How to Stop the Villain from Going Crazy
Translator: Fuyu
Chapter 58 - He wanted her to stop being so afraid of him, but he failed (2)
Bo Li thought she was just hungry or too bored.
Thinking of this, she tossed those thoughts to the back of her mind. She walked out of the bedroom and was going to head out to look for a venue for circus performances.
Like Emily, big-footed Marbella needed to use a wheelchair. It was inconvenient for Marbella to go out.
Theodore was extremely silent. Bo Li didn't know much about him. She didn't dare to bring a 2.4 meter tall giant with her.
Four-legged Emily had the worst life experience. Not only was she forced to have an abortion, the manager also sold her to Trique. She was almost murdered and turned into a specimen.
Even after her new lease on life, her mood didn't improve. She hadn't said anything other than a soft thank you.
So, the only two people she could take outside with her were Thorne and Flora.
Flora's knees were just more arched than normal people's. It didn't affect her walking.
She had a sweet appearance, a lively personality, and was very clingy. Bo Li was happy to have her by her side.
Before leaving, Bo Li gave Marbella a revolver and whispered to her to shoot Theodore if he made any unusual moves.
She didn't give a gun to Emily because she was afraid she would use it commit suicide.
Although the condition of Marbella's legs left her unable to walk, her hands were very nimble. Moreover, even though she lost her mother, she didn't go on a downward spiral. Instead, she tried her best to survive. Giving her a gun was the best option.
Marbella took the gun and calmly hid it in her dress. "Miss Clermont, rest assured, I'll live up to your expectations."
She had tried correcting them a few times, but they still preferred calling her "Miss Clermont".
Bo Li patted Marbella's head and took Flora and Thorne with her.
First, she drove the carriage to the local newspaper and paid them to publish job advertisements for two maids, a cook, a butler, and a coachman at 108 Garden Villa Street. Salary was negotiable, and people with integrity were given priority.
Then, it was time to look for a venue.
Bo Li didn't plan to perform shows at a theater or a concert hall. Those types of places would be too expensive. Although she had money, she didn't want to spend so much on rent.
A circus didn't need to restrict itself to acrobatics and magic tricks or lining up deformed people for people to see.
Her real plan was to create a haunted house, but it wouldn't just be a haunted house.
Modern-day haunted houses had a niche fan base, and people would only go to them once. They required attracting tourists from other places.
This was the 19th century. Although trains existed, most people wouldn't take the train to experience a haunted house.
If she wanted to make a profit, she would have to go on tour like other theatrical groups.
So, she couldn't rely on complicated scenes and large mechanisms to achieve a scary effect like ordinary haunted houses. Otherwise, the customers would already be gone by the time she finished construction.
She had to simplify the props and the mechanisms.
Very conveniently, she had an expert on trapdoors by her side.
Bo Li suddenly understood why the circus manager and Trique Terry wanted Erik so badly. It was because Erik could solve any problem.
He could construct the mechanisms as well as do magic tricks. The soundtrack of the haunted house… could also be done by him.
He was so omnipotent and could realize any of her seemingly absurd ideas.
The only difficulty was to convince him to do these things, but that didn't seem difficult.
Bo Li lowered her head to look at the shoes on her feet.
Regardless of whether this was a romantic gesture or not, their relationship had… changed.
He was an unfathomable predator, but she could make him stop his pursuit.
He was a rare genius in the world, but she could get him to do her bidding.
Although being with him could be fatally dangerous, she had to admit that the feeling of taming a beast felt too satisfying.
Bo Li knew that her thoughts were dangerous, but she couldn't control them.
It was Erik's fault. These shoes completely messed up her mind. She almost couldn't think straight.
Bo Li visited several pubs to ask the pub owners if they would be willing to rent out their places for circus performances.
The first few pub owners refused her without even meeting her.
The owner of the last pub thought he misheard her. "Circus? Performances? The stage here is so small. There's only room for people to sing and dance. How will your people be able to walk on a tightrope or go through a ring of fire?"
Bo Li briefly shared her plans.
The pub owner was dumbfounded. However, since he had never seen the performance she was describing, he was worried it would affect his pub's reputation, so he still refused.
Bo Li said, "That's okay. You just need to rent the place to me. I'll pay for the drinks for that night. No one would refuse free drinks. Even if the show isn't a success, your regulars won't blame the pub for the sake of the free drinks."
The pub owner thought it over. He thought that Bo Li was probably a stupid, rich girl. Instead of staying at home like a proper young lady, she wanted to go out to start a new circus.
Rejecting this easy way to make money would be foolish, so the pub owner agreed. His condition was that she had to pay for the drinks before the performance.
After she signed the contract with the pub owner, Bo Li drove the carriage back to the house in the suburbs.
After running around all day, she got rid of those messy thoughts. She just wanted to take a bath, collapse on the bed, and have a good night's sleep.
After eating dinner, Bo Li took a bath, changed into cotton pajamas, wrapped her damp hair in a towel, and returned to her room.
As soon as she entered the room, she shuddered as if a basin of icy cold water had been poured over her.
Erik was in her room.
The lamp wasn't lit in her room.
His gaze felt palpable, but she couldn't see where he was.
He could be lurking in any shadow.
Bo Li calmly closed the door and asked, "Good evening, is something the matter?"
In the darkness, she heard approaching footsteps.
He seemed to have walked up to her. She could hear his breathing above her.
At first, when she heard his breathing, she would always think of the serial killer's breathing in horror movies. No matter where the victim fled, the heavy breathing would relentlessly follow him or her.
However, without her knowing, the sound of his breathing gradually changed in her heart.
Bo Li stood still. An uncontrollable thought popped up in her mind. Was he also breathing like this when he walked to her bedside and measured her feet?
Her chest felt numb. She didn't dare to think any further.
That subtle sense of accomplishment and guilt were mixed together and gave her a strange throbbing sensation.
But soon, her heartbeat suddenly came to a stop.
Erik snapped his fingers, and a candle in the room lit up.
His back was facing the flickering candle flame. The eyes behind the mask were dark and enigmatic.
Bo Li rarely made eye contact with him, but tonight, she couldn't look away… It felt like she was under a spell.
His eye sockets were deep. His gaze was like a pair of hooks that drilled into her eyes and affected her blood vessels and pulled her nerves.
Her breathing slowed, and her body involuntarily relaxed.
It was as a strange power took over her body and manipulated her feet to walk towards him.
In the candlelight, his eyes seemed to change from amber to gold. He was like an excited beast.
Gold eyes.
In the original work, that was the color of Erik's eyes.
… The original work.
Bo Li abruptly came out of the trance. She took two steps back. "Why did you hypnotize me?!"
Erik didn't answer.
Bo Li swallowed. Her heart was pounding. She had been a bit curious before. In addition to being a master of music, architecture, and magic tricks, what other skills had he mastered?
And now, she remembered everything. He was the world's best hypnotist!
Bo Li wiped the cold sweat on her forehead. She felt like she had picked up treasure.
It would be great if Erik could go back to modern-day with her. With his help, they could create an even more amazing haunted house on a large scope in modern times.
Erik expressionlessly looked at Bo Li. He didn't know why he hypnotized her.
Perhaps, it was because she looked too horrified when she looked at him. Her face had been deathly pale with a sickly flush on her cheeks. She kept swallowing, and her breathing was rapid.
He wanted her to stop being so afraid of him, but he failed.
And so, he could only look away and coldly said, "None of your business."
T/N: I'll be busy tomorrow. Will make up tomorrow's part later in the week.