"Oh? Tell me more."
Fidelle organized her thoughts:
"Immediately after the incident, the Maison Gardiennage took control of the Lyney Magic Troupe. In such a short time, they couldn't have transferred Halsey out."
"And yet, Halsey hasn't been found to this day. It's baffling. If Lyney truly did it, staging the act during his own performance and making all the evidence point to him would be incredibly foolish."
"Moreover..."
Furina: "Moreover?"
Fidelle: "I found several balloon fragments in the shattered Magic Box on stage. The liquid tentacles on the balloons caused a stinging sensation—a sensation... very similar to that of Primordial Sea water."
"The water tank's collapse diluted much of the liquid originally in the balloons, but the residue on the fragments still made my skin sting. This led me to a hypothesis."
"Lady Furina's earlier deduction was based on Halsey's disappearance. But what if Halsey wasn't kidnapped at all, but simply... vanished? To put it another way, if Halsey was directly affected by the liquid in the balloons from the beginning and vanished as a result, everything would make sense."
Furina recoiled several steps, staring at Fidelle in disbelief.
"Disappear? Vanish?"
Fidelle: "Furina, did you notice Lyney's first magic trick? Lynette vanished from the water tank, leaving only her clothes behind... That trick was just an illusion, but what if Halsey's disappearance was the same effect, only real?"
Furina: "Are you saying Halsey was doused with the liquid from the balloon and dissolved instantly?"
Fidelle: "Primordial Sea water dissolving Halsey wouldn't surprise me at all. Besides, that enigmatic hook on stage—now that I think about it—must have been the device to puncture the balloon and release the liquid. The liquid dissolved Halsey, and in her terror, she desperately tried to escape, causing that muffled thud."
"But what about Halsey's coat in the tunnel?" Furina still felt something didn't quite add up.
Fidelle pondered for a moment. "Cowell was the last person to appear in the Magic Box. He probably took Halsey's coat with him. As for why he reappeared in the Magic Box afterward..."
"I've got it now! I'm absolutely sure this time," Furina declared. "Lyney and Cowell were in cahoots. They tampered with the Selection Device to make sure Halsey was chosen. When Cowell took Halsey's clothes to the underground passage, he ran into Lyney, and they got into a fight. Lyney knocked Cowell unconscious and tossed him back into the box..."
Fidelle was momentarily speechless. She ventured a gentle reminder: "Lady Furina, could it be that Cowell was the sole murderer?"
"No, no, no, Fidelle! Don't be fooled by Lyney and his sister. They're members of the House of the Hearth—they're definitely up to no good!"
"But..."
Furina planted her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks. "Hey, Fidelle! Whose side are you on?"
Fidelle's expression turned solemn. "I'm on your side, Lady Furina!" she declared earnestly.
"Hmm, that's more like it..." Furina nodded approvingly.
The two discussed the matter further, but Fidelle still found some clues unclear. She had already shared all the known facts with Furina, leaving the rest to Lady Furina's improvisation tomorrow.
Fidelle would be there to assist Lady Furina tomorrow as well.
After Fidelle left, Furina, who had been brimming with confidence moments earlier, suddenly slumped into her chair.
"Primordial Sea water... dissolving... Could the prophecy already be... Please, the me in the mirror, you have to succeed..."
-
The next day at the Opera Epiclese, Lumine, Paimon, and Navia's group reconvened after investigating all known leads the previous day, but they were still completely stumped.
Navia showcased her hobby: making macarons.
Yet, two of the three macarons prepared for Melus had mysteriously vanished. Paimon vehemently denied eating them, and with no other clues, the group dismissed the incident.
Today, the group gathered again at the Opera Epiclese.
"What now, Lumine? Still completely stumped, huh?" Paimon asked, wearing glasses and a fake mustache, throwing up her hands in exasperation.
Lumine: "I have some ideas, but let's take it one step at a time."
Paimon: "Yeah, that makes sense. Impossible events don't happen in this world."
Navia offered reassurance: "Don't worry. Even if everyone suspects Lyney and Lynette, we'll be in the audience to support you. If we can't figure this out, I refuse to believe Furina can either."
Paimon: "Thanks, Navia. We'll head over now."
"Good luck."
-
Elsewhere, Furina, accompanied by Fidelle, was... well... mocking Lumine and her group.
"Look at you all, so dejected! Your investigation yielded nothing, didn't it? As it should be. How could the guilty possibly find proof of their innocence?"
"But don't stop there. You're my most promising opponent, Traveler. Don't surrender so easily—I'd be terribly disappointed."
Lumine: "You'll understand soon enough."
Both sides took their positions, and the spectator stands filled with onlookers eager to witness the proceedings.
Neuvillette, standing at the Chief Justice's podium, declared, "With both parties present, this trial concerning the sudden incident during the magic performance officially begins."
"First, to ensure all attendees understand the context, Mr. Lyney, please explain the mechanics of your magic trick."
Lyney swiftly and concisely revealed the secrets of his illusion, leaving the audience astonished.
Neuvillette: "So, Mr. Lyney, am I correct in understanding your testimony as follows: you concealed yourself inside the Magic Box on the audience's side from the start, rendering you incapable of committing the crime?"
"Yes, Chief Justice," Lyney replied.
Neuvillette turned to Furina. "Lady Furina, as the accusing party, do you have any rebuttal to this testimony?"
"Of course, of course! Let me light the first flame," Furina declared. "Mr. Lyney, you're lying. You couldn't have remained hidden in the Magic Box the entire time—you had important work to do."
Lyney's expression froze momentarily, but he quickly regained his composure.
Furina continued, "Mr. Lyney, I have a question for you. While you were in the Magic Box, what did you hear?"
"Naturally, the deafening countdown," Lyney replied. "I used it to time my actions and create a surprise."
Furina pressed eagerly, "Apart from that, did you hear any other sounds?"
"No, nothing else."
"Oh~" Furina clasped her hands, her gaze fixed on Lyney with ill intent. "But when the countdown reached around thirty seconds, a muffled thud clearly echoed through the venue. I'm certain everyone heard it."
Lyney: "...!"