"Oi..."

"What?..."

"Why did you have to do that?..."

"...I thought I could do it, now that I have a staff... Well I did but..."

Felgard and I were both inside a cage with wheels, being pushed by one of the weird people we just encountered. As for the reason why this happened...

* * * * *

"Thunderbolt!!" I raised the staff on my hand and slammed its tip on the ground.

A huge lightning fell down towards us, no, a humongous pillar of lightning fell down towards us. It shook the very earth around us upon its collision with the ground. As a result, Felgard and I, as well as some of the creepy people, were paralyzed. Those that weren't affected are those who either noticed the attack, or were having tough bodies.

Thinking of it now, I should've tried teleportation instead. Was I trying to show off? Maybe...

* * * * *

Seems like I released too much of my power. At the very least, I no longer produce pain or any form of injury from casting magic, nor do I need to cast spells. Perhaps I just got too exited and overly cautious of my attack not working after the experiment I did with lighting the campfire.

"Where are you taking us anyway?" the airhead asked those who were in front, walking. Leading them was the tall man who we first encountered. "We already told you, we don't know anything about a wolf kid!"

Those in front began whispering. As soon as they finished nodding to each other, the tall one faced us.

"...Uhhh... I'm sorry but you're lying," he said. "Or maybe not but... It's quite confusing actually because, you don't seem to be lying."

"Then why?" Felgard asked.

"...Uhhh... I can actually smell the wolf kid from you two," the tall man replied.

"Smell?" I asked in confusion.

"...Uhhh... Yes," he replied (I'm somehow pissed with how he talks.) "I'm his tamer after all..."

Both of us were then taken back to town, where all the festivities were still being held. As soon as we got closer to the town gates, one of the creepy people got a huge black and white striped cloth out of nowhere and covered the entire cage.

"Please keep quiet," he whispered to the cage. "It will be trouble if you do so..."

He sounded so terrifying that I ended up backing away from him.

We couldn't see anything else aside from faint figures past the cloth. It sounded like they were talking to the town guards or something.

"Oh, you're the circus performers of tonight," one guard said. "Then go along."

Hantel did tell me about another circus performance. So it's them. Should I scream for help? No, these people didn't feel normal. Doing so might endanger the guards' lives.

The airhead then whispered in my ear, "Hey Friesha, did we really meet a wolf kid?"

Huh? What does this airhead mean? Did he forget about the celestial we met before the carnival? Or maybe the air in his head occupied most of the space to not allow him to remember. Maybe that's why the tall man was confused how Felgard wasn't lying. It could be advantageous for us.

Not seeing what was going on, Felgard and I ended up waiting until the cloth was finally removed from the cage. By then, we were already inside their preparation room. Unlike the Cloud Clown's Circus, their place was quite messy; with disarranged clothing, items, and even animals running free.

"Welcome," one of the creepy fellows said with an eerie smile. "To the Mouth All Circus."

"What kind of a name is that?" the airhead asked with a straight face. ''The other one was much better, although I cannot remember exactly what that was..."

One of the fellows slammed the cage in rage while looking at us with spooky murderous eyes.

"What a mouth," one of them said while slapping a stick on one hand. "It would be beneficial to us..."

"Stop it, Happy New year!" a loud deep voice spoke somewhere. "Can you not see you are scaring our guests..."

From behind us came a towering man. He was big, hairy, and very masculine, too masculine I think. He wore a funny-looking clown costume with a dark eye patch having a smiley face. He looked completely dark, gloomy, eerie, and evil (maybe I was being judgemental...)

"Free them," he spoke.

As soon as he did, the one who slammed the cage immediately opened it for us to get out. There were a total of eight of them, with the towering leader being the most intimidating, enough for even his comrades to no longer wear their smiles.

"Pardon my comrades, they were being too strict with my commands," he said with his usual look and tone of voice.

"Ah, don't worry about it.." I replied.

The huge man then looked at his comrades and asked, "Why did you bring these children here?"

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"...Uhhh... We couldn't find Furs anywhere," the tall man answered. "These kids, they smell like Furs."

"Furs?" I thought to myself. "Could they mean the wolf boy?"

"What?!" a familiar fatso came with the others, accompanied with some people in weird black and white outfits. They were the people I saw in the forest. "My dog still hasn't been found yet?!"

"Calm down sir Moresba," the huge man said. "We'll find the kid."

"I knew I shouldn't have had that dog in this circus! You lot just wasted the money I used!!" the fat man was stomping all over as he walked, pointing his fingers at almost each of the people around in anger. "Useless! Utterly useless!!!"

The circus performers looked annoyed while tilting their faces downwards.

"If my dog won't be here by tonight's show, I'll be canceling it!" the fatso shouted, spitting saliva as he did.

"You can't do this to us," one of the performers grabbed the fatso's shoulder.

"You dare!" the fatso shoved his hand away in disgust. Afterwards, he used his wooden cane and smacked it to the performer's head a few times.. "How disrespectful of you!"

The other's could only clench their fists. However, the huge man kept looking with a straight face.

"You shall learn your manners!" the fatso was about to land one more strike, when his wooden cane was held by someone. "What! Who?"

Annoyingly, it was the airhead.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked with a serious face. "Do you really have to beat him up?!"

"...You," the fatso looked like he was about to burst.

Before he could do so, the huge man immediately grabbed Felgard by the collar of his shirt.

"O-oi! What are you-" without letting him finish, he was suddenly thrown away into a pile of crates and barrels.

"Don't interfere..." the huge man whispered before facing the fatso once again. He then knelt down on the ground and lowered his head. "Please forgive us. We promise you, we will have the wolf kid by tonight's show..."

"...Tch! You better!" and the fatso stomped his way out with a completely disappointed face.

As soon as he was out of sight, the weird performers inside began mocking him.

"Hah! That fat freak!" one said. "He just became owner for a week and he's already bossing us like this!"

"We had no choice," a lady member of theirs shrugged her shoulders. "If only we can choose our owner..."

"Well then, shall we start interrogating these kids?" another said as he looked at me with evil eyes.

"Merry Christmas, do you really smell the wolf kid with them?" the huge one asked the tall man.

"Without a doubt Happy Valentines," and the tall man responded. They do have weird names.

The huge one, called Happy Valentines, looked down at me with a seriously intimidating stare. He towered at me as he asked, "Little mage, do you know where our wolf kid is?"

"Like I told you! We don't know any wolf kid!" thankfully, the airhead answered for me. "I'm not into lying because it's a bad thing!"

"Is he really telling the truth Merry Christmas?" the woman asked the tall man.

"...Uhhh... No doubt he is," he answered. "I can always tell..."

"Does this mean they met, but did not meet?" a fat one asked. And what kind of question was that?

"It's confusing me Happy Halloween," the tall man rubbed his forehead.

Seems like it's okay as long as only Felgard answered them. I don't know why, but Felgard doesn't know about the celestial being part wolf. This Merry Christmas person can somehow tell a liar or not. Answering him might be dangerous (wait, why am I even defending that boy anyway?)

"We have no other choice," the huge man turned away. "We must find the wolf before the show starts."

"What about these two?" the fat one asked while pointing towards Felgard and me.

"Try interrogating them more," he replied. "We might be able to squeeze something out... Merry Christmas and Happy Halloween will do it."

"... Uhhh..." the tall man replied.

"Seriously?" the fat one sighed before looking at us.

* * * * *

Eventually, it became only the four of us inside the large dressing area. Well, there were some extra people either passing by or carrying away stuff from a distance, maybe for the upcoming show.

"Well then," the fat man sat down after he had all of us did so. "Shall we begin asking questions?"

"What must I tell you?" Felgard said. "We did not see any wolf kid anywhere!"

"... Uhhh... Then, at least tell us if you met someone who you might think is the one we are looking for," the tall man said. "You probably met someone who fits the shoes..."

"Hmmm," and the airhead began rummaging his air-filled head.

"Little mage," the tall man began talking to me. "No need to feel threatened because we know what you are..."

"Yes, we're not the least bit interested about you," the fat one sighed. "If you're not answering because you're afraid, don't be."

Now I'm in a tight spot. I should tell a true statement at least, hoping it would lower suspicion. But what should I say?

"...Uhhh..." now I'm sounding like the tall man.

"We were mingling with a lot of people in the carnival... Maybe we happened to have gotten near him, or something..." I thought. But then why would they be able to differentiate us from the rest of the people in the carnival? It could only mean this tall man's weird sense of smell knew we came in direct contact with the celestial.

"Ah!" the airhead suddenly smiled. "I think I know!"

"Really?" the fat man asked.

"In this one game I was at, a random kid kept pushing next to me," the airhead continued. "Then after he left, a man complained about he lost some coins. I was even blamed for a while."

"You were just framed," the fat man looked with a disappointed face.

"I'm sorry to ask but," I abrupted. Perhaps asking something will make me less suspicious. "This wolf kid, is it not possible that he already left the place?"

"...Uhhh..." the tall man said. "No worries. the kid won't get far... Not when under a contract..."

"Contract?" my eyes widened.

"...Uhhh... (I'm getting tired of him) Yes, being contracted meant a celestial is bound to be with the person contracted with," he explained.

"And? Who was he contracted with?" I asked.

Suddenly, the tall man looked a lot menacing. It was like his entire being darkened.

"...Little mage," he spoke with a deeper voice. "You said 'he' twice now... How did you know he was a 'he'?"

I'm toast! Did nobody mention the wolf kid being a boy? Come to think of it, they were saying wolf kid all the time!

"So you know something," the fat man stood up. "I see, you were letting your friend talk all the time so you won't get to say anything to Merry Christmas... Pretty clever but..."

This is bad. I can't fight without a staff, and I don't know where they put it. I can't rely on Felgard all the time. What should I do...?

The airhead then took a step and went in front of me. I couldn't see what expression he had but I could feel he was being protective.

"...Uhhh..." the tall man stood up. "Little mage, tell us what you know..."

"...What should I tell you?" I remembered what Hantel said, about the celestial which was on our side. If I were to let this celestial be hurt, I'll have no guts to face her. "There's nothing you could do even if I tell anything. We just had a small fight, and then he left..."

"...Uhhh..." the tall man looked doubtful. "You seem to be telling the truth... But I feel like there is something you're not telling us... Something like what you want to do..."

"Then I'll tell you..." i stood firm and gripped my hands tight. "I won't let you have your way with the celestial!!!"

I immediately clapped my hands, for I have readied a spell I chanted inside my mind the moment they were talking to the fatso earlier. As soon as I did, a pillar of light emerged beneath our feet. I immediately grabbed on to the airhead and shouted, "Teleportation!!!"

"Don't let them get away!" the fat man shouted. But it was too late. The pillar of light has already vanished the moment they tried grabbing unto us.

* * * * *

Surprisingly, we were teleported just outside of town. I felt a slight sting on my hand, but it wasn't too painful since the preparation was complete.

"That was close!" Felgard fell on his butt.

"However, we have to go back," I said, looking into town from a bush.

"Of course," the airhead said. "We have to get our stuff. I need my sword."

"I need my staff too," I faced him. "However, those people have this weird vibe in them."

Suddenly, a nearby bush began to shake. A head popped out, and to our surprise, it was the celestial.

"Ahh! You guys again!!" the wolf boy shouted.