I Became the Leader of the Monster Circus Troupe

Chapter 173: Demon in the Bottle – 12

September 6th was the opening day of Lekachep.

The courtyard in front of the main building was filled with students wearing various colors of gym uniforms.

Each class in Lekachep had a different color of gym uniform assigned to them.

There were 8 colors that rotated over 8 years.

The cycle of the same color returning was longer than the maximum enrollment period of the school, so there was never any confusion about who was senior or junior during their time at the school.

The new freshmen also had gym uniforms assigned to them, a color that was not among the existing 8.

Students wearing a murky blue color, reminiscent of water, moved towards the corner of the courtyard according to the instructions.

There, they were joined by others wearing the same color of clothes.

They were all freshmen.

Their number was a little over 30.

They were scheduled to tour the school under the guidance of senior students during the morning.

On a stage in front of them stood students dressed neatly in the school uniform, distinguished by the color on the edges of their clothes and the pendants.

They were presumably from the highest grade following the standard curriculum.

A female student with blue hair stepped forward as their representative and greeted the guests.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Lekachep. My name is Clara, majoring in tightrope walking, and I will be your guide today.

Her eyes radiated a kind energy, and her voice was calm.

Her pronunciation, smooth yet articulate, was that of an exemplary student.

The freshmen started whispering among themselves.

Clara?

Ive heard of her. Isnt she the top student of our year?

Wow, such a person is our guide?

Claras name was quite well-known.

If she was the top student at Lekachep, she would undoubtedly be an accomplished individual within her age group.

She would usually have garnered as much attention as Reyna.

However, at the moment, with all the focus in the industry on the Circus Grand Prix, her prominence was somewhat diminished.

Hence, about half of the freshmen only recognized her after she mentioned her name.

Yet, regardless of her reputation outside the school, her position within the school was solid.

Not only was she skilled, but her considerate demeanor also made her popular among her peers.

She was scheduled to join Lekachep 25, a minority elite circus troupe, after graduating next year.

Lekachep 25 was formed by five graduates, spanning from the top graduates of the first year to the fifth year of Lekachep.

Initially, it was called Lekachep 5, but with each additional member, the number in the name increased.

Only one student, the top graduate of Lekachep, was admitted each year.

Charlie, who was a top graduate one year ahead of Clara, gave up joining Lekachep 25.

Thanks to that, Clara was the only student currently enrolled who was guaranteed entry into the Circus Grand Prix main event.

There was no way Lekachep 25 would be eliminated in the preliminaries.

People nodded, acknowledging that indeed, being a top student was different.

However, Claras moment of attention didnt last long.

A commotion erupted at the entrance to the courtyard.

All eyes turned there.

A girl with a cold, ice-like face walked through, her long, wavy blonde hair cascading behind her.

Even the senior students, who stood with arrogant expressions on the stage, couldnt help but swallow hard as they watched her.

Her figure, outlined by the gym uniform, was captivating, and her expression was arrogant as she stood on the stage.

Around her were a group of freshmen, following her like an entourage.

Clara could recognize their faces.

They were teenage acrobats, not as famous as Reyna but well-known nonetheless.

They were promising newcomers boasting their skills, gathered under the name Golden Carnival Circus.

The school authorities were already aware of their movements.

All of them had submitted identical class schedules.

They all enrolled in advanced practical classes.

Clara could guess their intentions.

Just like in the entrance exams, they intended to overshadow Lekachep elites by demonstrating overwhelming performance in practical skills.

The senior students standing beside Clara murmured.

Reyna was Reyna, but those standing beside her were not to be underestimated either.

They were newcomers who possessed skills comparable to Lekachep students, unlike the ragtag bunch standing in front of the stage.

Clara gave a subtle glance to the boys who had been gaping with their mouths open.

They were startled out of their trance only when Clara nudged them, diverting their attention from Reyna.

Reyna, that girl

Clara watched Reyna, who was walking confidently amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd.

Ha, putting on airs.

Being the subject of ridicule in public.

I wonder what Charlie thinks of her now?

Would it be embarrassing to admit he likes her now?

Clara wasnt burdened with guilt or fear of being accused of murder.

That was three weeks ago.

People could rationalize themselves however they wanted.

She had only grown to resent Reyna more for making her feel that way.

However, she didnt outwardly show the hatred she harbored inside.

She continued to play the role of kind Clara and gently pacified the tumultuous crowd.

But soon enough, the commotion at the campus gate resumed.

Another star from the entrance exams had arrived.

A girl with black hair walked confidently through the gate.

It was Ella from Wonderland Circus.

She, too, was accompanied by a group of kids.

Clara recognized who they were.

They were the kids who had entered the circus troupe through the draft with good exam scores.

Oh, hey? Do you remember me? I ranked 8th in the entrance exam.

I ranked 11th. I felt like I wasted my opportunity to enter Lekachep, but itll be even more impressive if I make it to the finals of the Circus Grand Prix.

Hows your schedule? Well adjust ours to match yours.

Ella seemed a bit overwhelmed by the gathering of kids.

However, with her innate friendliness, she managed to coordinate the group well.

Thanks to their pride in passing the tough exams and a sense of camaraderie, the kids selected through the draft bonded well.

As she walked from the gate to the stage, she effortlessly formed a group centered around her.

As a result, the freshmen naturally divided into three groups.

The elite faction centered around Reyna, the rising star faction centered around Ella, and those who didnt belong anywhere.

The third group belonged to those categorized as ragtag by Clara based on their skills and reputation.

While interacting with the gathered kids, Ella acknowledged the presence of a friend in the third group.

Maya.

She stood alone, staring blankly at the towers of the campus.

The two had been acting separately since the entrance gate.

Despite Ellas urging to help with school life as soon as they got off the carriage, Maya stubbornly left on her own.

Before Ella could catch her, she was surrounded by freshmen near the gate.

Even before losing her memory, the two werent exactly on good terms.

Besides their vastly different personalities, there had been clashes of opinions on matters involving Wonderstein.

While Maya was irritated by Ellas casual attitude towards the director, she envied the absolute trust the director placed in her.

While Ella admired the director, she was irked by Mayas indifference towards the circus itself.

Their relationship drifted further apart when Ella lost her memory.

Unlike the small amount of sincerity they once shared, there was now a cold wind blowing between them.

Ella found it regrettable.

She was the only peer from the circus.

The more time passed, the wider the rift between them seemed to grow.

Initially, Maya wasnt the type to be interested in human relationships, so there wasnt much she could do even if she tried

Thats when it happened.

A thunderous roar erupted from dozens of people at the school entrance.

Papal! Papal!

Papals Smiling Acrobat!

Smiling acrobat!

Karen! Karen! Karen!

Karen!

Sudden uproar startled the students, and they all had the same thought.

Was there someone in a black gym uniform?

A group of people, completely covered in black, stood shoulder to shoulder, swaying and shaking, chanting the same slogans repeatedly.

Amidst the human wall they formed, a girl with fiery red hair leaped through the gate.

Behind her, acrobats clad in black cheered and applauded.

Karen, as she approached the gate, scolded them in her characteristic manner.

You fools! Act a little more civilized! Whats all this nonsense!

She berated them with curses.

However, the men in black paid no heed and shouted even louder.

The words Smiling and Karen were the only ones left as the rest, like Papal, the circus, and acrobat, faded away.

Smiling!

Karen!

Smiling!

Karen!

Behind the group in black, Hopps, dressed in the ringmasters uniform, blew a trumpet.

Joined by the other members of Papal Circus, their faces filled with mischief, the performers started swaying and singing to the rhythm of the trumpet, chanting praises to Smiling Karen.

Karen, contorting her face in frustration towards her annoying brother and colleagues, hurriedly dashed into the school gate.

What a spectacle! Is she the centerpiece of Papal Circus?

Smiling Acrobat, huh? Heh heh.

I thought Papal would be a bit duller.

Karen snarled at those kids.

What are you staring at? Get lost!

She hurled curses at the kids who were murmuring to themselves, using all sorts of verbal and gestural language.

With a temper like a storm, she stomped her way through the gate.

Then, someone called her name.

Karen.

Why the hell are you calling me?

She shot an angry glare at the person who called her.

But upon confirming her identity, she froze on the spot.

Uh, uh, M-Maya?

A white-haired girl blinked her crimson eyes as she looked at Karen.

Karens face turned as red as her hair.

The two had spent some time together in Tettromino Plaza for a few days.

Karen was awkward in front of her.

She restrained her speech, trying her best to sound like a boy.

If her fellow Papal Circus members saw her, they would be embarrassed by her awkward tone.

It was due to the trauma of acting like a boy and getting caught in the past.

But today, because of those damn fools, she witnessed her true self.

Uh, uh, there you are Um, what I just said

Karen stuttered.

She was afraid of what Maya might think of her.

But as always, Maya spoke with an expressionless face.

Hello.

Uh, uh, hey, Maya um

Karen awkwardly waved her hand.

She couldnt find anywhere to look and wandered with her gaze.

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Chapter 172: Demon in the Bottle 11