During that time, Livia and Calli managed to get Noah out without anyone noticing, taking him straight to the northern train station and then directly to the hospital.
In Sector 1, at the hospital, where the scent of medicine filled the air, the cold atmosphere, the sound of wheels rolling across the long hallway, doors opening and closing, the nurse's gentle calls, the faint moans of patients, doctors whispering in the corners, the press of a sanitizer, the snap of gloves—inside Room 247, Noah lay stretched out on the bed, with Livia sitting beside him. Calli sat on the bed's edge, clutching his hand as she trembled with worry.
"What could have made him collapse like that? It's impossible for it to be just the horror of the scene… Maybe… Noah met the killer, and this is the effect of his skill… Were we wrong to think his ability allows instant teleportation…?" Livia thought to herself, letting out a frustrated sigh, crossing one leg over the other, and glancing at Calli from the corner of her eye.
"Crying won't help wake him up," Livia said with an irritated tone. She was worried about Noah, but she couldn't help acting like a jerk at the moment.
"In any case, aren't you the dead girl's companion? Shouldn't you be worried about your friend?" Livia added, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"...Worrying about the dead won't help... Erika is gone, and there's no way to bring her back..." Calli said, which slightly shocked Livia. Throughout all this, she hadn't even glanced at her, her eyes fixed solely on Noah.
"That's true… but harsh… How did you even get this close to Noah anyway? Just so you know, that boy is emotionally unavailable, so don't let yourself fall into daydreams," Livia said, folding her arms and tapping her finger on them.
Calli stayed silent for a moment, as if thinking of an answer. Every possibility seemed against her, but she knew her place with Noah clearly. Yet, what bothered her wasn't the nature of the question—it was Livia's tone. It felt like she was insulting Noah.
"My relationship with Noah is not something filthy like that!" Calli snapped back, her voice laced with irritation as she looked at Livia from the corner of her eye.
Livia's eyes widened slightly in surprise before she whistled in amusement and curiosity.
"I didn't know Noah had a new dog," Livia thought to herself playfully, a faint smirk rising on her face.
"I'll wipe that stupid smile off your face next time," Calli said through clenched teeth, trying hard to restrain herself.
"She barks too… but can she bite?" Livia wondered internally, a hint of confusion mixing with her curiosity.
Just then, the door flung open, and Lou Yan burst in, looking exhausted and worried. She was panting from running, sweating so much that droplets dripped from her face onto the floor. Both Livia and Calli turned to her.
"And here comes the first dog," Livia thought with amusement, watching Lou Yan approach Noah's bed and stand beside it, staring at him in concern and anxiety.
"W-What happened to him?" Lou Yan asked nervously, her pupils unfocused and her eyelid twitching from worry.
"He collapsed suddenly. The doctors said there's nothing they can do. He's not in critical condition. Just wait for him to wake up," Livia explained, still wearing her faint smile.
"I-I see…" Lou Yan whispered lightly. Relief washed over her as the weight lifted from her shoulders. She let out a soft sigh, then finally noticed Calli's presence.
"Who are you?" Lou Yan asked in surprise. She didn't like the fact that the girl was sitting so close to Noah, holding his hand.
"She's Calli Lan, the friend of the deceased Erika Bennett," Livia answered cheerfully, a bit thrilled by the tension in the room.
"...I'm the one who sent Noah to find her… but I didn't recognize her... She's my neighbor too..." Lou Yan thought to herself, nervous and slightly embarrassed that she hadn't recognized her neighbor.
"Noah… you'd better wake up soon. It'll be fun to witness the chaos that unfolds here."
———————
ACT I: THE MAGICIAN
Noah stood on the stage, a wide smile on his face as he looked at the crowd—his own audience.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We apologize for the delay. There were some minor issues, but they've been taken care of," Noah said, his voice echoing through the hall.
He walked around the stage with calm steps that echoed like drumbeats, then stopped.
"Let's begin before someone throws tomatoes at me," Noah said, his grin widening. He extended his cloak—it was pitch black inside—and waved his walking stick through it like a portal. The stick vanished entirely. Then, Noah reached his hand into the cloak and pulled out a white-tipped wand, letting the cloak fall behind him.
"Magic is the grand display of power that makes you stand there, trembling with fear… But real magic… real magic leaves you in awe," Noah said, waving his wand around, leaving behind a majestic white light. The audience followed it with their eyes in silent amazement.
Then, Noah pointed his wand toward the aisle beside the seats—an explosion of white smoke erupted, from which doves and playing cards soared and scattered everywhere. The audience gasped—awed by the beauty.
"We don't show you destruction—we show you beauty. Not the kind that hurts, but the kind that heals… the kind that lingers in your soul," Noah said with a gentle smile, admiring the magic's wonder as if he were astonished himself.
Then, Noah looked forward. At the back of the hall, a clock hung on the wall. Its ticking echoed: tick, tick. Then...
"We reveal what magic truly is—power not for chaos, but for wonder," Noah said, snapped his fingers—and the clock's hands froze. The doves, the feathers, and the cards—all froze in midair, as if time itself had stopped.
"What just happened?" someone gasped.
"Did… time stop?!" another exclaimed.
"Magic is a silent miracle clothed in silk and smoke… dancing beyond your understanding," Noah said, then clapped his hands. His clothes burst into white smoke—and just like that, he vanished.
"What?!" someone shouted in shock.
"Where did he go?!" another cried, their voice unable to hide the awe.
A light flared in the middle of the audience—Noah was sitting among them, casually, as if he'd never disappeared.
"This is our role… we… the magician who dance under the moonlight in the stillness of night," Noah said, looking side to side—at amazed, stunned, and bewildered faces, smiling faintly.
Then, he pointed toward the stage. The audience's eyes followed his gesture—only to be shocked again: Noah was standing on the stage.
It was as if he had never left.
They looked back to the seat he was just in—but it was empty. He had truly teleported in the blink of an eye.
"This… is incredible!" someone said, standing in astonishment.
"What a show!" another exclaimed, also standing.
"For what is fear… compared to the majesty and wonder of true, grand magic?" Noah said softly, his calm voice echoing through the hall like a gentle melody. He snapped his fingers again—time resumed. The doves fluttered, feathers and cards drifted down like enchanted snowflakes.
Noah raised his hand with elegance, spreading the cloak like wings of the night, revealing his full presence. He placed his right hand on his chest while his left held the cloak's edge, slightly pulling it forward—wrapping himself in night. He bowed slowly, deeply, with dignity. The cloak fell like a final curtain.
The audience rose from their seats and began to applaud Noah's magical performance. They had entered full of doubt, but the show ended with awe in their minds and belief in their hearts.
Noah rose with a light smile… and vanished in a puff of smoke. The red curtains fell, marking the end of the show, as the applause continued.
ACT I: END
Behind the curtains, Noah sighed in relief as the show ended. He lowered his hat and placed it on his chest—just as Livia jumped out of nowhere and hugged him excitedly.
"Hahaha! You talented bastard!" Livia laughed, wrapping her arms around Noah's neck and climbing onto his back.
"Get off me—seriously," Noah said, flustered, though he didn't seem genuinely annoyed. He couldn't bring himself to be mad at Livia's joyful smile.
"She's right. You really are talented," said a voice from behind. Noah and Livia turned to see Sirius approaching, still in his jester costume.
"You're always good at what you do," Sirius said, giving Noah a light pat on the shoulder, wearing a gentle, friendly smile.
"Is there anyone better than us actors?" Noah said with a sarcastic tone, though he was secretly happy and a bit embarrassed from all the praise.
"You're right—after all, you're ☐☐☐☐," Sirius said, smiling warmly.
"…" Noah stayed silent, not responding to Sirius. He just stared blankly, which puzzled both Sirius and Livia.
"Noah? What's wrong?" Livia asked, tightening her grip around his neck to snap him out of it.
"Huh? Ahh… It's nothing. You guys go ahead. I'll catch up in a bit," Noah said casually, setting Livia down from his back.
"Alright, don't be late. You are today's star," Livia said as she left with Sirius, both waving goodbye.
Noah stood still, turning to his right—toward the bathroom. He went straight in, closed the door behind him, and his hands began to tremble like he was having a panic attack. His face turned pale, his eyes squinted in pain. Sweat poured from his neck, dripping off his jaw to the floor. He gripped the sink's edges, and a wave of nausea surged through him. He opened his mouth wide—and a strange liquid violently burst out, splashing into the sink with a muffled vomiting sound. Tears welled in his eyes, and his body trembled from weakness and exhaustion.
He gasped in panic, his breath quick and shallow. He wiped the vomit from his mouth and looked at the mirror in front of him, weary and broken.
"Who… who the hell are you?"