Yellian had no idea how the performance ended. They sat restlessly in the performance hall with a gloomy expression, while Leonard was busy trying to calm them down.
Finally, the curtain fell, and Leonard led Yellian toward the back of the performance hall.
“Hey, you can’t come in here! Get out!”
The juggler, noticing Leonard and Yellian, spoke in an annoyed tone. In response, Leonard answered with a stern expression.
“I am Duke Abrams. Care to repeat that order to leave?”
“D-Duke, how could you be here…?”
The man quickly backed down. Yellian clicked their tongue, realizing just how powerful the title of Duke was.
As soon as the conversation started, not just the juggler but all the circus workers carrying equipment froze in place, gauging Leonard’s mood.
“Where is the ringmaster?”
“The ringmaster should be in the tent next door.”
At the tightrope walker’s answer, Leonard nodded. Without delay, he headed toward the tent set up beside the performance hall-with Yellian in tow, of course.
“Ringmaster, are you here?”
“Who’s there? How dare you-… Who might you be?”
At Leonard’s call, the ringmaster turned around angrily. But the moment he saw Leonard, he quickly changed his tone. He must have recognized Leonard’s attire as that of a high-ranking noble and adjusted his manners accordingly.
“We have something to discuss.”
“What is it?”
“About the performing bear.”
“Ah, you mean Ricky?”
“Yes, that bear named Ricky. He’s just a cub now, but as he grows older, performing will become difficult. What happens when he gets older?”
“Why would you be curious about that…?”
“Is it wrong for me to be curious?”
“Ah, no, no! Of course, you can be curious.”
The ringmaster, who had been asking suspiciously, waved his hands in denial. Then, with an awkward laugh, he continued.
“Well, just because he gets older doesn’t mean he can’t perform. But once he grows too old, things change. Have you heard of bear bile? It’s the gallbladder of a bear, said to be very good for health. We extract that. And the hide… well, nobles like you who appreciate such things- Ah! So that’s why you’re asking! You want the bear hide! Now I understand.”
Leonard frowned at the man’s words. But the ringmaster, oblivious to the discomfort, excitedly rambled on.
“You want to reserve the bear hide in advance, don’t you? Fortunately, Ricky’s hide hasn’t been reserved yet. Just pay the deposit, and as soon as a replacement bear appears, we’ll process him for you.”
“I want that bear, Ricky, right now.”
“Huh? R-right now…? But he’s still performing…”
The ringmaster tried to tactfully express his reluctance. But Leonard wasn’t the type to back down. Standing with an indifferent expression, he continued.
“You don’t seem to grasp the situation. According to imperial law, using animals for performances is prohibited. You’ve broken that law.”
“B-but… no one has ever followed that law. And no one has ever been punished for it…”
Leonard’s expression turned icy at the ringmaster’s indignant tone. He glared at the man and spoke in a low, chilling voice.
“Just because no one has followed the law doesn’t mean you can break it. And from now on, everyone will be punished without exception.”
It wasn’t just the ringmaster who was shocked by Leonard’s words. Yellian was also quite surprised.
Despite the existence of animal protection laws in the empire, the fact that bears were openly used for performances was shocking.
It only proved how ineffective the law was. The thought that animal abuse might be happening elsewhere without consequence made Yellian even more worried.
“If I just give you Ricky, will the punishment…?”
“If you promise not to use any animals-bears or otherwise-for performances from now on, I’ll overlook this transgression. But if you repeat this, the punishment will be severe.”
“…Understood. Take Ricky.”
The ringmaster replied weakly, as if resigned.
Only after getting the answer he wanted did Leonard rise from his seat. Yellian, feeling much lighter, followed him out of the tent.
The two immediately approached the workers organizing the equipment behind the performance hall. The ringmaster, panting, followed them.
“Give Ricky to His Lordship.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?!”
The trainer raised his voice in disbelief. To him, Ricky was practically his livelihood, so he couldn’t accept this sudden turn of events.
“Just do as you’re told. Prepare Ricky for immediate departure.”
“Ringmaster!”
The trainer shouted urgently, but the ringmaster ignored him and returned to his tent.
Leonard coldly snapped at the trainer, who stood frozen in shock.
“You should start looking for a new job. Animal shows won’t be allowed in the empire anymore.”
Leonard turned away before the trainer could argue. Even if he had more time, the trainer wouldn’t dare confront a Duke.
Before long, a carriage carrying Ricky was prepared. The cub was placed inside a large cage. Yellian sighed in relief as they looked into the innocent bear’s eyes.
“Leonard, what will happen to Ricky now?”
“I plan to train him to survive on his own-how to hunt, how to hide. Then, I’ll release him into the wild.”
“That’s a relief. Thank you, Leonard.”
“I should be thanking you for helping me strengthen an ineffective law. After this, I’ll ensure no one exploits animals for personal gain again.”
Yellian was genuinely grateful to Leonard. The fact that he had acted so decisively on their behalf was touching.
The thought that other animals could now be protected was reassuring. Of course, there was still a long way to go, but this incident would serve as a wake-up call, changing people’s attitudes toward animal protection laws.
* * *
By the time Yellian returned to the estate, the sun had long set, and exhaustion finally caught up to them. If not for Elton’s sudden visit, they would have surely fallen into a deep sleep.
“Good evening, my lord! And to you, Yellian!”
“Yes. What is it?”
“Ah… good evening…”
“Well, it’s just… there’s a bear in the garden, so I came to report it.”
“That bear is ours.”
Leonard replied indifferently to Elton’s words. Elton’s expression turned strange, then his eyes widened.
He gaped, unable to speak, blinking rapidly.
“A c-cat, a dragon, and now a bear…? Seriously?”
“Now that you say it, it does sound odd. But it couldn’t be helped. The only one I willingly brought in is the bear.”
Yellian, feeling guilty on multiple fronts, stayed silent.
After all, Steamed Gamja had come to them on their own, and the dragon had followed them, recognizing them as its mother. And as for the bear… well, they had played a part in that too.
It felt wrong to bring so many animals into someone else’s home. Yellian lowered their eyes, avoiding Elton’s gaze.
“A bear? You’re raising a bear?! What will you do when it grows up…?!”
“I’ll release it into the wild before then.”
“Honestly, I can’t stop you, my lord. Since when did you become so warm-hearted…?”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“N-no, not at all… Well, I wash my hands of it. You handle the responsibility.”
Elton grumbled before quickly excusing himself. Yellian scratched their cheek awkwardly as they watched him leave.
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