How to Stop the Villain from Going Crazy
Translator: Fuyu
Chapter 56 - It was as if he had contracted an incurable disease (2)
With Erik's help, the other performers' whereabouts were soon revealed.
After seeing Trique and Boyd's bizarre deaths, one of Trique's assistants swiftly contacted a boat captain. He wanted to transport the people with deformities and no IDs, including Emily, to London.
In addition to the four-legged Emily, there was a dwarf, a giant, a "lizard girl" with arched knees, and a big-footed girl who had hypertrophy in her lower limbs.
Seeing this group of people, the captain knew right away what kind of business the assistant was doing and asked for a high fee of 500 pounds as their fare. Otherwise, he wouldn't let them board.
They were at a deadlock and were unceasingly arguing at the dock.
However, the captain and his assistant were very cautious. They never mentioned transporting deformed people and always referred to them as goods instead.
Bo Li had visited the dock before, but the assistant had disguised himself as a sailor. He had darkened his face, pasted on a fake mustache, and usually spoke in Spanish. She had no idea how Erik was able to identify him in the throng of people.
After Erik saved the people with deformities, Bo Li rented a house in the outskirts of the city and settled them there.
The big-footed girl's name was Marbella. She had soft, beautiful golden hair. In order to get her, Trique had her mother beaten. Not long after, her mother missed her too much and died.
"No one has washed my hair with vinegar since then," she murmured, "My hair has become coarse."
The giant's name was Theodore. He was as tall as 2.4 meters. This was Bo Li's first time seeing someone taller than Erik, so she felt wary. She shook his hand and simply said hello.
The dwarf's name was Francis, and the lizard girl's name was Flora.
Bo Li didn't know why, but the dwarf didn't like her. He rolled his eyes when he saw her.
Flora was a little girl that loved beauty. When she heard that she didn't have to play the role of a lizard girl, she cheered. She treated Bo Li like she was her big sister. She put her arms around Bo Li's neck and wouldn't get off from her lap.
The dwarf looked around. "Have you all forgotten Mr. Trique Terry's kindness?"
Big-footed Marbella was the first to retort, "Bah! F*ck him, he killed my mom. If he wasn't already dead, I would trample him!"
Theodore kept silent.
Flora said, "I don't like to play the part of lizard girl. I want to do ballet. I want to be a pretty girl…"
The dwarf scolded, "With your knees like that, you can only be a lizard girl! No one wants to see a lizard girl perform ballet!"
Bo Li observed from the side. She suspected that the dwarf was a perpetrator instead of a victim. Compared to the other deformed performers, dwarfs were common. Many theatrical troupes had dwarfs. Some of them even had dwarf couples performing together.
The ship fare was so expensive. The captain charged 100 pounds per person. It wouldn't be worth it to ship the dwarf to London unless he had another role - to monitor the others.
Seeing that they wouldn't stop arguing on their own, Bo Li thought it over, took out a wallet, and gave the dwarf two dollars. "Since you don't want to stay, then leave."
The dwarf incredulously said, "These people are a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings… You rather keep them over me? I'm very good at earning money… Don't regret it!"
"I won't regret it," Bo Li calmly said.
The dwarf snatched the two dollars from her hand and angrily left.
After he left, the others complained about him. The dwarf often said sharp and unkind words. It was great that he left.
While comforting them, Bo Li baked biscuits and topped them with cream and chocolate sauce. It didn't require any skills to make, but it quickly captured the hearts of the two girls.
Theodore politely nodded at her. "Thank you."
Bo Li: "You're welcome."
While Marbella ate the biscuits, she kept staring at her legs. Bo Li had tied strips of white lace around her swollen knees. She was beaming with joy the entire evening.
Flora loudly declared that this place was simply paradise. There was a roof above their heads, gas lights, and also cream and chocolate sauce. She wanted to stay with Bo Li forever.
Finally, Bo Li bid them good night and returned to her room to sleep.
Before sleeping, she wondered where Erik had gone.
He had disappeared after rescuing these people.
***
After taking the money and leaving the house, the dwarf continued to curse.
"What an ignorant woman… She would rather have those freaks over me." He spat. "She has no idea of my abilities or how highly Mr. Terry regards me!"
Although dwarfism was a deformity, most people viewed dwarfs as the embodiment of diligence, kindness, and craftsmanship.
Francis and Trique had made a fortune by using this stereotype. He and Trique worked together by buying cheap handicrafts in one city, and then selling them at double the price in the next city by saying they were made by a dwarf.
After the dwarf's wallet grew fat, he began to look down on the other deformed people. He thought that he was like Trique, their master.
Who could have thought that Trique would die like that? And now, he was kicked out by a woman. How could a circus be run by a woman?
It was like sailing a boat. If there was a woman on board, then sooner or later, the boat would sink in the sea.
The more the dwarf thought about it, the angrier he got. He shouted in the street, "Who wants to work for her? If she hadn't interfered, I would have gone to London to make a fortune! Damn woman, you ruined my plans! Once I make money, I'll hire someone to kidnap you and sell you to a brothel!"
This woman was stupid. She gave him two dollars before he left. That would do nicely for buying a drink.
Francis flipped a coin up and down. He walked into a pun that had the sounds of revelry and didn't notice the ghostly figure stalking him.
Two dollars was only enough to buy a bottle of Kentucky bourbon. Moreover, he couldn't stay in the pun to drink. The bartender said he looked too much like a young child. It would affect the pub's reputation if people saw children drinking here.
Francis swallowed his anger. He paid, took the bottle of bourbon, and went back to the street.
F*ck him, he didn't look like a kid! He clearly had a huge beard. That was just an excuse. The bartender just looked down on dwarves.
That was fine though. He would soon be rich.
Francis took a big gulp of whiskey. He'll apply for a job at a theater tomorrow, sign a performance contract… in less than two months… no, in less than one month, he would become as rich as before! He would become a person of status!
"When I have money," the dwarf muttered, "when I have money… that damn woman, when I have money…"
The next moment, the dwarf felt something squeezing his neck. There was something wrapped around his neck.
Before he could turn around and curse, there was a crisp crack. His cervical vertebrae were broken, and his bloody flesh was torn apart. His head fell to the ground with a dull hollow thud.
Erik looked down at the dwarf's head.
Ever since he saw Bo Li being in the same room as the deformed people, he had a hard time suppressing his murderous intent.
This was unnecessary. There was no reason to be emotionally affected by her.
And yet, his murderous intent kept growing.
When he saw her taking those deformed people to the house, choosing clothes for them, baking biscuits for them, shaking their hands, and hugging them, for a moment, he wanted to kill everyone in the room.
He quickly looked away to calm himself down and get rid of that strange impulse.
However, no matter where he looked, every object looked like a good murder weapon.
Table knives, forks, plates once shattered, the ropes on the curtains, the poker in the fireplace, the coal tongs, the antlers above the fireplace… As long as he wanted, this place could turn into a horrific slaughterhouse.
But, why did he want to kill people for her?
The dwarf's blood spread to his feet and soaked the tips of his leather shoes.
That restless murderous urge still wasn't quelled. It hovered, wandered, and lingered on his body.
He forcefully closed his eyes, but that scene of her cutting Thorne's hair suddenly came to his mind. The thought of her fingers running through Thorne's hair and getting stained with Thorne's smell made him want to strangle Thorne.
This was too abnormal. Even more abnormal was that ever since she cut his hair, he always felt her stroking his head.
The head was the most vulnerable part, and his face was his taboo.
And yet, the touch of her fingers on his skin haunted him. It was as if her fingers had already reached the edge of his mask and could peel off his other layer of skin at any time.
This made him feel uneasy and… exposed.
His heart tightened and sped up. Each heavy beat of his heart felt almost like a convulsion. It was as if he was stricken with an incurable disease.
He didn't know what this disease was. It made him feel hot and left his mouth feeling parched. It felt like something was caving in without any end in sight.
T/N: Will be posting Friday’s part later than usual.