Chapter 2473 – Dark Moon Circus
The next day, on the most prosperous street in Genoa’s downtown area, a shop was adorned with balloons and red cloth, with many people in colorful costumes setting up scaffolds in front.
A passerby, finding it strange, went to ask a shopkeeper at a spice store opposite, “What’s going on over there? Are they opening a circus?”
Many circuses from various regions traveled for performances, usually renting a venue, setting up entertainment facilities, and holding various shows and activities.
And Genoa, being a place where rich merchants gathered, naturally saw circuses performing there frequently. The citizens of Genoa were not surprised by this.
“It shouldn’t be. This shop was rented by a big boss a few days ago. They’ve been renovating these past few days, and their store manager even visited nearby shops with gifts. It seems like they’re opening today,” the shopkeeper said.
“Store manager? And a big boss? Are there two people?” the passerby keenly noticed that the shopkeeper was referring to two individuals.
“That’s right. The store manager is a very seasoned merchant. His etiquette and gifts during the visit were very proper. It’s said he used to trade along the Mediterranean coast, and according to his introduction, he has a boss above him who hired him to manage the store,” the shopkeeper explained.
If it were ordinary commoners in other cities, they might have thought the store manager was the boss. However, the well-traveled citizens of Genoa knew that one boss could own many shops, and managers could be hired to oversee them in various locations.
“Then what do they sell? Why did they even hire a circus, and the rent for that storefront must be very high, right? He was able to rent the whole thing. This boss has considerable financial resources. Where did he come from?” the passerby inquired.
“I don’t know. When that store manager visited us, he only offered a gift and had a few words with the boss. As a mere employee, how would I dare to eavesdrop on the boss’s conversation? But…”
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, “But these past few days, through the brief moments when their door opened, I saw a corner of the interior. It was truly radiant. I find it hard to describe that dreamlike brilliance, but it’s definitely not simple inside.”
“Tch, you don’t know the specifics, it was just a glimpse, and you didn’t even use it,” the passerby said dismissively. Just then, a gong sound suddenly came from the shop opposite.
“Clang!” This crisp gong sound attracted the attention of all the pedestrians around. It was followed by a short, rapid drumbeat. A military band, dressed in dark blue uniforms and carrying small drums, stood on the platform on the second floor of the shop, continuously beating their drums.
What was this commotion? Everyone looked curiously at the shop square, where various stages had been set up, though most areas were covered by purple curtains, wondering what was happening.
Just then, a short child, only half the height of a normal person, walked out. He took somewhat comical steps, wearing a decent suit and a round top hat, holding a hooked cane that was even shorter than his height.
However, his appearance was not childlike; instead, he looked quite mature and even had a beard. People immediately realized his identity: a dwarf, or another more pleasant and unambiguous term, a Halfling.
“Ladies and gentlemen! My apologies for disturbing you all!” the dwarf shouted loudly as he walked to the front of the street, swinging his cane. His voice was not jarring but carried across several blocks around.
“Today, Iverson Magic Item Shop, officially opens for business! You are all welcome!” After saying this, the dwarf took off his top hat and bowed deeply, his head almost touching the ground.
As soon as he finished speaking, over a dozen fiery lights shot up from the roof of the shop, instantly exploding into colorful sparks. They turned out to be fireworks.
But these were not ordinary fireworks. Some of the exploding fireworks were composed of white light forming diamond shapes, some formed two different colored monsters locked in combat, and others depicted images of magic wands, which could even wave and shoot out more brilliant fireworks.
Undoubtedly, these were magic fireworks. Only through magic could the patterns formed by exploding fireworks be animated. However, magic fireworks were single-use and very expensive. The attention of everyone around was captivated by the constantly battling monsters and the magic wands casting spells.
Simultaneously, the red cloth hanging above the shop fell, revealing the sign with the shop’s name written in large, gilded letters: Iverson Magic Item Shop.
“Magic Item Shop? What do they sell inside? Things for Mages?” some passersby whispered as they looked at the sign.
“I don’t know. Maybe we can go in and take a look?” Some people were eager to satisfy their curiosity.
However, some rich merchants scorned, “Putting on a show, and such a grand spectacle. We are all big businessmen. Which parvenu opens a shop directly like this?”
Merchants in Genoa primarily dealt in bulk trade, like tea, spices, silk, porcelain, and glass. Their storefronts primarily served as references and sample viewing areas, with actual business conducted in a separate, quiet location. Setting up such a grand scene at the storefront indeed made it feel like a parvenu.
But the magic fireworks continued to be set off, with dancing beauties, dueling knights, swimming dolphins, and various other scenes appearing in the sky, captivating the eyes. Even the passengers on the airships constantly arriving and departing overhead turned their attention this way.
Facing the growing crowd of onlookers, the dwarf showed no stage fright and said loudly, “We, the Dark Moon Circus, have been invited to celebrate the grand opening of Iverson Magic Item Shop! For the next three days, all in-store merchandise will be 20% off, and we will also be holding free performances to celebrate the opening!”
As he spoke, the shop door opened, and two white tigers with wings on their backs sprang out from the doorway. Many passersby were startled, but then they saw clowns in colorful costumes holding flaming hoops walking over, and the tigers jumped directly through the hoops of fire.
A half-Elf smoothly rolled over with a large ball, holding a violin. She remarkably played the violin while walking on the ball, her music blending with the drumbeat from the second floor.
A clown juggled bottles, but they were not empty. They were exquisitely made bottles, appearing to be perfume bottles, containing red and blue potions. Many passersby recognized them as Life Elixirs and Magic Elixirs.
Following this, the purple curtains on the shop’s plaza were all pulled away, revealing more facilities. There was a Merry-go-round, a monster exhibition, and most exaggeratedly, a roller coaster hidden by invisibility magic, which circled the mall twice and had a high arched rise.
