Chapter 12 - The Travelling Carnival and The Shadow Bandit

Twenty-Five Years Ago...

Happy Carnival. Kingdom of Aster.

"Step right up! Lady Sophie's special performance is about to begin!"

A ticket attendant stood atop a wooden crate, waving both arms enthusiastically toward the growing crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The performance will begin in just a few moments!"

People hurried toward the grand stage.

"Come on! Hurry! Sophie's about to perform!" a little boy shouted as he tugged at his mother's hand.

Music drifted through the festival like a gentle breeze.

Children darted between the bustling stalls, their laughter mingling with the melodies of wandering musicians. Sweet vendors called out to passing visitors. Lanterns glowed warmly overhead. People tried their luck at archery, scooped goldfish with delicate paper nets, and tossed rings toward rows of colorful prizes.

The countless lights of Happy Carnival shimmered beneath the night sky...

As though the night itself had no intention of ending.

---

Behind the stage, inside the dressing tent...

Several women carefully fastened the final ornaments into Sophie's golden hair while another adjusted the silver anklets around her feet. Outwardly, she looked every bit the brilliant star everyone had come to see.

Yet beneath that flawless smile...

She quietly swallowed the knot of nervousness in her throat. Perhaps this was already her hundredth performance. Perhaps even more.

And yet...

The moment before stepping onto the stage still made her heart race exactly as it had the very first time. She drew a slow breath. Then stepped outside. The instant Sophie appeared, the audience erupted into cheers.

"Sophie!"

"LADY SOPHIE!"

Her name echoed across the festival grounds. With practiced elegance, she raised one graceful hand before offering a deep, refined bow. The orchestra began to play. Silver bells around her ankles chimed softly with every movement.

One step.

Then another.

And another.

Soon, it no longer felt as though she was dancing to the music.

Rather...

It was the music that followed the rhythm of her dance. Each turn was as light as flower petals carried upon the wind. Each movement flowed so effortlessly that even the breeze seemed to pause to watch.

It was difficult to believe...

It was almost impossible to believe that a human being could move with such breathtaking beauty.

---

"As always..."

The man closed the book he had been reading.

"You danced beautifully, Sophie."

He wore a pair of round spectacles, and his silver hair was neatly combed back. His tailored black suit was so impeccably pressed it looked as though even a mosquito would lose its footing on the fabric. Despite spending the entire day managing countless matters around the Happy Carnival camp, his white gloves remained perfectly spotless.

Sophie answered with nothing more than a faint smile.

The man's gaze drifted toward her abdomen.

"Don't push yourself too hard," he said quietly.

"Remember... you're carrying a child."

Without thinking, Sophie rested a hand over her stomach.

It was still almost flat.

Unless someone looked very closely, no one would ever guess that a tiny new life had already begun to grow within her.

"Sooner or later, people will notice."

The man drew a slow breath before letting it out in a weary sigh.

"We can't let your admirers find out."

He looked at her with quiet concern.

"You're at the height of your career."

Removing his glasses for a brief moment, he continued,

"This will be your final performance."

"After tonight..."

"...take a leave of absence until the baby is born."

"B-But..."

Sophie's voice barely rose above a whisper.

"I can still dance."

The man remained silent. Beyond the canvas walls of the dressing tent, the audience continued cheering, eagerly awaiting the next performance. Without another word, he picked up his magician's top hat.

"We'll talk again after the show."

The tent flap fell shut behind him.

Silence settled over the room.

Sophie lowered her head. She bit her lower lip as tears slowly welled in her eyes. She loved the stage. She loved the feeling of standing beneath the lights while countless eyes watched only her.

She loved the thunderous applause...

The cheers that echoed every time her performance came to an end.

Yet at the same time...

Another kind of love had quietly begun to bloom inside her. A love for the tiny life she had never even seen.

"What will you be like...?"

she whispered, gently stroking her stomach.

"Will you inherit your mother's golden hair?"

"Or..."

"...your father's beautiful blue eyes?"

Her words faded into silence. Another tear slipped down her cheek. A quiet laugh escaped her lips.

Wasn't love simply another form of destiny?

After all...

Who could resist the sweet words of a man who made you believe you were the only woman in the entire world?

Sophie slowly closed her eyes.

Vincent had been right.

But...

It was already too late.

She could never regret the child growing inside her, even if that child had been conceived outside of marriage.

The only thing she regretted...

...was how easily she had believed the promises of a man who never returned to keep them.

---

Present Day...

Count Nimbel's Mansion

Rosella and Sahila still stood anxiously on the very balcony where everything had happened.

The night breeze drifted gently through the veranda, stirring the long white curtains that swayed softly in the darkness.

In the distance, Pimadona had begun to settle into silence.

Oil lamps glowed dimly along the winding streets, while the music from the grand ball had long since faded away, replaced by a stillness that felt strangely unfamiliar.

Rosella remained standing on the balcony, her eyes fixed upon the sleeping city below. Only moments ago, the thunder of Sebastian's and Rowan's horses had echoed through the streets.

Now...

Nothing remained but silence.

The grand ballroom had begun to empty as frightened guests hurried home, unwilling to stay another moment after rumors spread that the Shadow Bandit had appeared.

"When will they come back...?"

Rosella's voice was barely louder than the whisper of the wind. Sahila glanced at her. The worry in the girl's eyes was impossible to miss. She gently rested a hand on Rosella's shoulder.

"They'll be back soon."

Rosella said nothing. It had already been two hours since they left. Had they managed to catch him? The man wrapped from head to toe in that long black cloak.

Or...

Had he vanished into the darkness once again, just as he always had?

Rosella tightened her grip around the stone railing. For some reason, his image refused to leave her mind. He hadn't attacked her. He hadn't drawn a weapon. He hadn't spoken a single word. He had simply walked toward her...

Slowly.

Quietly.

She hadn't been able to see his face. The hood had hidden almost everything. Yet for the briefest instant...

She had caught a glimpse of his eyes. They hadn't held hatred. Nor anger. They had looked...

Desperate.

Rosella shook her head sharply.

No.

He's a criminal.

He's the one who kidnapped Isabella...

...and all those other girls.

He's the Shadow Bandit. Don't sympathize with someone like him.

Just then...

The sound of galloping horses shattered the night's silence once more. Rosella immediately lifted her head. Several torches emerged from the darkness, drawing closer with a group of riders.

Among the swaying lights, Sebastian's golden hair gleamed beneath the moonlight.

They're back.

Relief washed over Rosella.

Without thinking, she rushed out of the balcony. "Ro! Wait!" Sahila called as she hurried after her.

Moments later, Rosella stood at the front entrance of Count Nimbel's mansion. Her fingers were tightly clasped together as she waited for the horses to come to a halt before the gates.

Sebastian dismounted first. Rowan followed. Isaac came last, his footsteps noticeably heavier than before.

"Se..."

Rosella was about to call his name.

Then she stopped.

For the first time...

She saw Sebastian without his smile. His face was carved from ice. The warmth that usually lingered in his sapphire-blue eyes had vanished, replaced by a cold, razor-sharp glare. His steps were heavy. Deliberate. He walked straight past everyone without sparing them a glance until he stopped before Count Nimbel.

"Count."

His voice was calm. Cold enough to freeze the air between them.

"We'll be postponing our performance for the time being."

Noelle, who had just hurried outside, froze by the doorway. She had never seen Sebastian like this before. Not once. Even Rowan let out a quiet sigh.

"...Let's go."

He opened his folding fan with a soft snap before forcing a faint smile. "Rosella. Sahila."

"It's time to return to camp."

Rosella could only nod. Silently, she followed Rowan and Sahila.

That night...

The festival ended without a single happy ending.

---

Back at the Happy Carnival camp...

Sebastian immediately announced that all performances would be postponed until further notice. A few members looked ready to protest. They had spent the entire day preparing for the festival.

Before anyone could speak, Rowan quietly raised a finger to his lips.

The message was unmistakable.

Don't argue with Sebastian. Not tonight.

"You'd all better keep quiet..."

Rowan said with his usual smile.

"...unless you'd like to find yourselves thrown out of the troupe."

His eyes followed Sebastian as the latter strode toward the command tent.

"Now then, if you'll excuse me..."

Still smiling, Rowan glanced at Sebastian before gesturing for several senior members to follow him inside.

The tent belonged to Sebastian.

It was also where the leaders of Happy Carnival gathered to discuss future routes, performances, and every important decision concerning the troupe.

From behind the curtains of the women's tent, Rosella could only watch anxiously from afar.

---

"He got away again."

Sebastian ripped off his coat and hurled it across the room.

BANG.

There was no smile on his face.

He closed his eyes, dragging a hand slowly over his face as if trying to suppress the frustration threatening to consume him.

Isaac watched silently.

He had never seen Sebastian lose his composure like this.

"I'm sorry..."

Isaac lowered his head.

"I did everything I could to catch him."

Sebastian glanced at him. The anger in his eyes faded, replaced by exhaustion. He brushed his long blond hair back with one hand and remained silent for a long moment.

"...You're right."

His voice was quiet. "I'm the one who should apologize."

"I let my emotions get the better of me."

A deep voice finally broke the silence. "What exactly happened at the ball, Sebastian?"

It was Magnus, captain of Happy Carnival's escort guards, the man responsible for protecting the troupe from bandits during their travels.

Isaac answered before Sebastian could. "The Shadow Bandit appeared at Count Nimbel's mansion."

Magnus's eyes widened. "What?"

"Did he go after the Count's daughter?"

Sebastian shook his head. "No."

"He encountered Ro."

"Rosella? The new girl you brought into the troupe?"

Sebastian nodded. Magnus was one of the few who knew the truth about Rosella.

That she came from another world...

And that she had once met Clover, the mysterious dwarf who bestowed enchanted books upon chosen people.

"Then..."

Magnus frowned. "He is targeting Rosella?"

"Perhaps."

Sebastian sounded uncertain. "Rosella possesses Clover's encyclopedia."

Rowan finally joined the conversation. "I don't believe that book is actually useful to him."

He folded his arms thoughtfully. "It's certainly magical..."

"But there's nothing particularly extraordinary about it. It's simply an encyclopedia filled with knowledge. Remarkable knowledge, yes..."

"...but nothing more."

Isaac nodded. "That's true."

"You and Ro spent hours reading it together. I always wondered what the two of you found so fascinating."

Sebastian leaned against the table. "Regardless..."

"Ro comes from the same world as that man."

He looked around the room. "We still have one advantage."

"As long as Rosella stays with Happy Carnival... I'm certain he'll appear again."

Rowan tilted his head. "And what's your plan?"

Sebastian answered without hesitation. "We let Rosella walk around alone."

Isaac stared at him in disbelief. "Have you lost your mind?!!"

"You want to let her wander by herself while that monster is still out there, Sebastian?"

"We'll follow her from a distance." Sebastian's voice remained calm.

"Whether it's Clover..."

"...or that bastard..."

"He'll come."

"And when he does..."

"...we capture him."

BANG!

Isaac slammed both hands onto the table.

"No!"

"You want to use her as bait?! That's insane! It's far too dangerous! She's just a country girl who's only begun to see the world! She'd never even seen fireflies before joining Happy Carnival!"

"I agree with that idea." Magnus spoke unexpectedly.

Isaac whipped around.

"What?!"

"Don't encourage him, Magnus!"

He turned toward Rowan, silently pleading for support. Rowan merely stood there without saying a word.

"We have to do whatever it takes to stop a criminal who's been roaming this continent for decades." Sebastian's voice was steady.

Magnus nodded once more. "We should do anything wo could."

Isaac marched toward Sebastian until they stood face to face. "I've always admired this troupe. I've always respected you."

His voice trembled with disappointment. "But tonight..."

"...I've lost that respect."

He grabbed Sebastian by the collar. "I didn't care when you struck me for putting our people in danger."

"But now... You're the one putting your own family in danger."

Sebastian brushed Isaac's hand away.

His icy blue eyes met Isaac's without wavering. "Then tell me."

"If you have a better idea. Tell me how to catch him. Tell me how to stop more girls from disappearing. Tell me how this ends?"

Silence.

"You can't." A bitter smile crossed Sebastian's face.

"You have no answer."

"You don't know what it's like..."

"...to lose someone to that man."

This time, Sebastian seized Isaac by the collar. "If you truly have a better plan..."

"I'll follow it."

His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.

"Or perhaps..."

"...you'd rather take my place as leader of Happy Carnival?"

Before either of them could say another word, Rowan stepped between them and calmly pulled them apart.

"Easy now, gentlemen."

He opened his folding fan with a graceful flick.

"If you've finished measuring whose pride is bigger... may I finally have a chance to speak?"

No one answered. Isaac slowly released his fists and stepped back. His eyes never left Sebastian.

"You always said..."

"...Happy Carnival is a family."

His voice grew quieter.

"So why..."

"...are you willing to sacrifice your own family now?"

Before Rowan could offer his opinion...

Isaac turned and walked out of the tent.

The canvas flap slammed shut behind him.

Leaving nothing but a heavy silence that settled over everyone still inside.