主妇丈夫倡导的户外生活

Unexpectedly, Roland's first reaction was to yell:

"Run!"

He bolted out of there so quickly. Harker and Artea had to follow after him. The cop also got out and chased after the three, but they went to the denser part of the streets with a lot of the bar hoppers starting to file in for the night.

They managed to lose him by merging with the crowd. Roland went straight inside the Circus Cabaret, and closed the door behind him as Harker and Artea got in too.

The patrons didn't seem to pay attention to them. They were all stuck in their own activities, like carefully placed pieces of a diorama. Harker doesn't know why, but this felt very much like a bar…..

And that unsettled him for some reason.

It was so much like a bar, like one would expect from a bar. They people laughed as they drank, and they sounded more like a laugh than any laughter he heard. Their movements looked more like a party than any party he had been to.

It was so hard to explain what exactly was bizarre with this familiar scene. 

And then it occurred to him. It was familiar, but that's about it. It was supposed to be familiar, but it felt like it wasn't. What is this, reverse deja vu? 

It's throwing him for a loop. He realized that the music being played was from a jazz band, with the pianist being the singer himself. He was singing a quite slow song, but the words…

Harker can't understand his words. It was like they were slurred. Was he drunk?

"Privet, drug." Someone said beside him.

"H-Huh? I don't want no drugs, thanks…." Harker answered awkwardly as he tried to see where Roland and Artea were.

But they were already far beyond him, talking to the bartender. They were already investigating without him. Harker got annoyed, and was about to approach him when the same man chuckled. 

His laughter was different from the rest. It wasn't unnatural. It was just a regular laugh that Harker had to turn around to double-check.

The man had platinum blonde hair, very pale skin, and blue eyes. He had a costume on, a black and white striped suit, cane, and hat. He looked like a ring master. There was also some make-up on his cheeks, just two red circles like you'd find on dolls. 

He also put two lines at the edge of his lips to give the appearance of a marionette puppet. Like that block that you can move to make it seem like the puppet was talking.

"I offer you no 'drug'. I was just greeting you as I would a friend in Russia. Droog." He chuckled again, covering his mouth with his gloved hand. 

Harker couldn't tell what he felt about this guy. He seemed to want no harm, but at the same time, he felt like he couldn't trust him for a second. Before he could decide, the man had already offered his hand and introduced himself. 

"I am Ivan Ivanovich. Welcome to my Circus. What is your name?" He asked with a genial smile. 

Harker blinked in surprise. This man looked almost just as young as him, but he turned out to be the owner of this bar. He does doubt that was the man's real name, it sounded fake enough. He wasn't so sure if his Russian accent was genuine too or just an act. 

"Harker." He said, shaking his hand. 

"Ah, Harker. You are comfortable sharing your name with me. That is nice." He said, speaking in that weird English. "That mean you do not mind if I borrow it?"

Harker blinked. "Huh?"

Ivan Ivanovich let go of his hand, then offered it again.

"Hello, I am Harker. Welcome to my Circus. What is your name?"

Harker had encountered so many weird things as a demon lord, but somehow this exchange takes the cake. It truly took him a hot second to react, before he went to say:

"That's… That's kind of like identity theft, isn't it?"

Ivan Ivanovich laughed again, always covering his mouth as he did. "Oh, it is a joke! A joke! I always put up this act on newcomers, you see? It is an act, I do not steal names even if I really, really like them."

Harker made an awkward sound that wasn't really a laugh. "Well… I was also just joking about the identity theft thing. It's nice to meet you, Ivan. Your place is cool. I should get going, though…."

"Ah, you now go to your other druz'ya. Ok then. Enjoy your evening." Ivan tipped his hat and bowed to him.

"Yeah…. You too…."

Harker went to join Roland and Artea, but still kept an eye on this strange may-or-may not be Russian man. Ivan just watched him back, his hand still on his mouth as if giggling with his eyes creased happily. 

"I thought I said I'm taking the wheels here." Harker said pointedly, seeing that Roland and Artea were already chatting up the bartender with drinks on their hands. 

It hadn't even been a few minutes and they were already teaming up like some power couple investigating some big secret. Harker regretted ever listening to Artea's words earlier. It made him even angrier just remembering it. 

"Harker? Where have you been?" Roland quickly looked up, as if he was caught red-handed on a crime.

Harker didn't answer and instead told the bartender. "One for me too. Whiskey."

Once he got his glass, he downed it first before saying: "Talking to some possible witnesses, like the owner of the bar over there. What about you two? Are you investigating or are you just enjoying your moonshine? You do remember that the policeman may find us here any time soon."

"We just got thirsty." Artea countered. "And didn't you ask for one too—"

"I was asking Roland." Harker said pointedly. 

Roland frowned. "We were doing the same thing. We're asking the bartender if he knew anything about the Garcia case, or the Dalton murder before, or even just something strange about this area. He said he'll only answer if we buy something, and so we did. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Nothing, of course." Harker snorted. "I just didn't want to be third wheel here when you asked for my help before your new fiancee came around."

Roland's eyes slowly widened, and he gave Artea an accusing look. Artea just gave an apologetic one and smiled. 

"Sorry, Roland…. I just thought he already knew. I told him that even if you and I are getting married, he doesn't have to worry about me getting in between your friendship. That's all." She said. "Even Fernando and the other servants knew about it already."

Harker sneered. "Hah. Yeah. But your best friend still had no idea."

Roland knitted his brows together. "I didn't want it to spread because it's a secret. We still haven't formally cut off the engagement with the MacBheatha family. I didn't want to start any trouble, that's why I had to—"

"Hide it from me? Why me of all people?" Harker retorted. "I let her join in because I know you wouldn't explain when it's just me around." 

Artea nodded. "Yes. I don't get it either, but I'm sure you had your reasons. I wanted to know those reasons too. Why didn't you tell him, Roland?"

Roland's eyes widened. So they're teaming up on him now? He thought Harker hated her so much, but now they're both pressuring him to admit the truth. 

"It's because I…."

They were suddenly interrupted when a certain someone went to the stage where the jazz band was and spoke through the microphone. 

"Good evening, friends!!!! We have a special guest for tonight! Everyone, please welcome the Chief of Police of the New York City Police Department, Lance Fieldings!!! Welcome him to our Circus Cabaret!"