Ma↗gic↘ Tricks↗ and↘ Techniques

Fontaine remains as bustling and vibrant as ever, with mist carrying the lively atmosphere of everyday life, permeating every waterway and alleyway.

As dawn broke, fishermen along the shore began to row their small boats into the vast waters. Their nets cut through the calm sea, marking the start of their day's fishing work. The gurgling water and the fishermen's shouts mingled together, creating a unique prelude to Fontaine's morning.

Inside the opera house, Furina remained as enthusiastic as ever, seated in her luxurious seat, watching with great interest one suspenseful and dramatic trial after another.

The streets and alleys of Court of Fontaine have long since returned to their bustling state. Mechanics are inspecting the operating transmission devices, street vendors are displaying a dazzling array of goods, and pedestrians are coming and going in an endless stream. The whole city is running smoothly.

In the busiest central square, popular magician Lyney was launching a new magic show. Lynette quietly followed her partner's movements, her skillful hands and unexpected tricks quickly attracting a large crowd of onlookers. Cheers and applause further enhanced the lively atmosphere.

On the outskirts of the crowd, a white-haired traveler stood quietly, his eyes still holding a trace of lingering languor and gentleness as he watched with great interest the captivating street magic performance in the arena.

At the center of the stage, Lyney's fingers flew across the stage, her fluid and gorgeous magic tricks drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd. Beside her, Lynette quietly lowered her eyes, perfectly cooperating with every movement.

Just as Lyney raised her eyes to survey the crowd, preparing for the next round of applause, her gaze suddenly fixed on a slender, white-haired figure at the back of the crowd.

Lyney's fingertips paused almost imperceptibly, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she turned her head subtly to exchange a quick glance with the silent Lynette beside her.

In the instant their eyes met, they silently exchanged the same message. (Callas and Navia shared a tacit understanding.)

With only a moment's pause, Lyney quickly concealed the probing look in her eyes, and once again put on a perfectly timed, extremely approachable smile, her fingertips continuing to perform the magic trick with fluid grace.

Lynette, standing to the side, resumed her usual obedient and cooperative demeanor, as if their brief eye contact was merely a normal tacit understanding. The two continued their street performance as if nothing had happened, with one amazing trick after another, and the cheers and applause from the square continued to rise and fall.

As the performance came to an end, the crowd gradually dispersed, and the bustling square slowly quieted down. Lyney took out the small gift boxes she had prepared in advance, smiled, and beckoned to the passersby who hadn't gone far, starting to distribute small, exquisite magic bags to everyone for free, as a small perk of this street performance.

"Hello sir, thank you for watching our performance. This is a magic pocket for you. Although it looks small, it can hold a lot."

His gesture of handing over the small bag was natural and generous, seemingly just a normal performance gift, but his eyes were subtly observing the white-haired traveler in front of him, secretly watching the other's expression and reaction.

Lynette stood quietly beside him, staring intently at him, remaining silent.

"Judging from your appearance, you must be a traveler from afar," Lyney said naturally.

"Yes, I must say, your hand techniques are absolutely superb, and your imagination in magic is boundless. In terms of magic skills alone, you are definitely an excellent magician."

"It's a pleasure to hear your compliment, sir." Lyney maintained a polite smile, revealing no sign of her true feelings.

Xingsu raised an eyebrow slightly and interrupted him calmly, "You're getting ahead of yourself."

Lyney's smile faltered slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "? You mean?"

"First, your magic skills are indeed excellent, but unfortunately, a good magician will never focus on one audience member for too long."

Lynette's previously languid demeanor vanished instantly. Her ears twitched slightly as she quietly went on alert, her hand instinctively reaching behind her, ready to draw her weapon at any moment.

Lyney's heart tightened, and she subtly reached for the hidden pocket at her waist where she kept her props, planning to use magic props to create chaos and escape if things got out of control.

"Second,"

Two strong hands suddenly reached out and firmly grasped their outstretched wrists. The force wasn't strong, but it rendered their hands immobile.

"Some subconscious actions can reveal a lot about a person."

Lyney's heart sank. She thought her little gesture of reaching into the prop pocket was discreet, but she didn't expect that the other party had caught her completely.

Lynette, standing to the side, also tensed up. Her hand, which had been quietly retreating to retrieve a weapon, was firmly restrained, and her cat ears involuntarily perked up slightly as she warily sized up the white-haired traveler in front of her.

"Performers who normally hand out small gifts focus solely on giving back to passersby; they don't instinctively tense up when interacting with strangers." Xingsu's gaze calmly swept over the two. "As street magicians, why are you so wary of an ordinary traveler like me?"

Lyney suppressed the panic in his heart, maintaining the calm smile that magicians usually wore, trying to cover up his recent unusual behavior with a relaxed tone.

"Sir, you jest. I'm just an ordinary magician; there's no reason for me to be wary of you..."

He tried to gently wriggle his wrist, but found that the other person's strength was as firm as a rock, and he couldn't break free at all. His smile stiffened slightly.

Lynette, standing to the side, pursed her lips, her golden eyes fixed on Xingsu, her cat tail unconsciously swishing back and forth behind her, her entire body on guard without letting up in the slightest.

"Third, their adaptability is inadequate. If they were a real street magician, faced with a question from the audience, they would only try to defuse the situation with a joke, instead of instinctively thinking about escaping or resorting to violence."

Lyney's mind raced as he racked his brains for a way to escape, but just as he was pondering a solution, the grip on their wrists suddenly loosened.

Xing Su calmly withdrew his hands and gently patted Lin Ni and Linette's tense shoulders.

"Okay, don't be too nervous, I just need your help."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Lyney.

"Please give this to Arlecchino for me."

Lyney instinctively clenched the letter in her hand, and exchanged another glance with Lynette beside her, both of them looking surprised.

The other person didn't seem to have any ill intentions; rather, they were giving me pointers like a senior, emphasizing knowing when to stop.

The previously tense vigilance has not been completely lifted, but the current situation is completely different from the expected course of the conflict.