a year ago! Most of the members are rookies with only few experiences! The sensational reversal drama that unfolded at the opening ceremony! At the centre of it was a man! Led by the magician Frank Wonderstein, it’s… Wonderstein Circus!”

A blond handsome man, a girl in a red circus costume, a clown with a skull mask hiding his face, and a woman with purple hair tied with a hairpin appeared on stage.

Minova looked at the man standing in front of them with a bewildered expression.

Wonderstein smiled and extended his hand for a handshake.

“Let’s have a fair competition.”

“Uh… yeah, let’s do that.”

Awkward greetings were exchanged, and the two teams left the stage.

Thus, the schedule for the day concluded after the introduction of 20 circus troupes.