Chapter 58

It was a scent both familiar and strange.

Damp, metallic, and faintly fishy.

‘When was the last time I smelled something like this?’

Probably back when she lived in the Village at the Edge.

But…

Melissa tilted her head, sniffing lightly.

No, this wasn’t quite the same.

It had the same damp, fishy undertone, but the air back then had been fresh like the forest or a gentle breeze. This, however, was different. Salty, thick, and clinging.

As she sniffed the air and looked around, Melissa stepped out into the passage, unaware that Natalianne had let go of her arm.

“!…”

A sudden gust blew through the tunnel, carrying a sharp, stinging odor that burned her nose.

Startled, Melissa turned toward the source.

“Stay behind me.”

Demius released her hand and kicked off the ground. In an instant he had drawn his sword and reached the mouth of the passage.

And just as he swung toward a dark figure that appeared before him—

“Don’t!”

He froze.

Melissa shouted in alarm.

“It’s a person!”

He knew that already.

Demius lowered his blade, his cold eyes narrowing as he withdrew the sword.

Melissa hurried toward the man who had collapsed before Demius.

“Are you alright?”

The man, trembling all over, hiccuped as though swallowing air, then burst into sobs at the sound of Melissa’s gentle voice.

“S… save me.”

Though Demius hadn’t struck him, his body was already covered in blood. The man reached out frantically with shaking hands.

“S-save me. Please, don’t let me die!”

“How dare you.”

Demius struck the man’s hand away with the scabbard and moved Melissa behind him.

“Keep those filthy hands to yourself.”

“I… I don’t want to die. Not in that arena. Please, save me. Save…”

“My, my.”

A light voice cut through the cold air.

The three of them turned toward the passage. A man was approaching with an unhurried gait.

He walked gracefully down the same path the bloody man had come from, his tall, lean frame immaculate in a formal tailcoat that looked absurdly out of place in such a damp, shadowed corridor.

And then Melissa saw it.

“…A rabbit?”

Demius frowned.

A tailcoat and a rabbit mask.

He hadn’t seen much of the stage, too busy watching Melissa, but this man looked exactly like the circus host.

“Good evening, my noble lady and fine gentleman.”

The masked man stopped a few steps in front of Demius and spoke politely.

“Did you perhaps lose your way?”

“Who are you?”

“My.”

The host’s lips curved into a long smile at Demius’s icy tone.

He spread his hands and gave a casual shrug.

“There’s no need to be wary. I am simply the host, and that man is a toy used for our adult entertainment. However…”

The man’s gaze drifted from Demius to Melissa.

“I see that the two of you are not quite ready to join our little games. Perhaps we shall meet again another time.”

Snap.

At the sound of his fingers, several masked figures dropped from the darkness above.

Demius was ready before they even landed. He pulled Melissa fully behind him and raised his sword, while the blood-covered man shrieked and flailed at the sight of the newcomers.

“Please, save me! I’m begging you!”

“Then goodbye.”

The host gave a courteous bow as though closing a show.

At once, their vision blazed white.

Flash!

“Damn it!”

Natalianne cursed as she leapt out from the alcove. In the next moment, the three of them were back in the dressing room.

Only Demius, Natalianne, and Melissa remained. The faint scent of powder and perfume drifted through the air, soft and elegant, so unlike the darkness they had just escaped.

Natalianne clenched her teeth.

“Who was that just now?”

“You show up only after it’s over.”

“…”

Ignoring Demius’s remark, Natalianne scanned the area quickly, her eyes sharp and restless.

Searching for traces of someone.

Demius muttered curtly,

“The host.”

“Damn it.”

Her tone wasn’t one of surprise but of grim expectation.

‘So she anticipated this.’

Demius’s gaze flicked to his sister’s tense jaw, then back to Melissa.

“Are you alright?”

His eyes softened slightly as they swept over her expression.

“You must have been frightened. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Um…”

Melissa hesitated before speaking, her voice small.

“It’s hard to be sure since his face was covered in blood, but…”

“Yes?”

At Demius’s questioning look, Melissa bit her lip, then asked cautiously,

“Wasn’t that man the same one from the circus earlier?”

“…”

Demius fell silent.

She was right.

The man who had followed the guard outside, the rude customer.

The bloodied man they had seen was the same person.

But if he admitted that now, Melissa would want to go back to save him.

No, she would insist on it.

‘What should I do?’

Demius turned slightly to hide his expression, sorting through his thoughts.

Normally he would follow her wishes. But not this time.

The situation was clearly dangerous.

What mattered more now: her will or her safety?

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Natalianne’s sharp voice broke his thoughts.

When he looked up, she was holding the tent flap open and gesturing toward him.

To anyone else, the signal would have been invisible, but Demius recognized it instantly.

‘Don’t make this worse.’

He narrowed his eyes briefly, then nodded.

“We should go.”

Gently, he guided Melissa toward the exit.

‘This is the right choice.’

Yes.

Getting Melissa out of there was the priority.

This strange place with its hidden traps and double-layered spaces wasn’t just a circus meant for entertainment. It was far too suspicious, reeking of blood and secrecy.

“Wow!”

As they stepped out of the tent, the ordinary world returned.

Bright lanterns, the scent of roasted food, cheerful chatter from the night market.

Children laughed and ran past. Lovers and families called out in joy.

The scene felt so normal that what had just happened seemed like a bad dream.

“…No. This isn’t right.”

Hearing the faint voice, Demius looked down.

Melissa had lowered her gaze, then slowly lifted it again with quiet determination.

“I have to check again.”

Oh no.

Demius’s eyes flickered in dismay.

Then, beside him, a nasal whine broke the air.

“Teacheeer, I’m hungryyy.”

Typical.

Demius shot a glare at his sister, only for her to meet his eyes meaningfully.

‘Play along.’

“…Now that you mention it, we haven’t had dinner yet, have we?”

He caught on quickly, and Natalianne jumped in.

“The chef spent all day preparing tonight’s feast. He’ll be crushed if we don’t show up. I heard the main course is whole roast pig!”

“Ah…”

Melissa blinked, then nodded after a moment.

“I see. I almost caused trouble again. Sorry.”

“Not at all!”

“Of course not! I’m just really hungry!”

“Exactly. It’s all because this fool here is such a glutton!”

“What did you just say?”

The siblings’ squabble resumed immediately, and Melissa let out a soft laugh. Yet behind her smile lingered a faint unease.

Was it really alright to just leave like this?

If that man truly was in danger…

“Teacher, the carriage is over there!”

Her hand was suddenly tugged upward. When she looked, Natalianne was grinning brightly.

“We also bought gifts, remember? Let’s go show everyone.”

“Oh…”

Melissa’s eyes widened slightly, then she pressed her lips together and nodded.

Right.

She wasn’t alone anymore.

Unlike in the Village at the Edge, she had Demius and Natalianne now.

And back at Eisenhart, there were even more people waiting for her.

‘If only this could last.’

Her lips moved silently.

If only this time could go on forever.

‘Wait… what?’

Melissa caught her breath.

‘Did I just think that?’

No, that was too greedy.

Too much.

“Let go of her hand already!”

“Her hand’s mine now!”

As the siblings fought again, one clinging to her arm and the other pulling her close, Melissa swallowed the warmth rising to her throat and smiled faintly.

Yes.

This was enough.

She shouldn’t want more than this.

A year from now, when she returned to her hometown, she would treasure these memories.

Every single moment.

Melissa pressed her lips together and smiled softly.

This was enough for her.