Chapter 101: Praise Time
Magic is a little bit of mystery, a little bit of surprise, and a little bit beyond common sense.
The cascading playing cards gradually faded into soft light purple petals amidst the aqua-red mist ribbons, and the cheers from the audience almost blew the roof off.
Cesar's figure appeared in the hazy fog, accompanied by a crisp sound, the spotlight lit up the stage, and after looking around, he took off his hat to salute the audience.
“Ahhhhhhhhh—”
"Cesar! Cesar! Cesar!!!"
The audience was noisy and Ming Chong, who was sitting in the audience, caught the magician's eye for a moment, blinking with a smile. The straw holding his Fontaine soda dropped from his mouth in surprise.
All the children in this direction were so excited that they couldn't sit still. Then Ming Chong calmed down and put it in his mouth again, loading his brain and started biting the straw.
...One of the ten greatest illusions in life: the people on the stage seem to be looking at me.
However, this was not Ming Chong's illusion, because then the magician came down and asked him to go on stage to cooperate with the performance.
It is not uncommon to ask the audience to help warm up the audience. When Cesar extended his hand to him, Ming Chong hesitated for a moment, but still shook it.
Originally, Ming Chong hadn't wanted to steal the spotlight. After all, his addition was magic, not magic tricks. His original intention was to watch the performance and perhaps learn some techniques for giving surprises, not to ruin the show...
"Young man, don't you like being alone?" On the way back to the stage, Cesar leaned in unnoticed and whispered, his eyes friendly and gentle. "Would you mind waiting for me for a moment after we finish working together?"
"..." Ming Chong's heart, which had just floated to the sky, was suddenly pulled back to reality, and his eyes widened.
It’s bad, my conscience is hurting.
He looked at Cesar with a strange look. Well, now he was sure that this magician would indeed be called "the magician among children".
So I thought he was spending the holiday alone...
Cesar's smile remained unchanged, "Don't worry, it won't be long."
Ming Chong's eyes flickered, and he pretended to avoid the kindness he exuded with a guilty conscience.
Backstage, the staff were whispering to each other.
"Cesar is winging it again."
"Maybe he discovered something? He's always like this, overflowing with kindness."
"Don't worry, it won't be messed up. It might be a little troublesome to clean up, but he won't leave it all to us."
"...That's not what I meant. I meant Lady Finina—"
At this point, the taboo topic came to an abrupt end.
When I turned around, the gods were no longer visible on the high stands, and the seats were shaky and empty.
"Huh—" everyone in the conversation gasped. "It's too late! We must quickly confirm Lady Funina's whereabouts!"
In the bustling front desk, no one noticed this anomaly.
"Look everyone! Magician Cesar has invited his assistant from the audience! What should he do next?" The host passionately directed everyone's attention.
"He took off his hat!"
Cesar first turned around to show everyone the inner brim of his hat, and finally, after confirming it with his assistant, he handed it to Ming Chong.
As he was picking up the magic wand from the table on the other side, he heard laughter from the audience. Cesar turned back slowly and found that it was the assistant he had chosen, who was clapping his hands and pretending to pour something out of his hat. He also couldn't help laughing.
Ming Chong noticed that after Cesar looked at him, he calmly imitated his previous behavior and showed it to everyone, including Cesar, without any tampering with the hat.
Then return to the way you were just now and pretend that you didn't do any unnecessary movements.
"...The assistant has also confirmed the situation with the hat." The host's commentary came belatedly, and there was no more hiccup after that.
"What will happen next?" This question led to suspense. Cesar nodded to the hat three times, then reached into the hat, rubbed it for a few seconds, and took out -
“It’s a pigeon!!!”
Then Ming Chong also quietly and stealthily reached in, and then—
"Unfortunately, nothing." The host's voice sounded even more regretful and disappointed than he himself.
Cesar laughed and held Ming Chong's hand, patted him to calm him down, then nodded his hat three times, signaling him to try again.
"Will it work this time? Can Mr. Assistant pull off this magic trick?"
Mr. Assistant, Mr. Assistant first put the hat on his head and checked Cesar's hands and sleeves several times.
"It seems that Mr. Magician didn't cheat. The pigeon wasn't hidden in the sleeve!" The host gritted his teeth, seeming to be genuinely confused.
Ming Chong turned his hat upside down like a pantomime, but still found nothing. Then he turned it back and held it upright in front of Cesar, staring at Cesar warily as he spread his hands with helplessness on his face.
Just as I was about to try my hand—
The pigeon slid out from Ming Chong's fingertips. Ming Chong shouted with great energy, quickly threw his hat aside, and jumped onto Cesar...
Well, I have to hold back my laughter.
Hehehehe, this is fun.
"Oh! This is amazing! Our assistant was terrified... But, well, apparently he succeeded."
Cesar patted Ming Chong's back gently and said softly, "You've been the most cooperative assistant. I was wrong at first, but... I still invite you to spend this day with me."
"Of course! Don't worry!" Ming Chong pretended to be embarrassed to jump down, and pretended to pat the wrinkles on the two people's bodies that were not actually pressed out.
Cesar picked up the hat, brushed off the non-existent dust, and used his magic wand to slowly direct one pigeon after another to fly out of the magic hat.
A flock of pigeons circled above the stage, attracting everyone's admiration.
"Wow----"
Cesar raised his chin encouragingly towards Mingchong, wanting to hand the hat to him.
"Can Mr. Assistant succeed this time?"
Mr. Assistant, Mr. Assistant took Cesar's magic wand, and then lightly tapped it. A large group of pigeons fluttered and rushed out of the hat, carrying ribbons and balloons.
“He succeeded!!!”
"Wow————" The audience burst into warm applause and cheers.
Ming Chong waved his magic wand, directing the flock of pigeons to circle above the stage, then pointed back in the direction of the hat. The spotlight followed the flock of birds, and finally, as the last pigeon that flew back to the hat disappeared, the light changed to bright warm tones.
Amidst the lights and the bustling crowd, Cesar's eyes sparkled. He was genuinely happy that the magic show had come to an end...
But Cesar's magic didn't end there. He took out a magic box, or to be more precise, a children's wishing box.
He carries out this activity every year, collecting the children's wishes for the year, and spends a year memorizing the children's names and wishes one by one, doing his best to realize them. If the wishes are full of fantastic ideas and cannot be realized, he will also write letters to encourage and comfort the children.
The following year, the children will be asked about the fulfillment of their wishes, and the collection of their wishes will begin again.
Today is the fifth year.
Ming Chong was the one at the end of the line, and he was very confident. When Cesar saw him, he was stunned.
"You have a talent for magic, Mr. Assistant." Cesar smiled and held Ming Chong's hand. Instead of letting him enter the wish box, he took his note.
"That's magic!" Ming Chong said incoherently while sipping the Fontaine soda with difficulty.
"I heard that making wishes here is very effective. Don't you want me to make one?" Ming Chong frowned and squinted at him, "...Do you hate me?!"
Cesar shook his head, his eyes soft and gentle. "How could that be? I really like the magic you perform. Or rather, it's my honor to have an audience like you."
Indeed, he likes adult audiences like Ming Chong. If his child audiences can maintain their childishness and innocence like this assistant when they grow up, he will be as happy as he is now to see Ming Chong.
"So, I accept your wish. Even if my efforts cannot fulfill it, I will always carry it with me and pray for it." He put the note in his pocket.
...Such a sincere look, my heart starts to ache again.
"It's not a very difficult wish to achieve..." Ming Chong bit the straw flat and was silent for a moment.
Cesar nodded, inviting Ming Chong, who tried to turn his head away to avoid his gaze, his eyes full of tolerance. "Is that so... then it seems my big friend audience is still a little troubled. How about I buy you some snacks and we can chat while we eat?"
"Then I want to go to Debo Hotel." Ming Chong answered immediately.
"certainly!"
…
…
"Ah~ Is this the limited-edition snack only available at midnight? They're actually sold by the piece!" Ming Chong exclaimed, peeking through the window. "It's a big city indeed!"
"Cheese is power. Please give me a piece of power."
Ming Chong looked up and saw Cesar paying. He gave him a harmless smile and said, "I noticed when you were at the entrance of the magic workshop today that the other children had their adults pay for the meal. This time, I'll do it."
"...You called me Mr. Assistant at first."
Cesar blinked and nodded hesitantly, "What's the problem?"
"Then I was an adult, and now I'm a kid. Am I growing older? The names change so quickly."
"Hmm..." Cesar fell into deep thought. He was really thinking about this question seriously. "Maybe... you have a rare quality that makes people see you as a slightly older child."
Finally, he looked at Ming Chong seriously and said, "If I had my own child, I would definitely hope that he would have such rare qualities as you when he grows up. This means that not only will he be free of all the shadows in his heart, but he will also be able to take away the unhappiness of those around him."
"He will definitely be a great kid."
"Hey, hey...you seem to have said something very disrespectful." Ming Chong said expressionlessly.
"Is there?"
Ming Chong couldn't hold it in any longer and couldn't help showing his shark teeth, "You just said you wanted to have me, Mr. Magician, we just met!!!"
—Bullshit! What’s that “I wish I had a son like Sun Zhongmou” feeling?
"Ah... well, yes." Cesar nodded decisively, looking interested.
"Hahaha, haha ...
The lady serving at the counter looked surprised, "Lady Funina!"
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