The circus

The biting wind was as sharp as a knife!

Soren had no choice but to put on a cloak, covering himself completely. The North was colder than usual this year. He didn't know if it was just this winter, but he couldn't remember the Land of Ice and Snow ever being this cold. The heavy snow had mostly stopped, but the ice and snow were melting very slowly, with hardly any signs of melting. The surrounding area was already starting to freeze over, and the ice on some River Goddess was so thick that people could walk through it.

It's only the end of September, and there are still five or six days until October.

Wild beasts in the icy plains began to emerge in search of food, and wolves also began to migrate due to the frigid climate. Soren encountered many monsters along the way, but Stealth to evade them all by stealth. The mountains appeared close in the distance, but as he walked, he realized he hadn't reached them yet. Soren walked for the better part of a day before gradually approaching the Icewind Dale, as many ice crystals had already formed on the surrounding trees. The Icewind Dale was the coldest place, with a unique climate that hadn't changed for hundreds of years.

Traces of a horse-drawn carriage were visible in the snowstorm. Soren stopped to observe and discovered that a caravan had likely passed by.

Who would go to Land of Ice and Snow in winter?

Soren brushed aside the snow to examine the wheel tracks. The wagons had likely been specially modified, with a wider contact area, but they weren't converted into sleds. They didn't seem to be from the south; they were probably from a port city in the central region. The convoy was quite large; Soren estimated it to be at least thirty or forty people.

"There shouldn't be any caravans coming this time of year, right?" Soren cautiously looked ahead but didn't see them. He guessed they had passed by yesterday. Progress in the icy plains was slow; Soren estimated he'd encounter them before nightfall, but he wondered who would be heading north in such cold weather. There were traces of a campfire nearby, and scraps of food were scattered by the roadside. Soren frowned at the debris, sensing that the caravan ahead wasn't coming.

The ice on the road is getting thicker and thicker.

As darkness fell, Soren finally saw a group of people ahead, in three modified horse-drawn carriages.

The pack animals were thick-furred yaks, entirely white with only a single horn on their heads. These yaks crouched in a circle around the perimeter, sheltered from the cold wind. The caravan before them was experienced; they had clearly traversed the icy plains and knew how to make themselves comfortable, much like how people in the desert use camels in a circle to block sandstorms. The domesticated pack animals were very docile. Soren saw no trace of caravan guards, nor many mounts; these people were not merchants.

"Who!?"

A small figure hopped out, squinting as it looked this way. Soren saw a green-skinned Goblin, but it was different from the Goblin he had seen before. Its expressions were more varied, and its face was painted with strange greasepaint. It looked like a clown with a big, Joker face. As the Goblin, more than a dozen people stood up near the carriage. You could see almost every race, and even a pretty Elf standing next to a burly Orc.

"Circus?"

Soren frowned slightly, walked over slowly, and smiled, "A passing traveler saw you here and came to ask for a bowl of hot soup."

The green-skinned Goblin sized him up, then gave him a comical grin. He beckoned, "Come on over. We just got camped out too."

A lone Adventurer.

There doesn't seem to be much danger. At least, it doesn't pose a threat to such a large convoy.

Soren slowly approached, his expression not entirely relaxed. After sizing up the area, he asked, "Circus? Are you planning to perform in the Land of Ice and Snow?"

Three large trucks.

Two of the vehicles were loaded with various items, many of which were performance props. The third vehicle was unclear, but it appeared quite ornately decorated from the outside.

"Of course." A beautiful Elf stood up, her skin appearing very delicate, seemingly of Grassland Elf descent. She wore an exquisite dress, somewhat like a noblewoman's gown for a dance performance, but with a low neckline revealing a patch of white, smooth breasts. The dress had a slit on the side, presumably fastened with buttons; if undone, it would reveal her snow-white thighs. She tilted her head, sizing up Soren, and after deciding he didn't seem like a bad person, casually complained, "If it weren't for a performance, who would want to come to this freezing, godforsaken place!"

Soren narrowed his eyes slightly, not because of the other person's beauty, nor because of the white skin on her chest, but because of the clothes she was wearing.

In such cold weather, she was wearing so little; although it was cold, she still looked relatively normal.

She should be an advanced professional!

Don't underestimate performers in this world, because many are part-time Bard, especially in Circus, opera troupes, and performance groups. Professionals might make up half of them, and most are quite well-paid. These professionals are like stars from a previous life, welcomed wherever they go; a single performance can earn them more than Adventurer risking their life for. Take the green-skinned Goblin, for example; it was probably a Bard who had advanced to a special profession— Jester Dancer —which is why it was able to find Soren so quickly.

The distance has been reduced somewhat.

Soren saw a Crest with a slender silhouette on it, surrounded by barriers and colorful veils. He looked at the group in surprise and asked in confusion, "The Phantom Circus?"

"Huh?" The Elf girl glanced at him with a grin and said, "You've heard of us?"

"I've heard of you." Soren nodded and said slowly, "You're quite famous in Port Artur, and I've heard you have some very special and spectacular performances."

The Elf girl giggled, giving him a playful look as she said, "Those performances aren't for just anyone!"

Soren shrugged slightly, not really expecting much from the performances.

Come here.

The green-skinned Goblin gestured for him to sit by the campfire. It looked completely different from the Goblin of the wilderness; it must be from the Goblin tribe near Gravel Harbor. Those Goblin had once been servants of the Archmage, and after the Destruction of the Arcane Empire, they had retained some of their heritage. Their skin was lighter than other Goblin, and they showed no affinity for the wild Goblin. Their attitude towards the wilderness Goblin was like that of Africans towards cannibalistic tribes—they would show no mercy when it came to killing!

"My name is Tongban. I'm a Joker." The Goblin grinned, waving the food in his hand. "Want to try some? Grilled Ice Frog! It's a delicacy you can only get here, and it tastes much better than other bullfrogs!"

Ice Frog?

Soren glanced at the food in its hand and frowned, saying, "This seems poisonous, doesn't it? Eating it will cause diarrhea!"

"It's nothing." Tongban shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Goblin will eat anything."

"Tongban love to eat Frog, and they're not afraid of being poisoned!"

By the campfire.

A group of people sat around, including Orc, Dwarf, Elf, and humans, numbering over twenty. Nearly half of them were women. A quick glance revealed that most were Advanced Class Professional, with a high proportion of Bard Soren. The Phantom Circus was an organization active near the port, and their members were likely more numerous than those present; these were probably only a portion of their organization. Aside from the two who were speaking, the others were indifferent to Soren, preoccupied with their own affairs.

There was a human girl wearing a doll mask, with dozens of Throwing Dagger tucked into her waistband, who would occasionally glance at him with a rather provocative look.

The Elf girl must be one of the people in charge, if the woman inside the carriage who didn't show her face wasn't.

"What's your name? Why are you here alone in this freezing place?" The Elf girl walked over and sat down next to Soren. She had a special fragrance that Soren recognized; it was a scent often carried by priests who ruled over the goddess of passion.

Soren smiled, glanced at her, and said, "Soren, a lone Adventurer, wants to explore the Land of Ice and Snow."

"Where is your destination?"

The Elf girl glanced at his Scimitar and said with a grin, "Let's go to Arendelle. Their Princess to ascend the throne. The court steward has invited us to perform."

Both sides are engaging in tentative exchanges.

The others didn't seem to care much, but their attention was actually all on Soren, since he was a stranger.

"Arendelle?"

Soren looked somewhat surprised, then seemed to remember something and said, "That place seems a bit special. Didn't you hear anything about it before you went?"

The Elf girl smiled slyly, her tone playful. "Heard of what? We haven't heard of anything!"

"Have you heard something?"

Soren glanced at her, shrugged slightly, and said, seemingly casually, "Isn't there a long-standing legend that the Avatar of the Goddess of Ice and Snow descended there?"

The Elf girl blinked and said with a grin, "Really? Then I've never seen Avatar of Deity before!"

The clear sound of bells rang out from inside the carriage.

The Elf girl paused for a moment, then quickly got up and walked over. The curtain was very thick, and she couldn't see anything outside.

After a while...

The Elf girl came out again, looked at the others, and said, "The leader said you should all rest well and try to leave the Icewind Dale by tomorrow morning. By the way, your name is Soren, right? You can also camp here. If you didn't bring anything, I'll have them prepare something for you."

Soren smiled and shook his head to indicate that he didn't need it.

After the woman inside the carriage spoke, the others' attitude towards him softened slightly.

A group of people began to get busy, and Soren made some simple arrangements. The cold wind outside was still strong, and the campfire would dim from time to time. A masked human girl was tending to the fire. As they passed a magnificent carriage, Soren glanced at it briefly and seemed to notice some unusual damp patches, which had formed a thin layer of ice due to the cold weather.

The marks look a bit like snake bites!

...(To be continued~^~)