Beside her, Shajin couldn't help but chuckle softly at Furina's expression.
"Haha, magic is nothing more than a clever combination of props and sleight of hand. But even so, it's not something just anyone can master~"
Furina pouted, clearly displeased, and muttered,
"Hmph! I'm a god, after all. A little magic trick like that—I only need one glance to see through its secrets!"
Shajin smiled. Traveling with this little Hydro Archon was proving to be quite entertaining.
On stage, the spotlight blazed brilliantly.
Lynette's brother had one hand gently tapping the brim of his hat. Gradually, the motion slowed… until it stopped.
Then, with a sudden smack—something utterly unexpected happened. A snow-white dove burst out from the hat, flapping its wings as it took to the air!
Before the audience had time to recover from their surprise, Lyney swiftly and skillfully returned the hat to his head.
At the same time, he elegantly raised his right hand, his wrist flicking with practiced ease. In that moment, a dazzling deck of multicolored cards appeared in his palm.
But even more astonishingly, when he tossed the cards out with a flourish, a second identical deck appeared in his hand as if conjured from thin air.
Over and over, the decks kept appearing, as if they were endless and infinite.
Lyney kept his signature smile, his gaze slowly sweeping across the audience, as if holding a silent conversation with each and every person. At last, he spread his hands and said playfully,
"Ah, today's audience is quite sharp."
He paused briefly, then continued in a tone tinged with mock regret.
"These traditional tricks… you're probably sick of them already~"
He furrowed his brows slightly, falling into thought, and murmured,
"So then, what must I do to prove that I'm truly different… truly extraordinary?"
Even before he finished speaking, Lyney suddenly clasped both hands together tightly in front of his chest and began to rub them rapidly.
Just a few seconds later, another astonishing scene unfolded—a second dove, fluffy and adorable, burst forth from between his palms!
The audience's gaze naturally followed the bird as it flew upward. Only then did they notice something they hadn't before—suspended in midair was a giant transparent tank, completely filled with crystal-clear water.
Standing atop the tank was none other than Lynette, waving gracefully to the crowd.
Lyney slowly lifted his head, which had been lowered until now.
"Before everyone's eyes," he said clearly, each word echoing through the theater.
"In this dark, damp, and fearsome prison of water…"
His tone shifted into dramatic narration, immersing the audience into the dangerous and mysterious setting.
"I will make my sister—Lynette—vanish into thin air!"
The crowd erupted. People whispered among themselves in amazement and disbelief. What kind of trick was this magician planning?
Lynette leapt lightly into the water tank, her silhouette gliding through the liquid like a beautiful mermaid. The ripples accentuated her elegant figure, creating a dreamlike spectacle that captivated all who watched.
Lyney snapped his fingers with a crisp click.
"This isn't difficult at all," he said, lips curling into a confident smile.
"All I have to do is turn her into a bubble…"
"…And let her escape the tank."
But right at that moment, something went wrong.
With a sudden BANG, the lid above the water tank slammed shut without warning.
Lynette immediately swam upward, but no matter how hard she pushed, the lid wouldn't budge—it was as if it had been magically sealed in place.
Gasps echoed through the audience, panic and chaos rising like a wave through the theater.
Lyney's expression turned to one of frantic worry. He rushed up to the tank and shouted loudly,
"Ah! I told them to check the props properly! Why the hell is the lid shut!?"
He pounded on the glass, desperately trying to get Lynette's attention.
"She can't even breathe in there now…" he said, his voice filled with panic and guilt, as if the situation had truly spiraled out of his control.
But then—Lyney suddenly turned around.
The panic vanished from his face in an instant, replaced by a dazzling, confident grin.
"If a beginner magician ran into this, they'd be in total disarray by now."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Good thing…"
He paused, dragging the suspense for effect, then declared loudly,
"The one on stage is me!"
"So why not let everyone see some real magic~"
With that, Lyney snapped his fingers again.
In that very moment, the water inside the tank began to churn violently, as if bewitched. The calm surface exploded into a frenzy of motion, bubbling furiously.
Countless bubbles of all sizes surged up from the bottom, rising so fast and dense that Lynette's entire form was soon completely hidden.
When the water finally calmed, and the last of the bubbles faded—
Lynette had vanished.
All that remained was her outfit, floating gently at the surface.
The audience sat frozen in shock.
Even Furina had shot to her feet in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at the tank with both hands gripping the railing tightly, searching desperately for any sign or clue of Lynette's disappearance.
Lyney now appeared flustered again, looking left and right as he called out anxiously,
"Lynette? Are you still there? Don't wander too far! If your magic runs out, we're exposed!"
But just then, a clear voice responded—
"Dummy. I'm right here."
Everyone turned their heads in unison.
At some point, Lynette had reappeared quietly behind them all.
Eyes widened. Jaws dropped.
Silence fell over the theater.
_
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