Navia raced through Fountaine, catching glimpses of a white figure bouncing up and down at the edge of her vision.
When she reached the stairs, she saw Luna sitting at the edge, as if waiting for her arrival.
"Phantom Thief White Cat..."
"Miss Navia, you're truly passionate about chasing me, aren't you? You've searched every corner of Fountaine." Luna turned her head, smiling faintly.
Navia had no interest in exchanging pleasantries. She took a step closer, ready to ask a question, but found herself momentarily speechless.
How should I ask this?
"If you don't say anything, I'll end this private meeting tonight." Luna turned back.
"Wait!" Navia called out. "Did you plan this from the beginning?"
"What do you mean?"
"Miss Sally's situation. You intended to help her from the start, didn't you?" Navia's voice hardened.
Instead of answering, Luna patted the space beside her. "Would you like to sit with me, Miss Navia? The night view of Fountaine is truly beautiful."
Navia shook her head. "I must decline."
"Does Miss Navia still hate me so much?"
"...Of course."
"How disheartening."
Though Luna spoke these words, her expression remained unchanged.
The night wind lifted her golden hair as she casually remarked, "You're still so trusting. What if I told you I possess another of Miss Sally's treasures right now?"
Navia crossed her arms, her face filled with suspicion.
"It's not that I trust you," she replied, "I simply trust what I've witnessed."
"Nor will I harbor any expectations of you simply because you performed a good deed. I know you well enough—you're a sinner who follows her whims."
It had always been this way.
Navia's voice remained steady. "I merely wish to express my gratitude. You saved a life—even if it was through causing chaos for others."
"I prefer to call it stealing the future," Luna countered.
"Must you put it that way?" Navia asked, perplexed. Isn't it essentially the same thing?
Luna wagged her finger. "You may think it's the same, but the essence differs as much as heaven from earth."
"People might believe the Phantom Thief only steals tangible items like money and jewels."
"But that's because I hadn't yet come into existence back then."
Luna rose gracefully.
"As I've said before, I'm not some petty thief who steals anything and everything. The Phantom Weasel—that utterly charmless creature—is merely a common bandit masquerading under the Phantom Thief's name."
"But I am different."
She stepped closer to Navia.
"Everything in this world possesses its own value, but what would you say is the most valuable thing?"
"A thousand people might give a thousand answers, but they usually boil down to a few common themes."
Luna rested her hand gently on Navia's smooth shoulder, her voice soft and measured.
"Hope."
As Navia turned to look at her, Luna shifted her stance. Her fingertips brushed Navia's skin as she spun to the other side.
She hooked her finger under Navia's chin, forcing the girl to meet her gaze. "Happiness."
When Navia tried to swat her hand away, Luna's fingers slid downward - past her neck, to rest against her chest.
"The future... and other such intangible things."
Navia seized Luna's wrist, her face a mask of confusion and suspicion. "You mean you want to steal something like that... Do you consider it treasure?"
If that were true, it would be utterly despicable.
She wanted to say that, but remembering Luna's earlier actions, she felt there might be more to it.
"Why not? This time I'm stealing it this way, but next time I might use different methods to forcibly take it. And my target—" Luna chuckled softly. "Perhaps it will be Miss Navia's heart itself?"
"No matter what you do, I won't let you have your way," Navia declared firmly.
Steal her heart?
That was impossible. She held no affection for the Phantom Thief White Cat whatsoever.
What remained now were only curiosity and bewilderment.
And now Luna had provided her with answers.
Luna effortlessly slipped free from Navia's grasp and continued, "I don't steal everything, but that's not because I can't."
"The choice of treasure to steal lies with me alone."
She would act according to her own whims.
"Then why target Miss Sally?" Navia steered the conversation back to the main point, her gaze piercing as if trying to see through Luna's mask.
The response remained unchanged.
"Do I need a reason?"
Bathed in moonlight, Luna smiled and leaned backward and fell.
Wait, below is— Navia rushed to the edge and peered down.
Nothing remained.
The Phantom Thief had vanished without a trace.
"Is there truly no reason?" Navia murmured, inexplicably relieved.
As the performance drew to a close, who had been the true target of that final burst of emotion?
She always said there was no reason, that reasons weren't needed. But can people truly act without any justification?
Puzzles accumulated in Navia's mind, yet she couldn't help but think:
"Perhaps it's simply that no one knows what line she drew."
No one understood the Phantom Thief White Cat's principles, couldn't comprehend her way of thinking.
But then again, letting others understand would only increase the risk of exposure.
Navia sighed. "I suppose that makes sense."
It wasn't strange for the Phantom Thief White Cat to act this way.
Upon returning home, Luna took out a card and transformed.
Quick change!
"Whew, my fingers are so tired... I chose the difficult piece just to show off."
The treasure she stole tonight wasn't the System-designated trophy, so naturally, there were no points.
But Luna didn't care about that; her thoughts were elsewhere.
Arlecchino had been there.
Watching her from the audience.
Lynette and the others too. As Luna recalled this, she couldn't help but stare at her hands, past memories surfacing before her eyes.
Another song came to an end, and Arlecchino lowered her hands.
She didn't shoo Luna off her lap, but neither did she resume playing, signaling that this rare moment of warmth had come to a close.
Arlecchino wasn't always at home, and even when she was, it didn't mean she'd have time to spare.
Luna understood this perfectly well, yet she still felt reluctant to part.
"Could you play one more song?"
Arlecchino placed her hand on Luna's head without stroking it.
"I'm truly sorry, but I have matters to attend to next. The intelligence you brought me has helped me pinpoint tonight's target. As for you, Luna, you should get proper rest."
Injuries required proper recuperation.
Otherwise, they'd hinder the next operation.
The House of the Hearth had no written rules about this, but every child adhered to it - for several had already paid the price with their lives.
"...Alright." Luna obediently slipped off Arlecchino's lap.
Arlecchino patted her leg and stood up. "But you needn't feel lonely. After all... she's right outside the door."
"Hm?"
A pair of eyes glimmered in the crack of the doorway.
Noticing their gazes, the figure carefully pushed the door open.
"Lynette?"
Lynette gave a slight nod, pondering how to explain herself.
But Arlecchino merely gave her a gentle push. "It's your turn to teach her now, Luna."
"Okay, but my hand..." Luna glanced at her bandaged hand.
Lynette swayed her tail. "It's alright, I have a tail."
"Can a tail replace hands? Sometimes it seems like your tail doesn't even obey you."
"Maybe. Probably."
Luna immediately smiled. "Then I'll teach you!"
"Okay!"
"First, you do this, then this."
"...Speak human language."
Perhaps it was an illusion, or perhaps memory had embellished it, but at that moment, Arlecchino's eyes seemed to carry a rare hint of tenderness.
After so much time, the wound had long healed, leaving no scar.
But Luna gently touched her palm, still wishing for Arlecchino to apply ointment once more and neatly bandage it.
"I don't want to disappoint Mother," Sally had said.
Luna leaned back against the chair, gazing at the night sky.
"And I have no idea if she ever felt disappointed in me."