Murmurs of discussions could be heard blazing across the circus members, taking them by a storm. The discussion entails around the reason why Ciel and I returned inside a coach emblazoned with the emblem of the ruling duchy, along with the Knight Captain of the second division no less. The more observant of them managed to gleam that either Ciel or I had a connection with the Carters, and by process of elimination will designate me as the one with such a connection. While the more innocent and gullible will just ask bluntly to the person in question, that is me. The look in their eyes could be equalled to children’s, so pure and innocent; words that you won’t expect to be used to describe a muscular strongman and a fierce-looking beast whisperer. Truly, the dumbo combo brothers are the kind of friends one must have in this world; one that had nary a bone of deceit in their body, unlike a trusted friend who had a touch in our deaths, one that can’t wait to put us back into our coffins. Lo, I won’t stay down and shall live happily, and quietly with the love of my life.

“Hey, Layne, why did you come back with the Duke’s coach?” the big brother, Dorian, asked; both intrigued and worried for me.

“Did you do something wrong? Or commit a crime?” the little brother, Doe-Ritter, added.

I cleared my throat, before finally saying loudly, so that all may hear, “Let me introduce you to my beloved elder sister, Sarah Carter, the Knight Captain of the second division!”

A flash of silence, before the dumbo combo brothers bothered me with their unending questions; all of which pointed at me being a noble. Answering them briefly, I asked my own question to them, questioning where the old ringmaster, Ashurbanipal, the Great Dragon of Time, or by which he was known here as Ashur Bhan, is. With great belief of getting such a question answered, I bided my time with introducing my elder sister to the good members of Cirque du Ciel. One part of me want her to see that I’m doing good, and had a lot of people to depend on, while the other just wanted her to meet my friends. As I’m almost finished with introducing the large range of members Cirque du Ciel has, one of got me some information as to where the old ringmaster may be. It was said that he went to the market near the circus to buy his favourite tobacco, which was running out, and that someone saw him on his way to return to the circus. I speculate that after we finish our little merry-make with the circus’ members, he would’ve returned. As for the detective? He was left to his own devices, and I could observe him conversing with some members of the circus that owns licenses to brew and make their own substances, having a good time on his own right.

In a little under nine to ten minutes, the old ringmaster was finally back. He showed me his collections of cigars, marvelling at how fast the technology of mortals has advanced. Indubitably, he was charmed, charmed by the life of the mortals; charmed by their unquestionable drive towards the future, the future they might not even be a part of. Still, the discussion we’ll have with him at a moment’s notice concerns the very lives of these mortals, whose life and death could be very easily decided by holders of great powers.

“So, what is it do you need to see me for?” asked the old ringmaster.

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“I’m here to inform grandfather-in-law that the wedding date has been finalized, and it will happen right after the Harvest Festival is over. Its venue shall be within the compounds of the Carter Manor, and all members of Cirque du Ciel are invited. Now that’s out of the way, the reason I brought my elder sister here, concerns how the Harvest Festival will go.”

“I’ll take it from here, Layne. Firstly, let me give my thanks to you for accommodating my garrulous little brother here, he’s not really that way most of the time,” she bowed.

“Your welcome, he was indeed a little garrulous, but such nature was very important in becoming a great ringmaster. He does possess confidence and leadership, but he might as well be a greenhorn in matters of tactics and strategy.”

“Right. Now that I see Sir Ashur’s circus was very important to both him and the hearts of the people, I must inform you of the movements of the vampire that we managed to glean from the information given by my brother and his fiancee, your granddaughter.”

Right as they speak, shadows began to gather beneath my elder sister, threatening to coalesce, yet afraid of the presence the old ringmaster gave off. He quietly beckons to the shadow and to my elder sister to find an inconspicuous room, so that they may talk in peace. I, quite concerned by what the shadow brought, nudged Ciel beside me so that we may go together to where the old ringmaster is. She managed to interpret my gesture, and we made our way to where they are.

“Both of you, come in and close the door.” being noticed by the old ringmaster, what I was hoping to happen, we closed the door behind us, and listened.

“We have records of correspondence to and fro the vampires within the Dairy Lodge district and their compatriots up north, in Rumania. It was a command that simply states; ‘the vampires shall move as the flames spread on the wheat’. We interpret this as the vampires moving together with foreign mercenaries or terrorists, that were employed by the enemy of the Duke,” the shadow informed.

“The enemy of the Duke? Who?” I asked.

“There were many, some from the church, some from the labour union, and some from other nobles. We suspect the enemy this time was from another duchy seated in the north based on the time the letters arrived and the insignia of most letters they received.”

“Can anyone get us a map?” the old ringmaster inquired.

The shadow conjured a map from within its deep pockets. Focusing on the northern part of our country, Breton, was a duchy called Lark, and surely, a country called Rumania was bordering us. An invasion, or at least a plan that will lead to one.

“What is the Duke thinking?” the old ringmaster again calmly inquired.

“The matter of the Dairy Lodge will be fully given to lady Sarah to take care of, while the Duke himself shall take on the terrorists.”

“Then what about Cirque du Ciel?” he pressed.

“Cirque du Ciel will be given free rein, however, the Duke hoped the circus will be able to protect its audience when the attack does happen.”

“It shall be done, tell the Duke to send the masses here, if push comes to shove; we’ll protect them all,” Ashur Bhan promised.