Florent looked at the dazed circus girl and felt a slight sense of absurdity, but he replied calmly, "Yes, I'd like to watch a magic performance."
Through their exchange, the girl had swiftly regained her sharp and efficient demeanor.
She asked professionally, "I see, sir. Our next magic performance is in an hour. Would you mind waiting until then?"
Florent didn't answer immediately. Instead, he followed up, "How long does a magic performance usually last?"
The girl replied smoothly, "About an hour and a half, rarely longer."
Calculating the time (it was currently around nine in the morning), he confirmed that the performance would start at ten and end by eleven-thirty. Since he had nothing else planned, Florent agreed...
Still, he asked one more question, "So the performance starts at ten?"
The girl glanced at the clock and answered, "Yes."
But then she realized it was already past nine, not too far from ten.
Clearly not the most experienced receptionist, she quickly added, "Ah, sir, we have several lounges for guests to rest in. If you'd like to wait inside the circus before the performance, please follow me."
This part sounded rehearsed, it was delivered with much more fluency than her earlier bewildered tone.
Florent watched as the girl briskly led the way, clearly prioritizing action over words, and he followed without delay.
"Miss, if you take me to the lounge, what will you do if another guest arrives?" Florent quickened his pace to walk beside her and voiced his curiosity.
People who acted faster than they thought often ran into problems they couldn't solve... like this circus attendant.
Florent saw the girl's eyes widen slightly, revealing a hint of panic before she hesitantly replied, "Oh, that won't happen... Um, based on my experience, not many people come to watch performances at this hour. It's unlikely another guest would show up that quickly."
Having said that, she turned away and sped up, while muttering, "Sir, you're quite the sharp-eyed gentleman. But if we hurry to the lounge, any waiting guests won't be kept long."
Glancing back at Florent, who was still strolling leisurely with an amused smirk, the girl puffed her cheeks and looked up at him, "Sir, surely you can keep up with a girl's pace?"
Florent studied her face... She had a spark of wit mixed with lingering innocence, something that reminded him of his younger sister back on Earth.
Unconsciously, a smile spread across his face, "Alright, I'll keep up."
Suspiciously eyeing the tall man and what she perceived as a creepy grin, the girl didn't comment further, she simply hastened toward the lounge...
As a grown man, Florent naturally had no trouble matching her speed, and they soon arrived.
"Please, come in. Here, we have paper cups. This pot is coffee, and this one is tea. Oh, and here's sugar for both. As for milk... well, please excuse our circus's humble conditions..."
After rattling off the lounge's amenities, the girl quickly made to leave.
Something about her tone made Florent suspect she was subtly insulting him, but he couldn't pinpoint why.
Hesitantly, he called out, "Miss?"
The girl stiffened, then turned back with obvious reluctance, her face plastered with a strained smile that barely concealed her distaste, "Yes? Is something wrong?"
Still confused but realizing he wouldn't get a straight answer, Florent waved it off, "Nothing. Thank you for your help. Don't let me keep you."
With a terse "No problem," she shut the door behind her.
Alone, Florent muttered, "How strange. Do I really look that hideous? I mean, I'm not handsome, but I'm at least average. What's going on?"
...
~Meanwhile, outside the door~
The girl, Darlene, leaned against the door briefly before jerking away as if shocked...
Hurrying off, she recalled Florent's smile and his seemingly pointless questions, which reminded her of Miss Sohir's warnings.
"Darlene, remember... as girls, we're physically weaker than men. Our circus attracts all sorts of people, and some might take an... unhealthy interest in a young girl like you. If a man smiles at you while paying you too much attention, be careful. The best thing is to stay away. If he tries anything, run. After that, well..."
Remembering the beautiful Miss Sohir's smile (and the clenched fist that accompanied her advice), Darlene had taken those words to heart, growing even more reliant on her guidance...
...
Back in the lounge, Florent stirred sugar into his coffee. Unsurprisingly, it was cold...
Had he spent a few more months in this world, he might've lost interest in drinking lukewarm coffee. But since he'd only been here for less than a month, his standards hadn't yet risen.
Still, even with his limited experience, he could tell the circus's coffee was inferior to what he brewed at home or ordered in cafés.
Scratching his head, Florent wondered if he just lacked a refined palate. After all, back on Earth, he'd found even the most acclaimed black coffee unbearably bitter. So he sipped the lounge's offering with surprising enjoyment.
Of course, the fact that it was free didn't hurt.
By the time the performance was about to start, after finishing most of the pot, Florent concluded that this coffee truly had no redeeming qualities...