I Became the Leader of the Monster Circus Troupe

After the ordinance ended, the morning lecture began, but there were no students concentrating on the class.

Everyone was busy searching for information about the freshman welcome party to be held on Saturday and exchanging opinions.

Notes flew around the table, and there were whispered conversations with neighbours. Occasionally, bursts of laughter or admiration erupted, startlingly loud.

Professor Gogol, a literature professor, continued the class as usual, whether or not anyone paid attention.

He sighed with relief, noting that there were fewer latecomers than usual.

This boring theoretical lecture usually didn’t attract many attentive listeners.

Despite being dubbed an elite academy, Lekachep was still essentially a circus school.

The students here were restless creatures; sitting quietly would make them uncomfortable.

Staring at boring textbooks was naturally unpopular.

Especially since Professor Gogol, the only one among the faculty who wasn’t a former circus performer, had even less rapport with the students.

But he persevered, thinking that perhaps the few upperclassmen who aspired to write scripts were his true disciples.

So, despite his tribulations, he was glad to see a student who seemed genuinely interested in learning in his first-year class.

A petite girl with silver hair sat nearby, quietly absorbed in her books and notes, ignoring her surroundings.

Despite being a freshman, she was a commendable friend dedicated to learning. It was a pity she would leave in a month or two.

Karen felt her breath catch as she watched Maya, who never seemed to lift her eyes from her book, even on days like this.

“You’re amazing, even on days like this. Is the class sinking in?”

She was bored to death.

While everyone else buzzed about who they’d take to the welcome party or who would perform on the invitation stage, her only friend seemed disinterested in anything but studying.

No matter how many times she tried to engage her, Maya remained unresponsive. Today, however, she hadn’t responded even once.

Staring closely at her friend’s face, Karen let out a disappointed sigh.

“What’s up? You were sleeping.”

Maya hadn’t been staring at her book and notes at all.

She had been nodding off.

When Karen nudged her shoulder, Maya blinked and raised her head.

She looked at Karen with dazed eyes.

“Why’d you wake me?”

“Well, you were sleeping. What happened last night?”

In response to her question, Maya mumbled, whether it was a yawn or a sigh, it was hard to tell.

“I was practicing dagger throwing all night.”

“All night? Wait, again? Didn’t you do that the day before yesterday too?”

“Yeah.”

“Insane! Two nights in a row?”

Despite Karen’s loud exclamation, no one paid attention.

Others around them were making louder noises.

“It’s fine. I’ve stayed up for days reading books before.”

“Books are different. Moving your body is much harder!”

Just then, Professor Gogol finished writing on the board and began reading from the textbook again.

Maya picked up her pen and started summarizing the important points he emphasized in her own way.

Karen waved her hand in front of her.

“How can you study in this condition? Let’s talk. Huh? Let’s talk, talk. Maya, maya, maya.”

Drawing out the end of her words, she clung to Maya like a persistent fly.

Maya let out a small sigh and put down her pen.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“About inviting a partner to the party. Have you decided who you’ll give the invitation to?”

“What about you?”

“I’ll probably give it to my brother. He keeps asking me how Professor Pyrene is doing. Annoying bachelor. He should come and meet her in person. Who are you giving it to?”

Maya hesitated for a moment before cautiously nodding.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

Karen smirked.

Does this girl really think she is clueless?

“Hmm, should I guess? Your Director, right?”

Maya widened her eyes and turned to look at her.

“How did you know?”

She’s cute, adorable.

Karen fought the urge to pinch her rosy cheeks.

“How did I know! You’re always talking about him! Our Director this, our Director that, our Director, our Director, our Director.”

Maya felt a little embarrassed.

Had she really talked about the Director that much?

“I’ve seen your Director too. Right before I met you that day. The blond, handsome guy, right?”

“Guy?”

Maya echoed, slightly taken aback by her choice of words.

Karen shrugged.

“Well, even if there’s over 20 years age gap between me and Hopps, he’s technically a guy to me. Anyway, I’ll support you. Although you’re much more deserving. That’s an acceptable mask you’ve got there. Even with a 10-year age gap, he’d make a good lover.”

“Not a lover though…”

Maya mumbled under her breath.

Karen chuckled, finding it refreshing to see her hesitating like that.

“Will he not consider you as a partner?”

“What? What’s his taste in women like?”

Maya didn’t know how they ended up having this conversation, but she was already contemplating an answer to the question.

The Director’s taste in women.

Maya recalled the women the Director had been with.

Anais Vergsong and Reyna.

Both exuded confidence, were aloof, and flawless.

“Active… well-dressed, perfect noble-like women…”

“…Nah. That’s not you.”

Karen scratched her head.

The term ‘active’ was light years away from describing Maya. Moreover, she had no interest in grooming herself.

Though it was ironic to have such a conversation considering her appearance and complexion…

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about that. But you’ve got something better.”

“Studying?”

At her response, Karen made a bewildered expression.

“No. Dummy. You’re pretty.”

“Pretty?”

Maya tilted her head.

She didn’t understand what Karen was saying.

“Beauty is subjective, you know. You might not appeal to the Director, but to most people, you’re pretty! Damn, girl!”

Karen wrapped her arms around her and pretended to tousle her hair.

Maya leaned into her embrace, still expressionless.

She carefully pondered what Karen had said.

“If everyone thinks… then would I look pretty to the Director too?”

She can’t believe she have a friend who would ask such an unlucky question.

Though Karen was dumbfounded, she answered honestly.

“Of course! I vouch for you! He’s a late 20s dude. If he’s a healthy man with intact limbs, he’d gladly dance clumsily at a party with a 10-year younger chick!”

Maya smiled faintly.

“I’m grateful.”

It was her first time seeking advice from a peer about such a matter.

This was the first time she had such a long conversation with someone outside of academic debates.

Although it was a conversation with no significant content, it still felt powerful.

Could she feel this way even after talking with Ella?

“Huh? Did Maya just express gratitude? Could you repeat that? I didn’t hear it properly!”

“….”

Maya picked up her pen again and started writing.

Professor Gogol cast a sympathetic look at her.

“Maya, could you say it again for me?”

“Get lost.”

Maya replied with a hint of annoyance.

They finished their morning class and went straight to lunch.

They were eager to move to the auditorium earlier than others.

Because Maya wanted to sit at the front.

Maybe to come straight after the meal.

As soon as she sat down, the exhaustion from two consecutive all-nighters hit her at once.

Maya blinked slowly, then fell asleep sitting on the classroom chair.

Karen stretched beside her.

“Maya~ Ugh, even if I say so myself, it’s creepy. Damn. If those old guys heard this, they would have had a fit. 100%.”

The way Karen spoke when she was with Maya wasn’t her usual tone.

Within the circus troupe, she used rough language liberally.

She also behaved like stretching her legs wide or scratching her stomach, just like a middle-aged man.

She wasn’t uninterested in living as a “woman,” but revealing herself as a woman in front of those who spent 90% of their daily life with her was something she couldn’t do.

“If I act too girly, the restroom will smell like jasmine at night. I’m not boosting for you guys for nothing!”

Even though Hopps suggested leaving if it was uncomfortable, she didn’t want that.

She wanted to live as an acrobat.

She liked Papal Circus and her colleagues within it.

But she still wanted to rid herself of the unshakeable part of being a “woman.”

But somehow, she ended up being afraid of girls.

Just one girl friend.

Someone she could confide in.

She looked at Maya.

She felt comfortable with her because it was hard to read her mind.

Does she think of me as a friend as much as I do?

Maya’s bag dropped from her hand.

It seemed like she had lost her grip due to sleeping.

Daily life would be a mess without someone helping her here.

Mumbling softly, Karen picked up her bag when someone spoke to her.

“Are you Maya’s friend?”

The voice came from the platform.

There stood a late twenties blond man in a black suit and black cloak.

“Handsome brother!”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, no, um, you’re Director Wonderstein, right?”

“Yes. And you are Karen, right?”

“Me? How do you know me?”

“Of course. Maya told me about you.”

Karen’s face blushed at his words.

“Maya? What did she say?”

“That your hair is red.”

“….”

“She thought you were a boy because of your body.”

“….”

This girl.

Karen felt an urge to grab Maya by the hair.

But she held back because Wonderstein was there.

“Shall I wake Maya?”

“No, leave her alone. She looks very tired.”

As lunchtime was ending, students began to gather in the auditorium.

Karen stood in line at the entrance of the classroom to get Maya’s snack for her.

She pressed the cold drink against Maya’s cheek.

With a cold sensation, she blinked and woke up.

“What time is it?”

“It’s time. Director’s already here.”

At that moment, there was commotion at the entrance of the classroom.

Leading the students, a female student with blue hair in a white suit and skirt walked in with precise steps.

She was Clara, the current top senior.

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Chapter 183: Demon in the Bottle – 22