Inside the theater.

The Troupe Leader introduced the next person.

That is, the gentleman in formalwear standing beside the Trickster.

“He’s also a member of our troupe. You can call him the Gentleman. He doesn’t have any particularly outstanding performance skills. We usually have him keep order during performances and make troublemakers behave a little more politely.”

The Gentleman nodded at Yexing, wearing a polite smile. He really did seem like someone who could easily win an audience’s favor.

Yexing, meanwhile, thought of something else.

I see. So, like security?

But this Gentleman doesn’t look intimidating at all. Can he really keep things under control?

“Hmm...”

And he smiled so warmly, and looked so good. Maybe he made troublemakers remember that you don’t hit someone who’s smiling at you?

Yexing suddenly got it.

He was willing to risk getting beaten up just to keep order at the performance.

Gentleman, you’re my Superman!

“Hm?” The Gentleman smiled at Yexing, who seemed to be lost in thought. He had a feeling she was thinking something impolite.

After the Troupe Leader introduced the two of them, Yexing finally couldn’t hold back her question. “Mr. Trickster, Mr. Gentleman, I think we’ve met before, haven’t we?”

The Gentleman nodded, narrowing his eyes.

“That’s right. You accidentally bumped into me, but you were very polite. It left a strong impression on me.”

Yexing paused for a moment, then said, “Hmm... I didn’t expect you to be in the same troupe as Mr. Troupe Leader.”

“Perhaps that’s fate’s doing.” As the Gentleman said this, he looked at the Troupe Leader, seeming to ask with his eyes why he’d brought a silver-haired little girl here.

The Troupe Leader understood what he meant and explained, “She’s a rare kind of audience member. She appreciates and respects my performances. I can feel the happiness and joy in her heart, and that’s uncommon. That’s why I brought her here. I also wanted her to see your performances. I’m sure you’ll feel that same joy from her.”

The Trickster and the Gentleman nodded, their interest piqued.

“I see. So you’re a lady who enjoys watching performances?”

“I’m only a little interested...”

Yexing was just a little girl who was easy to please.

If people thought she knew a lot about performances and asked her to explain what she liked about them, she wouldn’t be able to say a thing.

At most, she could manage a quick, “Holy crap, that’s awesome!” and that was it.

The Trickster chuckled softly. “In that case, let me put on an impromptu performance for you.”

Then he pulled a huge black cloth from behind his back and casually tossed it over the Gentleman, covering him completely.

“Hmm...”

As soon as the Trickster began his performance, Yexing stared intently at the black cloth, not daring to blink.

Since this masked man was called the Trickster, he must be good at fooling people.

Maybe he’d use words, or maybe body movements, to draw the audience’s attention. Then, the moment they were distracted, he’d use some kind of trick or mechanism to finish the act.

Yexing was sure she’d figured it all out!

No matter what the Trickster did, she absolutely wouldn’t get distracted. She’d keep staring right at the black cloth. He wouldn’t fool her!

“You’re paying close attention. No wonder the Troupe Leader chose you as his audience.” The Trickster gave a mysterious smile and lifted the black cloth off the Gentleman.

“Staaare—”

Yexing’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at the figure revealed beneath the black cloth. The next second, she froze.

Shocking!

Mr. Gentleman had turned into the Troupe Leader!

“Holy crap, that’s amazing!”

Yexing couldn’t help applauding, her eyes shining brightly.

The impact of seeing a performance like this up close, without any hidden tricks, really was incredible.

After a dozen or so seconds, Yexing realized something was wrong.

“Wait.”

She looked at the Troupe Leader beside her, then at the Troupe Leader next to the Trickster. A question mark seemed to pop up over her head.

“Why are there two Troupe Leaders?”

Her logic had broken down.

Then Yexing saw that the person beside the Trickster had turned back into the Gentleman.

The Gentleman sighed and shook his head.

“It’s impolite to use someone as a prop in a performance without their permission.”

“Sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.” The Trickster smiled softly and put the black cloth away.

Then he looked at Yexing, who still hadn’t recovered, and smiled cheerfully.

She really was a rare kind of audience member.

“Hmm...” Yexing was still questioning herself.

What had just happened?

Had she been fooled?

Or had she seen some kind of illusion?

When had she been fooled?

Amazing!

Then the Trickster gave Yexing a slight bow.

“Thank you for watching my performance. What did you think?”

“It was so magical! That was amazing.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Can you tell me how you did it?”

“Sorry, that’s a trade secret. I fooled you.”

“Hmm, so I really was fooled...” Yexing looked disappointed.

She’d watched so carefully and concentrated as hard as she could, but she’d still been fooled.

The Trickster really was a dangerous fellow!

Yexing had now raised her guard against the Trickster to the highest level.

“Oh, right.”

Then Yexing noticed another thing.

“Mr. Troupe Leader, didn’t you say there were five members in the troupe? Where are the other two?”

“Those two aren’t doing too well. Still, I’ll take you over to meet them.”

They weren’t doing too well?

Were they sick?

Yexing followed him, puzzled.

“That’s the Puppeteer.”

Yexing followed the Troupe Leader’s gaze and saw a small figure sitting in a corner.

Looking more closely, she seemed to be a girl about Yexing’s age. She was holding something and appeared to be spacing out.

“What’s wrong with her?” Yexing asked curiously.

“Someone broke the puppet she loved most, and she’s been in a terrible mood. We haven’t been able to repair it, so things have stayed this way ever since. Before, she could’ve put on a wonderful puppet show for you, but now... You’d better not go near her.”

“Hmm...”

Yexing kept staring at the dazed Puppeteer girl. A voice inside her told her she had to cheer this little girl up.

But could someone who had no idea how to comfort girls really do that?

Next, Yexing followed the Troupe Leader to another spot.

There was something very tall here, seemingly a prop for a stage play. A beam of light shone down from above, revealing a slender, ethereal figure at the top.

She sat at the very top, gazing toward the light source. Every so often, she parted her lips slightly, as if about to make some kind of sound.

The Troupe Leader introduced her. “I found this girl outside and brought her back. You can call her the Singer. Back then, she was wandering around the city and seemed to have forgotten everything about herself. I thought her voice was lovely, so I brought her back, hoping she could become the troupe’s Singer. But things haven’t gone very well so far.”

The girl sitting up above didn’t seem to notice the Troupe Leader and Yexing at all, as if they weren’t even there.

“This person...”

Yexing also sensed something unsettling about this girl. She seemed like... an illusion on the verge of disappearing.

If the Troupe Leader hadn’t told her that the girl was a real member, Yexing might have mistaken her for a hologram.

Yexing was becoming more and more convinced that the members of the Rising Sun Troupe were all strange, one after another.