One-Eyed Monster

Igor avoided his tangled lie by analyzing the circus, paying no attention to where they were going as he instinctively followed Kadi...

Unbeknownst to him, Kadi had already led him beneath the circus tent.

”Hey, you two, you’re here too early!” a tall and thin man shouted at them.

Igor focused his eyes and saw that the tall man was setting up the tent, tying a rope adorned with triangular flags to a wooden stake.

”Um... we’re not here to watch the circus!” Kadi replied first.

”If you’re not here to see the circus, what are you doing here?” The tall man stopped his work and looked at Igor and Kadi curiously, while others who were busy working also paused to look in their direction.

”We...” Kadi discovered he still wasn’t good at answering questions. Along the way, he thought he had learned enough about communication skills.

”We’re here to see the leader!” At this point, Igor climbed onto a stool beside him, standing high up, looking dazzling, holding a Feather Letter in his hand. It was clear this letter was the one Quinn gave them, now perfectly playing its role.

”Look at what he’s holding!” murmured the circus members, clearly surprised at Igor’s action. Why were these two strangely dressed guys speaking without a word about wanting to see the leader.

”Seems to be a letter!”

”There seems to be a feather on it, looks like it’s an urgent letter!”

”Who are they, and why do they want the leader?”

”Who knows, better ask the leader about this.”

...

The whispers made Igor feel uncomfortable. He felt standing on a stool had already made him conspicuous, but unexpectedly, a tall and big person emerged from the tent, standing twice as tall as an average person, looking at him puzzled.

Could this person be the leader... Igor wondered.

But Igor clearly overthought it, as soon more people emerged from the tent; odd characters indeed. Some short as children, others with only one arm or leg, and some with faces painted with grease - clearly clowns that hadn’t finished putting on makeup...

All these odd characters showed Igor he was at the circus!

”We want to see the leader!” Kadi climbed onto the stool beside Igor. His face was masked, and although it looked odd, compared with those standing by the tent, his mask was way too normal!

”What do you want with the leader?” asked the same tall man, getting more and more perplexed, feeling these two young men were highly suspicious.

”This is something we can only tell the leader!” Igor said, uncertain if they could even see the leader. He thought if they were chased away, they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on!

”Alright, considering you have the Feather Letter in hand, I won’t say anything.” The tall man shrugged, saying to Igor.

”Then, could you lead us to see the leader?” Igor tested.

”Hehehe...” The circus crew burst into laughter.

Igor and Kadi exchanged glances, confused about the meaning behind the laughter.

”We want to see the leader!” Igor reiterated, simultaneously waving the letter in hand.

”Hahaha...” The laughter became more exaggerated and louder, making the scene even more absurd as it erupted from the mouths of the circus crew.

The more they laughed, the more bewildered Igor and Kadi became, frozen in place, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

”How can we see the leader!” Kadi got angry, feeling the circus crew was too mean, mocking them for no reason. What was that about!

”Haha, you’re killing us!”

”Do their eyes have issues! Hahaha!”

”Oh my, I can’t straighten up!”

”Haha, you’re killing me!”

The circus members seemed to have lost their marbles, laughing non-stop, paying no attention to Igor and Kadi’s puzzled expressions.

”Alright, alright.” The tall man suddenly spoke.

Only now did Igor realize why these guys laughed so heartily, because the tall man was this Star Circus’s leader!

The tall man spoke just a few words, and the circus bunch halted their laughter, clearly holding him in high regard, the silence instantly turning eerie.

”I am the leader of Star Circus, my name is Stanley, what can I do for you?”

”Uh...” Kadi never thought the leader was right in front of them. In his mind, the leader was supposed to be an old man, but who would have thought he was such a tall man!

”We’ve been entrusted by someone to find you, we don’t know you personally.” Igor bowed and then jumped off the stool, slowly walking toward Stanley.

”Whatever it is, say it first!” Stanley seemed impatient, unwilling to speak even one extra word.

”Please read this first.” Igor respectfully handed over Quinn’s letter.

Kadi felt the Igor at this moment was someone he could never emulate, the bowing motion, handing over the letter, was far too formal; he just couldn’t do it! Kadi felt it was more comfortable being himself, better not to imitate Igor...

Stanley took the letter, flicked off the feather, opened it, observed it for a while, then his furrowed brows relaxed as he glanced at Igor and Kadi, ”Want to join the circus, let’s discuss it inside.”

Igor didn’t know what the letter said, only that it was Quinn’s recommendation letter, of course recommending Quinn, having nothing to do with them. But after reading it, Leader Stanley invited them into the tent, clearly indicating that whoever wrote the letter held significant influence over the circus!

If there was a chance, he must ask who wrote the letter. Igor thought as he followed Stanley into the tent.

The other circus members sighed and resumed their own work, the little twist considered past to them, needing to prepare for tonight’s performance.

Just like that, Igor and Kadi followed Stanley into the circus tent...