Mysteries: Arcana Wars

Chapter 438 The Most Crucial Point

"Gentlemen, do we have any clues now?"

"Yes, this divination."

Klein patted the box.

Obviously, Audrey, who does not believe in extraordinary powers and fairy tales, disagrees with these supernatural descriptions.

Time was running out, so Klein gave up on correcting her three views. The most urgent task now was to solve this mystery.

"...Okay, don't think of this divination as predicting the future, just think of it as... entertainment.

"Yes! Entertainment, just treat it as a special performance. I am a wandering magician."

"...performance project?"

Audrey nodded slowly, muttering to herself.

"Performance...performance..."

"Yes, a show, a performance."

Klein continued.

"I'm choreographing a magic show with divination as its theme, but I've hit a bottleneck. No matter how I change the script, I feel like the show is lacking a breath of energy and a bit of soul.

"Can you help me see what needs to be changed, Audrey?"

This time, Audrey's frown finally relaxed. Although she was somewhat puzzled as to why this case, one moment involving the lives of millions of Backlund residents, had suddenly become a soulless stage show, she still summoned all her professionalism and nodded to Klein.

"I understand, Mr. Merlin. Please perform it again."

After mumbling his reply, Klein looked at Audrey nervously. She pondered for a moment amidst the silence between the three of them, and then a look of sudden enlightenment blossomed on her face.

"I think I know what your problem is."

She clapped her hands and pointed to the lively street performers and announcement stage in the square.

"As a colleague, do you think their performance was wonderful?"

Klein looked at the performance in the distance, confused, and nodded sincerely.

"It's wonderful, very wonderful, especially because they are able to attract the attention of passers-by and keep the audience spending money for them."

Recalling his repeated failures in street performances, Klein felt that it would be impossible to deceive even a passerby in the Sixth Epoch with his Fifth Epoch tactics. Compared to his peers, he felt inferior.

"In comparison, it's hard for me to retain passersby. I often perform for a long time but can't get a single wish from them."

"From what I understand, performers of the Hermetic School place greater emphasis on human skills and the art of performance itself. Do you think your magic tricks are inferior to those of these street performers?"

"No, not at all."

Klein said firmly.

As the master of a circus that includes clowns, acrobats, animal trainers, and more, Crane must be extremely confident in his performance skills.

If the Lord of Mysteries' magic is exposed, it would be a laughing stock and he would be laughed at by all the mythical creatures in the entire starry sky.

"So, what role do you think your skills play in your performances?"

This question suddenly stumped Klein.

Technology seems to be... just technology?

They are used for fighting, for saving lives, for escaping, for fishing...

Klein was somewhat surprised to find that he seemed to have performance skills that were beyond the reach of ordinary people, but he had never actually used them in a performance.

More often than not, these gorgeous magic and amazing physical skills are used as a combat and survival skill, a weapon and equipment, rather than a means of appreciation and entertainment.

Uh... I don't really have much of a performance to speak of. When I'm busking on the street, I just do a few random magic tricks and, like a parrot, ask passersby if they want to make three wishes through a fully automated wishing machine. In this day and age, drumming up business in person isn't as efficient as using an online wishing machine.

Now, when the relevant theories of performance and acting were placed before him, he felt a little overwhelmed.

If we look at the skills of extraordinary power from the perspective of a performance...

Seeing that Klein couldn't answer, Audrey didn't make things difficult for him and put on a more professional and gentle smile.

"What role does the performer's skills play in a performance?

“Let’s look at it from another angle: what do audiences hope to gain when they come to the theater?

"It is temporary happiness, a moment of joy, occasional relaxation, it is..."

"...Is it a dream far removed from reality for a few hours?"

Klein continued doubtfully.

"Yes."

Audrey's eyes lit up, and she waved her arms in the air. Klein's eyes followed the movement of her gloves.

“Yes, whether it’s a circus performance or a theatrical performance, the core essence is to lead the audience away from the present and into a more surreal world in this moment.

"This dream that transcends reality does not actually exist. It is just a unique atmosphere created for the audience by the entire performance team, including actors, prop masters, stage control personnel, and the band.

“Rather than saying that the performance itself is a dream-making factory, it is better to say that performance is the art of storytelling.

“Whether it’s the actors, the band, or other crew members, they only have one mission during the performance, which is to tell a story that is fascinating enough to make the audience forget reality and devote themselves to the story wholeheartedly.

“So, no matter what kind of actor he is, no matter how skilled he is, his skills have only one mission in the performance: to tell his story.”

Klein looked at the bustling square. Many street performers were sweating excitedly, completely immersed in their performances, creating fantastical stories for the audience around them.

And I…can’t even make people believe that I can actually fulfill their three wishes.

"I'm still too lax in my acting and haven't been able to properly craft my own story..."

"No, quite the opposite."

Audrey interrupts Crane's faulty self-diagnosis.

"Both choreography and technique are secondary auxiliary means in telling a story.

“There are more crucial points that can really immerse people in it.

“Look at those magicians. If they want the audience to believe that their fairy tale world really exists, they must first believe that they have the magic to conjure up pigeons. Those street singers want to draw the audience into an emotionally charged concert. First, they must believe that they are the protagonists in the songs lamenting about life.

“Believing in the story you tell is the key to making it engaging. Only when you believe in it yourself can others believe in your story.

“But, with all due respect, you do not believe the story you tell.

"When performing wish magic, you attribute the wish and the story to another vague illusion, believing that someone has stolen your identity and name.

“When performing divination magic, you are skeptical of every interpretation, thinking over and over again but being reluctant to give your own affirmation and trust.

"You won't get any convincing answer from the divination, Mr. Merlin."

"Because you yourself don't believe in your own divination."