The Freak Show Foreman

Chapter 156 Black and Gold – 27

He seemed to be listening to her confession calmly.

But his mind was infinitely complicated.

It was truly perplexing how to accept this situation.

On the surface, Wonderstein was a charming man.

With a sculpted face, tall stature, perfect physique, and a friendly smile, he was likable to everyone.

Even though he purely portrayed a villain in the game, he still had many fans.

It wasn't strange for him to be confessed to by someone.

But the problem was that it was her, Ella.

It would have been more realistic if it was the male Ratman confessing to him.

The situation was different from a month ago when everything was said in front of everyone.

Back then, he thought it was inevitable since she didn't know her memories were distorted.

But now, even though she knew her memories were wrong, she didn't deny her feelings for him.

Instead, she reaffirmed her commitment even after her memories might get returned.

He looked into her eyes, which were like black jewels sparkling.

"Do you really like me…?"

Ella's arms wrapped around his neck.

She stood on her tiptoes.

Her face drew closer to his.

Her breath brushed past his cheek.

He realized what she was about to do.

And instinctively, he knew he shouldn't let it happen.

He pushed her forehead gently with his finger.

As she approached him, she exclaimed, "Ouch!" and stepped back.

"W-What are you doing?"

She glared at him while rubbing her forehead.

He realized his mistake.

He forgot that his muscle strength was more than that of a tiger, thus failing to control his strength.

Wonderstein licked his lips, looking at her swollen forehead as if it had been hit.

"Ella, please."

He stroked her forehead gently.

"Let's not do something we'll regret."

Ella bit her lower lip tightly, then sighed.

"So, my memory's the problem after all? I told you I'm fine, I'll try my best! Even if I recover my memories, I won't ever hate you."

He shook his head.

"No. You'll definitely regret it 100%."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Of course. Do you think I would toss around in bed if I was not sure?"

His voice was filled with mischief.

The compelling force of the 'Smiling Man' trait was strong.

No matter how seriously he took the situation internally, laughter couldn't be suppressed.

Going through Luz's stage, he found a clue to solve this awkwardness.

It wasn't about hiding the smile but rather showing it even more.

Then the other person would realize that his exaggerated laughter wasn't sincere but rather a joke.

It was better to be seen as a fool who jokes around than to be misunderstood.

Originally, Wonderstein was such a person.

Throughout the Tril Trilo Trilogy, he showed himself as a clown villain.

He joked around in any situation, even when killing or torturing people.

Ella protruded her lips, looking at his mischievous smile.

Anyway, this guy was always like this.

"Someone confessed seriously, and this is how you respond?"

He exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't help it. What if I accepted it as good and then something happened? Wouldn't it be weird if later Ella came at me with a dagger?"

Ella chuckled as she glanced at him menacingly.

"At least there's definitely a reason I want to stab you right now."

"Ho ho ho, please hold back a little. Anyway, it's a fact that Ella Yang's mental state is unstable. Would you accept the confession from someone like in your situation?"

At his words, Ella murmured in a subdued voice.

"W-well, that's true, but…"

"I can assure you. Perhaps if the recovered Ella Yang sees me, she'll want to stab me as many times as you said, 'like me'?"

"Oh, really? Then let me say more. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. Like!"

She poured out those words and then took a deep breath.

Her face turned as red as a ripe apple.

Wonderstein laughed loudly at the sight and spoke in his usual playful tone.

"Are you hurting all over already? I might die at this rate."

Ella, who had been making a displeased expression at his exaggerated behavior, couldn't help but laugh.

Yeah. That's how he was.

He never lost his laughter in any situation.

This aspect of him was also one of the reasons why she liked him.

But this time, it was a bit too much.

She had gathered up her courage to confess.

She pushed his chest away and moved a little away from him.

She muttered with a trembling voice.

"I'm jealous."

"Of whom?"

"The 'future me.'"

His forced laughter subsided slightly at her serious tone.

"You're ignoring my feelings right now for the sake of 'that Ella.'"

"That's…"

Before he could respond, she interrupted him with a raised hand.

"Never mind. It's okay. What can I do if the person I like is like this?"

He laughed again after a moment of hesitating.

"Did you start to dislike me a little because of this incident?"

Her fist clenched at his nonsense question.

She strongly empathized with Yurakne's feelings of wanting to smash Sven's skull sometimes.

Damn clowns.

Everything is a joke.

She muttered with a snort towards him.

"It's the opposite."

"The opposite?"

"I like you more."

She stood leaning against the window.

And looking at him with a smile, she said.

"You treasure me, don't you?"

His spine tingled at her words.

She made a relieved expression and stood up straight, leaning against the railing.

"Still, it feels refreshing to let it all out. So, may I ask you a favor? If I was to say, 'The price for rejecting my confession…' wouldn't that be too much?"

"What do you mean?"

She cleared her throat and said.

"About the memory recovery treatment. Can we not do it? Like Gascon said. It would gradually come back naturally in this state. There's no need to rush, right? Give me some time. Let me try to make future me like you by myself."

He thought for a moment at her request and then nodded slowly.

This should be enough for the future her to understand.

It was her decision.

His personal desire for her attempt to succeed was also a contributing factor.

"Alright. I'll tell Gascon to stop the treatment."

"Thank you. For understanding! Oh, wait a moment! What's this negative voice I'm hearing inside me? It says, 'Three more stabs should be added for this'?

The laughter of the two people filled the hallway.

They walked side by side towards the restaurant where lunch was being served.

She opened up about the tricks that Simon Maguire used to manipulate her.

"He manipulated Reyna for 15 years in such a way! She must have had a hard time too. Quite greedy. Trying to get both me and Reyna."

"Then as compensation, should we get one person from them?"

"There's someone among Reyna's close associates who has been contradicting Lord Fantastic's opinions repeatedly. He probably wants to get rid of that person?"

The two of them took a shortcut through the factory.

Thanks to Wonderstein's understanding of the structure here, they were able to attend lunch without being late.

Before entering the building, she asked something she had been curious about.

"You never thought about putting Reyna as Assistant Director instead of me…?"

Wonderstein was pleased with her question.

He just had to answer honestly without overthinking.

"Yes. Of course. My Deputy is only you."

Ella smiled.

"That's all I needed to know."

She prepared herself to part with him again.

For now, until next Tuesday, she was a temporary member of the Golden Carnival.

They had to sit at separate tables.

As she was about to leave, Wonderstein asked her.

"How about you, Ella? Didn't you want to stay at the Golden Carnival?"

She hesitated for a moment.

She was conflicted.

Should she tease him or answer honestly?

But as soon as she looked at his face, the latter came out naturally.

"I've never had that thought. My director is only you."

"That's all right then."

He smiled and echoed what Ella had said earlier.

"Okay. See you on Tuesday. Oh, right. I'll pretend to be sulking inside the restaurant. I want to see Lord Fantastic's face when he realizes his scheme didn't work."

"Of course."

However, Wonderstein regretted accepting her joke.

Simon and Wonderstein sat facing each other in front of the workshop.

He comforted the sullen-faced Ella next to him throughout the meal.

She pretended to be affected by his insinuations, shedding tears and succumbing to his flattery.

'Jealousy, isn't it? Huh? Jealousy, isn't it?'

Ella chuckled through the Sound Room.

Honestly, it was uncomfortable.

Simon's face, looking at her as if infatuated.

And Ella's gaze, seemingly infatuated with someone else.

Now he could somewhat guess what Lord Fantastic felt when he saw Reyna earlier.

Still, he believed that this would solve everything.

According to the rules of this draft, once the temporary contract period ended, the selected members could choose their whereabouts as they pleased.

Ella would return to where he was.

However, he momentarily overlooked the implicit meaning of the above rule.

That if a temporary member wanted to stay, that too couldn't be stopped.

"I don't want to go back." Stay tuned with empire

"What?"

Wonderstein, having finished the factory tour, was communicating to Gascon using the Sound Room.

It was to discuss the discontinuation of Ella's treatment.

But suddenly, Reyna requested a meeting with him.

As she sat down across from him, she hesitated before blurting out the words above.

"Treat me however you like. You can give me more work if you want. I want to stay here."

She said with a tense expression and a stern tone.

Wonderstein couldn't decide whether to be pleased or not.

Having only her join was a welcomed development.

But according to the rules, it couldn't happen.

They had already selected additional recruit.

This would mean that instead of getting Ella back, they would lose one person on the other side.

Deep in thought, Wonderstein murmured.

'Should I give up Gascon after all?'

'Apprentice, did you forget that I'm still in communication with you…?'

…

[The quest 'I don't want to ride on the cart!' has been activated.]

It was a quest armed with all sorts of annoying failure penalties.

Since then, Wonderstein had to endure the tantrums of the grumbling old man all night.