Arriving at Dirtmouth, after entrusting the little Maintenance Grub to Elderbug's care, Simon once again journeyed to the Howling Cliffs.
This back-and-forth travel wasn't pleasant, but he focused on enjoying the scenery along the way.
However, the Howling Cliffs was the region with the worst scenery.
Although Simon knew these mountains were majestic, in the darkness, he couldn't see anything; only strong winds blew, carrying sand and dust, almost covering his mask in grime.
Standing before the corpse of the hooded bug from before, he swung his Dream Nail.
A large amount of crimson dream essence flew out from the corpse, dyeing the entire space a deep red.
At this moment, looking back, the iron platform in the cave was already glowing with cherry-red light, illuminating the surrounding torch stakes.
One of these torches was particularly tall, erected on a small altar, majestic and solemn.
The upper parts of these torch stakes resembled claws, giving them a somewhat evil deity characteristic.
Simon tried repeatedly striking the iron platform with his Nail, making clanging sounds; the platform remained intact, and like drilling wood to make fire, the red light grew brighter and more intense.
With a 'whoosh!' a pillar of fire shot up, instantly becoming formless.
The surrounding torch stakes vibrated in unison, fine sparks rose, and then red light burst forth!
The scarlet flames of the Nightmare were ignited.
A leisurely circus tune drifted from outside.
Simon went to Dirtmouth; since the returning expedition team had gone home, it had become desolate again, but at some unknown time, a circus Troupe had arrived in the town.
They had set up several large tents in the open space outside the town, and a group of white-faced, purple-clad bugs that came with the Troupe scurried in and out of the tents, laughing and leaping.
Several strangely shaped bugs performed acrobatics in the open area outside the tents, jumping through hoops of fire, juggling small balls, and climbing ladders, each act extremely thrilling.
Whenever the audience gasped, they would then clap enthusiastically, making the scene joyful and lively.
Various exciting musical pieces stirred the air, which had been so quiet for years it had almost frozen, into a fervent heat.
The red flames burning in the uniquely shaped torch stakes around them were also bright, and all the bugs were bathed in a layer of red light, making it look like a carnival.
However, the liveliness belonged to the Troupe; the other residents of the town remained in their respective small houses, not interacting with the Troupe, still savoring their solitude.
Simon walked along the main road, passing through the Troupe, observing the bugs.
The masks on the faces of these foreign bugs were uniform: white faces, black holes, with two black arcs extending from the forehead, passing through the eyeholes, and converging at the jaw, looking like clowns, very comedic.
Simon vaguely felt that this mask was familiar, very similar to a Vessel's mask, yet with a different aura.
He had a guess in his heart but was not in a hurry to verify it.
He continued walking, arriving at the town square, where he exchanged a few pleasantries with Elderbug.
The Elder bug expressed that he disliked the new Troupe very much; although they brought long-lost joy, there was a strange atmosphere that made him uneasy.
He met several old friends one after another, and from them, he learned that they also disliked this Troupe.
However, that annoying Zote kept clamoring about wanting to conquer the audience with his exquisite swordsmanship, but he never made a move, and his little fangirl who always followed him was nowhere to be found; now, no bug would bother with him.
Simon was very puzzled; Zote had claimed he came to Hallownest to defeat The Radiance, so now that The Radiance was dead, what was he still doing here?
As a Void creature and a first-generation Vessel, he hadn't participated in the final battle at all, which was truly a disgrace.
Simon didn't plan to waste words with him and turned to go to the largest tent of the Troupe.
Outside the curtain, two long-necked bugs squatted, looking very docile and cute.
He lifted the curtain and peeked inside; the interior space was wide, with a long corridor upon entering, and faint music could be heard, but it was drowned out by the drumbeats of other performances outside and was not clear.
Simon slowly entered the tent, and the moment he let down the curtain, it was as if inside and outside were isolated; the faint sound of the accordion became much clearer.
He followed the dimly red-lit corridor deeper inside; he was the only one on the way, and the white-faced audience members who liked to scurry around were nowhere to be seen.
This place seemed completely isolated from the outside world, with only the increasingly clear sound of the instrument.
Simon saw a burly bug wearing a two-holed circus mask, pulling another chubby arthropod in his hand, which looked like a grub; the sound of the accordion was coming from this bug-instrument.
This strong-armed male bug, Brumm, nodded kindly when he saw the guest, "I am Brumm, uh, hmm?" He seemed to recognize Simon, "Did you summon us? Go find the Troupe Leader!"
Simon stared at the bug-instrument in his hand, exclaiming in admiration, "This... thing, how do you manage to play it?"
Brumm shrugged, "I've always been able to."
Simon also shrugged, but his head was too big, making his shoulders look thin, so the shrug wasn't noticeable.
After realizing this, he silently continued deeper into the tent.
Out of the corridor, he came to a spacious hall, a circular space surrounded by thick purplish-red curtains.
Several red lanterns hung from the tent ceiling, making the place look like a child's deep dream.
Two spotlights shone on the curtain, intense drumbeats began, and the spotlights chased each other, from the wall to the floor, finally converging in one spot.
"Boom!"
A large puff of red smoke emerged, and a slender, Vampire-like bug appeared.
This was the Troupe Leader—Grimm.
He stood with his back to Simon, his posture relaxed and elegant.
The dense red mist gradually dispersed, and Grimm stood in the slanted beam of light.
He was draped in a black-on-the-outside, red-on-the-inside cloak, looking like a morning glory, and beneath the blooming skirt, his long, slender legs were visible.
Because he was facing away, Simon couldn't see his full face, but his head was shaped like a short checkmark, with two upright sideburns, resembling bat ears.
"So, you summoned us.
It's a pleasure to meet you, my friend; I am Grimm, the leader of this Troupe."
He said it was a pleasure to meet him, but he didn't even turn around to face Simon.
Grimm tilted his head slightly, revealing his white mask.
"The Nightmare Lantern has been lit, and we have come here at your summons.
This is the stage you have chosen, a kingdom nourished by bugs and roots, an excellent land for us to perform our ritual.
And you, my friend, what you must do is far from over."
After speaking, he bowed gracefully, but it was a side bow, not directly facing Simon, as if he habitually bowed to the audience below the stage, even though the curtains were still closed.
"The Nightmare Lantern is lit, and our pact is branded in its crimson flames.
We eagerly await your immediate start, but we must first clarify the task."
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