The manor was not large. Compared to the Ceres Clan’s estate, it was at least ninety percent smaller.

Crossing the small lawn, they entered a small, three-story building that looked more like the residential houses lining the streets of other districts.

Santiago took off his coat. Using the flame from a lantern, he lit the candelabra in the living room and turned on the gas lamp.

In an instant, the group was once again bathed in light.

"Captain, this place feels like it’s been vacant for a long time."

Chirut’s severed arm had already healed. He curiously surveyed the room’s furnishings, noticing thick layers of dust in some spots.

"Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve been back." Santiago didn’t elaborate. Instead, he took out a few towels and handed them to the others. "Dry yourselves off. The rain under the red moon is contaminated to some extent."

The others took the towels and wiped the rain from their bodies. Wei’en also cleaned off Tina and the clown doll.

"What’s the plan now? There are still a few manors we haven’t cleared, and we don’t know how the other side is doing." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"To avoid contamination from the red moon, we’ll rest for two hours before heading out again."

Santiago looked sturdy and rugged, but he was surprisingly meticulous at critical moments.

"Alright, I’m going to go rinse off. I’m covered in what those parasites left behind..." Hector sniffed himself with disgust. The stench of blood, mixed with the unique odor of Abyssal Creatures, made his entire face wrinkle.

"Second floor, on the right."

"I’m going too..."

In the end, even Santiago couldn’t stand the smell on himself and went upstairs with them.

Well, aside from Wei’en and Tina, even Zero was mostly clean; whatever was on it had been washed away by the rain.

"Father, how did I do?" Zero asked in a low voice after the others had left.

"You were outstanding. I’m sure Shawa will praise you when she finds out."

Wei’en summoned the Mechanical Gate. "Go back and rest for now. I’ll call you when I need your help later."

"Baba, goodbye."

The Mechanical Puppet was very happy, especially after being praised by Wei’en. Its glowing red eyes narrowed into slits.

A moment later, only Wei’en and Tina were left in the living room.

"Do you want to go wash up too, Tina?"

"Tina, no need."

The white-haired girl gave a rare shake of her head, a strange hint of color flickering within her vacant eyes.

"Then just rest for a bit," Wei’en said, patting her head. He led her to a separate sofa. "We still have a busy night ahead of us."

"Tina, not really... Hmm, not tired."

"Hm?"

Wei’en froze for a second. He studied her appearance, then glanced at the clown doll in her hand and asked cautiously, "Tina?"

"Tina, not tired."

"If you’re not tired, just sit for a while." Wei’en watched her for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Tina, sit. Not sit."

"Mr. Leonard?"

Wei’en was now absolutely certain that the person in Tina’s body was not her.

"Tina, no... damn it, that’s a real mouthful to say," the clown said, splitting her mouth into a wide grin. Her vacant, lifeless eyes transformed into a pair of dazzling red pupils.

"...You’re here again. Didn’t we agree on once every two days?"

"But you also promised to come play with me," Tina—no, the clown—said shyly, raising a finger to her lips and nibbling on it. "Pretty please~?"

Wei’en: "..."

If Tina had made that expression, he might have been a little interested. But the clown...

’That thing is a creepy old man who’s lived for ages. Isn’t it disgusting for him to make an expression like that?’

"Disgusting... How about this, then?"

Tina froze for a second, then a grotesque smile spread across her face. Her small mouth was forcibly stretched, splitting all the way to her ears.

"Stop!" Wei’en took a deep breath. "Just tell me what you want to play."

"Let’s play hide-and-seek!" The clown, controlling Tina’s body, jumped up and down with excitement, recklessly swinging the clown doll in its hand like a pinwheel.

"Hide-and-seek... here?" Wei’en glanced upstairs and said hesitantly, "You can’t hurt them."

"Of course, of course. I’m a gentleman. I despise doing such bloody things. Don’t worry."

’Tina’ tossed the doll aside and looked at him excitedly. She held her hands out in front of her, fingers splayed, then twisted them and snapped her fingers awkwardly.

"Ande, Boli, Ge."

SNAP.

As the sound of the snap faded, Wei’en’s vision blurred. He found himself standing at the entrance of a massive circus theater.

It was a circus theater as tall as Krimms Cathedral. Beneath a rainbow-colored dome, its outer walls were made of a circular curtain painted pitch-black.

Bizarre, terrifying... In short, it was definitely not what a normal circus should look like.

"Ta-da-da-daaa! Welcome to the Clown Theater, young Mr. Wizard."

The clown appeared at the theater entrance, wearing a bowler hat. The half-mask on his face was stretched into a grin, with even the corners of his eyes creased in a smile.

’Is that unrestrained excitement?’

Wei’en grew secretly vigilant. ’The theater isn’t normal, so I’m afraid this game of hide-and-seek won’t be normal either, will it?’

"Actually, I have a lot to do today. I don’t have much time to play with you."

"It’ll be quick, very quick! It’s just hide-and-seek. Haven’t you played it as a kid?"

The clown said with a wink and a nudge, "You’ll be the hunter, and I’ll hide. There’s a reward if you find me."

’A reward?’

’It’s even learned how to use bait...’

Wei’en asked helplessly, "Am I just looking for you? This whole theater is too big. Let’s just not play... huh?"

"Not play?"

The clown grabbed his shoulders, its mask practically touching his face. Its crimson eyes glared at him fiercely. "I spent so long preparing for this, I even went and caught... And now you’re saying you won’t play?"