The Adventures of Clara

Before the Storm Comes

A tall man stepped through the crowd. It went very smoothly almost as if no one else was around. The robe he was wearing blended neatly with a flat, gray hat on his head. Unfortunately the dull face along with the large dark circles in his eyes shattered all the imagery he was trying to build.

This man is Delta Greyhorn, a detective and writer of mystery novels.

He entered a special room inside the circus tent. The guards who saw him lowered their heads respectfully. Even the owner of the room, the Mayor, did not dare to act mighty before him.

Mayor Darton has a short body but is full of muscles. His face was one step ahead of the Rhino. Rumor has it that children who meet her will cry hysterically.

Even so, his prestige was extremely high. Especially in the military field. When he was on the front line, he scored a lot of achievements. In short, he was a living legend.

And even with all his achievements and also his position as Mayor he still had to speak a little more carefully to this interlocutor.

"Mr Greyhorn! I hope you can rest well," Welcomed the Mayor, kindly.

"There's no need to be too polite, Lord Mayor."

"You too, Mr. Greyhorn."

They both sat side by side enjoying the circus show. The scantily clad female waitress filled the silver cup with high quality wine. After completing his task, he left immediately.

"Before, I congratulate you, Mr. Greyhorn. It doesn't look like it'll be long before your seventh book series comes out" the Mayor said, starting a conversation.

"Yes. Thank you," Greyhorn replied briefly as he lit a cigarette pipe.

A thunderous applause filled the entire tent. The first attraction is finished and immediately followed by the attraction of wild animals.

Mayor Darton put on a stern expression. In an instant, the air between the two became heavy.

Without further ado the Mayor went straight into the subject. "The information you mentioned earlier, how credible is it?"

"Hundred percent. I know him much better than his own parents."

Darton's breaking the table. He gulped down the wine violently and forcibly calmed himself.

On a sunny morning, Darton, who was finishing his daily routine, was plagued with urgent news about the sudden visit of this famous detective, a retired Imperial Court Chief Justice, the Imperial Eye, Delta Greyhorn.

Along with the news also came a preliminary letter which basically read, "Hey. The most wanted criminal of the empire is hiding in your town. So I came to catch him."

"Listening to your hundred percent confidence just made me think, this guy's been in a trap, right?" ask the Mayor, expectantly.

Until now, no one has been able to run or hide from the detective. Therefore Darton tried to believe that everything was in the grasp of this man.

Detective Greyhorn suddenly chuckled for quite a while. He smoked his cigarette and exhaled a thick smoke as if removing all the burdens and worries he had.

"I've been chasing him for a long time. Because of her I couldn't attend my grandson's sweet birthday celebration" Greyhorn lamented. "It's time to end this fucking game."

Mayor Darton was slightly surprised before finally sighing in relief. Looks like the guess is right.

"Aiya. It seems like the criminals hiding in my town are so troublesome that the greatest detectives are so fed up. I hope nothing's wrong."

"Don't worry. Whatever he's planning, it's destined to fail" Greyhorn said, confident. "What you have to worry about is how much you're losing."

The circus shows continue. Now a circus member is tied up with a variety of obstructions, then put into a tank containing carnivorous fish. Several spectators were randomly selected to ensure the authenticity of the barrier.

"Puller, handcuff the magic barrier, then tied the chain. A real death seeker" said the Mayor.

"Want to bet?"

"Can."

"Then I bet that guy will fail."

"Then I'm the opposite. Well, what makes you so confident. Seeing how optimistic the circus members were, they had definitely practiced a lot. It makes sense that the chances of success should be higher."

"Let's see first. I'll tell you the reason."

The attraction has been running for almost ten minutes. The audience began to shake. Even the rest of the circus members started to look uneasy.

After a few more minutes passed, a circus member made a hole in the tank. The fish that came out with the water began to rebel. The other circus members who had prepared easily pressed the fish and moved it into another tank.

The crowd of spectators became even more rowdy. Some are disappointed, anxious, worried.

But suddenly, all the lighting in the tent was turned off. Then the roof of the tent was opened so that a beam of moonlight illuminated one point, namely in the middle of the tent.

The entire emotion of the audience slowly became astonished, the others stared in disbelief, then became a rumble of applause.

In the middle of the tent, on top of a rope, a figure that looked soaked stood quietly.

Mayor Darton was amazed. Even himself will be very difficult if you have to do the attraction earlier.

"Haha. Looks like your guess was wrong this time."

"Traction failed. They're different people."

The Mayor became curious. Then the detective continued, "If the tank is transparent, the water is very murky. For the fish itself a type of piranha, but more ferocious and eaters everything, including cloth and metal. The person at the beginning had already become a fish meal. You can check it out yourself later."

Darton frowned.

Greyhorn doesn't seem like a person who hates to lose making excuses. Might?

Darton asked just in case, “You were joking, right?”

“No. Maybe that poor fellow had somehow offended him. Well, you don't have to worry too much about this because there are more pressing issues.”

If what the detective says is true, then this is already a crime.

There's no need to doubt Detective Greyhorn's truth. His prowess had already become a living legend similar to Darton's. If Darton was famous among the military and residents of Denia City, then a figure named Delta Greyhorn was known throughout the Empire.

But it also raises a series of questions.

Why would the circus approve such an act?

Usually as the circus is on the rise they will avoid actions that will tarnish their name.

In addition, the detective's explanation does not explain the root of the question at all.

"How did you know?" ask Darton, curious.

A group of dancers take over the stage. The lighting was turned on again as if all the events had been planned.

Starting with the sound of a drum, then continued with music that lathers.

Along with that, Detective Delta Greyhorn reveals a big secret as if talking about the weather tonight.

"Don't I just say. I know him better than his own parents."

The music echoed the plaza. The scantily clad women danced beautifully under the glitter of the night. But all of that did not fit into the senses of the Mayor.

“Hah ..!”

A ray of consciousness struck him like a bolt of lightning. An extremely frightening conclusion lingered in his head. Darton stared at Delta in hopes that he was just joking. But unfortunately, though,

"That's right. The criminal I'm looking for is hiding in this circus."

The night in Denia City this time will be very long.

..."...."...

The show is over. Uncle Boss and the others were walking towards the inn that was in the residential area.

"Ah. That was incredible. Especially the last attraction," said Uncle Boss, impressed.

"Yup. They played the audience. I still don't understand how they do it"

"Heh. Selling only cheap tricks. You don't understand because your brain lives in the inn" Neet sneered. "Gu guess it's actually different people."

"Yes, yes, sir-whatever-know. We'll know your guess is right or wrong when little lady wakes up" Rhino replied.

When the last show took place Clara was chosen as one of the observers to prove the authenticity of the attraction.

The little girl in question was currently asleep on Rhino's back due to fatigue.

"By the way, Shina, do you like that doll?"

"... Yep. Cute." Shina hugs the rabbit doll the circus member gave to Clara tightly.

"Huh. Cute, yes. I'll buy it later?" ask Rhino.

"If you're seducing me please do better later" Shina said, straightforwardly.

"Heh. Losers," scorned Neet, sowing wounds on salt.

Somehow Shina who usually always answers slowly will reply straightforwardly and firmly to questions like this. Rhino always suspected that the woman was actually just playing tricks on him.

As for Neet, Rhino paid absolutely no attention to this @#&*¥@¥.

"It's a tiring day" said Uncle Boss, ignoring the fanfare of his subordinates.

The boss uncle looked at his pet, Kiku, with concern. As a rare lizard with special attributes, Kiku has always been sensitive to the environment, especially regarding mana. That was why when Kiku kept cowering all day Uncle Boss had already made preparations for the worst situation. But nothing really happened.

"I hope there won't be any problems" he murmured.