I Got Possessed, But the Monster Beast Is Adorable - Chapter 70

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#70

 

Sona, who had become extremely frail from an incurable disease, was essentially living on borrowed time.

 

Breathing heavily, Sona wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead and swept back her damp hair.

 

“…Oh no, it’s falling out again.”

 

Sona’s deep indigo hair, which had always been lustrous like the depths of the ocean, fell to the floor in clumps.

 

Sona looked at her fallen hair and muttered quietly, then got up and sat down in the chair in front of her vanity.

 

Good heavens… what a sight I am…

 

Now I understand why the Troupe Leader told me to rest.

 

The mirror reflected a woman with a pale complexion devoid of any color, as if proving she was a terminally ill patient.

 

Sona sighed as she looked at the dark circles under her eyes that had grown even deeper than yesterday, then picked up the makeup tools scattered about.

 

“It’s okay. I can cover this much with makeup.”

 

The important thing was to finish the final performance safely without collapsing.

 

After completing her makeup, which took longer than usual, Sona went backstage and slightly parted the curtain to look down at the audience.

 

Even though there were still two hours before the performance began, the audience was already bustling with excitement.

 

“Mom, how much time is left until the performance?”

 

“It’s only been 5 minutes since you last asked. My goodness, you’ve been counting down the days for this, are you that excited?”

 

“Of course! A Moonlight Carnival performance in such a small rural village – this is a rare opportunity!”

 

‘Hehe, they’re lively today as well.’

 

A smile appeared on Sona’s lips as she watched the audience.

 

This was a kind of routine she performed before going on stage to heighten her concentration.

 

Sona truly loved seeing the faces of audience members filled with their own expectations and excitement.

 

Even when exhausted from grueling practice, even when injured while performing difficult moves.

 

When the audience smiled, energy would overflow from Sona’s black eyes as if nothing had happened.

 

A performance that might be the last of her life.

 

Sona steadied her trembling legs and rekindled her fighting spirit.

 

“…Give me strength so I can finish the show safely and run to embrace you, Rio.”

 

Sona murmured while caressing the bracelet with a dolphin charm that she never removed, 365 days a year, rain or shine.

 

* * *

 

“Leon, what’s that line for?”

 

“Hmm, Master. Do you like circus shows?”

 

“Circus shows…?”

 

After suffering a crushing defeat in my persistent argument with Leon about him taking responsibility for me, I was about to return home completely drained when I stopped in front of the Grand Theater where a long line had formed.

 

A circus…?

 

Like clowns doing makeup and juggling?

 

“Wait here for a moment, don’t run away.”

 

“You’re going to run away at full speed as soon as I leave.”

 

“Oh really? I wonder if our Master could actually be faster than me, a tiger~”

 

Leon mocked me and then quickly ran into the crowd.

 

Ugh, how could a human beat a tiger’s speed?!

 

Tigers can run at speeds of over 65 km/h at maximum.

 

Moreover, Leon was several times larger than an ordinary tiger.

 

Damn, I picked up the wrong tiger and now I’m going to be completely trapped.

 

Just as I was feeling that my happy animal life was in crisis, Leon, who had disappeared, returned with some pamphlet and handed it to me.

 

“Here, a performance pamphlet.”

 

“Huh… Leon, don’t tell me you went to get this? Through that enormous crowd…?”

 

“Yeah, you seemed interested in the performance, Master.”

 

“Well, you didn’t really need to go that far… But thank y…”

 

“How about it, am I worth keeping around now?”

 

He didn’t miss even a moment’s opportunity.

 

This persistent tiger, give me back my small, fleeting moment of gratitude.

 

I gave up responding and quickly buried my face in the pamphlet.

 

「’A miraculous stage unfolding under moonlight! Moonlight Carnival Show!’

 

Under thousands of starlight, we invite you to the greatest animal show on earth presented by Moonlight Carnival.

 

Time: 6 PM

 

Location: Belnoir Grand Theater

 

Where moonlight lingers, miracles happen. Join us for that dreamlike moment.」

 

“Moonlight Carnival Show…? Leon, is this a famous performance?”

 

“You don’t know Moonlight Carnival? It’s a pretty famous circus troupe even in the Beastman Kingdom…”

 

Leon looked at me with pitying eyes as if asking whether I had cut myself off from the world.

 

I’m not even from here, how would I know that!

 

I sighed at being unable to explain why I had become a cultural outcast.

 

“…I’ve been too busy digging to know. Why.”

 

“Haha, that’s one more reason why you need me, Master. Moonlight Carnival is…”

 

Moonlight Carnival.

 

A circus traveling troupe composed entirely of beastmen.

 

The Moonlight Carnival show they performed was a unique artistic performance combining theater and circus.

 

What started as a small performance in a small, shabby tent gradually gained word-of-mouth recognition, and now their fame had spread so widely that they were even invited to imperial events.

 

“Today is probably their last performance in Bellnoir.”

 

“To think it was such a famous troupe…”

 

This is totally like the stars of the Empire!

 

If all the members are beastmen, do they perform in animal form…? Is that why it’s called an animal show?

 

While circuses featuring animals inevitably attract negative attention regarding abuse, this performance didn’t require such concerns.

 

Just as there were famous troupes in my original world, the Moonlight Carnival show was the same.

 

Moreover, a performance invited to imperial events…

 

In terms of my original world, it would be like a national singer or actor being invited to the White House, wouldn’t it?

 

I pointed at the theater with sparkling eyes.

 

“Leon, I want to see that!”

 

“It’s probably been sold out for a while now?”

 

“What? There are still three hours until the performance? Just in case, let’s go to the box office.”

 

I hurried to the box office with Leon.

 

“I’m sorry, sir, but today’s performance was already sold out at dawn.”

 

My hopeful expectations were shattered by the box office employee’s cold words.

 

While it was originally difficult to get tickets due to Moonlight Carnival’s solid fanbase, today’s show had sold out particularly quickly.

 

Something about Moonlight Carnival’s star performer, who had been taking a break, finally returning for a comeback show after a long time…?

 

Hearing the box office employee’s words made me want to see this performance even more.

 

That meant today’s performance had the most popular casting combination.

 

Ugh, if I had known this would happen, I should have waited in line at dawn…!

 

Of course, it would be Sir Aivan standing in line, not me.

 

“Master, should I use my handsome charm to get some tickets?”

 

“…”

 

Leon spoke with a confident expression in front of me as I felt disappointed.

 

Well… considering how everyone here keeps stealing glances at Leon, they might actually give us tickets.

 

But I don’t want to see it by selling Leon’s looks.

 

A great performance should be a virtue of emptying your bank account and paying with your own money…!

 

“Sigh, forget it… Let’s just buy some strawberry cake and go back.”

 

Giving up is also a virtue. Yes, yes.

 

Just as we trudged into the alley where the bakery was located.

 

“Huh…? Leon, is that a person…?”

 

“Oh, I think so?”

 

In front of Garnier Bakery, famous for its three-layer strawberry cake, some woman had collapsed.

 

I hurriedly ran toward the woman who was sprawled on the ground, convulsing.

 

“Hey, snap out of it! Are you okay?”

 

“Ugh….”

 

The woman, whose face was tightly wrapped in a scarf, groaned while clutching her chest.

 

Seeing the woman’s body continuously going limp, I felt the gravity of the situation and pounded hard on the tightly closed bakery door.

 

Bang bang!

 

Then Garen, the owner of Garnier Bakery who was famous for his generous heart, hurriedly opened the door.

 

“Oh my, sorry I was just preparing to close up… Oh, Miss Zoe?”

 

Having rushed out while preparing to close, Garen’s apron was soaking wet.

 

Even Garen’s hair, which he always kept neatly tied up in a bun, was disheveled, making me feel a bit sorry, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

 

I lifted the collapsed woman into my arms and shouted to Garen.

 

“Garen, this person collapsed in front of the bakery! Could we come into the shop for a moment?”

 

“Oh my goodness! Of course, please come in quickly!”

 

I hurriedly stepped into the shop.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————