The sun had fully set, and nterns illumihe shrine's grand hall with a warm, inviting glow. The ba was in full swing, with ughter and versation eg throughout the room. Ptes of food were piled high, and sake was flowing freely, much to the joy of certais.

  I looked around, taking in the faces of those who had gathered. The tengu were chattiedly, Aya's camera fshing occasionally as she captured moments for her headlihe kappas were busy showing off their test gadgets to an unimpressed Patchouli, who was more focused on keeping Koakuma from sneaking more snacks.

  The Scarlet sisters were seated together, Fndre practically boung with excitement, her eyes glued to me in anticipation. Remilia watched with her usual aloofness, though her curiosity arent. Sakuya stood nearby, ever the dutiful maid, ensuring her masters' needs were met.

  Reimu leaned zily against a pilr, a cup of sake in hand, while Marisa was already hyped up, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

  I took a deep breath and stepped to the ter of the room. Clearing my throat, I called out, "Ladies alemen! Youkai and humans! Tonight, for your eai, I present... the Great Mirage Carl's Magic Show!"

  A round of appuse erupted, with Fndre cheering the loudest. I smiled and tinued, "But a magic show is nothing without assistants. So... I'd like to iwo special helpers to join me on stage!" I pointed dramatically. "Marisa Kirisame and Fndre Scarlet!"

  Marisa's eyes widened, and she jumped to her feet. "Heck yeah! I'm in!" She ran up to join me, her excitement iious.

  Fndre's face lit up with joy, and she flew over, her wings shimmering with rainbow light. "Big brother! I get to help!?"

  I ughed. "Of course! But you two will have to dress the part!"

  I waved my hand, and a long, flowing piece of cloth appeared, shimmering like a waterfall of starlight. I ed it around Marisa and Fndre, spinning them in pce. "Watch closely, everyone! With just a fliy wrist..." I snapped my fingers, "...let the transformation begin!"

  I pulled the cloth away, and with a burst of glittering smoke, Marisa and Fndre's outfits ged instantly. Marisa now wore a bright bck magi's assistant dress, plete with frills and a little top hat. Fndre's dress was simir but in red, matg her eyes and trastiifully with her golden hair.

  The audience gasped in awe, g enthusiastically. Aya's camera fshed again as she captured the moment.

  Marisa looked down at herself, her eyes wide. "Whoa! This is awesome! How'd you do that!?"

  I grinned, leaning in to whisper, "A magi never reveals his secrets."

  Fwirled around, admiring her new outfit. "I love it! It's so pretty!"

  Remilia's eyes narrowed, her arms crossed as she watched her sister's excitement. But even she couldn't hide her smile.

  I stepped bad announced, "Now that my assistants are ready, let's begin the show!"

  The audience's anticipation alpable, their eyes glued to the stage. Fndre and Marisa stood beside me in their new outfits, excitement radiating from them. I looked out at the crowd, my gaze log onto Remilia, atg with a skeptical expression, arms crossed.

  I grinned mischievously. "For my first trick, I shall demonstrate the art of teleportation! But not just with anyone... With our lovely Scarlet sisters!"

  Remilia's eyes widened. "Me? You dare?"

  I nodded fidently. "Indeed. Remilia, would you be so kind as to stay exactly where you are?" She huffed but didn't move, her pride not allowio back down.

  I turo Fndre, who was boung in pce. "And Fay right here beside me." She nodded eagerly.

  "Ladies alemen, I present... the Exge of Pces!" With a dramatic wave of my hands, I produced another shimmering cloth, the same one I had used to ge their outfits.

  I threw the cloth over Fndre, c her entirely. At the same moment, I snapped my fingers, and a burst of smoke erupted around Remilia. The room went silent, eyes wide in amazement.

  Before the smoke cleared I remove the cloth ohe sisters had switched pces—Fndre now sitting where Remilia had been, and Remilia was suddenly o me, looking around in bewilderment.

  Fndre blinked, her mouth hanging open. "Huh!? I was... there... but now I'm... here!?" She spun around, clearly fused.

  Remilia's eyes widened, and she quickly regained her posure, clearihroat. "A-hem. Impressive... I suppose." But her twitg eyebrow betrayed her surprise.

  The audience burst into appuse, Aya's camera fshiedly as she captured the moment. Even Sakuya seemed impressed, her stoic expression softening into a smile.

  I took a bow. "Thank you, thank you! But the show is just beginning!"

  I turo Marisa, atg with eager eyes. "And now, for my lovely assistant! Marisa, please help me with the rick."

  I took a bottle of sake near me, already half-full. "This, my friends, is a magical sake bottle! Its tents never run dry, no matter how much you drink! Do you believe it Marisa?"

  Marisa shake her head "No way, that's what I drink half of it. Are you lying to me?" I smile and ha to Marisa. "Go ahead, share it with everyone."

  Marisa grinned. "Oh, I like the sound of this!" She flew off the stage, p the sake into cups for the guests. As each cup filled, the liquid itle never seemed to go down.

  The urmured in surprise as the sake tio pour without any visible decrease itle's tents. A few guests watched closely, eyes narrowing as the bottle never emptied.

  Suika, ever the skeptic, stood up and crossed her arms. "Ha! This is a trick, right? I bet Marisa is joining with you to trick us. I bet if I drink more, it'll be empty."

  I smirked. "Go ahead, Suika. Have as much as you want. The sake will never run out. It's... magic."

  Suika ughed. "Yeah, sure. You think I'll believe that?"

  She grabbed the bottle and started drinking straight from it, her eyes glinting with the challenge. But much to her surprise—and everyone else's—the sake didn't stop flowing. The bottle never emptied, no matter how much she drank.

  The crowd was now on edge, watg in disbelief as Suika kept sipping, still disbelieving. "Wait, seriously? Is this for real?!"

  The guests were thrilled, drinking merrily. Suika was still chugging from the bottle, ughiily. "This is the best ba ever!"

  Aya was snapping photos rapidly, her eyes shining with excitement. "Endless sake... this'll make the front page for sure!"

  Marisa flew back up to the stage, her cheeks flushed. "You're amazing, Mirage! Where'd you learricks?"

  I just shrugged, giving her a mysterious smile. "Oh, here and there. A magi never reveals his secrets."

  The ba hall was filled with ughter, king cups, and lively versation. The mood was high, and the magic show was just getting started.

  Everyone was eagerly awaiting what I would do . "Fndra, you invite someone for our stage. Who do you want to called." I turoward Fndre and said, her eyes sparkling with excitement but also hesitation. She seemed unsure who to pick for the rick.

  "e on, Fndre," I said with a teasing smile, "You're the assistant tonight. Pieone! You're in charge of the show."

  She fidgeted, her gaze moving over the crowd. Then, her eyes nded on Aya, who was standing nearby.

  With a mischievous grin, Fndre poioward her. "I choose her!"

  Aya raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Me? You want me for your trick?"

  I nodded, being her over. "Aya, it seems you're the one chosen for the act. Don't worry, this'll be fun."

  Aya approached, crossing her arms with a skeptical frown. "What is it now? I'm not here to be yuinea pig, you know."

  I smiled, unfazed by her attitude. "Oh, don't worry. This isn't going to hurt o. I call it 'The Transf Trick'."

  Aya crossed her arms and gave me a skeptical look. "You better not mess this up, Magi."

  With an exaggerated sigh, Aya stepped into the box, folding her arms and giving me a doubtful look. The audience leaned in, watg closely.

  I nodded and raised a stick, tapping it lightly against the box. "Now, Everyone listen, when I say the words, she will transform into a something... ued."

  The crowd leaned in, their anticipation growing as I raised the stid spoke the words: "Transform—into a crow!"

  I waved the stick over the box in a grand flourish, and with a loud pop, the box was filled with a gust of air. The audience gasped as a bck crow flew out, fpping its wings and s around the room. It circled above us, its feathers gleaming uhe warm light.

  The urmured in awe, watg as the crow flew for a few moments before I whistled sharply. The crow turned mid-flight, reizing my call. It swooped back down and nded ly on my outstretched hand, where I held it gently.

  I opehe box, and with another dramatic gesture, the crow flew baside and vanished.

  With another flourish of the stick, I waved it over the box again. "Now, became Aya!"

  The audie in stunned silence for a moment, and then I lifted the lid once more.

  When I ope this time, there stood Aya—looking pletely fused.

  "What... what just happened?" Aya stammered, looking around the room.

  The crowd burst into appuse, ughing and g at the trick. Fndre cpped her haedly, grinning at Aya's disoriented expression. "Big brother, that was amazing! Aya didn't eve ing!"

  Aya blinked in fusion. "What did I—?"

  Before she could respond, I took a few steps bad whistled sharply again. This time, the bck crow fluttered out from the box, its wings beating the air in a dramatic reappearance. Everyone eyes widened as they looked at the bird, realization dawning on their face.

  I chuckled, bowing slightly to the crowd. "As you see, it was all an illusion. Aya was urned into a crow; she simply stepped out of the box after a little bit of trickery."

  Aya realized after seeing my crow, Aya shot me a half-amused, half-annoyed look. "I thought you could turo a crow."

  I simply smiled in response, my eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ha Ha.. Aya, you are really funny, there is no way I do something like that."

  The audience ughed, and some cpped, thhly eained by the spectacle.

  Fndre beamed. "That was so fun!"

  The audieill buzzing with energy, tio cp. I gave a small bow, basking in the appuse before signaling for the rick.

  The appuse gradually died down, but the excitement in the air alpable. I could feel the anticipation building as the audience leaned in, their eyes glued to me. Perfect. They were hungry for more.

  I took a deep breath and grinned. "For my act, I'll perform something... a little more dangerous."

  The urmured, curiosity mixed with a hint of fear. I saw Remilia's eyes narrow with intrigue, while Fndre's face lit up with excitement. Even Marisa and Suika looked genuinely ied.

  I cpped my hands, and a rge wooden box appeared on stage. It was long and narrow, with s ed tightly around it, sealed with heavy iron locks. The audience gasped, whispering among themselves.

  "This box is reinforced with the stro locks and s. No ordinary human could escape from it," I expined, letting my voice drop for dramatic effect. "A... I'll attempt to escape it... while it's on fire. Do you believe me everyone?"

  The crowd's rea was immediate—a mix of gasps and worried murmurs. Aya's camera fshed as she captured the moment. I could almost see the headlines already: "Mirage Carl's Daring Escape Attempt—Will He Survive?"

  I turo my assistants, Marisa and Fndre. "Ladies, would you kindly me ihe box?"

  Marisa's eyes widened. "Oi, you're serious about this? You're really gonna pull a stunt like that?"

  I grinned. "Of course. A magi's gotta live dangerously, right?"

  Fndre cpped her hands, her crimson eyes sparkling. "This looks fun! I'll help!"

  The two of them worked together, log me ihe wooden box. I could feel the etal of the s tightening arouhe heavy locks clig shut. Marisa looked at me with a hint of . "You better not die in there, Mirage."

  I wi her. "Don't worry. It's just a trick... right?"

  With that, the lid smmed shut, plungio darkness. I heard Marisa and Fepping back, followed by Marisa's voice calling out, "Alright, it's all locked up!"

  I took a deep breath, calming my mind. This was the moment of truth.

  Outside, I could hear Marisa's voice ring out. "Now, for the grand finale... Fndre!"

  Fndre giggled, her voice excited. "Okay! Here goes!"

  A surge of heat enveloped the box as fmes ignited around me. I could hear the crag of wood, the temperature rapidly rising. The heat was intense, sweat beading on my forehead.

  From the outside, I imagi must have been a terrifying sight—fmes dang around the wooden box, the s glowing red from the heat. The crowd's gasps and worried murmurs firmed it.

  I heard Suika shout, "Oi, isn't that dangerous!? Should we stop this!?"

  Remilia's voice followed, surprisingly calm. "No... let's see how this pys out."

  Perfect. Just as pnned. As long as someohing I'm going to die in this box.

  I could feel my power activating, the lie taking effect. The s vahe locks melted away. The wooden walls dissolved like mist, and suddenly, I was standing oage, unharmed, the fmes swirling harmlessly around me.

  I stepped out of the fire, brushing off imaginary dust from my clothes. "Ah, that was refreshing," I said casually, as if I'd just taken a stroll.

  The crowd's rea was explosive. Gasps, shouts, appuse—all mixed together. Aya's camera fshed wildly, her mouth hanging open in shock.

  Marisa's jaw dropped. "H-How did you...!?"

  Fndre jumped up and down, g excitedly. "Big brother! That was amazing!"

  Remilia's expression remained unreadable, but her eyes glimmered with intrigue.

  I took a bow, letting the appuse wash over me. "Thank you, thank you! That was the 'Fme Escape Illusion.' I hope you e!"

  As the appuse tinued, I gnced over at Reimu, who had been watg quietly from the side. Her eyes narrowed, but a small smile pyed on her lips. "You sure know how to put on a show," she muttered.

  I wi her. "Would you expeything less?"

  The ba hall erupted in cheers, the tension repced with excitement and admiration. I had pulled off the dangerous stunt fwlessly, leaving the audience craving more.