A small pool of coffee remained at the bottom of the cup...
Florent stared at the dark liquid against the white porcelain, feeling his taste buds had been utterly betrayed. He sighed inwardly, 'Enough of this. Whoever likes this slop can have it...'
But since he was the one who had poured the coffee and added the sugar, it felt wrong to leave it unfinished.
Gulping down the last bitter dregs, he suddenly realized something... that scatterbrained ticket girl had never actually sold him a ticket to the magic show.
Florent, who had already sighed once, felt the urge to sigh again, "Good grief. Are foolishness and forgetfulness somehow linked? Though... it's oddly nostalgic."
Despite his exasperation, a faint smile tugged at his lips, one that Darlene would've deemed 'creepy' but Florent considered 'warm'. (And since Darlene's opinion hardly counted, Florent's smile was, by default, warm. Definitely.)
Stretching, he brushed off nonexistent dust from his pants and retraced his steps to the ticket counter.
Darlene, who had been idly daydreaming, blinked in surprise at Florent's return. She nearly blurted, "Why are you back?" but then it hit her... she'd forgotten again...
Before Florent could speak, she hastily interjected, "Oh! Sir, please forgive my terrible memory! You wanted a ticket for the upcoming magic show, right? Here it is!" She thrust the ticket at him with both hands.
Florent wasn't sure how to react, a strange sense of being subtly insulted crept over him. With mixed feelings, he replied, "Ah... thank you."
After glancing at the price and paying, he studied Darlene's vacant expression and sighed again, this time with the profound realization of how vital competent service staff were, "Miss, where exactly is the magic show held?"
Darlene belatedly pointed down a hallway, "The main auditorium. This is the last morning performance." She even managed a bow, as if suddenly remembering her customer service training.
Florent waved half-heartedly, bid farewell to this least professional attendant, and trudged off with growing pessimism, "Please tell me this isn't the place I'm supposed to digest my potion. Is this circus really this amateurish?"
Pushing aside his doubts, he entered the grand auditorium.
Whatever its flaws, the circus had clearly invested in its architecture. While the exterior resembled a giant tent, the interior was a sprawling, three-story theater hybrid.
At its heart was the massive auditorium, a lofty stage surrounded by tiered seating. Branching off from it were various rooms; lounges, reception areas, and the front desk.
The magic show would take place in this very hall. Though not particularly ornate, the space had an imposing grandeur. It was like a cinema where the sheer scale of seating overshadowed the decor.
That said, the auditorium's furnishings were nicer than a movie theater's. The wooden chairs, which were adorned with colorful silk cushions, seemed luxurious.
Florent's gaze wandered to the corridor walls. They were lined with assorted paintings; abstract color blocks, crystal balls, witch-themed pieces... all mismatched yet oddly harmonious.
Gold-plated lampstands with metal leaf and floral motifs held candles, now being extinguished one by one by staff. Florent blinked, "So they do have other employees... Why couldn't they hire a competent ticket seller?"
As distant candles winked out, the lighting dimmed noticeably. Florent glanced up at the ceiling, where kerosene lamps hung high above.
By the time he had finished surveying the room, all candles were out, plunging the already sparse audience into deeper gloom.
A quick headcount revealed a pitiful turnout... seven people, including himself.
Then, in an instant, the remaining lights dimmed further... They were apparently remotely controlled. Only the stage lamps remained bright, drawing all eyes downward.
There stood the magician... grinning, top-hatted, and clad in a tailcoat.
With a theatrical sweep of his arm, he conjured a flaming circle. As the fire vanished, a rose appeared in his hand.
He sniffed it playfully, then...
*Poof*
...it transformed into a dove.
The bird circled the auditorium once before returning with a wheat stalk in its beak. Handing it to the magician, the dove flew off as the stalk morphed into a microphone.
Once he had everyone's attention, the magician cleared his throat, "Ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to share this magical experience with you. Though my skills are humble, I hope to bring you some joy. Shall we begin?"
Silence...
The handful of spectators clearly weren't the cheering type. The awkwardness hung thick, but the magician (either thick-skinned or accustomed to this) simply chuckled.
A snap of his fingers sent flames roaring around the stage for five dazzling seconds. When they faded, a chest of props stood beside him.
The show had officially begun...
...
{T/N: The author's descriptiveness over every little detail is... Mhm, I don't know... Funny perhaps?
At this point, I wouldn't even be surprised if the next chapter is him solely explaining the complexities and intricacies of Florent's pubes...}