Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Kuroba Toichi's words were quite meaningful.

Ordinary casual acquaintances would never notice whether a friend has calluses on their hands, whether they stand upright, their height is in proportion to others, or even the faint scent they carry.

Those who could instantly distinguish the real from the fake Lin Xiuyi in a meticulously designed magic trick based on the smallest details must have placed him in a very important position in their daily interactions, which is why they observed him so closely and remembered him so well.

Of course, Kogoro Mouri, who is oblivious to everything and relies entirely on intuition, which failed him this time, is a delightful exception.

Standing to the side, he was still muttering to himself in frustration, "Next time you perform this magic trick, you must tell me in advance, I'm sure I can tell!"

This drew a burst of laughter from the crowd.

The stage lights came on again, and Kuroba Touichi bowed to the audience: "Today's magic show has come to an end. Thank you Mr. Lin and all the guests for your cooperation, and thank you to all the audience for your support."

"I hope everyone remembers that true intimacy is never judged by appearance, but is hidden in the details that others cannot see."

……

As Lin Xiuyi stepped off the stage, he remembered that he hadn't figured out the relationship between Kuroba Toichi and Kudo Yusaku. Just as he was about to turn around and ask, the magician was nowhere to be seen on the stage.

"what happened?"

Ikenami Shizuka noticed his glance back and asked with amusement, "Still not satisfied? Want that magician to transform into your likeness again and experience being an exhibit a little longer?"

“No,” Lin Xiuyi withdrew her gaze, shook her head, and temporarily suppressed her doubts.

Since Kuroba Toichi chose to avoid answering and even left quickly after the performance, there must be some hidden reason he didn't want to tell others.

"This magician's disguise skills are truly amazing!"

Yukiko, standing to the side, had her eyes shining. She clenched her fists and waved them vigorously twice, her face beaming with excitement and determination.
"I've made up my mind! I'm determined to become his apprentice and learn all his disguise and voice-changing techniques!"

"how?"

Upon hearing this, Eri Kisaki habitually cast a mocking glance at him.
"Are you planning to give up your glamorous acting job and become a magician who can make people disappear on stage?"

"I will never give up being an actor!"

Yukiko immediately retorted with a snort, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"I learned the art of disguise so that I could be a better actor!"

"Is there any necessary connection between the two?" Tomizawa Chikage interjected, her face full of doubt.

"Of course it does matter!"

Yukiko's eyes sparkled as she waved her arms in explanation.

"Think about it, didn't that magician just now perfectly 'play' Shuichi on stage? From appearance to voice!"

"This is essentially the same as an actor's job: to immerse oneself in a role and play a character who is completely different from oneself!"

"However, he used a more extreme and comprehensive method!"

"If I could learn disguise and voice imitation, wouldn't I be able to break through the limitations of appearance and immerse myself in the role more thoroughly?" "At that time, whether it's an elderly woman, a rugged warrior, or a foreign princess, I can achieve a perfect resemblance in both appearance and spirit! This will definitely allow my acting skills to reach a whole new level!"

She became more and more excited as she spoke, as if she could already see herself conquering all the audience with her superb disguise skills.

“This kind of unique skill, which is almost like an illusion, will definitely not be easily passed on to outsiders,” Midori Orikasa shook her head.

"No matter what, we have to give it a try!"

Yukiko, however, remained confident and encouraged herself without being discouraged.
"No master could bear to refuse a disciple as lovely, intelligent, talented, and sincere as me!"

"Hmph," Eri Kisaki coldly poured cold water on the situation, "When it comes to self-righteousness and thick skin, you are indeed unmatched in the world, I have no doubt about that."

The two girls started bickering again, as they always do. The others were used to it and didn't bother to try and make them reconcile.

Reiko tugged at her brother's hand, gazing at the still bustling celebration venue, her large eyes sparkling with anticipation for the upcoming events.
"Onii-chan, the magic show is over. Where should we go next? There seems to be a goldfish scooping game over there, and they also sell candied apples..."

"This……"

Lin Xiuyi was completely unfamiliar with the festival activities and venue layout in Osaka. Faced with his sister's questions, he could only turn to the local guide, Ikenami Shizuka, for help.

After a moment's thought, Shizuka Ikenami smiled and suggested, "I recall that in about half an hour, there will be a Kabuki performance in this theater, specially choreographed for the castle's founding celebration, telling some historical stories from the early days of Osaka Castle. I wonder if any of you would be interested in watching it?"

"Kabuki performance?"

Reiko tilted her head and thought for a moment. She had only seen some clips on TV, and immediately became curious.
"Is it the kind of performance where people wear white makeup, pretty kimonos, and make exaggerated movements? I've never seen one live before!"

The little girl's face immediately lit up with excitement, and she nodded vigorously.
"I want to see! I want to see!"

Since Lingzi was willing to watch, Lin Xiuyi, as her older brother, naturally had no objections.

He nodded, and everyone else, including Yukiko and Eri who were still bickering, also expressed their agreement.

After all, experiencing Japan's traditional national art is a good choice.

So the group lined up outside the theater again.

At this moment, staff are clearing the area and preparing for the upcoming Kabuki performance.

After waiting outside for a while, the theater doors reopened, and because they had queued up early, they were able to enter smoothly and were lucky enough to get a front-row seat with an excellent view.

As soon as she sat down, Ikenami Shizuka's gaze inadvertently swept over the crowd searching for seats not far away, and she suddenly exclaimed in surprise in a low voice, "Mr. Mito? You, you guys... what are you doing here too?"

Lin Xiuyi turned her head following her voice and gaze, and saw a young man in a casual suit, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Hearing Chi Bojinghua's greeting, he stiffened slightly and turned around awkwardly.

Beside the man stood a stylishly dressed, charming young woman who looked to be in her early twenties, and the two were quite intimate.

For some reason, the moment Lin Xiuyi saw the young man's face, she felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if she had seen him somewhere before, but she couldn't quite place the details.

That face carried the air of a pampered young master, yet a subtle, almost imperceptible melancholy seemed to linger in his eyes. (End of Chapter)