Of course it wasn't right.
Lin En pondered, unconsciously raising a hand to his chin. Gradually, a faint hypothesis formed in his mind.
Unfortunately… I can't confirm it. For now, it's only speculation.
We'll see in the future. If that's truly the case… then I may have unknowingly incurred quite a favor.
The thought process took only a moment. When he came back to himself, Aikefei was still nodding along, half-understanding.
"So… the bad luck problem. Is it completely solved now?"
She remembered the dramatic change that had suddenly occurred in him.
She still didn't know the full story—but if Lin En didn't volunteer the details, she wouldn't pry. All she cared about was whether that strange misfortune had truly been resolved.
"Of course," Lin En replied with an easy smile. "Otherwise, why would I be in such a good mood?"
That was reassurance enough.
At that moment, however, a troubling tremor ran through the deck beneath their feet.
"Oh no—the ship's about to sink!"
Aikefei's expression shifted slightly.
Under the influence of Lin En's former misfortune, the vessel had already been on the verge of collapse from the sea beast's assault. Then it took a few more hits—and was further scorched and blasted during Lin En's earlier experiment with Pyro authority.
The fact that it had lasted this long was impressive.
But this time, Aikefei didn't immediately suggest fleeing.
Instead, she looked at Lin En expectantly.
He had said earlier—watch me perform.
Surely he hadn't meant to wait until the final moment just to jump ship awkwardly?
And Lin En did not disappoint.
"Relax," he said. "Let me show you a magic trick."
He raised his hand, narrowing his eyes slightly—as if sensing something.
"If I took this act on the road, every grand magician out there would have to bow their heads."
Aikefei's anticipation deepened.
She knew full well this wasn't ordinary magic. Perhaps closer to sorcery.
Whatever it was—
It would either be spectacular.
Or breathtaking.
"Here we go. Don't blink. Three—two—"
"One."
Snap.
Lin En flicked his fingers.
For a single instant, Aikefei felt as if the world flickered.
The sky and sea shifted into something entirely different.
The countless colors that filled existence faded into only a few—
Yet those few felt intimately welcoming.
One radiated warmth.
One nourished vitality.
Another felt light and buoyant, as if ready to lift her into the heavens.
Wrapped within them, she felt an absurd sensation—
As though she could do anything.
And then—
It was gone.
The night sky returned to its deep blue.
Stars and the moon remained scattered overhead.
The deck beneath her feet—
Wait.
The deck beneath her feet?
She blinked.
The ship no longer looked damaged.
It didn't even look repaired.
It looked—
Brand new.
No. New ships didn't look like this.
New ships had dust. Footprints. Imperfections.
This deck was flawless.
Every plank is pristine.
"Ah!"
Aikefei gasped, staring down in disbelief.
The area they had stood on hadn't been directly struck by the sea beast—but Lin En's earlier flame experiment had scorched portions nearby. Even though the fire had quickly been extinguished, charred marks had remained.
Now?
Gone.
Not just here—
The bow that had absorbed multiple impacts.
The sections shattered or partially annihilated by the compressed fireballs.
Everything—
Restored.
Better than new.
"Well?" Lin En patted her lightly on the back. "Feel free to inspect."
Sinking?
Let someone else sink.
This ship certainly wouldn't.
Aikefei eagerly ran across the deck, examining everything she could find.
All wear and tear.
All battle damage.
Even the subtle abrasions from daily use—
Gone.
"Can I check inside the cabin?" she asked after circling back.
The ship itself wasn't what fascinated her.
It was "magic."
She knew it wasn't stage illusion—
But she wanted to see if she could detect even a hint of the method behind it.
"Of course."
Lin En paused, then added:
"Since you're going below, grab the phlogiston bombs from the cargo hold. We won't need them anymore—no sense wasting them."
"As for the Les…"
"I'll handle that separately."
With that, he watched her disappear into the ship's interior.
Left alone on deck, Lin En's expression shifted back into contemplation.
She wouldn't find anything.
There were no traces to uncover.
Because what he had just performed—
Was power not native to this world.
From beyond the world, we borrow the power to deny it…
Who said that again? Dainsleif? Or the Abyss Prince?
He almost laughed.
It was oddly fitting.
Though I'm not denying it.
I'm…
He searched for the right word.
Editing.
Or perhaps—
Modulating.
World modulation?
He smirked faintly.
That sounds a bit improper.
Ah well.
As long as it works.