Lost in your eyes..

011 •Accusation

The Archon backed away a bit from the scene out of shock. "Huh!?" She gave out while she looked at the scene.

"Is this... part of the show?" One of the audience asked and then turned to Lyney. "Mr. Lyney, you're going to use magic to fix the stage now, right?" She said to the male who just stayed completely silent. "What happened..." He suddenly said while looking at the broken box on the stage.

"Oh no, maybe this isn't part of the show... The girl was still in that box, right?" Paimon said worried. Neuvillette suddenly spoke up while holding Y/ns hand since the incident happened tightly. "This performance is over! Medical staff, with me. Gardes, secure the scene and detain all the performers. Seal the exits, no one is allowed in or out at this time!" He yelled with a serious tone while guards came rushing in.

"Yes, th-that's right! If this was just an accident, then we must investigate the cause. But if this was all part of some scheme, then... then those accountable will not escape the judgement of the God of Justice!" She said at first stuttering but then getting serious.

The Chief Justice then turned to Y/n and held the hand he was already holding with both of his hands now. "No need to be alarmed, you three. We'll get to the bottom of this soon enough." He said to them while rubbing the h/c haired hand with his thumb with care in which Y/n just nodded at him. Aether seeing that quickly pulled Y/n away from Neuvillette and pulled her to himself. He mumbled a "whatever." and left to a different spot with the female in his arm and Paimon. While that happened Neuvillette felt angry for some reason. He felt something else boiling inside him up too. He hated that feeling.

After some time the Gards finish the investigation. "Unfortunately, the person who was in the magic box has been pronounced dead. His name was Cowell, one of the assistants in Lyney's magic troupe." Neuvillette informed while standing on the stage. "Apparently, the fireworks on stage ignited the ropes that were suspending the water tank, which then caused the tank to fall onto the stage." He explained. "As of now, we are still not sure why we found Cowell in the box rather than the guest from the audience. And after an initial search of the area, the Gardes have confirmed that the girl is nowhere to be found." He added making the two traveler get confused. Y/n found this whole situation weird... like this was all planned. "It appears that this incident was not merely some mishap with the performance. And there are many indications that it is connected with the case of the serial disappearance of young women." The tall male continued. The audience looked horrified at Neuvillette. "Th-The serial disappearance case!?" One of the audience stuttered out. Paimon turned over to the two traveler. "Ah, that's the case that Charlotte mentioned before!" She said remembering. "And to pull it off like this... In front of an audience including the Archon and Chief Justice." Y/n mumbled under her breath.

Suddenly Furina giggled. "Hehe. I know the truth! I can see through the whole thing... Really using such a shallow and obvious mystery as his "finale"... Did he really underestimate us that badly?" She said with confident while looking at Lyney. "I say that our powerful magician, Mr. Lyney, is now the prime suspect for the serial disappearance case." She said. "Huh, but why me? This whole thing was an accident!" The magician said surprised on why he gets accused of this. "This all occurred during your magic show, did it not? The missing girl disappeared after being chosen, did she nit? The deceased is one of your assistants, is he not?" The Hydro Archon said with crossed arms. "Now that I think about it, that whole speech about magicians making things disappear was nothing more than a provocation, a bald-faced challenge." She said with one of her hands on her chin.

"That can't be right... How could Lyney do this?" Paimon said in shock not believing the accusations. "He was in the box on stage the entire time. We could even hear his voice." She added."Besides, before the show he told us that he would like to catch the criminal behind the disappearance. He couldn't possibly mean catching himself!" She once again added. "He's a suspect at most." Aether said not really caring about Lyney. Y/n was in her thoughts while thinking about what could be possibly the reason for all this.

"Save discussion for a later time, please. Lady Furina, may I assume that your comments just now constitute an accusation against Mr. Lyney and his associates and that you are pressing charges." Neuvillette asked the Hydro Archon which made her back up a bit. "Huh? I just think that he... Well, I, ah, think it might be a little early to talk about formally pressing charges..." Furina said while scratching her head. "But what Lady Furina said just now makes perfect sense! Looks like she's gonna personally deliver justice!" One of the audience member said agreeing with the Hydro Archon. "A kidnapping and murder carried out under the cover of a magic show. Lady Furina said it all." Another audience member agreed with Furina. "*cough* Ahem, uh... I mean... of course, my dear people! But what excites me even more than the obvious truth before our eyes... is the opponent I'll be facing." Furina said stuttering at the start but then going back to her usual arrogant/confident self. "That's right, I mean you, Traveler. You'll support Lyney, won't you? After all he was the
one who helped you the first time we met." She said while pointing at Aether instead of him and Y/n. He glared at her which she returned. "I trust Lyney." Y/n suddenly said facing the Hydro Archon with a serious face. Furina got taken a back by the seriousness of her tone and face. She didn't want Y/n to get involved in this but it would look weird if she only targeted Aether. "Haha, then there's no problem at all. You know, the Traveler and I already had a duel the first time we met." Furina said with her hands on her hips. "But with Lyney's help, our little duel ended in a draw! Hehe... But draws really are the most boring possible outcome... So no more draws! Between the three of us, there must be a clear winner and loser. And what better place to hold such a riveting showdown and decide the true victor than here, on the grandest of stages, the Opera Epiclese!" She added. The h/c got slowly annoyed of how much the blue haired Archon was talking and how arrogant she sounded. She didn't like the fact that she went out here and accused Lyney quick without any evidence. "Huh? It wasn't a draw, she obviously lost last time..." Paimon said dumbfounded.

"I understand. Charges have now been pressed, and as such, a trial is in order." Neuvillette said opening a trial. "Well, Y/n and uh Aether, seems Lady Furina has set you in her sights. But, putting her dramatic rhetoric aside for a moment, I would like to ask you..." He started while looking at the Traveler. "Are you willing to act as Mr. Lyney's attorney and defend him in this case?" He asked them. "Yes, we are." Y/n answered. "Very well. The trial will be held a day from now in the opera house. Both may investigate the scene to build their cases and search for the truth." Neuvillette said. "Lyney and his troupe are all potential suspects and shall remain within the opera house. The audience may begin to leave in an orderly fashion once they have been cleared by the Gardes." He added.

"A day isn't that long. Let's see what kind of case those big-shot outlander can build in such a short amount of time. Hehehe, I'm really quite looking forward to hearing it." Furina said while smirking at Y/n.