Chapter 76: Test of the Rose Windmill Cabaret (10)
When I crossed over into this world, I found it difficult to confront the members directly.
Some of them were afraid of me, but I, too, was afraid of them in my own way.
It wasnt because of their appearance.
Unlike the people in this world who might find them intimidating, their looks didnt bother me much.
Womon was a muscular and charismatic Giant character often seen in games and movies.
Sven, although a symbol of terror for people in the past, was amusing to watch move around, considering the widespread usage of skeletons in the modern era.
The disabilities that Yurakne, Triamere, and Bendict had reminded me of friends I had in the orphanage in the past, making them feel familiar. Even the dwarf Jobel was just a person with short stature, a common sight in every neighbourhood.
The reason I found it hard to face them was not because of their appearance but because of their actions portrayed in the games.
Womon was a cannibal who would hang people on hooks and cook them, Sven was a madman who hunted people, skinned them, and wore their leather like clothes, and Yurakne was a supernatural being who would tie up men and extract bodily fluids from them.
Monsters who could potentially rip my throat apart if I showed any weakness.
I kept my guard up, thinking like that.
Of course, such suspicions didnt last long.
They were only similar to the bosses of TT1 in appearance; I soon realized they were ordinary individuals with many wounds inside.
Some took longer to adapt due to their appearances.
They were the Rat Men, who worked as laborers in the circus.
As their name suggests, they were a race with the appearance of rats.
Rats were symbols of uncleanliness and disgust alongside cockroaches for modern people.
My perception of them was not much different from ordinary people.
When I saw their stiff fur, twitching whiskers, wriggling nose, and pink, wrinkled front paws, curses unintentionally escaped me. If there hadnt been a laughing man, I might have wet myself the moment I faced them.
But the people here didnt find Rat Men as repulsive as I did.
People might look at them as lacking in some way or like dirty colored people, but they didnt see them as monsters.
It was a very strange thing.
Emotionally, it didnt resonate, but it wasnt something I couldnt understand.
Whether something is a monster or not ultimately depends on the familiarity.
If a dinosaur or a three-legged insect-like creature appeared in reality, we wouldnt treat it as a monster.
However, creatures like a six-legged cat or a snake with eight arms or a human-sized cockroach would be treated as monsters.
The psychological aversion to calling something a monster or recoiling from it came from the strangeness beyond familiarity.
The difference in perspective between the members and the Rat Men in this place could also be understood in that way.
In two months, I also became somewhat accustomed to the Rat Men.
They didnt seem as grotesque as before.
Surprisingly, they didnt fear me as they did before.
Rat Men were a race with an innate sense of reading cues and atmosphere.
They instinctively felt that I was no longer a threatening presence.
Now, confidently walking past me was a routine sight.
There was even a time when they gathered under the balcony of my bedroom at dawn, roasting and eating a sparrow they had caught somewhere while singing.
Not long ago, a child took money from me, claiming he needed it to buy medicine for a sick sibling. Later, I found him sprawled in a corner of the yard, intoxicated by marijuana.
At such times, it was both amusing and somehow damaging to my pride. Am I perceived as more approachable than the former Wonderstein?
I observed unexpected behaviors similar to what I mentioned earlier, where they would roll their eyes, watch my expression, or flick their beards, trying to gauge the atmosphere, like humans do.
The societal prejudice of the cunning and treacherous species didnt seem entirely baseless.
Ella tilted her head as if puzzled.
Fine. Do as you wish. After all, guests wont expect much from the rat men employees.
The rat men shouted with joy as they rushed out of the garden.
From the sounds of their chatter, it seemed like they were heading to the back garden of the hotel, perhaps to gather honey from a beehive they found there.
Ella watched their backs as she murmured to herself.
Those rascals.
Werent the demands too much for the rat men?
In response to my question, she chuckled as if saying it wasnt a big deal.
Theyre just bluffing. Both the lines and the actions were a mess. They dont have any obligation. They just navigate between profit and balance. This time, its their move, thinking this place is their territory.
Ella adjusted the whip on her waist.
It was called a beast-taming whip, but I had never seen her use it on any animals other than the rat men.
Oh, right. What about the discussion with Lady Vergsong?
I couldnt talk to her. She went to another region early in the morning. She is quite busy these days handling post-trial matters.
Is that so? Well, then we dont have much to do right now. Lets take it easy since theres still three weeks left. Want to watch the members practice together?
Sure.
Just a week ago, I couldnt have imagined wandering around their practice.
I always had to step back if the members were uncomfortable.
However, after the trial, the members didnt seem as uncomfortable sharing the same space with me anymore.
When juggling two skulls, the speed keeps mismatching because the other white ball and the skulls have different weights. What should I do?
Well, in that case, focus on reflexively snapping only when you throw the skulls.
As soon as she heard the difficult part the members were struggling with, Ella immediately provided a solution.
Should I keep applying pine pollen powder to my hands?
Sis, you can use both arms alternately. People wont notice what the other hand is doing during the performance.
She accurately grasped the physical characteristics of the members and provided appropriate advice.
Wumon, your crying sounds are the scariest when youre scared. So when youre doing an angry scene, think of something frightening.
Like this? Kwaah!
Nggh, give it some time and scream. Alright!
She used her knowledge to address issues that I wouldnt have known about without observing the members closely.
I couldnt help but admire her skills as I followed her around.
Maya was redrawing the sign at Ellas request.
Pointing to the spot next to me where I was standing, Ella said,
Move me there.
Maya, after hearing her request, glanced at her with a slightly displeased look, then followed her request and drew the picture.
Thus, the entire group focused on final practice.
Every day, there were slight adjustments to posture, movements, acting, and drawings.
Five days passed quickly.
Under the completed sign.
Ella gathered all the members and turned around, smiling confidently.
25%.
The first week of the test had begun.
