Shajin slowly extended his right hand—long, slender fingers brimming with strength.
His eyes were sharp as a blade, locked onto the flustered Lyney before him. He spoke calmly.
"Well then, Lyney. If you wish to clear your name, please explain to us the principle behind your magic trick."
"In my opinion, I suspect there's a hidden passage beneath this stage, isn't there?"
At those words, Lyney instinctively raised a hand to wipe the cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Standing before him were none other than the Hydro Archon of Fontaine and the infamous Gambler—a name that struck fear in even the boldest hearts.
Just thinking about it made Lyney's heart race uncontrollably.
But just then, Shajin waved his hand lightly and gave a gentle smile.
"Lyney, there's no need to be so tense. Don't forget—you're Arlecchino's personally chosen successor to the throne. Confidence and composure are what you should be projecting."
Bolstered by Shajin's encouragement, Lyney took a deep breath, trying to calm the wild thudding of his heart and regain his usual steady demeanor.
After a moment of silence, Navia finally worked up the courage to speak.
"Um… would it be alright if I joined the investigation as well?"
At that, Lynette—who had also been quietly focusing on her breathing—turned to glance at Navia, then replied coolly, "I don't see why not."
As soon as she said that, Navia strode forward and clapped her hands together with a bright laugh.
"Hahaha! Sorry for intruding! I'm Navia. Truth be told, I'm really curious about all this, so I'd love to help you uncover the mystery."
Her enthusiasm brought a small smile to Lyney's face as he nodded in welcome.
"Having someone like you join us is more than welcome. We truly appreciate it."
Hearing that, Navia scratched her head with an embarrassed chuckle.
"Haha, happy to be of service!"
The mood lightened noticeably.
"To be honest," Navia added, "I'm mostly just excited to see the inner workings of such a massive illusion up close. It's a rare chance!"
Lyney smiled and raised a hand, clearing his throat.
"Well then, let me reveal the secret behind this incredible trick."
Furina, eyes sparkling with curiosity, stepped eagerly to the front. She was clearly thrilled, eager to learn how the magic had been performed.
"In truth," Lyney began, "beneath this seemingly ordinary magic box is a secret world built specifically for this illusion."
He tapped the outer wall of the box lightly with a finger as he spoke.
But instead of immediately revealing the hidden space, he paused, then continued.
"Before I unveil the secret, why don't you all take a closer look? See if you can spot anything unusual…"
"Don't think of it as me stalling or trying to be mysterious. It's only by recalling the details of the performance that you'll be able to grasp the clever mechanics behind it."
With that, Lyney reached out and slowly lifted the lid of the magic box.
As it opened, everyone's gaze focused on the inside.
"Huh? That's weird!" Navia exclaimed first, stunned.
"I remember clearly—this box was filled with colorful balloons and decorations before. Where'd they all go?"
Lyney clapped his hands with a satisfied smile.
"Very sharp observation. But to reach the truth, you'll need to keep digging. The information you have now is still far from the full answer."
Furina crossed her arms and furrowed her brows in thought.
She spoke slowly.
"Are the patterns on the back of the door different now?"
Lyney nodded in affirmation.
"Indeed. Originally, the inside of the door was decorated with intricate carvings. But now, they're gone—replaced by a completely smooth wooden panel."
Furina murmured thoughtfully.
"That would mean… there's another box inside this one."
Lyney began clapping again.
"Exactly as expected of Lady Furina—sharp as ever."
The corner of Furina's lips lifted ever so slightly at the praise, a hint of pride glimmering in her expression.
She chuckled quietly.
"Hehe… Well, as a god, possessing insight beyond the ordinary is only natural. So let me guess—the inner box was secretly moved through a tunnel beneath the stage?"
Lyney grinned.
"Hahaha… Spot on! Come, let's head down there and I'll walk you through everything."
…
"Now you should have a pretty good idea."
"The two magic boxes were positioned directly above the ends of the underground tunnel."
"See this platform cart?"
He gestured toward it.
"The box with the lucky audience member was transported to the other side using this."
Lynette nodded.
"This cart can move up and down, and the platform rotates to keep the orientation consistent."
Lyney folded his arms across his chest.
"Exactly. After the audience member was placed into the inner box, it lowered into the tunnel. The outer box stayed in place, unchanged."
"Once it descended, the cart stored up some kinetic energy using a mechanism here. That powered the final stages of the trick."
"From the audience's perspective, all they felt was a slow glide through darkness. By the time they stepped out, they were already on the other side of the stage."
Navia raised her hand with a question.
"But what about your end? I remember you kept talking, and you even stepped out of the box."
Lyney rubbed his chin.
"Ah, that. We used a phonograph—Lynette handled it."
"We rehearsed the dialogue ahead of time. When the countdown began, I had already jumped into the tunnel and headed for the other box using the ladder."
Lynette nodded again.
"I was hiding in the compartment behind the box."
"That way, I could sync my movements with the pre-recorded lines. By the way, the person who stepped out of the box at the end… was me."
Lyney chuckled.
"After all, we're twins~ Change clothes, and no one notices. Hehe…"
_
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