Fu Ning turned around, stood up, and looked at Neuvillette. "What's the matter? Shut up."
Paimon was shocked. "Wait… Neuvillette? You're the one Fu Ning has been talking about—the Chief Justice of Fontaine! Your status is second only to Lady Furina and the Supreme Guard, Fu Ning!"
Linney, who had been watching the commotion from below, hurried over. "Monsieur Neuvillette! I didn't expect you to come and watch my performance! It's such an honor!"
Neuvillette: "…"
"I would also like to point out that my status is not inferior to that of Fu Ning."
"Also, you need not worry. Being Chief Justice is simply a role, just like any other official position. I do not consider myself special."
Fu Ning raised an eyebrow. "You're not special? That's… amusing."
Neuvillette glanced at Fu Ning and said nothing.
He turned to look toward the podium. "Oh, by the way… although I'm reluctant to bring it up, I'll still remind you…"
"That person over there has been sitting in the VIP seat and trying out poses for quite a while now…"
"She's been adjusting so that when you look at her, she appears at her most regal."
"Fu Ning was coaching her on posture too. Hah…"
"Well, you'd better acknowledge her soon or she'll get sulky."
Fu Ning: (ᗜ _ ᗜ) "Shut up. If you've got nothing good to say, say nothing. Anyone who can't appreciate the elegance of Lady Furina is either blind or doomed to a very mediocre life."
Lumine and Paimon turned toward Furina's direction.
Furina gave a smug little laugh, thinking proudly, "Haha, I bet they're stunned by my majestic appearance!"
Fu Ning looked at her with a smile and waved.
Then he froze.
Wait… Clorinde?
Since when was she there?
Clorinde stood beside Furina and gave Fu Ning a wave.
Fu Ning: "…"
Great. She's going to steal Fu Fu's spotlight now.
Fu Ning turned back, slightly annoyed.
Paimon was baffled. "Uh… Lady Furina… She… uh…"
Fu Ning: "Hmm?"
Sensing Fu Ning's unfriendly gaze, Paimon gave an awkward laugh and wisely held her tongue.
Neuvillette stepped in smoothly. "Yes, she doesn't know I've exposed her little planning session with Fu Ning. Just ignore them. Focus on the performance."
Fu Ning narrowed his eyes. "Neuvillette, I think it's time you saw the strength of Fontaine's Number One combat unit firsthand."
Neuvillette looked at him calmly. "Threatening others with brute force is the hallmark of the uncultured. A true protector uses judgment, not intimidation."
Fu Ning: "…"
Paimon glanced around and muttered, "So this is how the Water Archon, the Supreme Guard, and the Chief Justice get along…?"
She scratched her head. "It's kind of like Kaeya and Diluc—constantly bickering, but probably dependable in a crisis."
"And Fu Ning's devotion to Furina… It's on a whole other level, right?"
Fu Ning frowned. "Is that a problem?"
Paimon quickly dropped the subject.
Linney chuckled. "Alright, please wait a moment. Everything's nearly ready. Once the rest of the audience is seated, the performance will begin."
Paimon's eyes sparkled. "Finally! I've never seen a magic show live before—I'm really excited!"
Soon, the audience began filing in and the lights dimmed.
"Oh! Lumine, the lights just went out—is the show starting?" Paimon whispered.
Neuvillette: "Hmm…"
Fu Ning gave Paimon a quiet look that somehow carried intense pressure.
"Uh… Sorry. I'll keep my voice down."
"Click!"
A spotlight snapped on at the center of the stage.
A familiar voice echoed: "Welcome to the Oprykle Opera House. Thank you for attending despite your busy schedules. I'm today's performer, Linney."
He stepped into the light.
Applause filled the air.
Linney gestured to his right. "This is my sister and my most important partner on stage—Lynette. Come on, greet the audience."
Lynette nodded drowsily. "Hello, everyone."
Another round of applause followed.
"Haha, don't be fooled by how sleepy she looks. That's just how she gets when she's nervous," Linney said with a grin.
Lynette sighed. "Sure. Whatever."
Linney shrugged. "Some of you might think that those of us with Visions can use elemental power to fake magic tricks."
"So, I make this promise: Everything you'll see on this stage tonight has nothing to do with elemental abilities."
A staff member came forward and took Linney and Lynette's Vision badges.
"Both of us have removed our Visions. Haha, even the gods can't help us now," Linney said with exaggerated drama.
In the audience, Paimon nodded. "That makes sense! That's the difference between magic and elemental abilities."
"Like Fu Ning's ability to move things mid-air—it's not magic, just a talent."
Linney continued, "Now then, I imagine everyone's getting impatient. The show will begin shortly. Lynette will step backstage to prepare."
Lynette gave a little wave and walked off.
"Don't worry—she'll return soon in a way you won't expect. And one last thing…"
"Please choose your blink time wisely."
"Sequence Nine: Master of Illusions."
Fu Ning's eyes narrowed slightly, activating his innate talent.
All the lights went dark, except for one focused on Linney.
"The magician's craft is to turn nothing into something… and then something into everything."
Linney removed his hat, showing the audience it was empty.
He tossed it into the air—it floated as if held by invisible strings.
Applause erupted.
He snapped his fingers. A flurry of playing cards fluttered from the hat.
More cards rained down as he continued the act.
Placing the hat back on his head, a white dove suddenly burst out and flew across the hall.
It looked as if he could summon cards from thin air.
Fu Ning remained expressionless the entire time. He could do all this too.
Linney, seeing Fu Ning's blank look, chuckled inwardly.
Exactly the reaction I expected.
***
Linny sighed and pretended to be very regretful. "Ah, the audiences nowadays are truly incredible. They've already grown tired of these traditional magic tricks."
"If I keep performing like this, I'm afraid Lord Fu Ning in the audience might throw me out of the Opera House," Linny said half-jokingly.
Fu Ning's face darkened.
Why did it feel like some unknown force was deliberately persecuting him?
Linny continued, "So then—how can I prove that I am unique and extraordinary?"
"I've prepared a challenge."
Linny conjured a pigeon out of thin air, sparking a flicker of interest from Fu Ning.
The pigeon flew above the Opera House ceiling as another spotlight came on, revealing a massive tank filled with water.
Sitting atop the tank was Lynette, calmly greeting the audience.
"Before your very eyes, in this water chamber, I will make my sister disappear into thin air!"
Lynette gave a slight nod, then entered the tank.
The tank began to slowly lower as Linny walked toward it.
"It's not all that difficult, really. All I have to do is turn her into bubbles and let her float out of the water tank…"
The lid of the tank closed with a metallic clang and locked.
Inside, Lynette swam to the top and gave the lid a few firm pushes.
It didn't budge.
"Oh no!" Linny exclaimed in mock panic. "Didn't they inspect the props properly? The lid's completely sealed—even the air can't get out…"
"If I were a novice magician, I'd already be in a mess. But fortunately, I'm the one on stage."
"So, I may as well show you my real magic."
Raising his hand, Linny snapped his fingers. Inside the tank, Lynette began to panic. Bubbles surged and surrounded her until her figure was completely obscured.
When the water stilled again—
The chamber was empty.
Lynette had vanished.
Only her clothes remained, gently drifting.
In the audience, Funina and Fu Ning's pupils contracted in unison.
Their talents had dissolved traces of her presence in the water…
Linny called out, "Lynette? Are you still there?"
"Don't go overboard, or once your magic runs out, you'll be exposed."
At some point, Lynette emerged from the side of the stage, fully dressed.
"Well, I'm back."
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
Funina, seated in the VIP box, finally exhaled in relief. Her interest piqued, she joined the applause with genuine enthusiasm.
Fu Ning leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs.
This… was actually kind of interesting.
Even though he couldn't replicate it himself, that didn't stop him from pretending to be unimpressed.
Only Paimon looked utterly confused. "Eh? What just happened? Is it already over? I didn't see anything!"
"Didn't Lynette jump in? Why'd she vanish? And how did she come back?"
Lumine nodded. "It was definitely impressive."
Neuvillette turned slightly and said, "If his performance could be easily deciphered, it would mean his skills require further refinement."
"The appreciation of stage magic should focus on the presentation—not the techniques deliberately hidden."
"Agreed," Fu Ning said with a nod, withdrawing the investigative power of his life-based talent.
Linny's voice rang out again from the stage. "Thank you all for your applause! Were you satisfied with that last trick?"
"But our magical journey is far from over. I've prepared even more astonishing moments for you tonight."
"Transfer magic, disappearance illusions—these are just the beginning!"
"You might think: 'Well, Lynette's just your stage partner. Of course you had time to prepare everything in advance.'"
"In that case, how about something more spontaneous?"
"For the next trick, I'll need a lucky audience member to participate!"
He gestured behind him. "Come on, my companions, bring out the boxes filled with magical power!"
Two boxes were wheeled out: one on the stage and the other placed in the center aisle of the auditorium.
The spotlight illuminated both.
"I believe the clever members of the audience have guessed it—our next trick is exchange! A classic act!"
"The randomly selected audience member and I will each enter a box, and after one minute—voilà! We'll emerge from each other's boxes!"
"Now, everyone here, I ask you—keep your eyes firmly on the box nearest you! Don't let me cheat!"
Offstage, Paimon whispered to Lumine, "Wow… How do you think they'll do it? You think Linny's actually using real magic?"
"You'll see for yourself," Lumine replied with a shrug.
Fu Ning, meanwhile, activated his innate ability. In an instant, he saw the truth clearly.
Back on stage, Linny gestured to the box beside him.
"This lucky audience member will be selected by a random number generator. I don't even know who it will pick!"
"Let's start!"
He pulled the lever, and the machine whirred to life.
"Let's see… Ah, here we go—row seven, seat number three!"
"Congratulations! You're about to experience a truly magical minute."
"Please, one of my companions, escort the guest to the magic box."
The audience buzzed with excitement, the selected person visibly nervous—especially under the watchful gazes of Fu Ning and Neuvillette.
"My apologies," Linny said politely. "The space inside the box is a bit tight, but we've made arrangements to ensure your comfort."
"Just don't do anything rash. Even if you feel… unusual, do not come out on your own."
"If the magic is interrupted—well, I can't guarantee where you'll reappear. Could be Meroe, could be Port Ormos—who knows? Hahaha!"
"Ah… Um…" The chosen audience member gave a nervous nod.
Fu Ning narrowed his eyes and examined the box closely.
Something isn't right…
There's a powerful energy inside—a distinct vitality…
On closer inspection, it resembles the life force of Fontaine natives…
Could it be original fetal sea water?
Back when he was in Liyue, Fu Ning had already noticed that the people of Fontaine differed subtly from those in other nations.
He couldn't help but wonder—was the life force of Fontaine's people inherently stronger?
Though this vitality was expertly concealed and undetectable to the average observer, Fu Ning's talents made it clear.
What's more, the strongest life-sequence ability in his body—Sequence Eleven—would resonate with and be strengthened by such energy.
This, in fact, was one of the reasons he chose to remain in Fontaine.
The main reason?
Naturally… it was Fu Fu.
So, then… did Egeria—the previous Hydro Archon—infuse Fontaine's people with fetal sea water to strengthen them?
But for what purpose?
Fontaine had very few people with Visions.
Their physical condition wasn't particularly exceptional.
Their lifespans weren't especially long either.
If her goal had been to make the people of Fontaine uniquely suited to a theater-loving, extravagant culture…
Then Fu Ning had to admit: Egeria had succeeded.
Linny's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Alright, before we enter the boxes, I have one last request."
"Everyone, please count down with me!"
"Start from sixty—sixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight… count aloud, fast or slow."
"Alas, it's completely dark inside the box—I won't be able to tell how much time has passed."
"So I'll rely on your voices to guide me."
"Oh, and by the way—don't try anything sneaky! If you finish the countdown in thirty seconds, that's really going to be tough for me."
"Well, now I want to count faster," Paimon giggled mischievously.
Lumine shook her head. "If a whole audience counts together, it's pretty hard to go faster than real time."